Boxall's 1001 Books You Must Read Before You Die discussion
Popular Topics
>
Which LIST book did you just finish?
message 3951:
by
Karen
(new)
Oct 06, 2017 01:49PM
Mod
reply
|
flag
In Watermelon Sugar by Richard Brautigan
Beautifully written book from the 60s dealing with an idyllic community struggling with jealousy, violence, and hate.
Beautifully written book from the 60s dealing with an idyllic community struggling with jealousy, violence, and hate.
Virgin Soil by Ivan TurgenevGood book in general, but not what I was expecting. Too much romance for me.
Finished Brighton Rock by Graham Greene. It's one of those books I thought I would hate until I read it and loved it.
Andi wrote: "Finished Wuthering Heights by Emily Brontë."I really need to re-read that one. I read it as a high school freshman (I think) -- and remember it was the only book I ever read that I bought a Cliff's Notes for!
Her Privates We by Frederic Manning.
An excellent World War I novel told from the viewpoint of a private. This is not a story of the great battles of the war but of the time between battles -- winding down, moving into rest billets, training, getting into mischief, and prepping for the next battle. Great focus on the brotherhood of soldiers.
An excellent World War I novel told from the viewpoint of a private. This is not a story of the great battles of the war but of the time between battles -- winding down, moving into rest billets, training, getting into mischief, and prepping for the next battle. Great focus on the brotherhood of soldiers.
Bob wrote: "Midaq Alley by Naguib Mahfouz"
I've plans to read a book by this Nobel laureate. His Arabian Nights and Days has better avg rating than Midaq Alley, though it's not a List book.
I've plans to read a book by this Nobel laureate. His Arabian Nights and Days has better avg rating than Midaq Alley, though it's not a List book.
Two more short ones completed.The Newton Letter, John Banville - found it reminiscent of Edna O'Brien.
Worstward Ho, Samuel Beckett. Has anyone read it and can explain it to me? It went right over my head I'm afraid.
Aileen wrote: "Worstward Ho, Samuel Beckett. Has anyone read it and can explain it to me? It went right over my head I'm afraid. ..."
I'm afraid all of Beckett's books are like that, or at least the ones I've read. :)
I'm afraid all of Beckett's books are like that, or at least the ones I've read. :)
Diane wrote:"I'm afraid all of Beckett's books are like that, or at least t..."
I read Waiting for Godot a few years back and enjoyed it so much I went to the stage play in London. Guess I was expecting something similar!
The Remains of the Day by Kazuo Ishiguro.
Great book, beautifully written. I was halfway through the book when the Nobel committee announced Ishiguro as the winner of the Nobel Prize in Literature. Excellent choice and very well deserved!!
Great book, beautifully written. I was halfway through the book when the Nobel committee announced Ishiguro as the winner of the Nobel Prize in Literature. Excellent choice and very well deserved!!
The Master and Margarita by Bulgakov. I thought it was okay. Most of the reviews for it are glowing. I guess it's me. FWIW, I was ambivalent about his Heart of a Dog as well.
Aileen wrote: "My first Philip Roth - The Breast. 3/5"
He got the Pulitzer for American Pastoral, which I read, but I enjoyed Portnoy's Complaint more, had more of an emotional connection.
He got the Pulitzer for American Pastoral, which I read, but I enjoyed Portnoy's Complaint more, had more of an emotional connection.
George wrote: "Aileen wrote: "My first Philip Roth - The Breast. 3/5"He got the Pulitzer for American Pastoral, which I read, but I enjoyed Portnoy's Complaint more, had more of an emo..."
He has a lot on the 1001 list, I shall no doubt get to them someday...!
Bryan wrote: "The Master and Margarita by Bulgakov. I thought it was okay. Most of the reviews for it are glowing. I guess it's me."I read this at the beginning of the year and that's how I felt as well. And I thought it must have been just me at the time since I saw all the rave reviews.
It sure makes a lot of lists--not just Boxall's. I guess it's just a case of some books appealing to different readers (and thanks for making me feel it's not just me!)
Finished The Monk by Matthew Lewis. Depravity, vice and pride neatly intertwined with religion during the Inquisition period.
The Wasp Factory by Iain Banks. Odd choice for a protagonist. It's like reading about Jeffrey Dahmer as a kid. The ending explained some but not all of the dementedness.
Bob wrote: "The Wasp Factory by Iain Banks. Odd choice for a protagonist. It's like reading about Jeffrey Dahmer as a kid. The ending explained some but not all of the dementedness."Hilarious! What a visual. :-)
After a couple non-list books, finished The Labyrinth of Solitude and Other Writings (I only read The Labyrinth). I read about half of it last year, then came back to it. Rather intellectual essays, and not my usual kind of reading, but I pushed myself. I thought the last chapters the best.
Blind Man with a Pistol by Chester Himes.
This is the final book (of 8) in Himes' Harlem Detective Series featuring the black NYPD Detectives Coffin Ed Johnson and Gravedigger Jones and set between 1957 and 1969. A hot summer night in Harlem filled with murders, sarcasm, dark humor, protests and parades -- I thoroughly enjoyed this novel of the 60s!
This is the final book (of 8) in Himes' Harlem Detective Series featuring the black NYPD Detectives Coffin Ed Johnson and Gravedigger Jones and set between 1957 and 1969. A hot summer night in Harlem filled with murders, sarcasm, dark humor, protests and parades -- I thoroughly enjoyed this novel of the 60s!
Finished The Unconsoled by Kazuo Ishiguro. This was quite different than some of his other works I've read, though I did think there was a strong affinity between this and When We Were Orphans. I ended up liking it quite a bit, but don't expect easy resolutions.
I finished Tender is the Night yesterday and loved it. The writing, the themes, the flawed characters. Thoroughly recommend it!
Karen wrote: "Surfacing by Margaret AtwoodOne of her earliest novels (1976) and not my favorite!"
I remember reading that and being the only one in my book club that liked it!
Mother's MilkAlso read the other books in the Patrick Melrose series by St. Aubyn. I am not sure whether or not the dots would be connected in Mother's Milk if you don't read the others in the series. However, a good find and interesting read about the effects of childhood trauma on later life.
I finished Cost by Roxana Robinson yesterday. I think it needed some more work. Some beautiful passages though.
Books mentioned in this topic
Arcadia (other topics)House of Leaves (other topics)
Tropic of Capricorn (other topics)
Fugitive Pieces (other topics)
Infinite Jest (other topics)
More...
Authors mentioned in this topic
Mark Z. Danielewski (other topics)Jim Crace (other topics)
Henry Miller (other topics)
Anne Michaels (other topics)
David Foster Wallace (other topics)
More...










