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Fiction- What are you reading? Part 2
Marina (Sonnenbarke) wrote: "Chrissie, I believe it was written in 20 days, so yes, definitely quickly, especially for such a lengthy book.Joan, I'm just 7% in but I'm not finding it poorly written at all, at least not so fa..."
To each their own.
Marina, I’ve noticed on a few books that translations can vary a great deal.
Marina (Sonnenbarke) wrote: "Chrissie, I believe it was written in 20 days, so yes, definitely quickly, especially for such a lengthy book.Joan, I'm just 7% in but I'm not finding it poorly written at all, at least not so fa..."
I must admit I find translations from German pretty heavy going in general, even Inkheart was a bit of a slog for me.
But I didn't find this book badly written and given the subject matter the language was relatively light and easy to read. It was just grey in its outlook.
Joan wrote: "Marina, I’ve noticed on a few books that translations can vary a great deal."That is certainly true!
Petra wrote: "I really enjoyed Doc, too, Pam. I still have the sequel to look forward to."Me. too! I was planning on reading the sequel Epitaph in January but it might be February since I have a bunch of library books that have come in this week and some group reads I want to participate in!
Now I am reading a classic. Having never read Arnold Bennett before, I am now reading Anna of the Five Towns. It is set at the turn of the twentieth century and in Staffordshire, England.
Chrissie wrote: "Now I am reading a classic. Having never read Arnold Bennett before, I am now reading Anna of the Five Towns. It is set at the turn of the twentieth century and in Staffor..."I remember as a teenager, many decades ago, seeing a TV adaptation of that.
At the time I didn't realise it was based on a book.
Esther wrote: "Chrissie wrote: "Now I am reading a classic. Having never read Arnold Bennett before, I am now reading Anna of the Five Towns. It is set at the turn of the twentieth centu..."Yeah, it was adapted to TV, but I never saw it. Arnold Bennett was a local of the area. The towns referred to in the title are Tunstall, Burslem, Hanley, Stoke,
Diane S ☔ wrote: "Can't wait to see what you think, Chrissie.Starting Josephine Baker's Last Dance by Sherry Jones"
Re: Anna of the Five Towns
It's good, even at the beginning, and gets better and better and better as you go. I will be reading more by the author. Bleak and grim are appropriated adjectives, but they fit me to a T. The brogue is at times difficult. I WANT to understand so I often go back and listen again and again. The writing is dated but extremely good too. Remember, at the beginning, be patient, watch how it develops as you go on.
I have been listening ALL the time; I have been sick. I have not even been taking walks with Oscar. I think it is the flu even if I had the flu vaccination. Family members were sick over Xmas..... When I get really sick I get ketones too, and they wreck havoc with my diabetes. Still, I don't regret a thing.
My brother-in-law recommended Murder With Peacocks, I’m 10% in but it hasn’t captured my interest. I’ll stick with it a bit longer.
Chrissie wrote: "Diane S ☔ wrote: "Can't wait to see what you think, Chrissie.Starting Josephine Baker's Last Dance by Sherry Jones"
Re: Anna of the Five Towns
It's ..."
Chrissie- I’m sorry to learn that you have been so ill. I hope you are feeling better.
Joan, thanks for thinking of me. Both my husband and I are better. We both had the flu vaccinations but it seems you can still get quite sick; the same thing happened last year. I do think we have recuperated rather quickly though. I am still very stuffed up and cough but the ketones have disappeared, which is a huge relief. I cannot help but think, if I felt as miserable as I did, think what it would have happened without the vaccination.
I’m reading “There, There” by Tommy Orange. I’ve seen so many people giving it 5 stars that I felt I should read it. I’m really enjoying it! (I am on my phone so I can’t link it. To find the book you have to query by the author’s name.)
Pam wrote: "I’m reading “There, There” by Tommy Orange. I’ve seen so many people giving it 5 stars that I felt I should read it. I’m really enjoying it! (I am on my phone so I can’t link it. To find the book y..."Here it is: There There. It was one of my favorite books in 2018.
Tamara wrote: "Pam wrote: "I’m reading “There, There” by Tommy Orange. I’ve seen so many people giving it 5 stars that I felt I should read it. I’m really enjoying it! (I am on my phone so I can’t link it. To fin..."Thanks Tamara for your help!
I'm also reading the classic novella Passing by Nella Larsen for a FaceBook reading group. This is our first selection.
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Loved it. I've read it some weeks ago!
LauraT wrote: "Chrissie wrote: "I have begun The Return of the Native, by of course Thomas Hardy"Loved it. I've read it some weeks ago!"
I know I like Hardy's prose style. It is his plot lines that usually give me trouble. I adore the beginning description of the moor. I have not come far.
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LauraT wrote: "Descriptions usually are really good in his novels. The plots are complicated, and this is not an exception! Anyway, interesting ..."I got immensely annoyed at the characters in Jude the Obscure. They could never ever make up their minds! This of course affected what they did, and in this way the plot. Also, by making the characters so exaggerated, he weakens his own criticism of social restraints.
I am focusing on the prose in The Return of the Native. That is indeed wonderful.
I just finished City of Heavenly Fire and it was Amaze-balls! I'm starting A Good Yarn now
I just finished There There. Wow, what a book! Yesterday, I started the classic Hunger by Norwegian author Knut Hamsun. I'm really enjoying it, too. An exploration of the psyche - very different than anything I've ever read.
Pam wrote: "I just finished There There. Wow, what a book! Yesterday, I started the classic Hunger by Norwegian author Knut Hamsun. I'm really enjoying it, too. An ..."I had trouble with Hamsun's book; I never really felt convinced that he was all that starving.
Pam wrote: "I just finished There There. Wow, what a book! Yesterday, I started the classic Hunger by Norwegian author Knut Hamsun. I'm really enjoying it, too. An ..."Pam, I'm glad you enjoyed There There. Like you, I thought it was a Wow!
Chrissie wrote: "I have begun The Return of the Native, by of course Thomas Hardy"I enjoyed both Return of The Native & Jude the Obscure, my review of Jude is here https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Joan wrote: "Chrissie wrote: "I have begun The Return of the Native, by of course Thomas Hardy"I enjoyed both Return of The Native & Jude the Obscure, my review of Jude is here htt..."
I have responded to you on your review.
After finishing Every Man Dies Alone, yesterday I started Lady Audley's Secret. Just 7% in and already I feel I'm going to like it a lot.
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I've read it - [book:Lady Audley's Secret|588747 I mean - some years ago, and I have to say I liked it quite: but I like mysteries and Voctorian novels!!!!
Chrissie wrote: "Joan wrote: "Chrissie wrote: "I have begun The Return of the Native, by of course Thomas Hardy"I enjoyed both Return of The Native & Jude the Obscure, my review of Jud..."
Chrissie & I listened to different narrations of Jude the Obscure. I didn’t like the style of Stephen Thorne so I listened to the Naxos version by Neville Jason. He did a nice job.
Joan wrote: "Chrissie wrote: "Joan wrote: "Chrissie wrote: "I have begun The Return of the Native, by of course Thomas Hardy"I enjoyed both Return of The Native & Jude the Obscure,..."
When I listened to Return of the Native, I was very lucky to find a copy narrated by the late great Alan Rickman - ear porn!!
Chrissie wrote: "I had trouble with Hamsun's book; I never really felt convinced that he was all that starving...."Chrissie - I found it believable and really liked the book (more than I expected to). I hope to read Growth of the Soil later this year, along with some Thomas Hardy novels.
Does anyone have any recs for historical fiction?
Sophia wrote: "Does anyone have any recs for historical fiction?"Any particular period?
I have begun the classic Master and Commander by Patrick O'Brian. Everybody seems to have read this except me. I wonder how I will react to this adventure series.
Sophia wrote: "Does anyone have any recs for historical fiction?"Sophia, I'm a fan of historical fiction - please feel free to browse my shelf of historical fiction. I've written reviews for those books read.
Sophia, feel free to browse my hf shelf: https://www.goodreads.com/review/list...Most of those I have read, and there are many, have reviews.
I've been reading "Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix". It has 800+ pages, which was overwhelming for me at first. But so far I've been loving it so much.
I just started the 1967 classic SF (dystopia) audio book Ice by Anna Kavan. My GR friend Jeffrey (who has read almost everything I add to my TBR) reviewed it and gave it 5 stars so I thought I would try it. So far, its really interesting! And, it's short which helps for listening to an audiobook for me. Audio is not my preference but that's all my library has. No ebook edition.
I've read a lot of historical fiction, but not all of it is on a shelf. There are so many different subgenres under that, so it depends a lot on what you like. There is historical fiction that is also literary, mainstream, romance, mystery and many other things. I haven't read the one you are reading, but are you looking for historical fiction about real events? (there are different sorts of these as well!)
Now I am reading The Green Mile by Stephen King. I have not read King in decades. I am not at all sure what I will think.
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Joan, I'm just 7% in but I'm not finding it poorly written at all, at least not so far. I'm reading the original German, though, so I wouldn't know about translations.
Esther, I will let you know when I finish it. I'm interested in what you have to say.