Crossroads discussion
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Mapping Your Reading
I am blissing out at the language and style, in Madison,Wisconsin and also Vermont in Crossing to Safety by one of my favourite of all time authors.Wallace Stegner. BLISS
Lesley wrote: "Dosha (Bluestocking7) wrote: "I'm interested in how well you like Dear Mr M I loved the audio of The Dinner."Much more 'convoluted' than the previous two, but it's a clever way of feeding the rea..."
Finished it; fantastic for me.
Lesley wrote: "I am blissing out at the language and style, in Madison,Wisconsin and also Vermont in Crossing to Safety"I want to read that Stegner. So why don't I?
If I would just stop checking out library books and ebooks I would have a chance.
Michael wrote: "Lesley wrote: "I am blissing out at the language and style, in Madison,Wisconsin and also Vermont in Crossing to Safety"I want to read that Stegner. So why don't I?
If I would just stop checking ..."
Wonderful to have some masterpieces to turn to, when you get a run of 'penny-dreadfuls'.. Like I had with the two Booker prize listers, recently. . I went back to beautiful Cameroons, in The Garden of Evening Mists and now Stegman. I loved Angle of Repose also, the explanation of what that means.
Den, I look forward to a review of The Painter. Love his Dog Stars (except for the romance piece).Lesley, a good dose of classic masterpieces gives me the permission for dessert with thrillers and sci fi. More than any other year I jave been finding recourse and good repose in non-fiction. I am now in the active mind of Churchill in 1940 on with the third volume of his biography started by Manchester. Sometimes life is bigger than fiction.
Michael wrote: "Den, I look forward to a review of The Painter. Love his Dog Stars (except for the romance piece).Lesley, a good dose of classic masterpieces gives me the permission for dessert with thrillers an..."
The Dog Stars really caught my interest also so hope to really enjoy this one as well. I'm listening to it as I thought the audio really enhanced the story. Having lived in Western Colorado for many years, the setting adds to my enjoyment.
I guess I'm the odd one out; I didn't like Angle of Repose.I am in other worlds now, alternating between Discworld in Guards! Guards! and various points in outer space and on earth with Odyssey. Nothing literary or brilliant, but ideally fun, now that I've finished two long nineteenth century classics (Dickens' Our Mutual Friend, and Wilke Colllins' No Name.
Karin wrote: "I guess I'm the odd one out; I didn't like Angle of Repose.I am in other worlds now, alternating between Discworld in Guards! Guards! and various points in outer space and on earth w..."
Karin, you're not alone. I was very ambivalent about Angle of Repose. I lived in western Colorado at the time and had been told it was a must read about the west. The setting was not enough to win me over.
Denizen wrote: "Karin, you're not alone. I was very ambivalent about Angle of Repose. I lived in western Colorado at the time and had been told it was a must read about the west. The setting was not enough to win me over. ..."Glad to know I'm not alone.
I am absolutely loving being in Vermont in Crossing to Safety by Wallace Stegner.. I liked Angle of Repose by not nearly as much as the former.
Lesley wrote: "Dosha (Bluestocking7) wrote: "I'm interested in how well you like Dear Mr M I loved the audio of The Dinner."Much more 'convoluted' than the previous two, but it's a clever way of feeding the rea..."
So Leslie and Dosha, what is your favorite book written by Herman Koch?
Lesley wrote: "I am absolutely loving being in Vermont in Crossing to Safety by Wallace Stegner.. I liked Angle of Repose by not nearly as much as the former."Crossing to Safety was the second and last Stegner I read. He writes well, but I didn't like either book; he was highly recommended by a reading friend IRL (this was before online reading groups!) who loves his prose.
Denizen wrote: "Lesley wrote: "Dosha (Bluestocking7) wrote: "I'm interested in how well you like Dear Mr M I loved the audio of The Dinner."Much more 'convoluted' than the previous two, but it's a clever way of ..."
HMMMMmmmm ... The Dinner when I read it, knocked my socks off. I must re-read I think before deciding.. I didn't think Summer House with Swimming Pool was as good when I read it the first time after, 'dinner', but now ??? I found it so amazing, especially seeing it's a translation... However Dear Mr. M
I found quite different, must see if it's the same translater, but much more sustained, suspense, and he sure fooled me!! I think they are all so different, I would choose each one, but for a different reason.. Like choosing one's favourite child.. I also think coming across Mr M, quite by accident in my EBOOK new releases, probably added to the thrill..
Mod
I've been interested in that one.
I am with mostly Aussies defending Crete in 1941 and with British forces trapped in Tobruk, Libya, and on the verge of Operation Barbarossa, Hitler's fatal mistake to attack Russia, somewhere around 40% of the way through The Last Lion 3: Winston Spencer Churchill, Defender of the Realm, 1940-1965. Another week or so to finish this audiobook. By book I am with a musical family in Shanghai and rural provinces in the '60's and '90's and in Vancouver with an emigrant from that family in Tsien's Do Not Say We Have Nothing (prompted by Leslie's initiation of discussion on Booker short list).
Michael wrote: "I am with mostly Aussies defending Crete in 1941 and with British forces trapped in Tobruk, Libya, and on the verge of Operation Barbarossa, Hitler's fatal mistake to attack Russia, somewhere aroun..."1974 we spent a week on Crete, and were showered with kindness, due to the OZ defenders, in the War.. Wonderful place.
Awaiting my copy of Do Not Say We Have Nothing
. The last two Bookers I read were tedious IMHO...(You KNOW how 'fussy' I am... )
Another DNF.. This time It was North of the Tension Line by J.F. Riordan.. Despite the lovely description of Washington Island, the lovesick angst got too chick-litty for me.
Leslie, I think its fun to use the Booker Prize winners and nominees as hunting grounds for fresh current books to read. In some cases its a thrill to find a writer you can stick with for the long haul. I think I do better in that way than with Pulitzer winners (though Bob Dylan this year was righteous and other masters other years). Checking Listopia's list for Booker winners, I see I've read less than a third (14 of 50). I am a little surprised that half were 3 stars. Not a great batting average. I'd do better reading what people like you, Den, BooknBlues etc speak well of.
I have just started Goodbye Sweetheart byMarion Halligan set in beautiful NSW , Cooma (OZ).. HMMMM.. not sure if it's because I have just finished reading Wallace Stegner, but this also just isn't grabbing me.. Too simplistic or something.
Karin wrote: "I am now in 1914 New Jersey with Girl Waits with Gun"I have heard mixed reviews about this book, so I'm very interested in your thoughts on it.
I'm in England again; late 19th century with Sugar in The Crimson Petal and the White and back at Bishop's Lacey with Flavia in Thrice the Brinded Cat Hath Mew'd.I have a borrowed ebook of Girl Waits with Gun waiting for me on my laptop. I know it's getting mixed reviews, but I can't resist it, having been born in Bergen County, NJ.
Dosha (Bluestocking7) wrote: "Karin wrote: "I am now in 1914 New Jersey with Girl Waits with Gun"I have heard mixed reviews about this book, so I'm very interested in your thoughts on it."
I can see why the reviews are mixed. So far I'm guessing that I'll like it at 3 stars, but I'll see how it goes. On the one hand its based on a real woman and some real events, but it is fiction and some of the stuff made up. The writing is okay, but I don't love it; seems like that sort of voice gets used a lot, but maybe I was just tired. I'm nearly 1/3 through.
OTOH it is fun to read about a woman who became a deputy in 1914 IRL.
Michael wrote: "Leslie, I think its fun to use the Booker Prize winners and nominees as hunting grounds for fresh current books to read. In some cases its a thrill to find a writer you can stick with for the long ..."With new judges every year, there is no way of predicting if you'll agree from one year to the next.
Michael wrote: "Leslie, I think its fun to use the Booker Prize winners and nominees as hunting grounds for fresh current books to read. In some cases its a thrill to find a writer you can stick with for the long ..."It's the first year I have been so consistently disappointed, and agree that the roving judges, th9is year, have different tastes to me.. Looking forward to my 3 new DTB from the library, when our postie arrives 9 in an hour !! Now 4!! Actually 5..
The Childhood of Jesus by J.M. Coetzee will also be collected.. He is also one of my all time favourite authors.
book:The Children's Book|6280379] A.S. Byatt
The Infatuations Javier Marías
Commonwealth Ann
Patchett
The Light Between Oceans M.L. Stedman
An embarrassment of riches!!
Lesley wrote:"...An embarrassment of riches."Tis a lovely list. I've enjoyed 3 of those authors and had a five star experience with the Children's Book. Maybe you should be mining in the 1001 list. Coatzee wins the contest of most books on the list--5 I believe. I have a couple of Marias I am considering as a first read. The same for Llosa. And then to top my leanings to SA I nabbed Galeano's Memory of Fire (a creative personal history of Latin American art) on an e-book deal. Riches.
SOOO annoying.. The screed I wrote.. GONE.. More later.
Michael wrote: "Lesley wrote:"...An embarrassment of riches."Tis a lovely list. I've enjoyed 3 of those authors and had a five star experience with the Children's Book. Maybe you should be mining in the 1001 lis..."
Can't even start the Children's Book. Too big, will have to wait for the requested EBOOK. Having grown up in South Africa, I still think of JM Coetzee as that.. Some of his books are more challenging than other ie Diary of a Bad Year
Between LA and Virginia in Commonwealth by Ann Patchett.. Slow for me to warm to it, but now that I am on page 101, and it's about adults and not kids, so much, I'm getting more involved. Do like her writing.
Lesley wrote: "Between LA and Virginia in Commonwealth by Ann Patchett.. Slow for me to warm to it, but now that I am on page 101, and it's about adults and not kids, so much, I'm..."I've not been seeing any rave reviews on GR from readers I know. I will have to look at The Children's Book. I have so many tomes on the TBR I cringe at the thought of adding another.
I have left New Jersey and am now in Israel about two thousand years ago with The Life and Times of Jesus the Messiah, and I'm really going to get to Discworld with Guards! Guards! very soon!
I'm in New York city with Jonathan Unleashed by Meg Rosoff. Story mentioned it a while back and light humorous sounds right up my alley. Glad my hold came in.
Karin wrote: "I'm also skipping back and forth to California in Seabiscuit: An American Legend"I'm one of the few people who didn't love Seabiscuit. I really don't care for how Laura Hillenbrand writes.
Denizen wrote: "Lesley wrote: "Between LA and Virginia in Commonwealth by Ann Patchett.. Slow for me to warm to it, but now that I am on page 101, and it's about adults and not kid..."No, I feel a bit bad as its one of three brand new books I am sending back, unread, but I'm sure they won't be unread for long.
Denizen wrote: "Karin wrote: "I'm also skipping back and forth to California in Seabiscuit: An American Legend"I'm one of the few people who didn't love Seabiscuit. I really don't care for how Laur..."
So far I think it will be 3 stars. It's not great, but I just barely like it. Someone I know said it was as good as The Boys in the Boat: Nine Americans and Their Epic Quest for Gold at the 1936 Berlin Olympics, but I don't think so.
Storyheart wrote: "It's 1890 and I'm off hunting for The Essex Serpent."It sounds intriguing, Story. I'll watch for your rating/review.
Denizen wrote: "Storyheart wrote: "It's 1890 and I'm off hunting for The Essex Serpent."It sounds intriguing, Story. I'll watch for your rating/review."
So far, so good. She has a very interesting prose style and the characters are intriguing. I'll keep you posted.
Oh thank goodness!! I have had about 10 dud books and am now at last, loving this one. I am in New Mexico, India and a bit, Seattle. The Sleepwalker's Guide to Dancing (recommended by a GR reviewer.) new Mira Jacob ..Having grown up in South Africa and knowing many ex-pat and 2/3 rd gen Indians, I just LOVE the mangled idioms,the excitability of this interesting cultural group, and the dilemma for 1st gens who feel a lot of both shame and being an outsider, notwithstanding the girl being born in New Mexico..
I am in multiple places and times but on common themes of metamorphosis and flying creature so far, Vampires in the Lemon Grove (Karen Russel). And today I just left the Outer Hebrides island Lewis with Fin, who leaves a family tragedy and detective career to return to his home, where he gets drawn into buried secrets from 20 years back that bring out murder in his contemporary time, The Chessmen. Third in Peter May's series starting with The Lewis Man, recommended by BnB.
I am in the womb and my mother is plotting with my uncle, her lover, to kill my father. Whew! Ian McEwan's Nutshell.
Denizen wrote: "I am in the womb and my mother is plotting with my uncle, her lover, to kill my father. Whew! Ian McEwan's Nutshell."Hmm, my mind flips to Freud try to psychoanalyze someone back in the womb, the mother plotting to kill her husband with her lover who is her husband's brother (I hope it's his brother, this uncle)... What a book!
The premise was certainly quirky enough for me to give it a try. I've really liked 2 out of the 3 McEwan books I've read.
Denizen wrote: "The premise was certainly quirky enough for me to give it a try. I've really liked 2 out of the 3 McEwan books I've read."Would love to see your review. Batting 6 out of 7 with his books so far.
Oh how blessed am I to be in Southern England, already caught up in the magical prose, and literary discussions in The Children's Book by one of my previous favourite authors, A.S. Byatt.. Went off her , for some reason. One of the characters uses the evocative phrase 'word-savourer'... This is me, so far, too. SOOO lucky to have this EBOOK bought, and signed out to me, so quickly.
I have left Discworld and a few other places and am now all over space as well as on earth in Cauldron.
Crossroads
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Much more 'convoluted' than the previous two, but it's a clever way of feeding the reader only little hints at a time. I am 2/3 of the way through, and really enjoying it. As I did the re-reading of Herman Koch book Summerhouse with Swimming Pool.