Comfort Reads discussion
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What are you reading right now? (SEE NEW THREAD)
Tracey wrote: "Diane D. wrote: "I am reading The Physick Book of Deliverance Dane; when I'm reading it, I'm enjoying it, but I feel as though it is taking me forever to get through."I picked that up at a librar..."
Tracey, I'm not sure why I am having such a hard time finishing up. The subject matter for me is very interesting; and I really like the characters; I also love the geographic and period settings of the story. I just haven't had time to really read a big chunk at a time.
CeeAnne wrote: "Jeannette wrote: "I'm reading The Snow Child."
Okay, I'm putting it on my Kindle now. I trust you and your status updates."
I hope to finish it tonight or tomorrow. If these people didn't insist on eating dinner every night! *geez*
Okay, I'm putting it on my Kindle now. I trust you and your status updates."
I hope to finish it tonight or tomorrow. If these people didn't insist on eating dinner every night! *geez*
I was reading The Bad Beginning by Lemony Snicket, but I got bored with it really quickly. Sometimes children's books just don't do it for me. Now I'm reading The Giver by Lois Lowry, hopefully I will be more drawn into it than I was with the last book.
I've just finished Hot Six by Janet Evanovich, now I'm reading Gone With the Wind by Margaret Mitchell.
I've almost finished listening to Mockingjay. The Hunger Games trilogy has made for compelling listening. I'm also reading Steven Saylor's Roman Blood and Patrick Leigh Fermor's A Time of Gifts.
Ellie wrote: "I've just finished Hot Six by Janet Evanovich, now I'm reading Gone With the Wind by Margaret Mitchell."
That's my favorite Plum of all. :)
That's my favorite Plum of all. :)
Kim wrote: "I've almost finished listening to Mockingjay. The Hunger Games trilogy has made for compelling listening. I'm also reading Steven Saylor's Roman Blood and Patrick Leigh Fermor's A Time of Gifts."
Who'd have thought back in January that you would be reading, and enjoying, YA fantasy, Kim! :)
Who'd have thought back in January that you would be reading, and enjoying, YA fantasy, Kim! :)
CeeAnne wrote: "Okay, I am staying in India. I am starting Last Man in Tower
"
Why don't you start The Snow Child?
"Why don't you start The Snow Child?
Jeannette wrote: "Who'd have thought back in January that you would be reading, and enjoying, YA fantasy, Kim! :) ..."Probably not me!
Jeannette wrote: "CeeAnne wrote: "Okay, I am staying in India. I am starting Last Man in Tower"
Why don't you start The Snow Child?"
I will next. I don't think this one will take long.
"Why don't you start The Snow Child?"
I will next. I don't think this one will take long.
Kim wrote: "Jeannette wrote: "Who'd have thought back in January that you would be reading, and enjoying, YA fantasy, Kim! :) ..."
Probably not me!"
goodreads is an amazing community! :)
Probably not me!"
goodreads is an amazing community! :)
CeeAnne wrote: "Jeannette wrote: "CeeAnne wrote: "Okay, I am staying in India. I am starting Last Man in Tower"
Why don't you start The Snow Child?"
I will next. I don't think this o..."
okies
"Why don't you start The Snow Child?"
I will next. I don't think this o..."
okies
Tyger, tyger burning bright?
Jeanette and CeeAnne, I listened to an abridged version of the Snow Child on BBC radio. OK, it was abridged and that can be a BIG disappointment because the language can be changed. I was not blown over. The magic of the first part was, in my opinion, much better over the "reality" of the second part. Nope, that book did not do wonders for me, not at all.
Kim, you will most certainly enjoy A Time of Gifts! What a different world they lived in. I wouldn't mind traveling as he does, just stopping in at all the mansions and being put up by strangers! The stories and experiences are of another world. I have the second book, but haven't read it yet.
For my paper book I am reading The Genizah at the House of Shepher. I am not that impressed. Why? Well the writing style, how things are worded just is not that great. Today in the mail I got The House on Paradise Street which I REALLY want to read. I listened to the beginning on BBC radio, stopped and ordered it instead. I KNOW that if I change to this immediately I will never go back to The Genizah! I have not given Genizah a fair chance, so I must continue, but I know what I will grab next. :0)
Chrissie wrote: "Kim, you will most certainly enjoy A Time of Gifts! What a different world they lived in. I wouldn't mind traveling as he does, just stopping in at all the mansions and being put up by strangers! T..."I am enjoying it, Chrissie, even though I'm reading it rather slowly. It certainly was a different world. I laughed the other day when Fermor was talking about reciting poetry as he walked along and how he didn't know much poetry to recite. And then he spent about three pages detailing all the poetry he knew by heart!
Kim, if one is to characterize him with one word? It would have to be erudite! Don't you think?! That is not a book to read quickly.
I think erudite is a very good word to describe Fermor, Chrissie. I don't have the second volume yet, but I definitely want to read it. I understand that the third volume will be published next year, apparently based on Fermor's diaries and a draft that he wrote in the 1960s.
Kim, I thought the third never was written. You must mean that someone else has complied the material. Is that how it is?
Well, Fermor died last year, but apparently he wrote a draft of the third book back in the 1960s, so that's what's being used, along with his diaries. The publisher John Murray has announced that the book will be released in 2013.
Chrissie wrote: "For my paper book I am reading The Genizah at the House of Shepher. I am not that impressed. Why? Well the writing style, how things are worded just is not that great. Today in the mail I got The..."
I have always found that a writing style that does not mesh, or that feels wrong or boring etc. can really lessen one's enjoyment of a book. During university, I had to read quite a number of books that were on our course lists, but did nothing for me whatsoever, so now, when I come across a book, where the narrative, the writing style is not to my liking, I will often stop reading and go on to something else.
Kim, thank you for telling me. Is the third book registered here at GR? Is there a title to see k the book by?Gundula, The Genizah at the House of Shepher been compared to People of the Book, which I did like very much, although some sections being better than others. OK, they are both about books..... A Codex is found in an attic in a old family house in Jerusalem. I think the book is about both the provenance of the Codex AND family relations. I will try a bit more. I have only read about 150 pages. Something like that. I want to give it a fair chance.
Reading Cool Shade by Theresa Weir and Sullivan's Woman by Nora Roberts
I am currently reading Nicole Galland's Revenge of the Rose and continuing with Christopher Duggan's The Force of Destiny: A History of Italy Since 1796.
Ellie wrote: "I've just finished Hot Six by Janet Evanovich, now I'm reading Gone With the Wind by Margaret Mitchell."Oh - Gone With the Wind - I've read that 4 or 5 times - a wonderful read - hope you enjoy it as much as I do!
I just finished Girl in Translation a new favorite, loved the character of Kimberly and her story. It just sucked me right in and I couldn't put it down. Next up is The Golden Prince
I will now begin The House on Paradise Street. I found out about it on BBC radio and zipped off and bought the paper book. I didn't want to listen to an abridged version.I am so happy that I have completed The Genizah at the House of Shepher.
My review: http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...
Two more down, 20 to go. Finished The Help
which I really liked, to my surprise. Finished Friday Mornings at Nine
which was ok. The story and ending were a little too pat for me. Reading Murder Your Darlings
and Simply Halston and about to start What Was She Thinking?: Notes on a Scandal
. Need a new audio, too-- it will either be The Rose Garden
or Bright Young Things
.
Simran, glad you picked up a book!
Simran wrote: " She's such a funny character, I think you might like her too :)"I was surprised that when I very much enjoyed the light novel
A Grown-Up Kind of Pretty: A Novel
but that is enough for now.
Having finished The Hunger Games trilogy and Roman Blood, I've started listening to a French audiobook edition of Stendhal's The Red and the Black and reading Ian McDonald's The Dervish House.
Kim wrote: "Having finished The Hunger Games trilogy and Roman Blood, I've started listening to a French audiobook edition of Stendhal's The Red and the Black and reading Ian McDonald's The Dervish House."How are you finding The Red and the Black? I have it sitting on my eReader, waiting to be read xD
I'm slowly reading through Christopher Duggan's
The Force of Destiny: A History of Italy Since 1796 (it's a big book) and as well as Short Stories in Italian: New Penguin Parallel Text (working on my Italian) but I've also started reading Lindsey Davis' See Delphi and Die--it's like reuniting with an old friend with this novel =)
I'm reading a children's novel, that's unknown, that the author is desperate to get out there to readers. So far I'm finding it delightful and am puzzled as to why it can't get any press: My Monster Burrufu. It has wonderful illustrations too. I'll have to see...
Chrissie wrote: "Kim, thank you for telling me. Is the third book registered here at GR? Is there a title to see the book by?..."I don't think that there is a title or a publication date for the third Fermor book yet, Chrissie. If I see something more about it, I'll be sure to let you know.
Lianne wrote: "How are you finding The Red and the Black? I have it sitting on my eReader, waiting to be read xD .."I quite like it so far, Lianne, although the main protagonist is not exactly very sympathetic!
I finished Cry, the Beloved Country. I listened to the audio book narrated by Michael York. I recommend it to anyone who wants to read a book with gorgeous, wonderful writing. My review: http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...I will now start The Colour by Rose Tremaine. Why this audio book? I have heard such great things about the writer, and it takes place in New Zealand. That draws me too. I am addicted to reading books about places I know little about. It is an audio book.
I am also enjoying The House on Paradise Street, but this is in paper and takes place in Greece. Historical fiction about life in Greece from and through WW2, the civil war and up to today.
Lisa wrote: "I'm reading a children's novel, that's unknown, that the author is desperate to get out there to readers. So far I'm finding it delightful and am puzzled as to why it can't get any press: My Monste..."
It's a goodreads giveaway right now, too, in the US and CA.
It's a goodreads giveaway right now, too, in the US and CA.
Lauren wrote: "I just finished Girl in Translation a new favorite, loved the character of Kimberly and her story...
I loved this book!
I loved this book!
Jeannette wrote: "It's a goodreads giveaway right now, too, in the US and CA. "Yeah, I noticed that when I went to review it. 30 copies!
Kim wrote: "I quite like it so far, Lianne, although the main protagonist is not exactly very sympathetic!"Glad to hear you enjoy it so far (despite of the main protagonist). I hope to get around to it...at some point =P Though I think I might bump him up a bit in my list since he was mentioned in the Italian history book that I'm currently reading =)
Lianne wrote: "I think I might bump him up a bit in my list since he was mentioned in the Italian history book that I'm currently reading ..."Lianne, I've never read anything by Stendhal before, but I knew his name from Stendhal Syndrome, which I may have been suffering from when I felt tears in my eyes the first time I saw Michelangelo's David. (No dizziness or hallucinations for me, though, so it must have been a mild dose!). Stendhal was apparently quite an Italophile.
Kim, I have a book by Stendahl sitting on my wooden shelves unread..... which one I cannot remember and I cannot find it registered here at GR. What is his first name? Maybe Stendahl is listed twice here at GR, with and without his Christian name?Should I find the darn book? How would you characterize his writing?
Chrissie wrote: "Kim, I have a book by Stendahl sitting on my wooden shelves unread..... which one I cannot remember and I cannot find it registered here at GR. What is his first name? Maybe Stendahl is listed twic..."Chrissie, Stendahl (just Stendhal, no first name) is the pen name of Marie-Henri Beyle (1783-1842). He was an early exponent of realism and wrote novels, novellas, a couple of biographies and some non-fiction. Here's a link to the article about him on Wikipedia. His works are listed in the article.
The novel that I'm listening to at the moment, The Red and the Black, was first published in 1830 and is both a satire of French society in the post-Napoleonic era and a psychological portrait of an ambitious (and not very likeable) young man who is determined to overcome his peasant background and achieve success.
Kim, thank you for the thorough answer. I do not think I would enjoy what your are reading. I have to find what I have here in the house. I do want to try something.
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Comfort Reads
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Okay, I'm putting it on my Kindle now. I trust you and your status updates.