June: What Are You Reading?

[Sue]

It gets a star on my TBR (a mini poem)!

[Mary Ellen]

I'm almost done with Jean Brodie, and also look forward to the discussion. In light of our cell phone/Model T discussion of the dated-ness of things, I'll say I am finding TPOMJB a bit dated. I hope some folks who read it a while back re-read it and give us the benefit of their dual perspectives on the book.

[Roxanne]

Mary Ellen - my thoughts exactly. You are reading my mail!

[Audrey]

Just finished My Sister's Keeper by Jodi Picoult, which is much better than the film.

[Mary Ellen]

Mary Ellen wrote: "I'm almost done with Jean Brodie, and also look forward to the discussion. In light of our cell phone/Model T discussion of the dated-ness of things, I'll say I am finding TPOMJB a bit dated. I h..."

Ha! Glad I'm not alone.

[Dottie]

This was a reread of TPOMJB for me and I thought it had suffered a bit with the passage of time but even so I enjoyed revisiting the story and it made me want to see the film again. Looking forward to the discussion.

I just polished off Every Day in Tuscany: Seasons of an Italian Life Frances Mayes latest in the Tuscany trilogy and in looking over some reviews, I found many had been disappointed in this volume. I will admit it is much different from the earlier books and somewhat unsettling but also refreshing in it's more candid description of their now twenty years of ownership and life in Cortona. If a reader really enjoyed the other books and really enjoys all the Italian ambience and the other life-style books then I think they will be interested in the slight shift of perspective in this latest volume.

[Sarah]

I'm glad you liked Major Pettigrew, Jane. I'm 3 away from getting it at the library, and I was looking forward to it. It did sound rather Pym-ish, and I've loved Pym.

[Denise]

A.J. wrote: "Why is outdated technology funny or inappropriate? All fiction has a setting, which should be a specific time period. And all technology has an expiry date.

We don't snicker at Model T Fords in Th..."

Are you telling me you don't laugh when you see those humongous mobile phones in movies? Although the question of "why?" is interesting. You're right, I don't laugh at Model T's.

I don't laugh at women in hoop skirts, either, but I do laugh at the short shorts of professional basketball players in the 70's.

[A.J.]

I usually don't find that stuff funny unless it's played for humour.

I did laugh when I watched Pretty in Pink a few months back -- but that was mainly because nobody really dressed that way in the 1980s, outside of John Hughes movies.

I think the suggestion that writers should avoid technology because it changes is silly.

[Al]

Mary ellen:

I'm still in the middle of TPOMJB but I think the dated-ness is appropriate - for me, it really captures the post-war period and beyond

[Roxanne]

I've started Let Us Now Praise Famous Men. Another wow. This is not quick reading if you really want to get the fullness of it. But it is probably life changing - or could be. There are times when I gasp. It makes me want to go on sojourn to the south. Especially since the oil spill. Same sh.., different day - as they say. But I better not start talking about it yet . . . . I will get in trouble ..... hee hee -

[Ruth]

Denise wrote: I do laugh at the short shorts of professional basketball players in the 70's.
"

I laugh at the ones they're wearing today!

[Dottie]

Ruth wrote: "Denise wrote: I do laugh at the short shorts of professional basketball players in the 70's.
"

I laugh at the ones they're wearing today!"

Me, too! :-)

[Sherry, Doyenne]

They look like skirts.

[Ruth]

Droopy drawers.

[Dottie]

Ruth wrote: "Droopy drawers."

BINGO!!!!

[Bahareh]

Audrey wrote: "Just finished My Sister's Keeper by Jodi Picoult, which is much better than the film."

I was really disappointed with the movie.

[Marialyce]

I am reading Atlas Shrugged, My Name is Memory, and finishing up The Great Santini.

[Mary Ellen]

Al wrote: "Mary ellen:

I'm still in the middle of TPOMJB but I think the dated-ness is appropriate - for me, it really captures the post-war period and beyond"

Al, I found it dated in ways that affected my reaction to it. I'm saying this awkwardly, but I think that when Spark wrote it, she'd have expected her readers to react in a certain way, and societal changes have me reacting in another. More when we discuss!

[Mary Ellen]

Ruth wrote: "Droopy drawers."

I will say that, as a girl in high school, I appreciated the short shorts! And I echo Dottie's BINGO!

[Cathy]

Mary Ellen wrote: "Ruth wrote: "Droopy drawers."

I will say that, as a girl in high school, I appreciated the short shorts! And I echo Dottie's BINGO!"

Denise wrote: "A.J. wrote: "Why is outdated technology funny or inappropriate? All fiction has a setting, which should be a specific time period. And all technology has an expiry date.

We don't snicker at Mode..."


When I look at basketball players from the '70s, I blush a little. Fashions change though and we'll probably see them come back in style. What's the best book on basketball ever, folks?

[Marjorie]

I just finished A PARTISAN'S DAUGHTER, a short novel by Louis de Bernieres. Not his greatest per reviewers, but I really liked it. About an Englishman, stuck in a loveless marriage, who while out looking for a "working girl," meets a young Yugoslavian emigree. They strike up a friendship (he wishes they were more than just friends), but their platonic relationship continues for several months as he listens while she tells him the story of her very interesting life and her former lovers. You keep reading and waiting to see what will happen, and what does happen is... well I won't give it away. Now I want to read his Corelli's Mandolin.

Marge

[Beej]

Marjorie, Corelli's Mandolin is one of my all time favorite novels. Oh, it's such a beautiful book.

[TheGirlBytheSeaofCortez]

I've been meaning to read Corelli's Mandolin for a long time and I keep putting it off. I'll have to move it up on my TBR stack.

Marjorie, I did read the same author's Birds Without Wings and I thought that was a gorgeous book.

[TheGirlBytheSeaofCortez]

A.J. wrote: "I usually don't find that stuff funny unless it's played for humour.

I did laugh when I watched Pretty in Pink a few months back -- but that was mainly because nobody really dressed that way in th..."

I don't find the outdated stuff funny, either, A.J. Every book and movie has it's own unique setting and if the setting's appropriate, I don't see anything funny with it. I think a group of women answering a hotel switchboard in a 30s or 40s movie is cool. Way cool. :)

[Sarah]

Beej, I have tried to read Corelli's Mandolin several times and couldn't get into it at all. The first time was aeons ago, when CR read it back when we were at Prodigy. I felt like I should like it, but couldn't. Very disappointing.

[TheGirlBytheSeaofCortez]

Mary Ellen wrote: "I'm almost done with Jean Brodie, and also look forward to the discussion. In light of our cell phone/Model T discussion of the dated-ness of things, I'll say I am finding TPOMJB a bit dated. I h..."

I read it in high school, in college, and I just reread it. For me, it gets better with age. I don't know what's dated about it. That's like saying Victorian literature is dated. It fits the time period wonderfully. TPOMJB takes place in the 1930s. People aren't going to be running around with mobile phones and spending their time Googling.

Wolf Hall was dated. Rebecca is dated. Everything is dated.

What am I missing here?

[Tango]

To me something is dated if it no longer has impact. For instance I re-read 1984 a couple of years ago (with the intention to teach it) and I found it had dated. What I had considered this powerful/ominous presence (and the what if?) - Big Brother - is now part of our society and is, in fact, celebrated. Whilst there were still some great parts it just didn't have the same impact as the first time I read twenty years ago.

[TheGirlBytheSeaofCortez]

Tango wrote: "To me something is dated if it no longer has impact. For instance I re-read 1984 a couple of years ago (with the intention to teach it) and I found it had dated. What I had considered this powerful..."

Okay, thanks, Tango. That definition makes sense to me. I guess that was what I was missing! :) That talk of phones and skirt length, etc. threw me off. That has to go with the time period.

[Beej]

Sarah, I just loved the book and have read it three times but not every book is for every reader. There are PLENTY of books I adore that most others can't stand.(Case in point is 'Pillars of the Earth' for which the movie is about to be released, tho i doubt I'll see it..) And that's ok, too.

[Beej]

Why am I giving 'Pillars of the Earth' as an example? Heck, the book I'm reading now does not have the best of Goodread reviews and I am absolutely reveling in it! It's the Pultizer winner, 'Mambo Kings Play Songs of Love' by Oscar Hijuelos and I am just absolutely head over heels in love with this book and can't wait to finish it so I can jump straight into his new book and sequel to MKPSOL, 'Beautiful Maria of My Soul.'

(Isn't that a gorgeous title?)

[TheGirlBytheSeaofCortez]

Mambo Kings Play Songs of Love is another one I've been meaning to read. I like anything that reminds me of Desi Arnaz.

[Beej]

Oh Gabrielle, you'll adore this book then.

[Kat]

Re outdated technology: A few years ago I read the statement in a review that "historical novel" has become a tautology. I had to look up "tautology," but my understanding of what the author intended to say is that all novels have become historical because life changes so quickly now. However, not all writers WANT to be perceived as historical, they don't necessarily want their work to reflect a specific period with specific historical associations. My own take is that if you're going to have one thing that gives away a specific time period you'd better have a lot of them and give a sense of the period in general. Otherwise it will call too much attention to itself.

[Ruth]

That sounds entirely reasonable to me, Kat.

[A.J.]

I'd say that the notion that life changes so quickly today that all fiction is historical is simply bunk. The rate of technological change is blinding, but the changes are mostly superficial. We don't face new major issues every week.

[Sherry, Doyenne]

I read Mambo Kings eons ago (pre-CR) and remember loving it.

[Hazel]

Beej wrote: "Why am I giving 'Pillars of the Earth' as an example? Heck, the book I'm reading now does not have the best of Goodread reviews and I am absolutely reveling in it! It's the Pultizer winner, 'Mambo ..."

Mambo Kings was a favourite of mine. I recommend the movie, too. Not a great film, but the soundtrack was fabulous!

[Beej]

Sherry and Hazel, I picked this up after seeing that Hijuelos has a brand new one out called 'Beautiful Maria of My Soul' which is the story of Maria as an older woman.

I've tried to find the song itself on youtube and there are, indeed, some videos there but youtube was having problems yesterday. I'll try again tonight.

[TheGirlBytheSeaofCortez]

Kat wrote: "Re outdated technology: A few years ago I read the statement in a review that "historical novel" has become a tautology. I had to look up "tautology," but my understanding of what the author intend..."

Maybe. I don't know. I feel pretty much like I'm living the same way I lived as a kid. True, I didn't have a mobile phone then or a computer, but other than that, things seem pretty much the same. Maybe it's just me. LOL

[Ruth]

Ha, Gabrielle. You're living much the way you lived as a kid because you were a kid not so very long ago.

[TheGirlBytheSeaofCortez]

Oh, I was a kid more than twenty years ago, Ruth. Times have changed. I would have never dreamed I'd have a tiny mobile phone, my own computer, a movie camera (I thought movie cameras were only for professionals and people like my aunt and uncle who thought everyone wanted to see the photos of their anniversary party).

[Ruth]

It's all in perspective, Gabrielle. Twenty years ago I already had grandchildren.

[Mary Anne]

It's July already. I think I'll start a July thread.

[Carol]

Ok I am reading a couple of good books right now.

[Sherry, Doyenne]

Thanks, MAP. I'll close this one.