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Book Chat > Has Anyone Read This Book?

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message 251: by Leslie (new)

Leslie | 16369 comments Gemma wrote: "Has anyone read The House on the Strand by Daphne DuMaurier?"

Here is the group read thread -- it was one of the first books we read as AAB! I found it quite different in tone and style from Rebecca. If you want something that is more similar to Rebecca, try the one Jean mentioned, My Cousin Rachel.


message 252: by Gemma (new)

Gemma (gemmagem20) | 460 comments Thanks ladies, I will have a look at the thread and reviews. I have read Rebecca & My Cousin Rachel and very much enjoyed both.


message 253: by Chrissie (last edited Jun 18, 2015 09:40AM) (new)

Chrissie Frenchman's Creek is my absolute favorite by Daphne du Maurier. NOTHING is as good as that one.

ETA: Ooops, I made a mistake. I goofed up the titles. The Glass-Blowersis is my favorite:


message 254: by LauraT (new)

LauraT (laurata) | 14389 comments Mod
Jean wrote: "Me too. Though my favourite is probably My Cousin Rachel.

I've reviewed them all, Gemma, if you fancy a look."


Mine too!


message 255: by Shirley (new)

Shirley | 4177 comments Rebecca remains my personal favourite, but I did enjoy The House on the Strand.


message 256: by Bionic Jean (new)

Bionic Jean (bionicjean) I didn't like that one, Chrissie ... LOL!


message 257: by Chrissie (new)

Chrissie Jean wrote: "I didn't like that one, Chrissie ... LOL!"

Oh, funny. You see I like biographies, and it is essentially.....if I remember correctly.


message 258: by Bionic Jean (new)

Bionic Jean (bionicjean) I'm not sure I remember it very well at all, but I do remember I thought it was overblown, and a bit like a bodice-ripper. Harsh?


message 259: by Shirley (new)

Shirley | 4177 comments Jean wrote: "I'm not sure I remember it very well at all, but I do remember I thought it was overblown, and a bit like a bodice-ripper. Harsh?"

It's funny, but I have read Frenchman's Creek too, and I can't really remember it either, except that I wasn't that keen on it!


message 260: by Chrissie (last edited Feb 17, 2015 12:53PM) (new)

Chrissie No, Jean not harsh, just how you saw it. I loved it. It felt the most real to me. Strange how people react differently.

And Shirley, you didn't like it either!

I am the weird one I guess....but I too have to say how I reacted to it.


message 261: by Bionic Jean (new)

Bionic Jean (bionicjean) Well we only have a pool of three here, so not enough to draw any conclusions ;)


message 262: by Shirley (new)

Shirley | 4177 comments Just goes to show, Chrissie, how we are all different, and there is no right nor wrong where liking books is concerned


message 263: by Chrissie (new)

Chrissie Shirley and Jean, this is why I KEEP trying all sorts of books.You never quite know if you will react as others have.


message 264: by [deleted user] (last edited Jun 16, 2015 01:41PM) (new)

Has anyone read The Book of Three? I'm almost halfway finished; it's pretty good for a book I didn't want to read. :)
And what about Fallen? Someone chose it for my book club, and I've seen mixed reviews.


message 265: by Leslie (new)

Leslie | 16369 comments Raevyn wrote: "Has anyone read The Book of Three? I'm almost halfway finished; it's pretty good for a book I didn't want to read. :)
And what about Fallen? Someone chose it for my book..."


Not me. Maybe someone else here will know more...


message 266: by LauraT (new)

LauraT (laurata) | 14389 comments Mod
Not me neither, but I'm curious to know more ...


message 267: by Alex (last edited Jun 18, 2015 09:45AM) (new)

Alex John wrote: "I've forced myself to read this and others by her, but to me she's pretentious and self-absorbed as all the Bloomsbury set were. She commited suicide by walking into the water with stones in her po..."

Amazing what one can run across. I'd never heard that was the way Woolf committed suicide. I sold a novel a few months ago in which the main character early in the story tries to kill hmself in just that manner, but fails. I foresee some reviewer paraphrasing your comment in regard to my character.


message 268: by Chrissie (new)

Chrissie Jean wrote: "I didn't like that one, Chrissie ... LOL!"

Jean, I made a mistake. It is The Glass-Blowers I like best. THAT is a story about her family, not the other one. Sorry.


message 269: by [deleted user] (new)

I'm also wondering about Holy Cow: A Modern-Day Dairy Tale. Is it good? And is it YA or adult??? I've seen it marked both ways.


message 270: by GeneralTHC (last edited Jul 01, 2015 09:32AM) (new)

GeneralTHC I'm wondering about The Familiar, Volume 1: One Rainy Day in May by Mark Z. Danielewski. It's a doorstop. And apparently it's just the first chapter--he's writing 29 more to go with it! Anyone thought about reading this or know anything about it?


message 271: by B the BookAddict (new)

B the BookAddict (bthebookaddict) | 8315 comments @Chuck Haven't heard of or read the book BUT I reckon with 35 books on your Currently Reading list, you maybe shouldn't even be considering another book, LOL:D


message 272: by GeneralTHC (new)

GeneralTHC B the BookAddict wrote: "@Chuck Haven't heard of or read the book BUT I reckon with 35 books on your Currently Reading list, you maybe shouldn't even be considering another book, LOL:D"

I know that's right, B! LOL! But I just can't help myself. What's one more at this point? Nah, but seriously, I'm hoping I can hit that reading gear I was in 2013 and knock out 20 or so books this month. Funny thing is if I do that it'll probably be mostly new reads knowing me, hehe!


message 273: by B the BookAddict (new)

B the BookAddict (bthebookaddict) | 8315 comments LMAO :D


message 274: by LauraT (new)


message 275: by Chrissie (new)

Chrissie I've read it, Laura. It was years ago before GR. I have no review and I gave it only two stars. So not a winner for me. I remember nothing and that is certainly not good, is it?!


message 276: by GeneralTHC (last edited Jul 03, 2015 07:10AM) (new)

GeneralTHC I haven't read the Ghosh book, but I've heard very good things about him and The Glass Palace in particular.

He just released a new book--the latest in a series I want to read.


message 277: by Petra (new)

Petra | 3325 comments I haven't read that one, Laura. I did enjoy The Glass Palace. It was before joining Goodreads, so I have no review.


message 278: by Amber (new)

Amber (amberterminatorofgoodreads) Raevyn wrote: "I'm also wondering about Holy Cow: A Modern-Day Dairy Tale. Is it good? And is it YA or adult??? I've seen it marked both ways."

It's pretty good. I read it and its an adult story but the author said that all ages can read it. It's pretty funny.


message 279: by Julia (new)

Julia (juliace) | 720 comments "Holy Cow" sounds funny, added to my shelf


message 280: by Amber (new)

Amber (amberterminatorofgoodreads) Awesome Julia, I hope you enjoy it! the guy that plays Mulder on the X-Files TV show wrote it.


message 281: by LauraT (new)

LauraT (laurata) | 14389 comments Mod
Chrissie wrote: "I've read it, Laura. It was years ago before GR. I have no review and I gave it only two stars. So not a winner for me. I remember nothing and that is certainly not good, is it?!"

Definitly a strange book. Three stars for me, nothing more...


message 282: by Chrissie (new)

Chrissie LauraT, The Shadow Lines is my favorite by Ghosh. His earlier books are I think better than the later ones. Dancing in Cambodia, at Large in Burma is also very good.


message 283: by LauraT (new)

LauraT (laurata) | 14389 comments Mod
Thanks Chrissie; also my husband told me so. When I've got some times I'll give him a closer look


message 284: by Chrissie (new)

Chrissie LauraT, just do no think Ghosh is bad b/c you happen to read The Calcutta Chromosome: A Novel of Fevers, Delirium & Discovery. He has some excellent books. The Hungry Tide and The Glass Palace are another two that are good.


message 285: by LauraT (new)

LauraT (laurata) | 14389 comments Mod
Chrissie wrote: "LauraT, just do no think Ghosh is bad b/c you happen to read The Calcutta Chromosome: A Novel of Fevers, Delirium & Discovery. He has some excellent books. The Hungry Tide ..."

I think I've got the wrong one to start with; I'll definitly give him a second chanche


message 286: by Benjamin (new)

Benjamin Bohman | 39 comments Has anyone here read Madame Bovary by Gustave Flaubert? I'm wanting to buy it, but I would first like to know if it's any good. Thanks :)


message 287: by Pink (new)

Pink Benjamin, I've read and loved it, the book is slow to start but worth the effort if you like those sort of classics.


message 288: by Benjamin (new)

Benjamin Bohman | 39 comments Thanks Pink. I look forward to reading it.


message 289: by Leslie (new)

Leslie | 16369 comments Glad to hear you loved it Pink -- it is a book that I have for some reason been avoiding reading even though I have owned it in paperback for perhaps 10 years! Benjamin, were you planning on reading it right away? If not, I might join you but I have a big library book I need to read first.


message 290: by Pink (new)

Pink I really liked it Leslie, though I did moan a lot during the first 100 pages that it was boring. I had encouragement to keep reading and I'm so glad that I did, it's now one of my favourites.


message 291: by Leslie (new)

Leslie | 16369 comments Pink wrote: "I really liked it Leslie, though I did moan a lot during the first 100 pages that it was boring. I had encouragement to keep reading and I'm so glad that I did, it's now one of my favourites."

This kind of info is what I love about GR! Without this, I am sure I would have started and then quickly given up and put it back on the shelf.


message 292: by Pink (new)

Pink I have wondered if translation made a difference to my difficulties at the beginning, but I didn't look into this before I picked up my edition, so I don't know. Might be something to consider.


message 293: by Leslie (new)

Leslie | 16369 comments Pink wrote: "I have wondered if translation made a difference to my difficulties at the beginning, but I didn't look into this before I picked up my edition, so I don't know. Might be something to consider."

Ugh. Probably I should as I have experienced the impact a bad translation can have on my enjoyment but since I already own a copy, I will stick with whatever translation that one happens to have.


message 294: by Pink (new)

Pink I think that will be fine too. If I already have a copy of a book, or can get a free edition, then I go with that one. It's only if I need to locate a new copy that I consider which translation.


message 295: by Benjamin (new)

Benjamin Bohman | 39 comments Leslie- thanks for the offer, but my bookshelves are so backed up that I may not reach it for years!


message 296: by Greg (last edited Jul 14, 2015 07:58PM) (new)

Greg | 8352 comments Mod
I'm late to the party, but I'll throw my vote in the positive category for Madame Bovary as well. It didn't move me as much as some books, but it was beautifully put together and well worth reading.

I tested a few translations before reading and found one I liked. For me, the more vivid and original the imagery, the more likely I'll stay interested. I know myself - dry writing just does me in.

I'm reading a book right now in translation (Chinese sci-fi The Three-Body Problem), and the story is interesting, but the unevocative language in the translation is just killing me.


message 297: by Alice (new)

Alice Poon (alice_poon) I read Madame Bovary many years ago and found it to be just OK. Yes I felt bored by it. I think I prefer to read Guy de Maupassant's novels.


message 298: by Pink (new)

Pink Alice, I'm the other way around!


message 299: by GeneralTHC (last edited Sep 08, 2015 02:33PM) (new)

GeneralTHC I've heard a lot about Jonathon Franzen, but I've yet to read anything by him. I see he just released a new one. Anyone read this? I think I'm going to get the audiobook.
Purity by Jonathan Franzen
Purity


message 300: by [deleted user] (new)

I haven't read anything by him but have friends who live his work and I generally trust their opinion


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