What are you reading these days?

[Ramla Zareen]

Hello everyone, I thought that it might be fun to have a place where we could talk about the books that we are reading and/or have just finished reading, thanks! :-)

[Omaid]

I finished reading ' As you like it ' by Shakespeare. And currently reading C.K Chesterton's ' the man who was Thursday '

[Omaid]

I think there is a thread similar to this. but having a fresh one would be better I suppose :)

and oh, Hello! :)

[Omaid]

yes you're right. I can't find it either. it's strange because this is a very basic topic most likely to be on any forum.

[Aasia]

Hello there Ramla. i m currently reading Sophie's world. its a novel about the history of philosophy. to be more exact a novel about history of western philosophy.

I think i m the slowest reader on earth. so i have been reading it for quite a while. The story up till yet doesnt make ANY sense but the philosophy info is great and very well explained. i will recommend it to anyone who just wants to know a little bit about philosophy.

I learned some interesting things about Plato from this book and i will difinetely want to read Plato further, even philosophy further

[Omaid]

ahan, I see. I must say 'thank you' for taking the initiative. this will be interesting :) @ramla

The novel I'm reading currently is said to be Chesterton's best work. It's a crime novel, easy going, with a lot of twists! you won't even feel that it's a novel written more than a 100 years ago!

[Omaid]

I finished reading The man who was Thursday. and I found a masterpiece being perfectly ruined by whatever ending it had. What a disappointment :(

[Omaid]

my pleasure sister ramla

next one on my currently reading shelf is 'Pride and Prejudice ' by Jane Austen. sorry for not making tags, the mobile app doesn't have that feature.

[Waqar]

Very interesting.

Excellent.

[Omaid]

Sister ramla, Thank you for the recommendations! I haven't read agastha, but I'll see if I like one of them and would give it a read in sha Allah.

[Omaid]

and yes pride and prejudice is a big hit among readers. i might find me and mr. darcy interesting myself.

[Abubakar]

I am currently reading War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy.

[Fatima]

da girl On da train!

[Maffah]

aoa @syeda is it any good?+

[Adeel]

Listening to Linchpin: Are You Indispensable? these days. Simultaneously I'm reading Beautiful Testing: Leading Professionals Reveal How They Improve Software but I doubt that would interest most people on this forum :) . Also reading a chapter per night of منهاج القاصدين.

[Fatima]

Maffah wrote: "aoa @syeda is it any good?+"

yes - i enjoyed reading ett!

[Omaid]

I have started reading Doctor's Dilemma by Bernard Shaw. 25% comple, so far it's pretty good.

[Wordaholic]

Reading Magic series (Kate Daniels series) by Ilona Andrews. Loving every book of the series.

[Aeron]

hmm i just finished the rephaim series (in one sitting!!)

(series includes four books)'and now i am starting (book cover is AWESOME!!)
its the second book to just one day....by Gayle Foreman...also i am on and off reading
and iron traitor sucks and house of hades is too childish...

[Aeron]

i just finished just one day by gayle foreman and now i am on
WOW!! I am on fire i read thirteen books this past week!!

[Aeron]

THX a lot Ramla!! i have already exceeded my first challenge to my self so i now have a good idea of how well i can do...

[Adeem]

I recently read The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck. Definitely it is going into my all time favorite list. I gave it 5 stars. Also read Dan Brown's Deception Point. It's a typical Brown page-turner. A good read, but there is a slight logical flaw that soured the experience a little.

Right now I am reading The Chamber by John Grisham.

And I am planning on reading The Fault in Our Stars by John Green.

[Aeron]

@adeem awesome choice of john grisham and green XD
i just finished WINTER!! YAY!!!! (i was literally dying for this book)
and (WOOHOO!!!! tales from the shadowhunter academy finished!!)
and the wrath and the dawn (this book is soooooo amzing i would recommend it to all the romance,YA and fairytale remake lovers out there...its romantic, funny, action filled and unbelievably sad at some places i cried for an hour after this)
and right now i am reading exclusively yours
and blue sapphire

[Adeem]

Jeez you are a prolific reader. Keep it up!

I'll see if I can find Renee Ahdiehthe. Any other recommendations?

[Arbaaz]

Servant of the bones by anne rice. The most awesome historic horror fiction!

[Jannat]

i have just finishedPaper Towns by John Green
and now em readingThe Kite Runner: A Portrait of the Marc Forster Film by Khaled Hosseini

[Adeem]

I have read Khaled Hosseini's A Thousand Splendid Suns. It was a very good book, highly recommended, but he could have been more measured while touting the benefits of NATO's occupation. Maybe when he started writing it was early in the war and things changed later. At least there was nothing negative about Pakistan, if anything it was complementary.

[Adeem]

Just read two of the most depressing books ever.

The purpose of John Grisham is less stressful reading, but alas. Still, The Chamber is a wonderful book. Must read for people who are in favor of death penalty.

I avoide reading anything about the books, because it makes my observations bias. So, I had no idea John Green's The Fault in Our Stars was about cancer victims. It almost made me cry. No book has done that before. But I'm glad I read it. It gives me courage to one day write about my own struggles, a topic I always avoide. My handicaps are many but they are not terminal illnesses.

Thank you for recommending Judith McNaught. I needed that palate cleanser. I read Once and Always, and next up is Something Wonderful

[Adeem]

Yeah, according to wiki Almost Heaven is the final part of a sequel, so I started with Once and Always, then Something Wonderful, and now finally I am going to read Almost Heaven.

I have a thing for sequels, like Rabbit Run series and Lonesome Dove are two of my all time favorite. But I don't think you are going to like them.

[Adeem]

You are right they are not typical sequels, but I enjoyed all three, thanks for your recommendations.

Just recently finished The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath.. It is technically fiction but it is almost an autobiographical account of her mental breakdown, and suicidal attempts. It was first and only novel before she killed herself. Of course, she is better known for her poetry.

It is surreal and chilling to read the final work of any writer. Between the Acts by Virginia Woolf, she also killed herself after writing it. Roberto Bolano wrote 2666 when he was terminally ill, and he did it to secure the future for his kids.

On a lighter note I am reading Agatha Christie. I know I should have already read her works. Arthur Conan Doyle and Christie are the pioneers of mystery genre.

[Adeem]

The first two books in Hercule Poirot series, The Mysterious Affair At Styles, and Murder On The Links. and now reading the third one, Poirot Investigate, which has a collection of very short sstories.

[Adeem]

The only problem is that I can't stop reading one book after another. There is something so addictive in guessing correctly the murderer and motive.

Finished"

04 The Murder of Roger Ackroyd
05 The Big Four
06 The Mystery of the Blue Train
07 Peril At End House
08 Thirteen at Dinner
09 Murder on the Orient Express
10 Three Act Tragedy
11 Death in the Clouds
12 The ABC Murders

The 12th will be my last for a while.


In her first two books I got it completely wrong, but then got the hang of her methods. After that, I have guessed only incorrectly twice, once when everyone was guilty, and in another one the narrator did it, but I don't count them because it was cheating. My little gray cells must be better than Hercule Poirot :)

[Adeem]

Lord Edgware Dies is also called Thirteen at Dinner. That is indeed one of the best. And it gave me such a rush to guess the main plot, who, how, why, everything so early in the story.

The Murder of Roger Ackroyd is the only one that blind-sided me utterly, so that is why it's my favorite.

[Nagwa]

Adeem wrote: "The first two books in Hercule Poirot series, The Mysterious Affair At Styles, and Murder On The Links. and now reading the third one, Poirot Investigate, which has a collection of very short sstor..."

I have the whole collection of Miss Marple and Poirot mysteries and I have the blueray edition of all the seasons of Poirot too :) Love that little dapper Belgium!

[Adeem]

I also have both series now. But I like to read with order and method :)

[Nagwa]

Adeem wrote: "I also have both series now. But I like to read with order and method :)"
have fun!!! :)

[Aeron]

@ramla are all of judith mcnaught's books as good as westmoreland??

[zoha (A book maestro)]

Sempre: Redemption by J M Danhower

[Adeem]

Hopefully, you'll all have a great 2016. Read my poem if you have time. https://adeemsadiq.wordpress.com/2015...

[Abdul]

Aasia wrote: "Hello there Ramla. i m currently reading Sophie's world. its a novel about the history of philosophy. to be more exact a novel about history of western philosophy.

I think i m the slowest reader o..."

Hi there, I am also reading Sophie's World . and as the book is concise and summarizes most of the western philosopher ,It takes a lot of time to digest it

[Abdul]

And I just finished "War and Peace" and now I'm reading "Once an Eagle"

[Maira]

I just finished American Gods by Neil Gaiman. now I am starting Fragile things by Neil Gaiman as well. He is an awesome writer and I am loving his books.

[Taaiba]

First book of James The Midnight Club. So far I've liked it :)

[Maira]

the grapes of wrath by John Steinback...So far i am liking book.

[Adeem]

Yes, The Grapes of Wrath has to be one of the best books of all time. It captured perfectly the great depression.

[Saad]

Hey all!

I hope everyone is keep well. I'm looking to start reading but everytime I pick one I grapple with consistency, so here I'm seeking people to share it with, if anyone's up for it then please do reciprocate and be buddy in words :)

Cheers!

[Nagwa]

Saad wrote: "Hey all!

I hope everyone is keep well. I'm looking to start reading but everytime I pick one I grapple with consistency, so here I'm seeking people to share it with, if anyone's up for it then ple..."

what are you grappling with? any particular book?

[Saad]

Hi Nagwa! Not with any particular book just with reading per se.
I think during reading(s) whatever that I gather from the text gives me ideas or new perspective and I like to share or perhaps decipher and solo readings have thus far haven't been keeping me motivated.

p.s
You've got such an interesting portfolio as writer! Thanks for the response! I'm actually excited to communicate, learn a thing or two when it comes to writing :)

[Nagwa]

Saad wrote: "Hi Nagwa! Not with any particular book just with reading per se.
I think during reading(s) whatever that I gather from the text gives me ideas or new perspective and I like to share or perhaps dec..."

:) i'm honoured...i would say the position is that if you read my book and it proves a smooth read i'll be the lucky one :) And you're always welcome to pick my brains although between you and me i still dont get around goodreads much...i'm getting there though, right?
Re your reading pattern...i guess there is nothing wrong with it if you tend to book your book down and contemplate...one would say that is a real way to drink in any book. And i personally don't believe that pressuring oneself to enjoy a book is a good idea you know...like when we think we must finish a book and get a friend to force us to finish that book in one sitting...it's the same with writing...the more bound you feel the less you want to do it. Just take it in your own stride and see where it leads you :)

[Saad]

Roger! I hear hear you loud and clear Nagwa! (LOL)

So, here's the thing I ought to honour you then, I mean what could be more enticing than to be able to read someone's unveiled thoughts on paper and then mess with their neurons, ya ? :D

Well, guess what I've been on Goodreads for years but only just now I've started to read more than how many ''stars'' are attributed to books (lol) and to be very honest I still don't fancy this place for intellectual discourse.

Also, I really do appreciate the endorsement for my modus operandi with words (haha) I'd love to stay in touch, and it would be great if we can have another medium of discourse :)