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What have you just read? Opinions, recommendations & reviews
I have finished a collection of short stories by Tennessee Williams. My edition has One Arm, and Other Stories and Hard Candy: A Book of Stories.Some stories were really good but others were boring. By sure all the stories were depressing. It's the first time I read something by Williams' and I don't know if I will read others by him.
I recommend it if you like depressing stories with no happy ending.
dely: Try to read a romance with a happy ending next. Lol...
Dhanaraj wrote: "dely: Try to read a romance with a happy ending next. Lol..."Lol
I usually liked depressing stories because in my opinion they match much more with reality; I don't believe in happy endings. But this one was really too pessimistic and I'm no more in the mood for such stories.
I picked it up without knowing anything about Tennessee Williams. I had read about one of his stories in Impronte di gatto. Nell'arte, nella letteratura, nella vita dell'uomo (sorry, no English edition) and it seemed interesting; it was about a friendship among a cat and a person. But 260 pages with such stories was too much though some stories were really good.
Let me pose a question: What do you do to relax or to be back in good mood after having read a good book with a sad ending? Of course, this is a question for the readers who involve themselves much with the plot and the characters.
To get over the 'hang over' of a book I usually look towards some fast paced crime novels or simple love stories. Or end up watching comedy/action films.
What do you all do?
I usually let myself mull over it for a day but then I pick a completely different book to start reading the next day haha.
Sometimes I get a "hangover" from a book that I have read and then it takes me a while to get into another one. So if I need to then I take a few days to process before I move on but once I have started something else I usually get over the hangover.
Dhanaraj wrote: "Let me pose a question: What do you do to relax or to be back in good mood after having read a good book with a sad ending? Of course, this is a question for the readers who involve themselves muc..."
I try reading something different, like a graphic novel, or watch a film. If all else fails, then cat videos on youtube are sure to cheer me up!
Erica wrote: "I usually let myself mull over it for a day but then I pick a completely different book to start reading the next day haha."I do the same. If the book has really impacted me, then I appreciate a little break before starting something completely different.
Dhanaraj wrote: "Let me pose a question: What do you do to relax or to be back in good mood after having read a good book with a sad ending? Of course, this is a question for the readers who involve themselves muc..."
It depends. Sometimes I start reading a new book other times I take a break of a day before reading a new one; other times I need to watch a movie.
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Dhanaraj wrote: "Let me pose a question: What do you do to relax or to be back in good mood after having read a good book with a sad ending? "
I prefer "difficult/sad books" over light fluffy ones because that is how life really is. Don't we all seem to be constantly struggling? And if I read about another person trying to hang on, my own problems seem trivial. So you can get happy from that. I DO like it when some humor or hope is thrown into a dark book though.
Interesting replies. It was nice reading your experiences. Thanks.
Dhanaraj wrote: "Let me pose a question: What do you do to relax or to be back in good mood after having read a good book with a sad ending? Of course, this is a question for the readers who involve themselves muc..."
I am like you in this - I tend to turn to either a good mystery/thriller or a movie (and I also go for comedy or action if I am in a book "hangover"). Or these days, I have been watching some old science fiction TV show episodes (Farscape)...
You always pose such interesting questions Dhanaraj! If a book has affected me very much I probably do not read anything the next day, so that my thoughts can settle. (And nowadays I tend to write them down too, and post them here.) But I always find I like a change for my next book anyway. Recently it has been poetry followed by SF then a classic. Then tomorrow it will be detective fiction, but I could have chosen non-fiction or a contemporary novel.
I just finished The Sheltering Sky. I can't understand how so many people enjoyed it. It's racist, offensive, and draining.
Dhanaraj wrote: "Let me pose a question: What do you do to relax or to be back in good mood after having read a good book with a sad ending? Of course, this is a question for the readers who involve themselves muc..."
I try to move on to something a bit more optimistic. I don't mind a sad plot, but too much can be depressing, therefore I try to balance things with something light and fun.
I love to read intense books or books that make me think. Sometimes the book is so very aff3cting that I cannot concentrate on another until I have processed why and how I am feeling he way I do. I do tend to read a lighter book now and then and I do love mysteries. They are my palate cleanser, so to speak.
Charbel wrote: "I just finished The Sheltering Sky. I can't understand how so many people enjoyed it. It's racist, offensive, and draining."I did not much care for this book, I started it and quit reading it after sixty pages.
Charbel, I had trouble with The Sheltering Sky too. So many unclear messages, the first and second parts of the book read completely differently and existentialism isn't my my favorite way of looking at the world. Here is what I thought in more detail: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show.... I only gave it two stars. We can complain about it together!
Dhanaraj wrote: "Let me pose a question: What do you do to relax or to be back in good mood after having read a good book with a sad ending?
Of course, this is a question for the readers who involve themselves muc..."
I get really bad 'book hangovers', particularly if it was a book I loved (like the one I just finished!). I usually take some time to watch movies/tv and play video games, because I can't bring myself to read anything else if it affected me that much.
Of course, this is a question for the readers who involve themselves muc..."
I get really bad 'book hangovers', particularly if it was a book I loved (like the one I just finished!). I usually take some time to watch movies/tv and play video games, because I can't bring myself to read anything else if it affected me that much.
I finished If You Find Me today - WOW! It was heartbreaking but happy at the same time. If you like YA fiction, this is one of the better ones ;-)
I often get a book 'hangover' not always because of a sad ending but if I didn't want it to end. I usually have a little break and then jump into the next book. I try and read something completely different. But sometimes I get hooked on a particular genre and can't resist another one of the same.
I've just finished reading Beyond good and evil by F. Nietzsche. I re-read it actually, I first read it in high school. I liked it a lot back then, but not as much right now. That's because in high school I didn't read it as a philosophy book and I did not seize the philosopher's true ideas and concepts, but I was rather foolishly in love with his style, with his cynism. Well, the me from high school is a bit different from the present me.
Charbel wrote: "Dhanaraj wrote: "Let me pose a question: What do you do to relax or to be back in good mood after having read a good book with a sad ending? Of course, this is a question for the readers who invol..."
I've seen the movie but it really bored me.
Ramona wrote: "I've just finished reading Beyond good and evil by F. Nietzsche. I re-read it actually, I first read it in high school. I liked it a lot back then, but not as much right now. That's because in high..."Ramona, were you aware that Nietzsche was the one who provided the philosophical basis for the Nazi ideals of Hitler. Or at least, that is what I have been told and it seems right too. The image of 'Super Human' with his Master's morality is really frightening.
Dhanaraj wrote: "Ramona wrote: "I've just finished reading Beyond good and evil by F. Nietzsche. I re-read it actually, I first read it in high school. I liked it a lot back then, but not as much right now. That's ..."I've been told that Nietzsche as a person was very pacific (a singular episode: "On 3 January 1889, Nietzsche suffered a mental collapse. Two policemen approached him after he caused a public disturbance in the streets of Turin. What happened remains unknown, but an often-repeated tale from shortly after his death states that Nietzsche witnessed the flogging of a horse at the other end of the Piazza Carlo Alberto, ran to the horse, threw his arms up around its neck to protect it, and then collapsed to the ground.") , and in my studies I've learned that Hitler misrepresents many cultural references of the Nazi ideals for his purposes, like Fichte's one, Nietzsche, Darwin, and so on.
Anastasia, I too have come across this anecdote many times. But does this not exclude a person from writing his thoughts in black and white. We all know that the in charge of the Auschwitz concentration camp had great love for his cats and his family. And that his family could not believe later that he had killed many.
And I do agree that Hitler misrepresented many ideals and philosophies.
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too true
Hi all. I have just finished Oliver Twist by Charles Dickens my favorite author and I generously gave it 3 stars. Not great for me but some great characters as ever.
Ditto Tracey's post! (Except that I finished yesterday and gave it four.) :)
I posted my review Jean patiently waiting for yours. :)
LOL! Serves me right - I finally finished mine earlier and tried to post it, but it was too long :( Will edit it and post tomorrow.Going to read yours now though :)
Just finished different seasons by stephen king and it was pretty good. Enjoyed all the stories except for apt pupil.
Diane, thanks for your clear review. I will be reading the book. I was first thinking that having read A Long Way Gone: Memoirs of a Boy Soldierand having learned so much about the situation in this the author's first book, I was skeptical of reading another. I was worried it would be repetitive. FEW authors really are able to repeat one great book after another, but in this case the excellent writing seems worth further reading. I want to be drawn in by the characters and this seems well done in the second book too. Do check out his first book.
Already added it to my list Chrissie, The author explains in an author's note in Radiance why he felt compelled to write this one and also why he wrote it in the style he did. The author's note is first and is okay to read, he does not give anything important away.
Diane S. wrote: "The author's note is first and is okay to read, he does not give anything important away. "That is good to know, Diane. Thanks.
Would I recommend Oliver Twist? Yes if you know Dickens and would like to read his early style. Be prepared for a very convoluted plot though, all crammed into the last few chapters. No, if you want a rehash of the dramatisations. This is far more bitter fare.Tracey, (and anyone else!) here's the link to my review you said you've been waiting for! LOL
Finished reading Grazia Deledda's Reeds in the Wind. It was a lovely book with some interesting characters. I would surely recommend it.
Me too, have finished Reeds in the Wind but unlike Dhanaraj I didn't like it a lot. For me it was just an ok read.I don't know if I would recommend it. It isn't a bad book, it's me that didn't like the writing style of the author and other small things of the book.
Finished Madam: A Novel of New Orleans and if you are interested in New Orleans this was a very good book. https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
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I have read a couple of short but challenging plays by Aeschylus (one more to go to finish up the The Oresteia trilogy). If you think Shakespeare's tragedies are dark, these would be pitch black!!Maybe I should be reading those short stories Laura mentioned as an antidote! :-)
I've just read The Murder of Roger Ackroyd by Agatha Christie. This is the first Poirot novel I've read and really enjoyed it. Good plot, tight writing and, to my surprise, very funny in parts - a number of the characters are gently sent up. Easy and entertaining.
Joy wrote: "I've just read The Murder of Roger Ackroyd by Agatha Christie. This is the first Poirot novel I've read and really enjoyed it. Good plot, tight writing and, to my surprise, very funny ..."One of my favorites of all Christie's books! Glad you liked it :)
Leslie wrote: "Joy wrote: "I've just read The Murder of Roger Ackroyd by Agatha Christie. This is the first Poirot novel I've read and really enjoyed it. Good plot, tight writing and, to my surprise,..."One of my favourites of hers, too, but my absolute favourite was Murder on the Orient Express.
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A friend of mine - the one living in Turin where >I went last week - a couple of years ago acted in The Oresteia. It was a great performance, but as you said a bit "hard" to digest!!!
LauraT wrote: "Just started a collection of short stories by Dickens: always witty and amusing!"I didn't know he had a short story collection! I'm looking forward to your review, Laura.
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I think that I will read this in the summer as it is on of the 2014 SYNC titles!