Boxall's 1001 Books You Must Read Before You Die discussion

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message 2451: by Nicola (last edited Feb 04, 2016 02:54PM) (new)

Nicola | 770 comments Linda wrote: "The Forsyte Saga is one of my favourites. :) ."

It's one of the reasons I decided to read it :-)


message 2452: by Inder (new)

Inder | 82 comments Just finished Of Human Bondage by W. Somerset Maugham. I'm a fan of his writing and have read several other novels (and a lot of short stories) by him, but this one still surprised me with its modernity, struggle over the meaning of life, complexity, and well-drawn characters. I didn't always "enjoy" the read, but it was very compelling and thought-provoking. I gave it five stars, but it was such a big and ambitious novel I know will have a hard time reviewing it!


message 2453: by Linda (new)

Linda | 275 comments Nicola wrote: "Linda wrote: "The Forsyte Saga is one of my favourites. :) ."

It's one of the reasons I decided to read it :-)"


:)


message 2454: by Ellinor (new)

Ellinor (1001andmore) | 915 comments Mod
Last night I finished Plattform by Michel Houellebecq. At least I can cross another one off the list, that's the best I can say of this work!


message 2455: by Danyellemastro (new)

Danyellemastro | 170 comments Ellinor wrote: "Last night I finished Plattform by Michel Houellebecq. At least I can cross another one off the list, that's the best I can say of this work!"

Gross, hey? I didn't enjoy it!

I just finished War of the Worlds. What a snoozefest.


message 2456: by Carol (new)

Carol | 104 comments I just finished "The Age of Innocence" Well written and sad.


message 2457: by Angelique (new)

Angelique (mjollnir972) | 74 comments I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou


message 2458: by Bob (new)

Bob Kaufman (bobkaufman) | 689 comments Thank You, Jeeves by P.G. Wodehouse. Interesting comedy with a sort of Wilde vibe to it.


message 2459: by Dree (new)

Dree | 160 comments Finished The Charwoman's Daughter. 3 stars, fast read. Per the text in 1001 Books this book's inclusion might make more sense if you are familiar with Dublin lit/urban Irish lit. I am not, this might actually be the first novel set in Dublin I have ever read.


message 2460: by Nicola (new)

Nicola | 770 comments Written On The Body - this was quite incredible. I don't usually like intense works like this but Jeanette threw me around like a judo master.

4 stars


message 2461: by Elise (new)

Elise F (elise_literaryhabitat) | 16 comments I just finished The Mysteries of Udolpho by Ann Radcliffe. It was long (especially some of the landscape depictions and verse that the characters would burst out with occasionally), but overall I really enjoyed it. I definitely felt the Gothic suspense and could see why it spooked Catherine Morland in Northanger Abbey ;)


message 2462: by Bam cooks the books (last edited Feb 15, 2016 01:06PM) (new)

Bam cooks the books (bamcooks) Charlotte Bronte's Villette--somewhat autobiographical, about a young woman finding her way alone in life and teaching in France. Doesn't measure up to her Jane Eyre, which will always be one of my favorites.


message 2463: by Tyler (new)

Tyler | 207 comments I just finished reading Perfume. A deeply disturbing and yet strangely beautiful novel.


message 2464: by Elizabeth (new)

Elizabeth | 29 comments The Black Dahlia Its on the list but its too gruesome for me although I did finish it.


message 2465: by Kirsten (new)

Kirsten  (kmcripn) Tyler wrote: "I just finished reading Perfume. A deeply disturbing and yet strangely beautiful novel."

I loved the movie and have always wanted to read the book.


message 2466: by Aileen (new)

Aileen | 154 comments Hawksmoor, Peter Ackroyd. Despite several recommendations, I felt I missed the point of this one.


message 2467: by Sandi (new)

Sandi | 227 comments Aileen wrote: "Hawksmoor, Peter Ackroyd. Despite several recommendations, I felt I missed the point of this one."

I had a similar feeling about this one. It felt like the two story lines lacked a proper connection and explanation.


message 2468: by Nicola (last edited Feb 17, 2016 05:33AM) (new)

Nicola | 770 comments Just finished The Voyage Out for a group read. Most of my book group didn't like it much, found it slow and boring, but I really liked it. :-)

3 1/2 stars


message 2469: by Andrea (new)

Andrea | 35 comments recently finished The Picture of Dorian Gray and so glad I finally read it. It's funny how you hear so much of some classics that you assume you've actually read them yourself.


message 2470: by Ginny (new)

Ginny | 165 comments I finished Stranger in a Strange Land. I am glad to be done with it.


message 2471: by Ann A (new)

Ann A (readerann) | 105 comments Suite Française

Loved it.


message 2472: by Ellinor (new)

Ellinor (1001andmore) | 915 comments Mod
I finished Hallucinating Foucault, a novel which explores how far the relationship between an author and his reader should go. I really enjoyed it.


message 2473: by Zeynep (new)

Zeynep Uğur I finished Waiting for the Barbarians. It was my first Coetzee and although I found some chapters difficult to read, it frapped me to read it in the current political context.


message 2474: by Ellinor (new)

Ellinor (1001andmore) | 915 comments Mod
Last night I read The Tale of the Bamboo Cutter. A quick read and a nice little story.


message 2475: by Laura (new)

Laura | 27 comments Jude the Obscure.

I'm becoming quite the little Hardy addict!


message 2476: by Laura (new)

Laura | 27 comments Jude the Obscure.

I'm becoming quite the little Hardy addict!


message 2477: by Ginny (new)

Ginny | 165 comments Laura wrote: "Jude the Obscure.

I'm becoming quite the little Hardy addict!"


I wish I could like Hardy better than I do. I actually became very upset after reading Jude The Obscure. I tried Tess..and now I'm reading Far From the Madding Crowd. I'm really trying but he's not going to become another Tolkien or Jane Austen for me. :)


message 2478: by Ann A (new)

Ann A (readerann) | 105 comments Laura wrote: "Jude the Obscure.

I'm becoming quite the little Hardy addict!"


I love Hardy, but I can't say exactly why. All his novels are depressing, but something about his writing makes him a pleasure to read (for me, anyway). Why is this? Anyone?


message 2479: by George P. (last edited Feb 21, 2016 07:48PM) (new)

George P. | 1402 comments Mod
The Crying of Lot 49 I've read some strange books, but this one may top all the others. Interesting though. The Oedipa Maas character is compelling, though still somewhat 2-dimensional.
Ginny: I happen to be reading Far from the Madding Crowd also- getting near the end and have enjoyed it.


message 2480: by Jody (new)

Jody (jodybell) I recently read Jude the Obscure, which was my first Hardy. I really loved it, although it was without a doubt the most depressing book I've ever read. I read quite a lot of classics & modern classics (and would say that is probably my preferred genre), but that book is the only one from that era that moved me to (floods of) tears. No other classic has ever done that, despite many of them touching or moving me. In fact, after finishing it I genuinely wanted to never pick up another book, it affected me that much.


message 2481: by George (new)

George | 16 comments Does anyone know where I can find an excel list for all of these
books that will help me track my progress? I had one before, but
do not remember where I found it.
Thanks,


message 2482: by Ginny (new)

Ginny | 165 comments George wrote: "The Crying of Lot 49 I've read some strange books, but this one may top all the others. Interesting though. The Oedipa Maas character is compelling, though still somewhat 2-dimensional...."
Yay! Good to know! I will continue to plug away at it! :)


message 2483: by [deleted user] (new)

Our Mutual Friend. I contemplated reading this over again after finishing it.


message 2484: by Rowizyx (new)


message 2485: by Nicola (new)

Nicola | 770 comments George wrote: "Does anyone know where I can find an excel list for all of these
books that will help me track my progress? I had one before, but
do not remember where I found it.
Thanks,"


Arukiyomi has an excellent one that many people swear by, just google it for various links . Unfortunately I'm an android user and so can't use it on my phone as apple owners can.

If you just want a very basic spreadsheet for your computer however you can use this: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/...


message 2486: by Monica (new)

Monica | 20 comments I just finished Crash, I would not recommend it


message 2487: by Peter (new)

Peter | 443 comments What a Carve Up! by Jonathan Coe. Maybe a book of its time but still worth reading.


message 2488: by George P. (last edited Feb 23, 2016 06:12PM) (new)

George P. | 1402 comments Mod
Meregwyn wrote: "Our Mutual Friend. I contemplated reading this over again after finishing it."
When I finished Dickens' Bleak House I almost felt like that- it's such a long book with so many characters and plots, I missed it when it was done. Usually I'm very happy to be done with a long book.


message 2489: by Nicola (new)

Nicola | 770 comments The Razor's Edge - as thoughtful and insightful as his works always are.

4 star


message 2490: by Nicola (new)

Nicola | 770 comments Love in a Cold Climate - still enjoyable but not nearly as much at the first. The 'main' character was pretty uninteresting and I found the ending extremely abrupt.

3 stars


message 2491: by Amanda (new)

Amanda | 191 comments I finally finished Dance to the Music of Time! I definitely need something short after that.


message 2492: by Nicola (new)

Nicola | 770 comments Amanda wrote: "I finally finished Dance to the Music of Time! I definitely need something short after that."

Yes it's a bit of a monster :-)


message 2493: by Jody (new)

Jody (jodybell) I just finished listening to The Fellowship of the Ring - I had attempted to read it years ago but couldn't get through more than a few chapters. It's only the second audiobook I've ever 'done', and I'm glad I chose to listen to this one. Now I just need to finish the rest of the trilogy ... it should really count as three books IMO. It's not like they are novellas!


message 2494: by Winter (new)

Winter (winter9) | 204 comments Finished Hunger by Knut Hamsun

Loved it! It's awful, but so well written!


message 2495: by Carol (new)

Carol | 104 comments Ann A wrote: "Laura wrote: "Jude the Obscure.

I'm becoming quite the little Hardy addict!"

I love Hardy, but I can't say exactly why. All his novels are depressing, but something about his writing makes him a..."


I love him to. Reading his books makes me feel like I'm sitting in a field listening to cows and bees buzzing. The Mayor of Castarbridge is my fav.


message 2496: by Carol (new)

Carol | 104 comments Read "The Wasp Factory". All I can say is WOW.


message 2497: by Carol (new)

Carol | 104 comments Winter wrote: "Finished Hunger by Knut Hamsun

Loved it! It's awful, but so well written!"


Exactly!


message 2498: by Ashlia (new)

Ashlia | 1 comments Ethan Frome. Not sure what to make of it yet, but Zeena sort of reminded me of a bolder, more calculating version of May Welland.


message 2499: by Nicola (new)

Nicola | 770 comments Miss Lonelyhearts - Do not read this if you are in a 'dark place'!

1 1/2 stars because it was just so darn depressing!


message 2500: by Linda (new)

Linda | 275 comments I finished American Pastoral by Philip Roth a couple of weeks ago. It was so-so for me for most of the book, then picked up for me towards the end. I had in my head that I would give it 3 stars, but ended up giving it 4.


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