Catching up on Classics (and lots more!) discussion

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RJ - Slayer of Trolls (hawk5391yahoocom) | 943 comments I finished John Fowles's first novel

The Collector by John Fowles
The Collector by John Fowles
Rating: 3 stars
Review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

and I started reading the Pulitzer-Prize winner

The Underground Railroad by Colson Whitehead
The Underground Railroad by Colson Whitehead


message 1152: by Richard (new)

Richard Craven | 94 comments RJ - Slayer of Trolls wrote: "Richard wrote: "...The bottom line is that we must never ever let government do this again."

...and yet, the inevitable march to strip away all our personal freedoms continues unabated."


Indeed so.


message 1153: by Pharmacdon (new)

Pharmacdon | 155 comments I am reading Less by Andrew Sean Greer. Pulitzer Prize winner for fiction in 2018.


message 1154: by Richard (new)

Richard Craven | 94 comments Pharmacdon wrote: "I am reading Less by Andrew Sean Greer. Pulitzer Prize winner for fiction in 2018."

On the strength of your comment I've just been looking at his website. Proper literary fiction and apparently no woke nonsense. Looks good.


message 1155: by Luffy Sempai (last edited Aug 27, 2022 07:45AM) (new)

Luffy Sempai (luffy79) | 781 comments I'm reading a good Fantasy book, an anomaly, titled Foundryside. I was prepared to skim it and move on, but it held my interest.

The book is so far very well paced. Few movies, and few books that are not sequels, start off so briskly.

The main character is acting very stupidly though. The problematic stuff in this book have been rationalised, because someone needs to commit a gaffe for the plot to move forward.

The book begins with a heist, and you get the feeling that this is a world class cat burglar, but things quickly coalesce.

The diagnosis is that I'm quite enjoying myself.

UPDATE : The MC is quite plucky, and I retract my criticism about her naivety. My respect for the author has grown.


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Amyjzed | 46 comments J_BlueFlower wrote: "Currently reading Pavel Filatyev: Zov.

Very strangely this book is not on Goodreads. I do not understand why.

Filatyev a paratrooper before and during the beginning of the Russian invasion. He d..."


Thanks for sharing this recommendation... I hadn't heard of this memoir but it sounds compelling. Wading through biased points of view, political spin, and blatant propaganda about this war is daunting, but it's encouraging to find sources that might suggest some kernels of truth or insight.


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lu (holehowl) | 11 comments reading Silence of the Lambs, finally meeting Hannibal from the books (watched the movies/series and I love sm, now I'm meeting the original source!!)


message 1158: by Hallie (new)

Hallie (hallie20) I’m starting Pride and Prejudice. I was told to keep a dictionary on hand for this one.


message 1159: by Richard (new)

Richard Craven | 94 comments Hallie wrote: "I’m starting Pride and Prejudice. I was told to keep a dictionary on hand for this one."

One of the all-time classics, surprisingly accessible to the 21st century reader. I hope you get as much out of it as I have.


RJ - Slayer of Trolls (hawk5391yahoocom) | 943 comments luny wrote: "reading Silence of the Lambs, finally meeting Hannibal from the books (watched the movies/series and I love sm, now I'm meeting the original source!!)"

Great book! Did you read Red Dragon already? I liked that one even better.


message 1161: by lu (new)

lu (holehowl) | 11 comments RJ - Slayer of Trolls wrote: "luny wrote: "reading Silence of the Lambs, finally meeting Hannibal from the books (watched the movies/series and I love sm, now I'm meeting the original source!!)"

Great book! Did you read Red Dr..."


I did not! I just watched the movie, I was actually worried if I'd understand this book if I didn't read Red Dragon before.


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Pharmacdon | 155 comments I am reading Random Acts of Senseless Violence by Jack Womack. It has been compared to A Clockwork Orange.


message 1163: by J_BlueFlower (new)

J_BlueFlower (j_from_denmark) | 2314 comments News about Pavel Filatyev (from dr.dk):

The Russian paratrooper, who earlier this month made headlines in the West for his revelations about the Russian invasion of Ukraine, has now sought political asylum in France.

"When I heard high-ranking people calling for me to be sentenced to 15 years in prison for spreading "fake news", I understood that I will not be able to get anywhere here, and that my lawyers could not do anything for me in Russia", he told AFP as he arrived at Charles de Gaulle airport in Paris.



RJ - Slayer of Trolls (hawk5391yahoocom) | 943 comments luny wrote: "...I did not! I just watched the movie, I was actually worried if I'd understand this book if I didn't read Red Dragon before."

I think you can read them in either order. They really don't overlap too much.


message 1165: by Luffy Sempai (new)

Luffy Sempai (luffy79) | 781 comments Hallie wrote: "I’m starting Pride and Prejudice. I was told to keep a dictionary on hand for this one."

You don't need a dictionary. But to understand the book you must read it slower than you do with modern books. If you think about what the Bennets e.g. are saying, you'll enjoy P&P a lot.


message 1166: by Richard (new)

Richard Craven | 94 comments Luffy wrote: "Hallie wrote: "I’m starting Pride and Prejudice. I was told to keep a dictionary on hand for this one."

You don't need a dictionary. But to understand the book you must read it slower than you do ..."


Pride and Prejudice could be said to represent the apogee of chicklit, which is not to denigrate P&P but to acknowledge that at its best chicklit is truly great art.


message 1167: by lu (new)

lu (holehowl) | 11 comments RJ - Slayer of Trolls wrote: "luny wrote: "...I did not! I just watched the movie, I was actually worried if I'd understand this book if I didn't read Red Dragon before."

I think you can read them in either order. They really ..."


Oh, so it's fine :)


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Reed (reedster6) | 42 comments About to start 13 Reasons Why by Jay Asher


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Pharmacdon | 155 comments I am reading Laughing Boy: A Navajo Love Story by Oliver La Farge, winner of the 1930 Pultizer Prize for Fiction.


message 1170: by Janice (new)

Janice | 303 comments Luffy wrote: "Hallie wrote: "I’m starting Pride and Prejudice. I was told to keep a dictionary on hand for this one."

You don't need a dictionary. But to understand the book you must read it slower than you do ..."


I agree with you, Luffy, on reading it slowly not just to understand it but also to enjoy it. :)


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CindySR (neyankee) | 0 comments Janice wrote: "Luffy wrote: "Hallie wrote: "I’m starting Pride and Prejudice. I was told to keep a dictionary on hand for this one."

You don't need a dictionary. But to understand the book you must read it slowe..."


I just finished Sense & Sensibility and it would have taken me months to finish if I hadn't read the print as I listened to the audio version. So much easier to understand and faster.


message 1172: by Richard (new)

Richard Craven | 94 comments I read about 30 pages of La Peste yesterday evening in the pub while sipping two pints of a delicious 4.3% ale. My French isn't entirely fluent, and I had to consult Google Translate half a dozen times or so. Nevertheless Camus is very accessible, even more so than Houellebecq who has been my French novelist of choice over the last couple of years.


message 1173: by Luffy Sempai (new)

Luffy Sempai (luffy79) | 781 comments Janice wrote: "Luffy wrote: "Hallie wrote: "I’m starting Pride and Prejudice. I was told to keep a dictionary on hand for this one."

You don't need a dictionary. But to understand the book you must read it slowe..."


I did both when I reread it again, and gave the book its due of 5 stars.


message 1174: by LiLi (new)

LiLi | 153 comments There's a great little book called _What Jane Austen Ate and Charles Dickens Knew_ (which, now that I think about, sounds a little sexist), which can be used as a reference regarding daily life in 19th century England, when reading books from that period.


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Janice | 303 comments I am rereading MIddlemarch by George Eliot


message 1176: by LiLi (new)

LiLi | 153 comments @Janice, sounds great. I've been meaning to do that, too.


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siriusedward (elenaraphael) | 2005 comments Janice wrote: "I am rereading MIddlemarch by George Eliot"

That is a wonderful book . Loved reading it with this group.


message 1178: by Richard (new)

Richard Craven | 94 comments Janice wrote: "I am rereading MIddlemarch by George Eliot"

Absolute all-time top ten classic. Superb reading choice.


message 1179: by Luffy Sempai (new)

Luffy Sempai (luffy79) | 781 comments I'm reading a strange police mystery, Dark Water, by Caro Ramsay. It is stringing me along, but the book is, amazingly, nice to read.


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Doubledf99.99 | 3 comments I'm still reading Anna Karenina, and reading it very slow to take it all in.


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Linda R, | 54 comments I'm halfway through a reread of The Great Gatsby. Beautiful writing. I am so loving this.


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Janice | 303 comments LiLi wrote: "@Janice, sounds great. I've been meaning to do that, too."

Come and join us in the group Everyone Has Read This But Me in the Readalong selection. :) The readings have been divided up into 6 months.


message 1183: by Janice (new)

Janice | 303 comments siriusedward wrote: "Janice wrote: "I am rereading MIddlemarch by George Eliot"

That is a wonderful book . Loved reading it with this group."


I am rereading it in the group Everyone Has Read This But Me read-along selection. It will be read over the next 6 months. :)


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Janice | 303 comments Richard wrote: "Janice wrote: "I am rereading MIddlemarch by George Eliot"

Absolute all-time top ten classic. Superb reading choice."


Thank you. I am enjoying it so far, and I feel it is a book that I need to reread to get what I missed the first time.


message 1185: by Janice (new)

Janice | 303 comments Linda R, wrote: "I'm halfway through a reread of The Great Gatsby. Beautiful writing. I am so loving this."

I read two different graphic novels of The Great Gatsby to read it another way. I would tell people to read the novel first though.


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Richard Craven | 94 comments Janice wrote: "Richard wrote: "Janice wrote: "I am rereading MIddlemarch by George Eliot"

Absolute all-time top ten classic. Superb reading choice."

Thank you. I am enjoying it so far, and I feel it is a book t..."


I hadn't picked up that this was a re-read. Hats off to you!


RJ - Slayer of Trolls (hawk5391yahoocom) | 943 comments I finished my first by a noted crime author

Somebody Owes Me Money by Donald E. Westlake
Somebody Owes Me Money by Donald E. Westlake
Rating: 3 stars
Review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

and I started a noteworthy Australian novel I've wanted to read for a long time

Picnic at Hanging Rock by Joan Lindsay
Picnic at Hanging Rock by Joan Lindsay


message 1188: by Janice (new)

Janice | 303 comments Richard wrote: "Janice wrote: "Richard wrote: "Janice wrote: "I am rereading MIddlemarch by George Eliot"

Absolute all-time top ten classic. Superb reading choice."

Thank you. I am enjoying it so far, and I feel..."


Thank you :)


message 1189: by Richard (new)

Richard Craven | 94 comments Linda R, wrote: "I'm halfway through a reread of The Great Gatsby. Beautiful writing. I am so loving this."

Gatsby is magnificent. Allow me to recommend Scott Fitzgerald's final novel Tender is the Night, in case you haven't already read it.


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Gavin (thewalkingdude) | 218 comments I'm reading Vortex


message 1191: by Karen (new)

Karen Campbell | 126 comments I have been reading "Dangerous Liaisons". I am so glad that I have a dictionary handy as there are so many archaic words and usages in this book!

I am also trying to get through "Beowulf" but it is hard going. Anyone else have to read this aloud to appreciate the verse?


message 1192: by Richard (new)

Richard Craven | 94 comments Karen wrote: "I have been reading "Dangerous Liaisons". I am so glad that I have a dictionary handy as there are so many archaic words and usages in this book!

I am also trying to get through "Beowulf" but it i..."


No, but I have discovered while reading Albert Camus's novel La Peste in the original French that I understand it better and my accent improves if I read it aloud, or at least move my lips to enunciate the words as I read.


RJ - Slayer of Trolls (hawk5391yahoocom) | 943 comments Gavin wrote: "I'm reading Vortex"

How do you like it? I still need to read Spin. I've had it on my shelf forever.


message 1194: by Rachel (new)

Rachel  del Toro Johnny Tremaine!


message 1195: by Jess (new)

Jess Penhallow | 54 comments Finally started the Poirot series with The Mysterious Affair at Styles I really liked it but was hoping it would act more as an introduction.

I guess this means that I can read these books in any order.


message 1196: by Luffy Sempai (new)

Luffy Sempai (luffy79) | 781 comments Jess wrote: "Finally started the Poirot series with The Mysterious Affair at Styles I really liked it but was hoping it would act more as an introduction.

I guess this means that I can read th..."


Guess so. Hope you have fun :)


message 1197: by Heather L (last edited Sep 13, 2022 10:17AM) (new)

Heather L  (wordtrix) | 351 comments Jess wrote: "Finally started the Poirot series with The Mysterious Affair at Styles I really liked it but was hoping it would act more as an introduction.

I guess this means that I can read these books in any order..."



Most Christie novels can be read in any order with a few exceptions:

The Mysterious Affair at Styles should be read before Curtain, which is the last book featuring Poirot.

A Caribbean Mystery should be read before Nemesis as events in the first come into play in the second.

The Secret of Chimneys comes before The Seven Dials Mystery (set at same house).


message 1198: by Pharmacdon (new)

Pharmacdon | 155 comments I am reading The Ides of March by Thornton Wilder.
Julius Caesar wrote about a person he dislikes:
I am no longer immediately filled with compassion when I encounter one of those innumerable persons who trail behind them a shipwrecked life. Least of all do I try to find excuses for them when I see that they have found them for themselves, when I see them sitting on the throne of their own minds, excused, acquitted, and hurling indictments against the mysterious Destiny which has wronged them and exhibiting themselves as pure victim.



message 1199: by Richard (new)

Richard Craven | 94 comments I have finished La peste, which was absolutely excellent. This was actually a re-read - I studied it for my French A-level 41 years ago. I have now started reading Thérèse Desqueyroux, again in the original French. So far it seems thematically-speaking a bit like a shorter version of Madame Bovary.


RJ - Slayer of Trolls (hawk5391yahoocom) | 943 comments I finished a classic "romantic suspense" novel by the author of Rebecca and The Birds

My Cousin Rachel by Daphne du Maurier
My Cousin Rachel by Daphne du Maurier
Rating: 4 stars
Review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...


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