Which One of the Thousand Are You Reading Now?

[Marlise]

I'm revisiting an old childhood book that is on the list

Are You There God, it's Me Margaret

[Carol Ann]

Just finished CARRIE since I just read 11/22/63. I also read IN COLD BLOOD. Today is DRACULA! October is spooky book month for me!

[James]

Kyle wrote: "James wrote: "I'm intrigued by the misunderstandings and controversies. He clearly created a "meme" that meant something a little different from what he intended!"

Hello James, my curiosity is piq..."

Hello Kyle, I thought I was responding to a comment about reading Richard Dawkins's The Selfish Gene, but I can't seem to find what prompted me!

[Bryan--The Bee’s Knees]

There were a couple of comments about Dawkins at message 13, 15, and 16.

I'm glad you answered this, because I was wondering what you were referring to as well.

I was also glad the other readers talked about this--I'd always assumed that the book was looking at the gene or genes that made people selfish, not that the gene itself was selfish (or protective, is what it sounds like). Anyway--that book wasn't even on my radar before, but I'd pick it up now if I ran across it.

[Diane]

I also liked Stoner! Interesting, but straight forward.

[Jane]

Marlise wrote: "I'm revisiting an old childhood book that is on the list

Are You There God, it's Me Margaret"

I read that book too. I thought it was very very good. I had never read it before because I was 11 when it was first published in 1970 and I was reading YA books by that time.

[Jane]

I am getting ready to read Dubliners. JM recommended reading Joyce while he's in Ireland.

First I am finishing The Adventures of Roderich Random by Smollett. I checked this out of the library 2 weeks before the Dubliners, so I only have a week to finish it.

[Jane]

I just requested Frankenstein audio book from the library. I don't like horror so I hope that listening to it will be easier that reading it. If it is I'll see if Carrie is available on audio too.

[James]

Bryan "goes on a bit too long" wrote: "There were a couple of comments about Dawkins at message 13, 15, and 16.

I'm glad you answered this, because I was wondering what you were referring to as well.

I was also glad the other readers..."

Thanks, Bryan — you're right. I meant it as response to Janet at message 15.

[James]

Jane wrote: "I am getting ready to read Dubliners. JM recommended reading Joyce while he's in Ireland.

First I am finishing The Adventures of Roderich Random by Smollett. I checked this out of the library 2 we..."

Jane, you're in for a treat with Dubliners. Especially, the last story, "The Dead," which is as close to a perfect piece of prose as I know. If you read nothing else by Joyce, read that!

[James]

Bryan "goes on a bit too long" wrote: "Finished Stoner. Another underrated, seldom mentioned book, in my opinion. Little flash, but a lot of depth."

It'll stick with you, too, I bet.

[James]

Bryan "goes on a bit too long" wrote: "I love True Grit. It's one of my 'best of' the century books. Another one that's somewhat underrated, I think.

I think you've got the idea for another good thread--'books that need to be in Volum..."

Yes -- that's a good idea. Actually, if you go to www.1000bookstoread.com, you can add True Grit—and anything else you like—to the extended list readers are building there. I think of it as the "afterlife" edition.

[James]

Kyle wrote: "True Grit is amazing. And the Hailee Steinfeld movie is amazing. She made a name for herself with that performance."

Agree with you Kyle. I regret I left Portis off my original list.

[James]

Shelly wrote: "Just finished “The Heart is A Lonely Hunter” by Carson McCullers. Outstanding! I can not fathom that she was 23 when she wrote this book. When you are witness to the exact moments when a character ..."

Well said, Shelley.

[Jane]

James wrote: "Jane wrote: "I am getting ready to read Dubliners. JM recommended reading Joyce while he's in Ireland.

First I am finishing The Adventures of Roderich Random by Smollett. I checked this out of the..."

Thanks

[Carol Ann]

Just finished Dracula! So good. I love this reading list. Thank you, James.

[Jane]

Just finished Dubliners. It was a good book. I especially liked the last story "The Dead." Gabriel goes through so many emotions as he finds out his wife, Gretta, is thinking about a boy she loved when she was a girl.

[Jane]

I just finished Frankenstein but I think it's more early sci-fi than horror.

[Jane]

I just read 'The Story of Babar' to my Mom. She has dementia and doesn't talk very much anymore. But she really like me to read to her. We choose books in the 2-6 year old range because it's short enough to keep her attention on it.

Earlier this summer I read all the Harold and His Purple Crayon series to her. She loved it. She followed Harold's crayon with her finger as he was drawing things.

[Jane]

I starte'd 'A Portrait of an Artist as a Young Man

[Bryan--The Bee’s Knees]

As much as I loved Dubliners (and especially The Dead), neither of Joyce's other two books I read really appealed to me. I hope you enjoy them (or at least Portrait) more than I did.

[Jane]

I didn't care too much for 'A Portrait of an Artist as a Young Man.' Although I found it very candid in terms of religion, politics and sex, it was also confusing on where he was a lot of the time. One paragraph at college, the next at home--how did he get there? What girl was he interested in -- always referred to as she or her.

[Carol Ann]

Just finished To The Lighthouse. Amazing and beautiful.

[Jane]

I didn't like Ulysses by Joyce either. He writes in a very confusing way for me.

[Jane]

Just finished Dracula. I really thought it was well written. I read the centennial edition published by signet classics

[Diane]

I am going to give Dracula a try‼️

[Carol Ann]

Finished the first two Foundation books and halfway through the third.

[Bryan--The Bee’s Knees]

I just finished Graham Greene's The End of the Affair. I didn't realize it was on the list until after I'd finished. Not exactly an uplifting read, but an interesting exploration of one's relationship with God.

[Janet]

I just finished Skellig. A beautifully but simply written children's novel, all about the mysteries and fragility of life. If I had to categorize it, I'd say magic realism. I agree with Mustich, this definitely belongs on the the 1,000 book list!

[Jane]

Bryan wrote: "As much as I loved Dubliners (and especially The Dead), neither of Joyce's other two books I read really appealed to me. I hope you enjoy them (or at least Portrait) more than I did."

I agree with you. Portrait and Ulysses didn't appeal to me either.

[Carol Ann]

Janet wrote: "I just finished Skellig. A beautifully but simply written children's novel, all about the mysteries and fragility of life. If I had to categorize it, I'd say magic realism. I agree wit..."

I loved Skellig!

[Carol Ann]

Finished The Second Foundation during my travels over the weekend. It was satisfying. It had some twists and turns. Women did end up being part of the action where they were almost non-existent in the first novel (wondering if he got feedback about that between the first and second novel).

Now, I am on to The House of the Spirits. I do like this kind of book better than Sci-Fi and the "Horror/Thriller" books from October, but I am glad I challenged myself to go there.

I am also plowing through The Letters of Vincent Van Gogh leading up to my trip to the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam in NINE days! It is a LONG book, but I am fascinated!

Happy Reading!

[Kirsten]

I recently finished Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea by Jules Verne. I loved it, but I think he kinda overdid it on listing the different types of marine life.

[Carol Ann]

I was so surprised by how much I liked it too! I went ahead and watched the movie with my family. We all loved it.

[Janet]

Currently reading David Copperfield. Aunt Betsey Trotwood is a gem.

[Bryan--The Bee’s Knees]

Kirsten #EndGunViolence wrote: "I recently finished Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea by Jules Verne. I loved it, but I think he kinda overdid it on listing the different types of marine life."


I wanted to try reading Verne in French, but I've heard elsewhere about the descriptions, and it's making me waffle. I can read pretty well if there is some action, but long bits of description generally uses a lot of vocabulary that I don't know. I may give it a try anyway, and see where I get.

[Kirsten]

Bryan wrote: "Kirsten #EndGunViolence wrote: "I recently finished Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea by Jules Verne. I loved it, but I think he kinda overdid it on listing the dif..."

I don't know - I figure all those lists are probably the same word whatever language you use.

[Sean]

I am almost finished with Kristin Lavransdatter by Sigrid Undset

[Bryan--The Bee’s Knees]

Currently reading The Name of the Rose by Umberto Eco. I'm enjoying it--I was a little intimidated after reading Foucault's Pendulum a few years ago. That book was far more complicated than it needed to be.

[Jane]

I just finished Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream.

I am now reading The Roots of Civilization by Marshack.

It is an oversized book so I find it too heavy to read in bed so I am also reading The Collected Ghost Stories of M. R. James.

I really like James' book. The stories are Victorian Ghost stories so while they allude to the ghosts, there isn't anything in them too gory or scary to let me sleep. I read a story a night.

[Jane]

I just finished Ballard's the Drowned World.
I found the setting very interesting where nature took over and society was collapsing. I could imagine this actually happening with the way we treat the earth and how the ozone layer is depleting; however it probably wouldn't be so severe.

[Carlton]

Reading the introduction to A Midsummers Night’s Dream, so reading it soon.

[Janet]

Jane wrote: "I just finished Ballard's the Drowned World.
I found the setting very interesting where nature took over and society was collapsing. I could imagine this actually happening with the way we treat t..."

My favorite part was the trained alligators!

[Jane]

I just finished Lucky Jim by Kingsley Aims.
A good comical satire about the English University system in the 1950's.

[Janet]

Jane wrote: "I just finished Lucky Jim by Kingsley Aims.
A good comical satire about the English University system in the 1950's."
This one sounds really good. I am going to have to find it.

[Bryan--The Bee’s Knees]

Started Voices from Chernobyl: The Oral History of a Nuclear Disaster by Svetlana Alexievich

This is going to be a difficult but worthwhile book, I can see that already

[Jane]

I just finished Peter Pan in Kensington Gardens and Peter Pan and Wendy.

I had seen the movie on Peter Pan when I was young but I never read the book before.

A true classic to read to your kids.

[Jane]

I just finished "The Roots of Civilization." This book has enriched my life.

I learned so much of the Ice Age men from 'Homo erectus' to the Neanderthal Man which is just before modern man-'Homo sapiens.' Marshack does this through the use of microscopic analysis of many artifacts. He shows us that the 'Homo erectus' man was capable of complex 'time-factored' thought processes and had an advanced culture.

It was a slow read but that is because Marshack is so detailed in his analysis and walks you step-by-step to why he thinks his is correct.

Thank you James for putting it on your list. I would never had read it otherwise

[Jane]

I finished reading the Hunger Games trilogy by Susan Collins.
I was looking for some DVDs to check out of the library and saw the Hunger game DVDs.
So I checked out both the books and the DVDs.
A very good distopian trilogy.

[James]

Jane wrote: "I just finished "The Roots of Civilization." This book has enriched my life.

I learned so much of the Ice Age men from 'Homo erectus' to the Neanderthal Man which is just before modern man-'Homo ..."

I am so glad to know you read this, Jane, and that you found it so rewarding. I remember the profound effect it had on me when I first discovered it. It's an absolutely remarkable study. The story of its writing — Marshack was a freelance writer when he started doing this research — is astonishing in its own right.