What are you reading right now? (SEE NEW THREAD) Showing 51-100 of 7,588

[Chrissie]

Katri, I adore Tove Jansson's books about Moomin troll. I wonder hiw they woyld be translated into English. I read them in Swedish when my kids were small. Way back then! I admire you ability to learn so many languages. I am still struggling with French. You have to know the language of the country you live in, but I haven't tried Dutch. Learning two at the same time is beyond me.

[[deleted user]]

Diane D. wrote: "I am reading Shutter Island -- definitely not a comfort read!"

Is this the book from the creepy looking movie??

[[deleted user]]

Katri wrote: "Jeannette wrote: "How many languages can you read/speak? Five? Is there any Finnish Gothic romance translated to English? I confess I don't know any Finnish authors."

Hardly anybody knows Finnish authors..."

Six languages is very impressive! I have decided as of this morning to start reading German again! My duaghter is just learning Japanese, but I couldn't keep up with her, so I've only picked up a few words to-date.

You must start learning English at an early age, like many Europeans do. Are the University classes taught in English, as they are in Iceland? Or are they taught in Finnish? I find language fascinating, but only speak the two.

[[deleted user]]

Chrissie wrote: "Katri, I adore Tove Jansson's books about Moomin troll. I wonder hiw they woyld be translated into English. I read them in Swedish when my kids were small. Way back then! I admire you ability to le..."

My library has three of her books, so I have placed a hold on "The Summer Book." :)

[[deleted user]]

Jeannette wrote: "Diane D. wrote: "I am reading Shutter Island -- definitely not a comfort read!"

Is this the book from the creepy looking movie??"

You're not asking me, but I know it's yes. My hubby wants to see the movie, but I told him that I want to read it first. I'm am waiting for PBS to come through.

[Chrissie]

Katri, you know Swedish right? So you have probably read Jansson's books in Swedish too. I believe that was her mother tongue. I adore Helsinki, do you live near there? When the kids were little we took the boat over to the toy museum. Simply lovely. Helsinki is very different from Stockholm, but both are beautiful in their own way.

Jeanette, iJansson's writing has a unique style all its own. I think you will either love it or it will simply leave you cold. If I remember correctly The Summer Book is about the relationship between a grandmother and granddaughter and their time shared together on a little island.

[Katri]

No, I haven't read her books in Swedish, though I do know Swedish. I'm rather attached to reading the Moomin books in the language I always read them in, ie. Finnish, even if Swedish is the original, and so I've never managed to make myself read them in Swedish. I probably should, but "should" does not always equal "do".

I haven't actually read The Summer Book, so maybe I should hurry up with that one so Jeannette doesn't get it before me. :P The only Swedish copy in the library seems to be checked out, though, that would have been a good one for waking up my rather inactive Swedish...

I started learning English at the age of 9, which is when the first foreign language usually begins. The university education is not in English, though it depends largely on the individual subject and the course. Some are in English, and for example in my study field almost every single course book was in English though a majority of the lectures were in Finnish. The universities offer quite a lot of courses and study programmes in English nowadays, but the language of higher education still is Finnish (and Swedish for the Swedish-speaking universities). We still have that much pride in our own language, what with all the necessity of internationalisation and language-learning...

[Chrissie]

Katri, When I first came to Sweden I learned the language at Kursverksamheten,back in the 70s the state encouraged foreigners to learn the language so it cost nothing. I did the complete crash course and then I enrolled at Stockholm University and took all my classes in Swedish. I find this totally amazing. How did I manage? The older you get the more your head turns into a sieve or a rock. I sure am not learning French as quickly as I learned Swedish.... When we travel between different countries and languages, my head understands what everyone is saying but my mouth tends to simply not know which language to respond in. Sometimes I will just stare at people b/c I am so thick headed. Or I respond in the wrong language. In Sweden I talk French. In the States I talk Swedish and wonder why noo one understand me.... I could NEVER be a translator. Once I get going in a language it all goes farely smoothly, so my trick is to talk to myself in the necessary language before I make a telephone call to that country. And if I worry I can be sure that I will speak a total jumble of all languages! Do you undesrtand why I admire your abilities!

[Susanna - Censored by GoodReads]

I think it's well known that the younger you are, the easier you learn new languages.

[Lee, Mod Mama]

This book How To Learn Any Language: Quickly, Easily, Inexpensively, Enjoyably and on Your Own recently appeared on my update feed in case anyone is interested. I thought it might be worth a read.

[Chrissie]

Lee, did you read Grumpus' review? Maybe it works if you are linguisticly talented. Any book that promises that much makes me immediately sceptical. Or maybe I am just a born sceptic.

[Lori]

Europeans learn so many more languages than Americans! I think it's great.

I just finished Jim Harrison's new book - I love him, and think he is one of the greatest living American writers.

Started Snow Crash last night, and am loving it!

My library only has one copy of Women On the Edge of Time, and I'm waiting and waiting. I think I read it before, even gave it 4 stars, but maybe I didn't? I thought I had since I love Piercy and after Gone TO Soldiers went on a Piercy binge. I do that alot, after discovering an author that resonates with me, have a marathon.

[Peregrine]

Lori, I am currently reading Woman on the Edge of Time and feel a Piercy binge coming on, myself! This book of hers, and Gone to Soldiers, are two of the Best Books of My Lifetime Reading. Not comforting, as such, but deeply challenging and affirming.

I'm looking forward to Snow Crash; it's next but one on my pile.

[Katri]

Chrissie, as someone who learned French and Swedish at about the same time, I can also say that French is tons more difficult than Swedish. So don't feel bad if it's difficult for you - it just is difficult! Even though I studied it a lot for years and years, I didn't really become fluent in it until, almost ten years after I first began studying it, I spent a whole year living in France and studying everything in French. And I apparently have an unusually good head for languages. So after going through all that trouble to learn it, I ought to keep it up now... I'm finding it quite a challenge to both keep up my French and continue learning German and Hungarian, and at some point I should return to keeping up my Swedish, too. Luckily my English at least keeps itself up!

I've heard other people recommend that language-learning book Lee mentioned; so far I haven't put money into ordering it because I'm poor and I suspect that over the years I've already come up with most of the techniques even that book might suggest, but still, some day I plan to look into it to see if it has any useful tips that somehow haven't occurred to me yet...

[Lee, Mod Mama]

Chrissie wrote: "Lee, did you read Grumpus' review? Maybe it works if you are linguisticly talented. Any book that promises that much makes me immediately sceptical. Or maybe I am just a born sceptic."

Chrissie, I haven't read Grumpus' review. The review that got me to add it was Trevor's which is the fourth one down on the book's page.

I too found French very difficult (in school) but was able to learn Spanish quite easily as an adult. So maybe Katri is right and French is just a tough language for many people.

[Lori]

I learned French starting in elementary school, and took it through high school, don't remember thinking it was hard at all, but I was quite young which I think definitely helped. Alot! But I couldn't hear it well, in my time it was pretty much all reading. When I finally went to France in my mid-20s I was in such a shock! Couldn't understand a thing! But by the time a few days went by, I was soooo much better. Then I went to Paris last year, 25 years later, and was pretty pathetic - my friend lent me her Rosetta Stone. It was level 2 and I was pretty cocky, oh I'm good a French level 2 will be no problem. Hahahahaha! I saved it til 1 week before I left, and broke out into a cold sweat! But even in just a week, it helped so much. I was actually able to converse with the metro people there, who sneeringly refuse to speak English and there are very many options for packages. My husband tried first, because he's stubborn like that, and I could tell he was starting to get unpleasantly pissed, so I pushed him aside and got all the info. GREAT feeling! I was the hero!

Not sure if Rosetta is good for brand new languages tho. The older we get, the harder it seems to be to pick up languages. I don't think I could do it now.

[Lisa]

I just finished Woman on the Edge of Time, and I just started what I thought was a March book (but is a March AND April book) The Neverending Story. Now, have to decide. Next on my list are a 3/15 and a 3/1 book (that will be late) whether or not to read those first.

[[deleted user]]

I was 35 when I moved to Germany and learned the language at the local adult ed course (total immersion, best way to learn). I had never been a "foreigner" before, but here I was in a room with people from all over the world trying to learn a new language. Fortunately for me, German was not all that difficult to learn (grammar's tricky) and I keep it up by chatting with the in-laws every Sunday. Still, I don't know how difficult it will be to read it again.

In Iceland all the University classes are conducted in English. Iceland doesn't allow any foreign words into their language, so maybe it is easier that way. It sure made it easy to visit there -- all the young people spoke English! (lazy Americans). It appears that most of the host families we will stay with this summer in Norway speak English, too. My husband is trying to learn some Norwegian and I'll make an effort, too.

[Lee, Mod Mama]

I've just started reading The Yellow-Lighted Bookshop by Lewis Buzbee. It's a memoir all about the book business. So far so good!

[Lisa]

Lee wrote: "I've just started reading The Yellow-Lighted Bookshop by Lewis Buzbee. It's a memoir all about the book business. So far so good!"

I liked that one Lee.

[Lee, Mod Mama]

I think anyone who loves books would love this.

[Paula]

Susanna wrote: "ight now I am actually reading a comfort read: an Amelia Peabody mystery. ..."

I just love that series and tend to go towards those books as comfort reads. Unfortunately, I'm toward the end of the series so am trying to pace myself a bit - it's actually been awhile since I've finished one now.

[Paula]

Lori / Peregrine - is Snow Crash a group read or is it just coincidence that you are both reading it at the same time? My brother is a huge Stephenson fan and is always trying to get me to read his books. I have Cryptonomicon on a bookshelf but haven't had the courage (or time) to pick it up yet.

[Chrissie]

I am reading The Agony and the Ecstasy: A Biographical Novel of Michelangelo. So far it's good. He is so talented and already knows so clearly what he wants to do - at 13!

[[deleted user]]

Lee wrote: "I've just started reading The Yellow-Lighted Bookshop by Lewis Buzbee. It's a memoir all about the book business. So far so good!"

Another for my list. Those types of stories are usually fascinating.

[Lee, Mod Mama]

Chrissie wrote: "I am reading The Agony and the Ecstasy: A Biographical Novel of Michelangelo. So far it's good. He is so talented and already knows so clearly what he wants to do - at 13!"

Oh Chrissie, you're reading it! Yay, I hope you love it! I know I rated that book highly but it's been so long since I read it, I hope it's as good as I remember.

[Lee, Mod Mama]

Jeannette wrote: "Lee wrote: "I've just started reading The Yellow-Lighted Bookshop by Lewis Buzbee. It's a memoir all about the book business. So far so good!"

Another for my list. ..."

And it's a short, quick read too! A perfect in-between book.

[Katri]

I put that bookshop book on my to-read list - sounds lovely, and I always love reading books about books! :-)

Should we maybe start a separate language-learning discussion thread in the off-topic section? I'd love to talk a lot more about the subject, but I'd rather not take up too much space for it in this thread...

[Lisa]

Katri wrote: "Should we maybe start a separate language-learning discussion thread in the off-topic section?."

Definitely. It's a terrific idea for a thread. Katri, Feel free to start it. Put it in the general folder too.

Lee, Although I'm beginning to think we should have a folder for all these "off topic" chat threads so they don't clog up the general folder and so members can add threads whenever they want. Sound good?

[Lee, Mod Mama]

There is a folder already called Just To Chat - Off Topic Stuff.

[Lisa]

Thanks, Lee. I forgot. I think we need to move a thread or two? I'll check.

[Lisa]

Thanks, Lee. I forgot. I think we need to move a thread or two? I'll check. - No, I guess not, unless we want to move this thread. All the others seem okay.

[Lee, Mod Mama]

Well, I think since we're discussing books it's not really off topic.

[Lisa]

Lee wrote: "Well, I think since we're discussing books it's not really off topic."

I agree, Lee.

Oh, I'm even more sleep deprived than usual because of the Olympics. I probably should refrain from posting until my mind is more awake.

[Lee, Mod Mama]

No worries Lisa. :-)

[Lori]

Paula - yes, Snow Crash is a group read. I love Stephenson, and have read everything by him, except that one. Cryptomonicon is great, that may be my favorite except for his most recent.

[[deleted user]]

Lee wrote: "There is a folder already called Just To Chat - Off Topic Stuff."

I added "Learning a new language" thread under the "Just to Chat" folder. Hopefully it will give me a place to go when you are all discussing Survivor! :)

[[deleted user]]

Or.....you could start watching Survivor, Jeannette.

[[deleted user]]

No,please! I'll just have to remain a social outcast. ;-)

[Paula]

Jeannette wrote: "No,please! I'll just have to remain a social outcast. ;-)"

I don't watch Survivor either, Jeannette :) Nothing against those who watch it, I just have other ways I'd rather spend my time.

[Paula]

I have taken a serious vacation from scheduled group reads and seem to have immersed myself in one of my favorite comfort read genres, historical mystery series. I can't get enough and it seems that lately there are so many fabulous authors I've not read before!!

Two of the books that start their respective series are Mistress of the Art of Death and And Only to Deceive (reading the latter right now). I also read Whose Body? (the first of the Lord Peter Whimsey series) and have picked up the next books in each series. Truly delightful!

[Lisa]

Paula wrote: "one of my favorite comfort read genres, historical mystery series. I can't get enough and it seems that lately there are so many fabulous authors I've not read before!!

Two of the books that start their respective series are Mistress of the Art of Death and And Only to Deceive (reading the latter right now). I also read Whose Body? (the first of the Lord Peter Whimsey series) "

Hi Paula, I might have to check out those first two; I've read all of the Lord Peter Whimsey books.

Be sure if those books aren't already on our shelves to add them or to post in one of the mystery threads so they get on the shelves!

[Lee, Mod Mama]

Paula wrote: "I have taken a serious vacation from scheduled group reads and seem to have immersed myself in one of my favorite comfort read genres, historical mystery series. I can't get enough and it seems tha..."

Paula, I really enjoyed Mistress of the Art of Death. I look forward to reading the second book. And thanks to this group I also recently read the first Lord Peter Whimsey book too! I'm glad you're comforting yourself with books. I picked up about 6 comfort reads from the library on a whim even though I'm supposed to be reading a slew of group reads. I'm going to try and sneak a few in.

[Chrissie]

Paula and Jeanette, I don't even know what Survivorrs is - so I am not doing it either! ....... Is it a TV show? I don't watch TV!

[Laura]

me neither Chrissie, I use my free time to try to decrease my huge TBR instead of watching TV , except for the Olympic games....

[Katri]

Ooh, I read The Count of Monte Cristo a couple of years ago and absolutely loved it!

[Laura]

how not love Dumas books??? we should ask the same question to Misfit also...

[[deleted user]]

Chrissie wrote: "Paula and Jeanette, I don't even know what Survivorrs is - so I am not doing it either! ....... Is it a TV show? I don't watch TV!"

Chrissie and Laura,

It is a TV show in the US (and Canada, it appears) about a group of strangers formed into teams who have to "survive" on an island or somewhere similar by their wits, skills and by forming alliances. The group votes people off and the last ones left, win. Poor synopsis -- my apologies to the fans!

I don't generally watch TV, but a few of the ladies started a thread about it and left me behind! (You know who you are....) So, there is a "languages" thread for anyone interested that I "teasingly" denoted as my solace for not watching Survivor. Come visit sometime!

[[deleted user]]

Katri wrote: "Ooh, I read The Count of Monte Cristo a couple of years ago and absolutely loved it!"

My husband gave me the book for Christmas some years ago and I never got into it. Is it one of those books that improve if you stick with it?

[Katri]

Jeannette wrote: "Katri wrote: "Ooh, I read The Count of Monte Cristo a couple of years ago and absolutely loved it!"

My husband gave me the book for Christmas some years ago and I never got into it. Is it one of ..."

Well, I can't say for sure - it's not necessarily everyone's thing. But I've always loved French 19th century literature with dramatic plots, many twists and lots of interesting characters! It may help to read on, though, since some early parts of the book may feel like they're getting bogged down by the political intrigue and such, if you're not interested in that kind of thing.