Which LIST book did you just finish? Showing 5,901-5,950 of 10,248

[Bryan--The Bee’s Knees]

The End of the Affair by Graham Greene

[Karen]

Kristin Lavransdatter: The Bridal Wreath/The Mistress of Husaby/The Cross by Sigrid Undset

I really enjoyed this book -- I love historical fiction that is rich in detail with complex characters and immerses the reader in time period. Sigrid Undset certainly does that in Kristin Lavransdatter: The Bridal Wreath/The Mistress of Husaby/The Cross. I read the older translation by Charles Archer and J. S. Scott since it has been on my bookshelf for over 30 years (thought it was time to get it read). But now, after reading the reviews of the new translation by Tiina Nunnally, I'm looking forward to rereading the book . . in a few years!

[Bryan--The Bee’s Knees]

Girl with Green Eyes by Edna O'Brien. Got our October group read done by November 3rd. I call that close enough

[Mekki]

Cphe wrote: "Mekki, What did you think of The Sea, The Sea?

I've The Bell and The Black Prince by Murdoch but have never read anything by her."

Hi Cphe,

I'm just seeing your message.

I thought it was good. It has an unreliable narrator, which I find interesting. It is one of those where the narrator is kind of ridiculous, in that he doesn't have self-awareness. It delves on the ideas of memory, religion, self- delusion, women among other topics.

Also, I heard it's similar to the black prince but I haven't read that one yet.

[Bryan--The Bee’s Knees]

The Military Philosophers by Anthony Powell (#9 in the Dance to the Music of Time series). This was my least favorite so far, but it still had its charms

[George]

I find Iris Murdoch novels to be very good reads with The Black Prince being my favourite so far, with The Bell not far behind. The Sea, The Sea is a tougher read as the protagonist is particularly unpleasant, but I really enjoyed it. Murdoch is very clever and her use of the English language is first class. Along with Atwood, Murdoch has been shortlisted for the Booker prize SIX times.

[Liander (The Towering Pile)]

Mansfield Park by Jane Austen

I think I love Jane Austen more with each book of hers that I read. Also, given that Catherine is 17 and Jane Austen wrote this as a teenager, I took great pleasure in thinking of Northanger Abbey as a YA novel. :D

I particularly enjoyed the way Austen would butt in to the story to talk directly to the reader from time to time.

[George P.]

The Quiet American by Graham Greene. Really enjoyed it, great style, characters, story.

[Vikki]

I just finished "East of Eden." Really enjoyed it, it was a favorite of my fathers.

[Sean]

Vikki wrote: "I just finished "East of Eden." Really enjoyed it, it was a favorite of my fathers."

My wife just finished it. I almost started it. Then I realized it's not a LIST book. Probably one of those that should be. I keep hearing about it.

[Vikki]

It is on one list that I looked at, At least I thought so, but it really should be on all of them.

[George P.]

Vikki wrote: "I just finished "East of Eden." Really enjoyed it, it was a favorite of my fathers."

The Googledoc list I go by [https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/...] has three Steinbecks: The Grapes of Wrath, Of Mice and Men, Cannery Row. But not East of Eden, which in my opinion is as good as the other three.

[Sean]

I just finished the epic adventure that was Kristin Lavransdatter by Sigrid Undset. I loved the story, but the abundance of characters made it sometimes hard to follow.

[Nocturnalux]

I was also under the impression that East of Eden is on list, probably because it very much deserved to be.

I've also developed my own spread sheet and it isn't half as impressive as this one, thanks for sharing!

[Diane]

Cat's Eye by Margaret Atwood and Ivanhoe by Walter Scott.

[George P.]

Nocturnalux wrote: "...I've also developed my own spread sheet and it isn't half as impressive as this one, tha..."

The last column identifying the author's nationality is hit and miss but otherwise it seems accurate, and was recently updated.

[Diane]

The Wars by Timothy Findley.

[Maggie]

Erewhon by Samuel Butler. It has fairly interesting readers. Just don't expect it to be an adventure novel, which it pretends to be for the first few chapters!

[RJ - Slayer of Trolls]

Mercedes wrote: "Jennifer W wrote: "Finished Death in Venice, can't say I'm a fan."

Jennifer, it might be helpful to review either the Monarch guide or the Spark Notes for works of classic writers such as Mann. I've found them enlightening when I wasn't understanding or getting more complex literature. Even for simpler novels, I've learned new and different perspectives from those guides which often changed my interpretation. Naturally, taking courses in literature too opens your eyes, but that's another more involved undertaking."

Whoops! I don't think you meant to suggest that Jennifer's dislike of the book is based on ignorance. Maybe re-phrase?

Personally I didn't love Death in Venice either when I read it about 20 years ago. I thought it was boring and indulgent, astonishingly so for such a short book. But so many people whose opinions I respect hold that book in such high esteem that I wouldn't be opposed to giving it another go someday. Who knows, maybe I'll like it better now that I'm older and at a different stage in my life?

[RJ - Slayer of Trolls]

Mercedes wrote: "I'm not sure how it can be inferred from what I wrote, that ignorance is the cause of Jennifer's dislike. Guides are there to open up understanding, and I merely suggested using them, as I've found them helpful in deciphering works I find challenging."

Did Jennifer say she didn't understand the book? Or did she say she's not a fan?

[Vikki]

The Little Prince. Deeper than it first appears.

[Ann A]

The New York Trilogy
Hmmm. A little too Murakami-esque for me to love it, but a solid 3*.

[Karen]

Gargantua and Pantagruel by François Rabelais

That's a whole lot of religious satire! Lutheran Confirmation classes would have been much more interesting if this book had been on the supplemental reading list!!

[Ellinor]

The Blithedale Romance by Nathaniel Hawthorne. Very slow-going and boring.

[Bryan--The Bee’s Knees]

The Castle by Franz Kafka. Frustrating, though that's kind of the point.

[Vikki]

The Pit and the Pendulum by Edgar Allen Poe. Very short, but very good.

[Mia]

The House of the Spirits by Isabel Allende.

[Ellinor]

Pavel's Letters by Monika Maron

[Nocturnalux]

Bryan wrote: "The Castle by Franz Kafka. Frustrating, though that's kind of the point."

Doubly so in that Kafka never finished it!

[Vikki]

The Big Sleep. Surprised I have never read it before. Really enjoy that genre.

[Karen]

The Plot Against America by Philip Roth
Fascinating alternative history in which Charles Lindbergh defeats Franklin Delano Roosevelt in 1940.

[RJ - Slayer of Trolls]

I finished:


A Clockwork Orange by Anthony Burgess
Rating: 4 stars
Review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Bryan--The Bee’s Knees]

The Name of the Rose by Umberto Eco. Very entertaining.

[Diane]

Here's to You, Jesusa! by Elena Poniatowska.

[Joy D]

Interesting to see we were reading the same book, Cphe! I also just finished:

Sister Carrie by Theodore Dreiser - 4 stars - My Review

[Mia]

I finished The Life of Lazarillo de Tormes.

[Gemma]

Just finished Invisible by Paul Auster. I don’t think I’d recommend it!

[Ellinor]

Possessing the Secret of Joy by Alice Walker. Shocking and an absolute must-read.

[Jess]

I just finished The Quiet American I didn't really like it but do appreciate that it was rather prophetic.

[Jess]

2nd Boxall book finished in a week! I really liked The Well of Loneliness but it made me sad!

[Karina]

Just finished The Country Girls by Edna O’Brien since I wanted to read this before Girl With Green Eyes. Not a huge fan. Nothing really happens.

[Kirsten]

Cphe wrote: "The Bell - my first Murdoch, but it won't be my last."

Iris Murdoch is one of those authors who surprised me. I just couldn't believe how much I like her books - considering the plots seem not to even be there.

[George P.]

Luís wrote: "Keep the Aspidistra Flying"

All my GR friends have rated it 3 or 4 stars; I rated 4 and I see you rated it a 3.

[Ellinor]

The Museum of Unconditional Surrender and Against Nature

[Diane]

Finished:

In Search of Klingsor by Jorge Volpi
2666 by Roberto Bolaño
Murphy by Samuel Beckett

[Nancy]

Cphe wrote: "The Bell - my first Murdoch, but it won't be my last."

The Sea, the Sea is one of my favorite of Murdoch's.

[Nancy]

Shirley
Platero y yo
The Man Who Loved Children - Excellent!!

[Mia]

Closely Watched Trains by Bohumil Hrabal.

[George P.]

Deep River by Shosaku Endo - finished this morning. Great little novel that worked in a lot of big ideas.
My previous 2 books were non-list, also translations, and my next 2 are also translations to English ( so Arabic, Portuguese, Japanese, German and either Ukrainian or Russian in the original). I'm very thankful to excellent translators.

[Diane]

Finished:

Tarka the Otter by Henry Williamson
Regeneration by Pat Barker