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Goodreads Ireland discussion
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What Are You Reading
@Colleen & John. You've convinced me to add The Rosie project.
John wrote: "Caroline wrote: "Colm Toibin is a brilliant man. "I see him quite a lot at lunchtime. Out and about around Baggot street. (It's a real hotsport for minor celebs actually). Maybe he has an office ..."
Don't know where he lives now but years ago when he was just getting started, a friend I have on Harcourt Terrace got a landlady to give him a flat at a bargain price on Adelaide and Harcourt Terrace. Back in those days Micheál MacLiammóir lived on Harcourt Terrace, in a flat/house that Jim Sheridan later lived in. My friend is in her 80's and her family, the Carmodys, owned a small shop, perhaps a greengrocers, one street over on Charlemont St.
Littlemissmuffet wrote: "Colleen wrote: "I think I'm on an Australian reading binge .I startedThe Husband's Secret and so far I like it. ..."Colleen, I liked it too. I enjoyed reading about a situation from the perspecti..."
I'm enjoying it too and can't wait to see wher it goes and what the secret is.
Picked up the Rosie project today for €5 in easons. Love getting a bargain
John and Barbara -- you're talking about Dublin? Or another city?
Caroline wrote: "John and Barbara -- you're talking about Dublin? Or another city?"Dublinia
I started on The Guts there a few nights ago. Great book. Glued to it. And a great Audiobook incidentally - very easy to follow - would be a good audiobook for people who were saying recently they can only concentrate on some audiobooks.Going by comments on various threads, there seem to be more people reading The Guts recently then the actual monthly read :)
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@Jamielynn. The Guts has its deep moments but I didn't find it depressing in the slightest.
I was lucky enough to attend another excellent book launch tonight, that of David Park's new novel, 'The Poets' Wives'. I listened to an interview with Park a few years ago, when he expressed regret that he had written so much about the situation in NI in the past, and suggested that he wouldn't be using the country as much in his future work, and this title seems to reflect the fact.
The event was in the Ulster Museum again, was extremely well attended, and included Sinead Morrissey reading poetry by William Blake and Russian poet Osip Mandelstam, both of whose wives are fictionalised in the novel. The head of the Arts Council for NI also announced at the event that the novel will be Belfast's 'One City One Book' for 2014, which as far as I know rewards Park financially as well as giving him great publicity. There'll be a number of events in Belfast to mark this fact in May, which I will definitely aim to attend!
I've decided to get stuck into this book straight away, having absolutely loved both the Willy Vlautin and Glenn Patterson novels launched during the last few weeks in Belfast. I can only hope that David from No Alibis continues to run such excellent events, as I've definitely been spoiled of late! :)
Declan / John-could The Guts be read as a standalone, or is enjoyment of the novel dependent on having read The Commitments? I'm ashamed(?) to admit that I've never managed to read that book, but am interested to see so many giving this one positive reviews.
It can, Allan. It occasionally refers back to the other stories, but not in any way that would require any knowledge of them. I think you might enjoy it.
@Allan, that sounds like a wonderful event. I am so jealous of your exciting life. Maybe I should move to Belfast. You even have rain there.
Susan, the events seem to be like the old adage about buses-you wait ages for one, then three come along at once!Declan, it'll probably be be audiobook version of The Guts I'll go for if I buy it, given what John has said about it. I'll have to see how much I can pick the first one up for as well-it could be relatively cheap given the age of it...
Should I assume the secret isn't what the husband wrote or do I know the secret and now to the fallout?
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Thanks for the heads up on the sale, Sara! I didn't manage to find two myself, but it's always a bonus when you do! I think that I'm going to keep my Audible US credit for the latest McKinty, which is released on Tuesday on audio...BTW, I hope that you're finding the Harvey Milk book an enjoyable read! :)
Allan wrote: "I was lucky enough to attend another excellent book launch tonight, that of David Park's new novel, 'The Poets' Wives'. I listened to an interview with Park a few years ago, when he expressed reg..."
I'll be eager to read what you think of the book, Allan.
I'll be sure to keep you posted, Cathleen, but it's definitely shaping up to be different than his previous work so far...
Littlemissmuffet wrote: "Colleen wrote: "Should I assume the secret isn't what the husband wrote or do I know the secret and now to the fallout?"The secret is revealed in the letter the husband wrote. :) The repercussion..."
That's what I thought :)I can't imagine where this is going.
Caroline wrote: "John and Barbara -- you're talking about Dublin? Or another city?"Cathleen- I'm talking about Dublin :)
I'm starting With My Lazy Eye by Julia Kelly this weekend for my Irish contemporary book club the 2nd Monday of March. There was a bit of a kerfluffle as we chose the Kelly book, and then another book This Magnificent Desolation by Thomas O'Malley got listed for March. The group though overturned that in favor of Kelly. It appears O'Malley is an American writer.
I started The Bastard of Istanbul by Elif Shafak. It was a lucky find in my local library and I'm really enjoying it - strong, funny characters, a vivid depiction of Istanbul, and a real sense of the history of Turkey and Armenia.
I really liked Pillars, Gavin. I sometimes like the big, fat books you can sink your teeth into.
I really liked The Secret Scripture, Jamielynn. If you've read before and liked it you'll enjoy this.
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Today I'm going to take advantage of being stuck inside due to snow and get started on 3/4 of my current March book club reads. How far I get in each will depend upon what grabs me.
My Lazy Eye by Julia Kelly for the contemporary Irish fiction book group Barbara and I are both in. I thought it was going to be too close to chick list for my taste. I read the first chapter in bed last night though, and I think I may like it. It's light but has a bit of a dark humor in it so far.
The Golem and the Jinni. For my fantasy book club. It got a nomination for a Nebula award and praise from friends, so I'm looking forward to it.
And...Finally starting The Third Policeman!
Sara wrote: "Well I finished The Mayor of Castro Street: The Life and Times of Harvey Milk yesterday (my secret Santa gift from Heather upon Allan's commendation)and it absolutely blew me away. My review can be..."Sara- I am not finding With My Lazy Eye to be chick-litish. But you've got me thinking where is the line between a novel and chick-lit?
Sara, The Mayor of Castro Street was actually the book that I sent as your Secret Santa gift, with Heather sending you the Lethem. :) Having seen Shilts' other book on your 'To Read' shelf, I knew when ordering this one that it would be a book you'd like. Such an important story. Having read the very interesting points you made in your review, I'm tempted to buy the audiobook for a repeat listen myself!
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I'm going to respond to your question about the line between a novel and chick lit later, but first I wanted to find an article I read on the subject awhile back.
@Allan Oops I had forgotten which of those was which. The fact remains that you are responsible for two of my favorite reads of the year. I do highly recommend the audiobook. I thought the narrator really helped bring out the visceral nature of the events. I've pulled the copy of the other Randy Shilts book out of the TBR stacks and moved it to the TBRS (To be read soon) pile near my computer. I'll let you know how it is.
I was just posting about that after your review, Sara. I look forward to hearing what you think of it. I listened to it on audio myself-a whopping 30+ hours if I remember. Oh, and I'm glad the two books went down so well! :)
Sara wrote: "Barbara, I'm not finding it chick-litish after reading a few chapters. I think I was going based upon the cover of my editionI'm going to respond to your question about the line between a novel a..."
That cover does look like "chick lit" but the other two covers don't....looks a good novel either way
About half way through "The Secret Scripture" - I'm finding it very tense and I feel something awful is about to happen. Well written and holding, however a little depressing for my mood - are all great books depressing in some way?! So started "The Cuckoo's Calling" to have a bit of light relief. I'm thoroughly enjoying it.
It seems like I should read the Harvey Milk book. I can remember the times so well as we live so close to SF. Of course, it would be Allan who sent you the book. I am having a month of Allan. I'm reading Light of Amsterdam which Allan recommended and my wonderful Secret Santa, Barbara, sent me. I am also reading a McKinty and another author he recommended. We also have the monthly read so it's an Allan agenda for me. What would I read without him?@Sarah, looked at the cover of the book and totally agree. It screams chick lit. I am glad it's more than that.
@jamie Lynn, loved Harvey Milk and don't think I've seen a movie with Sean Penn that I didn't think was good. A great actor, alright.
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Susan, I'm afraid I can't take credit for the monthly read, having nominated Northline by Willy Vlautin, so it's not a complete Allan themed month for you. But, living where you live and having lived through the period in question, you should definitely read the Harvey Milk book-I'd say that you're bound to be very familiar with the people and issues featured throughout.
What I meant, Allan, is that we'll be reading the same book together so that's why I counted it. I know you nominated Northline as I, a good Allan acolyte, voted for it. That's the other Allan book I'm reading, a Willy Vlautin one. So we'll have four books in common. Why don't you acknowledge that you guide us all in book recommendations? What would we read without you?
Colleen wrote: "Sara wrote: "Barbara, I'm not finding it chick-litish after reading a few chapters. I think I was going based upon the cover of my editionI'm going to respond to your question about the line betw..."
I did see that cover for With My Lazy Eye on Amazon, but mine is quite different. Jeez - publishers still haven't gotten past the chick lit craze.
Barbara wrote: "Colleen wrote: "Sara wrote: "Barbara, I'm not finding it chick-litish after reading a few chapters. I think I was going based upon the cover of my editionI'm going to respond to your question abo..."
Looking at the other two covers I saw on amazon I would much more likely to pick up those novels and read the back.
The one Sara is reading looks like chick lit boarding on romance.Chick lit I will read sometimes but not pure romance.
Secret Scriptures is a great read, Jamie Lynne, deep and thought provoking. Ireland during the troubles like you might not have seen before. I really lived this book.
I think someone asked me to post what I thought of the latest James Franco novel, when I previously mentioned that I'd purchased it. I finished it today, and have to say that I wouldn't recommend it-a little too self indulgent and on many occasions, he writes with the intention of shocking, which I found a little tiresome. I haven't been having a great deal of luck reading wise over the last few days. Despite having looked forward to the new David Park, I have to admit that 75 pages in, the subject matter is failing to engage me. His writing has been described as poetic, but to be honest it's a little too poetic for me in this book so far. I'm determined to stick with it, though!
Having owned The Book Thief since release without having read it, I decided that, if I was going to get to it this month, it'd have to be on audiobook, so I purchased it today, along with the latest Adrian McKinty, which came out on audio today. I'm due to be decorating at the weekend, so I'll probably manage to get through them both by Sunday evening. :)
Decorating? What are you decorating, Allan? You often slip some intriguing statements in your posts.
It has been decreed from on high that I'm decorating-or painting, possibly, in your parlance-our spare room. At the speed I paint, that'll take two full days. Hence the probability that, at 1.5x speed, I'll get through both audiobooks. Audiobooks make jobs like this just about bearable for me! :)
Wow, I thought you were done with painting when you did all the doors. When you're done with your painting, please feel free to come over and paint my house. I will even feed you.
Susan, I thought I was done with painting after I had finished the doors as well, but when it is decreed from on high, one must adhere to the request...! I have to admit that I'm not feeling too bad about doing the job, particularly as I'm so far enjoying The Book Thief two hours in to the audiobook.
Gift from a friend,
Quiet surprises in a memoir from 1930s Vienna. My review: " Max rating at 5 stars for its honesty and wit. Kudos to Virago for re-publishing this little treasure of a memoir. "
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Goodreads Ireland
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I've just started Roddy Doyle's The Guts, which started brilliantly. I think I'm ..."
I downloaded the group's book when it first came available but I need time to read it .Hopefully soon