April Group Read - This Side of Paradise

[Zoe]

Confession time: I have never read any Fitzgerald. No, not even the Great Gatsby. I love 19th century literature, so this always seemed far too 'modern' for my taste, but I must be an adult now, because I've discovered I love all sorts of things I found no interest in before. Hoping this book is as pleasant a surprise as, say, Brussels sprouts were.

[Melanie Lawson]

"I must be an adult now, because I've discovered I love all sorts of things I found no interest in before." I am going to have to borrow that. I just caught myself thinking that is so very true!

[Dana]

I got the kindle version from amazon for free today. I've got to admit it will be the first of Fitzgeralds works I've read.

[Zoe]

So glad you're all willing to admit to having never read Gatsby either!

[Bliss]

I often think that books we have to read in school like Gatsby - are totally wasted on us. It's good to go back to them as an adult. I reread Fitzgerald's The Beautiful and Damned last year and loved the writing. Looking forward to This Side...

[Tina]

I confess. I missed "March" in March. April is off to a rough start and perhaps getting lost in a good book while knitting is just what I need!

[Isabel]

I just finished Daughter of Time this morning and so will be beginning This Side next. I agree with bliss' assessment that "required school reading" is lost on young students, yet we all need the building blocks of that required reading to get to where we are as adults, reading for pleasure.

[Zoe]

Bliss, I LOVED a lot of the books I read in junior high school (Oliver Twist, The Good Earth, Pride and Prejudice) so it's never too early to start. That said, you aren't the only one with that attitude. There's a recent book that has been getting LOTS of press.

It's on my TBR list, as he has a few in there I've never even heard of!
It's also a good reminder to us which books stand the test of time for us as individuals, and which stand the test of time as a society.
Before someone nominated this for the group read poll, I had never heard of it. So was it just not that good? Or completely eclipsed by the shockingly self-indulgent Gatsby?

[Zoe]

And Tina, Don't feel bad. I'm still finishing March!

[Betty]

Just checked my library for the OD MP3 version and it is checked out. I will place a hold and see if I can join in on this one.

[Isabel]

a month late, but finally finished This Side of Paradise this evening..... I think it is one that will simmer for a while before I really have an idea what it was about or how I'll integrate it into my reading experience.....

[Rachel]

I have finally finished this, a month and a half late! I didn't like it at all and found it a complete chore to read (which is why it took me so long). I could appreciate it was well written though (and I can see why some like it) but all the poetry and philosophy did nothing for me.