Boxall's 1001 Books You Must Read Before You Die discussion

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message 2851: by Mike (new)

Mike | 78 comments Becky wrote: "Mike wrote: "Just started "Robinson Crusoe" by Daniel Defoe."

I'm listening to Robinson Crusoe and finding it really boring, probably because I know the plot through pop culture."


I'm finding it a little hard to read. But I'll keep on reading and maybe I can get into it better.


message 2852: by Cynthia (new)

Cynthia Paschen | 72 comments Christine wrote: "Becky wrote: "Interview with the Vampire by Anne Rice - I've started this book several times but lost interest. So here I go again, only because it's on "the list!""

Yeah, many years ago I picked..."


My favorite Ann Rice is historic fiction, "Feast of All Saints." It's about mixed-race families in New Orleans.


message 2853: by Deborah (new)

Deborah (thebookishdame) | 20 comments My husband found the same thing happening as he tried to read, "Treasure Island," to our sons when they were around that age. And that was about 20 years ago, Scott!!
I'm afraid Disney and other media have really usurped the worthy places of those and other classics. :[ I have, though, that children of all ages will listen to stories being verbally shared. That's almost a lost art and something that all of us treasure when we're fortunate enough to have a storyteller in the family. I think it also encourages reading .... even of the classics in that it gets a child's imagination ignighted about the tale.


message 2854: by Gini (new)

Gini | 138 comments Deborah wrote: "I do have the list, Christina! I can send you a copy if you email me...or if others are interested, I can just list the books here on our Group discussion."

I would be very curious to see the list!


message 2855: by Gini (new)

Gini | 138 comments Christine wrote: "Anyway, when I talk to kids and others caught up in the vampire craze, I personally recommend The Historian by Elizabeth Kostova. "

The Historian isn't bad, but whatever you do, don't listen to the abridged audiobook. The reader does the most laughable Transylvanian accents - The Count on Sesame Street would think they were over the top!


message 2856: by Anthony (new)

Anthony DeCastro | 168 comments Just started "Decline and Fall" by Evelyn Waugh


message 2857: by Mystique (new)

Mystique (slickitty) | 8 comments I jumped ahead and started on Veronika Decides to Die, since I don't have Dr. Zhivago in my stack. So far, I'm burning through Veronika though, so I might have a chance to go back and get Dr. Z., or maybe someone will be kind and send it to me after they finish in exchange for Veronika.


message 2858: by Richard (new)

Richard | 7 comments Just started To Kill a Mockingbird - been looking forward to reading this for ages!


message 2859: by Lauli (new)

Lauli | 263 comments I've started Joseph Andrews by Fielding, and am ten pages into Ulysses, and grateful I made an investment and got an annotated version, because otherwise I couldn't make head or tail of it!


message 2860: by Sissy (new)

Sissy Becky wrote: I'm listening to Robinson Crusoe and finding it really boring, probably because I know the plot through pop culture."

No, its just boring in general. And horribly dry. And repetitive. =)


message 2861: by Mystique (new)

Mystique (slickitty) | 8 comments My favorite thing about Robinson Crusoe - When my brother read it as a boy and Robinson Crusoe was starving and found a coconut and the author says that he "ate it with relish". My brother's childish reply (he was a child when he read it) was, "But, if he HAD the relish already, then why was he starving?"

I've always loved that.


message 2862: by Mystique (new)

Mystique (slickitty) | 8 comments Gini wrote: "Christine wrote: "Anyway, when I talk to kids and others caught up in the vampire craze, I personally recommend The Historian by Elizabeth Kostova. "

The Historian isn't bad, but whatever you do, ..."



I'm glad someone enjoyed it. That book made me want to leap off of something, just so that SOMETHING would happen! I really want to sue the author for the time I spent reading that book.


message 2863: by Christina Stind (new)

Christina Stind | 180 comments Just started The Discovery of Heaven by Harry Mulisch. So far it has potential to be a really great read!


message 2864: by Becky (new)

Becky (munchkinland_farm) | 248 comments Mystique wrote: "My favorite thing about Robinson Crusoe - When my brother read it as a boy and Robinson Crusoe was starving and found a coconut and the author says that he "ate it with relish". My brother's child..."

LOL! Our language is confusing . . .


message 2865: by Becky (last edited Aug 28, 2010 02:20PM) (new)

Becky (munchkinland_farm) | 248 comments Sissy wrote: "Becky wrote: I'm listening to Robinson Crusoe and finding it really boring, probably because I know the plot through pop culture."

No, its just boring in general. And horribly dry. And repetitiv..."


Thank you. I'm really slogging through it, and I keep falling asleep while listening to it so I never get very far . . . I wish the cannibals would eat him and put both of us out of our misery.


8/28 - 42 minutes, 57 seconds to go. I feel like I've been a castaway on the Island of Defoe.


message 2866: by [deleted user] (new)

I am going to start The Namesake as soon as I get home tonight. It was actually recommended to me so I'm a little excited to start it.


message 2867: by Karina (new)

Karina | 401 comments Just started Doctor Zhivago!


message 2868: by Yassemin (new)

Yassemin (yas666) | 81 comments Crime and Punishment. I'm 50 or so pages in and I do like it!


message 2869: by Sissy (new)

Sissy The Children's Book - Byatt. Taken in by the first few pages so far.


message 2870: by Regine (new)

Regine I'm reading Everything Is Illuminated by Jonathan Safran Foer. I saw the movie a year ago, and was unaware it was even book! I am loving it so far though.


message 2871: by Kristel (new)

Kristel (kristelh) I am listening to the audio of The Secret History by Donna Tartt read by the author and I am trying to read Vanity Fair by Thackeray. I like The Secret History. It's about an elite group of college kids at an eastern college who are studying the classics. There is a murder. The author tells you that right away but there is some secrets that are being revealed slowly by the narrator. Vanity Fair is slow going but it is interesting.


message 2872: by [deleted user] (last edited Aug 25, 2010 08:13PM) (new)

Kitchen by Banana Yoshimoto.


message 2873: by Janet (new)

Janet | 25 comments Just started Thousand Cranes by Yasunari Kawabata. I read Snow Country and am looking forward to this read.


message 2874: by Chel (new)

Chel | 380 comments I started Blood and Guts in High School a few days ago. It is really bad, fails to make a consistent point, and attempts in an over the top, gratuitous, 1970's way to shock in its disjointed thoughts of a 10 year old girl repeatedly raped by her father who seeks sex later as a 14 yo. It is pretty nasty. Yuck!


message 2875: by [deleted user] (new)

I will start All Quiet On the Western Front today. Reviews look good so hopefully I like it.


message 2876: by K.D. (new)

K.D. Absolutely (oldkd) | 248 comments James Kelman's Kieron Smith, Boy. I enjoyed boy's memoirs like Angela's Ashes and Toast (non-1001 books) so this tale of another boy must be good.


message 2877: by Jennifer (new)

Jennifer | 8 comments I just started "Elegance of the Hedgehog" So far it's pretty interesting.


message 2878: by Cindy (new)

Cindy (newtomato) | 195 comments Started Cat's Eye, from the 2006 list. Only 50 pages in, but I've had a few "oh, yeah, I've felt that" moments.


message 2879: by Regine (last edited Aug 28, 2010 09:40PM) (new)

Regine Madame Bovary by Gustave Flaubert. I've read so many reviews about this book being dry, but I'm a few chapters in and I'm finding it very easy to read.


message 2880: by Anthony (new)

Anthony DeCastro | 168 comments I am starting Les Miserables


message 2881: by Becky (new)

Becky (munchkinland_farm) | 248 comments The Man with the Golden Arm by Nelson Algren


message 2882: by Emma (new)

Emma (mnium) | 135 comments The Castle of Otranto

I took a whole class on the Gothic novel so I thought I would enjoy this precursor more but am finding it a little frustrating so far.


message 2883: by [deleted user] (new)

Just started The Turn of The Screw


message 2884: by Linda (new)


message 2885: by Linda (new)

Linda Chel wrote: "I started Blood and Guts in High School a few days ago. It is really bad, fails to make a consistent point, and attempts in an over the top, gratuitous, 1970's way to shock in its disjointed though..."

Thanks for the warning - I actually checked to see if this was a book on the 1001 Books list, because it doesn't sound like something worth reading, so I don't intend to even bother with it. Anybody have anything good to say about this one?


message 2886: by Charity (new)

Charity (charityross) Started The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas


message 2887: by [deleted user] (new)

I will start Veronika decides to Die (September read) tonight


message 2888: by [deleted user] (new)

So I am 50 pages into Veronika decides to die and I am really enjoying it, I even wanted to call in sick to work so I could finish it this morning. I can't wait until the Sept. discussion, too bad it's only a little over 200 pages. Does anyone know if Paulo Coelho have any other books on the list?


message 2889: by Anthony (new)

Anthony DeCastro | 168 comments "Does anyone know if Paulo Coelho have any other books on the list?"

SEVERAL


message 2890: by [deleted user] (new)

Amanda wrote: "Tony wrote: ""Does anyone know if Paulo Coelho have any other books on the list?"

SEVERAL"

Unfortunately. ;)"

Why don't you like his work?


message 2891: by Anthony (last edited Sep 01, 2010 05:59AM) (new)

Anthony DeCastro | 168 comments Actually maybe he doesn't have several...I just consulted the list and I only see the Devil and Mrs. Prym as another list book.

I could have sworn The Alchemist was on the list - among others.


message 2892: by [deleted user] (new)

Tony wrote: "Actually maybe he doesn't have several...I just consulted the list and I only see the Devil and Mrs. Prym as another list book.

I could have sworn The Alchemist was on the list - among others."


Do you enjoy his work?


message 2893: by Anthony (new)

Anthony DeCastro | 168 comments I haven't read Coelho. I just picked up Veronika and The Alchemist, so they're buried in Mount TBR. I tend to find beauty in the "overly-simplistic", so I'm now kind of looking forward to reading him.


message 2894: by Sissy (new)

Sissy Shardae (new) 38 minutes ago Do you enjoy his work?

Coelho - he's a different type of author than the others on the list. The comment about being over-simplistic and spiritual is right on. The Alchemist is a decent work - if you can get over the simplicity - Coehlo's message is interesting. I thought it was garbage when I first started it - but I actually bring it up quite often in conversations now, which always puzzles me. I don't know if its the process of translation that creates the simplicity or that Coehlo's writing style is just almost, fable-sque?


message 2895: by [deleted user] (new)

Sissy wrote: " Shardae (new) 38 minutes ago Do you enjoy his work?

Coelho - he's a different type of author than the others on the list. The comment about being over-simplistic and spiritual is right on. The..."


I think the simplicity is refreshing after reading some of the more heavy books on the list.


message 2896: by K.D. (new)

K.D. Absolutely (oldkd) | 248 comments Truman Capote's IN COLD BLOOD.


message 2897: by Erik (new)

Erik Anthem by Ayn Rand.
The narrator reminds me of Golem.


message 2898: by Erik (new)

Erik Ayn Rand isn't on the list?
I am pleased with this discovery.
Wasted a Wednesday, though.


message 2899: by Cindy (new)

Cindy (newtomato) | 195 comments Erik wrote: "Ayn Rand isn't on the list?
I am pleased with this discovery.
Wasted a Wednesday, though."


Is it okay that you made me laugh with that post?


message 2900: by [deleted user] (new)

Starting The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle just a few minutes from now.


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