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What have you just read? Opinions, recommendations & reviews
B the BookAddict wrote: "Petra, one of my top two favourite Ishiguro novels is When We Were Orphans. Set in Shanghai in the 1930s, English detective Christopher Banks is bent on solving the mystery that has p..."Oh, that one sounds good, B!! Thank you. I would like to read that one.
ETA: Hahaha....I went to add it to my TBR list to find that it's already there. :D
Thanks for bringing it back to my attention, B!
Bette, didn't know he wrote a mystery. Will have to check it out too.
I finished the audiobook of In Cold Blood today -- even if you have seen the movie, it is worth reading this! My short review (no spoilers) is here:http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...
Petra wrote: "Gill wrote: "I've enjoyed/appreciated everything I'd read by him, before this one, Petra. However, I didn't really get on with this one. I gave up on it, which is very unlike me. ..."LauraT wrote..."
On the basis of what you said, Petra, I've just read the end (the final 3 chapters). Yes, the ending is extremely good. Actually I enjoyed the beginning also, . So basically, I enjoyed the first quarter, found the second quarter dragged, skipped the third quarter and didn't miss it, and liked the final part.
I may have found a new approach to reading books! One problem of a kindle is it's much more difficult to flick through the chapters that are to come.
Mod
I already have this one on my to-read list Bette, but the mini-description you give makes it sound even more appealing. This will probably be my next Ishiguro!
Mod
I may have found a new approach to reading books! One problem of a kindle is it's much more difficult to flick through the chapters that are to come. "
Good idea GIll!
But the kindle problem remains.
I remember in one of the philology books of my University courses - that I'm rereading these years - they were saying that long forgotten problems of ancient books, the "volumen", rolled papyrus sheets, was going to be "modenr" again with electronic files. Nothing new under the sun then
Gill wrote: "I may have found a new approach to reading books! One problem of a kindle is it's much more difficult to flick through the chapters that are to come. ..."..."This is a problem with audio books as well. It's hard to flick ahead or go back to find something specific. That's probably why I prefer tree books.
Mod
This is a problem with a..."
Definitely Petra! - I still listen to them because of my commute, but it's extremely painful to move around in audiobooks and get back where I was. I hate that part! I'll often rewind to hear an especially good part again, but I don't even bother searching back for something earlier - it's too hard.
Laura, very interesting re the papyrus books. (I wonder whether the phrase 'a story unfolds' relates to that sort of book?)
Greg wrote: "Petra wrote: "Gill wrote: "I may have found a new approach to reading books! One problem of a kindle is it's much more difficult to flick through the chapters that are to come. ..."..."This is a ..."
I just bookmark like crazy with audiobooks & Audible has recently made it easier to add a little note to the bookmark so I can jot down why I am bookmarking. But in general I agree that the 'flipping through' experience is sadly lacking in all but print books -- one aspect of flipping through I miss in Kindle books is that in print books I often retain a memory of where on the page a particular passage was (left page or right, top or bottom, etc) which is very helpful when I am scanning to find the passage again.
Greg wrote: "I'll often rewind to hear an especially good part again, but I don't even bother searching back for something earlier - it's too hard. ..."This is exactly my strategy as well, Greg.
I also listen to audio books on my commute.
Hi everyone!I am about to finish reading "Asce di guerra". It is an Italian book from the Wu Ming writing club. Not sure whether they are translated in English.
It is a very well written book covering the years of communism immediately after the second world war. Most particularly, they follow up the adventure of a boy that, grown up during the war, found himself incapable to deal with the aftermath. So he decided to leave for Laos and Vietnam and contribute to the war for independence that lasted for over 20 years across those lands.
A very passionate book.
Diane, yep, that is a really good book! What lines. You really empathize with the characters. The atmosphere of the place is so well drawn!
Pam wrote: "Finished the B & M short story collection - London's Glory 
"This is a series I really want to start.
Luca wrote: "Hi everyone!I am about to finish reading "Asce di guerra". It is an Italian book from the Wu Ming writing club. Not sure whether they are translated in English.
It is a very well written book co..."
They are on Goodreads
.It is difficult to find all their books because the collective writes under a couple of pseudonyms and each author writes seperately under their own pseudonym: Wu Ming 1, Wu Ming 2 etc.
But it is all explained on the author's page.
Some of their books have been translated to English Altai.
I think I will have to add them to my TBR list.
Delightful new book about families, disability, England. Emma Claire Sweeney's novel, Owl Song at Dawn, is inspired by her own twin sisters and is a solid 4★.
The story of twins, possibly identical, but one has the fateful extra chromosome and other problems that limit her development but do nothing to dampen her spirit or her doting sister's.
If any of you are NetGalley reviewers, it's still available: https://s2.netgalley.com/catalog/book...
My review
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Esther wrote: "Luca wrote: "Hi everyone!I am about to finish reading "Asce di guerra". It is an Italian book from the Wu Ming writing club. Not sure whether they are translated in English.
It is a very well writ..."
I looked them up, after reading this. How interesting about the authors.
Esther wrote: "Pam wrote: "Finished the B & M short story collection - London's Glory "This is a series I really want to start."
Yes it's a good series. In my opinion, the first book and numbers 3 to 5 aren't as good, but I started with number 2 which I love and number 6 onwards pick up again and include some superb reads.
I finished Underground Airlines, a book about the US in which slavery still exists. My review:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
I have that on my holds list at the library and I'm super excited to read it!
Loved this The Usual Rules on recommendation by the author Joyce Maynard. 5★ My review:https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
I've finished Eating Dirt, a tree planter's story. I liked the descriptions of the natural settings, despite the clear cuts...or maybe I should say, around the clear cuts, and the discussions of the flora and fauna of the regions. The actual life of a tree planter is hectic and repetitive. I'm sure that's the way it is; each day is about planting trees. All in all, I liked this book. A bit heavy on metaphors.My review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
5★ for the absolutely delightful Aussie author Steven Herrick's free-verse story The Simple Gift.I loved reading about Billy, Old Bill, Caitlin and their love of life and search for freedom.
It sure makes a welcome change from my previous book about capture and torture, The Natural Way of Things
My review (and a sample of the verse
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Mod
Don't know, but it could well be!
Last night I finished The Sound and the Fury, and I ended up loving it. My review:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Terri, I'm so glad you loved it! I thought it was fantastic, too.
I loved The Sound and The Fury too terri.I finished reading Farewell, My Lovely by Raymond Chandler and The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison and both were fantastic reads. The former was the author's second book, a crime book which is more clever than most of the books I have read from the genre are and the latter book quite literally blew me away with its brutal honesty.
Terri wrote: "Petra, I was having James Joyce flashbacks when I read The Sound and the Fury. :)"Sounds reasonable to me, Terri, having Ulysses flashbacks!
Raul wrote: "....the latter book [ [book:The Bluest Eye|820665] ] quite literally blew me away with its brutal honesty."Wow...That is well put. Happy o know that you liked it.
Raul wrote: "its brutal honesty."That is a perfect way of describing it. Didn't you think the title was great?
I absolutely loved the title Chrissie.
When we started our first in person bookclub at the library, that was the first book chosen. First time I had read this author and as you say, Raul her brutal way of storytelling blew me away. Started me on a lifelong love of this author.
Mod
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show..."
One of my favourite USA work of fiction!
I'm a first-time Buzz Books browser, but I'm sure to do it again. They are free online and are also on NetGalley.I gave 5★ to Buzz Books 2016: Fall/Winter because there are some excellent excerpts from new novels and nonfiction books that I might get if I'm lucky. I'm in Australia, and they aren't always available here.
My review
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
I've just finished my re-read of White Guard, and also a new edition of Alice in Wonderland with illustrations by Salvador Dali.My review of the latter: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Susan wrote: "I've just finished my re-read of White Guard, and also a new edition of Alice in Wonderland with illustrations by Salvador Dali.My review of the latter: https://www.goodreads.com/r..."
I love Salvador Dalì!
Discussing the book with a group sounds like a great experience Diane. And Toni Morrison is fast becoming one of my favourite authors as well.
dely wrote: "I love Salvador Dalì!"Dely, I was never much of a fan, but this book has given me a new appreciation of his work. He certainly had a very original mind!
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