What else are you currently reading? Showing 651-700 of 1,050

[Deborah]

Lori wrote: "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 ..."

Lori, have you seen the movie, "Bound for Glory?" It stars David Carradine as Woody Guthrie. There is a great scene of a dust storm, a cloud of dust as big as a skyscraper with very high winds that just devastated anything in its path. Another factor that made the Great Depression worse than any other economic downturn in modern history was the fact that the banks failed, so people lost their savings as well as their land.

The Grapes of Wrath is a wonderful book. I have a friend who believes that fiction and literature are worthless, that everybody should just read non-fiction, of "the facts." To counter that argument, I told him that you could read "facts" about the Depression until hell froze over, and they would never give you as accurate picture of the hardship and social injustice of the era as Steinbeck's book does, especially Tom's speech to his mother near the end of the book. (I won't spoil it for you by quoting, but you'll recognize it, it's quite famous.)

[Lori]

Deborah, I have not seen that movie. I'll have to look it up on Blockbuster. The thing with the facts is that they just say, "this happened and that happened." Book like The Grapes of Wrath give you the social aspect of it and show you how people felt and thought, what they were actually going through. Everyone had different circumstances, so everyone has a different story. I hope you'll be able to convince your friend to read some fiction. I'm about 1/4 of the way through with the book. I can't wait to see what happens!

[Kristel]

What's up with all the fans of Stephen Fry here? But, I must admit, he's one of the celebs I'm following on twitter.

[Elizabeth (Miss Eliza)]

I would say because Mr. Fry is the pinnacle of all the greatness of Britain. Witty, dry dark humor, plus narrator of Harry Potter and the definitive Jeeves. We should all worship at the greatness of he who played Melchett. Baaa!

[Arctic]

currently about to finish Outliers by Malcolm Gladwell. It was recommended to me by my brother. it's a quick read and interesting, but I'm not sure I completely buy into what the author is implying. a lot like Freakonomics.

Michele, His Dark Materials and the Hitchhiker's Guide series are two of my all time favorite series ever. glad to hear you enjoyed them too. :)

[[deleted user]]

I'm currently reading Raise High the Roof Beam, Carpenters and Seymour An Introduction, it's my third Salinger after The Catcher in the Rye and Franny and Zooey. I wish Salinger had published more, especially about the Glass family who are his main characters in Raise High the Roof Beam, Franny and Zooey and the Nine Stories.

[Katherine]

Currently, I'm reading Their Eyes We're Watching God. It's for an English assignment, so I'm trying to enjoy it to its fullest. Next I'll start on To Kill a Mockingbird.

[Aimee]

Reading "The Beautiful Things That Heaven Bears" by Mingestu Dinaw, and just finished "On Chesil Beach." Going to read "Rabbit, Run" for the first time after this! Very excited. I may tackle "Moby Dick" this summer as well.

[[deleted user]]

I just finished The Bell Jar and found it a bit alarming how much I sometimes feel like Esther, considering the fact that the novel is supposed to be an autobiography of Plath's. I remember someone else on here said that, too, after reading her diaries. I definitely want to read her diaries, too.

[Kristel]

Hi Marion, I had the same feeling after reading the Bell Jar, I have experienced a strange familiarity with Ester which was rather disturbing. I saw the movie "Sylvia" based on the diaries, Gwyneth Paltrow was superb, but what a sad story and again it depressed me because I feel like Sylvia sometimes. Well, as long if we don't end up like she did, we'll be okay :)

[Lori]

Katie, I've noticed that I'll really want to read a book, but as soon as it becomes an assignment, I can't enjoy it. I haven't read the first, but To Kill a Mockingbird is one of my favorites. Enjoy!

[Lori]

Kristel and Marion, I may have said something about being alarmed by how many times I said, "You said it Sylvia!" when I was reading her diaries. I haven't finished the diaries because it was one thick volume! I would definitely suggest getting a copy though.

I also heard from my adviser that she had several people that were supposed to come by the day she killed herself, so there's some debate about whether she meant to die or meant to just get caught in the process and saved. (I need to find out the title because it sounded like an interesting article)

I don't know if this is true, but I think that even depressed people, like Sylvia and Esther, have moments where they are OK. And I don't know that Sylvia's battle was a continuous battle; I think it popped up from time to time.

[whichwaydidshego, the sage of sass]

WHERE HAVE I BEEN???

Marion: The title you mentioned about the prostitute and the bible by Douglas Adams sounds absolutely, irreverently hilarious. But you should keep your boyfriend away from me. He sounds dreamy. ;D

Lori: I did notice that her selections became much more political as the series went on... but I've never looked by season regarding classics and modern reads.

Also Lori: You had message #666 - CREEPY.

Deb: Great counter to your friend's "all facts" argument. I wholeheartedly agree that fiction brings a fuller, more complete picture of any given time/event in history. You could tell him, too, that I aced quite a few history classes because I'd read so much historical fiction. I felt like I'd "been there" with the characters, so all those annoying dates and battles, for instance, had life and breath and stuck with me. Even for a person who enjoys history, it can be really dull when it's all just "facts."

Kristel: Stephen Fry's on Twitter?? Ooooo. Must follow!

Heather: I read Gladwell's book Blink & really enjoyed it. Very interesting. But I've noticed that his books seem to be treated like religious doctrine books in that almost instantly other books are coming out refuting the perspective he presents. Also, YEAH! about Hitchhiker's & His Dark Materials!

Lori: I know what you mean about finding it difficult to enjoy a book if it's an assignment. The timing thing is a big part of it - being forced to get through it at break-neck speeds as well as perhaps feeling you'd relate better in a different time of year or something.

[whichwaydidshego, the sage of sass]

Oh, I just finished A Place of Hiding by Elizabeth George - good book, as always - and then flew through Mrs. 'Arris Goes to Paris by Paul Gallico - so sweet!

I'm leaving on a short trip tomorrow, and since I'm not actively invested in anything I'm bringing three books I've been languishing through to hopefully finish, then I'm also bringing Siddhartha by Herman Hesse, The Gun Seller by Hugh Laurie (yes, as in the guy in the TV show House - Stephen Fry's friend, LOL), and a book of poems called Poetry to Calm Your Soul which is just delightful. So... I think I'm covered for reading material. Ha!!

I'll try to hold off on The Gun Seller until I've finished one of two of the others. I'm pretty excited for it and have been for months. I have this group of six or eight books that are mouthwateringly tempting. For close to a year at times I've ached to read them. But then I go to pick up my next book, and it's something else. Every so often I finally do dive into one of them and don't regret it. I think the reason I don't just devour them all straightaway as I want to is because I KNOW they are going to be outstanding, and I want to parcel those out, you know... so that they can be savored and so that I don't have all the best all at once. I know. What a goober. Anyway, The Gun Seller is one of THOSE books. I'm certain it won't disappoint.

[Elizabeth (Miss Eliza)]

Gun Seller so won't disappoint, I read it years ago, during a Fry & Laurie binge, I actually like Hugh's writing style better then Stephen's, plus he knew how to bring about the ending I wanted, which sometimes an author is quite unable to accomplish.

[Amy]

The next book I pick up is either going to be some Jeeves and Wooster goodness or some Stephen Fry/Hugh Laurie-penned goodness. I haven't read any (said very sheepishly), but I will vow to change that soon!

I just started reading The Given Day by Dennis Lehane. I haven't read anything by him but have heard nothing but good things. I've had the ARC on my nighstand for months and vow to finally read it.

Back to Stephen Fry, I'm rather ticked that the Stephen Fry in America show is NOT on Netflix. I caught an episode of that while in Paris last fall and it was so strange to see him cavorting about the US in a taxi while I was in Europe. Eliza, when you kidnap Stephen Fry, can I come and listen to him read, too?

[Elizabeth (Miss Eliza)]

Oh yes, I will have Stephen Fry nights, where anyone can come and listen to him :P Is his America show out on DVD in the US yet? Yeah it looks like only the book is out so far, I've been wanting to see that too, though it will probably make me sad to realize he was in Wisconsin and I didn't see him :P

[Amy]

Stephen Fry in America hasn't been released over here. I can't find where in WI he visited. I think it was just a breeze through a corner. I caught part of the last episode and it was SO FUN to see him hit the Pacific coastline and whippin' sh*tties on the beach in his taxi cab. The smile on his face was like a kid on Christmas morning. I think he needs to do another trip to America, and in it he'll come to Wisconsin and we can introduce him to squeaky cheese curds.

[Elizabeth (Miss Eliza)]

That's no fun if he just cut through a corner of the state! He needs to come and stay for long periods of time and delight us with his urbane British wit!

[Casey]

I'm about to start reading "The Screwtape Letters" by C.S. Lewis

I just finished Wuthering Heights. I enjoyed it a lot.

[Lori]

I'm getting rather frustrated with myself. I can't seem to find one book and stick with it, so I'm wasting a lot of time. I'm currently reading: Lady Chatterley's Lover, The Sun Also Rises, North and South, Anna Karenina, and The Grapes of Wrath. One of my goal for this summer was to finish Anna Karenina, which I haven't picked up since November. But I also want to read the other ones.

What does everyone else do when they're reading 6 books at one time? How do you make yourself pick one and stick with it?

[[deleted user]]

I mostly just go with my feelings and interests, Lori.. There is almost always one book or character or plot line that I am slightly more curious about than the rest and this is then the book I am going to finish first. And I keep myself from starting new books while I am already reading so many. Whenever I do read more than 3 books at once, there are 1 or 2 books that I will have to put down permanently in the end because I am just too far away from the plot or the characters to still get into it.. And I really don't like that.

[Dottie]

Lori -- I think in your place of the moment, my thought would be to concentrate on Anna Karenina and read it most frequently and use each of the others you are currently wanting to read as the alternate book for taking breaks from AK -- when one alternate is finished then take the next one. I would think that AK would get finished before you had finished all of the alternate books. then you can polish off the remaining shorter ones before starting the next huge read -- is War and Peace up next after Anna Karenina?

[Lori]

Marion, I know that sooner or later, I will pick up a book that just holds me until I finish. I really thought that was going to be The Grapes of Wrath, but apparently not. I say that I'm reading more than one right now, but a couple of them, I haven't picked up in a couple of weeks. I'll probably let those sleeping dogs lie for a while.

Dottie, I probably should focus on Anna until I finish, just because I started it so long ago. I hadn't planned on reading War & Peace after Anna. I would like to read Swann's Way and Gone With the Wind (for the 10 time) before summer is over, so I imagine one of those will be next. I'm hoping that since my night classes are over until August, I'll get some serious reading done, but we'll see.

[Megan]

I am currently reading East of Eden by John Steinbeck... Just started it, but I love it so far!!

[Arctic]

Lori, your reading habits sound a lot like mine. :D Good Luck finishing A.K. - and can I vote for Swann's Way?

I was currently reading five books, but I finally finished one, which is great because it makes room for the book that just arrived in the mail the other day. ;) My "other books" currently are Pawn of Prophecy, The Name of the Wind, and just started Rebecca. Every time I come to goodreads, though, I get tempted to start reading a new book. It's a difficult balancing act. :\

[Lori]

Arctic, It seems like every morning I'm tempted to start reading a new book! Today it was The Last Campaign, about RFK in 1968. My goal this summer was to finish the books that I start. I'm not going so well with that. I guess I need to just lay them all out in a row and make some decisions.

[Julie]

Anna Karenina - This book was also difficult for me to finish. Although very well written, often it was too dry for me and I lost interest. The political angle was good at times, but became very boring. And trying to keep up with who's who was very difficult for me - I felt like I should be taking notes! I was intrigued with the interpersonal storyline. What I enjoyed most was the way the author formulated the nuances of social structure and personal behavior - superbly written, very detailed & crisp. Elegant. I also felt the angst each of the characters had and thought they were well developed, especially since it was written by a man. He captured the perspectives of both male and female.

I'm thinkin' ya gotta find a book you LiKE!

[Lori]

Julie, The thing was, I was immensely enjoying Anna K and totally immersed myself in it when I read it. The same is true for The Grapes of Wrath. But for some reason, I put them both down and haven't picked them up in a while. I brought Anna K with me to work today, in case I got enough reading for my class done. Unfortunately, I didn't get enough reading done by a long shot, so I'll have to wait another day. If I use it as a reward for doing something I'd rather not do, I think it will be better.

[B]

Hi Jill -- nothing silly about a Harry Potter right now! I just finished Half-Blood Prince (again)last week. Promised myself to pick up the paperbacks this year and managed to spread them out to reach the Deathly Hallows paperback release--today! So looking forward to the movie next week. As for Wuthering Heights, I know I should give another shot again too...it was a long time ago in junior high or high school...but it was such a miserable story with tragic and unhappy people I'm just not sure I want to go through it again. Then again, I rediscovered Jane Eyre about 2 years ago and found it way different then I remembered (in a good way). Maybe it's one of those books you read when you're really ready to read it, not when you're obliged or duty-bound to pick it up...

[Lori]

Jill and Barbara, I'm absolutely awful about reading books once they're assigned for class. I'm not proud to admit it, but in high school I read the Sparknotes for nearly every book. I have the desire to go back and read those books that I cheated myself out of the first time around. I hope I like them.

[whichwaydidshego, the sage of sass]

Lori, maybe you just need to wait for the "cosmic timing" thing to come into effect for some of your books. This last weekend I took three languishing books, and when I picked up the first one to finish, it couldn't have been more perfect timing. The second one was a terrible book, but I'd invested so much I just wanted it finally finished (and hooray, I did do!)... but the third one again seemed to be perfectly timed to read certain bits about a character and find I was that very day dealing with exactly that kind of person in exactly that kind of way. Eerie, but great.

My other suggestion would be to maybe pick up some quick-reading trash that you like... some modern fluff or schmaltz that is a guilty pleasure and devour it. It might work to flush/cleanse the system, so to speak, and get you amped up to get back to one of your more serious classics again (then just stick to that one until completed). Just an idea.

[Lori]

Michelle, Those are great ideas. I'd love to be blessed enough for cosmic timing to work for me, but I don't know when that will happen. Reading the fluff and shorter books is what got me into this state of languishing. I've been carrying Anna K with me in case I finish my Vietnam reading early. I think I only have to read 50 pages today, so I should get in some Anna time.

[whichwaydidshego, the sage of sass]

Deb & Dottie! Holy cow! 84, Charing Cross Road! Utterly brilliant. Thanks for the amazing recommendation. I want to read everything she ever bought, but know I never will do. Still - wow! It took forever to find a copy, new or otherwise. I was soooo hoping for a used copy, and after reading it am ashamed I didn't find one! Still, I only meant to look it over tonight and read it in the future. But once you start, how on earth can you put it down?? I'm enraptured by it!

Before I knew she wrote other books about it, I found a website to find out more about the characters. Rather sweet. I plan to check it out more fully tomorrow. Now I'll have to hunt for copies of The Duchess of Bloomsbury Street and Q's Legacy!

Lori... How goes Anna K.?

[Lori]

Michelle, Anna K...I took it with me yesterday when I got my oil changed and read then, but I haven't just jumped in again. I really like it though, which it why it's so frustrating that I'm just not getting it read.

[B]

whichwaydidshego? wrote: "Deb & Dottie! Holy cow! 84, Charing Cross Road! Utterly brilliant. Thanks for the amazing recommendation. I want to read everything she ever bought, but know I never will do. St..."

I love 84CCR too -- and I went hunting for a used copy the other day. Check out Alibris.com -- they have them all!

[Arctic]

Michele's post reminded me that I had wanted to read 84CCR too. so guess what? I went and found a copy on Scribd this morning and promptly read it online in two hours(!). definitely deserves every bit of praise it has gotten here, and is sure to appeal to any Gilmore Girls fan, I think.

a charming read that hearkens back to a forgotten pre-email era when rare books could be had for $5. I wish I had looked it up sooner. I'll definitely have to find a copy for permanent placement in my personal collection - if only there were a Mr. Doel to assist me. :\

[Dottie]

So glad to hear the enjoyment of 84,Charing Cross Road spreading here! I've been thinking I need to watch the film again as I haven't seen it for many, many years. There's always the chance it will pop up on the channels which we've discovered on the HD set-up because I've already seen a number of old black and white films.

[Hannah]

Lori, that cracks me up that you got your oil changed and read Anna K. I got my oil changed a couple days ago and did the same thing. I'm been a bit bummed, though because I am having trouble getting back into reading, sadly. I'm going to school this summer, so it's been a bit of a tough time finding time/wanting time to read.

[Lori]

Hannah, I've had the same experience! I thought I'd still be cool to read since I'm only taking one class at a time this summer. Apparently not. I've gotten through some books, but nothing profound and Rory-like.

[[deleted user]]

After Heather posted the Scribd website with an online copy of 84, Charing Cross Road, I also read it and loved it like everyone else!
I'm a huge fan of the time the letters are written in, so it appealed to me for that reason also. I wish we could get books that beautiful for a couple of dollars :)

Michele, would you mind posting the website with the character descriptions you were talking about earlier?

[Kristel]

I'm reading Brideshead Revisited. I found it on a pile of books. Still in the beginning of the book though and I saw the movie once, but can't remember anything about the story except the imagery.

[Arctic]

brideshead revisited is another one like Vanity Fair that I find intimidating for no good reason. I'd be curious to hear your thoughts on it when you're finished.

Marion, here's the website, I think:
http://www.84charingcrossroad.co.uk

[Lori]

Kristel, Let me know what you think of Brideshead. I own it, but haven't read it yet.

I'm currently reading
The Time Traveler's Wife. I haven't gotten very far yet, but I really like it and am amazed at how much I read yesterday afternoon.

[Dini, the master of meaning]

Kristel, my friend got me into reading Brideshead, and while there were things I didn't like, the language was beautiful. The movie's a bit different from the book, but a good one nonetheless.

[[deleted user]]

Thank you for the link! The website is very interesting, and also a very admirable project.. This kind of research undoubtedly takes up loads of work.

Ironically, I've just been to London three weeks ago and was looking very hard for a used book shop and could only find one Oxfam shop (which I left without buying anything, because, as my brother pointed out, I already have a lot of unread books at home and am moving overseas in September). If I had known the book and this website before, I would have definitely gone to Charing Cross road.

[Deanna]

I'm currently reading The Time Traveler's Wife, and I love it so far.

[Hannah]

Lori and Deanna, I absolutely loved the Time Traveler's Wife. It was one of my favorites by far. They are actually making a movie.. I hope they do the story well. I'll be interested to hear what you both think of the book.

I am currently still floundering a bit on my reading. I just finished "London Bridges" by James Patterson. I was hoping that the sort of fluff book would get me back into reading. However, i can officially say I am not a James Patterson fan. His short chapter style irritates me. On to something else. I'm thinking about reading something by John Irving. Has anyone read him? And how did you like him?

[Kristel]

I am going to London Thursday for 3 days. I tend to go once a year, eurostar makes it very easy. Last year I wanted to buy some books that are on the Rory list, except...I forgot my list. The only book I got then was The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time, much enjoyed it, but this year I'm making sure that I take my list with me.

I'm hoping to finish Brideshead on my trip (not having Alexander, my babyboy about should help my reading :)).

[Lori]

Hannah, I finished The Time Traveler's Wife last night and it was amazing! I am so glad I read it! Even though this doesn't go with the premise of the book...I hope that the guy I've been dreaming out for all of these years is as amazing when I meet him in real life (I guess it kind of goes with the premise of Clare and Henry...).