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What have you just read? Opinions, recommendations & reviews
Kiwi wrote: "Shirley wrote: "I've just finished The Enchanted. I have no idea how to rate this, nor can I get my head around what I thought of it. I'm a bit speechless, really."is it a good sp..."
Good question. Greg put it well, and he's not even read it yet! It is powerfully affecting. It is disturbing but not gory, as the author's style is more what is implied than what is actually written. But there is hope in there too, but it leaves you with lots to think about.
"The Leaving of Things" What a sweet, heartfelt book! I found it very interesting to see a slice of life from the perspective of a young man, going back with his family, against his will, to live in India, the country of his birth, but not where he grew up. I have traveled to India on business and fell in love with it. This book really takes you back to the sights, sounds and smells of this enchanted and rustic, yet modern place.
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What a sweet, heartfelt book! I found it very interesting to see a slice of life from the perspective of a young man, going back with his family, against his will, to live ..."
Sounds good Terry!
Chuck wrote: Last night I read Leah Remini's new bio straight through: Troublemaker: Surviving Hollywood and Scientology. I gave it five stars. I think just about anyone would enjoy that one. "
I have a real fascination with Scientology. I'm always trying to "get" what keeps people paying big bucks for this "religion" especially some of it's more dangerous practices like the "Purif". Very interested in this one.
Sandra, on Chuck's recommendation, I read Remini's book. I think the book did a good job in explaining how people get involved in Scientology, how it appeals to a certain type of person or people in certain situations. Julia Scheeres's book A Thousand Lives: The Untold Story of Hope, Deception, and Survival at Jonestown also really explains how people get caught up in a religion that, on its face, most of us would reject.
Thanks Bella. I'll put that one on my TBR shelf too!
Shirley wrote: "Kiwi wrote: "Shirley wrote: "I've just finished The Enchanted. I have no idea how to rate this, nor can I get my head around what I thought of it. I'm a bit speechless, really."is..."
Thanks Shirley, I asked as I don't cope well with violence books, but your comment "but it leaves you with lots to think about." intrigues me.
Well, if you go into a book and expect to be disappointed, you get happy when you find you liked it!My feivew of Orphan Train:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
I finished A Christmas Carol yesterday and went to watch the same as a play in the theater. It was amazing! It always is, when you see characters from a book come to life in any way. If you have not read this book yet, make sure you'll read it soon. It's November now, and December comes in less than a month. It's a good time to start reading the book. Though it is quite short so you could read it in a couple days just before Christmas. ^_^
I've seen the movie A Christmas Carol too many times to count. I love it and it never gets old. Actually I've seen different movies based on the story but I like the older version the best.
Ann wrote: "I've seen the movie A Christmas Carol too many times to count. I love it and it never gets old. Actually I've seen different movies based on the story but I like the older version the best."Which movie? I only know about the Disney version with Goofy, Scrooge, Donald and Mickey. I've seen that one a few times. :D I'd like to watch some other movie based on it...
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There are a great many Anastasia!
I think Ann is talking about the 1951 version: http://m.imdb.com/title/tt0044008/
But maybe it's the 1938 version? https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Chr...
Not quite as authentic, but I really love Mr Magoo's Christmas Carol. Ok, it sounds horrible I know. I had to be nearly forced to watch it, but it isn't what you think. It's a really respectful touching adaption. This version always makes me cry. :) https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Miste...
Another one I watch often though less authentic of course - A Muppet Christmas Carol, a very sweet adaption: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_M...
The story is so pure, wonderful, and human at its heart that the essence of it transfers well. Nothing can quite match the Dickens original, but many capture the spirit beautifully!
The version of The Christmas Carol featuring Alistair Sims is a classic. That's my favorite one. (this one: http://www.amazon.com/Christmas-Carol...)
There is a colorized version as well but I prefer the original B&W one.
Thanks, Greg, for the links. I believe it's the 1951 version that I love.
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I thought so Ann - that's the same on Petra is mentioning, a classic for sure!
Just finished Stars of Fortune by Nora Roberts. 3♦ - here is my review.... https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Petra wrote: "The version of The Christmas Carol featuring Alistair Sims is a classic. That's my favorite one. (this one: http://www.amazon.com/Christmas-Carol...)
There is a colori..."
That's my favorite one too! There are so many modernized versions of this classic that it is a relief to see it played "straight" ;)
Kiwi wrote: "My favourite adaptation is the 1999 movie with Patrick Stewart, it is very close to the original"lol! I almost mentioned that one as my second favorite - glad you brought it up Kiwi :)
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Thanks Kiwi! That one I haven't seen yet!
I like both the Alastair Sim one (the original in black and white!) and the Patrick Stewart one too. Looking forward to watching them again :)
Just finished I let You go by Clare MacIntosh. Probably the quickest I've read a book in a long while. I actually enjoyed the second half more. This was better written than I expected and I really felt myself get sucked into the character's lives. I wouldn't be surprised if this gets made into a film....Now just about to start Timbuktu by Paul Auster - something completely different!
I just read Candidateby Rachel E. Carter. It was out of this world and should be read by all. Check out my review! https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Not many people realize that Patrick Stewart did something like A Christmas Carol;so different from Star Trek.
B the BookAddict wrote: "Not many people realize that Patrick Stewart did something like A Christmas Carol;so different from Star Trek."I have that CD and like it a lot. I also purchased a version by Jim Dale but have yet to listen to it. I imagine they are using the edition Dickens used when he would go on reading tours.
Another good Christmas tale - A Child's Christmas in Wales as narrated by the author Dylan Thomas.
@Tom The narrated one by Thomas is a good Christmas story.
I've just finished writing my review for Flowers for Algernon by Daniel Keyes.What an amazing book! ★★★★★
Here's the link to Jean's review
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What an amazing book! ★★★★★
Here's the link to Jean's review"
A very touching book Jean, and a wonderful review as well.
I quite liked the book. I'm sure I've mentioned it before, but I also saw a truly extraordinary play adaption of the story put on by Deaf West Theater in Los Angeles. They put on plays that can be equally appreciated by deaf and hearing audiences; so there is always some signing by characters mixed with projections or other methods for deaf members of the audience.
That particular production was completely sold out at the theater every night, so much so that they had to extend the run. They always use a mix of hearing and deaf actors and often use fascinating techniques .. such as using two actors to portray the same major role, one deaf and one hearing, their interactions portraying internal emotions or conflicts in subtle ways. In this play, the younger Charlie from the flashbacks of his childhood (a teenaged actor), acted the role alongside the adult Charlie; so as (view spoiler), the two actors diverged in their performance. One was the (view spoiler) Charlie and the other was the boy still inside. And the inner conflict was portrayed in their interactions, exactly what you say about the tension between intellect and emotions. Really extraordinary play .. had me weeping toward the end.
Oh my - how inspired! I wish I could have seen that! Thanks for sharing the experience, Greg. (And for liking my review :) )
I've just finished reading Nora Webster. It's a very well written book, a good solid 4 star book for me, maybe 4.5 stars. I have such problems deciding star ratings!
Gill, try asking yourself quickly what do you think of the book? Amazing (5stars)? Yeah, very good(4 stars)? Or just good(3 stars). That is what I do. THEN you have to figure out the whys to your knee-jerk response. That is the hard part.I am considering Colm Tóibín's The Master. Have you read that?
Gill , Glad you liked Nora Webster too . Chrissie, The Master is on my tr list . Not sure when I'll get to it .
Chrissie wrote: "Gill, try asking yourself quickly what do you think of the book? Amazing (5stars)? Yeah, very good(4 stars)? Or just good(3 stars). That is what I do. THEN you have to figure out the whys to your k..."I've not read that one, Chrissie. I'm ok with the 12345 star ratings, it's the half stars that I've only thought recently that I might use, that I'm rather undefinite about. I'm sure it will come with time.
Gill wrote: "Chrissie wrote: "Gill, try asking yourself quickly what do you think of the book? Amazing (5stars)? Yeah, very good(4 stars)? Or just good(3 stars). That is what I do. THEN you have to figure out t..."I think half stars are just too complicated!
I finished Despair by Vladimir Nabokov. For me this was simply a forerunner to the fabulous Lolita, nowhere near as good.My review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
I think 3 stars should mean that it is a good, solid book, nothing wrong with it, other than you personally did not become enthralled with it when reading, but you would recommend it to others. And 5 stars should be limited to the ones that were truly amazing and you can't stop gushing about. Of course, all this is subjective and I have been known to re-rate a book from 5 down to 4 stars when the "book afterglow" wears off.I don't rate many books 1 or 2 stars because I don't have time to read something I dislike, unless it is truly awful and I want to tell others not to waste their time. But again, that is subjective.
Terry wrote: "I think 3 stars should mean that it is a good, solid book, nothing wrong with it, other than you personally did not become enthralled with it when reading, but you would recommend it to others. And..."Yes, re-rating is interesting. I don't often do it, but I uprated Quicksand from 4 to 5 stars, because I was still thinking about the book several weeks later.
Terry, it is good to warn people about books that are so bad you had to dump them. If they are not rated the rating gets skewed. I do understand though, if you dump a book before you are sure. I am the other way though and like to finish boks - some do actually improve! I dump those I simply cannot stand. Since I usually have read a very large portion I will rate and review them too, stating clearly how much I have read and why I have dumped it. My cup of tea may not be another's.
Just finished The Lives of Rocks by Rick Bass, a short story collection by an author who was new to me and who I very much enjoyed. My review below.https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
@Gill: your advice for copying and pasting the link to the review worked. Thank you! Not sure why what I was doing before didn't work, but whatever. I'm happy!
I too do not like to give two stars or a star to a book. If I truly did not like a book, I abstain from giving stars at all. The lowest in my grade is three. The top class work is five stars.
Albert wrote: "Just finished The Lives of Rocks by Rick Bass, a short story collection by an author who was new to me and who I very much enjoyed. My review below.https://www.goodreads.com/review/s..."
Glad it worked, Albert.
Dhanaraj wrote: "I too do not like to give two stars or a star to a book. If I truly did not like a book, I abstain from giving stars at all. The lowest in my grade is three. The top class work is five stars."That's just exactly what I was going to point out. In practice that's essentially what it comes down to: putting every book in one of three categories. That's why I use quarter stars.
@Chuck: Yes, that is the reason I too use half stars. Though they are not visible, I make it a point to point it out in the review.
It would be a good thing after so many requests, if Goodreads actually made the 1/2 star rating function available.Perhaps Goodreads needs to spend time on this often requested feature rather than some new idea they are formulating.
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Perhaps Goodreads needs to spend time on this often requested feature rather tha..."
I do agree Bette - I would really appreciate the half stars.
I support the addition of the 1/2 star function!@Dhanaraj, I'm like you - I seldom give 1 or 2 stars.
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I simply cannot decide whether to read that either!