Books you are reading or recommend?

[Jamie]

What books are you reading or do you recommended and why? You can talk about ANY book but let us know if they qualify for our group.

[Jamie]

Books I have read qualifying for this group and the number of stars I gave them:


(Four Stars)


(Four Stars)


(Three Stars)


(Four Stars)


(Four Stars)


(Four Stars)


(Five Stars)


(Four Stars)


(Five Stars)


(Five Stars)

[Diane]

Jamie wrote: "Books I have read qualifying for this group and the number of stars I gave them:

Oh, The Awakening. I had forgotten about that little gem. It is time to reread it.

[Paula]

Or read it the first time! I got a little paperback copy of "The Awakening" at a flea market for about a dime last summer, and haven't read it yet. Supposed to be magnificent. Is it to late to nominate it?

[Jamie]

No, not at all. Nominations end the 31st. "The Awakening" is a nice quick read. It is said to be one of the most important novels written by an American woman in the nineteenth century and a landmark work for early feminism (from wikipedia The Awakening).

I gave the book a three just because of my views on the book, not because it was not good. It definitely would make for an interesting discussion.

[[deleted user]]

I'm currently reading the "Selected Letters" by Charlotte Brontë (victorian) and though I'm still halfway through it, I would recommend it for other Brontë fans.
I'm also reading for second time Anna Karenina I love it! That reminds me a question I would like to ask:
Jamie, in the general description of this group it says victorian books are excluded, wich I totally understand as there are other groups covering it, but.. by Victorian do you mean books published in Great Britain or books written in other countries during those years? I thought the term "victorian" refers to G.B. but I see the Victorians group also read other nationalities.
Last 20th November was celebrated the centenary of Tolstoy's death and I plan to use it as excuse to read his work during next months. Do you consider him "victorian"? In that case I wouldn't mention or suggest nominating his books

[Jamie]

Feel free to nominate Tolstoy!

Yes, the Victorian group does read books from Great Britain as well as from other countries during the Victorian time period but most group reads tend to be from G.B. This group may have a better chance of branching out to other nationalities during this time.

I have the books Anna Karenina and War and Peace but have not had the chance to read them! I really need to!

[[deleted user]]

Jamie wrote: "Feel free to nominate Tolstoy!

Yes, the Victorian group does read books from Great Britain as well as from other countries during the Victorian time period but most group reads tend to be from ..."

Jamie, I love Tolstoy! I've read A.Karenina and War & Peace, but I admit those books stayed in my shelf for ages before I decided to read them, later I loved them so much I had regrets I waited to read them... but you know, it's just personal opinion. I've just started re-reading Anna Karenina last monday and I plan to read it slowly and give it breaks to read other books meantime, so it will take me long.. (in case anyone is or plan to read it later and want to discuss)

[Jamie]

Antía wrote: "Jamie wrote: "Feel free to nominate Tolstoy!

Yes, the Victorian group does read books from Great Britain as well as from other countries during the Victorian time period but most group reads te..."

You could always set up a side read and see if anyone is interested in reading the book also. There are so many wonderful books that we may never be able to get to or people may just not want to wait.

[Diane]

Antía wrote: "Jamie wrote: "Feel free to nominate Tolstoy!
Anna Karenina is one of my absolute favorite books but War and Peace I just could not get into. I read the peace parts but my eyes glazed over on the war parts so I started skipping them. It sure made the book shorter!

[[deleted user]]

Diane wrote: "Antía wrote: "Jamie wrote: "Feel free to nominate Tolstoy!
Anna Karenina is one of my absolute favorite books but War and Peace I just could not get into. I read the peace parts but my eyes glazed..."

hahaha I know what you mean, Diane. It happened similar thing to me with Victor Hugo's Les Miserables. I loved parts of it and others just made me skip pages. I know War and Peace isn't everyone's cup of tea but I enjoyed all the plots. And Anna Karenina is so beautiful!

[Teresa]

I would recommend reading books by Mary Jane Holmes. I discovered her while looking for free books on my Kindle. As soon as I start one of her books I cannot put it down.

[Jamie]

Thanks for the recommendation Teresa! I will check it out. That's great you can get it free on Kindle.

[Teresa]

You are welcome.

[Gitte]

Teresa wrote: "I would recommend reading books by Mary Jane Holmes. I discovered her while looking for free books on my Kindle. As soon as I start one of her books I cannot put it down."

Which one would you recommend to start with?

[Diane]

Teresa wrote: "I would recommend reading books by Mary Jane Holmes. I discovered her while looking for free books on my Kindle. As soon as I start one of her books I cannot put it down."
Thanks and I am going to see which of her books our library has. Author recommendations are one of the best things about Goodreads. You discover authors you would never have heard of otherwise.

[Diane]

Diane wrote: "Teresa wrote: "I would recommend reading books by Mary Jane Holmes. I discovered her while looking for free books on my Kindle. As soon as I start one of her books I cannot put it down."
Thanks a..."

None. Our library has not one of Mary Jane Holmes. They have 745 copies of Janet Evanovich's latest but not one of any of Holmes. How can anyone perusing the library for something to read accidentally discover a "new" author if it is not on a shelf anywhere?

[Elizabeth (Alaska)]

Other books I've read that fall in this period and not Victorian, and for which I've rated 4 stars are:

Winesburg, Ohio
Light in August
Tender Is the Night

[Jamie]

Thanks Elizabeth for the suggestions. I added Winesburg Ohio and Life in August. Tender is the Night is also on there.

[Elizabeth (Alaska)]

I'm currently reading The Good Earth. Not sure how I've managed to leave this unread all these years.

[Jamie]

Great recommendation Elizabeth! I added it to the bookself!

[Judy]

I have never read Uncle Tom's Cabin by Harriet Beecher Stowe...it is now on the Kindle TBR list.

[Jamie]

I haven't read it either but it is in our bookself. These all would be great nominations next time!

[Jamie]

I found these listopia lists for the best books of the decade/century and thought you guys might like to look through them!

http://www.goodreads.com/search?searc...

http://www.goodreads.com/search?q=Bes...

http://www.goodreads.com/list/show/30...

Later I will go through and add to our bookself!

[Elizabeth (Alaska)]

I am reading The Forsyte Saga. A Modern Comedy. The End of the Chapter in another group. So far, it's fabulous!

[Gitte]

I would love to read that some day!

[Jamie]

That's great to hear! I have that book but haven't had a chance to read it. I am glad to know you like it.

[Jamie]

Has anyone read any books by Stella Gibbons? I have Nightingale Wood and Cold Comfort Farm but have not read them.

[Mary]

North and South by Elizabeth Gaskell
Middlemarch or Daniel Deronda by George Eliot
Jamaica Inn by Daphne DuMaurier

[Jamie]

Mary wrote: "North and South by Elizabeth Gaskell
Middlemarch or Daniel Deronda by George Eliot
Jamaica Inn by Daphne DuMaurier"

Have you read Rebecca by Daphne DuMaurier? If so how does Jamaica Inn compare?

[Mary]

Yes I have read Rebecca and loved it. I put Jamaica Inn on the list because Rebecca was already listed. I also loved Frenchman's Creek .

[Ryan]

"A Passage to India" By E.M. Forster
"Flush" By Virginia Woolf

[Judy]

Magic Mountain by Thomas Mann.

[Malcolm]

I'm currently reading Uncle Silas by Joseph Sheridan Le Fanu, which I would recommend highly. It's a gothic thriller/sensation novel, absorbing and gripping.

[Malcolm]

Jamie wrote: "Books I have read qualifying for this group and the number of stars I gave them:


(Four Stars)


(Four Stars)


(Three Stars)


(Four Stars)


(Four Stars)


(Four Stars)


(F..."

I'd recommend Maria Edgeworth's Belinda, which I notice you have posted. Quite original and ground-breaking for its day in its way - mixed race marriage of minor characters, the contemplation of a mixed race romantic alliance of the title character; breast cancer; opium addiction; cross-dressing females and a hint of lesbianism. Very eye-opening for a novel first published in 1801. And then there's the breath-taking genre-bending deneument. Sheer genius.

Likewise I'd recommend highly Maria Edgeworth's hilarious debut novel Castle Rackrent (1800), also highly original and ground-breaking. Also her clever 1807 novel Ennui should not be ignored.

[Alex]

Thanks for the tips on some enjoyable reading. I've picked up a few new authors that I cannot wait to get started.

I would like to recommend E.M. Forrester. I like him a lot and want to re-read the ones I have read and read the others I haven't.

Diane--I understand your frustration about not finding any books by Mary Jane Holmes but finding 745 books of Janet Evanvovich's latest book. I work in a library myself and grind my teeth whenever someone tells me she's a wonderful writer but unfortunately she is what the public checks out. My advice is don't let it get you down and keep your head up.

[Sadie]

I just started listening to Desolation Island which is #5 in the Aubrey/Maturin series. I have enjoyed these, not sure I would have picked them up had it not been for my husband wanting to listen to them. Pretty good so far. I can't believe they were written in 1970's they have such an authentic feel to them.

[Sadie]

Nullifidian wrote: "I love the Aubrey-Maturin series! I have all the books, except 14-16 and 18-20(21), and I just finished The Far Side of the World (#10). #17, The Commodore, was on sale at a Friends of the Library ..."

Quoting my husband, "I don't know what their talking about half the time, but I like it!" This is how I feel as well. So much ships jargon that I don't understand but the stories are great and the writing superb!

[Catherine]

Nullifidian wrote: "I love the Aubrey-Maturin series! I have all the books, except 14-16 and 18-20(21), and I just finished The Far Side of the World (#10). #17, The Commodore, was on sale at a Friends of the Library ..."
I also enjoyed all of the Patrick O'Brian books and looked forward to watching the Master & Commander movie and was quite disappointed. All the wonderful scenes in the books and they had to make up something "new" for the movie. I couldn't believe it.

Took me two years to get through the series, though I read a lot of other books in between. There are so many great historical fiction series!

[Gaijinmama]

Hello, just started The Three Musketeers and am looking forward to discussing it with you all. I'll also be tackling The Count of Monte Cristo very soon, since two of my other groups are discussing it.

[Becky]

I love adventure narratives. I'm obsessed with maritime history. I would highly recommend first hand accounts

of the Mutinty on the Bounty An Account Of The Mutiny On Hms Bounty and the horrible and tragic wreck of the Medusa Narrative of a Voyage to Senegal in 1816. I would love to see us read one of these, or Captain Cook's voyage notes as a group read. They're really revealing.

Also, a little appreciated, but entirely excellent book is Mr. Midshipman Easy. Frederick Marryat is completely underappreciated.

[Holly]

I'm starting The Woman in White. This will be my first classic, so I'm very excited. I can't wait to check out all the books that you guys have recommended!

[Holly]

Gaijinmama wrote: "Hello, just started The Three Musketeers and am looking forward to discussing it with you all. I'll also be tackling The Count of Monte Cristo very soon, since two of my o..."

How was The Three Museteers?

[Gaijinmama]

Holly wrote: "Gaijinmama wrote: "Hello, just started The Three Musketeers and am looking forward to discussing it with you all. I'll also be tackling The Count of Monte Cristo very soon..."

Hi, Holly. On the one hand, it went much faster than I'd expected and it was entertaining. On the other hand, I couldn't help getting really annoyed by the sexism and classism. I know it was true to its time, but I just couldn't get past the way the female and working-class characters were treated. I love history, but I'm very glad to be living right now.

[Jamie]

Gaijinmama wrote: "Holly wrote: "Gaijinmama wrote: "Hello, just started The Three Musketeers and am looking forward to discussing it with you all. I'll also be tackling [book:The Count of Monte Cristo|7..."

I agree that it was entertaining and full of adventure but many of their actions and things they said were degrading and arrogant. As I was reading, I mostly laughed at them but in reality they didn't seem like very good people. I still would highly recommend reading it.

[Gaijinmama]

Jamie, yes, I agree, It does deserve its place as a classic. I guess I'm just in a phase of my life where I have a hard time getting past things that make me angry. The real world is unjust and unfair, already, you know? These days I don't really enjoy reading fiction that romanticizes that.

[Holly]

Ok, I'llkeep all that in mind when I decide to read it. Thanks!

[Anne]

Planning to start The Golden Bowl by Henry James. Never heard of it before, but should be good.

[Diane]

This isn't a book recommendation but a reminder to see the play Frankenstein(since we had a group read of it) in movie theaters all over the country, actually all over the world. The preview seems like it would be interesting take on the book. This movie is a filming in HD of the London play. I would love to hear from anyone who sees it besides me. The website has a search engine to find a local Cinemark movie theater since for some reason they don't advertise it.
no_reply@nationaltheatre.org.uk

[Melissa Hoyle]

I'd recommend Sons and Lovers by D.H. Lawrence or The Ladies' Paradise by Zola.