What have you just read? Opinions, recommendations & reviews Showing 8,951-9,000 of 12,687

[dely]

Yesterday evening I've read a short story by Japanese author Kenzaburō Ōe: L'animale d'allevamento. I couldn't find an English edition, perhaps it can be found in a collection of short stories available in English. 3***

A short but intense story. My Italian/English review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Suz]

Cockroaches by Jo Nesbø is an audio that I finished today. My review:

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Pink]

Chrissie wrote: "I have completed The Book of Harlan. It sorely disappointed me. I explain why in my review:

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Even if I didn't like the book, I ver..."

I read your review and it answered questions I had too. I'm similar in that I like my books to be either fiction or non-fiction, or at least be clear when the lines are blurred. That's where I have trouble with historical fiction, as I like to know what is real and what is not, but this book seems to take things a bit too far. It might have been better to have used completely fictional characters, instead of real life people. Thanks for posting about it.

[Chrissie]

Pink, you are welcome.

[Angela M]

I finished Don't Tell Me You're Afraid. 4 stars . My review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[B the BookAddict]

Finished my re-read of The Terrible Privacy of Maxwell Sim by Jonathan Coe

My review is at: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Colleen]

Just finished and loved Ender's Game, will need to continue on in the series.

[Pam]

Pink wrote: "Chrissie wrote: "I have completed The Book of Harlan. It sorely disappointed me. I explain why in my review:

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Even if I didn't lik..."

Yes thanks Chrissie. I don't like things made up in what's supposed to be a factual/based on fact book or film either. I mean I appreciate that dialogue has to be invented, but not actual major facts being changed.

[Suz]

Memoir covering serious issues is one I can recommend. 5 Stars from me. Marrying Bipolar: The Highs and Lows of Loving Someone with a Mental Illness by Natasha David. My review:

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Chrissie]

Pam wrote: "Pink wrote: "Chrissie wrote: "I have completed The Book of Harlan. It sorely disappointed me. I explain why in my review:

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Even if..."

You're welcome. I feel like a real party-pooper in so disliking this book.

[Dhanaraj]

Read a short poetry collection by Rainer Maria Rilke. The life of Virgin Mary is presented through some 15 poems. It is spiritual and Christian. But the poems are lovely. The title is: The Life Of The Virgin Mary. I have given a sample poem in my review. If interested look at my review.

Here is my review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Petra]

I finished Mercy Among the Children by David Adams Richards last night. I really liked it and look forward to reading more by this author. The various themes explored are well intertwined, the story interesting (bleak, at points) and the characters memorable (not always for good reasons).
My review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Chrissie]

Well here is a contemporary book that I really did like: Vanessa and Her Sister.

My review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Very good audiobook narration too, by a cast of five. Emilie Fox carries the largest part and does it excellently. I liked very much the male narrators too.

[Greg]

Colleen wrote: "Just finished and loved Ender's Game, will need to continue on in the series."

Loved that one Colleen, especially the ending (view spoiler)[when Ender speaks to the Alien Queen (hide spoiler)].

[Diane S ☔]

Finished The Summer that Melted Everything
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Greg]

Dhanaraj wrote: "Read a short poetry collection by Rainer Maria Rilke. The life of Virgin Mary is presented through some 15 poems. It is spiritual and Christian. But the poems are lovely. The title is: .."

This looks good Dhanaraj! I'll try to get a copy!

And I see it's translated by Stephen Spender, a superb poet, especially in his younger years. I wonder when the translation was published? It can't be 1913 as the Goodreads record indicates because Spender would've been a youngster then; I guess 1913 is the date for the original publication in German?

[Dhanaraj]

@Greg: Thee edition does not contain the date. And it is not 1913 and as you guessed it is the date of original publication in German. All I can say from the short introduction is that it is one of the latest translations as Spender speaks of earlier translations and he being indebted to them.

[Susan]

I've just finished To the River, a meandering, discursive account of the author's week-long walk along the river Ouse — the same river that Virginnia Woolf drowned in. There are some lovely descriptions of the English countryside, meditations on memory and death, and lots of historical tidbits.

★ ★ ★ ★

[[deleted user]]

I started working on this year's Man Booker longlisted books. Hot Milk didn't impress me that much. My review:

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[B the BookAddict]

Dhanaraj wrote: "@Greg: Thee edition does not contain the date. And it is not 1913 and as you guessed it is the date of original publication in German. All I can say from the short introduction is that it is one of..."

Spender translated that book of Rilke's poems in 1951. (German Encyclopedia of Literature by Matthias Konzett Page 820)

[dely]

Finished another very short book: Garibaldi fu ferito - E noi? by Paolo Nori 1*

There isn't an English translation but you don't miss anything.
For me it was a useless short book with an unbearable writing style. It has two speeches by the author: one about the Italian unification, above all about Ciro Menotti: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ciro_Me...
and the other speech talks about Tolstoj, Dostoyevsky, ridiculousness and goodness.

I also didn't like how he dealt with these two topics. The author wanted to be funny, but he got only on my nerves and I had the impression that he wanted to talk only about himself.

[Diane S ☔]

Finished Harmony
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Hannah]

Finished Evelina. Definitely recommend!

Review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Portia]

I finished this book a couple of days ago and, while I had a couple of accuracy issues with the narrative, I still just loved it. https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Dhanaraj]

B the BookAddict wrote: "Spender translated that book of Rilke's poems in 1951. (German Encyclopedia of Literature by Matthias Konzett Page 820)"

Thanks Bette for the info.

[Pam]

Finished Book 1 in Jenny Nimmo's fantasy trilogy for children - The Snow Spider and Jambusters about the contribution of countrywomen organised by the Womens' Institute during WWII.

[Petra]

I finished Eleanor Rigby by Douglas Coupland. I enjoy the way Coupland writes. It's warm, humorous and somewhat quirky.
In this story, Liz Dunn is a lonely woman, removed from pretty much everyone and all life experiences. She thinks of death & dying a lot. Then her son, given up at adoption, enters her life and she begins to see Life somewhat differently.
My review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Zippergirl]

★★★★★ For historical fiction / thriller / magical realism fans!



My review:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Gill]

I've just finished reading Little Jewel.

Here's a link to my review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Chrissie]

I have finished the audiobook A House Full of Daughters: A Memoir of Seven Generations. I liked it and can recommend it. Lots about the Sackville-West family! Also about mother-daughter relationships.

My review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Chrissie]

Gill wrote: "I've just finished reading Little Jewel.

Here's a link to my review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show..."

Gill, thanks for reminding me of this Nobel Prize winner. I have to read something by him. Thinking of trying Missing Person

[Joy]

Has anyone read The Rabbit Back Literature Society ? I've just read it and, although it engaged me, at the end I was left baffled.

[Pam]

Just finished Emlyn's Moon, second in a fantasy trilogy for children by Jenny Nimmo.

[Diane S ☔]

Finished The Dry
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[PattyMacDotComma]

5★ Barkskins took Annie Proulx years to research and write, but it was worth the effort.

It starts in 1693 with a couple of Frenchmen, miserably assigned for 3 years as indentured servants in Canada. Over the next centuries, in several countries, we meet rough and ready (and not so ready) people, some of whom thrive and some of whom come to extremely sticky ends. Terrifying times.

Not for the faint-hearted, but the faint-hearted might enjoy the food and fashion which are also well described.

Lots of 'industry' history and plenty of commentary on the damage colonisation has done to indigenous peoples everywhere and on the damage wholesale deforestation has done to the planet.

There are a few slower bits, of course, but overall, it's a great read!
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Christine]

Chasing Mayflies by Vincent Donovan. I want to scream about this one from the rooftops. I loved it.. it moved me and that's rare nowadays.

[PattyMacDotComma]

3★ for L. Donsky-Levine's tale of Riley, a homeless school drop-out and sex worker, The Bad Girl. She insists she's not a prostitute, but it's a fine line she draws.

Poor kid deserves a break. I liked the kid, the old bloke, and a Vietnam vet. I wasn't as crazy about all her cats, but others will be.

My review
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Canadian Jen]

Just finished this most awesome read The Narrow Road to the Deep North. My review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Suz]

Loved my last piece of Aussie goodness in this book by Liane Moriarty. My five star review:

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Chinook]

Gold Fame Citrus was fairly good. I'm reading through a climate lit list and that's how I found it. I loved the first third and most of the last third but in between there was a bit with some chapters with different writing styles that I couldn't get into.

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Angela M]

I finished Valley of the Moon. 4 stars. My review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Guy]

Louis D. Brandeis: American Prophet

What a insightful read. Learned so much I had no knowledge of.

My Review

[Greg]

B the BookAddict wrote: "Dhanaraj wrote: "@Greg: Thee edition does not contain the date. And it is not 1913 and as you guessed it is the date of original publication in German. All I can say from the short introduction is ..."

Thanks Bette!

[GeneralTHC]

I finished one today called The Heavenly Table. I thought it was pretty darn good--best I've come across in a while. Surely a solid 4-star book. It's sort of a mix between historical and literary fiction with a heaping dash of noir. Maybe it's been best called "grit lit." Not sure, I just came across that term today,

As I'm wont to do, I read along with the audiobook. It's narrated by Kirby Heyborne, and he does a really good job. He's one of the very best methinks.

[Raul]

Just finished a short story called Weight of Whispers by Yvonne Adhiambo Owuor. A painful story of a royal Rwandan family forced into exile in Kenya because of the 1994 genocide. Given three stars, the writer is clearly talented but she misses out on several historical points while the story is dented with vague mystery that goes half-unexplained.

[PattyMacDotComma]

3★ for the quite real story of sex-trafficking, The Black Lens by former reporter Christopher Stollar, who spent three years researching this. He's also donating 10% of earnings from this to fighting the dreadful business.

Believable scenarios (all of them bad).

My review
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Gill]

I've just finished reading The Noise of Time. Here's a link to my short review:

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Guy]

Finshed a quick read of Islam and the Future of Tolerance: A Dialogue I felt I walked away with a little more understanding. Glad I read it.

My Review

[Shirley]

I've just finished reading The Forgotten Garden - really enjoyed it!

[B the BookAddict]

Gill, I have The Noise of Time on my tbr.

Shirley, I read Morton's books for a relaxing read now and then, and like you, enjoyed The Forgotten Garden. A #1 bestseller in Australia, the novel was longlisted for the International IMPAC Dublin Literary Award (2010).