What books are you reading now? (2020) Showing 401-450 of 2,222

[Roman Clodia]

Is anyone else planning any big reading projects while life is sort of on hold? I'm about to start Proust. I'd previously read the first two volumes but am starting again with volume one in the Lydia Davis translation which feels fresh without losing nuance:

[Tania]

Yes, but I keep changing my mind as to what. I think I'll try to finish the Cazalet Chronicles, next up for me is Confusion. I also thought I might read The Forsyte Saga, and make progress with the Barsetshire novels.
I have just finished The Tree of Heaven by May Sinclair, published in 1917, so written during WW1, always interesting to read books written during the wars. I'm now reading Oh! to be in England: Book 4, the 4th in the Pop Larkin Series, so I will finish off this series in a few days, too.

[Roman Clodia]

Ooh, The Forsyte Saga - now that's an idea, Tania. I saw some of the Damian Lewis/Gina McKee series and mentally added the books to my TBR.

[Tania]

Me too, I have been meaning to read it for some ages, but with so many other books and series on the go, haven't got around to it yet.
Amazon certainly don't make it easy to find the free ones, but I did eventually find a complete one here https://www.amazon.co.uk/Forsyte-Saga....

[Elizabeth (Alaska)]

Tania wrote: "Me too, I have been meaning to read it for some ages, but with so many other books and series on the go, haven't got around to it yet.
Amazon certainly don't make it easy to find the free ones, but..."

That is only the first 3 installments. I don't know whether it includes some of the short stories that separate the first novels.

The Forsyte Saga

but the complete series, which is well worth the time:

The Forsyte Chronicles

[Susan]

I thought I would have more reading time, but working from home and home-schooling my daughter, has taken up all my time. I will get organised and then I can get reading properly again.

I LOVED Proust, RC. Really, one of the reading events of my life - thank you to Judy who nudged me into that one :)

[Tania]

Thanks Elizabeth, I think I have them kicking around here somewhere. I'll try to get to them soon.

[Roman Clodia]

Ah, thank you!

[Susan]

I finally got around to reading (well, listening to) Murmur and have loved it.

[Pam]

I'm reading Flu: The Story Of The Great Influenza Pandemic Of 1918 And The Search For The Virus That Caused It and While the World Is Still Asleep. I'm thinking about starting War and Peace and reading it along with a virtual book club on A Public Space. #TolstoyTogether. I'm a little behind since they started on March 18th. I was planning on reading it this year for one of my challenge prompts. Now is just a good time as any since we are stuck at home until at least April 10th!

[Susan]

I remember reading War and Peace one hot summer, while I was still at school - or possibly between school and college. Certainly one to re-visit, I loved it. Enjoy, Pam.

[Alejandro]

I am reading The Antidote by Jesse Lee Peterson. Finishing up The Law of Success. (Both nonfiction)
Some current fiction reads are The Woman , and The Language of Thorns (Bardugo).

[Elizabeth (Alaska)]

I always hope everyone enjoys their reading. I read War and Peace after the translating team of Pevear and Volokhonsky won awards for translating. Naturally, I was anxious to read their translation. Frankly, I would not recommend it, and I pretty much hated the novel. I have been told that other translations are better suited, though I would know.

[Val]

Susan wrote: "I finally got around to reading (well, listening to) Murmur and have loved it."
That reminds me that I wanted to reread that one.

[Pam]

Elizabeth (Alaska) wrote: "I always hope everyone enjoys their reading. I read War and Peace after the translating team of Pevear and Volokhonsky won awards for translating. Naturally, I was anxious to read their translation..."

Elizabeth - Sorry you didn't like it! I have a different edition, translation by Ann Dunnigan. The blog I mentioned, A Public Space, has links to the chapters. I might try reading that edition on my computer (bigger print!) and see how it compares to my edition. I have a hard time reading paperbacks with tiny print. I'm determined to at least give it a try. I can't guarantee I will finish it.

Susan - Thanks for the encouragement! I hope I love it, too.

[Roman Clodia]

Susan wrote: "I remember reading War and Peace one hot summer, while I was still at school - or possibly between school and college. Certainly one to re-visit, I loved it. Enjoy, Pam."

I also loved War & Peace when I read it before uni, but found myself a bit pickier when I reread it in 2018 and it became a 4-star read instead of the 5-star of my memory. Still wonderful though!

[Roman Clodia]

Val wrote: "Susan wrote: "I finally got around to reading (well, listening to) Murmur and have loved it."
That reminds me that I wanted to reread that one."

Well done, both - I found it unreadable and had to abandon it. I had no idea what was going on!

[Elizabeth (Alaska)]

I had two significant problems with War and Peace. First, a huge amount of dialog was in French, not translated, so that I had to interrupt the flow of reading in order to read the translation in the notes. Second, I thought Tolstoy rather full of himself in saying some of the war strategy by the generals was wrong and that he, Tolstoy, could have told them they were wrong and have done better.

[Roman Clodia]

French was the language of the Russian aristocracy so it's partly a form of characterisation and would be hard for any translator to justify putting it into English - but I can see it might be frustrating.

My niggle the second time round was that I really disliked Pierre: I couldn't believe that he went to Borodino just to observe the battle - talk about disaster tourism taken to an extreme!

[Elizabeth (Alaska)]

Roman Clodia wrote: "French was the language of the Russian aristocracy so it's partly a form of characterisation and would be hard for any translator to justify putting it into English - but I can see it might be frus..."

Yes, I understood that. I just didn't want to read it that way, and that was one of my big objections. Hard to give a book too many stars when not able to read it.

[Chrissie]

I have completed Madame President: The Extraordinary Journey of Ellen Johnson Sirleaf by Helene Cooper. It' s very good.

My review:https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

I have begun The Rotters' Club by Jonathan Coe. What will I think of this?

[Susan]

Roman Clodia wrote: "Val wrote: "Susan wrote: "I finally got around to reading (well, listening to) Murmur and have loved it."
That reminds me that I wanted to reread that on..."

Apart from the beginning, it was just musings, meanderings and memories. Perhaps it suited my mood, but I found it wonderful and think the author really caught how I imagined Alan Turing to be. It has made me want to read his biography.

[Chrissie]

The Rotters' Club and its author Jonathan Coe has won all sorts of prizes, but I didn't like it at all. I explain why in my review:

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

I have begun Apeirogon by Colum McCann. This is an author I really, really enjoy. I have been nervous about reading this book. Why? Because I do not want to be let down.

[Susan]

I was stunned by Apeirogon, Chrissie. Could not put it down.

[Chrissie]

Nice to hear!. I do not want to be disappointed. I notice right off the bat that the writing is special. The short chapters are interesting. . Beautiful how the migrating birds were drawn. I have not come far.

[Nigeyb]

Chrissie wrote: "The Rotters' Club and its author Jonathan Coe has won all sorts of prizes, but I didn't like it at all."

Wow. You really didn't like it

Ah well. You can't win em all.

[Chrissie]

Nigeyb wrote: "Chrissie wrote: "The Rotters' Club and its author Jonathan Coe has won all sorts of prizes, but I didn't like it at all."

Wow. You really didn't like it

Ah well. You c..."

What is good is that now I know I need not read others by this author. I am glad to have given it a try.

[Nigeyb]

That is indeed a good outcome - especially as he has written quite a few titles

[Susan]

I have started Our Man in Havana, which I haven't read before. I have liked all the Graham Greene novels I have read so far, so am hoping this will be the same.

[Nigeyb]

That's wonderful news Susan


I am really looking forward to discussing Our Man in Havana with the group

Like you, I have loved all the Greene novels I've read in the last few years - what a talented writer he was

[Judy]

Greene is one of my favourite writers and I am also looking forward to Our Man in Havana!

[Pam]

I started Our Man in Havana last month but didn’t get far and set it down to read some other books. This will be my first book by Greene. I do plan to finish it and look forward to the group discussion!

[Chrissie]

Here is my review of Apeirogon, Colum McCann latest:

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

I have begun Giants of the Monsoon Forest: Living and Working with Elephants by Jacob Shell.

[Elizabeth (Alaska)]

I cracked the covers of Our Man in Havana.

[Joy D]

Published in 1999 and set mostly in the 1940s, it is a bit too bleak for me but the writing is strong:

The Long Home by William Gay - 3 stars - My Review

[Nigeyb]

Nigeyb wrote: "I'm underway with....


A Confederacy of Dunces by John Kennedy Toole

...which is my latest real world book group choice (don't fret, the meeting is going to take place on Zoom)"


And now I've finished, just in time for Thursday's Zoom discussion

What a blast. Laughs aplenty. Superbly quotable

I tried to read this decades ago and now find it inexplicable that I gave up after about 20 pages. If you've yet to read it then I envy you, it's a treat.

Here’s my review


5/5

[Jill]

Nigeyb wrote: I tried to read this decades ago and now find it inexplicable that I gave up after about 20 pages.
I do think that taste changes over time. I used to find Wodehouse hilarious, but not now, and horror does not move me like it did when I was young. I can only think it is a case of "Been there, seen it, done it"

[Nigeyb]

Wise words Jill


That said, I hope and pray I never grow out of Wodehouse. He's guaranteed sunshine for me, no matter what's going on outside

[Brian E]

Nigeyb wrote: " I tried to read this decades ago and now find it inexplicable that I gave up after about 20 pages. If you've yet to read it then I envy you, it's a treat.

Not inexplicable. When I tried it about 25 years ago, I only made it through 40 pages of A Confederacy of Dunces when I decided that I was not at all in the mood to spend an entire book with this character. I had had enough of him and didn't care to see if he would grow on me.
It, along with The Magic Mountain, are the only books that I have failed to finish after spending at least an hour trying to get into. And with Magic Mountain it was because I left my book on the train and didn't want to start over (I had read 250+ pages) when I finally got another copy.

[Nigeyb]

Thanks Brian - have you gone back to it since?

[Brian E]

Nigeyb wrote: "Thanks Brian - have you gone back to it since?"
No, if I go back I'll be determined to finish it whether its pleasing me or not. So I put it off.

[Pam]

I’m with Jill wrt tastes changing. I read a lot of Stephen King in the ‘90s and now I don’t have much interest. Same with Agatha Christie, in the ‘70s.

I just started My Century by Gunter Grass, published in 1999. It is a collection of short stories (snippets of life in Germany), one for each year of the 20th century. I’m enjoying it so far, through 1919.

[Nigeyb]

Brian wrote: "No, if I go back I'll be determined to finish it whether its pleasing me or not. So I put it off."


Why's that Brian?

I have no compunction about abandoning books I am not enjoying - though it rarely happens in practice

[Brian E]

Nigeyb wrote: "Why's that Brian? I have no compunction about abandoning books I am not enjoying ..."

I don't know why - I just do. It may be that I'm competitive and that if I put it down I feel the book has beaten me so I just strive on. I realize that it is ridiculous to think I beat the book by forcing myself to spend more unpleasant hours with it. That the book is actually beating me by forcing me to spend time with it is a more logical explanation of the situation. So, again, while it doesn't make sense - I just do.

I also keep my books in alphabetical order by author and country and type when everything else I have (OK, except CDs) is in complete disorder. Sometimes I think my relations to my books is more complex than any other relationship I have. Help?

[Nigeyb]

Thanks Brian - that's very interesting. I wouldn't worry about it though, it's just how you are

[Jill]

If I start a book, I have to finish it. I have thought that if someone has taken so much time to write it, I feel I owe it to them to spend my time reading it. I have only not finished two books ever. One was The Lord of the Rings and the other Mrs. Mike and I do feel kind of guilty about it. This does stop me starting books I feel I will not like

[Susan]

Going off track a little, On the Beach , a future Mod-Led Read is currently 99p on kindle, if anyone wants to pick it up.

[Elizabeth (Alaska)]

I figure my time belongs to me, not to someone else. (Except when I was working, of course, and then my time belonged to my employer.) I don't owe an author anything. If anything, the author owes me something by my making an effort to read his/her books. An author ought to take the time and effort to develop a good writing style, to develop good characterizations, and to construct a plausible plot. When they don't do this to my own satisfaction (they might have done so to yours, we have different likes and dislikes), then I move on. No regrets. Books are inanimate, they can't beat anyone. I do try to see how much reading I can accomplish, and that is one way in which I am competitive, but that is a for my own benefit.

[Jill]

Elizabeth (Alaska) wrote: "I figure my time belongs to me, not to someone else. (Except when I was working, of course, and then my time belonged to my employer.) I don't owe an author anything. If anything, the author owes m..."

I do believe you are right, and I wish I didn't feel the way I do. I suppose it is a case of always finishing what I have started, no matter what it is.

[Elizabeth (Alaska)]

Jill wrote: "I suppose it is a case of always finishing what I have started, no matter what it is."

You are not alone in that, Jill. And for me, it may also be an age thing. I am in fine health and have no inkling my life expectancy isn't a long one, but I've reached an age where I no longer think "plenty of time".