The Rory Gilmore Book Club discussion
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What else are you currently reading?
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AIN'T THAT THE TRUTH! There's just no way, really. I mean, I look at the original list that I've been collecting the books for as well as reading over the last couple of years, and I think about how this list came out well before the show switched channels. Seriously, there's just no way. Especially because she would hang out with Lane, too, and listen to music and such. It's just not possible. Still, I'm somehow going to finish this goal of reading all the books on the list. Though I'm starting to think I'm crazy.
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That's an awesome encouragement, Dottie... thanks!
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That's on Rory's list, so another you and put a check mark next to!
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His Dark Materials is an incredible trilogy. I was pretty blown away. So very glad I read them. I'm still digesting the depth of the last one, The Amber Spyglass. But honestly, I think the second one, The Subtle Knife, was my favorite.
whichwaydidshego? wrote: "Lori wrote: "OK, this might just be me, but it seems impossible that Rory can go to Chilton, get all of her homework done, deal with Lorelai's crazy antics, have a boyfriend, consider 11 on a schoo..."Hi guys! I've just joined this group and this is my first post. I have to admit that I've always thought it a little hard to believe (however much I want it to be true!) that Rory is able to get some much pleasure reading done, all while balancing her already very full life that includes: getting all her homework done at Chilton (and excelling enough to warrant her valedictorian status), keeping up with her mother's crazy antics and interminable life references, making sure she spends time with Lane and wax lyrical about their particular musical tastes, making her boyfriend Dean/Jess happy, and having dinner with her grandparents....not to mention staying in the loop of what's going on in the quirky world of Stars Hollow.
Perhaps the two hours of each day that some people devote to exercise (people like me!), Rory instead devotes to reading. Another thing hard to believe but I still love about the show: Rory and Lorelei eat like truck drivers, yet never seem to gain an ounce or even exercise. I couldn't imagine such luxury in life!
I recently finished Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day and The Diving Bell and the Butterfly and am now trudging my way through The Rules of Attraction. It isn't difficult to read but his writing style is so different from what I usually read and I'm having a hard time getting into it so far. :(
Just dropping in to share a link with those of you, who plan on or are reading "Franny and Zooey". :)On academic earth you can watch a Yale lecture by Amy Hungerford about "Franny and Zooey" (part of her course "The American Novel Since 1945"):
Lecture
I love listening to her and it's a pretty interesting "guide" to the book, too. :)
I'm reading "Krabat" right now, German children's book /youth book classic. I love this book so much, I must have read it more than 15 times. (I guess the English title is "The Satanic Mill".)
Michelle, You crack me up. I adore you. If I were a spectator, I'd probably be laughing at my inability to strap on a pair and get through a book. I hope that this summer I can force myself to only read one book at a time. I think reading multiple books at once exacerbated the inability to finish anything. And I think that a lot on the original list are ones she read before graduating high school. (It seems like they drop less titles in the later episodes and focus more on her social life)Let me know how The Sun Also Rises goes. I started (and stopped) that one last year. I keep meaning to pick it back up though. Same with the His Dark Materials trilogy. I've read close to 50 pages in book 1. Someday...
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Yes, Dini, last year a movie, also titled "Krabat" came out.I was, when I first heard about the project, very excited, but as soon as I read about the production and the actors and so on, I was afraid it wouldn't be good.
I didn't watch the movie itself yet, because I don't want to get those pictures in my head and rather let my imagination stay with the pictures of the book, that I have since I was a child.
After seeing some trailers and clips from the movie I am certain, that I won't ever watch it. It looks not at all like I had in mind, they also twisted the story and so I'd say, the movie is only loosly based on the book. ;)
I may be a fun youth's movie with pretty boys and action and love story, but that's not what the book is. (I gues they tried to turn it into a darker Harry Potter...)
That sounds of course like any damnation a book-fan would write about a movie, but usually I love a good adaption of a book.
But here, really, it's such a wonderful quiet and powerful book and the movie looks all loud and plastic.
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Yes, probably. I guess the movie itself is done nicely and surely a good movie, but imho not at all a good book adaption.
It's been a while since I last read Krabat so I only remembered the story shadily when I went to see the movie.. And actually, what I remembered fit in nicely. But if you remember the story more I agree that you might be disappointed : )
I really liked Daniel Brühl as the eldest apprentice, though : )
I really liked Daniel Brühl as the eldest apprentice, though : )
Does anyone by chance know Been Down So Long It Looks Like Up to Me? I stumbled upon it by chance on Amazon and am wondering now if it's worth the read.. Judging from the amazon review, it might be totally worth the read - or an utter waste of money.
Kirby--I recently finished reading The Rules of Attraction and although I liked the first-person format I thought the book was too long, too drawn out and at times, boring. I don't want to say anything else for fear of spoiling you, but I'd be interested in finding out what you thought of it.
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Marion, I clicked the link. The title is fantastic, but the book didn't sound all that great. Maybe it's just me. Might be wonderful. Sorry I'm no help!
I'm laughing my arse off in The Sun Also Rises. Honestly, I remember Hemingway to be rather dry, but this is hilarious in my opinion. He's so sarcastic and at times cynical which might deter me were it not done is such an encapsulated humor.
He actually comments on Mencken via his character. It was such a funny thing to read how Hemingway puts him in his place via a character... thereby getting out of any retribution by simply claiming it was the character's opinion. Even funnier, it was a writer writing about a writer commenting to another writer about a different writer. Hahahahaha! (Translation: Hemingway's character Jake, a writer himself, when speaking to another character who is also a writer gave his opinions on Mencken.) Classic.
Anyway, so far the book reads fast and is keeping me entertained - more than most books from the 1920's.
Michele, that's also what I thought about Been down so long.. I read the description because of the title and then thought it could be good - but it could also just be some stereotypical 60s novel.
But maybe someone who has actually read it will be able to tell me more : )
But maybe someone who has actually read it will be able to tell me more : )
I started "Beat the Reaper" by Josh Bazell and quickly deserted all my other books. It has a very black humor and I love that! I should be done before the day is over.
I'm currently reading The Time Traveler's Wife.. its so good so far..but kind of confusing..but in a good way.
I just finished Peyton Place. I'm in such an amazing, airy mood right now! I feel like if I walked out my front door, I'd run into some of the characters. I'd love to pick up something else right now and get lost again, but I have quite a bit of homework to do. I imagine I'll make the time to start something else today, which I think it supposed to be The Nanny Diaries, but we'll see what kind of mood I am in. I may pick up the sequel to Peyton Place...
I finished "Krabat" and will now read on in "Lady Chatterley's Lover".And your last comment really makes me want to read "Peyton Place", Lori! :)
You definitely should read it! I ended up picking up the sequel and I think it was a good decision. Go out and pick it up right now!
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I am holding myself back like never before from picking up David Copperfield (because I've wanted to read it for ages, but just now the recording ended early on the film so I've no idea how it turns out). I just started a book a few days ago when I should have been finishing the Hemingway - and I'm interested in it and WANT to finish it. Argh! It's like I want to read as fast as I watch TV so that I can get to the next story... yet I love lingering on a book. What to do??? MUST find a solution!!
I know I've mentioned this before in this group, but there was this episode of the newer version of The Twilight Zone where a lady finds an amulet and when she says "shut up" while wearing it, time stops. Since seeing that as a kid, the thing I most wanted it for was reading... endless reading without missing anything in life! Isn't that silly? I could do so many things with all of time & reality frozen, but learning and reading is all I desire to do. So I think of that yet again as I contemplate how to solve this latest reading dilemma!
whichwaydidshego? wrote: "Lori, I find that I am joining your camp. Not because I don't want to finish them, but because I run out of time and am drawn to another, only to get in the middle of it as well and want something..."I'm having a hard time right now too. I'm about 100 pages into The Good Earth, but I'm really wanting to read Love in the Time of Cholera and a couple of others. I am hoping that by only reading one book at a time (rather than having this book for that instance and another book for another instance [Sorry Rory!:]) I'll actually finish them.
I am reading "Two Guys Read Jane Austen" because it was recommended to me by Amazon. It's good so far. I'm having a little Jane Austen extravaganza at the moment. I just finished reading "The Jane Austen Book Club" by Fowler for a discussion group. Then I watched the film again for the third time. I plan to read "Pride and Prejudice" for the sixth time in May and I ordered a copy of "Pride and Prejudice and Zombies" to read right after. I also bought a copy of "Lost in Austen" and plan to watch that in May.
I am currently reading The Historian. I like it but it is so slow sometimes! It has taken me 6 weeks to get 1/2 way through it! However I cannot put it down because I still do want to know what happens.
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Leshawn, Two Guys Read Jane Austen sounds interesting :)
Leshawn wrote: "I am reading "Two Guys Read Jane Austen" because it was recommended to me by Amazon. It's good so far. I'm having a little Jane Austen extravaganza at the moment. I just finished reading "The Jane ..."I hope some (if not all) of these Austen reads are good - I've been curious of a lot of them but also a little wary of "Austen rip-offs" - but if they are done well, them I'm all for more Austen!:D
I've finally started Love in the Time of Cholera. I've started it about 84,000 times before, but I'm hopeful that I will finish this time. I'm getting close to the halfway point, which I don't think I've reached before. I really like it and am glad I picked it up again.
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I'm just about finished with Just After Sunset by Stephen King and then I'm going to start Rosamunde Pilcher's Flowers in the Rain.
Jess wrote: "I'm just about finished with Just After Sunset by Stephen King and then I'm going to start Rosamunde Pilcher's Flowers in the Rain. "Hey, Jess -- I'm a huge Rosamunde Pilcher fan...they're like comfort food sometimes. She's so good with understanding human nature in all it's flaws and foibles, with tenderness and respect. Flowers in the Rain is a good collection of her short stories...a nice place to start! Hope you enjoy them.
Thanks Barbara! I'm enjoying them so far. One of the reviews included in the book says that reading her is "like slipping into an old robe, curling up on the sofa in front of a cheerful fire and sipping a nice hot cup of tea"...from what I've read of this book, I think that is the perfect way to describe her! My gramma is a huge fan of hers, so she recommended her to me a while ago, and I'm looking forward to checking out all that she's written.
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The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy
Hooray!!
Okay, so all of you that know my attraction to men with a geek-factor might not think this is a big surprise, but to be honest with you, I do. I didn't know how very much of a geek I am.
Beyond that, though, it is truly brilliant! It's hilarious and extremely smart and completely off the wall! Perfection! Only... I wish it was longer. Good thing there are more of them, eh?? (Although I hate starting a series when I don't know it's a series... I have so many I'm in the midst of all ready!) Highly recommend it for anyone who... likes to laugh. A lot.
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Oh, I agree, Stephen Fry narrating Hitchhiker's is so amazing. Personally I plan to one day kidnap him and make him sit in a corner and read all my books to me...so if you hear of him disappearing, you know NOTHING :P
I'm studying for my comprehensive exams right now, so I just started reading "Race," Writing, and Difference--not my favorite postcolonial theory, but it's not too bad so far. For kicks I'm reading Victoria Holt's The Secret Woman, Norman Rush's Mating, and the first volume of Return to Labyrinth--Mating is really interesting, and the other two are rereads, but they are definitely worth a second read.
Just finished Love in the Time of Cholera - Gabriel García Márquez. Continuing with Twilight - Stephenie Meyer.
And just starting The Shunning - Beverly Lewis.
I think Twilight falls into the category of "You either love it or hate it." What do you guys think?
Britt wrote: "I think Twilight falls into the category of "You either love it or hate it." What do you guys think?"I agree--people either hate it or they love it. Even on an individual basis...there were things I didn't like about it when I read it that made me want to hate it...but the things I liked about it ultimately outweighed all of that.
Anyway...I finished The Shunning - Beverly Lewis yesterday and thought it was a nice, leisurely read.
Today, I'm starting Unaccustomed Earth - Jhumpa Lahiri and New Moon - Stephenie Meyer.
I would tend to agree that people either love or hate Twilight, but I fall under the category of hating it, but I'm still reading it (I'm now on book 4). I'm also not the only person. My manager at work had to stop reading them for a little while, because they made her so mad, but she still finished the series. So I think that it's not so simple as to just say you either love it or hate it.
Michele, my boyfriend is the biggest geek ever, so when he found out I didn't know The Hitchhiker's guide to the galaxy, he bought me the complete series right away. I loved those books, Douglas Adams' humor is really unique. He also wrote a couple of other books unrelated to the Hitchhiker series (like The Prostitute in the Family Tree Discovering Humor and Irony in the Bible) and there are some books written in his legacy by other authors (Starship Titanic). I didn't read any of those books yet, although Starship Titanic has been sitting on my to read shelf for the longest time, but I'd bet they are worth the read.
I simply love The Hitchhikers Guide: "Thanks for all the fish!"Does anyone read any Terry Pratchett.? Whenever I'm feeling a bit down I read one of the discworld novels. I really like what he has done with fantasy, so postmodern and so incredibly funny.
Oh I adore Terry Pratchett, especially the Tiffany Aching books, I can't get enough of the Nac Mac Feegles! I'm trying to read them in order, so I'm only on like book 19 of what? 36 or so. So glad there are so many more, and the new Wizards book coming out this fall! Also for more Hitchhikers I would recommend the book the Salmon of Doubt, published posthumously, but collecting a lot of his articles and the beginning of what many believe was going to be the 6th book. Of and to bring it back to Stephen Fry, he does the intro.
I just read two wonderful books that take place in the region where I live. The first is Jayne Anne Phillips' new book, Lark and Termite and the other is American Rust A Novel a first novel by a young man named Philipp Meyer.The first book takes place in a small town in West Virginia during the 1950s, the other in Fayette County in southwestern Pennsylvania in current times, the main characters being the generation that followed the financial collapse of the region in the wake of the loss of the steel and coke industries. In both books, the physical landscape acts as character in itself. The narrative in both books is told with separate chapters from the pov of different characters.
Phillips is at her best here, her writing like the shimmer of light on a West Virginia river. Meyer, a new talent, has a very small degree of separation from this reader (the reverends mentioned in the acknowledgments are our pastor and her husband), and has a muscular, restless writing style. I am extremely impressed with him.
Has anyone noticed that in the first few seasons Rory read the classics, but in the later seasons her choices were more politicized and were non-classics?
Oh and I'm currently reading The Grapes of Wrath. I love it! It's been a real eye-opener. I've grown up hearing stories about the Depression (I'm from Oklahoma), but this is the first time that the utter futility the farmers faced has been made clear to me. Regardless of what people say about the current economic state, entire extended families were losing their homes. Today, if someone loses their home, they could move in with a relative; back then, the relatives were losing their homes as well. And the whole Dust Bowl made it even worse.
The Rory Gilmore Book Club
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Totally know what you mean. I've been slowly stepping back into better reading habits, for the most part trying not to start and stop. This year I've been pretty good... but I still have several from last year to try to complete. I was really in that funk last year that a lot of you seem to be in this year.