What Are You Reading Now? Showing 651-700 of 2,435

[Dave]

Finished the last novel in Anthony Powell’s “Dance to the Music of Time.” Bittersweet to finish a series of novels I that have been my companions for months.

[Dave]

Brian wrote: "Dave wrote: "“Warlock” by Jim Harrison (Contemporary American Fiction). "

I first thought you must have meant the Western classic Warlock by Oakley Hall but then I fou..."

Brian I found the author and then selected one of his books. I wasn’t aware of the western author.

[Dave]

Natalie wrote: "Dave - That's how I felt about The Master and Margarita too."

Natalie, I’m glad I am not alone in “not getting it.” After finishing I read on the Internet that it is a “masterpiece”. I still didn’t get why.

[Dave]

I finished the Group read “Nausea”. My review is posted over on the group read spoiler thread. Four stars.

I am starting “The Hobbit.”

[Natalie]

Ooo! That’s so exciting Dave! I just re-listened to The Hobbit and LOTR last year but then they released the audio books narrated by Andy Serkis and I’ve been eyeing them Audible thinking I need to start all over again. 😄🧝🏻‍♂️🧙🏼‍♂️

[Dave]

Natalie wrote: "Ooo! That’s so exciting Dave! I just re-listened to The Hobbit and LOTR last year but then they released the audio books narrated by Andy Serkis and I’ve been eyeing them Audible thinking I need to..."

Yes, I read the LOTR in college, listened to another Audible edition about a decade ago. I’m only two chapters into the Serkis reading and finding it really GREAT!

[Dave]

I started “East of Eden” last night. I will comment on the Steinbeck Collection Thread.

I also started “El Norte, The Forgotten Saga of Hispanic North America”.

Both books are part of my Baker’s Dozen 2022 Challenges.

I will also reread “The Wasteland and Four Quartets” today with the February Group read.

[Dave]

I finished “The Wasteland and Four Quartets” and “Breakfast at Tiffanies” yesterday. My thoughts on the poems is on the Group read spoiler thread. “Breakfast at Tiffanies” was excellent, but very different from the movie.

[Anette]

I'm reading The Radetzky March by Joseph Roth as part of a readalong with YouTuber Tristan and the Classics. It's an excellent book about the decline of the Habsburg empire. I probably never would have happened upon this 20th century classic myself. I recommend both the book and the YouTube channel.

[Richard]

Dave wrote: "Richard wrote: "Thanks Dave, I'm humbled by your praise. My own French is very rusty these days. I had to look up several words while composing my sonnet, and got it proofread by a Walloon upon com..."

Hello again Dave. I write virtually all my verse in iambic pentameter. Besides the sonnets, I also write heroic couplet: several years ago I had published The Montpeliad, a 620 line satire of my Bristolian neighbourhood, and am presently working towards the completion of a 1600 liner called The Wokeiad, which is as its name suggests a satire of the dominant folly of the present time.

[Richard]

Having finished Don Juan (even if the author didn't!) I am presently taking a break from reading the verse classics and have restarted The New Penguin History of Canada.

[Dave]

Richard wrote: "Having finished Don Juan (even if the author didn't!) I am presently taking a break from reading the verse classics and have restarted The New Penguin History of Canada."

Thanks for the tip. I have been frustrated looking for a comprehensive History of Canada.

[Richard]

Dave wrote: "Richard wrote: "Having finished Don Juan (even if the author didn't!) I am presently taking a break from reading the verse classics and have restarted [book:The New Penguin History of ..."

It's excellent so far, Dave. I'm presently isolating at home after succumbing to Wuhan Flu a couple of days ago, and read about 120 pages yesterday.

[RJ - Slayer of Trolls]

I started reading the second Lew Archer book:


The Drowning Pool by Ross Macdonald

[Darren]

...and I will v.soon be starting Lew Archer #3 The Way Some People Die

[RJ - Slayer of Trolls]

I finished my favorite book of the year so far...


The Razor's Edge by W. Somerset Maugham
Rating: 5 stars
Review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

and I started reading:


Cyrano de Bergerac by Edmond Rostand

[RJ - Slayer of Trolls]

Darren wrote: "...and I will v.soon be starting Lew Archer #3 The Way Some People Die
"

As many series as I have going right now, it's going to take me about three years to get to that one.

[Gavin]

Im reading Gwendy's Button Box

[Terry]

RJ and Darren, you convinced me. I just put the first Lee Archer book on my TBR.

[RJ - Slayer of Trolls]

Terry wrote: "RJ and Darren, you convinced me. I just put the first Lee Archer book on my TBR."

Enjoy! Then watch the movie version which is called "Harper" due to copyright issues with the name "Archer" as well as star Paul Newman's prior success with films whose names started with "H" (Hud and The Hustler).

[RJ - Slayer of Trolls]

I finished reading:


The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde and Other Stories by Robert Louis Stevenson
Rating: 3 stars
Review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Terry]

RJ, I’ve seen all three of those movies. In fact, when I was a teenager, my dad would take me to the movies every now and then. Paul Newman movies topped his list, while my mother could care less.

I am intrigued to read something that follows in the footsteps of Raymond Chandler and Dashiell Hammet.

[Darren]

for those who didn't know (I didn't until recently!) The Hustler is an excellent book by Walter Tevis

[Gavin]

I'm reading Chapterhouse: Dune

[Heather L]

Lynn — RE: Twice-Told Tales by Nathaniel Hawthorne

I was surprised by the negative reactions when you mentioned reading this, especially from one person who admitted having never read it. I went digging among my books and discovered it in a “50 Classic Books” collection. Of the 36 stories, I had previously only read two, “The Minister’s Black Veil” and “The May Pole of Merry Mount” (as well as a few not included here). In addition to rereading these two, I have made it through four more. “The Gentle Boy” seems most apropos to the times in which we live. I’m going to continue rotating this with other short story collections I have going.

Speaking of short story collections, I recently finished Dark Tales by Shirley Jackson. Her stories are much shorter than Hawthorne (17 stories/190 pages total), and the sinister or creepy twist she puts on things is interesting. It’s impossible for me to choose a favorite!

[ALLEN]

Rereading Letters from Cicely: A Northern Exposure Book by Ellis Weiner. Review HERE:
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/8...

[Lynn, New School Classics]

Heather L wrote: "Lynn — RE: Twice-Told Tales by Nathaniel Hawthorne

I was surprised by the negative reactions when you mentioned reading this, especially from one person who admitted having never rea..."

I understand that people don't always like the same book. But I really agree with you about Shirley Jackson. I have not read that particular book of short stories, but We Have Always Lived in the Castle is one of my all time favorites.

"Gentle Boy" was a really good short story; very thought-provoking.

[Brian E]

Darren wrote: "for those who didn't know (I didn't until recently!) The Hustler is an excellent book by Walter Tevis"

Walter Tevis is certainly a hot author ever since the much praised NETFLIX miniseries based on his The Queen's Gambit. In April, SHOWTIME pay channel is releasing a miniseries based on his The Man Who Fell to Earth.
As homage to the 1976 movie version of the book, the title of each episode of the series will be the title of a David Bowie song. Chiwetel Ejiofor plays the role of the alien/Faraday and Bill Nighy plays Thomas Jerome Newton, the role David Bowie played in the film.
I will be reading The Queen's Gambit as soon as my memories of the miniseries fade a touch more.

[Janice]

I am still reading Anne of Avonlea by L.M. Montgomery and Lady Susan by Jane Austen. Both favourites of mine. <3

[Mary]

I just started The Great Gatsby

[Natalie]

Mary - I love The Great Gatsby. It’s one of my favorite books. I don’t like the characters or even the plot, but I love how beautifully descriptive the language is. ☺️

[Lori]

I’ve been reading Christy by Catherine Marshall. It’s been on my tbr for a long time and I’ve not seen any of the tv versions. It’s such a good story.

[Mary]

Natalie wrote: "Mary - I love The Great Gatsby. It’s one of my favorite books. I don’t like the characters or even the plot, but I love how beautifully descriptive the language is. ☺️"

I noticed the descriptive language from the get-go. I'll let you know my review when I'm done.

[Lynn, New School Classics]

Lori wrote: "I’ve been reading Christy by Catherine Marshall. It’s been on my tbr for a long time and I’ve not seen any of the tv versions. It’s such a good story."

Oh yea!! That's a book I want to read this year too!

[Wreade1872]

Finished the long dystopian sci-fi poem(s) Aniara by Harry Martinson [4/5]

Still reading Humans 3.0 by Peter Nowak and Titus Awakes by Maeve Gilmore
and just starting pecking away at The Bone People by Keri Hulme; won't be reading too much of that until i get one of others finished, just wetting my beak for now.

[Pillsonista]

RJ - Slayer of Trolls wrote: "I started reading the second Lew Archer book:


The Drowning Pool by Ross Macdonald"

My absolute favorite American detective/mystery series. Chandler may have "created" the style and gained all the fame, but it was MacDonald who added the depth and the substance.

And when it came to creating female characters, Chandler doesn't hold a candle to MacDonald.

[Greg]

Natalie wrote: "Mary - I love The Great Gatsby. It’s one of my favorite books. I don’t like the characters or even the plot, but I love how beautifully descriptive the language is. ☺️"

Me too Natalie! The language and the metaphoric/symbolic parts are gorgeous and quite deep, I think! Though the characters aren't so loveable.

[Jayson]

Just finished “Ben-Hur: A Tale Of The Christ” by Lew Wallace. It took a while (not because I’m a slow reader - just hadn’t the time) but I finished it. I had been wanting to read the book for years and I loved it. Is it better than the films. Yes and no. There is a lot more in the novel though. I was really impressed by the research Lew Wallace displayed in his narrative. He made me feel like I was back in those times.

[J_BlueFlower]

I have just started Against the Ice: The Classic Arctic Survival Story (original Danish titel : Farlig tomandsfærd).

The new Netflix movie is based on this book. Non-fiction account of Ejnar Mikkelsen 3 years (1909-12) in Greenland.

I have wanted to read it since I heard about it. Now I am reading it before seeing the movie. The beginning is good. It is always an unknown: Those people doing great things: When they sit down to write about it - can they actually write? Yes, Ejnar Mikkelsen has stood that test so far.

[Robin P]

I don't know if the group has read any Arnold Bennett but I have been enjoying his dry humor in Helen with the High Hand - An Idyllic Diversion and The Card. They poke gentle fun at small-town bourgeois life and are very good on audio.

[Brian E]

Robin, I like Bennett, I have read the two you mention, The Card and Helen With The High Hand - An Idyllic Diversion during the past few years and enjoyed them both, especially The Card.
I had previously read The Old Wives Tale, which I thought was very good, Anna of the Five Towns and one set in London, Riceyman Steps
I have Kindles of three Bennett novels loaded on my I-Pad for a rainy day: Clayhanger Buried Alive: A Tale of These Days and The Grim Smile Of The Five Towns. I'm pretty sure Rosemarie has also read and enjoyed Bennett novels.
Some of Bennett's novels were written between 1900 and 1910 and would be eligible for this group. I would be interested in Group reading several of them several of them, but not that interested in his self-help books or The Grand Babylon Hotel

[Luffy Sempai]

ALLEN wrote: "Rereading Letters from Cicely: A Northern Exposure Book by Ellis Weiner. Review HERE:
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/8..."

ALLEN, your link leads to the book's page, not your review.

[ALLEN]

Luffy wrote: "ALLEN wrote: "Rereading Letters from Cicely: A Northern Exposure Book by Ellis Weiner. Review HERE:
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/8......"

Thanks for calling that to my attention, Luffy.
This should work: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Dave]

I finished “War and Peace” which I started Nov 20!

[Laurie]

Dave wrote: "I finished “War and Peace” which I started Nov 20!"

Good for you, Dave. How did you like it?

[Dave]

Laurie wrote: "Dave wrote: "I finished “War and Peace” which I started Nov 20!"

Good for you, Dave. How did you like it?"

It took a long time to get into with the introduction of so many characters, but once I emotionally bonded with the characters, I enjoyed it.

I know a lot about the Napoleonic Wars, so I knew the course of history and the battles. Where it was masterful was in describing the state of confusion during battle by those participating. The horror of war and stupidity of those that wage it. How topical to current affairs!

Tolstoy’s commentary on human nature, war etc is what really sets it apart as iconic. Although I thought the second epilogue could have been left out.

[Luffy Sempai]

ALLEN wrote: "Luffy wrote: "ALLEN wrote: "Rereading Letters from Cicely: A Northern Exposure Book by Ellis Weiner. Review HERE:
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/8......"

You're welcome. :)

[RJ - Slayer of Trolls]

Pillsonista wrote: "RJ - Slayer of Trolls wrote: "I started reading the second Lew Archer book:


The Drowning Pool by Ross Macdonald"

My absolute fav..."

Thanks Pill, I'm definitely enjoying the series.

[RJ - Slayer of Trolls]

I finished


Cyrano de Bergerac by Edmond Rostand
Rating: 3 stars
Review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

and I started reading


The Sun Also Rises by Ernest Hemingway

[Janice]

I am rereading The Railway Children by E.Nesbit