Goodreads Ireland discussion
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What Are You Reading
I got Wolf Hall as audio download from the library and I thought it was ok. I'm not a huge Hillary Mantel, but I love anything written about that period. Philippa Gregory especially. At the moment I'm reading The Taming of the Queen
I started The Shadow of the Wind the other day then too much happened around here to read. I'll get back on track one of these days!
I was in town yesterday and as per usual the weather woman had lied, so I wasn't kitted out for the damn monsoon that opened over Main Street. Solution: hide out in a juice bar. Alas, I ran into a mild issue being I had brought the wrong bag with me and my current book wasn't in it. Solution: run to Eason's and buy two new books :D
So, I picked up 'My Dad's Ten Years Old' by Mark O Sullivan for 3Euro and despite the dodgy reviews it recieved, I'm almost finished reading it and love every second so far! It's hilarious and sad and thought consuming and I think if you can find it for as cheap as I did, then you should try it.
Margo wrote: "Cathleen wrote: "An Officer and a Spy was one of the group's monthly reads last year, and although I couldn't get to it at the time, I remember how positive the general response to ..."Margo, I'll have to find more of his books. He does such a superb job with all of the plotting of a complicated case--and he manages to do it suspensefully, even when a great deal of it is --on the surface--minute details and tiny little facts. I don't read that much historical fiction, but I may have to change that.
Cathleen his Rome trilogy is excellent (well I loved the first two, haven't read the third one yet). Enigma and Fatherland are also brilliant.
I also quite liked Pompeii. The Fear Index was only average
Emmet wrote: "Sherry wrote: "Yes that's true Isabella. Even if they don't have to do accents the narrator makes all the difference. Most narrators I've listened to were very good but I've heard some awful ones."..."Not only can the mess up the voice but the inflection of the sentence. I didn't not know how to explain that lol
I might say "why did he do THAT?" The narrator might say "Why did HE do that?" The meaning changes just by that simple change and it can be annoying.
Jerk wrote: "I was in town yesterday and as per usual the weather woman had lied, so I wasn't kitted out for the damn monsoon that opened over Main Street. Solution: hide out in a juice bar. Alas, I ran into ..."
LOL those lying weather men! You can't trust them! Glad you found a good book.
Sherry wrote: "Emmet wrote: "Sherry wrote: "Yes that's true Isabella. Even if they don't have to do accents the narrator makes all the difference. Most narrators I've listened to were very good but I've heard som..."Oh, that's so true. There were a few times when I put my head in my hands because the narrator wasn't reading it the way it was intended. But I guess that easy enough to do - on the whole I've been very lucky.
Me too Isabella. Most narrators are very good. Neil Gaiman sometimes reads his own books. He's so good and his voice reminds me of Alan Rickman.
Paul wrote: "I also quite liked Pompeii. The Fear Index was only average"I didn't think much of Fear Factor either. Loved The Ghost which is also more modern. I have the Rome trilogy, just need to get round to it.
The Ghost was quite interesting. It was pretty much a slating of Tony Blair and his wife which was fun
Paul wrote: "The Ghost was quite interesting. It was pretty much a slating of Tony Blair and his wife which was fun"Yes, even more fun cos I read an article about Harris and Blaire shortly before I read the book. Apparently they used to be quite chummy, and had a falling out around the time uk sent troops in.
Margo wrote: "Paul wrote: "The Ghost was quite interesting. It was pretty much a slating of Tony Blair and his wife which was fun"Yes, even more fun cos I read an article about Harris and Blaire shortly before..."
I'll have to look for The Ghost and the Rome trilogy. I'm looking forward to finishing my semester grades and taking a day or two to do nothing but read. This semester has really interfered with my pleasure reading :).
My live bookclub read this month is Middlemarch. The audio is 35 hours, text 900 pages. I usually love the long ones, but I've just finished The Woman in White and I'm just not in the mood for another huge book. Going to start it anyway cos I'm such a good bookclubber!!
Still making my way throught The Secret Scripture, the story only starting to come out. hoping the last 100 pages are good I am finding the story dragging and jumps alot from one story to another and in places goes off complete
Margo I have tried to read Middlemarch before but had to give up. Same happened last year with The Mill on the Floss. I guess I am not a George Elliot fan but I did enjoy Silas Marner.
That's as idea Emma. It's probably about 30 years since I read it tho, so I've not much memory of the writing style. I got it in an audible deal a few years back so I might give it another go on audio. I prefered The Mill on the Floss and it's half the length. Why couldn't she have chosen that one LOL
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I started reading Luckiest Girl Alive by Jessica Knoll have also stared Sister Peters In Amsterdamby
My feelings were identical to yours Sara. Although I will read the next book, I'm not totally bothered about it.
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I'm listening to Peter Pan, narrated by Jim Dale. He does a beautiful job. He also narrated The Night Circus. Some people are perfect narrators. He is!I've also started The Little Red Chairs.
Night circus is one I keep meaning to get around to but still haven't
It's a favorite of mine Seraphina.
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Sherry wrote: "I'm listening to Peter Pan, narrated by Jim Dale. He does a beautiful job. He also narrated The Night Circus. Some people are perfect narrators. He is!I've also started The Little Red Chairs."
I really enjoyed Jim Dales narration of the night circus.
Have to say that for harry potter there is only one reader for me and that is Steven Fry :-D
Sara wrote: "Recently I've been listening to The Book of Unknown Americans. Normally when I get an audio book on CD (as opposed to Audible) listening to it goes very slowly. I usually only liste..."I've got to the stage where I convert all CDs to mp3 for listening. Lord I remember when I used to think cassette tapes were cutting edge ;-p
Margo wrote: "Sherry wrote: "I'm listening to Peter Pan, narrated by Jim Dale. He does a beautiful job. He also narrated The Night Circus. Some people are perfect narrators. He is!I've also started The Little ..."
Stephen Fry is great!
Sara wrote: "I think a number of people on GRI have enjoyed The Night Circus. I read it in hardback, but I imagine the audio book was delightful. Good narration is so important. Jim Dale also app..."Night Circus is in a class all by itself. I wish Erin Morgenstern would write again. Not a sequel to Night Circus because it doesn't need one but a new story.
Just finished the third Harry potter book. Probably my least favourite so far but it's still very good. I can't figure out why I didn't enjoy it as much as the others, maybe because there isn't much voldemort action going on.
Ya maybe that was it margo. Also I don't think it was as mysterious as the previous two books, it was more of a development of the school characters
I tried reading 'An Abundance of Katherines' by John Green but got 4/5 chapters in and was sick of reading the word "fug" and looking at Venn diagrams and trying to make sense of plot filler. It just didn't work for me and that upsets me because I'm a HUGE fan of John and have been ever since the release of the Vlogbrothers 2.0. Granted, this book was his second novel and his content improved vastly by the time 'The Fault in Our Stars' was published but I can't shake the feeling of being disappointed that I don't like something related to Nerdfighteria. Sometimes I feel that I set myself these expectations that are way out of my league. Like reading a tonne of books in one month when realistically I can only find the time for two, or reading a popular book from front to cover and hating it so damn much, or when I try to write a couple thousand words a day and can only manage 10 words in total and that makes me feel like a complete JERK, so true to my name. Sometimes I feel I'm the only one struggling with these first world problems and most of the time I feel like I should have better things to do than read and write fan fiction but... but I like books and I like writing and that's me.
Aaaaanyway, I chose to pick up 'When Hitler Stole Pink Rabbit' written by Judith Kerr and so far ( 50% in) I love every page because although it's centered around something so heartbreaking, it's as equally light heated and innocent told from the child's point of view.
Having taken on the challenge of reading 50 books this year, I'm 18 titles in and right on track! That makes me feel accomplished in a sense and yet makes me wonder if I should have bigger goals in life than to just read 50 books this year...
*I had to edit this post because I'm drinking a six pack of Apple Tree and watching Grace and Frankie ( no spoilers please, I'm re-watching season 1) and made dumb mistakes. Hello.
Hey Jerk! Don't be so rough on yourself! You're doing fine! If you don't make the book goal it's ok. Just enjoy what you can when you can. Life is short. If 10 words a day is your limit that's ok. 10 is better than none and it adds up. Quality is better than quantity. Relax.
I've been able to read more of The Shadow of the Wind,and I like it so far, although a few of the phrases and lines seem awkward to me. I wonder if it's the translation.I downloaded The Ocean at the End of the Lane as an audiobook from the library, so I could listen to it on my commute. I started listening to it, and I was so enthralled by the story and Neil Gaiman's voice that I drove all the way home, forgetting that I needed to stop and get gas. Luckily, I made it home, but when I pulled into the driveway, I looked and there was the bright yellow fuel warning sign on the dashboard. I must have been driving on nothing but fumes the last few miles and didn't even notice.
Cathleen wrote: "I've been able to read more of The Shadow of the Wind,and I like it so far, although a few of the phrases and lines seem awkward to me. I wonder if it's the translation.I downloaded [..."
I love Neil Gaiman's soothing voice. He does such a beautiful job narrating his books.
Sherry wrote: "Cathleen wrote: "I've been able to read more of The Shadow of the Wind,and I like it so far, although a few of the phrases and lines seem awkward to me. I wonder if it's the translation..."Gaiman's books are so enchanting anyways but now I look forward to listening to them too. I taught some of my classes Coraline during the Spring semester before I finished work and they really loved the first few chapters.
I just moved onto 'To the Lighthouse' by Woolfe. I have to say I'm struggling to get into it but that might just be the heat and humidity. Has anyone else read it? Thank goodness it's pretty short.
Also, I just finished "A Quest of Heroes" by Rice, it was possibly the worst fantasy book I've ever read. Would not recommend it to anyone.
To the lighthouse....oh the torture Emmet.....hated it. The writing style annoyed me, the various streams of consciousness was difficult to follow. I just thought it was an awful book. Sorry now, I know your in the middle of it
Having struggled through Mrs Dalloway I'm not inclined to sample anymore Woolfe.Just finished Middlemarch and loved every word. Having a hard time coming back to more mundane stuff! Trying to return to The Widow and maybe finish Good Bones and Simple Murders.
Disappointed to hear Emmets views on the Rice book I have just downloaded. As well, it was free ;-)
Oh Ladies that's not at all what I needed to hear! Ha! Oh well! At least now I know I'm not too lacking in the brains department as I'm not alone in struggling. The rest of my bookclub are also finding it tough. Luckily Emma Ho Chi Minh City has a huge cafe culture so tomorrow I can chill out and hopefully get through at least 40%
Emma wrote: "I'm glad you enjoyed Middlemarch Margo. It's a book worth sticking with though it does take a little time to get into. Good luck Emmet."
Took me 30 years to get into Emma ;-p
Emmet, are you visiting or is that where your home is?
Margo wrote:Emmet are you visiting or is that where your home is?
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I'm just visiting Margo. I'm from Galway originally but I'm just making my way back now!
Have you begun the Quest of Heroes? Or have you discounted it?
Lucky you! Enjoy :-)Quest for Heros is still on my tbr - along with a host of others! I think I downloaded it cos the name "Rice" has such good associations . Will give it a go sometime.
I've abandoned The Little Red Chairs for now because I'm doing some more sophisticated reading, Peter Pan (I think I posted the other day) Anyway, what a violent book! I wouldn't read it to a child but it's fun to read. It basically says that the lost boys are blood thirsty. I wonder if parents in the past were insensitive about what children read or if we're over sensitive these days? Maybe it's both.
It referred to the various groups looking for blood. It also talks about one of the lost boys going to gather sticks and missing the adventure. When he comes back they are sweeping the blood. Peter refers to killing as an adventure and Tink is trying to kill Wendy.Yes, the original Grimm stories are crazy. The step sisters in Cinderella cutting off parts of their feet and the birds plucking their eyes out at the wedding. Sleeping beauty is raped while in her deep sleep and awakened by her child nursing. She gave birth while sleeping. Bizarre.
Maybe children aren't as sensitive as we think they are. I don't know how harsh a story should be for small children. We are more careful these days. They'll learn about violence eventually.
Children enjoy being scared, as do adults - to a certain extent! I read Peter Pan as a kid and had no problem with it, whereas the "sanitised" version of Handsel and Gretel gave me nightmare that I still remember. It's difficult to know what a childs imagination will latch onto.
True Margo. We were allowed to watch Dark Shadows when we were kids. It didn't affect me in the least but the neighbor girl had horrible nightmares. I think it's a matter of knowing your child. I worked in a daycare center in the 80s. One little boy who was 5 was talking about Freddy Krueger from Nightmare on Elm Street! I was very young and didn't have kids yet and even then I couldn't believe it lol! I still wouldn't allow a 5 yr old to see that movie!
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Me too Sherry, I had to listen to the vast majority of Wolf Hall because the book was just far too tedious. The narrator on that really irritated me, even though the other members of the RL book club really liked him I just disliked his take on everyone's voice.