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What have you just read? Opinions, recommendations & reviews
Finished Boundless: Tracing Land and Dream in a New Northwest Passagehttps://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
I've finished Only Love Can Break Your Heart. 4 stars . My review : https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Finished The Garden of Evening Mists. 5 stars from me - a charming novel effused with ethereal beauty.My Review
Finished the review of Crazy As Chocolate/The Abortionist's DaughterI have only read the first story . Review is here
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Diane S ⛄ wrote: "Finished A Wild Swan: And Other Taleshttps://www.goodreads.com/review/show..."
I'm reading it now. Jacked is my favorite story so far.
Patricia wrote: "Diane S ⛄ wrote: "Finished A Wild Swan: And Other Taleshttps://www.goodreads.com/review/show..."
I'm reading it now. Jacked is my favorite story so far."
All the warnings about mothers and how they treat their sons, too funny and I have five sons. Lol
I finished The Diary of a Provincial Lady which I found charming. Rather lightweight but amusing look at life in England between the 2 WWs.
Finished reading Albert Camus' The Fall. AN interesting that presents many theological points of his time in a readable manner. Liked it and gave four stars. Here is the link to my review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Just finished The Fishermen. I didn't particularly like it at first but then an event happened and I was pulled right in. By the end, I really liked the author's style and how he put the story together.
Review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Petra wrote: "Just finished The Fishermen. I didn't particularly like it at first but then an event happened and I was pulled right in. By the end, I really liked the author's style and how he p..."
Petra, yep, it grows on you doesn't it?! It captures the mood of the country. The strength of the family bonds help balance the struggles. And it leaves a message to Westerners. You gave it four. I gave it three, but I am a stickler with my stars.
Just read The Hundred and Ninety Nine Steps & The Courage Consortwell just the first of these short stories actually. I was disappointed as the only other book I've read by this author, The Book of Strange New Things, I loved - one of my all-time favourites. But this short story just didn't go anywhere and things such as (view spoiler) are left unexplained.
Mod
I loved The Book of Strange New Things too Joy. That book was really unique, so, so wonderful!
Chrissie wrote: "Petra, yep, it grows on you doesn't it?! It captures the mood of the country. The strength of the family bonds help balance the struggles. And it leaves a message to Westerners. You gave it four. I gave it three, but I am a stickler with my stars. ..."It did grow on me, a lot. At first, I was tempted to give up. It seemed a bit disjointed and not going anywhere. Then things lined up really well. I like how you summed up the struggles and family bonds.
Finished The Killing Foresthttps://www.goodreads.com/review/show....
Have read The Fisherman but have not yet written a review. Have mixed feelings about it I am trying to sort out.
Joy wrote: "Just read The Hundred and Ninety Nine Steps & The Courage Consortwell just the first of these short stories actually. I was disappointed as the only other book I've read by this auth..."Joy, you should try The Crimson Petal and the White by this author. One of my faves.
I can definitely recommend the paper book Testament of Youth, but don't listen to the audiobook narrated by Sheila Mitchell. My review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Petra wrote: ".I like how you summed up the struggles and family bonds."Well, it helped me get some balance to the book.
Think you know every variant on Beauty and the Beast? JFK's death? Well, just as Stephen King found a novel idea and wrote a great book (11/22/63), I suggest that the BB remake I just read is excellent, despite an awful choice of name: Depravity.My review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
NB Actually, this is the first of three books that tell the whole tale. I haven't read the other two yet.
Just finished The Boys in the Boat: Nine Americans and Their Epic Quest for Gold at the 1936 Berlin Olympics. Here is my review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
I have just finished The Cornish Coast Murder
by John Bude. My review of this enjoyable and delightful classic English Murder Mystery https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Sandy *The world could end while I was reading and I would never notice* wrote: "I have just finished The Cornish Coast Murder by John Bude. My review of this enjoyable and delightful classic English..."Still waiting for my library hold on that to come in :(
Though of course I am glad that it was delightful!
Leslie wrote: "Sandy *The world could end while I was reading and I would never notice* wrote: "I have just finished The Cornish Coast Murder by John Bude. My review of this enjoy..."Oh, you have a treat in store Leslie. I read the first half of it in one sitting!
B the BookAddict wrote: "Joy wrote: "Just read The Hundred and Ninety Nine Steps & The Courage Consortwell just the first of these short stories actually. I was disappointed as the only other book I've read ..."Thanks for the suggestion and I have in fact just started it!
Whew! Finished The French Revolution: A History. Can't say I enjoyed it, but it was still worth my time - 3 stars.My Review
Mod
My Review"
Great review Alice!
Carlyle is a quirky writer for sure; his language/style can be occasionally lovely, but at least the book I read by him, Sartor Resartus, suffered from a terribly drunken logic. Despite true flashes of brilliance (pure poetry), there was plenty of claptrap mixed in. Separating the two thread by thread as I followed Carlyle's staggering, looping reasoning was major, major work. Still, a fascinating book!
Dickens was a big fan of his by the way, but then again, the Nazis later appropriated his work as well.
I liked Marilyn, A Biography by Norman Mailer. It gave me what I was looking for.My review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Greg wrote: "Alice wrote: "Whew! Finished The French Revolution: A History. Can't say I enjoyed it, but it was still worth my time - 3 stars.My Review"
Great review Alice!
Carlyle is a quirky..."
Thanks Greg! I don't think I'll ever want to read anything else by this author :( And yes, I could definitely detect Carlyle's influence on Dickens in A Tale of Two Cities, not only related to the story, but also the over-dramatic writing style. I blame Carlyle for making me like the novel less than I otherwise could :)
I got distracted from my reading "plan" by finding the first Nero Wolfe mystery (one I have never read) available as an audiobook at the library. I have read a lot of this series on and off over the years so I was curious to read the very first one. My review is here:http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...
Leslie - how odd: I've only read three or four of these (and really like them), but bought Fer-de-Lance last week from the brilliant Barter Books second-hand bookshop in Alnwick in Northumberland where our son lives. Had no idea it was the first. The first Penguin edition, green-and-white, from 1955. Reading the blurb, I see that Stout was born in 1886 but didn't write this until 1935. I shall read it in Feb. Great. I see there are 47 in total!
I recently finished Booth Tarkington's Alice Adams. I enjoyed it and was glad I took the time to read something by Booth Tarkington. Here is my review:https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
John wrote: "Leslie - how odd: I've only read three or four of these (and really like them), but bought Fer-de-Lance last week from the brilliant Barter Books second-hand bookshop in Alnwick in Northumberland w..."It is a long series, always nice when you find one you like :P
What a coincidence that we both stumbled across this within a week of each other!
Albert wrote: "I recently finished Booth Tarkington's Alice Adams. I enjoyed it and was glad I took the time to read something by Booth Tarkington. Here is my review:https://www.goodreads.com/revi..."
I have been trying to find the time to read a Tarkington (either that one or The Magnificent Ambersons) for several years now, but it always gets pushed aside by other books. I think that he won the Pulitzer Prize for Alice Adams...
Have you seen the film (Fred McMurray and Katherine Hepburn)?
Leslie wrote: "Albert wrote: "I recently finished Booth Tarkington's Alice Adams. I enjoyed it and was glad I took the time to read something by Booth Tarkington. Here is my review:https://www.goo..."
I haven't seen the film. Is it good?
Albert wrote: "I haven't seen the film. Is it good? "It isn't as good as the film of The Magnificent Ambersons. It wasn't one of Hepburn's best performances but she is pretty good even on her off days! I have no idea how faithful to the book it was - Hollywood could take some big liberties with the text in those days!
Mod
Both really well written
Leslie wrote: "Albert wrote: "I recently finished Booth Tarkington's Alice Adams. I enjoyed it and was glad I took the time to read something by Booth Tarkington. Here is my review:https://www.goo..."
Alice Adams is on my list too. Read his Christmas stories and really enjoyed the way he wrote.
Two reviews have gone up todayAdventure of Ascent: Field Notes from a Lifelong Journey
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
and
My Mother's Secret
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Completed reading Hermann Hesse's Knulp. A deceptively simple tale with an astounding message - find meaning for your life and that is salvation. Liked it.My review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Finished reading The Color Purple. Here's the link to my review: https://researchpub.wordpress.com/201...
Mod
Great review Rahat! I tried to like it, but I couldn't because I'm not signed up for WordPress.
In reference to Booth Tarkington. Has anyone read both The Magnificent Ambersons and Alice Adams? How do they compare? I am thinking more of the book than the film.....There seem to be quite a few of us interested in this author!
Fully emotionally involved in a great story from The Second World War... The Nightingale
For a pick me up, make me laugh /lol kind/....
The Reinvention of Mimi Finnegan
For a deep thinking....
On the Shortness of Life /had a different cover/
For a light warm read in a cold weather.....
Ten Days In Paradise
:-))))
Mod
Many books opened at the same time!
Chrissie wrote: "In reference to Booth Tarkington. Has anyone read both The Magnificent Ambersons and Alice Adams? How do they compare? I am thinking more of the book than the film.....There seem to be quite a few of us interested in this author! ..."
Maybe we should have a Tarkington readalong! Anyone interested?
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All About Books
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