Introductions

[Susan]

Hi Nidhi. My rule is never to struggle with books that aren't calling to you - we have lots of other discussions, so maybe join in with one of them? However, should you continue with In Cold Blood, I look forward to hearing your thoughts.

[Nidhi]

I have to read this book for challenge category ‘True Crime ‘ , it’s such a torture that now I am thinking not to do challenges which require us to read we don’t want to read. Another such book I recently read for science fiction category is The Time Machine.

[Susan]

Science Fiction is NOT my favourite genre and neither is Fantasy. I lost the will to live struggling through A Game of Thrones.... :)

[Nidhi]

I am sorry I used the word torture, no work of literature is torture. I should say its emotionally draining descriptions of Perry and Dicks past that is putting me off again and again. Author invokes sympathy in readers for the murderers. How can murder of innocents can be justified?

[Alwynne]

Nidhi wrote: "I am sorry I used the word torture, no work of literature is torture. I should say its emotionally draining descriptions of Perry and Dicks past that is putting me off again and again. Author invok..."

I agree with Susan if you're not keen on it then don't continue. But not sure that trying to understand why someone commits a crime is the equivalent of saying that their actions were justified. And in some ways Capote is suggesting that there was more than one crime here, in that the treatment and lack of support for people like this may have led to their later violent or anti-social behaviour. That's not to mention the issue of state-sanctioned murder.

[Susan]

Yes, there are, as always, shades of grey. Perhaps what makes the book so interesting is Capote's relationship with the killers and much of the book is about this, rather than the crime itself.

[Nidhi]

I took it ( the book) very easy, like Sherlock Holmes , a page turner, I will continue reading because writing is good. I don’t like to leave books unfinished that’s why I am very choosy. I couldn’t finish The 39 Steps by John Buchan

[Lady Clementina]

Susan wrote: "Science Fiction is NOT my favourite genre and neither is Fantasy. I lost the will to live struggling through A Game of Thrones.... :)"

At least you tried A Game of Thrones. I was too daunted to even start. I don't mind fantasy but sometimes high fantasy is too much work to get my head around.

Re true crime, it does make me a touch uncomfortable and that's also probably why I've been putting of picking up In True Blood.

[Nidhi]

Among fantasy I have read only Harry Potter series, I was a teenager so I loved it very much and can reread anytime. Now I am planning to try this genre next year with Narnia series because movies are good so I am hopeful. GoT (books) could not hold my attention for long .

[Judy]

Welcome Nidhi, thanks for introducing yourself. Must confess I didn't even try In Cold Blood as I'm not a fan of true crime, but I'm enjoying A Fine Balance although it is quite bleak.

[Jan C]

Welcome Nidhu. Life is too short to struggle with books you are not really interested in. As noted elsewhere, I read ICB many years ago. Even then I had to put it down for a number of years.

[Nidhi]

Thank you Jan and Jude. Yes Jan , life is too short.... I was wrong in presuming that if I am 40 years old I should be able to ‘handle ‘ thrillers and horrors better.
Interest has nothing to do with age, these genres are just not for me.

[Jan C]

I like a good mystery and most true crime - although I usually won't read them more than once. Not too crazy about thrillers, horrors, science fiction, fantasy.

[WndyJW]

Hello, I’m Wendy. I know a few people here from The Mookse and the Gripes. I’m in the midst of a 3 week reader’s block, the longest I’ve ever experienced, so was browsing other groups and saw some of my favorite novels and authors listed here.

I’m terrible at group reads because I can’t read a book I’m not enjoying and I’m a real mood reader. Often books I put down fall into the right book, wrong time category, but the 3 books coming up through December are books I would enjoy.

I love British women writers of a certain age, so Hilary Mantel, Anita Brookner, Barbara Comyns, etc., and I also enjoy experimental fiction and the fiction coming from UK’s indie presses. I’m drawn to European novels, WWI-WWII novels, novels set in India-any period, rural or urban, and lately Nordic novels.

I used to read along with a few literary prizes, but I seem to run out of steam before I finish the list.

I struggle with fantasy and SciFi, but am learning to appreciate poetry.

I live in a suburb of Cleveland, Ohio and am myself a woman of a certain age.

[Roman Clodia]

Welcome, Wendy! We leave all group and buddy read threads open so feel free to post at any time - it can be fun to re-open discussions.

[WndyJW]

Hi RC! Thank you. I’m enjoying looking through threads right now.

[Bronwyn]

Welcome, Wendy! I’m in Ohio too and am much a mood reader too, hence my sparse participation here a lot lately. (I also love those sorts of women writers and the - usually - small presses republishing them.) I hope you enjoy it here. :)

[WndyJW]

Thank you, Bronwyn.

Speaking of small presses have you read any books from Two Dollar Radio, the press and bookstore in Columbus?

[Bronwyn]

Ooh I haven’t, but that’s only about twenty minutes from me! I’ll have to check them out some time. Thank you! :)

[WndyJW]

Two Dollar Radio is a small shop with a curated indie press books and a vegetarian restaurant. It was wonderful to have a book seller recommend books that weren’t NYT Best Sellers.

[Bronwyn]

That sounds amazing. I’ll definitely have to check them out. :)

[Lynaia]

Welcome Wendy! I can sympathize with you on your readers block. I’ve struggled with that quite a bit this last year myself. It’s so frustrating because reading has always been one of my favorite things. I have definitely become more of a mood reader because of it. This is a really great group though with no pressure and lots of encouragement.

Your indie bookstore sounds great! Apart from secondhand stores it can be really hard to find books that aren’t the mainstream bestsellers. And I find I much prefer the quality of writing in the older books. (Love Barbara Comyns)

Look forward to hearing your thoughts on books!

[Susan]

Welcome to the group, Wendy. Hope we find something to tempt you!

[WndyJW]

Thank you, everyone!

[Sid]

Hello, and thanks for having me.

Susan invited me to join this group an embarrassingly long time ago and Roman Clodia has finally persuaded me that it's a good idea. I've always loved to read and these days circumstances mean that I have a good deal of enforced down-time, which I use for either music or reading. I'm looking forward to suggestions for books and authors I've not read before and to reading other people's responses and thoughts - and sometimes to re-reading things from a long time ago. (I see that you've recently "done" Brave New World, which I did for O level over 50 years ago and In Cold Blood which I read just a few years later. Not sure whether either really calls to me again, but I am sure that some will.)

I'll try pretty well anything. I have something of an allergy to Magical Realism and in general I'm not a huge fan of SF or fantasy, but there are always plenty of exceptions. And I agree with what Susan and others have recently said here: life's too short to struggle with books you're not enjoying, so I'll just see how things go and join in as and when.

[Susan]

Hurrah! Glad you made it, Sid :)

[Sid]

Thanks, Susan!

[Susan]

Here's a link to upcoming reads: https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

Just join in with anything that grabs your attention, although there are plenty of opportunities for chatting without reading anything, to be honest.

[Sid]

Thanks - all noted. An interesting selection! (Three months for Ulysses made me smile. Maybe - just maybe.)

[Susan]

It's ever updating. RC and myself were tempted by a Stefan Zweig just yesterday... We have, as you know, absolutely no resistance where books are concerned.

[Sid]

Zweig is just a half-familiar name to me, I'm afraid. But why not? :o)

[Nigeyb]

Welcome aboard Sid

[Susan]

Sid wrote: "Zweig is just a half-familiar name to me, I'm afraid. But why not? :o)"

In that case, The World of Yesterday is the title. Currently in Audible sale and only £1.45 on kindle.

[Sid]

Thanks, Nigeyb. I'll take a look.

[Sid]

Oo-er! My mother was a Viennese Jew and managed to get out in 1938. Her parents (my grandmother and grandfather) didn't and I never knew them. I've largely given up reading about Holocaust-related stuff (after reading a lot for quite some time) because it doesn't do my state of mind any good these days. I'll consider it because it would be very interesting, but...

Sorry. That's probably a lot more than you wanted to know.

[Judy]

Good to see you over here, Sid - glad you have joined.

[Sid]

Thanks, Judy.

[Ben]

Welcome Sid. It's alway great to have a new perspective in our discussions.

[Sid]

Thanks, Ben. Perhaps best to reserve judgement on the value of my perspective? 😉

[Roman Clodia]

Hurrah, hurrah, Sid's joined the party! 🎉

[Susan]

Your perspective is highly valued, Sid, and please come and chat on threads, whether you read a particular book or not.

[Sid]

{blush} Thank you, RC and Susan.

[Ce Ce]

I have been sporadically engaged in Goodreads. Absent now for some time. With this new year I resolved to reengage.

This group has read several books that I have read. Most recently, this weekend, I read Elizabeth Taylor’s exquisite jewel, Mrs. Palfrey at the Claremont. Paul Bailey wrote the Introduction. Two of his books are available…one through Kindles deals and another through Kindles Unlimited Reading. I will post them on the appropriate thread.

At present, I look forward to joining in “Every Man for Himself” by Beryl Bainbridge and I have long wanted to read Nabokov’s “Lolita” with a group.

I live both in San Francisco and Minneapolis (Minnesota). Yes, it’s winter and very cold in Minneapolis…it’s stunningly beautiful. I absolutely love it!

I organized an in life book group in Minneapolis. We have been meeting for a bit over 13 years. We take turns selecting our next read. It currently happens to be my turn. I chose The Power of the Dog…recently made into a film by Jane Campion.

[Nigeyb]

Great news Ce Ce - looking forward to discovering your reaction to those books

[Ce Ce]

Nigeyb wrote: "Great news Ce Ce - looking forward to discovering your reaction to those books"

Thank you.

[Brian E]

Ce Ce wrote: "I have been sporadically engaged in Goodreads. Absent now for some time. With this new year I resolved to reengage. .."

CeCe, I remember you participating in the Group Read of Blindness and the Buddy Reads of the two Zola novels in late 2020. Welcome back. I see you were still busy reading classics while away, such as Sigrid Undset's The Master of Hestviken, a tetralogy I highly enjoyed when I read it in 2020.

Ce Ce wrote: "I organized an in life book group in Minneapolis. We have been meeting for a bit over 13 years. ."

I remember you talking about your real life book group as you were reading one of my favorite all-time novels, Angle of Repose, at the time of our Zola and Blindness discussions. Hope it went over well.

[Ce Ce]

Brian wrote: "Ce Ce wrote: "I have been sporadically engaged in Goodreads. Absent now for some time. With this new year I resolved to reengage. .."

Oh yes! Hello Brian. I love Sigrid Undset. I am currently reading Kristin Lavransdatter. I read it about 30 or so years ago. This is a reread.

I do recall Angle of Repose was one of your favorites. Response in the group ranged from lukewarm to great enthusiasm. One member was inspired to read most of his books. We just had coffee together on Friday. She mentioned her extensive reading of Wallace Stegner. He has become a favorite. A love she and I share.

I am looking forward to Thomas Savage. Power of the Dog, the a Novel will be my introduction to him.

[Roman Clodia]

Hi Ce Ce, good to see you back here! There are quite a few Elizabeth Taylor fans in the group, and we've just read her Angel. Lots more goodies coming up, as you've seen :)

[Ce Ce]

Roman Clodia wrote: "Hi Ce Ce, good to see you back here! There are quite a few Elizabeth Taylor fans in the group, and we've just read her Angel. Lots more goodies coming up, as you've seen :)"

Tomorrow we will be flying so I looked at Angel. While I was looking at it, I discovered "At Mrs Lippincote's" for $2.99 on Kindle. Reading selected! ;-)

[Susan]

Hi Ce Ce and welcome.