Christine's 50 and 100 progress

[[deleted user]]

Finished East of Eden from the 100 list. It's the first time I have read it and it's now my favourite Steinbeck book.

[Lisa]

Damn, you read fast

[[deleted user]]

I couldn't put it down. :)

[[deleted user]]

Finished Fight Club from the 100.

[Buck]

It's on my list to request an ebook or audiobook for download from my library. They don't have it. How was it. Was it good?

[[deleted user]]

Hi Buck, Yes I did enjoy it but it took a few chapters before I really got into it. It's reminded me of 'One Flew Over the Cuckoos Nest' by which I mean it can be read on many levels. I never saw the film so I had no preconceptions about the book but it's certainly food for thought.

[[deleted user]]

At last I have finished Don Quijote - it took me ages. Although in the first part was very 'wordy' about knight-errantry and reading it was like wading through treacle, the overall story I found delightful to read.

[[deleted user]]

I've just read American Psycho from the 100 list. I've not seen the movie and so read this with no preconceptions. I have to say I didn't like the theme, and I found parts tedious. However, I liked the way the author draws you into the character and then hits you with his insanity. It's a book that will keep me thinking for a long time.

[[deleted user]]

Just finished The Way We Live Now - I really enjoyed it although I felt the storyline flagged a bit towards the end. The finance theme could almost have been in this day and age - nothing changes.

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Just finished Ender's Game from the 100 list.

[Buck]

I really enjoyed Ender's Game - an excellent science fiction story. Too bad the film didn't measure up.

[[deleted user]]

I've never seen the film so I can't compare, however, I loved the book. I always thought I would love to have a brain that really fired on all cylinders like Ender's but after reading this book I've changed my mind :).

I have the other books in the series on my Kindle so I'm looking forward to reading them at some time in the future.

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Finished A Tale of Two Cities from the 100. This is the second time I have read this. It's not my favourite Dickens novel as I find the first half a bit disjointed. However, the writing in the second half and the ending is so good it's worth reading it to the end. I ended up with a lump in my throat and tears in my eyes - the signs of a good read.

[[deleted user]]

I'm making a New Years resolution to finish my remaining 25 books to read, of the 50, in 2015.

[Linda]

Christine wrote: "I'm making a New Years resolution to finish my remaining 25 books to read, of the 50, in 2015."

Good luck, Christine!!

[Lisa]

Good luck Christine.
I've been reading A Tale of Two Cities too, enjoyed it thus far.

[[deleted user]]

Just finished A Bend in the River. This story meandered slowly like the river in the title. I found it very interesting as it told the story of the political changes of a newly dependent African country through the eyes of an African Asian.

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Finished Catch-22

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Just finished the Foundation Universe series by Issac Asimov.
I was just going to read the Foundation Trilogy from our 100 list but thought that was like starting half way through. I started at I Robot and read chronologically to Earth and Foundation (about 16 books) It was very easy and enjoyable reading throughout. I also enjoyed the underlying theme of the needs of society versus personal freedom.

[Buck]

Did you read them all together - consecutively?

Asimov used to be my favorite author, many years ago. I read everything of his I could get my hands on. Now, I hardly remember any of it. I recently reread the Foundation trilogy, but not the later prequels and sequels. I'm sure I read them before, but I can't remember. I really should reread them.

[[deleted user]]

Yes Buck, I read them consecutively - I found them such easy reading and I'm missing the characters already :)

[[deleted user]]

Finished Life of Pi - good book.

[[deleted user]]

Finished - Alice in Wonderland - I remember this as being ok when reading it in school, but this time I found it boring.

[[deleted user]]

Finished Frankenstein I'm not sure if i like this or not. I like the use of words and expressions of the Gothic novel although the melodrama can get a bit tedious.

Why so many horror films were created from this tale is a mystery to me.

[[deleted user]]

Just finished The Book Thief from out 100 list. I liked death as the narrator.

[Buck]

Christine wrote: "Just finished The Book Thief from out 100 list. I liked death as the narrator."

The Book Thief is a really good book. Death being the narrator puts it over the top.

[Linda]

Christine wrote: "Just finished The Book Thief from out 100 list. I liked death as the narrator."

Ooh, I didn't know that death was the narrator in that book, interesting. I have it on my shelf waiting to be read.

[[deleted user]]

It is a good book and using death as the narrator was quite quirky considering the time period of the story.

[[deleted user]]

Finished The Count of Monte Cristo. What a great book really enjoyed it.

[[deleted user]]

Finished The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn I enjoyed reading this, it did make me laugh.

[[deleted user]]

Finished the The Canterbury Tales

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Finished 'The Divine Comedy'.

[Buck]

Wow - you're getting into the old old stuff.

[[deleted user]]

Buck wrote: "Wow - you're getting into the old old stuff."

The Canterbury Tales was ok, but The Divine Comedy for me was a real slog. I can't say I understood it from first to last, I may try and read it again in the future.

[[deleted user]]

Finished Moby-Dick; or, The Whale

[[deleted user]]

Finished - The Outsider

[[deleted user]]

Finished Men Without Women. Why this is in a top 50 list is beyond me. I must have missed the point.

[Buck]

I had the same reaction, Christine. Hemingway wrote much better stuff.

[[deleted user]]

Yes, I like 'The Old Man and the Sea' and 'For Whom the Bell Tolls'. It would be a shame if anyone who hadn't read any of his books, reads this and think it's his finest work. It would really put them off reading anything else of his.

[[deleted user]]

Finished Rebecca - loved this book, the mystery, the tension, the characters, the writing style - loved everything.

[[deleted user]]

Finished The Time Traveler's Wife from the 100 list. I enjoyed reading it but I was a bit disappointed at the ending. I think it fizzled out a bit.

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Finished Little Women from our 100 list. I enjoyed reading this as it was very heart warming.

[[deleted user]]

Finished The Bell Jar

[[deleted user]]

Just finished The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time. I went into the local library yesterday looking for another book and picked up this instead. I had a quick browse of the first page and ended up reading the whole book in one session. This is a really enjoyable book and I would recommend it to anyone.

[[deleted user]]

Just finished The Catcher in the Rye - from the 50 list, it made me sad and laugh at the same time.

[[deleted user]]

Just finished Ulysses

[Buck]

Congratulations, Christine. A milestone.

[[deleted user]]

Just finished Money

[[deleted user]]

Finished On the Road

[[deleted user]]

I have just finished The Diary of a Young Girl by Anne Frank. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. How clever and insightful she was for someone so young, living under such terrible conditions.