Boxall's 1001 Books You Must Read Before You Die discussion
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Which LIST book did you just finish?
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Tyler
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Dec 04, 2015 09:47AM
I just finished Franny and Zooey by J.D. Salinger. This is better than The Catcher in the Rye, in my opinion. For a novel with not a lot of action, so much happens. A great novel about finding meaning in the world.
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I just finished listening to Money: A Suicide Note by Martin Amis. It was a pretty enjoyable listen that often made me laugh aloud. I find a lecherous narrator sometimes works best in audio format.
The Postman Always Rings Twice/The Big Sleep - two books from similar genres. I preferred the film versions for both of these.
Janet wrote: "Gone With the Wind. Not sure any other novel could ever be as fine. May have to give up reading for the rest of my life."I could never do that!
Janet wrote: "Gone With the Wind. Not sure any other novel could ever be as fine. May have to give up reading for the rest of my life.":) I love it, Janet! I read Gone With the Wind for the first time earlier this year and knew that nothing else I read this year was going to top it.
Just finished reading Smilla's Sense of Snow by Peter Høeg1001 Books To Read Before You Die Challenge #42
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Just finished Arcanum 17 by Andre Breton. Interesting ideas but found myself drifting constantly, which is not like me.
The Tenant of Wildfell Hall which was surprisingly good, probably the best example of a Victorian 'feminist' novel.4 stars
Also, Cannery Row, which was entertaining enough and as well written as anything John Steinbeck wrote, but as a collection of vignettes it didn't absorb me as much as his true novels.
3 1/2 stars
Finished reading The Big Sleep by Raymond Chandler tonight. (Really wonder what his mother did to him to make him such a woman-hater.)
1001 Books To Read Before You Die Challenge
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Just finished Dangerous Liaisons by Choderlos de Laclos
I just finished the audio book of Lolita by Vladimir Nabokov read by Jeremy Irons. I almost feel guilty for enjoying this book so much because of the subject matter - the prose was beautiful, witty and humorous. And of course the narration was excellent.
are you saying I should feel guilty that it is my favorite book?
Finished Rabbit Redux on the 14th and Rabbit is Rich today. That puts me at 139.
Just finished reading
Suite Française by Irène NémirovskyRead for the 1001 Books To Read Before You Die Challenge
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Done! I just finished Gone with the Wind. My strongest recommendations to anyone.This book covers so much grown. Most book at 1000+ pages are long, but this one is so condensed. The world is seen though southern eyes and you get to understand how the world was back then in a way I doubt a history lesson could do. All characters are well written and not only the main characters develop. Again, a huge amount of character development for the amount of pages. I would say that Scarlett goes through at least three phases of personality.
What other list books would you say is like it? Historical, deep, reflecting, … not necessary a love story? Goodread's recommendation system suggest A Town Like Alice.
The Book of Disquiet / O Livro do Desassossego /Rastløshedens bog by Fernando Pessoa (I read it in Danish)Bit and pieces about daydreams and pocket philosophy. Very well written and with some surprising insights (like about a perfectionist who finishes something because lacking the strength to fight any longer). But it was a long haul of dreaming.
I have been reading Gone with the Wind along this book (which mainly meant abandoning this one for long periods). I think this book is the book Ashley Wilkes could have written.
J_BlueFlower wrote: "The Book of Disquiet ...I have been reading Gone with the Wind along this book.... I think this book is the book Ashley Wilkes could have written. "
Interesting. This really gives me a sense of what this book might be like, given just this one comment.
Linda wrote: "I just finished the audio book of Lolita by Vladimir Nabokov read by Jeremy Irons. I almost feel guilty for enjoying this book so much because of the subject matter - the ..."I felt the same way when I read it.
Finished The Secret Agent this morning, thought provoking.
Finished I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou. This book certainly deserves to be on this list.
The Robber Bride - It took a while to get around to reading but I finally did so. It has a slow start but picked up pace around the midway point. A bit too contrived but I still enjoyed it.3 stars
I, Robot - Amazing in it's anticipation of the technology and ethical struggles we are dealing with today.
Just finished Lady Chatterley's Lover by D.H. Lawrence and I loved it. This is my second novel by him (the first being the Rainbow) and I can't wait to read more from him.
I liked it too, Karina. I'm looking forward to reading more by him, too.
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The Birds by Tarjei Vesaas
No One Writes to the Colonel and Other Stories by Gabriel García Márquez
The Charwoman's Daughter, very good book. This is more upbeat than most of the books on the list.
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But The Golden Bowl and The Turn of the Screw (which I've read) were dropped from the most recent 1001 Books... edition. James can be very tough going with those LONG sentences with many commas and dashes. By the time I get to the end of some I've forgotten what the beginning idea was.
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I'm an Atwood fan, have read 4 of her novels, and have 2 more on my list to read, including The Robber Bride. I noticed Atwood was cut down from 6 books in the 2006 edition to 3 in the 2012, and Robber Bride was one of the dropped.
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I read it a few months ago, and gave it 4.5 stars on my list. Not that memorable but just enjoyable to read, a lot to relate to for men as well as women.
George wrote: "Nicola wrote: "The Robber Bride - It took a while to get around to reading but I finally did so. It has a slow start but picked up pace around the midway point. A bit too contrived ..."Yes George I am aware, but I, like many other suckers here, am reading off of the combined 1001 list (1300+) so it doesn't matter that it's not in the most recent book.
I, Robot - Very interesting collection of stories.3 1/2
(the 'there is no master but the master, and Cutie is his prophet' made me laugh too)
A Dance to the Music of Time: 4th Movement - I finished off the last two books in this 12 series book. It's been my year long reading project and now I think it's confirmed that I really shouldn't read books this way. Once I get invested in a book or series of books I need to read them as quickly as possibly. This stop/start approach just throws me off. I'll probably read this again at some point but for now I'm giving the whole series a 3 star.
Karina wrote: "Just finished Lady Chatterley's Lover by D.H. Lawrence and I loved it. This is my second novel by him (the first being the Rainbow) and I can't wait to read more from him.":-) I recently finished it and hated it soooo much.
The Scarlet Letter - Not too bad. The adults were a little bit like cardboard cut-outs but Pearl had an interesting personality. 3 stars
I finished Murder Must Advertise yesterday. It was a good vacation read, and the portrayal of copywriting and the advertising world in general is amusing and well done. I'm happy the list introduced me to Sayers: Lord Peter Wimsey is a charming creation I will happily follow through non-list books.
Just finished "The Satanic Verses." I have to say that although I understand the basics of why this was controversial, It just wasn't that great of a book. There was way too much work the author wanted me to do.......I do not mind using my imagination; hell I am a reader after all, but I like an author who wants to tell me a story; not a series of partial dreams that many or may not be from a schizophrenic. I am curious if anyone agrees with me...
A Clockwork Orange by Anthony Burgess - good read. Glad I took Russian as my language in college it made the slang easier to understand.
Lord of the Flies which was fairly much as I expected. I'm sure other people would like it but I hate books like that and read the last third doing the reading equivalent of watching it through my fingers.2 stars because it wasn't a bad read, just not for me. What I could stomach I found alright, not spectacular but not bad.
The Wings of the Dove - wow, never have I encountered a more circumlocatious read (not an actual word but I'm using it because it should be). Henry James goes round and round and round a point and after 200 hundred pages or so you might possibly get a direct statement of intent.2 1/2 stars because the writing was lovely, the plot entertaining and the imagery was beautiful but it was just too frustratingly drawn out for me to say that I really enjoyed it.
Finished Christie's 'The Murder of Roger Ackroyd' last night. Loved the twist at the end.
Megharp wrote: "Finished Christie's 'The Murder of Roger Ackroyd' last night. Loved the twist at the end."You did? That book ruined 1st person narratives for me for YEARS! I've only recently started reading books written in the first person again.
Kirsten *Dogs Welcome - People Tolerated" wrote:You did? That book ruined 1st person narratives for me for YEARS! I've only recently started reading books written in the first person again..."Agatha Christie was a member of a book mystery writing club and when she wrote that story some members tried to get her thrown out of it because they thought it 'cheated'. Sayers was one of the ones who defended her.
History has decided the joke was on them though as it is often considered her masterpiece.
Finished The History of Love...it got very convoluted at times. I found funny at times and sad but it didn't do any better than a three star for me.
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