THE JAMES MASON COMMUNITY BOOK CLUB discussion
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WHAT ARE YOU READING AND WHY!!
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Fiona (Titch)
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Oct 07, 2011 01:40AM
Kill Alex Cross - James Patterson
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haven't read that one yet Brick- but as I have over 25 Pratchett books resting in my bedroom bookshelf- I certainly will get to it!
I'm reading White Teeth by Zadie Smith for fun, No-No Boy by John Okada and Twelfth Night by Shakespeare for my studies. I recomend all of them, White Teeth a great contemporary read full of awesome ways of looking at the world and great metaphors.
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I heard much good things about Barclay
I'm currently reading THE DETACHMENT by Barry Eisler. I've read the John Rain series from the beginning and then the two Ben Treven novels FAULT LINE and INSIDE OUT. Eisler's combined both series into a fantastic novel.
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my brother has a friend who knows Eisler (before and after his writing fame) quite well and says he is quite a nice fellow
Rick wrote: "Fiona (Titch) wrote: "Finished Kill Alex Cross - James Patterson. Now back to Lone Wolf - Linwood Barclay."I heard much good things abo..."
I have read his 1st 2 books in this series and loved them. I have the last 2 which are turning out to be good. Plus I have others of his on my TBR
Brick wrote: "Since I am a HUGE Terry Pratchett fan, I've recently delved into Thud!. 168 pages so far, and a great read!"Thud! is one of his best I think. I love the sub-plot about Sam Vimes reading the story to Young Sam.
Just started (yesterday)
Goodbye to All That, mainly because I suddenly realized that I had never read any of Robert Graves work. (I may have read a poem or two but I can't remember). So far I think that I have been missing out and plan to add I, Claudius to my TBR list. After finishing, and enjoying very much, The Moonstone, I am adding a few more Wilkie Collins to my list. As Dickens is a closed book to me I thought that I might explore some of the English authors that I have ignored in the past.
I am also going to explore some of the American writers too. Is Henry James worth the effort? I picked up a copy of The Europeans once while on guard duty at Catterick, a long time ago, and gave up on the first page. It may have been because I was tired, but after reading a couple of sentences that seemed to go on forever and had so many commas in them, I sort of lost track. I have also been told, mainly by female acquaintances that Edith Wharton is better. Does anyone have a take on this?
Tim, The Moonstone was the first Wilkie Collins book I read, too. I'd also recommend The Woman in White and The Dead Secret. I have No Name sitting on my bookshelf but haven't read it yet.
Thomas wrote: "I'm reading White Teeth by Zadie Smith for fun, No-No Boy by John Okada and Twelfth Night by Shakespeare for my studies. I recomend all of them, White Teeth a great contemporary read full of awesom..."Gotta say "White Teeth" is among my top favorite contemporary pieces of fiction...just wildly inventive and so full of messages about friendship, race, families. Loved the back-story during the war in Italy, too.
I'm halfway through "The Last Werewolf" by Glen Duncan. Two words: holy smokes. The writing is spectacular, the first-person point of view as gritty and raw (and base) as it gets. Very raunchy in a literate (?) way. Reminds me of how John Updike a bit, not quite as flowery but just as matter-of-fact about animal, er, needs.
I am currently reading "love's long shadow "battle for souls"" by Caira Knight , Stardust winks manga ch 10 , Danjeki Daisy manga ch 6 , the mystery of Pharaohs curse by Wael khtab & i reread an old book called Tightwads" by Algahez is sooooo funny book . I still want to read many but the time is my enime *_*
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Goodbye to All That, mainly because I suddenly realized that I had never read any of Robert Graves work. (I may have read ..."Henry James seems to be a writer one loves or ...well doesn't like at all- I happen to like him- I would recommend The Ambassadors- found it a good intro to James' style
Rick wrote: "Tim wrote: "Just started (yesterday) Goodbye to All That, mainly because I suddenly realized that I had never read any of Robert Graves work. (I ma..."Just bought the kindle version of
as it seemed like an interesting story and I like Paris. I was going through some of the synopses of his books and was struck by how many of them seemed to be from a female perspective.
Just finished Goodbye to All That and am now debating whether to start I, Claudius or The Ambassadors
Blood on the Tracks by Cecelia Holland, a concise (Kindle Single) history of the relatively unknown Great Railroad Strike of 1877 in the US. It's gritty and relevant. It has good material for a historical novel. Kindle Singles are helping fill a neglected size of story -- longer than an article but shorter than a book. Works well as an ebook.
Don Quixote by Cervante,Why , because I'm completely insane. It's very dense, complex and I'm a crumby reader BUT !!!!!
I am the epitome of quixotic. I feel I mystically relate to this author and I'm on a quest to know why.... Also, I love the concept and his writing is very beautiful and clever.
KRad wrote: "Don Quixote by Cervante,Why , because I'm completely insane. It's very dense, complex and I'm a crumby reader BUT !!!!!
I am the epitome of quixotic. I feel I mystically relate to this author an..."
I listened to it on audiobook and I think it can be a very attainable novel if you get the right translation. I really enjoyed the version of the audiobook.
I read most of this for one of my classes. I really enjoyed it. I still have my bookmark in the spot we left off at in class. One day I want to go back to it and finish it.KRad wrote: "Don Quixote by Cervante,
Why , because I'm completely insane. It's very dense, complex and I'm a crumby reader BUT !!!!!
I am the epitome of quixotic. I feel I mystically relate to this author an..."
I just finished Everything Beautiful Began After. It is a challenging but worthwhile read. Here's my review
The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. Why? Because although I've seen the movie quite a few times I realized that I've never read the book. So I decided to read it. I'm like that.
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Goodbye to All That, mainly because I suddenly realized that I had never read any of Robert Grave..."please do let me know what you think of James after reading the book Tim- quite curious!
KRad wrote: "Don Quixote by Cervante,Why , because I'm completely insane. It's very dense, complex and I'm a crumby reader BUT !!!!!
I am the epitome of quixotic. I feel I mystically relate to this author an..."
EXCELLENT!!! book, play, story, music...everything. Do you have to be insane to love it? Well, then I am, too!
C.L. wrote: "The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. Why? Because although I've seen the movie quite a few times I realized that I've never read the book. So I decided to read it. I'm like that."Oh! reading your post reminded me of my sister's collection of the original Frank Baum set of The Wizard of Oz. Signed by the author, my grandmother, an antique dealer, bought the full set at an auction.
The pages are gold-leafed and the pictures are the most vivid watercolors - memorable. "Dorothy of OZ" Glenda, all of the characters actually. So magical.
It was over fifty years ago when that gift was made to us. My sister still has the collection.
Rick wrote "please do let me know what you think of James after reading the book Tim- quite curious!" Actually Graves won that debate but I will probably start
The Ambassadors today and read it in conjunction with I, Claudius. Will give you my thoughts on it later.
Enjoying I, Claudius very much by the way.
I'm reading The Sign Of the Cross. it's a thriller novel which has a Vatican's Spiritual Background.the victims were murdered tragically and set as like as The Cross of The Christ. but at the same time... i read the romance book also. despite of, not always romance. something like children book or any kind of book which has a light-storyline, hillarious.
i mean, reading a thriller makes me guessing what's going to be next or who's the villain and what's the motive. so i need to balance the tension. and romance or children book or chicken soup are good, i think.
Mod
Actually Graves won that debate but I will probably start
The Ambassadors tod..."
Everytime I think I Claudius - I think "Derek Jacobi" !!
Mod
the victims were murdered tragically and set as like as The Cross of The Christ. but at the same..."
very interesting story- is that the book in which the James Mason film was based?
Emily wrote: "C.L. wrote: "The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. Why? Because although I've seen the movie quite a few times I realized that I've never read the book. So I decided to read it. I'm like that."Oh! reading ..."
What a treasure! I'm such an Oz nut that I've used Ozish anagrams to name characters in a few of my own children's fantasy stories. For instance, Zom Falbu (L. F. Baum Oz) is a time-traveling shapeshiftress, and Amzo (Ozma backwards) is a sad queen. I also recommend any Oz book by Ruth Plumly Thompson, who took on the Oz chronicler duties after Baum's death.
Rick wrote: "Tim wrote: " Rick wrote "please do let me know what you think of James after reading the book Tim- quite curious!" Actually Graves won that debate but I will probably start
The Ambassadors..."</i>
Whenever I think of Claudius I think of Charles Laughton. There was an attempt to make a version of [book:I, Claudius in 1937, with Josef von Sternberg as the director, Laughton as Claudius, Merle Oberon as Messalina and Emlyn Williams as Caligula. They stopped production after Oberon was in a car accident, but the production had been plagued by bad luck. I saw a documentary many years ago on the film and it showed some excellent footage of Laughton. It was a shame that the film was never finished, but now whenever I think of Claudius it is always Laughton I see.
Just read the first few pages of
and I must say that James' style was just as I remembered from my previous abortive attempt to read The Europeans. Finding it very hard going but will persevere. Also, why does an author find it necessary to write an explanatory preface to a novel? If the author can't tell the story in the story itself then he is not a good storyteller. Was he, like my bete noire Charles Dickens, being paid by the word?
I just finished The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot. I read it because it's another selection for my book club. I foresee a great discussion. The author did an amazing job of compiling all the different threads that make up this story of HeLa cells and presenting it in a readable format that doesn't let you put it down. Henrietta, Deborah and other Lackses come alive and we feel their frustration of trying to understand what happened to them. As a society we owe Henrietta Lacks recognition for her unwitting contribution of her tissue. This book is a good step towards that recognition. I recommend it highly.
I am currently reading The Crucible and Of Mice and Men because that is what my kids are reading in school. I like to read with them and then we discuss the books. I am almost finished with the Fool. Next is Cold Comfort Farm for book club.
Mira wrote: "I am currently reading The Crucible and Of Mice and Men because that is what my kids are reading in school. I like to read with them and then we discuss the books. I am almo..."Mira, I love that you do this! It is my hope that I can do it as well. It is so important for parents not only to know what their children are being exposed to but have the ability to discuss with them and be able to give another interpretation to what is being read than just the teacher's/textbook viewpoint.
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I have Fool- have not read it yet- Mira- how do you like it? love Moore!
Mod
and I must say that James' style was just as I remembered from my previous abortive attempt to read The Europeans. Finding it ver..."he does take time to get into- as far as the preface- Henry James- who was born an American- was very much an Anglophile- and wanted very much to be known as an "English Writer" - perhaps he was emulating the very British- George Bernard Shaw - who was legendary for writing very long prefaces before each of his plays.
Thanks Sade,this maybe blasphemous but I'm thinking of reading it non lineally , in other words, pick it up and read random sections and journal from it.
For me, it's really hard to grab and hold my imagination for long. I'll come to a piece and what to write a story about that section.
Why fight it ?
I'm using it as a creative vehicle . Maybe I'll sample so many parts, my mind will eventually put it all together in a unique read.
Pia wrote: "In school I had to read some of the original Spanish Don Quixote--I liked it but never got around to reading an English version. Bad me! I should have tried to read it by now, though I've read othe..."I got mine at a used book store $1.95 and it's like brick and fine print. My eyes are intimidated and existed . And worst, I can't read fast, so I'm looking at eternity stranded on Don Quixote island . Perhaps, they serve good beef and tapanads . O ley!
Mod
I recently ordered another edition of Don Quixote- think it is my 4th! looks quite a good translation.
Rick wrote: "Tim wrote: "Just read the first few pages of and I must say that James' style was just as I remembered from my previous abortive attempt to read The Europeans. Fi..."Yes I remember Shaw's prefaces. they were pretty much political essays. Shaw wasn't that much on the list at my school - we did Pygmalion and that was about it. Pygmalion and Animal Farm were the only two books that I was told to read at school that I actually liked. I then went on to read other Shaw and Orwell stuff all by myself.
Rick wrote: "KRad wrote: "Pia wrote: "In school I had to read some of the original Spanish Don Quixote--I liked it but never got around to reading an English version. Bad me! I should have tried to read it by n..."Sweet !!! ... I going to check it out, thank you !
Mira wrote: "I am currently reading The Crucible and Of Mice and Men because that is what my kids are reading in school. I like to read with them and then we discuss the books. I am almo..."Cold Comfort Farm is one of the funniest books I have ever read. I would marry Flora Poste (the main character) if she would have me.
Seeking a bit of inspiration, I just finished reading Alligator: A Novel by Newfoundland author Lisa Moore, whose lyrical style I've always admired. My full review can be read at www.the-reading-list.com
Mod
quite welcome- such an amazing book- wonder if it is truly the "First" novel
Mod
and I must say that James' style was just as I remembered from my previous abortive attempt to read The ..."love Shaw- Heartbreak House a favorite- never had the patience to read his prefaces though- must admit!!
Im reading about 8 books so far and I usually read them at the same time. I'm reading Until the end, the last olympian and lots more
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THE JAMES MASON COMMUNITY BOOK CLUB
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