Go Fug Yourself Book Club discussion
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What are You Currently Reading?
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Been looking forward to The Engagements. Thanks for the thumbs way up!
Julia Glass anyone? I just finished The Dark Sacred Night and enjoyed it very much. I've liked all her books, so much so that one Christmas I bought every copy of Three Junes I could find and gave them to everyone I knew.Back to the Jennifer Egan novel.
Michelle wrote: "I just finished City of Thieves by David Beniof, and it was wonderful, and perfect. 5 stars."Oh I absolutely loved City of Thieves when I read it last year. You might also like Gods of Gotham by Lyndsay Faye. Historical fiction rich in detail, just another era of history. New York in the 1840s.
I'm almost finished Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell, which I coincidentally got from the library as I was reading Eleanor & Park. I like both of them, but I found E & P a little more nuanced than Fangirl.
I just finished reading "The Goldfinch" (Donna Tartt) and must say I loved it. I devoured it as if in a dream, and thought about when I wasn't reading it. I understand that this novel is a bit polarizing, but it just worked for me. Plus, I love long novels! Next up: Kate Atkinson's "Life After Life."
Amy wrote: "I just finished reading "The Goldfinch" (Donna Tartt) and must say I loved it. I devoured it as if in a dream, and thought about when I wasn't reading it. I understand that this novel is a bit pola..."Amy, I hope you love Life After Life! It was one of my favorites of 2013! It does feel a little repetitive at times (main character is constantly being reborn - literally) but the tiny details are different each time and it's SO worth it. :) Loved it.
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Oh I absolutely loved City of Thieves when I read it last year. You might also like G..."
One of my favorite books ever. I read it last year and it changed the way I looked at the world. Funny thing -- the author, David Benioff, is married to Fug Madness favorite Amanda Peet!
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Planning to read Goldfinch very as soon as my sister finishes and I can get her copy. I LOVED Life After Life, but that one tends to be polarizing as well.
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Oh I absolutely loved City of Thieves when I read it las..."
I have the 25th Hour, another of his books, in the pile next to my bed right now. I am also surprised I never heard of him before. He is just wonderful.
City of Thieves is one of the best books I have ever read. Just perfect. I gave a copy to my son for Christmas. And he agreed with me, totally.
I'm reading a Connie Willis book about time travel, "To Say Nothing of the Dog". It's interesting so far, a bit slow in spots. I will likely next read "Paper Towns" by John Green for my book club and "Take This Man" by Brando Skyhorse.
Michelle wrote: "I just finished City of Thieves by David Beniof, and it was wonderful, and perfect. 5 stars."Yes, this book is SOOOOO good! And I can attest, it will stay with you!
Currently reading Americanah by Chimamanda Ngozi Adiche, which I swear I had already bought before Lupita announced she's doing an adaptation!
I finished Connie Willis' To Say Nothing of the Dog and it was so much better than 'The Doomsday Book.' It was funny, went quicker, and was just a more enjoyable story. Then I tore through Lauren Hillenbrand's Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption. I've read stories about WWII in Europe but had no idea about the details of the war and POWs in Japan. Good golly, just horrific and insane. Now I'm on to The Heir Apparent: A Life of Edward VII, the Playboy Prince.
Bonnie wrote: "Gracey wrote: "I recently started Sweet Tooth by Ian McEwan. I didn't read Atonement (I know, I know but historical fiction isn't my favorite), but Sweet Tooth is so good I might just go back and ..."I loved On Chesil Beach!
Has anyone else read The Signature of All Things? I read it last spring and I still can't decide how I feel about it. It was flawed, but it has really stayed with me.
Leah wrote: "Currently reading Americanah by Chimamanda Ngozi Adiche, which I swear I had already bought before Lupita announced she's doing an adaptation!"I love Americanah! It's the only book I've read by her but I do want to read her other novels. I feel like Lupita + Chimamanda is a match made in heaven!
Nora wrote: "Has anyone else read The Signature of All Things? I read it last spring and I still can't decide how I feel about it. It was flawed, but it has really stayed with me."I haven't yet, but its on my to read list.
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I really liked the book, and I was not a fan of Eat Pray Love. My review is here https://www.goodreads.com/review/show....
It was not perfect, but it was so immersive, so old fashioned and sprawling. A pleasure to read. What were your thoughts?
Bonnie wrote: "Amy wrote: "I just finished reading "The Goldfinch" (Donna Tartt) and must say I loved it. I devoured it as if in a dream, and thought about when I wasn't reading it. I understand that this novel i..."Loved both of these, but they both got a bit bogged down in places. I have them on the kindle, so didn't have to wrestle with unweildy books. Recommend Tartt's The Secret History, does anyone have anything to say about other Kate Atkinson?
annabel wrote: "Bonnie wrote: "Amy wrote: "I just finished reading "The Goldfinch" (Donna Tartt) and must say I loved it. I devoured it as if in a dream, and thought about when I wasn't reading it. I understand th..."Life After Life was my favorite book last year. Also, her Brody mysteries are excellent.
annabel wrote: "Bonnie wrote: "Amy wrote: "I just finished reading "The Goldfinch" (Donna Tartt) and must say I loved it. I devoured it as if in a dream, and thought about when I wasn't reading it. I understand th..."I've read pretty much all of Kate Atkinson's books (especially loved "Behind the Scenes at the Museum"), and really enjoy her. Yes, on "The Secret History!" And, a big Yes! to these unwieldy big books. I think I'll read a light paperback of something next!
Bonnie wrote: "I have the 25th Hour, another of his books, in the pile next to my bed right now. I am also surprised I never heard of him before. He is just wonderful. "I loved that movie - I only just realised last week that it was the same David Beniof!
Leah wrote: "Currently reading Americanah by Chimamanda Ngozi Adiche, which I swear I had already bought before Lupita announced she's doing an adaptation!"I didn't know that but this is AWESOME, I hope they do a good job of the movie. I guess that's a comment for the other thread! Chimamanda Ngozi Adiche is amazing and you should definitely read Half of a Yellow Sun if you haven't. And then go watch her TED Talk!
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I really like Kate Atkinson, but her other books are very different from Life After Life. Big fan of the Jackson Brodie series. Case Histories is the first in the series, I think One Good Turn comes after that.
Jackson Brodie series is excellent. PBS also did a series on these books with Jason Isaacs. Great!
Library of Shadows by Mikkel Birkegaard
So I am gathering from the comments that before Life after Life Kate Atkinson was a serial mystery writer? Like Sara Paretsky, M is for Murder?
annabel wrote: "So I am gathering from the comments that before Life after Life Kate Atkinson was a serial mystery writer? Like Sara Paretsky, M is for Murder?"The Jackson Brodie books (beginning with Case Histories) are a serial. Before that, varied novels. I believe Behind the Scenes at the Museum was her first novel, and it made a big splash, and won a bunch of awards. It's great.
Amy wrote: "annabel wrote: "So I am gathering from the comments that before Life after Life Kate Atkinson was a serial mystery writer? Like Sara Paretsky, M is for Murder?"The Jackson Brodie books (beginnin..."
I loved Life After Life. I hadn't looked at her other books. I could use a serial to get me through some long trips this summer, though.
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The Jackson Brodie books (beginnin..."
Loved Behind the Scenes. So good! I forgot about that book until you mentioned it -- read it maybe 15 years ago or even more.
I have never read Sarah Paretsky so I can't really compare those to the Jackson Brodie, but I will say that Atkinson's books, including the mysteries, are comfortably categorized as literary fiction. They are complicated and very well written.
Long thread! I agree with raves for Life After Life, and love for The Goldfinch until the end (loved the character Boris). Neal stephenson's Diamond Age was so fabulous until the middle wherei began to loathe it and never finished. I'm read Years of Rice and Salt for book club(as well as Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks) and getting ready to read Signature of All Things. Heir Apparent on ebook expired before I could get to it :(
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Shannon wrote: "I'm read Years of Rice and Salt for book club..."I really loved that book but my husband hated it.
annabel wrote: "Bonnie wrote: "Amy wrote: "I just finished reading "The Goldfinch" (Donna Tartt) and must say I loved it. I devoured it as if in a dream, and thought about when I wasn't reading it. I understand th..."I absolutely love Behind the Scenes at the Museum, one of my favorite books. I was looking forward to her future books, but the Jackson Brodie books leave me cold.
Life After Life was amazing; tied for my favorite Atkinson book with Behind the Scenes at the Museum. Her Jackson Brodie books were good but I think her amazing, imaginative writing was held in check somewhat by the mystery/police procedural genre. Can't wait for her next book!
Haven't read Life After Life yet, but I loved Behind the Scenes at the Museum and Case Histories. I read Started Early, Took My Dog next (not realizing that Jackson Brodie was a recurring character and I'd read it out of order) and loved it, too. Honestly, I don't even think of the Jackson Brodie books as mysteries!
Can anyone weigh-in on The Twelve Tribes of Hattie or The Light Between Oceans?
Finally started to read Divergent after about a bazillion recommendations and have already finished half of it. Not really sure about it yet - it's certainly an entertaining read but I'm not sure the society structures etc make sense yet? Maybe it'll clear up once I've finished.
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Bonnie wrote: "Margaret, I feel the exact same about Atkinson ' s mysyeries. If you haven't read Don Winslow you might like those too."[goes to mark Don Winslow as Want to Read] Thanks!
Kate Atkinson is my most recent discovery, she is amazing. Life After Life is epic in scope, characters and imagination. If you enjoy her I'd highly recommend Ann Patchet too, especially State of Wonder.
Carolyn wrote: "Can anyone weigh-in on The Twelve Tribes of Hattie or The Light Between Oceans?"I enjoyed the first half of Light Between Oceans but hated the second half. Felt it merged into too much melodrama and over the top unrealistic behaviour.
I'm reading Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell and I'm almost 200 pages in and just not invested at all. I'm bummed because friends of mine talked this book up a lot and I feel like maybe I'm missing something? But so far it's super boring and directionless. And there's still 800 pages to go!! AAAGGHH. Is it worth continuing? Or should I just drop it for any of the other books I have lying around waiting to be read?
Just starting the museum of extraordinary things by Alice Hoffman. She writes beautiful books. This is her latest. It comes highly recommended.
I just finished reading I Am Malala: The Girl Who Stood Up for Education and Was Shot by the Taliban unexpectedly quickly. I loved it and wrote my first ever review on Goodreads on it (eek!), so refer to that for a more in depth synopsis, but I can say that if you like inspiring autobiographies, are interested in education and/or feminism and/or like reading about history and war, this is a great read.
Carolyn wrote: "Can anyone weigh-in on The Twelve Tribes of Hattie or The Light Between Oceans?"The Light Between Oceans has such beautiful, heartrending prose. But its emotionally brutal. My full review is here: http://faintingviolet.wordpress.com/2...
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Go Fug Yourself Book Club
Books mentioned in this topic
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Authors mentioned in this topic
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Carrie Bebris (other topics)
I have the exact same problem with my library requests! I always end up in the weeds.