Constant Reader discussion
note: This topic has been closed to new comments.
Short Form
>
What I'm Reading MAY 2015
Cateline wrote: "Just finished two books on kindle. The Carpetbaggers by Harold Robbins and The Quiet Earth by Craig Harrison.
Polar opposites, but both excellent in their own way.
My reviews, here.
https:/..."
Cateline, you mention in your review of The Carpetbaggers that "The characters range from a Harlow-like actress to a half Kiowa, half white cowboy that has seen Hell and came back from it. " The latter character is Nevada Smith, played in the film adaptation of THE CARPETBAGGERS BY Alan Ladd (in his last film role) and then in the film prequel titled NEVADA SMITH, by a young Steve McQueen. I read the book, and enjoyed the story, liked the film a bit better, and then enjoyed the NEVADA SMITH movie the most. Good storytelling in both movies but especially the latter, but I think what I liked most was watching Steve McQueen play the lead role as the character that he thought would develop into the older man played by Alan Ladd. The movie, as you can guess because of the material it draws from in THE CARPETBAGGERS book, is quite violent, but it really works as a classic revenge tale.
Ellen wrote: "Book Concierge wrote: "
The Narrow Road to the Deep North by Richard Flanagan – 3.5*** A novel told in three parts – before, during and after ..."
Ellen ... the scenes in the POW camp ARE graphic and brutal. So this may not be the book for you.
Book Concierge wrote: "Ellen wrote: "Book Concierge wrote: " The Narrow Road to the Deep North by Richard Flanagan – 3.5***
A novel told in three parts – before, dur..."
Thank you. I appreciate it. Yes, all books, however great their literary merit, can't be for all people. Everyone should have a Book Concierge! I'm grateful for you!
The Narrow Road to the Deep North by Richard Flanagan – 3.5*** A novel told in three parts – before, dur..."
Thank you. I appreciate it. Yes, all books, however great their literary merit, can't be for all people. Everyone should have a Book Concierge! I'm grateful for you!
I'm reading Anita Amirrezvani's Equal of the Sun, a historical novel about intrigue within the 16th-century Safavi dynasty in Iran. Reviews of this book on Goodreads are interesting. Some hate the mannered historical-fiction language, but many, like me, appreciate the fluid elegance of the style and the tremendous amount of true scholarship that has gone into the making of the book.
Larry wrote: Cateline, you mention in your review of The Carpetbaggers that "The characters range from a Harlow-like actress to a half Kiowa, half white cowboy that has seen Hell and came back from it. " The latter character is Nevada Smith, played in the film adaptation of THE CARPETBAGGERS BY Alan Ladd (in his last film role) and then in the film prequel titled NEVADA SMITH, by a young Steve McQueen. I read the book, and enjoyed the story, liked the film a bit better, and then enjoyed the NEVADA SMITH movie the most. Good storytelling in both movies but especially the latter, but I think what I liked most was watching Steve McQueen play the lead role as the character that he thought would develop into the older man played by Alan Ladd. The movie, as you can guess because of the material it draws from in THE CARPETBAGGERS book, is quite violent, but it really works as a classic revenge tale. I've seen both films, a long time ago. I'd like to re-watch actually. Nevada was probably my favorite character in The Carpetbaggers, and in spite of the opposite coloring (blond A.L. as opposed to the black haired book character) of the true character I could only picture Alan Ladd in the role during reading. :)
He and Steve McQueen are among my very favorite actors of all time. Both epitomized "cool" for me. And George Peppard was perfect as Jonas.
I think Jennie Denton was based, at least somewhat, on Delores Hart.
Rea wrote: "I'm reading Anita Amirrezvani's Equal of the Sun, a historical novel about intrigue within the 16th-century Safavi dynasty in Iran. Reviews of this book on Goodreads are interesting. Some hate the ..."Rea, thanks for bringing this novel to my attention. It sounds very good. And, you're right. The reviewers seem to love it or hate it. I'm definitely willing to take the chance that I will, at least, like it.
Just finished The First Fifteen Lives of Harry August by Claire North. Not what I expected, but provides an interesting twist. My review. https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Just finished Middle Age: A Romance Joyce Carol Oates. Middle aged! I suppose so, but from my point of view they seemed young. Fascinating how this one mysterious man has an influence on so many even after his death. Fascinating for awhile at least. I did begin to tire of it. Especially after I began to for get who was who in the cast of characters. Still it was a good, if lengthy read.
I would like to read George Sand, but I don't know where best to start. Am thinking of Indiana, or Valentine. Not sure where to start. I know Balzac admired her, says Wiki, as did Flaubert, and James. I have James's Essays on Fiction at home, and should look her up.
If you have any suggestions, I'd appreciate it. Also, being French, why is she not "Georges" Sand? I always assumed she was. Is modern opinion that she is better known for her lifestyle and associations than for her writing? Discuss amongst yourselves... I have no idea where to begin!
Edit: My library only has Horace. I've placed it on hold for July. No free Kindles in English, but since my Kindle died, I don't like reading on my PC. So there we are. I still would appreciate anything anyone has to share.
If you have any suggestions, I'd appreciate it. Also, being French, why is she not "Georges" Sand? I always assumed she was. Is modern opinion that she is better known for her lifestyle and associations than for her writing? Discuss amongst yourselves... I have no idea where to begin!
Edit: My library only has Horace. I've placed it on hold for July. No free Kindles in English, but since my Kindle died, I don't like reading on my PC. So there we are. I still would appreciate anything anyone has to share.
I usually have two books going at once, one nonfiction and one fiction. But right now I'm reading three. They are Dreamland: The True Tale of America's Opiate Epidemic, by Sam Quinones; John Baxter's The Most Beautiful Walk in the World: A Pedestrian in Paris; and Neal Stephenson's Seveneves. The first is about how the epidemic of blacktar heroin and oxycontin came about with separate marketing schemes of Big Pharma and some innovative Mexicans from one little town in Mexico. The second is a tribute to the beauty of Paris and the joy of walking in that city, from an Australian who lives there. Baxter's writing is simply beautiful and is full of great humor. I love this book. Stephenson's very long new novel is about how the human race tries to save itself after the moon explodes and major pieces of the moon threaten to obliterate earth in about two years. Not as silly as it sounds, and it is a lot of fun. I need beauty and fun as I keep on slowly reading my way through the well written but thoroughly depressing book by Quinones.
I heard about Dreamland on NPR the other day, Larry. I think I'm going to have to read this one.
Mary Anne,The writing is pretty amazing as Quinones jumps back and forth between the United States and Mexico, the past and the present, and matters about heroin and oxycontin. And he does it in such a way that you never really get lost. Probably a combination of great writing and superb editing.
Thanks for the reminder about The Most Beautiful Walk in the World: A Pedestrian in Paris, Larry. I had thought of reading that in preparation for a future trip to Paris but forgot about it.
Barbara, it will definitely get you in the mood for Paris, but you do need to know that it really is not a guidebook. I haven't gotten to the last part when he does describe the walk that he really is in love with. I like the point that he makes early on that every lover of Paris will discover his own most beautiful walk. One of Baxter's strengths is in his ability to express his very strong opinions while he laughs at himself. I wish that I could be in his company while he wanders around Paris. He tells great stories.
Just read a fairly readable thriller (just downloaded the best I could get immediately for free from Library2Go for my Kindle), The Brethren. Even though I have better luck getting better and more recent books in paper form from the library, I like to keep my Kindle loaded up with something so I can always have my "reading defense" against long lines, boring parts of meetings or things I need to attend, etc, handy!
Ellen wrote: "Book Concierge wrote: "Ellen wrote: "Book Concierge wrote: " The Narrow Road to the Deep North by Richard Flanagan – 3.5*** A novel told in th..."
I have this one sitting on my shelf to be read. I dabbled with the first few pages but got distracted by my current read.
For now I have just started Kazuo Ishiguro's The Buried Giant - two chapters in and enthralled. Set in post Roman historical Britain two "older" people Axl and Beatrice set off to walk to the village of their son whom they only vaguely remember as a "mist of forgetfullness" as shrouded the land. It is Ishiguro's first novel in 10 years and is billed as addressing memories, love, revenge and war - seems very apt for today's world. I've been a fan of his since I read A Pale View of Hills when it was first punlsihed and have loved all is works with the exception of The Unconsoled which I stalled with and did not finish. So far this new one is intriguing - in chapter 2 we meet a boatman who ferries people to an island where they can wander without seeing another soul and who tests the love of couple who come asking to go together, a woman who has been left behind by a husband who went and whom the boatman would not carry across; the mist is an interesting concept in the bool and I sure its significance will come to the fore as the narrative progresses, whether or now they actually have a son remains unclear as I begin chapter 3 but the plot has reeled me in for a great UK Bank Holiday read.
Rea wrote: "I'm reading Anita Amirrezvani's Equal of the Sun, a historical novel about intrigue within the 16th-century Safavi dynasty in Iran. Reviews of this book on Goodreads are interesting. Some hate the ..."Rea, I read another of Anita Amirrezvani's a while back The Blood of Flowers which I thoroughly enjoyed. A light but memorable read. You can read My Review. So thanks for highighting this one for me, unfotunately no in my Library's stock but I have added it to my TBR list
Sheila wrote: "Ellen wrote: "Book Concierge wrote: "Ellen wrote: "Book Concierge wrote: " The Narrow Road to the Deep North by Richard Flanagan – 3.5*** A no..."
We're reading this in October in the Reading List. Make sure you come back for the discussion.
Sherry wrote: "Sheila wrote: "Ellen wrote: "Book Concierge wrote: "Ellen wrote: "Book Concierge wrote: " The Narrow Road to the Deep North by Richard Flanagan..."Tx Sherry Noted
I have just finished reading Hissing Cousins. Eleanor and Alice Roosevelt were first cousins, and competitors. Both were strong in their attitudes and beliefs, and their relationships were complicated and yet affectionate. The social climate in which they lived is a factor in their lives which affected their actions. A fine read.
Thank you, Lee. I have added it to my TBR.
Portia wrote: "Sheila wrote: "Sherry wrote: "Sheila wrote: "Ellen wrote: "Book Concierge wrote: "Ellen wrote: "Book Concierge wrote: " The Narrow Road to the ..."We are reading Buried Giant in October. I haven't heard of the other book, except in Sheila's note..
I finished Neal Stephenson's Seveneves yesterday ... all 880 pages of it, although on my Kindle I wasn't sure how many pages there were. It starts with the moon exploding and then explores how humanity tries to survive for the next 5,000 years. If you like science fiction a lot and especially if you like Stephenson's other long novels, you may like this one a lot. But ... some sections of it read like a technical manual more than a novel, and there are long stretches of it that for my own tastes could have been compressed greatly with little loss. The novel is sort of like what I've heard what being a cop is like ... long stretches of boredom punctuated by a few seconds of intense excitement. Those moments of major excitement were enough to keep me reading on. It's hard to say much more without giving away some major spoilers ... I guess it's recommended if you know what you're getting into.
Sherry, no confusion here I understood you meant the Ishiguru
Larry, that opening reminds me of the beginning of one of the Star Trek films...VI.....I believe. Praxis, Kronos's (the Klingon home world) moon was mostly destroyed.Agreed, NS is unnecessarily long winded, I'm still hoping to someday finish Cryptonomicon. However, Reamde was long, but exciting.
Cateline, I really agree with you about REAMDE. As long as it was, I read it very slowly (which was the opposite of how I read SEVENEVES). I enjoyed it a lot.
Ruth, just added Oates's The Tatooed Girl to my TBR.
For a few years, I have had the book, THE INSIDER by Stephen Frey, on my book shelf. I finally decided to read it thinking that it was written by Stephen Frey, the brilliant actor. I thought that it would be witty and well-written. But no, it was written by another Stephen Frey and it was pretty bad. The writing was awful and the story was quite unbelievable. I gave it one star.
Jane wrote: "For a few years, I have had the book, THE INSIDER by Stephen Frey, on my book shelf. I finally decided to read it thinking that it was written by Stephen Frey, the brilliant actor. I thought that..."Don't you hate it when that happens?
Sherry wrote: "Jane wrote: "For a few years, I have had the book, THE INSIDER by Stephen Frey, on my book shelf. I finally decided to read it thinking that it was written by Stephen Frey, the brilliant actor. I..."Yes, I do, Sherry. Some of the book was just laughable with the obligatory sex scene and a car chase.
Jane wrote: "For a few years, I have had the book, THE INSIDER by Stephen Frey, on my book shelf. I finally decided to read it thinking that it was written by Stephen Frey, the brilliant actor. I thought that..."
How good to know! I knew he was a writer, and admire him so. I don't think a dull mind could infuse his acting with as sharp an intelligence as Fry does. So there are homophonic misclues out there! Good to know! Fry has written a number of book, just looked him up when I read this.
How good to know! I knew he was a writer, and admire him so. I don't think a dull mind could infuse his acting with as sharp an intelligence as Fry does. So there are homophonic misclues out there! Good to know! Fry has written a number of book, just looked him up when I read this.
Red Sky at Morning by Richard Bradford – 4**** A coming-of-age story set in a small mountain town in New Mexico during WW II. Bradford writes believable teens (and adults), making sense of a world whose rules have changed. I was caught up in the story of Josh and his family, as they tried to make the best of the situation. The setting shields the characters from the war, but war will intrude eventually. In the meantime Josh and his friends maintain some of the innocence of youth, while still stretching the boundaries as they rush head-long towards adulthood.
Link to my full review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Just started To Rise Again at a Decent Hour and finding its voice pretty interesting!Ruth, also now planning to read the Joyce Carol Oates Tattooed Girl at some point.
The Golden Notebook I'm both devastated and reconstructed.
Review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/list...
Review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/list...
Lyn wrote: "Just started To Rise Again at a Decent Hour and finding its voice pretty interesting!"
Yes, the voice is the thing, isn't it? I'm also reading it, and just startedMrs. Palfrey at the Claremont. I may have read it before; if not, I've read something else by Elizabeth Taylor.
Recently at bedtime I felt a sudden itch that nothing I'm currently reading could scratch, and ferreted through the bookcases till I found a book of short novels by Henry James which included one I hadn't read before, An International Episode. It's not his best, but it scratched the itch. Sometimes only the classics will do...
I recently finished We Are Not Ourselves by Matthew Thomas. I gave it 4 stars. I probably would not have read it if I had known that most of it revolved around a character with Alzheimer's. I watched this disease ravage my mother over many years, and generally try to avoid reliving it in literature. However, I have to say that Thomas does an excellent job with his characterizations and treatment of family dynamics. The emphasis is more on the caregivers than on the victim. There is a lot of pain, but also a lot of love in the book. The author's father died of early onset Alzheimer's. and he know what he is talking about.In the end, the subject matter didn't bother me. However, it logs in at over 600 pages and I think it would have been a stronger book if it had been shorter. Thomas spent 10 years on the book and I can understand his desire not to leave anything out, but it dragged in parts. Maybe that was the point - Alzheimer's seems to go on and on. One person wrote a book about it called Thirty Six Hour Day: A Family Guide To Caring For Persons With Alzheimer's Disease, which pretty much captures that feeling.
I've finished Lamentation by C.J. Sansom. A historical mystery, based deeply in fact. Well done. My review, here. https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...I'm about 50% into No Time for Goodbye by Linwood Barclay. Very twisty psychological mystery. It could still go in any direction. I hated to go to sleep last night, wanted to finish it. :)
Finished up The Tattooed Girl by Joyce Carol Oates a few days ago. Here's my review. I was glued to the pages. Flew through this one in two afternoons. Fascinating characters, fascinating story. Only flaw was the ending, in which Oates gave in to her penchant for the melodramatic.Now reading Sleeping with Cats a memoir by Marge Piercy.
Just finished The Unspeakable: And Other Subjects of Discussion by Meghan Daum, a collection of essays that I loved and The Folded Clock: A Diary by Heidi Julavits a sort-of diary that I liked a lot.Now I'm trying to finish Leaving the Atocha Station by Ben Lerner before it's due back at the library. I loved 10: 04 (also by Lerner) and I'm enjoying this one, but it's a bit slower going.
Ruth wrote: "Finished up The Tattooed Girl by Joyce Carol Oates a few days ago. Here's my review. I was glued to the pages. Flew through this one in two afternoons. Fascinating characters, fascinat..."I read it way back when, Ruth, but I liked the Piercy a lot.
I haven't gotten very far into it yet, Sara, but so far I'm liking it.Wouldn't it be interesting if we could make a Venn diagram of the overlapping likes and dislikes of CR members.
Ruth wrote: "I haven't gotten very far into it yet, Sara, but so far I'm liking it.Wouldn't it be interesting if we could make a Venn diagram of the overlapping likes and dislikes of CR members."
Yes, indeedy! Don't know if you've read much of her fiction, but Vida and Woman on the Edge of Time are two of my favorites, although, again, read years ago.
I've read woman and Gone to Soldiers, and quite a bit of her poetry, it I don't own one of her poetry books.
There are a couple of her poems that are pretty much sacred to me: For the Young Who Want To, and the long one about nurturing ourselves like a garden. She is quite amazing. Gone To Soldiers has been on my shelves forever, so I'll get to that someday!
The Hunger Moon: New and Selected Poems, 1980-2010 is on my bedside table.My copy of The News has just arrived. This is a book I am looking forward to.
Just read The Essential Tales of Chekhov . Rereading Chekhov is always a pleasure. These stories chosen by Richard Ford are some of Chekhov’s best, yet one of my favorites “Sleepy” was omitted. Nonetheless, one is struck again, at how every modern story writer is in Chekhov’s debt. The collection is capped off by his most famous story The Lady and the Dog which is incomparable.
Nicole wrote: "I love the Golden Notebook. I re-read it a couple years ago, and it held up a lot better than I was expecting. Kat, it's interesting that you loved Martha when you were young; I did not like her ..."
I love the Children of Violence series too, especially the first volume "Martha Quest."
Joan wrote: "I love the Children of Violence series too, especially the first volume "Martha Quest." "Yes. I still remember a sense of wonder. It was unlike anything I'd ever read up to that time.
This topic has been frozen by the moderator. No new comments can be posted.
Constant Reader
Books mentioned in this topic
Believer: My Forty Years in Politics (other topics)Olive Kitteridge (other topics)
A Place in Time: Twenty Stories of the Port William Membership (other topics)
Brother of the More Famous Jack (other topics)
Looking for the Possible Dance (other topics)
More...
Authors mentioned in this topic
Meghan Daum (other topics)Heidi Julavits (other topics)
Ben Lerner (other topics)
Matthew Thomas (other topics)
Anita Amirrezvani (other topics)
More...
A novel told in three parts – before, during and after WW2. Australian surgeon..."
I have been avoiding this. It actually came up on hold rotation for me at the library and I let it go by, really fearful how graphic it may be. One of my favorite novels, though, is Any Human Heart, another before, during and after WWII (which I prefer to "WW2" simply because it more or less can be read as "Why?", which I like to ask, although I know many of the answers, but I digress), and I do believe Any Human Heart SHOWS rather than TELLS, what an excellent point to have made in your review. I don't want to miss a Booker winner, but I really do avoid graphic things for personal reasons. Well, I will let some time pass and think about it. Your review helped much.