All About Books discussion
note: This topic has been closed to new comments.
General Archive
>
What have you just read? Opinions, recommendations & reviews
Petra wrote: "Merry Christmas everyone! May the best of the season be with you all. I finished reading One Corpse Too Many, the second of the Father Cadfael chronicles, and really enjoyed it.
Thi..."
I love the books and I loved the Cadfael series that was on PBS years ago, with Derek Jacobi.
Tom wrote: "Finished The Stranger by Albert Camus. 2 Stars."Tom, I didn't like The Stranger that much either. But then I understood it to be Camus's attempt to illustrate through the story the absurdity and unreasonableness of life. In his other book The Plague, which I liked much better, he brings out the idea of "revolt" - i.e. while accepting the absurdity of life as a fact, it is up to us to restore meaning to our existence. It seems that sometimes people misinterpret Camus's absurdist theory as nihilism.
Chrissie wrote: "I love Cadfael too. Merry Xmas, Petra. I thought the first not that good so don't get discouraged, Janice..."
Good to know that the series gets better, I only read the first book: A Morbid Taste for Bones and I wasn't impressed, maybe I should give it another chance with the second novel.
Unique book that I read over some weeks. Lovely Snail Mail: Celebrating the Art of Handwritten Correspondence. My review:https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Loved this Follow You Home, just finished now. Recommended! My review:https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Re Ellis Peters's Cadfael books. I do NOT recommend starting with book 1. Start with book 2. Book 2 and 5 are my favorites. I have read the first seven, but then got a little bit bored. First of all you see a pattern and secondly I am not one for series. Still I would definitely recommend them. You come to love the monks and the mysteries are good and the history is correct.
I agree, Chrissie, that one can start with Book 2. I'm now about half way through Book 3 and find that Book 1 is different from them. However, Book 1 did give a lot of information on Father Cadfael's past that I'm glad I have and the mystery was pretty good, so I would still recommend reading it. ....just not judging the rest of the series by. Read it and know that Book 2 (and onwards) is better. I read a series really slowly because, after a few, they do all seem to follow a pattern of some sort. If the books are spread out over time, that pattern doesn't seem so bad.
I do like how, in this series, we get to know the monks and the history.
Finished Romantic Outlaws: The Extraordinary Lives of Mary Wollstonecraft and Her Daughter Mary Shelleyhttps://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Just finished You Are Dead
by Peter James. Here is my review https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Petra wrote: "I agree, Chrissie, that one can start with Book 2. I'm now about half way through Book 3 and find that Book 1 is different from them. However, Book 1 did give a lot of information on Father Cadfael's past that I'm glad I have and the mystery was pretty good, so I would still recommend reading it. ....just not judging the rest of the series by. Read it and know that Book 2 (and onwards) is better.I read a series really slowly because, after a few, they do all seem to follow a pattern of some sort. If the books are spread out over time, that pattern doesn't seem so bad.
I do like how, in this series, we get to know the monks and the history. "
We agree about just about everything concerning this series. I will probably continue with book 8 when I feel for more. I would not recommend reading them straight in a row. I would recommend starting with book 2, then later, when you know all the different characters, that is the time to go and stick in book 1.
Just finished this one Check out this book on Goodreads: The Fault in Our Stars http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/11...
Place of Many Birds by Jan Merry
A collection of short stories featuring the Australian outback. I've noticed by the different reviews that the stories are interpreted differently by different people which is very interesting in itself.
My review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
I've just finished The Art of Fiction by David Lodge, which is an interesting and accessible introduction to literary criticism. I now have two new books on my iPad, The Remains of the Day and The New York Trilogy, and I've been encouraged to re-read a third book, The French Lieutenant's Woman.
Petra wrote: "I finished Ready Player One last night. This is a totally fun story for anyone who enjoys books packed with trivia (in this case, the 1980s) and geekiness. Highly recommended for its..."I gave Ready Player One to my son, who is a video game addict, and he devoured in 2 nights - loved it, even though the pop culture references were before his time.
Petra wrote: "I agree, Chrissie, that one can start with Book 2. I'm now about half way through Book 3 and find that Book 1 is different from them. However, Book 1 did give a lot of information on Father Cadfael..."I read a few stories from the Cadfael series and loved them, then put the book down and never picked it up again, I don't know why.
I also received as a gift, a beautiful coffee table book with lovely photos called "Brother Cadfael's Herb Garden"
It explains about all the herbs and uses for the medieval plants mentioned in the book.
I recently finished a few books:A Visit from the Goon Squad
My review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
And
The Secret Garden
My review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Terry wrote: "Petra wrote: "I agree, Chrissie, that one can start with Book 2. I'm now about half way through Book 3 and find that Book 1 is different from them. However, Book 1 did give a lot of information on ..."Terry, after a while you need a break. It is time I too went back and read a few more. I have read the first seven.
Terry, Brother Cadfael's Herb Garden: An Illustrated Companion to Medieval Plants and Their Uses looks like a lovely book. What a great gift!I finished Monk's Hood this morning and really enjoyed it. I love how Father Cadfael's character is being portrayed by Ellis Peters. He's a wonderful character. The mystery kept me thinking about times and circumstances throughout as well. A really good read.
Petra, isn't it fun having a central protagonist who is so wonderful? I really liked Monk's Hood but I LOVE Cadfael. I really do nave to go read some more of these books.
Mod
Chrissie wrote: "Petra, isn't it fun having a central protagonist who is so wonderful? I really liked Monk's Hood but I LOVE Cadfael. I really do nave to go read some more of these books."Cadfael is wonderful, I have to admit.
A couple of my earlier reviews:On Beauty by Zadie Smith Review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
We Are Water by Wally Lamb Review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
The Autograph Man by Zadie Smith Review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Recently finished You Are Dead
by Peter James. Here is my review https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Finished What the Waves Know: A Novel. 4 stars . My review : https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Just finished this, one of my favourites of the year: Shiver. My review:https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Alice wrote: "Tom wrote: "Finished The Stranger by Albert Camus. 2 Stars."Tom, I didn't like The Stranger that much either. But then I understood it to be Camus's attempt to ill..."
Indeed - I mention in my review that to me, The Stranger is a book to be studied rather than liked. Some stories (Ulysses and The Sound and The Fury) can be both, but The Stranger didn't do it for me as a story.
I just finished Catch Me If You Can: The True Story of a Real Fake by Frank W. Abagnale . I enjoyed it although I don't consider it one of my favourite books or books that I would like to reread.
@Tasnime Have you see the film starring Leonardo Di Caprio and Tom Hanks?
B the BookAddict wrote: "@Tasnime Have you see the film starring Leonardo Di Caprio and Tom Hanks?"I watched some of it. I loved it. Going to watch the whole movie soon.
I enjoyed the film Catch Me if You Can; Leonardo di Caprio was so good in it! It's a lot lighter than the book, though.
A little snippet of a great artist and wonderful human being. Here is a review by Tracey: http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...
I've just finished The Complete Alice, a gorgeous hard-cover edition of Alice in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass.My review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
This morning I finished The Children Act. My first of this author and I enjoyed it. My review:https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Finally finished reading and reviewing Sweet Wattle Creek a really good bookReview here
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Dale , the link takes you to the book page rather than your review . I did find it and enjoyed reading it :) .
Angela M wrote: "Dale , the link takes you to the book page rather than your review . I did find it and enjoyed reading it :) ."Thanks Angela I have changed it now.
Just finished 2 rather unsatisfactory reads.....The House Among the Laurels
, my review https://www.goodreads.com/review/show..., and No One Needs To Know
. Here is my review https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
I just finished reading Lottery. I really did enjoy the story but felt that the ending was written for that "feel good" feeling. It didn't feel right or realistic to me, starting at a "convenient" plot incident, which knocked a star off the rating. However, this is a good story with a message and the characters of Perry L. Crandall, Gram and Keith make it worth reading.
Review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
I finished The Double Bind by Chris Bohjalian.My review is at: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Mod
Oh Laura, I have wanted to read "A Suitable Boy" for a while and I finally ordered it from a used bookstore online and they sent the second book from a 2 book set! I didn't know there was a part 1 and part 2, so I guess that is what I ordered, but what a disappointment.
This topic has been frozen by the moderator. No new comments can be posted.
All About Books
Books mentioned in this topic
Red Shoes for Rachel: Three Novellas (other topics)Kindred (other topics)
Kindred (other topics)
Kindred (other topics)
The Promise Girls (other topics)
More...
Authors mentioned in this topic
Octavia E. Butler (other topics)Octavia E. Butler (other topics)
Octavia E. Butler (other topics)
Marie Bostwick (other topics)
Deon Meyer (other topics)
More...
Finished two Xmas books today: Winter Solstice and Cristallo di rocca.
And started reading Una casa sul Mare del Nord.
I'm on holiday till the Epiphany and planning to read a lot!!!