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What have you just read? Opinions, recommendations & reviews
I finished reading a play by Diego Fabbri, Processo a Gesù (Jesus on trial). There isn't an English translation at least not on GR but I've found this article: http://www.newropeans-magazine.org/co...The play has two acts and it is metatheater. The actors perform again the trial to Jesus to see if he is guilty to be a faker or if he was the real Messiah. It is a critique to society and to ourselves and the trial goes from Jesus to people and their loss of faith.
It was very interesting and it also applies to the present day.
I just read a memoir of an amazing woman . The Nazi Officer's Wife: How One Jewish Woman Survived the Holocaust. My review : https://www.goodreads.com/review/show... - 5 stars!
Excellent book! Also check out On Hitler's Mountain: Overcoming the Legacy of a Nazi Childhood. Another winner.
Read in a couple of hours Lieutenant Gustl by Arthur Schnitzler. It was a good read and it's a long inner monologue by lieutenant Gustl who thinks about and organizes his suicide after been insulted and so, in his opinion, dishonored.
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Greg wrote: "After getting totally carried away talking with Jean about The Old Man and the Sea, I wrote enough that I was able to cut and paste my way to a review; so here it is: https://www.goodre..."Greg, your review bowled me over. I think that's the first review of yours I've seen and am eager to pursue any others you have written. 5★ for your review!
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I've written only a few reviews (only 3 in 2014), mostly because it takes me a while to write them, but I do love the idea of being able to go back much later and remember my detailed reactions! I don't think I'll ever be a prolific review writer, but hopefully I'll manage to write them a little more often next year.
I know I sure enjoy following everyone else's reviews! This is such a great group of avid readers! I add more to my to-read list every day.
Well I for one hope you do write more reviews, Greg! Yes, they sure do take a long time! Sometimes I think mine take almost as long as some books do to read - but the benefits in terms of contemplating and understanding what you've read, and of remembering it, are huge! They are for me anyway. And of course it's so great if others get something out of them too :)
I listened to Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier recently on Audible. The narrator, Anna Massey, has a wonderfully expressive voice. This is the most pleasant listening experience I have ever had on Audible. She captures every nuance of the narrative and is convincing with various male, female, English and American accents. I can feel chills up my spine as I listen while I am driving home in the dark on the long, winding, mountain road, lined with overgrown vegetation, casting shadows in my car's headlights...however, my final destination is a 1950's ranch house, not Manderly.
This is a beautifully written book. I'm a gardener and I loved the detailed descriptions of the hills, gardens, animals, birds, flowers, forest and seaside that made up the estate of Manderly. I was also intrigued by the complex system of running a household like that. I liked the way she used the continuation of nature as a soothing observation, regardless of what awful things are going on between people.
You are able to really get inside of the young protagonist's head, as she grows and changes from an insecure girl, working as a lady's companion, to a married women heading up a grand estate.
Daphne du Maurier is able to make and sustain a feeling of drama and suspense throughout the entire book without it getting stale. I couldn't wait each day to listen and surround myself in the atmosphere she created.
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Having to find the right words to describe my impressions clarifies my own thoughts, and the wonderful discussions help me just as much by pushing me to think in different ways. What a pleasure Goodreads is!
Terry wrote: "I listened to Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier recently on Audible. The narrator, Anna Massey, has a wonderfully expressive voice. This is the most pleasant listening experience I have ever had on Au..."Thanks for posting, Terry, sounds like a great audible version to listen to! It's one of my favourite books, so it's good to know that version does the book justice. You might want to consider copying this to the low vision awareness thread - just a thought.
Great idea Shirley! Several of us love this book, and it's great to see your enthusiasm too, Terry. In a way I'm not surprised Anna Massey narrated it so well, as she made a very convincing Mrs Danvers in one of the TV dramatisations!
Greg - totally agree - "clarifies my thoughts" :) I can kind of lose focus if I move straight on to something else without giving pause.
My grandson and I have been reading the Rick Riordan series together, and I just finished The Blood of Olympus, the fifth book in the Heroes of Olympus series. I taught mythology as one of my classes for high school students, and Riordan does an excellent job of creating fast-moving stories based on myths. The first series, Percy Jackson and the Olympians Boxed Set, centered on Greek myths, while the Heroes of Olympus has added Roman mythology to the story.
I've really enjoyed sharing these reads with my 10 year old grandson--and as a teacher, I love that Riordan has found a way to make mythology interesting for a new generation :-)
(The Kane Chronicles is his step into Egyptian mythology, and the brother/sister narrators are done really well.)
Finished Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe last night. I had always thought I had seen this movie. I mean, who hasn't? Then when nothing seemed familiar I checked a movie trailer for it online and it didn't look familiar either. But I was certain beforehand that I had seen it! Has this ever happened to anybody else?
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Fried Green Tomatoes is a charming movie however. I've always intended to read the book.
Finished reading four short stories by John Updike. They were readable but nothing worthy; they were also depressing, sad and just a little bit boring.
I finished reading The Mathematician's Shiva, which I won in a GR Giveaway. I really enjoyed it. It's a warm, humorous story of being fragile and human. It's also a family story of acceptance and togetherness. Mix into that the experience of immigrating and having to find one's way in another culture. Finally, add a bunch of mathematician's intent upon solving a great math problem. Sounds weird but the author manages to tell a warm story with this motley crew of situations. I really enjoyed it.
My review
@ Terry... Rebecca was one of the first audio books I listened to, and I absolutely agree with you, it was superb. The narrative adds such mystique to the story. It not only sticks with me, it turned into one of the favorites of my constantly growing list of reads.
Evelyn wrote: "My favourite John Updike novel is Seek My Face. I have Rabbit, Run waiting for me to get to."I've read the plot. It seems that that of the old age and life memories is one of Updike's favorite themes.
Yes, I found the writing in Seek My Face very beautiful
Just finished Amherst: A Novel. Liked it but didn't love it -3 stars. My review :https://www.goodreads.com/review/show....
Finished The Last Friend, a novel set in Tangiers, about a remarkable friendship https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
dely wrote: "Finished reading four short stories by John Updike. They were readable but nothing worthy; they were also depressing, sad and just a little bit boring."That has been my overall reaction to Updike, but I know that Jenny is a fan of the Rabbit books. Evelyn, I will be curious to hear what you think once you finish Rabbit, Run.
Yes, I did really like the Rabbit trilogy... quadrupology (Ok now I am just making up words) tetralogy? Diane, I've read the Last Friend years ago and really liked it, glad you've enjoyed it too.
Yes, it's "tetralogy", or "quartet". Never the other one ;)
Lol quadrupology!I'll let you know for sure Leslie.
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Have just finished A Distant Mirror: The Calamitous 14th Century. I am glad I read it, but there is just SO much to absorb. Tuchman is never an easy read, but always satisfying.. My review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Just finished The Mapmaker's Children: A Novel. Happy to have read this advance copy- 5 stars. My review : https://www.goodreads.com/review/show....
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Sounds really interesting ...
Laura ,Yes I thought it was and also well written . She really did a good job of depicting what was happening in this country in the 1860's .
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Angela, while you are reading about the Abolitionist movement and mid 1800s USA, you might want to check outThe All-True Travels and Adventures of Lidie Newton. It is based on real events and set in Kansas and Missouri. It is good. It is fun to read earlier books from contemporary authors.
Chrissie ,Thanks for recommending this . I'll check it out and adding to my ever growing to read list.
Angela, glad I could help. I know how it is; you start on a subject and then want more!
Hi Laura, I loved the "House at Riverton" - mostly because I was really in the mood to read something like that. I did think the way it was written was unnecessarily vague, because it was pretty easy to piece together what happened. It didn't spoil my enjoyment, though.
I finished reading The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie SocietyHere is my review for it: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
I really enjoyed that one too Rahat.
I recently finished George Gissing's The Odd Women, as a Librivox audiobook (Elizabeth Klett is a brilliant narrator!). It is about women's roles in the late 1800s -- whether marriage is a better goal than having a career, and what jobs were open to women at that time. If you like Victorian novels or novels about women's issues (or both!), then I would recommend it.
Everyman did a great review of that one a while ago, here, Leslie. Made me want to read it anyway :)
Diane S. wrote: "Finished A Map of Betrayal: A Novel https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...."I saw this one on Amazon. Sounds good!
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Aw I looked for your review but there isn't one, Greg. Too long ago maybe?
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