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What have you just read? Opinions, recommendations & reviews
dely wrote: "Have finished A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini. It was such a good book, it had everything I'm looking for in a book: well depicted characters to whom I can re..."I read And the Mountains Echoed and The Kite Runner. I'm not sure if I want to read A Thousand Splendid Suns; his books are just too similar to each other.
I think that might be a problem with them Charbel, though it's been a couple of years since I read his book, so I'm probably ready for another in the next year or so.
Charbel wrote: "I'm not sure if I want to read A Thousand Splendid Suns; his books are just too similar to each other. "Good to know! I don't know if I will read his other books. As usual, I must wait to find them in the secondhand shop. By sure I won't buy them.
Chrissie wrote: "dely, yeah, I liked that one even more than the The Kite Runner. And the Mountains Echoed goes down even further, but I still liked it. When you read an excellent book ..."It's because of this that I don't like to read the whole bibliography of an author though sometimes I'm tempted to do it.
dely wrote: "Chrissie wrote: "dely, yeah, I liked that one even more than the The Kite Runner. And the Mountains Echoed goes down even further, but I still liked it. When you read a..."I agree, that it is much better to pick out what you think will be the best. Extremely few author can write excellent book after excellent book.
I've just finished reading The Day of the Locust. I gave it four stars; it's worth reading for the descriptions of Hollywood, especially the description of the filming of 'the battle of Waterloo' which was excellent!
Charbel wrote: "dely wrote: "Have finished A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini. It was such a good book, it had everything I'm looking for in a book: well depicted characters to ..."After reading The Kite Runner, I just didn't feel I would want to read his other books. Incidentally, I never have an appetite for sequels.
Albert wrote: "I just finished up People of the Book. It was okay. Not great for me."I also just finished People of the Book, Albert. I actually loved it. I thought it was fascinating to learn about how books are made and how much historians can learn from books created centuries ago. And I like how by tracing the path of the book, I could learn a little history of many different countries and centuries in one book, and how those different histories connected to each other. And I just generally like Geraldine Brooks' writing. I gave it 4 stars.
Alice, Hosseini's books are NOT sequels.
Alice wrote: "Charbel wrote: "dely wrote: "Have finished A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini. It was such a good book, it had everything I'm looking for in a book: well depicte..."I wish I had read Khaled Hosseini other books first. I read AND THE MOUNTAINS ECHOED and didn't think it was very good at all. As a matter of fact, I one-starred it. In all fairness, I probably should have given it two stars. From what I gather, though, that book was a bit different than his earlier ones.
I know Chrissie. But they are similar to one another, are they not?
Alice, they're not really sequels. They're supposed to be unrelated.Chuck, I actually enjoyed And The Mountains Echoed, but then I made the mistake of reading The Kite Runner not long after. I should have given it more time before reading something else by him. But what I mean is that both have the same theme, and almost the same unraveling of the plot. It's nice when an author, particularly a talented author, steps outside of their comfort zone.
@katie I am not surprised that you liked People of the Book. I think it is a novel quite a few people would like. I have actually recommended it to a few that I felt would enjoy it.
Alice, yes, there similarities but that is true of many authors. You spoke of a sequel and that they are not.
I just finished My Ántonia. Good read. All 3 of the High Planes series or whatever is called were pretty good actually.
I'm a bit different in that if I really love an author, I can read everything they have written, one book after the other until I've finished their entire bibliography. That's what I call an AuthorFest or Author Marathon. Then I wait impatiently till they publish their next.
Charbel & Chrissie, I meant to say I ALSO do not care for sequels (I said "Incidentally......"), i.e. apart from not liking similar novels by Khaled Hosseini. It is my belief that after an author puts out an excellent work, it is most likely that his/her following works won't measure up to that one.
B the BookAddict wrote: "I'm a bit different in that if I really love an author, I can read everything they have written, one book after the other until I've finished their entire bibliography. That's what I call an Autho..."I haven't done that since I discovered GoodReads but I used to do that all the time! I love the term AuthorFest :)
Leslie wrote: "B the BookAddict wrote: "I'm a bit different in that if I really love an author, I can read everything they have written, one book after the other until I've finished their entire bibliography. Th..."I may read all a favourite authors books but never without other books by different authors in between.
B the BookAddict wrote: "I'm a bit different in that if I really love an author, I can read everything they have written, one book after the other until I've finished their entire bibliography. That's what I call an Autho..."I tend to try and than when I get disappointed I am unhappy. I don't continue with all the books unless I continue to be satisfied. The only two authors, no three, which I can keep reading are:
Alexandra Fuller (but not The Legend of Colton H. Bryant)
Colum McCann (but not Fishing the Sloe-Black River
and my favorite Russian author Fyodor Dostoyevsky (Ok, The Brothers Karamazov did give me trouble)
I will try any book by these.
No other authors do this to me. (I used to like Amitav Ghosh and Isabel Allende but they have let me down.I have given up on them. Few writers can keep writing wonderful books.
Chrissie wrote: "and my favorite Russian author Fyodor Dostoyevsky "Yes, I think he would be the only one I would read the whole bibliography.
No, there is also Tiziano Terzani! I love his books.
B the BookAddict wrote: "I'm a bit different in that if I really love an author, I can read everything they have written, one book after the other until I've finished their entire bibliography. That's what I call an Autho..."I've done that lately with Stephen King, but I'm taking a small break from him now till October (if I can last!). And I also love the term AuthorFest, very creative Bette!
Alice wrote: "Charbel & Chrissie, I meant to say I ALSO do not care for sequels (I said "Incidentally......"), i.e. apart from not liking similar novels by Khaled Hosseini. It is my belief that after an author p..."A simple misunderstanding then Alice. But you're right, I wonder why it is that following works often don't match or exceed the first one?
dely, not a single one of Tiziano Terzani's books are available at Audible. BAD news. This is one reason audibooks are bad. Less is available!
I've just finished Miss Lonelyhearts by Nathanael West. I was intrigued by the premise, but disappointed. The book was billed as black comedy, but I found it more "black" than "comedy". Also, the novel seemed a bit clunky and ended abruptly, as though it needed more work.Pink — I noticed you're not a fan of this one either!
Chrissie wrote: "dely, not a single one of Tiziano Terzani's books are available at Audible. BAD news. This is one reason audibooks are bad. Less is available!"I also know that not all of his books have been translated into English so this time perhaps it isn't Audibile's fault.
Gill wrote: "I've just finished reading The Day of the Locust. I gave it four stars; it's worth reading for the descriptions of Hollywood, especially the description of the filming of 'the batt..."What a coincidence, given that I've just finished another Nathanael West novel! I might check out The Day of the Locust later; I like seedy stories about Hollywood.
dely wrote: "Chrissie wrote: "dely, not a single one of Tiziano Terzani's books are available at Audible. BAD news. This is one reason audibooks are bad. Less is available!"I also know that not all of his boo..."
OK, part of the explanation. What I don't like about Audible is that they primarily cater to popular books............
I finished The Blue Between Sky and Water. 3.5 rounded up to 4 stars . My review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
I tend to read my mystery series by the same author until they disappoint me. Some of them are long running series and they tend to get old.
Finally finished my home read, the second volume of Krsna: The Supreme Personality of Godhead, 2. It wasn't easy and flowing like the first volume. This was more difficult, some parts were boring, and I had a hard time to finish it. But I'm however glad I've read it.
Susan wrote: "Gill wrote: "I've just finished reading The Day of the Locust. I gave it four stars; it's worth reading for the descriptions of Hollywood, especially the description of the filming ..."I gave it 4 stars Susan. But I did consider 5 stars. It's funny and sad at the same time. Hollywood is definitely seedy in this one!
Charbel wrote: "Alice wrote: "Charbel & Chrissie, I meant to say I ALSO do not care for sequels (I said "Incidentally......"), i.e. apart from not liking similar novels by Khaled Hosseini. It is my belief that aft..."By the way, Charbel, my comment only refers to contemporary authors. I've been giving this some thought and was wondering if it is a problem with the publishing industry. A current practice seems to be if an author has produced a hit, he would be commissioned to write a second and even a third one. (I've learned this from some newly published authors). It's becoming like a fast-food culture. People seem to be forgetting that the creative process takes time, sometimes a very long time for even an idea to mature and be ready to be put on paper (or computer).
Gill wrote: "I gave it 4 stars Susan. But I did consider 5 stars."Thanks — now I'm intrigued!
I've just abandoned Virginia Woolf in Manhattan, which was a real disappointment.My review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Alice wrote: "Charbel & Chrissie, I meant to say I ALSO do not care for sequels (I said "Incidentally......"), i.e. apart from not liking similar novels by Khaled Hosseini. It is my belief that after an author p..."Well, if that is your concern, it doesn't really apply to The Kite Runner which came out before A Thousand Splendid Suns.
But I don't mean to pressure you into reading it!
I have completed Tidewater: A Novel of Pocahontas and the Jamestown Colony.My review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
People are going to react differently to this one.
Leslie wrote: "Alice wrote: "Charbel & Chrissie, I meant to say I ALSO do not care for sequels (I said "Incidentally......"), i.e. apart from not liking similar novels by Khaled Hosseini. It is my belief that aft..."Having read a number of friends' reviews, I might give A Thousand Splendid Suns a try!
I have liked all the works I have read of four authors, Alexandra Fuller, Geraldine Brooks, Ann Patchett and Olive Kittridge, I liked some of the same author's work more than others but they've all been at least three stars and many were four or five stars for me. There are other writers whose books I have read and then stopped reading because there was too much similarity among them.
Granted it actually is a series, but as far as writing the same novel over and over, I don't think anyone is worse than Dan Brown about doing that very thing. And I actually liked The Da Vinci Code, Angels & Demons, and The Lost Symbol. I found the audiobooks to be very enjoyable. And then he came out with that last one: Inferno. And I just couldn't take anymore. It's like he's working from the exact same outline and refuses to change it up.
Ann wrote: "I have liked all the works I have read of four authors, Alexandra Fuller, Geraldine Brooks, Ann Patchett and Olive Kittridge, I liked some of the same author's work more than others but they've al..."Ann, isn't Alexandra Fuller great? I haven't been able to read her latest: Leaving Before the Rains Come. It is snot available to me. SO annoying.
I've just read Joyland by Stephen King and rated it ★★. I was surprised on posting this to then look at Amazon and find it very popular, as I found it very derivative and rather dull.My review
Alice - yes that is very true. Publishers seem to think a novel can be written in about a year or less, irrespective of an individual author's natural pace.
Chrissie wrote: "I have completed Tidewater: A Novel of Pocahontas and the Jamestown Colony.
My review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
People are going to react differently to th..."
Good review, Chrissie. A lot of historical notes do not a scholar make, or a good writer, I gather. I know a couple of American writers who write authoritatively and compassionately about Native Americans today. I'm thinking of Louise Erdrich, who is a descendant of I can't recall which tribe, and Jim Harrison, a novelist and poet who writes with clean honesty and compassion about the American West, Native Americans and descendants of settlers both.
My review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
People are going to react differently to th..."
Good review, Chrissie. A lot of historical notes do not a scholar make, or a good writer, I gather. I know a couple of American writers who write authoritatively and compassionately about Native Americans today. I'm thinking of Louise Erdrich, who is a descendant of I can't recall which tribe, and Jim Harrison, a novelist and poet who writes with clean honesty and compassion about the American West, Native Americans and descendants of settlers both.
Nice you like my review. Thanks, Nell. I have liked some of Louise Erdrich's books, particularly The Master Butchers Singing Club. I am not acquainted with Jim Harrison though. Thanks for the tip. and will check him out
Chrissie wrote: "Nice you like my review. Thanks, Nell. I have liked some of Louise Erdrich's books, particularly The Master Butchers Singing Club. I am not acquainted with Jim Harrison though. Than..."
I read a Jim Harrison book earlier this year for the first time. I was very impressed with his skills as an author, but it didn't make for the most enjoyable reading, if that makes any sense. It was very, very literary, very wordy as some people say. It was a constant barrage of asides and tangents and incidental information. It all felt very choppy and disjointed, but amazingly enough there was a method to the madness; he really was moving the story forward, even though it rarely felt like it.
Chuck wrote: "Chrissie wrote: "Nice you like my review. Thanks, Nell.
I have liked some of Louise Erdrich's books, particularly The Master Butchers Singing Club. I am not acquainted with Jim Harr..."
Ha! Isn't that funny? I'm very wordy myself, and lose patience quickly with writing that doesn't have "quirks," if not in the writing itself, then in the characters or plot or chronicity. My mind races, and maybe I don't notice what you describe, Chuck, maybe that's what it is. When I'm in the hands of a writer I admire, it must be similar to the way we don't feel the rotation of the earth. A voluble writer fools my mind into believing it's standing still. How interesting.
I have liked some of Louise Erdrich's books, particularly The Master Butchers Singing Club. I am not acquainted with Jim Harr..."
Ha! Isn't that funny? I'm very wordy myself, and lose patience quickly with writing that doesn't have "quirks," if not in the writing itself, then in the characters or plot or chronicity. My mind races, and maybe I don't notice what you describe, Chuck, maybe that's what it is. When I'm in the hands of a writer I admire, it must be similar to the way we don't feel the rotation of the earth. A voluble writer fools my mind into believing it's standing still. How interesting.
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Good to know, I still have to read this one. I've only read the Kite Runner of his, but I liked that.