Goodreads Ireland discussion
note: This topic has been closed to new comments.
What Are You Reading
How are you getting on with Mary Barton Emma? It bugs me that i couldn't finish it but it just wasn't doing it for me.
Jamie Lynn wrote: "Most narrators are good but some people should stick to whatever it is that they do best."That's true. The voice of any Audiobook reader gets strangely entwined with the author's voice, and the characters' voices, for that matter. Librivox is a great source for free classical audiobooks, but the quality of the readers is very much a mixed bag. They are a non-profit and egalitarian to a fault. Some of the readers are disastrous, so I tend to choose the books to listen to by selecting the reader, rather than the material.
Very true, I might revisit it at some point. I think North and South is my favourite too although Cranford was a lovely story as well.
Mod
Jamie Lynn wrote: "Diane wrote: "Jamie Lynn wrote: "...Crime and Punishment is a little weird though. "Dostoyevsky is a little weird which is probably why I like him.
I once got his [book:The Brothers Karamazov|4934..."
JL, how wonderful that you read the book to your son. It reminds me of when my son was small and I was reading the Harry Potter series to him, complete with using different voices - I do a mean Dobby. I remember one time I had come to the end of a chapter and I was going to stop and my husband piped up, "Keep going! This is a good part!" I had no idea he was even listening!
Susan wrote: "Donna, let me know how you like that book. I read one of hers and didn't care much for it but it could have just been an off book.Barbara, I am jealous of all that is available to you. The only o..."
I certainly will. I enjoy her books for what they are, kind of Irish chick lit. I needed a break between The Son and At Swim, Two Boys!
Donna wrote: "Susan wrote: "Donna, let me know how you like that book. I read one of hers and didn't care much for it but it could have just been an off book.Barbara, I am jealous of all that is available to y..."
Donna - you are reminding me I have yet to start At Swim Two Boys. From the price sticker it looks like I bought it at Hodges Figgis and it must have been as long ago as 2002 when I did. So it's definitely about time I read it. The theme will fit in well with the MOOC Theresa and I are currently doing Irish Lives in War and Revolution: Exploring Ireland's History 1912-1923
https://www.futurelearn.com/courses/i...
which is free and 6 weeks long. I just completed Week 2 - Theresa, it goes faster than Week 1:)
Barbara, I had to laugh out loud when I read you had that book since 2002. It sounded just like me. I just like the feeling that I will find something to read in the house no matter what mood I'm in. Your Transatlantic class sounds wonderful. I am so jealous of all your opportunities. Maybe you can kick your son out and let me be your room-mate. :)
Theresa - thanks for explaining MOOC. I managed to do Week 2 in probably 2 hours and even added quite a few comments.Susan - you remind me that when I move, I have to make sure I am near a city. With all the books I have yet to read, I still managed to buy quite a few yesterday.
And I have to check my mail box - waiting for my new Ann Cleeves.
MOOC sounds neat. I'm going to start looking at future classes. Wouldn't it be neat if we had a large group of GI members join a class?
Theresa wrote: "Now Mary Barton is finished a complete change of pace is needed so I'm reading my first Jo Neebø book. The Snowman is about number 5 in the series about the detective Harry Hole but ..."Theresa - I am a fan of Scandinavian mysteries. I have a friend who is an American of Swedish background and visits Sweden regularly. She doesn't like this genre at all and I think in Sweden, there is a sense that writers are all turning to this kind of writing. This is not surprising but it can be bad for literary fiction writers to get published. My primary issue has been that some of the translations aren't great, particularly dialogue. However, I haven't kept track of which books I don't like as much due to translation though my reviews may have that included.
Theresa wrote: "Barbara wrote: "Theresa wrote: "Now Mary Barton is finished a complete change of pace is needed so I'm reading my first Jo Neebø book. The Snowman is about number 5 in the series abo..."I have 2 unread on my kindle - Daybreak
by Viktor Arnar Ingólfsson and The Seventh Child by Erik Valeur. I have over 40 unread novels on my kindle and several non fictions thanks to the daily specials. At least they aren't in piles in my house. If I am caught in a blizzard, as long as I have electricity and can recharge my kindle, I am all set.
Theresa, I have The Snowman on my shelves, so I look forward to seeing what you think of it overall. I've recently picked up The Redbreast by Nesbo, due to the historical element in it, with sections about the Norwegians who fought on the Eastern Front on Germany's side during WW2.Nesbo was in Belfast this time last year, btw, and No Alibis managed to sell out the Ulster Hall for the event-to put this in context, it was at the Ulster Hall that Dickens used to read when in Belfast. Considering that the last event I was at at the Ulster Hall, albeit in a side room, was attended by 7 people, including the author, it shows just how popular Nesbo obviously is.
You know I've seen Montalbano listed on one of our PBS channels and wondered what it was. It comes on like 3am so I would have to DVR it. Can you tell me a little more?
Theresa, in NI we get the same BBC content as yourself, bar regional variations on BBC1 and 2. I often say that the £12 or so a month that the tv licence costs is the best money we spend every month, as the quality of programming on both radio and tv is so good. Re the Saturday evening crime slot, I have watched the first series of The Killing, which I enjoyed, as well as Borgen, which I know isn't crime, but as my other half doesn't like to 'read' while watching tv, I haven't seen many of the others, although I have The Bridge on DVD. I know at least one person in work who can't wait for Saturday evening at 9pm, precisely because of the programming. I love BBC4, but tend to watch the music content on a Friday rather than the drama on a Saturday.
Re Nesbo, I've only read Headhunters, which I know was a one off-I enjoyed it, and have another couple on my shelves bar The Snowman, but your enthusiasm will ensure that I read him again sooner rather than later. I loved the Stieg Larsson books, although I know that people looked down upon them in literary circles. It'll be interesting to compare the two writers.
Thanks, Theresa. I will record it next time it comes on. It sounds interesting. Sicily last year, Russia this year. You and the engineer do lead the good life. :)
I am turning cartwheels (mentally at least). I got my new copy of Ann Cleeves Shetland Island series. The postman brought three books for me and inquired why I needed to order books from Ireland.
Susan - I ordered my Cleeves the day before you and I am closer to the UK so what the what!! It's OK it hasn't arrived because I have a super busy week. My evenings are busy answering work emails - jeez. Theresa - the only Scandinavian mysteries we get on TV is the Kenneth Brannagh series in which he plays Wallander. I could watch them over and over (maybe I should buy the DVDs). I went several years back to a local theater where they showed one of the Swedish tv versions of a Wallander book and the author Henning Mankell was there.
Allan - I am always glad to hear of No Alibis events that draw big crowds. As the only independent bookshop in Belfast, they still have to work hard to keep going. This discussion is reminding me there are a couple of new Nesbos I have yet to read. I prefer the Harry Hole books and there is probably one I haven't gotten to.
So after I finished One Hundred Names, I thought I'd read another two week book I got from the library - Chestnut Street by Maeve Binchy. Her husband Gordon had it published after her death. I'm in the movie queue waiting and start to read it, and I go, "Wait a minute. This cover looks familiar. Do I own this book?" And I do. I haven't read it yet but I bought it and it's in my to-read stack. Sigh.
Trelawn is even more organised than i am ☺
don't be Theresa, it's a sickness really :-)
I am very organised and yra it does make life a little easier except when everyone e.g. my brothers expect me to know where their birth certs etc are at the drop of a hat.
well my mam is pretty organised too so she shares the frustration :-)
Ah yes that must me a mammy thing. Mine bought me a CD for Christmas 2000 and she still hasn't found it :-)
Donna, LOL. It sounds just like me. Let me know how Chestnut Street is. I've been hesitant to try it.Trelawn, one year for Christmas I got my daughter a crocheted scarf and hat. I couldn't find it until the end of April. I gave it to her for her birthday in May. She was less than thrilled.
My Aunt has given my Uncle the same birthday card for 40 years. When his birthday is over she sticjs it back in a drawer. He's never noticed
I can confirm it's a true story, it's become family legend :-)
I can't believe he doesn't notice!!!! No way?!
That's what i said! surely the card looks dated at this stage :-)
You have to take into account how special my Uncle is .
He's the Uncle who taught me my first word and first song. Neither is for civilised company.
He's our family lunatic .He's good for a laugh. As kids he used to chase us with his false teeth
We like to believe he doesnt know but he probably does .
Trelawn wrote: "* yes not yra"when I read a typo like yra I just figure it is an Irish term.
Trelawn wrote: "That's what i said! surely the card looks dated at this stage :-)"It would be funny if someone stole the card and forced the aunt to buy a new one. I wonder if somewhere in the back of the uncle's mind he would think something wrong or peculiar.
I just finished Bel Canto and it was it was amazing. I don't know why it took me so long to read it.
Mod
The first, The New Jim Crow by Michelle Alexander is a read-a-long (one chapter per week) for an Read Harder: Five Years of Great Writing From the Believer, is a collection of long form critical essays by different people on different topics (most related at least loosely to a book or movie). It's easy to dip in and out of. The Believer is a literary magazine. As with most collections of essays their quality and level of interest to me varies and a few of the authors are a bit full of themselves. There are quite a few gems though. One of the ones I read recently was on an author, Brian Evenson. I had vaguely heard of him before, but I didn't realize his background was quite so interesting. He was basically asked to leave his position at Brigman Young University (a Mormon University) and threatened with excommunication because his writing was too dark. I'm definitely interested in trying one of his short story collections.
Finally, I've resumed dual listening/reading of Anathem by Neal Stephenson I about 25% of the way done, but it's a very long book. There's a lot of interesting religious, scientific, and philosophical concepts explored in the book and an intriguing main character. On the other not much has happened yet.
Colleen wrote: "I just finished Bel Canto and it was it was amazing. I don't know why it took me so long to read it."I just finished Bel Canto last month. I loved it, too. Music and love as defenses against the occasional horror of life.
Susan - I still don't have my Anne Cleeves. Did you post the 3 books you got from Ireland in our new books thread? My reaction to your mail carrier's question "none of his/her business". On the other hand, I have a friend who is a mail carrier and an acquaintance who is the same but in Belgium.
I think is the right place to post this:) I am listening to the audiobook of Outlander which is 33 hours long. I've listened to 19 hours of it and posted in another discussion I am tiring a bit of the heroine. So today after leaving work after a busy day, I decided I needed music to pick me up. So here were my choices from my iTunes library on my iPhone:I Will Survive by Gloria Gaynor (an 8 minute version)
Wagon Wheel by Darius Rucker
I Drive Your Truck by Kristen Merlin (The Voice last season)
I Drive Your Truck by Lee Brice
Someone Like You by Adele
(What If God Was) One of Us (Sarah Simmons, The Voice)
Lawyers Guns and Money by Warren Zevon
Werewolf in London by Warren Zevon
Drive all Night - Glen Hansard with Eddie Vedder)
Pennies in the Fountain - Glen Hansard
And I felt much better when I got home than if I had listened to Outlander. I need to buy more Country & Western (traditional not the new stuff which I don't like at all) - some Willie Nelson.
My favorite verse from Lawyers Guns and Money is
"Now I'm hiding in Honduras
I'm a desperate man
Send lawyers, guns and money
The shit has hit the fan."
And this music can be tied to books as some of my favorite characters include Peter Robinson's Alan Banks who always has a soundtrack to his books.
J. wrote: "Colleen wrote: "I just finished Bel Canto and it was it was amazing. I don't know why it took me so long to read it."I just finished Bel Canto last month. I loved it, too. Music and..."
I read it in 2012 right before I went to Lima, Peru for a week for a conference. It really got me in the mood for the city. It is a damp and greyish place.
Sara wrote: "So now that I'm done with the Son (:o(), I've started or resumed a few other books. The first, The New Jim Crow by Michelle Alexander is a read-a-long (one chapter per week) for an online discuss..."
I read The New Jim Crow last winter for a book group and it's excellent!
Donna wrote: "So after I finished One Hundred Names, I thought I'd read another two week book I got from the library - Chestnut Street by Maeve Binchy. Her husband Gordon had it published after her death. I'm in..."Donna, what did you think of One Hundred Names? I have it as an e-book and started reading a few pages--but decided to wait until I finished other books I had already started.
Barbara wrote: "I think is the right place to post this:) I am listening to the audiobook of Outlander which is 33 hours long. I've listened to 19 hours of it and posted in another discussion I am tiring a bit of ..."Barbara--what great music. I love Warren Zevon's music--he gets his own special place in my music playlists. My favorite is Werewolves of London. "I saw a werewolf drinking a pina colada at Trader Vic's/His hair was perfect." Something about his quirky and sometimes cynical view of the world that makes me smile, strangely enough.
This topic has been frozen by the moderator. No new comments can be posted.
Goodreads Ireland
Books mentioned in this topic
Band of Sisters (other topics)The Four Winds (other topics)
The Paris Library (other topics)
Lana's War (other topics)
Big Girl, Small Town (other topics)
More...
Authors mentioned in this topic
Lauren Willig (other topics)Kristin Hannah (other topics)
Janet Skeslien Charles (other topics)
Anita Abriel (other topics)
C.S. Harris (other topics)
More...
Good luck with the Mary Barton. Gaskell is one of those authors that intimidates me.