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[Manybooks]

I agree, Umberto Eco often seems as though he deliberately tries to make reading difficult. That, and I think he is trying to rub it in how educated he, himself is. If you can stomach all the details, you can try to slog through it (I just gave up for the second time), but if you are like me and curious, you will end up never getting done and researching your brain away (and you will end up feeling somehow insignificant and uneducated; don't do this to yourself). I find that Eco is in some ways as arrogantly pompous, as deliberately "touch" as James Joyce, and frankly, there are better books even about the Middle Ages that do not make you fell as though you are some kind of uneducated bumpkin. And, I would agree with Jeannette, the movie is quite interesting (not like the book, but a good story anyways). Also, if you enjoy historical mysteries, there are many that are not as daunting and challenging as The Name of the Rose.

[Sherry]

OK, I thank you all - you have convinced me that, contrary to what I had always heard, The Name of the Rose is NOT one of the best mysteries ever written. So many have mentioned "slogging through" it; many others, like me, have given up several times. I am officially taking this book off my TBR pile for good! Thank you all so much!

[Lauren]

True Grit by Charles Portis and Slightly Bad Girls Of The Bible by Liz Curtis Higgs.

[Anne Hawn]

I just finished reading Silas Marner again and enjoyed it thoroughly. The main thrust of the book is redemption through love, so if you are remembering that it's a book about an old miser, give it a try again. Many of us had to read it in the 8th or 9th grade and were too young to really understand it, but it is a wonderful story. I'd say this is a comfort read for me.

[Manybooks]

Anne Hawn wrote: "I just finished reading Silas Marner again and enjoyed it thoroughly. The main thrust of the book is redemption through love, so if you are remembering that it's a book about an old miser, give it..."

Teachers often do not do either the classics or students any favours by assigning them in high school or middle school when many of us are simply not ready for them yet.

[Chrissie]

Sherry wrote: "OK, I thank you all - you have convinced me that, contrary to what I had always heard, The Name of the Rose is NOT one of the best mysteries ever written. So many have mentioned "slogging through" ..."

Sherry, this is what we think, but you haven't heard the opposite side..... To be fair, to represent both sides, I have put the link to my review because in the comments you will see the other pov!

http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...

This is why I can never make up my mind about anything...... I try to look at both sides.

[Ellen]

Sherry, I love love love The Name of the Rose. I still think it is one of the best mysteries ever. This is my second time reading it & I still love all the arcane theological discussions, the whole medieval feel & history, & the talk about books. Especially the talk about books. How they were made. How they were valued. What happened when you needed glasses to still read.
All of it-I still love.

[Sherry]

Chrissie, your comment "This is why I can never make up my mind about anything...... I try to look at both sides." made me laugh. I have been known to drive people to the edge by arguing first one side of an issue, then arguing the other. Just so you know, you are not alone!

And for those who suggested I not give up on The Name of the Rose, thanks for cheering me on. I will probably try it again someday because I can't resist a challenge. But for now, there are too many other books I'm eager to read.

[Chrissie]

Sherry, we seem to be kind of similar..... in more ways than one.

[Lee, Mod Mama]

I'm reading and really enjoying Daddy Long Legs. I picked it up last night only intending to read a few pages and found myself almost finishing it.

[Sherry]

Here's a copy of a post I made to "Historical Romance Chat." Maybe some of you would enjoy this book, too...

I am now reading "Exit the Actress," by Priya Parmar. It is the story of Nell
Gwyn, and how she went from selling oysters on the street to being the favorite
mistress of King Charles II. It is written in the form of Nell's diary entries;
letters among the royals (the king, his mother, and his sister Henriette, who
was married to France's Duc d'Orleans;) letters between Nell's grandfather (who
lives with them) and her aunt; and other such entries. It sounds as though it
might be confusing, with all the different document entries, but each is so well
identified that it isn't at all confusing. In fact, it reveals the thoughts and
points of view of several different characters in the story.

I usually read historical romantic mysteries, but this is a very nice change,
and I am enjoying this book very much. The unusual writing style helps the story
to move along quickly, and adds to the interest. If you enjoy real history that
has been fictionalized, give "Exit the Actress" a try.

[Lee, Mod Mama]

Sherry, I'm glad to hear you are enjoying the book, I recently added it to my mount TBR.

Have you read Sandra Gulland's trilogy about Josephine? It's really excellent and is also written in the form of a diary. The series starts with The Many Lives & Secret Sorrows of Josephine B.

[Chrissie]

Sherry, listen to Lee! Gulland trilogy is marvelous! You mist read all three together.

[Anne Hawn]

I have decided that audiobooks you can get from the library or librevox are like a microwave oven and are just about as necessary to my life. How do I know what I am going to feel like reading next Monday at 7pm? How can I take enough books home from the library to ensure that I have something I will want to read then? Now if I find that I want humor, or an old classic at 11pm I can go online and find something and be reading in minutes! I can even read about something here on goodreads and get it right away! I love it!

[Sherry]

Lee, I have not yet read the "Josephine Trilogy," but it is on my "Mount TBR" (I love that, and I am shamelessly stealing it!) Let me know what you think about "Exit the Actress" when you get around to reading it!

[Manybooks]

Sherry wrote: "Here's a copy of a post I made to "Historical Romance Chat." Maybe some of you would enjoy this book, too...

I am now reading "Exit the Actress," by Priya Parmar. It is the story of Nell
Gwyn, and..."

I've been wanting to read that, but I have to wait until it becomes available at the library (or until I can afford to buy it in paperback, also I have no more space for books at the moment except for the floor).

[Anne Hawn]

Gundula wrote: "Anne Hawn wrote: "I just finished reading Silas Marner again and enjoyed it thoroughly. The main thrust of the book is redemption through love, so if you are remembering that it's a book about an ..."

I have debated this over and over. High school students are probably too inexperienced to read most of the literature they are assigned; however, if they never read good literature, how are they going to get enough experience to read it? So, I have come back to where I started. I used to think that "Hamlet" should have been called "Much Ado about Nothing." Of course, I was too young to read it and didn't have the language skills to understand Shakespeare, but it was through reading Shakespeare that I acquired the skill and experience to read more Shakespeare.

So here is my hope...that my students will get enough out of the literature they are assigned to learn what they need to know to read it...again...and again, if necessary, until it speaks to them in the depths of their soul and they know why it is good literature.

[Manybooks]

Anne Hawn wrote: "Gundula wrote: "Anne Hawn wrote: "I just finished reading Silas Marner again and enjoyed it thoroughly. The main thrust of the book is redemption through love, so if you are remembering that it's ..."

You know, it's often not the fact that teenagers are assigned literature in high school that is the problem, but more, how that literature is assigned and how it is taught. If you force teenagers to read a heavy-duty tome like a Charles Dickens or a George Eliot novel in something like a week, of course, the students are going to be frustrated. In our school, we usually read one Shakespeare play each year and we had a whole term to read said pay (we also acted out scenes, watched movies etc., it was great and I learned to really love Shakespeare). However, when we had to read other novels such as Dickens' Bleak House and Eliot's Silas Marner, we basically covered each of these monster books in about two weeks, when it would have been much better to have also taken sufficient time with these novels.

[Kathy]

Lee wrote: "I'm reading and really enjoying Daddy Long Legs. I picked it up last night only intending to read a few pages and found myself almost finishing it."

That's so great when a book grabs you like that, Lee. I need to read that one, too.

[Kathy]

Finished Pat Conroy's My Reading Life and loved, loved, loved it! I'm now reading Linda Fairstein's latest Alex Cooper book, Silent Mercy.

[Lee, Mod Mama]

Kathy wrote: "Lee wrote: "I'm reading and really enjoying Daddy Long Legs. I picked it up last night only intending to read a few pages and found myself almost finishing it."

That's so great whe..."

Kathy, it's a very short and charming read. Easily read in one sitting. A great pick me up!

[Lee, Mod Mama]

I'm now reading another good one which was recommended by Christine (I think?) called:

Girl in Translation

[Lauren]

Currently reading The American Wife by Curtis Sittenfield - Slightly Bad Girls Of The Bible by Liz Curtis Higgs and Literary Landmarks

[[deleted user]]

Lee wrote: "I'm now reading another good one which was recommended by Christine (I think?) called:

Girl in Translation"

OH! That's a goodie!

[Lee, Mod Mama]

Yup, loving it so far.

[[deleted user]]

Once you get to the ending you'll have to email me.

[Lee, Mod Mama]

Uh oh, I will.

[Betti]

I'm currently reading . I don't know whether it's a comfort read or not :)

[Lisa]

Betty wrote: "I'm currently reading . I don't know whether it's a comfort read or not :)"

I love that book. For me it was a comfort read but I'll bet it isn't for many.

[[deleted user]]

Lee wrote: "Uh oh, I will."

I liked it, don't worry. Some people didn't, but I did.

[[deleted user]]

Betty wrote: "I'm currently reading . I don't know whether it's a comfort read or not :)"

That was my first Picoult. It knocked my socks off. She hasn't topped that book yet.

[Lee, Mod Mama]

Christine wrote: "Lee wrote: "Uh oh, I will."

I liked it, don't worry. Some people didn't, but I did."

Okay good! I was scared for a minute.

[Kathy]

Lee wrote: "Kathy wrote: "Lee wrote: "I'm reading and really enjoying Daddy Long Legs. I picked it up last night only intending to read a few pages and found myself almost finishing it."

Tha..."

I could use a pick me up, Lee. Thanks.

[Kathy]

I really liked My Sister's Keeper, Betty, but I don't know how much of a comfort read it was. However, I consider the Linda Fairstein books, the latest of which I'm now reading, comfort books, and this one starts off with a beheaded corpse. LOL!

[Lisa]

Kathy wrote: "However, I consider the Linda Fairstein books, the latest of which I'm now reading, comfort books, and this one starts off with a beheaded corpse. LOL!"

Oh, I just love this group! :-D

[Lauren]

Jodi Picoult is one of my favorite authors - she just published a new book called Sing You Home. I'm looking forward to reading that one.

[Chrissie]

OK, I haven't read Jodi Picoult, so I should keep my mouth shut, but My Sister's Keeper sounds HORRIBLE. People are not things; they are not meant to be used. I think I know where I stand even before I open the book. Why would one want to read a book about such a terrible family situation? I must be missing something b/c many of my dear friends have awarded this book many stars. You call THIS a comfort read?! I thought I was the weird one by choosing grim books, but you guys pick even grimmer ones.

[Lisa]

I loved My Sister's Keeper, even though I did think the ending was infuriating. One time when that aspect of the movie was better. Up until the end the book was better, but the movie changed its ending so that it was actually realistic.

[Amanda]

I just started , it seems good so far.
I also started

[Lisa]

The Invention of Hugo Cabret, which, unless it goes way downhill, is a comfort read AND will make my favorites shelf.

[[deleted user]]

Lisa wrote: "The Invention of Hugo Cabret, which, unless it goes way downhill, is a comfort read AND will make my favorites shelf."

I enjoyed this one. It was different.

[Lisa]

Jeannette, Very different. Unique and other such words used to describe books are often hyperbole, but not for this book.

[[deleted user]]

I read it pre-goodreads, but I still remember that I liked the story and the illustrations. I think I will pick it up at library this weekend, if they have it.

[Lisa]

Jeannette, It's so fast. 533 pages but 1/2 pictures and many text pages have just a paragraph. I'm reading it over just 2 days and I'm a really slow reader. I think I'll be able to finish it tonight.

[Chrissie]

Lisa, I haven't read My Sister's Keeper so what do I know......but I cannot bring myself to even give it a try!

[Lisa]

Chrissie wrote: "Lisa, I haven't read My Sister's Keeper so what do I know......but I cannot bring myself to even give it a try!"

Chrissie, Then definitely don't. I don't think you'd like it. And anyway, I don't encourage anyone to read any book they don't find appealing, and especially not you, given your difficulty in getting books. For people who can borrow books from the library, I might encourage them to take it out and check it out long enough to see. But you should read only the books that you think you will love!

[Chrissie]

Lisa, good advice!

[[deleted user]]

I'm beginning Juliet

[Manybooks]

I am reading Ur-Pippi. This is the original manuscript of Astrid Lindgren's Pippi Longstocking, the manuscript that she sent to Bonniers and that was rejected. It was published in 2007 in Sweden (in Swedish) and was almost immediately translated into German. I am really loving this book!!!!! It is a researcher's dream, the original manuscript, but also a detailed analysis of the same by Astrid Lindgren expert Ulla Lundqvist. Too bad it has not been translated into English ...

[Kathy]

Lisa wrote: "I loved My Sister's Keeper, even though I did think the ending was infuriating. One time when that aspect of the movie was better. Up until the end the book was better, but the movie changed its en..."

I agree completely, Lisa. I thought that the movie ending was much better and in keeping with the rest of the book.