Books you have read/Want to read : suggestions and recommendations

[Cecily]

Count me as another who wants to try Calvino. I think I have a copy of If on a Winter's Night a Traveler, but could get something else if needs be.

(And, as I said elsewhere, share the love of Borges.)

[Cecily]

(Should we also have a discussion titled "Dull Books I have read/Want to read"? One danger might be that if they're REALLY dull, they might be kind of interesting.)

;)

[Traveller]

Cecily wrote: "Count me as another who wants to try Calvino. I think I have a copy of If on a Winter's Night a Traveler, but could get something else if needs be.

(And, as I said elsewhere, share ..."

Yes, I own and have been eyeing If on a Winter's Night for a long, long time now.

Well, okay, let's start with the Borges, and then take our time to decide which Calvino we'll tackle. :))))

[Sumant]

Here is my review of Three body problem.

[Michele]

I really liked The Three-Body Problem. Coming from China makes it weird and then the author just tends to have really creative ideas.

[Traveller]

Thread for discussing what we want to do with Borges, is here: https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

Thanks for reminding me to put The Three-Body Problem on my "to-read" list. :)

[Sumant]

Here is my review of Inversions.

[Sumant]

Michele wrote: "I really liked The Three-Body Problem. Coming from China makes it weird and then the author just tends to have really creative ideas."

True that.

[Magdelanye]

The Law of Love in my humble opinion is even better than LWfC, with some remarkable illustrations and astute writing.

have to figure out how to get Chinas book, we are a bit out of the loop in this remote area

[Traveller]

Magdelanye wrote: "The Law of Love in my humble opinion is even better than LWfC, with some remarkable illustrations and astute writing."

I've had enough of Esquivel for a while, but the combination with music makes that sound very appealing! Po-mo marries Magic realism!

Magdelanye wrote: "have to figure out how to get Chinas book, we are a bit out of the loop in this remote area."

Yeah, I suppose I have to get to it as well. Been a bit unmotivated due to my large TBR... but my curiosity is mounting!

[Magdelanye]

I would definitely put law of love on the top of my most in awe of this book. I read a used copy that unfortunately lacked the vd, want to find it and reread. But it was the illustrations, one especially that knocked me flat.
Forget labels. this book is in its own class.

[Traveller]

Thanks, Magdelanye!

[Sumant]

Here is my review of crown of swords, book in WOT series.

[Traveller]

Andy wrote: "I was reminded how much I enjoyed
Miss Smilla's Feeling for Snow."

Ah, I have had that book for the longest time, but have STILL not read it. And I've been wanting to...

Also, this thread reminds me: I know someone put The Three-Body Problem on our list of books that we had supposedly read, but we have not discussed it yet. Maybe it should be included in a poll of what we should discuss soon?

[Cecily]

Cecily wrote: "Count me as another who wants to try Calvino. I think I have a copy of If on a Winter's Night a Traveler, but could get something else if needs be"

I read it, and was wowed by it, on holiday. (I have a backlog or reviews to write, including for that.)

[Traveller]

I suppose we should start thinking about what to read next. I wonder if anyone would be interested in reading material for my "prizewinning" project, https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/... which is still a work in progress because I am so short on time currently...

In any case, since I have already reserved a post for the MAN Booker prizewinners, members are welcome to comment on it either here or there. (Ha, I did that on purpose! XD)

[Traveller]

Cecily wrote: "Cecily wrote: "Count me as another who wants to try Calvino. I think I have a copy of If on a Winter's Night a Traveler, but could get something else if needs be"

I read it, and was ..."

I'd really like to try Calvino. (Ok, I have read and liked The Path to the Spiders' Nests, but apparently that's not really typical Calvino.)

I admit that I didn't feel very wowed by Invisible Cities, though I probably didn't give it a proper chance.

Do you think If on a W. Night might be a more engaging proposition, Cecily? have you tried Invisible Cities yet? Very dry...

[Cecily]

If on a Winter's Night was my first Calvino, so I can't compare it with any of his others. It's hard to describe, and would be impossible to discuss without big spoilers. It's a strange book that doesn't fit easily into a conventional category. I guess that makes it ideal for discussion!

[Traveller]

Cecily wrote: "If on a Winter's Night was my first Calvino, so I can't compare it with any of his others. It's hard to describe, and would be impossible to discuss without big spoilers. It's a strange book that d..."

I'd love to discuss it. We should campaign for people to join us for it! I wonder if I can convince people like my friend Dolores...

[Saski]

Traveller wrote: "Andy wrote: "I was reminded how much I enjoyed
Miss Smilla's Feeling for Snow."

Ah, I have had that book for the longest time, but have STILL not read it. And I've been wanting to...

You really do want to read that book, Traveller. I had to read it twice, once before and once after seeing the film.

[Traveller]

Ruth wrote: "You really do want to read that book, Traveller. I had to read it twice, once before and once after seeing the film. .."

I do! But I didn't know there was a film of it! Is it in English?

[Saski]

I'm trying to remember...must have been, it has Gabriel Byrne in it. Slightly different title: Smilla's Sense of Snow

[Michele]

yes, it was in English

[Traveller]

Thanks Ruth and Michele. Must grab it!

[Magdelanye]

SSoS was a great library find for me. another translation, from the Russian, is Insects and angels (or is it angels and insects) by victor pelevin, up there with CM in my pantheon of greats. and has nobody else loved Russell Hoban? Riddley Walker...the book of the last century, well, certainly in the top 10.

[Derek]

Andy wrote: "I was reminded how much I enjoyed
Miss Smilla's Feeling for Snow"

As did I, though I can't understand how it ever ended up with that English title. It's got no alliteration. In North America it was published as Smilla's Sense of Snow, which is so much better (and explains why the American film was also given that title)!

Traveller wrote: "Also, this thread reminds me: I know someone put The Three-Body Problem on our list of books that we had supposedly read, "

That was me—I don't recall it ever being a list of books "we'd" read (though I certainly have). I understood it to be a list of books we'd like to read.

Magdelanye wrote: "has nobody else loved Russell Hoban? Riddley Walker...the book of the last century, well, certainly in the top 10. "

Nope... I liked it, but "love"—not so much. Definitely not in any top ten I can imagine. I complained at the time that the language was "just a gimmick" and the plot fell short a few times: "When you get right down to it, nothing much happens. … the powerful are trying to regain the knowledge of atomic energy without going through coal and steam first… It's doomed to fail, and at the end of the book nothing has changed." Plus I thought its treatment of the human-canine relationship was unbelievable.

[Sumant]

Here is my review of Hero of ages the final book in mistborn trilogy.

[Cecily]

Magdelanye wrote: "has nobody else loved Russell Hoban? Riddley Walker"

I'm with Derek, in that I liked, but didn't love it. However, I read it ages ago, and should probably reread it in the light of Cloud Atlas.

[Traveller]

Do we have any definite suggestions for what our next discussion should be on?

On the one hand, I really want to start reading prizewinning literature, but on the other hand, I feel we need a good dose of plot and characterization after our Borges stint, in whatever genre.

[Saski]

Is American Gods still on the list?

Personally, I would like a few more Borges before we move on. I disliked the second less than the first. Perhaps the trend will continue...

[Traveller]

Ruth wrote: "Is American Gods still on the list?

Personally, I would like a few more Borges before we move on. I disliked the second less than the first. Perhaps the trend will continue..."

Oh of course we will do more Borges! We're going to do all of the Borges that was voted for, at least! I meant for October/November. :)

Can we do American Gods in December rather pleeez? It's so thick...

Not to mention that we have hardly even touched on the 2 Borges that we'd started so far...

[Saski]

Of course we can wait :)

[Traveller]

Ruth wrote: "Of course we can wait :)"

Poor Ruth. How many years have you been waiting for American Gods now? :P

I'm feeling guilty, don't worry!
Your (and American Gods') day will come! @_@

[Traveller]

Oh btw! I'd been meaning to ask on Mievillians if you guys want to read China's new book towards the end of the year! I suppose I should go and ask there, huh?

[Saski]

Ha! This has been my wait for round two. I read it the first time I don't know how many years ago. I want to read it again before I watch the film.

[Traveller]

Ruth wrote: "Ha! This has been my wait for round two. I read it the first time I don't know how many years ago. I want to read it again before I watch the film."

American Gods? Tell you what, why don't we both watch the film before our discussion in December, which will give an opportunity to discuss the film as well - or, alternatively, we can make a separate thread for discussion of the film, if you rather want to leave it for after.

EDIT: Ohhh you mean the upcoming TV series?

[Saski]

Uh, maybe...I don't know...If it a TV series then I have no idea when/if it may be shown here in Sweden.

So, I guess it totally doesn't matter when we read it :D

[Traveller]

Showrunner Bryan Fuller estimated in May 2015 that the show would likely air in "late 2016." https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/America...

Listen, people, I'm itching to try out one of these, and I don't much care where we start, so do you guys have any suggestions here? https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

Another thing I had been thinking of, was to ask Derek if he feels like leading a discussion of The Three-Body Problem for us. What say you, and what says Derek?

[Saski]

I'm up for whatever is chosen! :)

[Traveller]

Also... I have been dying to discuss Fahrenheit 451 sometime.

[Saski]

YES!

[Derek]

Yes, that's a book I haven't read in too long.

[Traveller]

Yaye! Let's put it on the shortlist then. My problem is that I'd personally be too busy to lead any discussion in the next month or 2. Cecily is doing a stellar job with Borges, so I was wondering if anybody else has an itch to lead something at around October-ish.

[Traveller]

Oh, and we mustn't forget China's book! When would you like to do that? Late Novemberish and then we do Fahrenheit and then after that American Gods, the latter maybe starting late Decemberish or early January?

Hmm, and a Naipaul also needs to go in there somewhere...

[Cecily]

Traveller wrote: "Oh, and we mustn't forget China's book! When would you like to do that? Late Novemberish and then we do Fahrenheit and then after that American Gods, the latter maybe starting late Decemberish or..."

But China's book will be in the Mievellians group, won't it? And do you mean Three Moments of an Explosion, or is there another I don't know of?

[Traveller]

Cecily wrote: "But China's book will be in the Mievellians group, won't it? And do you mean Three Moments of an Explosion, or is there another I don't know of? .."

Sorry, Cecily - yes that one (though apparently there's a new novel coming too!). I did post about it on Mievillians a few weeks ago. Yes, to be discussed on Mievillians of course, but, you know, a lot of us are the same people here and on that group, so...

[Cecily]

Yes, I know there's a lot of overlap. I'm not very good at keeping tabs on groups, so I hope I'll notice when it comes up.

[Traveller]

Cecily wrote: "Yes, I know there's a lot of overlap. I'm not very good at keeping tabs on groups, so I hope I'll notice when it comes up."

If you tell me now you'd like to join in, I will check on you to make sure you know. :)

Maybe a good idea to mention it in this group as well when the time comes.

Well, I'd better trot over there soon and make a more formal announcement, eh?

[Cecily]

Yes, I definitely want to join in, and as the book should be arriving on Monday, I'll leave it out, so I'm unlikely to forget.

[Traveller]

Will do, Cecily.

So is anyone interested in reading The Mimic Men by V.S. Naipaul ? The book generated quite a lot of literary criticism and even political commentary, and it won the 1968 WH Smith Literary Award.

Of course, V.S. Naipaul also won a Booker prize, a Nobel prize, and a David Cohen British Literature Prize.