Boxall's 1001 Books You Must Read Before You Die discussion
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Which LIST book did you just start?
I am trying to choose between starting "The Mysteries of Udolpho" by Ann Radcliffe or "Castle Rackrent" by Maria Edgeworth. I've wanted to read the Udolpho book for ages, it's mentioned in so many OTHER classic novels and Radcliffe was always "that female author who was a bad influence"on the heroines of the books, because, of course, reading a lot was thought to ruin women's minds.Castle Rackrent--because I love anything Irish and I don't think I've ready anything this old in irish literature.
Has anyone read either? Any recommendations? I'll prob do Rackrent first because it's shorter.
Derrick, yes, some of Stephen King's books are as scary if not (and it IS possible) more scary. I really have found though that if you don't read them at night, and if you read something else before bed (I've been reading the Bourne Ultimatum, LOTS of action to take my mind off of Jack and Danny there), the nightmare chances are much lessened. It also really depends upon WHAT you are reading of his. I find that on the whole, his short stories tend to be MUCH more scary than his novels. Not that his novels won't scare the pants off you, 'Salem's Lot to be specific. That baby will give ANYONE serious nightmares. Unfortunately, I find that most movies from SK's books are not well done. I am usually disappointed. I've heard that The Shining is very different in film form. My film professor made a great point when I was complaining about the film adaptations. He said to look at it as a book report, and as such, the director's interpretation of the story is in the mix. It's really helped me, because I want the LITERAL adaptation, but I've been able to get away from that a little. I am happy to suggest some less scary SK to start out with. My favorites with him are the more psychological thrillers. I'm not a fan of slasher stuff, I go for the psych.
Oh, and yes, I have seen the movie. At least parts of it. It always REALLY scared me. However, the film does diverge fairly quickly from the movie, so there is still the mystery of what will happen. I have an idea of how it will go down, and I blame Dr. Campbell for that. Hahah.
And finally, Stacie, I too haven't read Call of the Wild. I've only read his short stories. Stacie, may I ask what school? I was very fortunate to spend a good bit of time in the Sonoma/San Francisco area, and we saw MANY references to Jack London. I wondered if he was from that area, or lived there for awhile or what. Also, what's YOUR thesis on? I too get LOTS of fun reading done in lieu of working on MY thesis.
Just started the year of the death of Ricardo Reis by Jose Saramago, I've enjoyed his other books only read 1 chapter so far.Karen I've got a copy of The mysteries of Udolpho on my shelf to read, the size is a bit daunting but as you said she's mentioned in other book of the same era and it makes me curious as to how I will feel about the story.
Read the Shining and really enjoyed it, also felt it was the only film of a Stephen King book that was good. Saw It and thought it was terrible only watched the whole thing so I would never have to again, did ask for a rembursement of the time I'd wasted watching it.
"Read the Shining and really enjoyed it, also felt it was the only film of a Stephen King book that was good."Both "Stand By Me" & "The Shawshank Redemption" are movies based on Stephen King books. Both stories were in the book "Different Seasons" and were turned into fine films.
Although I do think that movie version of the Shining is the best horror adaptation.
I just started House of Leaves by Danielewski. So far, so good...
I hope you guys decide to give The Shining a try. King's books are scary--there's really no way to get around that--but they're so much more than just thrillers. From a technical standpoint, the tangibility of his settings and the way he builds suspense and propels you through the book are reason enough to read him. Also, his books contain unexpectedly beautiful language.The thing that surprised me about King once I read a few of his books is that they ARE much more psychological than the movie-versions give them credit for. The Shining was the first one I read, and I found it far more interesting than the movie because of the complex characters and the amount of gray area there seemed to be between insanity, paranoia, imagination, and reality.
I go to Sonoma State University and we have a huge collection of his. I remember being told why we received it, but can't remember why. He was born in San Francisco and grew up in Oakland; hence the Jack London Square in Oakland.Not to bore too many people, I will be brief...my thesis is on the Fairie Queene by Edmund Spenser and Queen Elizabeth I - I am writing about how the male characters represent her (surprisingly never been written on before!) and how instead of being an exultation of QE, one of the female characters is actually an "ideal" version, with a little criticism about the rightful place of a woman. AND, within that, how QE used her own rhetoric to subvert her gender and was able to basically rule as an ungendered monarch.
What about you? What are you working on?
Barbara! YES! Stand by Me and The Shawshank Redemption. EXCELLENT adaptations. Wonderful stories. I LOVE Different Seasons. That's actually one of the sets I suggest to new King readers. Too bad Apt Pupil wasn't adapted well. Dolores Claiborne was done pretty well also.Eileen, I agree also that part of the problem with ANY of the adaptations is that King is SUCH a subtle writer. He is WONDERFUL at building the suspense. I pretty much know what will happen with The Shining, but not how, when, etc. It makes it all the more wonderful to read. Plus, there's always the chance that it will go down completely differently.
It is truly fascinating how realistic King can be. My Dad and I have both talked about how doubly scary it can be when you're reading one of his works, and he appears to be describing YOUR life, and YOUR town, until he mentions the Bergenfield Hospital on Washington Avenue. At which point you breathe a sigh of relief because there IS no hospital in Bergenfield, let alone on Washington Avenue.
Stacie, sounds very interesting! I don't know too much about QE myself, unfortunately. Interesting though. Perhaps you can suggest some things to read.My thesis is: "Pain and Pain Behavior in Wittgenstein's Later Philosophy." It comes down to language and the problems we have communicating, particularly when it comes to our own sensations. MY experience of pain is much different than YOURS. Even if we have the same exact injury. There are so many other factors involved when it comes to an individual's experience of pain. It's something that makes physician's lives so difficult. It is nearly impossible to track your own symptoms when they may change slightly or drastically over time. There is no way for external checks. Even EEGs can't tell us everything. Alright, enough on my boring thesis.
The Shining, wonderful... One of my all time favorite films. "Here's Johnny!" hahaha...
Ovid's Metamorphoses think I'll be reading the notes on the text at the same time in order to understand the book better. Also reading The Midnight Examiner by Kotzwinkle for a bit of light relief from time to time.
I just started The Corrections by Jonathan Franzen.
The Human Stain by Phillip Roth - Great great great book. 1/2 way through - excited to find out more about Sily Silk - what other secrets lie in his past?
I think "Human Stain" could be one of Roth's greatest books. I couldn't bring myself to see flick because I just didn't picture Hopkins in the role and didn't want to ruin the book.Peace,
Courtney
I just started "The Poisonwood Bible"* by Barbara Kingslover. I love the kids' points of view in this one!
Just started Life of Pi last night. I hope it's good.
This morning I started Les Liasons Dangereuses by Pierre Choderlos de Laclos. So far it is a very entertaining book.
Atonement. I actually was reading before even seeing the 1001 list. I am just finishing it up now.
1980 by David Peace, it's not on the list but 1977 the second in the quartet was. Good books but not comfortable reading, like a bad car accident, you don't want to look but you can't tear yourself away.All four books are set in Yorkshire at the time of the Yorkshire Ripper inquiry and takes the view of a different main character in the years, 1974, 1977, 1980 and 1983. Mainly deal with police corruption with the murders as a backdrop, they had him a number of times but he was so ordinary that they let him go. Wasn't til someone noticed that his name had appeared in several of the investigations that they caught him.
As a child I remember the later news stories about the Ripper as we lived in the next county Nottinghamshire, but my memories are vague.
Still very good books.
I started Life of Pi this week, about 80 pages into it thus far, really enjoying it.
Starting I, Robot and Aesop's Fables. I have to admit that a wasn't that thrilled with Foundation by Asimov, but I'm hoping I'll feel differently about I, Robot.
just started Captain Corelli's Mandolinwhat an awesome title!
:D
Gulliver's Travels and The Poisonwood Bible.Swift is remarkable, and I'm really enjoying the humor in Poisonwood too.
I'm listening to Rebecca right now and am in love.
Oh, I just loved Corelli's Mandolin... I have both read it and listened to it on audio and bawled both times, even though I knew what was coming. The movie version with Nicholas Cage was well done too. I'm always reluctant to watch a film version of a favorite book but this was a nice suprise.Hmm, I think I may be due for a re-read of this title....
Karen, that's very funny- I was just looking at my copy of Captain Corelli and thinking that I needed to reread it. It's one of the best books I've ever read, such a perfect balance of hilarity and heartbreak. I love de Bernieres.
Finished The Nun by Diderot and started The Monk by Lewis. Think I can see a theme here.Really enjoyed Captain Corelli, but avoided reading it for ages because of the film. His other books are also a blend of heartbreak and hilarity, still have to read The Troublesome Offspring of Cardinal Gusman.
How are you liking Gulliver's Travels, Judith? I started it in high school and really didn't like it. I found it very boring. I'm wondering if I should try it again?
I have yet to read anything else by de Bernieres, although he has been on my TBR list for ages. Maybe listening to Corelli's Mandolin will get me in the right frame of mind to do so. So many books, so little time. Once I find an author I like, I tend to read all of their books--but some authors can really keep you busy--like Dickens!
I just finished "The Woods" by Harlan Coben. It was a great summer break read. I'm currently reading "Patty Jane's House of Curl" by Lorna Landvik and am enjoying it throughly.
I'm halfway through The Names by Don DeLillo and really liking it. It's pretty rich with detail, though, and I've had to reread paragraphs because my attention wandered. I feel rewarded when I do.
Thank heavens I'm not the only one with DeLillo-Attention Span Disorder! The older books like WHITE NOISE, THE NAMES and LIBRA I didn't have the same issues with but the most recent two took FOREVER to read.Peace,
courtney
Kiefalla:
I really enjoyed "Gulliver's Travels"! I'm quite surprised myself as I have read more negative things about Jonathan Swift as a man than positive, by far!
But this book is strikingly poignant,picking on every single flaw in mankind!
Just the fact that (it seems to me) he identified them all is remarkable, much less found a way to turn them upside down and sideways. I laughed at times, shook my head at times, and downright shuddered and grimaced at times; but I am so glad I revisited it at this time in my life and in these dark political times!
I am about half way through "Saturday" by Ian McEwan, and I am totally enjoying every delicious morsel. A little slow in the first few pages, but wonderful as you get into it.
Alright, well I'll give Gulliver a second try. Hopefully it's that I wasn't ready for it the first time around and will appreciate it more now.
The Plot Against America by Philip Roth. I thought it would be very political, but there's a lot in it about growing up in a Jewish family in the 1940s. I think those bits are meant to be fairly autobiographical.
I've started Ha Jin's novel "A Free Life." So far my impression is that this is not his best work. Would like to hear from others who have read it.
Xujun, I can't help you out with that, but while you're on the topic, what Ha Jin novel would you recommend most?
I am getting ready to start "Herzog" by Bellow. I have read "The Victim" and liked it and have heard that this is even better, so am really looking forward to diving in.
I started "Sabine" (not on the list) this morning. A VERY quick read if the first fifty pages I plowed through on the train are any indication.I'm about to start Aesop's Fables from the list.
I just started On Human Bondage anyone read it yet?Stacy
I read of Human Bondage several years ago. It's great language and very well written but I thought the main character was kind of pathetic. Other than not sympathizing with the protagonist, I liked the book.
Hi Denise, I highly recommend "Waiting" if you have not read it. IMO this is his best novel. His second best is "War Trash," it has a very good plot and the story is appealing, though its writing is not as good as "Waiting." Also check out his short story collections. Some of his short stories are really good.
Thanks Xujun, I'm not familiar with Ha Jin, so I appreciate the recommendations. I'll soon be between books and looking for something to read.
I actually recent got Of Human Bondage also. I'll probably start it this weekend after I finish off Suttree on the bus to NYC.
I just started on Mikhail Bulgakov's: "The Master and Margarita" Fantastic so far!!
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Boxall's 1001 Books You Must Read Before You Die
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Denise, I mentioned this in another thread, but I really enjoyed Call of the Wild and am shocked at myself for having never read him. His way of creating the scene through the eyes of the dog was a beautiful way of telling the story. I cried when Dave was killed. :)
I am now starting "Breakfast of Champions" by Kurt Vonnegut for the SRC...it was written in the 70's.
Did I happen to mention that I am TOTALLY task avoiding working on my thesis?!