Boxall's 1001 Books You Must Read Before You Die discussion
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Which LIST book did you just finish?
Sean wrote: "Benjamin wrote: "Finished Cat's Cradle by Vonnegut."That was quick. How did you like your opening to the exploration?"
I enjoyed it for the most part; it was extremely imaginative, though I couldn't help thinking that I could get something similar and of a higher quality from writers like Jorge Luis Borges or Flann O'Brien. Regardless, it held my attention and made me want to read some of Vonnegut's other novels.
The Feast of the Goat by Mario Vargas Llosa and
A Visit from the Goon Squad by Jennifer Egan
Feast of the Goat was extremely brutal toward the end. As far as Goon Squad, I doubt I'll remember much about it in a few months. It seemed to be similar to a lot of newer fiction to me. Nothing that indicated a 'must read'.
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Luis by "fictionate" do you mean contrived, or unrealistic? (I don't think fictionate is an English word). I'm not intending to criticize your English, just trying to understand.
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and
A Visit from the Goon Squad by Jennifer Egan
Feast of the Goat was extremely brutal toward the end. As far as Goon..."
I totally agree with your opinion of A Visit from the Goon Squad. I read it about two years ago and remember nothing about it. I enjoyed her latest novel Manhattan Beach much more.
Karen wrote: "The Holy Terrors (aka Les Enfants Terribles) by Jean Cocteau"How is it? I am a fan of some of Cocteau's films and have been looking for Les Enfants Terribles when I go book shopping.
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How is it? I am a fan of some of Cocteau's films and have been looking for Les Enfants Terribles when I go ..."
I had to get it through InterLibrary Loan. It's quite good and a quick read.
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That has got to be the most hilarious translation of a title, ever!"
Should win the award for worst title translation -- it sounds like a book about a bunch of two-year-olds! The translator should have just gone with the French title.
Atomised / Elementary Particles by Michel Houellebecq. 4.5 stars. Clever, interesting, astute observations. An engaging read. (Note, the sexual acts described are many and varied and will not be to every readers taste).
The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie.I always enjoy Muriel Spark, can't believe I hadn't read this one before.
Amanda wrote: "Finished The Tin Drum. Ick."I don't really get why that book is so highly thought of. Maybe I need to be German to get it.
Mercedes wrote: "Benjamin wrote: "Breakfast of Champions by Vonnegut. Absolutely bonkers, but I loved it."Cat's Cradle rules in the Vonnegut bonkersland. Have you read that one? It's my favorite."
I have read it - as a matter of fact, I finished it earlier this week. I initially gave it a three-star rating, but in retrospect I feel like it deserves a four; San Lorenzo and its culture are incredibly memorable.
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The Unbearable Lightness of Being by Milan Kundera.Overall I found this an interesting and original read mixing as it does fiction and philosophical debate but at times I found it rather banal and repetitive hence the relatively low rating.
Amongst Women by John McGahern. This was a pleasing read, though it didn't resonate too deeply with me. But, depending on one's outlook and situation, I think it could be very touching.
Just finished Clarissa, or the History of a Young Lady, Volume 3 by Samuel Richardson. An amazing story well worth its length.
I finished
The Reader by Bernhard Schlink
Rating: 3 stars
Review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
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His two 1001 list books, though they have very good average ratings on Goodreads, are among the lesser-read of the modern books on the list. I think they're not in many libraries. I have a copy of his other list book, That They May Face The Rising Sun, and hope to get to it before long.
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BookLovingLady (deceased Jan. 25, 2023...)
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In January I finally read Nineteen Eighty-Four by George Orwell. I had the book for ages (bought it just before 1984), but didn't get around to reading it. And in February I read a Dutch edition of Candide by Voltaire.
King Solomon's Mines by H. Rider Haggard. Oddly I found Captain Good the most likeable character of the tree adventurers as he seemed to give light relief to all the slaughter and mayhem within.
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Me too. Read this yesterday. I had the benefit of an internet interpretation to start the thing out. Once I got the hang of it, I was able to follow for the most part. But it got wearisome.... Weird for the sake of being weird?
Sean wrote: "Mia wrote: "Worstward Ho by Samuel Beckett."Me too. Read this yesterday. I had the benefit of an internet interpretation to start the thing out. Once I got the han..."
I was excited to read it but honestly I didn't get anything from it. I should probably re-read it at some point.
I finally finished Bleak House by Charles Dickens today. I liked A Tale of Two Cities more but it was ok.
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Also The Day of the Triffids. I think this is my new favorite pre-1980 scifi.
Finally, finally, finally. "Infinite Jest" is over.
I finished: 
The Maltese Falcon by Dashiell Hammett
Rating: 4 stars
Review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
David Copperfield by Dickens. If you like Dickens, then it was great. If you don't, it's full of the stuff Dickens does that people don't like.
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How was it? I have been wanting to read that book."
Nightwood is beautifully written (Barnes was a successful poet) with fascinating, often puzzling, character portrayals. The preface by T. S. Eliot has nothing but praise for the book and Eliot even added a second preface several years later reconfirming his opinion.
Boxall's 1001 Books You Must Read Before You Die
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With the nightmare in the title, I had assumed this was some kind of gothic horror tale. I suppose it makes sense that it was humor, given that Headlong Hall was also.