Reading the 20th Century discussion
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What books are you reading now? (2020)
Yes, no notifications since early yesterday. I only get the onsite notifications.
Apparently this is intentional. The announcement posted in another group:https://help.goodreads.com/s/announce...
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Nigeyb wrote: "Thanks Elizabeth. Possibly to do with the site revamp you highlighted in another post?"I hope they are in no way near having completed the new book page. I've given lots of feedback and if anyone else has done the same they have lots of work to do.
Chrissie wrote: "Now I am reading The Pastor's Wife by Elizabeth von Arnim. A free download is available at Librivox. It was the only place I could find it."s was deliberateI hope you enjoy it Chrissie. I have been reading a few of hers recently and have just finished The Jasmine Farm, which I did like despite not really liking any of the characters. I think this was deliberate. It seems to have a rather odd message, and I know Elizabeth von Arnim led a rather 'interesting' life so I'd like to try and find a biography of her. I try to explain more about the book here, https://www.goodreads.com/review/show....
I was also struck by the fact that one of the characters, a German Count, was talking about the concentration camps for the Jews. This book was published in 1934, it makes me wonder just how much people knew and how much they chose to ignore.
Susan wrote: "I am reading a forthcoming buddy read Life Among the Savages 
which is a wonderful memoir, by the - oh, so talented - [author:Shirley Jack..."I'm really hoping that I'll get this from the library soon, but it's not looking too promising at the moment.
Published in 1925 and set in Hong Kong and Mei-tan-fu, China, this book is a marvelous example of a “woman goes on a journey of transformation.” At first, protagonist Kitty Garstin comes across as a vain, shallow socialite. Due to misconceptions and bad choices, she ends up accompanying her husband, Walter Fane, a bacteriologist, to a remote village in China where a cholera epidemic is raging. She begins to understand what is important in life and grows into a much more compassionate and reflective person. Themes include revenge, regret, freedom, forgiveness, and redemption. It is a character study about love, passion, duty, identity, and coming to terms with one’s desires and failings in life - a wonderfully crafted story.The Painted Veil by W. Somerset Maugham - 5 stars - My Full Review
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which is a wonderful memoir, by the - oh, so talented - [autho..."That's a shame, Tania. I hope it turns up at some point - it's worth waiting for.
I'm sure it will, there are 3 copies but they are all still on loan. Given how long it takes an available book to arrive it seems unlikely to be this month. Who knows, I might get one in time. Fingers crossed.
Chrissie wrote: "I am not getting any emails from GR! Does anybody know what is going on??????I have completed America and Americans and Selected Nonfiction by John Steinbeck. Its begin..."
I was wondering about that today.
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I was surprised to see there were claims the community jam making during the early days of WW2 wasn't working out, after reading Jambusters: The Women's Institute at War 1939-1945, where this sounded extremely successful!
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Elizabeth highlighted a GR notification above (see message 1803)
Here's the link again that she posted which provides more information (albeit no explanation or timescale)...
https://help.goodreads.com/s/announce...
Set in the early 1900s to 1948, protagonist Christina lives on a farm with her parents and brothers in Cushing, Maine. Christina suffers from a rare muscle disease that increases in severity over time. Andrew Wyeth, an artist, lives nearby and enjoys creating paintings of the farm and its surroundings. This book is based on a real painting by Andrew Wyeth, “Christina’s World.” The author has created a fictional life for the woman in the painting. I liked parts of this book, especially the segments about the art and the artist. It is a sad story about a woman who leads a hard life without much hope for the future.A Piece of the World by Christina Baker Kline - 3 stars - My Review
I really did like The Pastor's Wifewhich I picked up at Librivox. It is written by Elizabeth von Arnim. It is a GOOD classic, one you will enjoy reading!My review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Now I am reading another by Thomas Mann--Bashan and I. It is also a classic and available at Librivox.
Just completed Thomas Mann's book about him and his dog--Bashan and I. A short review for a short book: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...I am about to begin The Autobiography of a Super-Tramp by W.H. Davies. It's a book by an author that was a favorite of Bernard Shaw.
Just finished this SciFi classic:Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card - 4 stars - My Review
Published in 1985, on the surface, it is a story of a child genius, cultivated by adults to lead a war to save humans from extraterrestrial invaders. It has many deeper levels, such as self-discovery, learning how to face the consequences of decisions, and the damage inflicted by war, particularly on an ethical individual called upon to kill. There are many leadership and teamwork lessons. It would provide lots of fuel for book club discussions. I found it engrossing and thought-provoking.
I’ve just finished The Death of Artemio Cruz by Carlos Fuentes - very much our time period as it covers a period from 1889 to 1960, but in Mexico. I loved it, I found the way the story was revealed in fragments was brilliant. It does flick backwards and forwards in time, which I know some of you hate, but there’s clear signposting which meant it was easier to follow.
Pamela wrote: "I’ve just finished The Death of Artemio Cruz by Carlos Fuentes - very much our time period as it covers a period from 1889 to 1960, but in Mexico. I loved it, I foun..."Some people have shelved this as magical realism. Do you think there is any of that in this novel? I've been put off because of that shelving, but I'd be glad to learn whether or not to pay attention to it.
Elizabeth (Alaska) wrote: "Some people have shelved this as magical realism. Do you think there is any of that in this novel?..."I wouldn’t have considered this magical realism - Fuentes plays with memory, with time, and with narrative (there is a 2nd person narrator who seems to be a kind of conscience) but as I was reading I always felt I was reading about actual events from Mexican history and Cruz’s life, and not anything supernatural or fantasies.
So I did some digging to see why it might have been shelved this way - it certainly appears that some of Fuentes’ later works experimented with this genre, and some people have seen his experimental style as having the same elements. Maybe I missed something as it wasn’t what I would see as typical magical realism, but I must admit I don’t read a lot of that genre.
The Autobiography of a Super-Tramp by W.H. Davies is a book I can recommend. I find the man interesting and his writing excellent.My review:https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
I have begun Conjure Women by Afia Atakora.
Pamela wrote: "I wouldn’t have considered this magical realism - Fuentes plays with memory, with time, and with narrative (there is a 2nd person narrator who seems to be a kind of conscience) but as I was reading I always felt I was reading about actual events from Mexican history and Cruz’s life, and not anything supernatural or fantasies.."Thank you. I will seriously consider this the next time it comes up on the cheap as it did yesterday.
Many readers love Conjure Women by Afia Atakora but not me. I explain why in my review here: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...I am about to begin The Private Papers of Henry Ryecroft by George Gissing. It's semi-autobiographical fiction.
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and 
Gorky ParkEnjoying both. Gorky Park is currently 99p if anyone wants to join in with the buddy read next month. Also The Singapore Grip, which we were chatting about on here a while ago, is also 99p. I think that is a possible buddy read at some point in the future, so I have opted to download it, just in case.
I have Gorky Park as a buddy read, so mid-month. Is that not correct? Do I need to adjust my schedule?
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Susan wrote: "Yes, mid month. I just fancied it, so started it early. I am enjoying it so much, I have downloaded the next in the series, as the whole series is reduced in the UK."Whew, thank you! I have other reads to jam in between now and the end of the month! In the back of my mind I think I've read Gorky Park before, but as I only have a vague recollection (which might be wrong) I'll be meeting it with a fresh mind. I think I picked up the 5th in the series recently. I'll look to see if the others are on sale there.
Published in 1974, this book involves a journey across country from Minnesota to California by motorcycle, where the participants learn something about life and self. It is focused on the relationship between a father and son, the nature of quality, and philosophy. There are two primary approaches to life – one is scientific, or “rational,” and the other is intuitive, or “romantic.” A balance between the two approaches will lead to a feeling of well-being in life, and the concept of quality can become a bridge between them. It is all very intellectual and requires focused concentration. It did not quite gel for me into a cohesive story, but I am glad to have finally read this 20th century classic.Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance by Robert M. Pirsig - 3 stars - My Review
I'm reading Consequences by E.M. Delafield. Nothing like the Provincial Lady series, but very good. I've also started A Month in the Country, which looks very promising.
Published in 1942, this book is a satire from a Christian perspective. It examines human behavior in an “upside down” manner. It is clever and witty. It provides food for thought on the nature of humanity and the inner battles between good and evil.The Screwtape Letters by C.S. Lewis - 4 stars - My Review
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I'm just starting Rodham, a 'what if' Hillary hadn't married Bill. I enjoyed her book about Laura Bush but there's something a bit squeamishly voyeuristic too (not that that's stopping me!)
Susan wrote: "I have downloaded the next in the series, as the whole series is reduced in the UK.."I double-checked Amazon here. No deals, but my library has the next couple, so I'm set for a bit.
The Private Papers of Henry Ryecroft by George Gissing is a classic I hope you consider. I explain why in my review:https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
My curiosity pushes me to read more about Charles Fletcher Lummis, so I have picked up American Character: The Curious Life of Charles Fletcher Lummis. Up to now, I have already read of him in two different books--A Tramp Across the Continent and The Library Book!
Published in 1993, this coming of age story is a classic dystopian tale for middle grades and up. For me, the strength lies in Jonas’ growth and development. He starts seeing the world beyond the limitations of his youth, which causes him to grapple with many significant questions. As a novel geared at a younger audience, it is short and straightforward. It contains material to spur weighty discussion in classrooms or book groups. The Giver by Lois Lowry - 4 stars - My Review
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The Stone Diaries by Carol Shields - 4 stars - My ReviewPublished in 1993, this book tells the story of the life of a woman of the 20th century. She is born in 1905 and lives into the 1990s. Daisy Goodwill, born in Canada to a mother who dies in childbirth, grows up with a neighbor and her grown son before returning to live with her father at age eleven. It reads at times like a fictional autobiography, and at other times as if people close to her are contributing. It is a tribute to the author that she can make a rather “ordinary” life into something that keeps the reader’s interest. It includes snippets of information, such as recipes and photos, that make it seem like a family album of memories. This book will appeal to those that enjoy reflective, quiet, well-written stories.
I'm now reading Sweet Dreams: From Club Culture to Style Culture, the Story of the New Romantics, an oral history of the New Romantics. It starts in 1975 and goes through to 1985. So far the Punk scene has become a caricture of itself and the early punks have morphed into the Peacock Punks who go on to become the New Romantics. It's making me feel quite nostalgic, even though I was a bit young to be on the scene at the time. Snippets from Siousxie, Gary Numan and Adam Ant et al.Also reading The Woods In Winter by Stella Gibbons, which is great, I love the main character.
I’m currently reading The War of the End of the World, which fits this month’s theme as it is both a 20th century novel (written in 1981 though set in 1897) and by a Nobel Prize winner Mario Vargas Llosa.It’s a fictional account of a real event in Brazil, and is a big beast at around 750 pages, but it’s very readable and I’m thoroughly enjoying it.
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I've been hankering over that every time I see the lovely chunky paperback in the shops, Pamela - but as I haven't read MVL before I've so far resisted as it might not be the best place to start. Really looking forward to your review of this.
Roman Clodia wrote: "Pamela wrote: "I’m currently reading The War of the End of the World, which fits this month’s theme."I've been hankering over that every time I see the lovely chunky paperback in ..."
I’m a big fan of MVL’s writing. I began with The Dream of the Celt, which is a bit different from his other books. I guess Death in the Andes would be a good place to start.
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Piranesi, by Susanna Clarke. I adored Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell and this is her first since then. It's more fantastical and less humorous so far than JS but intriguing.
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Published in 1993, this book tells the story of the life of a woman of the 20th century. She is born in 1905 an..."
I love Carol Shields - I think I read just about all her books some years ago. I should go back and try some of them again, when I get a chance. She and Anne Tyler remind me of each other at times as writers.
I have completed American Character: The Curious Life of Charles Fletcher Lummis by Mark Thompson. Lummis is an extremely interesting person. I also recommend the book to anyone interested in the American Southwest and / or the rights of Native Americans.My review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
I have picked up the classic The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton. She wrote it when she was sixteen, for teenagers like herself.
Published in 1974 and set in Harlem, this book is part love story and part condemnation of racial injustice. Tish narrates the story, telling how they became a couple and how Fonny ended up in prison for a crime he did not commit. This couple maintains a sense of optimism in the face of extreme hardship through their love for each other. It is a sad and disturbing story of racism and corruption in the criminal justice system. This is the fifth book I have ready by James Baldwin and his writing is consistently strong.If Beale Street Could Talk by James Baldwin - 4 stars - My Review
Young adult books are not usually my thing, bu here is one I like a lot--The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton. It is considered a classic. I see it as a book for both adults and teenagers.My review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
I have begun The Magic Mountain by Thomas Mann. The start, describing a train ride through Alpine peaks up to a Swiss sanatorium, is captivating. I have a nice long book ahead of me. :0)
Chrissie wrote: "Young adult books are not usually my thing, bu here is one I like a lot--The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton. It is considered a classic. I see it as a book for both adults a..."It has a Lexile of 750 which is readers aged 12-16. Some readers don't mind a sentence structure and vocabulary for younger readers, others do.
Reading the 20th Century
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Gremlins in the machine, or summat
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