Boxall's 1001 Books You Must Read Before You Die discussion
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Which LIST book did you just start?
Zee wrote: "I started 2 at once... The Book about Blanche and Marie and A Pale View of Hills.One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest is currently on hiatus :)"
I just finished a Pale View of Hills. Good, quick read with a very interesting ending. I really like Ishiguro's style. Not quite Remains of the Day, but it was definitely worth the read.
Why did you give up on Cuckoo's Nest? I tried that a couple times when I was in high school, and just couldn't ever seem to get into it.
The Island of Dr. Moreau, received in the mail yesterday and got about 50 pages in.
Kristin wrote: "Joselito wrote: "After finishing "Falling Man" by Don DeLillo and "Dangling Man" by Saul Bellow, I am preparing to start reading next "The Tin Flute" by Gabrielle Roy and "The Tin Drum" by Gunther ..."Falling Man got 1 star from me Kristin. I think the great backdrop was overwhelmed by DeLillo's tricks which didn't work for, and even offended, me. I explained everything in my review.
I'm just on page 38 of The Tin Drum. The book has a similarity (in style), and reminds me of, The Ground Beneath Her Feet by Salman Rushdie (although Rushdie is far more playful!).
Dangling Man almost got 5 stars from me (I gave it a 4). I also wrote a review of it.
Most surprising is The Tin Flute by the Canadian Gabrielle Roy. I'll give it 5 stars but will write my review after I've finished The Tin Drum.
It's nice to read the books in pairs. Next, I'll pair The Death of Artemio Cruz(Fuentes) with The Year of the Death of Ricardo Reis (Saramago).
Drew wrote: "Zee wrote: "I started 2 at once... The Book about Blanche and Marie and A Pale View of Hills.One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest is currently on hiatus :)"..."
I haven't given up the Kesey... it's just I feel it deserves more attention than I'm currently able to give it. My brain gets these tired moments every now and then and it gets difficult to get into a book.
But I suppose if I am reading another 3 books on the go, then I would find it hard to concentrate :).
But funny you should say that Drew, I've heard others comment on the same thing. Its not like its a bad book, poorly written or badly charactered. It's just... DENSE.
Erik wrote: "Les Miserables... again..."Me, too, Eric. I'm going to finish it this week no matter what! I'm on page 800 and something... How are you liking it? I planned to finish up by watching a non-musical movie version of it, but I think I may skip that step for a while because I'm already saturated with the story!
Rachel wrote: "Decided to go back to the older classics after reading a few more contemporary novels on the list. I've never read anything by Jane Austen and figured it was about time, so I started Pride and Prej..."Yea! We just might have a new "Janeite" in the makings! I LOVE Austen and hope you do too! Have fun with P&P!
Recently started A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man.Teaching British Lit. next year so I'm working on building up my "repertoire," so to speak, over the summer. Gulliver's Travels is next on the list - never read it, shame on me.
Just started Anna Karenina...On page 88. It's going to be a long journey.
Danielle wrote: "Just started Anna Karenina...On page 88. It's going to be a long journey."Its a great one though! =) One of my favorite books.
Susan wrote: "The Island of Dr. Moreau, received in the mail yesterday and got about 50 pages in."That is SUCH a great read. Enjoy!
The Count of Monte Cristo- I am enjoying this one a lot!
I'm reading Middlesex, too. I'm finding it amazing!
Sissy wrote: "The Human Stain - Roth."I enjoyed this book so much that some scenes still linger in my mind up to now.
I've just reread To Kill A Mockingbird, well I shouldn't say reread. I read it in High School and did not appreciate what a fantastic story this is!!! 27 years later, I'm reading it with different eyes.
Lauli wrote: "Just started The Tenant of Wildfell Hall. Intrigued to read the obscurest Brontë sister."I'm reading it now and am really enjoying it! Hope you do too.
I just bought Of Mice and Men today and I will for sure finish it tonight. I think I started a litte easy but I bought it before I saw the list.
The Unbearable Lightness of Being by Milan Kundera. Going well so far, got through a lot in my first sitting.
Ivan wrote: "Professor Unrat or "The Blue Angel" by Heinrich Mann."I didn't know this book has another title. Maybe that's why I can't find it. Thanks!
I just got a copy of Graham Greene's The Heart of the Matter at the second hand book store...
It seems The Heart of the Matter is not/no longer in the 1001 list 2010 version. Here in our place the most difficult Graham Greene to find is The Honorary Consul. Got one only a few days ago also from a second hand bookstore. Looks unused, still smooth, but the pages are brown and very brittle.
Just started Borstal Boy by Brendan Behan. I think it will be a quite stimulating read for me.
Go Tell It On the Mountain by James Baldwin - I think I read this in my teens - the story seems very familiar.
The Scarlet Letter. Just bought it. It hasn't taken my interest like I thought it would.
Everything is Illuminated- I am totally shocked by how much I'm enjoying this one!
The Prince of Abyssinia. I am surprised at how much I like in even though there are alot of philosophical discussions in the work.
Ginny I was too! I just started The Sun Also Rises. I've never read Hemingway, so hopefully I'll like it.
I'm starting The Three Musketeers tonight. I've started it three other times and keep getting distracted and end up putting it away. I'm determined to finish it this time.
Invisible ManAm undecided about it so far. Some bits were just incoherent dribble which made me feel like giving it up but then its become more coherent again so I'm continuing. Not sure how long for however.
V. S. Naipaul's A Bend in the River. A new friend wants to borrow my unread copy so I want to read it first (selfish> ha ha
Tanya wrote: "The Unbearable Lightness of Being by Milan Kundera. Going well so far, got through a lot in my first sitting."I found Lightness aggravating - hope you enjoy it more than I did!!
K.D. wrote: "Sissy wrote: "The Human Stain - Roth."I enjoyed this book so much that some scenes still linger in my mind up to now."
I'm about 3/4 through - was out of town on the weekend and didn't get any reading in. It's an interesting read and although I'm not in love with the book I can appreciate Roth's style. Waiting to see where the ending will go and whether that will change my opinion.
I'm starting Graham Greene's "Brighton Rock" today. I've loved everything I've read by this author, so I expect good things!
Sissy wrote: "Tanya wrote: "The Unbearable Lightness of Being by Milan Kundera. Going well so far, got through a lot in my first sitting."I found Lightness aggravating - hope you en..."
I'm not a fan of this book either. Thought I was only one . . . glad to hear I'm not!
I found Lightness aggravating -..."
LOL - I actually gave my copy to a friend because I didn't even want it in my library - along with Austerlitz and Tender is the Night. I told her that I couldn't stand it so I'm interested to hear what she thinks of it once she's finished.
I am just starting Midnight's Children by Rushdie
I've started and am moving through Kafka on the Shore at lightning speeds. It's absolutely amazing and quickly securing it's spot on my list of favorites of all time!
Anne wrote: "Just started Brave New World. Interesting so far... hmmm...."One of my favourite books of all time, I hope you enjoy it as much as I did. Although maybe enjoy is not the perfect word in this case.
Starting Under the Net by Iris Murdoch this evening. It looks promising.
Ginny wrote: "Everything is Illuminated- I am totally shocked by how much I'm enjoying this one!"Yes! Such a delightful novel. Even thinking about it makes me smile.
Emma wrote: "Sissy wrote: "Tanya wrote: "The Unbearable Lightness of Being by Milan Kundera. Going well so far, got through a lot in my first sitting."I found Lightness aggravating -..."
Sissy and Emma - I did enjoy it, however on reading some of the reviews of the book on here I think I enjoyed it on a much more superficial level than a lot of people. No profound life changing moment for me unfortunately...
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Boxall's 1001 Books You Must Read Before You Die
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Joselito: what did you think of Falling Man? I read that a few years ago and felt that the beginning paragraph or so was so moving.
The Tin Drum is excellent, very difficult, and a lot of it went over my head. So much allegory about WWII and the German people.