What are you reading right now? (SEE NEW THREAD) Showing 6,101-6,150 of 7,588

[Lee, Mod Mama]

Your welcome, Chrissie. I think Lisa and I are both familiar with your usual reading fare so I'm glad we agree!

[Chrissie]

Yup, Lisa and Lee, you both know what I like!

BTW I have finished From Harvey River: A Memoir Of My Mother And Her Island and gave it three stars: http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/... My review is very short since it didn't move me that much. Yeah, it was good, but certainly not fabulous.

I am almost done with Travels in Siberia which I will be giving four stars.
http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...

I have begun Tevye the Dairyman and the Railroad Stories. This edition is wonderfully translated by Hillel Halkin.

[[deleted user]]

I read some of the Tevye stories a while ago. They are certainly "grittier" than the play/film Fiddler on the Roof. I look forward to reading your review.

[Lisa]

Chrissie, I love knowing what you and my other Goodreads' friends like, and don't like. It's such a great community we have here!

[Chrissie]

Oh yes, Lisa, I agree. This is totally wonderful. You get expert advice on books. Your friends aren't trying to sell you books, they are trying to fit the book to the person. Nice :0)

Jeanette, we will see if I write a review..... I find the stories funny, but they are all rather similar, about marrying off his daughters, and I am getting a little bored. And he says often there is no point in making a short story long - but that sure is what he does. In addition short stories are not really my cup of tea, but I do not regret having tasted the writing style. I will definitely continue.

[[deleted user]]

I had the feeling that the stories would be best appreciated by his contemporary audience, the people he wrote for.

[Chrissie]

Jeanette, the translator is very good, so the dialog feels genuine, and the father is quite a character. But still so far every single story has been about a daughter and marriage. Maybe the next story will be different; the title indicates that. I hope so. There is a special feel to the writing which is fun to have experienced.

I have never seen Fiddler on the Roof. Shame on me! That is another reason why I wanted to read the book.

[[deleted user]]

I read the book to compare the stories, and if I thought the ending was sad in the movie, it's even worse in the stories. Of course, it's told with the dark sense of humor that the Russian Jews had to have to survive, I suppose. I think it's worth reading it, to experience the life and times of these people, if only through these stories.

[Tracey]

"God would like us to be joyful, even when our hearts lie panting on the floor."

One of my favorite lines from any musical.

[[deleted user]]

I was just telling my husband that we should watch this again -- it's been too long since we have.

[Aoibhínn]

I've finished reading Gone With the Wind by Margaret Mitchell last night and I absolutely loved it! Today I've started A Stolen Life by Jaycee Dugard.

[Dolly]

I am reading Behind the Scenes at the Museum by Kate Atkinson. I'd never heard of it before, but I found it during my stay in England and I really like it so far.

[Lisa]

Dolly wrote: "I am reading Behind the Scenes at the Museum by Kate Atkinson. I'd never heard of it before, but I found it during my stay in England and I really like it so far."

I did really enjoy that book. I read it with my book club.

[Lorraine]

That's one Kate Atkinson that I haven't read - I can really recommend her Jackson Brodie books - they're a little funny and unusual mysteries. I should put that book on my TBR list.

[Lisa]

I've read her first detective one and loved it, though I haven't gotten to the sequels.

[Chrissie]

I have read only one book by Kate Atkinson, and I do not remember the title. I was not impressed. So, if I should give this author another try, which should I try? Behind the Scenes at the Museum looks interesting.

Lisa and Lee and others, would I like this?

[Kim]

Tracey wrote: ""God would like us to be joyful, even when our hearts lie panting on the floor."

One of my favorite lines from any musical."

I love Fiddler on the Roof. I remember my mum taking me to see the movie when I was a littlie. How I cried! We (ie, husband, kids and I) saw Topol in the stage production in Sydney a few years ago. He really has made a whole career out of playing Tevye.

[Chrissie]

Tracey and Kim, I can understand that this would be a fabulous musical. I finished "Tevye the Dairyman" part of the book.Ahead lie The Railroad Stories. I do recommend this book: Tevye the Dairyman and the Railroad Stories. I cannot imagine a better translation, than that done by Hillel Halkin.

[[deleted user]]

I saw Topol in the stage-production Detroit, and his real-life wife played Golda. He was still touring until this past year, he's in his 70s, but had to withdraw due to illness. My sister saw Zero Mostel in the role on stage, before the movie was filmed.

[Lisa]

Chrissie wrote: "So, if I should give this author another try, which should I try? Behind the Scenes at the Museum looks interesting.

Lisa and Lee and others, would I like this? "

Chrissie, I'd think this was the one you'd be most likely to like, but I'm not at all sure that you would. I remember liking the beginning much more than the end, but I'd have to go back to my review to check. It's been a while since I've read it!

[Chrissie]

Lisa wrote: "Chrissie wrote: "So, if I should give this author another try, which should I try? Behind the Scenes at the Museum looks interesting.

Lisa and Lee and others, would I like this? "

Chrissie, I'd ..."

Thank you. I am not so sure either. Your review helped.

[Tracey]

Topol is still playing Tevye? That's wonderful! They aired it on PBS a few months ago, and the host of the program always gives a bit of background on the movies they show; for Fiddler it was that Topol was absurdly young: 36. He's just stupendous.

Lorraine wrote: "That's one Kate Atkinson that I haven't read - I can really recommend her Jackson Brodie books - they're a little funny and unusual mysteries. I should put that book on my TBR list."

Is that the series that was adapted with Jason Isaacs?

[[deleted user]]

I guess it was 2 years ago! He was replaced by Harvey Fierstein, who was panned by the critics, and is no longer touring. Topol was slated to appear in Ames, but pulled out a few months before, so I didn't go. :(

http://www.playbill.com/news/article/...

[Lisa]

Chrissie wrote: "Thank you. I am not so sure either. Your review helped."

Good. Maybe other reviews in addition will help you decide.


And, oh, I love Fiddler on the Roof. I saw it on Broadway with Zero Mostel in 1964. Yes, I am that old.

[[deleted user]]

You had to be in grade school!!

[Lisa]

Jeannette wrote: "You had to be in grade school!!"

Yes, it was the summer between 5th and 6th grades. I saw 36 plays that summer. Great ones! One of the best summers ever. The World's Fair was there too.

[Chrissie]

What I remember about Fiddler on the Roof was that I was at the school Brearly in NYC. Our playground was on the roof of the building. I wanted to go see it because of this. My friends were going, but for some reason I didn't. I was jealous and angry, but there was no discussion with my parents. I always thought the whole thing took place on a roof top in NYC..... Does it?

[Lisa]

Chrissie wrote: "I always thought the whole thing took place on a roof top in NYC..... Does it? "

Chrissie, It takes place at a shetl/village in Russia a ways back, when there was a tzar. They weren't very kind to Jewish communities. The music is wonderful!!!

[Lisa]

Chrissie, From Wikipedia: It's actually about the 1964 musical:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fiddler_...

[Lisa]

I guess I didn't see this play until autumn. We were in the area until November 1964. Most of the plays I saw were in the summer.

[Chrissie]

Lisa, it is so weird. At that time we were really quite near each other. I cannot figure out exactly when this happened to me. We moved so often. But we were both in NY, that is certain. I had imagined in my head that the Jews had immigrated to the US and they reminisced about Russia and old times up on that roof top. What an imagination; what I dreamed up! So wrong!

[Lisa]

I know, Chrissie. Small world. We've talked before how we (and several others) were all in the area at the same time. I was there from probably July 1964 through August in Manhattan and then in until November right across the Hudson in North Bergen, NJ.

[Chrissie]

Lisa, so strange.

At least now, having read "Tevye the Dairyman" I know the background story behind Fiddler on the Roof. I thought that maybe they had finally emigrated - in the musical version! I much more like the Tevye stories, that work together to give a central message, than the assorted ones entitled "The Railroad Stores". They go on and on and the humor is so repetitive. Maybe one should just read a story a day.... I always have difficulties with short stories.

Tevye the Dairyman and the Railroad Stories. I will give the book three stars. The first section is definitely better than the latter.

[Chrissie]

I finished Tevye the Dairyman and the Railroad Stories, the Tevye stories being the basis for the musical "Fiddler on the Roof".
http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...

I am now listening to the audio book:Seven Years in Tibet. I certainly DO like this!

[[deleted user]]

I think I'm going to have to investigate audio books now. It might help with the limited number of hours in the day, and my ever expanding to-read list. :)

[Lisa]

Chrissie, Well, one of the daughters and her husband do emigrate to America. But you don't see them there. You just know they're on their way there.

[Chrissie]

Lisa wrote: "Chrissie, Well, one of the daughters and her husband do emigrate to America. But you don't see them there. You just know they're on their way there."

OK.

[Chrissie]

I am getting a funny html code every time I send a comment. I erase it before I write my comment. Are other people getting this?

Georgina, I was very, very negative to audio books. I thought I would never ever like them. Well, they are wonderful. A good narrator can in fact improve some books. Other books might be better in paper format, particularly those that need maps and are filled with facts or strange names.

[Manybooks]

Chrissie wrote: "What I remember about Fiddler on the Roof was that I was at the school Brearly in NYC. Our playground was on the roof of the building. I wanted to go see it because of this. My friends were going, ..."

Why would your parents not let you go? Families can be such a drag at times, sigh.

[Chrissie]

Gundula wrote: "Chrissie wrote: "What I remember about Fiddler on the Roof was that I was at the school Brearly in NYC. Our playground was on the roof of the building. I wanted to go see it because of this. My fri..."

I was young. They didn't buy the tickets. Kids were rarely consulted - parents decided!

[Manybooks]

Chrissie wrote: "Gundula wrote: "Chrissie wrote: "What I remember about Fiddler on the Roof was that I was at the school Brearly in NYC. Our playground was on the roof of the building. I wanted to go see it because..."

My family was like that as well, exactly like that (and if you questioned, oops). But in my family, it is sometimes still like that, sigh. I've only ever seen the musical on television, I would love to get a chance to see it live.

[[deleted user]]

Lisa wrote: "Chrissie, Well, one of the daughters and her husband do emigrate to America. But you don't see them there. You just know they're on their way there."

The only part that is different in the book's telling is what happens to the youngest daughter, Chava, and her Russian husband. The play gives them a happier ending.

[Chrissie]

Gundula, you and I should go together... I feel totally deprived that I haven't seen it.

[[deleted user]]

Chrissie wrote: "I am getting a funny html code every time I send a comment. I erase it before I write my comment. Are other people getting this? "

I see it, too. Just a new "bug" in the html codes.

[[deleted user]]

Lisa wrote: "Jeannette wrote: "You had to be in grade school!!"

Yes, it was the summer between 5th and 6th grades. I saw 36 plays that summer. Great ones! One of the best summers ever. The World's Fair was the..."

That was a summer to remember for you!

[Chrissie]

Jeanette, good - than I know it is not my computer causing trouble.

[Lianne]

Still reading Christopher Duggan's The Force of Destiny: A History of Italy Since 1796 but I've started reading Kurt Vonnegut's Slaughterhouse-Five. I never read this in school and it's pretty quirky/interesting so far.

[Lisa]

Jeannette wrote: "That was a summer to remember for you!"

Definitely. It was one of my two best summers as a kid, the other being two years before when I learned to swim and spent most days in the pool.

[[deleted user]]

Pool or theater -- hard to choose!

I had neither choice as a kid, but we did go to the beach on the weekends.

[Chrissie]

Lisa, I think it is wonderful how you remember what you did every year. For me they all go together in a blurry fuzz. I remember what happens but NEVER what year it happened in. What a head you have. Your brain deserves five stars.