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Fiction- What are you reading? Part 2
message 851:
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Nancy from NJ
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May 01, 2018 06:20AM
I am currently reading The Tuscan Child by Rhys Bowen. I have read some of this author's from other books and i enjoy her titles.
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Heather wrote: "Chrissie wrote: "I am moving on to Offshore."I hope you have more success with this one, Chrissie."
It has not difficult to beat the last one(Vanity Fair). I just finished Offshore and l definitely liked it. Have added another one of hers to read--The Blue Flower.
I have started Nathaniel Hawthorne's The House of the Seven Gables. The prose is wordy. I am finding it much more difficult to follow than the author's The Scarlet Letter which I recently read and very much liked.
Chrissie wrote: "I have started Nathaniel Hawthorne's The House of the Seven Gables. The prose is wordy. I am finding it much more difficult to follow than the author's..."Chrissie, I didn't like The House of the Seven Gables at all. It IS wordy, as you say, and it left me with nothing at all. I gave it 1 star, which I don't do very often.
Chrissie, me too, I enjoyed the Scarlet Letter but House of Seven Gables just dragged. I wonder if it would be better as a play or movie.
Marina and Joan, that sounds depressing to hear. The story has picked up a bit. Something is at least happening. Hepzibah has opened a confectionery store.Maybe I am getting used to the wordiness? I think books like these are perhaps easier to listen to than to read. Anthony Heald narrates and he is good. He does read this fast but this doesn't seem to be causing me trouble.
maybe I'll try the audio book one day.I just finished Maurice and I did not enjoy it. I guess I feel a bit virtuous for having pushed through to the end.
Well written, interesting plot and engaging characters - so why didn't I enjoy it more? I think because I have recently read The Picture of Dorian Gray, "In Search of Lost Time" and A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man
Wilde and Proust wrote about evils of homophobia; Joyce and Proust about coming-of-age in a caste-ridden society. All three used wit, celebrated language and gave the reader a sense of the place and time. Forster, on the other hand, came across as a whining misanthrope.
Jenny wrote: "I am reading The Luminaries by Eleanor Catton, It seems incredibly smart, but now that I am on page 250 of roughly 1000 pages, I still don't really know if I actually care about wh..."
I kind of felt the same way about her first book The Rehearsal which I didn't finish. The Luminaries is still on my want to read list, but I don't know if I ever will....
Joan wrote: "maybe I'll try the audio book one day.I just finished Maurice and I did not enjoy it. I guess I feel a bit virtuous for having pushed through to the end.
Well written, interesting plo..."
I rally appreciate you explanation of why Maurice disappointed you. While I very much enjoyed A Passage to India and Where Angels Fear to Tread, Maurice does not appeal to me. I am still debating on whether to pick up Howards End...... A Room with a View did not blow me over. I think maybe his books set outside of Britain appeal to me more.
Joan and Marina, The House of the Seven Gables is definitely picking up. Now, I do not notice the wordiness. I think that it being performed by a good narrator, Anthony Heald, helps a lot. There is subtle humor, or at least that is how I see it, for example when Hawthorne speaks of the "conjugal couple of robins" out in the garden. Come on, that is funny! I began liking it a lot after the point where Phoebe discovers Holgrave the daguerrotypist out in the garden. I liked the way daguerrotype is described and found what is said there to be very true. It draws out the essential and discards the rest. That he now wants to do a daguerrotype of Phoebe, because she is sweet, angelic compared to the other subjects he has done, makes you stop and think. And now that visitor has appeared--Clifford. It is getting VERY interesting. Gothic mystery for sure! The writing is definitely pulling me in. Is it because I am listening rather than reading??????? Actually, I am enjoying the exactness of the words. The words create an atmosphere that is palpable.
Chrissie, I'm very glad to know that The House of the Seven Gables is working for you. I don't think I will give it another chance, though.
Marina wrote: "Chrissie, I'm very glad to know that The House of the Seven Gables is working for you. I don't think I will give it another chance, though."I extremely rarely reread books, particularly if rated with one star! I understand completely. I was simply throwing out the ideas circling in my head, hoping that maybe you would remember parts.
I am currently reading The This scan Child which is a good read and stand alone book by Rhys Bowen.
The title of this book is The Tuscan Child by Rhys Bowen.
I have begun The Spectator Bird by Wallace Stegner. It is not my first by the author. So far it is definitely intriguing me.
Chrissie wrote: "Joan and Marina, The House of the Seven Gables is definitely picking up. Now, I do not notice the wordiness. I think that it being performed by a good narrator, Anthony Heald, helps a ..."I think you may be right that a good narration can draw you in. A year ago, I did not like listening to audiobooks but for various reasons I have had to adopt them and now I quite enjoy them - especially for poetry.
Joan and Marina, despite excellent narration by Anthong Heald I ended up giving The House of the Seven Gables 1 star. The end finished me off. First the book was difficult because of dense language. Then the language lightened up and I could enjoy parts. At the end it went rapidly downhill, being slapstick in style. I could have saved myself a lot of time and just written this as my review.
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Chrissie wrote: "Joan and Marina, despite excellent narration by Anthong Heald I ended up giving The House of the Seven Gables 1 star. The end finished me off. First the book was difficult because of..."
Sorry to hear that, Chrissie. I hate wasting time on 1-star reads :(
Marina wrote: "I hate wasting time on 1-star reads :(."I don't actually. There were a few good lines and now I know what I personally think of this classic by Hawthorne. I have also learned a bit about the house that is now a museum.
Chrissie wrote: "Marina wrote: "I hate wasting time on 1-star reads :(."I don't actually. There were a few good lines and now I know what I personally think of this classic by Hawthorne. I have also learned a bit..."
That's good.
I have begun Darkness at Noon by Arthur Koestler. It is not an easy read, neither is the narration by Frank Muller making it easier to swallow. It drives me nuts how he attempts to increase the suspense by alternately speeding up the tempo and then pulling out the end of sentences. I do not like the narration one bit.
I am still listening to Kristin Lavransdatter - I have finished the first book in this omnibus, "The Wreath", and so will take a little breather. I find the Norwegian names a bit difficult in audio until I have heard them several times! In print, I am reading a 1930s mystery (a BoTM for another group) called Murder Underground. And I am rereading The Aeneid as part of the readalong with Beth.
And I am trying out the iPod app Serial Reader with Joseph Conrad's Typhoon. I am not sure that this app really brings me anything - I am pretty good at doling out daily doses of classics for myself! But I had heard several people mention it here and elsewhere so thought I should give it a try.
I've started re-reading If on a Winter's Night a Traveler. I loved it when I read it seven years ago, and now it's a group read in another group, I decided to try and see if I still like it so much.
Marina wrote: "I've started re-reading If on a Winter's Night a Traveler. I loved it when I read it seven years ago, and now it's a group read in another group, I decided to try and see if I still l...":)
Now I have to have something light in tone. Everyone must understand why i have chosen Winnie-the-Pooh! It is absolutely delightful. I can say right now it will be given five stars. I am listening to the audiobook narrated by Peter Dennis, the aonly version authorized by A.A. Milne's son, Christopher Robin. I have to say this, it is a perfect book for both adults and kids. Actually better for adults than for kids, but it works for both because it pushes adults to talk to their kids and explain. You cannot ask for a better book. the word play is stupendous. The book gets better every time I read it. Now I think it is best listened to--narrated by Peter Dennis.
Started The Kites by Romain Gary. Some years ago I've read and loved The Life Before Us by the same author so I hope to like also this one.
Moving on to another classic-- Silas Marner by George Eliot, whose real name was Mary Ann Evans. We are discussing this here in the group...which is fun. I hope I like it.
Many years ago I found a small book called Shrink Litswhich reduced the themes of some classic books to a few lines.
I remember for Silas Marner it said something like this a classic about an old and young guy to which every High School student must read and they all hate it
LOL. But don't go by me, I never liked Moby Dick OR Silas Marner.
I will be reading both of those this month, Nancy. I have tried to get through Moby-Dick a million times. I picked it up free this month in an audio format with a good narrator. I was told it had hunor. I never saw humor in it! I will give that one more chance.I have never tried Silas Marner before, but I have not been in love with Eliot's other books.
Good luck Christie. I hope that's your name since they don't spell out full names anymore.
Nope, my nickname has two ss letters not st.I see what you mean. Is this a change at GR?
Yes, recently it seems to me GR has not spelled out all of a name. Sorry I spelled your name wrong. I hope I remember the spelling in the future.
I am currently reading a light hearted historical fiction book, Secret Shores by Ella Carey. I have read all of this author's books and always enjoyed them.
I've started The Late-night News, a mystery by Petros Markaris - the first in the Kostas Charitos series. I needed something light.
I have begun Moby-Dick or, The Whale, this time in the audio format. I am listening to it narrated by Anthony Heald. Will I get to the end, something which I have failed to do every time before? Many times in the past I have tried to read the paper book.
Chrissie wrote: "I have begun Moby-Dick or, The Whale, this time in the audio format. I am listening to it narrated by Anthony Heald. Will I get to the end, something which I have failed to do every t..."😳 Good luck!
Chrissie- good luck with Moby Dick, I listened to an audiobook book. The narration was fine, the story okay.
Like yourself Chrissie, I started and stopped Moby so many times. Finally read it all the way through when my son had to read it in his senior year of high school. We read it together and cheered each other on. Believe me, that helped!!
Joan wrote: "Chrissie- good luck with Moby Dick, I listened to an audiobook book. The narration was fine, the story okay."It is going well so far.
Diane S ☔ wrote: "Like yourself Chrissie, I started and stopped Moby so many times. Finally read it all the way through when my son had to read it in his senior year of high school. We read it together and cheered e..."
Well, the audiobook version may be easier than the paper format. Also I am more stubborn now than I was when younger......... but that I have never finished it has always annoyed me.
To all of you who have read Moby-Dick or, The Whale.
We are discussing the book as I go. Look at the messages under my review. I have requested help from all those who have read it.
Chrissie, I admire your "stubborness". I have tried to read Moby-Dick or, The Whale just the one time, but I had to give up on it. However, I think I will try again one day, though maybe not so soon.
I've started One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich. I'm sure it's going to be good, although the subject matter certainly is tough.
Marina wrote: "Chrissie, I admire your "stubborness". I have tried to read Moby-Dick or, The Whale just the one time, but I had to give up on it. However, I think I will try again one day, though ma..."I have had two stabs at Moby Dick but he is still beached on my DNF pile. I thought I might have a final try with the Big Read
http://www.mobydickbigread.com/
Marina wrote: "I've started One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich. I'm sure it's going to be good, although the subject matter certainly is tough."Yeah, I am stubborn for good and for bad. I loved the one you are reading now. I read it when it first came out back in the 60s. I was young and I was in fact in Nantucket when I read it. I remember exactly where I sat while I read it....and then we would go out and play kick-the -can.
Esther wrote: "Marina wrote: "Chrissie, I admire your "stubborness". I have tried to read Moby-Dick or, The Whale just the one time, but I had to give up on it. However, I think I will try again one..."I wonder if I will manage to get through it this time, and if so, what will be my rating?
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