What are you Currently Reading? Showing 501-550 of 1,075

[Myra Chandler]

Rosemarie wrote: "That's one of my favourites, Myra!"

Oh good to know! I read one of his books decades ago and am just discovering him again!

[Myra Chandler]

Rosemarie wrote: "That's one of my favourites, Myra!"

I'm so excited to have found Trollope again. I had a vague memory that I liked this author. Then I found many of his books are included on my Audible.com membership. So, I'm starting with Barchester Towers. Thanks for the endorsement! It has me laughing already!

[Rosemarie]

Slope is a memorable character in this one.

[Myra Chandler]

I think the initial description of Slope is funny--something about his hair being greasy and arranged in three different sections. I think he and Mrs. Proudie (sp?) will both be villains!

[Rosemarie]

You have to love Mrs. Proudie, even if she drives you crazy!

[C.J.]

Me too! Isn't Trollope amazing?

[Susan in NC]

Rosemarie wrote: "You have to love Mrs. Proudie, even if she drives you crazy!"

Yes! And I loved how, when I discovered Angela Thirkell’s Barsetshire series, social comedies of the 1930s-50s, (view spoiler)[where she picks up family and place names from Trollope, she also used the bishop and his wife and “the palace set” as permanent evil foils. I guess some things never change! (hide spoiler)]

[John]

I absolutely loved the Barchester Chronicles featuring Alan Rickman as Slope. To say he nailed the role would be an understatement.

[Dorothy]

I agree totally. He was the quintessential Slope!

[Sue]

I haven’t read this series yet and I’m looking forward to it since I enjoy Trollope. I really want to see this filmed version too. When I learned Alan Rickman was in it, I knew I had to see it. Was it easy to find the filmed version?

[John]

Sue wrote: "I haven’t read this series yet and I’m looking forward to it since I enjoy Trollope. I really want to see this filmed version too. When I learned Alan Rickman was in it, I knew I had to see it. Was..."

I believe it may be available at You Tube?

[Werner]

The BBC Barchester Chronicles (1982), which is definitely the adaptation we're talking about here, is available on DVD from Amazon, at this link:
https://www.amazon.com/Barchester-Chr... .

YouTube also apparently has the whole BBC series in seven parts, the first one at this link:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nDawi... . Since YouTube is a reputable site, I believe this to be a legitimate edition, not a pirated one.

I watched this whole series when it aired on PBS back in the mid 80s, and loved it! It inspired me to read The Warden and Barchester Towers, though I didn't get around to doing so until the 90s.

[Sue]

Thanks for the source information, Werner and John.

[Werner]

No problem, Sue!

[Claire]

I have never read Trollope (gasp!) so I'm now intrigued. Where would you recommend I start?

[Sue]

I first read The Way We Live Now which I really enjoyed. It’s not part of a series. This book displays his humor, the span of characters, how he touches on social and economic topics that affect all types of people living in his towns. I was really struck by the wordplay and humorsome sarcastic, directed at his characters. I plan to read The Barchester Chronicles series at some point and more single novels. As I recall, this is a long read but I didn’t find it a problem.

[Allison]

Claire wrote: "I have never read Trollope (gasp!) so I'm now intrigued. Where would you recommend I start?"

Me neither.

Although I do own The Way We Live Now.

[Claire]

I will give The Way We Live Now a try! Thanks for the recommendation.

[Rosemarie]

The Way we Live Now is so good. I'm a big fan of Trollope and I think that it is one of his best stand-alone books.

[John]

Wouldn't ordinarily do this, but am going to plug the video of The Way We Live Now, featuring David Suchet as Melmotte.

[Claire]

I checked and our local library has a DVD copy of The Way We Live! I may have to watch it after I've read the book.

[Sue]

Thanks for mentioning the video, John. Sticking that in the memory bank.

Enjoy the book, Claire.

[Myra Chandler]

Thanks everyone for the info. I ordered The Way We Live Now and a 5-disc set of DVDs on EBay. All Trollope.

[Sue]

And I found that my library system has the dvd at 5 libraries.

[Dorothy]

I have just read 2 books by CC Benison, a writer I was not aware of. I discovered '12 Drummers Drumming' on my TBR shelf and have no idea how it came to be there - a mystery in itself! I shall have to ask around to find out which bookish friend left it there. Anyway, I enjoyed the book so much that I borrowed the next in the series from the library and found it just as delightful. Has anyone else read this series?

[John]

Yes, but I grew tired of it after the first couple of books.

[Pamela]

I'm just starting another British Library Crime Classic — The Arsenal Stadium Mystery by Leonard R. Gribble.

I've really gotten into this series of books by various authors. Now I'm always on the lookout for more.

[Lynnie]

Pamela wrote: "I'm just starting another British Library Crime Classic — The Arsenal Stadium Mystery by Leonard R. Gribble.

I've really gotten into this series of books by variou..."

I'm also a fan of the British Library Crime books and have just finished reading Two-Way Murder by E.C.R. Lorac
I'm going to readSmallbone Deceased by Michael Gilbert next.

[Helen]

Dead Drop: A historical thriller you don't want to miss... by Marilyn Todd. Taking a while to get into this one.

[Pamela]

Lynnie wrote: "Pamela wrote: "I'm just starting another British Library Crime Classic — The Arsenal Stadium Mystery by Leonard R. Gribble.

I've really gotten into this series of ..."

I've read Smallbone Deceased and enjoyed it. While I haven't read Two-Way Murder, I have read and enjoyed three of Lorac's books: Bats in the Belfry, Murder in the Mill-Race and Rope’s End, Rogue’s End, and I have three more in my stash.

Right now, however I have Norwegian book, The Courier. Didn't know what to think when I started it but I seem to be engulfed in this World War II mystery/thriller. Maybe it is because of what is happening in that part of the world and the German occupation of Norway by the Germans.

[John]

Pamela wrote: "Lynnie wrote: "Pamela wrote: "I'm just starting another British Library Crime Classic — The Arsenal Stadium Mystery by Leonard R. Gribble.

I've really gotten into ..."

I read Smallbone Deceased recently myself, which was interesting, if not thrilling.

[Lynnie]

Robin wrote: "Jamaica Inn by Daphne du Maurier
This book cools me down on a hot day."

Ooh, that's a classic. I've read it a few times now, love it!

[Lynnie]

John wrote: "Pamela wrote: "Lynnie wrote: "Pamela wrote: "I'm just starting another British Library Crime Classic — The Arsenal Stadium Mystery by Leonard R. Gribble.

I've real..."

Yes, I agree that it's not thrilling but I did find it entertaining. I have a couple more of his books to read Close Quarters and Death in Captivity

[Lynnie]

I am close to finishing Journey to Munich by Jacqueline Winspear and have started Post After Post-Mortem by E.C.R. Lorac

[Helen]

Reading two for NG: Death in a Blackout; a new series, unfortunately pretty slow going; and the latest Lillian Frost/Edith Head, which is always a treat: Idle Gossip. Not an English mystery, but still a wonderful series.

Then when I want to get away from reviewing I'm turning to A Parcel of Rogues by Joyce Lionarons, the first in the Gavin Rownt medieval series.

[Werner]

An author friend, Heather Day Gilbert, recently gifted me (in print format, a generosity I greatly appreciate!) a review copy, in this case of the fourth and concluding book in her A Murder in the Mountains mystery series, False Pretense. The timing was perfect; Barb (who's also a fan of the series) and I were ready to start a new book to read together, so we began on it this morning! (I've mentioned this series before, on the American Mystery Authors thread.)

[John]

I'm listening to Who is Mr Satoshi? by Jonathan Lee. It's 'mysterious' in that the protagonist goes off to Japan on a quest to solve the title question. I find the writing quality above average.

[Kate]

I'm reading Finishing Touch (Melissa Craig, #2) by Betty Rowlands. Second in the witty series, featuring mystery writer-turned-sleuth Melissa Craig. Melissa decides to teach her craft at the local college, where she becomes distracted by a real-life crime. It seems the department secretary has met her death at the hands of a jealous lover--and Melissa soon finds herself investigating the fine art of murder. It was first published in 1992 so it's a more traditional cozy mystery -- exactly the kind I like!

[Laurel]

Dorothy wrote: "I have just read 2 books by CC Benison, a writer I was not aware of. I discovered '12 Drummers Drumming' on my TBR shelf and have no idea how it came to be there - a mystery in itself! I shall have..."

I loved these too, and have also read the first of Her Majesty Investigates series, which stars one of the secondary characters (Jane Bee) who is much older (and married) in the Father Christmas series.

[Helen]

Getting ready to start , #3 in the Elizabethan spy thriller series. The language is especially lyrical and very true to the period. These are not easy to get through but they are very entertaining.

[Keri]

A Sunlit Weapon. Latest of the Maudie Dobbs Series.

[Pamela]

I'm getting close to finishing Dreamers of the Day by Mary Doria Russell. Russell is American but this tale really does bring to life the 1921 Cairo Peace Conference — Winston Churchill, T.E. Lawrence and Lady Gertrude Bell — even though its fiction.

[Rosemarie]

I've just finished Smallbone Deceased by Michael Gilbert and really enjoyed. I'm about to start Double Sin and Other Stories by Agatha Christie.

[Kate]

Isolation by Mary Anna Evans
The Slow Fix: Solve Problems, Work Smarter and Live Better in a Fast World by Carl Honoré
Exhaustive Enquiries (Melissa Craig, #4) by Betty Rowlands
The First Book of Calamity Leek by Paula Lichtarowicz
Turning the Mind Into an Ally by Sakyong Mipham
Drawdown: The Most Comprehensive Plan Ever Proposed to Reverse Global Warming by Paul Hawken (Editor)

[Pamela]

Just finished Imperium: A Novel of Ancient Rome by Robert Harris. Its the first of a three book series about Cicero life.

Now I've started Martha Grimes's Help the Poor Struggler. A bit of trivia: While Grimes is American, her long-running series features Richard Jury, a British police officer and each book's title is the name of a pub. The title of the 23rd in the series, Vertigo 42 is the name of a champagne bar.

[Kate]

Malice Poetic (Melissa Craig, #5) by Betty Rowlands
Burials by Mary Anna Evans
The First Book of Calamity Leek by Paula Lichtarowicz
The Slow Fix: Solve Problems, Work Smarter…by Carl Honoré
Turning the Mind Into an Ally by Sakyong Mipham,

[Helen]

Since I read historical mysteries exclusively, I'm currently in the midst of the Gavin Rownt medieval series at the moment. Just started:
Sins of the Fathers.

Author Joyce Lionarons sticks to fairly modern English language usage, but she does convey the sense of a dark and rather depressing medieval London. Not a place that we 21st century dwellers would be comfortable in, that's for sure.

[Donna]

I’m reading The Tale of Holly How by Susan Wittig Albert, a cozy mystery set in the Lake Disrtict and featuring Beatrix Potter. This is the second book in the series. In the acknowledgments, the author mentions Beatrix Potter’s biography Beatrix Potter: A Life in Nature, which I’ve read and highly recommend. I am enjoying Holly How once I got past the talking animals.

[Dorothy]

I'm reading "Pagan Spring" by GM Maliet and listening to "Dead Woman Walking by Sharon Bolton.

[Rosemarie]

I'm reading The Secret of High Eldersham by Miles Burton.