What are you reading in 2014?

[Joy]

Elizabeth wrote: "I'm currently listening to Lady Audley's Secret as well as reading Harvest.

Lady Audley's secret has been a pleasant surprise. I wasn't sure what to expect from this..."

I enjoyed Lady Audley's Secret, but don't think it is quite so well constructed as Wilkie Collins' novels.

[Mel]

Just finished 1984 by George Orwell. Was a very interesting book which I would recommend. It's quite tense in places which makes you unable to put the book down

[Paul]

It is the original dystopian novel. I though it was still chilling, even if a little dated now.

[Mel]

It is when you hear big brother from behind the picture and realise their game is up its frightening because actually in real life people are watching your every move :/

[Elizabeth]

Mel wrote: "It is when you hear big brother from behind the picture and realise their game is up its frightening because actually in real life people are watching your every move :/"

I listened to it on audiobook and actually jumped with fright at that point. Chilling. One of my top books for last year.

[Elizabeth]

Just started listening to Restoration by Rose Tremain this morning. Am hooked already.

[Jo]

Elizabeth wrote: "Mel wrote: "It is when you hear big brother from behind the picture and realise their game is up its frightening because actually in real life people are watching your every move :/"

I listened to..."

I also listened to 1984 recently. Found myself pacing my steps in time with the narration and almost holding my breath... it invaded me but I suppose that is the point!

[Pat]

I think 1984 was more frightening as I read it before 1984. I know that is illogical but all things seem possible before an event and a bit silly afterwards. 1984 is not silly but the date gets ion the way now I think.

[[deleted user]]

Danielle wrote: "Reading The Dream of the Celt at the moment. A novelization of the life of Anglo-Irish diplomat Sir Roger Casement. I find it very interesting. And the novel embodies my favourite g..."

That looks really interesting. I'm going to add it to my 'Want to Read' list.

I find Irish history fascinating. Michael Collins: The Man Who Made Ireland is one of my magic square books and, when I have time, I also want to read Coogan's biography of De Valera.

[Charlotte]

Currently on The Devil Wears Prada....can't put it down. Very amusing. The film follows the book fairly closely, and reading this shows how goo Meryl Streep really is. She has got Miranda Priestly to a tee. I thought there was a sequel, anyone read it?

[Jo]

Reading The Spy Who Loved: The Secrets and Lives of Christine Granville. Really good, incredible woman

[Jason]

Just started The Rum Diary loving it so far, really jealous as it sounds like an awesome life the main character is leading.

[Danielle]

Jo wrote: "Reading The Spy Who Loved: The Secrets and Lives of Christine Granville. Really good, incredible woman"

I downloaded this one some weeks ago, so it's nice to know you like it, Jo.

[Paul]

Started Sovereign this morning, one for the series challenge.

[Danielle]

Katherine wrote: "Danielle wrote: "Reading The Dream of the Celt at the moment. A novelization of the life of Anglo-Irish diplomat Sir Roger Casement. I find it very interesting. And the novel embodi..."

I also like Irish history, Katherine. I bought Parnell: A Novel by Brian Cregan some time ago. Seems Tim Pat Googan wrote quite some books on Irish history.

[[deleted user]]

Danielle, the Parnell novel looks interesting, too. (adds to list) Years ago, there was a BBC series called Private Affairs which focused on love affairs in history - one of them was Parnell and Kitty O'Shea. I'm not sure if it was that which first got me interested, but it might well have been.

Coogan is quite prolific, isn't he? I think Neil Jordan's film was largely based on his Collins biography. I must confess to finding Collins a more attractive figure than De Valera, at least right now - maybe that will change when I've read both books.

In other news, I've just started Anna Karenina for the third time. I am determined to actually finish the thing this go but I may need a lot of some encouragement - I find it a daunting prospect.

[Charlotte]

Now onto On Chesil Beach, a charming book that hooked me in quickly. My second Ian McEwan. Had forgotten how much I had enjoyed Atonement.

[Jo]

Paul wrote: "Started Sovereign this morning, one for the series challenge."

Have you read the first two? I fancy these, have several on my Kindle

[Jo]

Katherine wrote: "Danielle, the Parnell novel looks interesting, too. (adds to list) Years ago, there was a BBC series called Private Affairs which focused on love affairs in history - one of them was Parnell and Ki..."

Anna Karenina is amazing. Just plough in and immerse yourself (trying to be as encouraging as possible!!)

[[deleted user]]

Jo, thank you :-) I really do want to read it and I am very determined this time round.

[Paul]

Katherine wrote: "In other news, I've just started Anna Karenina for the third time. I am determined to actually finish the thing this go but I may need a lot of some encouragement - I find it a daunting prospect. ..."

Go for it! You are much braver than me.

[[deleted user]]

Thanks, Paul :-)

I will let you know how it's going probably ad nauseam

[Paul]

850 pages is going to take a while!

[Cathy]

Good luck Katherine! I read Anna Karenina years ago and really loved it (and the film too) but my reading stamina seems to have declined as I get older, so tackling the classics feels like more of a challenge. Watching the Winter Olympics opening ceremony a few weeks back made me want to read something Russian though, and I'm toying with the idea of War and Peace, or maybe something by Dostoyevsky, for the 'translated into English' magic square. Still thinking about that one..
Started Cloud Atlas last night and am completely hooked after just a few pages.

[Debbie]

Reading The Island of Dr. Moreau which is really creepy and The Reason I Jump: The Inner Voice of a Thirteen-Year-Old Boy with Autism

[[deleted user]]

Paul wrote: "850 pages is going to take a while!"

*frets* I know. Ah, well - nothing ventured, nothing gained.

[Debbie]

Katherine. .... I would be willing to do a read along to Anna Karenina, if you fancy some company as well as moral support. It's in my magic square challenge.

[[deleted user]]

Cathy wrote: "Good luck Katherine! I read Anna Karenina years ago and really loved it (and the film too) but my reading stamina seems to have declined as I get older, so tackling the classics feels like more of ..."

Thank you, Cathy. I must say that I am appreciating all the cheerleading.

I know what you mean about the classics being challenging. I keep meaning to re-read Middlemarch but the hefty size of the thing puts me off a little.

My dad is a great admirer of Dostoyevsky. He was always on at me to read his novels; consequently, I have never read any. Crime and Punishment is on my TR list - with a bit of luck I will get round to it later this year. *ever optimistic*

Cloud Atlas sounds promising - it's had mixed reviews from the people I know.

[[deleted user]]

Debbie wrote: "Katherine. .... I would be willing to do a read along to Anna Karenina, if you fancy some company as well as moral support. It's in my magic square challenge."

Ooh, definitely. What a great idea, thank you :-)

[Cathy]

Katherine wrote: "Cathy wrote: "Good luck Katherine! I read Anna Karenina years ago and really loved it (and the film too) but my reading stamina seems to have declined as I get older, so tackling the classics feels..."

Katherine - George Eliot is my absolute favourite 19th C novelist and one day I intend to re-read Middlemarch and Daniel Deronda, and read Romola for the first time. It amazes me how I could breeze through such hefty novels in my twenties, but these days I'm sure it would take me months. Though I suspect having kids has something to do with it...

[[deleted user]]

Ha! Having kids always has something to do with it ;-)

I don't get on too well with George Eliot as a rule - I hated The Mill on the Floss and didn't get very far with DD but I quite liked Silas Marner and loved Middlemarch.

I meant to ask you which film of Anna Karenina you meant. The Keira Knightly version wasn't well reviewed so I gave it a miss. Should I not have?

[Cathy]

Katherine wrote: "Ha! Having kids always has something to do with it ;-)

I don't get on too well with George Eliot as a rule - I hated The Mill on the Floss and didn't get very far with DD but I quite liked Silas M..."

The version I remember watching on TV was the one with Greta Garbo - I don't know how true to the book it is, but it's wonderfully atmospheric, especially in the final scene in the train station. I haven't seen any others but I've just read that Vivien Leigh also played AK in a 1940s film. There was also I TV series I remember from a few years back with Helen McCrory which was quite good.

DD is my favourite of Eliot's novels, but it's been a long time since I read it. I would love to re-read it, but I have so many books on my TBR list!

[Toyah]

I'm still reading The Barbershop Seven by Douglas Lindsay, while trying to figure out which of my Magic Square challenge books to read next. I'm thinking of reading The S.C.U.M. Manifesto by Valerie Solanas as it's a short one. Although The Palace of Curiosities by Rosie Garland has been on my list for a while.

[Sandra]

Katherine, I read Anna Karenina 6 or 7 years ago. I took me a while to get into it, but when I finally did I read the whole thing in 5 days! It's a great book.

My only Dostoyevsky's has been The House of the Dead, that I liked a lot. Many other of his titles are in my TBR list. Hopefully one day...

[[deleted user]]

Sandra wrote: "Katherine, I read Anna Karenina 6 or 7 years ago. I took me a while to get into it, but when I finally did I read the whole thing in 5 days! It's a great book.

My only Dostoyevsky's has been [book..."

More encouragement, thank you Sandra. 5 days is pretty good going! I'm aiming for 10 or less. I got stuck about 350 pages in both times I attempted AK before so I shall be glad to get past that stage.

I have this terrible feeling that I am never going to have time to read all the books that I would like to read. My TBR list is totally out of hand as it is.

[Paul]

Yours is totally out of hand? Don't look at mine then!

[[deleted user]]

Paul wrote: "Yours is totally out of hand? Don't look at mine then!"

I wouldn't dare ;-)

[Debbie]

Just starting Anna Karenina to knock another off magic square challenge and keep Katherine company. :)

[Pat]

I found Anna Karenina compulsive when I read it a few years ago. Large book that didn't take long to read because of this

[Paul]

Debbie wrote: "Just starting Anna Karenina to knock another off magic square challenge and keep Katherine company. :)"

I can set up a thread if that will help?

[[deleted user]]

Debbie wrote: "Just starting Anna Karenina to knock another off magic square challenge and keep Katherine company. :)"

Excellent. Nice to have some company :-)

Is your copy the Aylmer translation?

[[deleted user]]

Paul wrote: "Debbie wrote: "Just starting Anna Karenina to knock another off magic square challenge and keep Katherine company. :)"

I can set up a thread if that will help?"

That would be great. Thanks, Paul.

[[deleted user]]

Pat wrote: "I found Anna Karenina compulsive when I read it a few years ago. Large book that didn't take long to read because of this"

That's a good omen :-)

I think that, often, it's the thought of reading a long book rather than the actual reading of it that is so hard, IYSWIM.

[Debbie]

No, it's from a collection of Leo Tolstoy's work from Google play store. Publisher - Publishthis, translated by Constance Garneft.

[Debbie]

Paul..a thread would be good, then anyone else can join in more easily. :)

[Paul]

It is here:
https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

[Debbie]

Thanks :)

[Jo]

Oh you lot, now I want to re-read it and my nearly-as-out-of-hand-as-Paul's TBR is groaning already!

To those intending to read it, I am not a big classics person, I can find them hard going sometimes, but I just loved Anna Karenina. Right up there with Madame Bovary (bit of a theme going on here.....). Enjoy.

[Debbie]

Madame Bovary, Anna Karenina, War and Peace, Les Mis, so many favourites as a teenie/twentie something. Looking forward to re-reading AK. :)

[Charlotte]

Just started into Snuff by Terry Pratchett, the 39th Discworld book. Actually started this over a year ago but with moving away, I never got it finished. So starting one third in! Got the old Pratchett magic touch, nice humour, old familiar favourites ..like putting on a comfy pair of old slippers!