Which LIST book did you just finish? Showing 7,151-7,200 of 7,922

[Karena]

I just finished The Catcher in the Rye.

[Ellen]

Finished Truman Capote's In Cold Blood.

[Mandy]

Diane wrote: "I just finished The 13 Clocks and The Wonderful O both by James Thurber. They were super short and entertaining reads."

Diane, I read 13 clocks and was puzzled by it inclusion on the list - I didn't mind the book itself but wasn't convinced it was that worthy t make 1001 list...wonder what you thought ?

[Danyellemastro]

Wild Swans (Three Daughters of China) - Jung Chang. Morbidly fascinating and harrowing at the same time. Those of us born in a country free from oppression and tyrants don't know how lucky we are. Up on my blog: http://bookbebeautiful.blogspot.com.au/

[Danyellemastro]

Ellen wrote: "Finished Truman Capote's In Cold Blood."

I recently did as well, loved it despite its sad subject matter.

[Diane]

Mandy wrote: "Diane, I read 13 clocks and was puzzled by it inclusion on the list..."

Oh Mandy, I'm probably the wrong person to ask about why one of James Thurber's books should be on the list of 1001 books to read. :) I live outside of Columbus Ohio, and James Thurber is the city's favorite (literary) son. He was a very famous humorist in his time, and the Thurber House does give an award in his honor for American Humor Writing. I've been to many author events at or put on by The Thurber House. I will say James Thurber is better known for his short stories, and I preferred The Wonderful O over The 13 Clocks.

I do think the list would be really hard to read if it was all Proust or the Russians. :) I read the two Thurber books as the reading version of a palate cleanser. I recently abandoned two non-list books, was plodding my way through Life of Pi, and was having a hard time starting a Faulkner book. I needed some fun reading. Thurber, if nothing else, offers fun, entertaining reading. Both books were written post-WWII and I think The 13 Clocks in particular reflects that time period and its sentiments in a very unique way - through the telling of a fairy tale.

[Charity]

Stephanie "Jedigal" wrote: "The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle. My 2nd Murakami. Didn't enjoy nearly as much as 1Q84. This one was too mystical for me - the magical realism too magical, and the way the surreal meets up with the real during the conclusion just too odd."

Yep! Felt the same about Wind-Up Bird.

[Charity]

Stephanie "Jedigal" wrote: "I'm going to try Kafka on the Shore next, but for now taking a break - with an Austen and a Bronte."

Excellent choices!

[Charity]

Diane wrote: "Mandy wrote: "Oh Mandy, I'm probably the wrong person to ask about why one of James Thurber's books should be on the list of 1001 books to read. :) I live outside of Columbus Ohio, and James Thurber is the city's favorite (literary) son. He was a very famous humorist in his time, and the Thurber House does give an award in his honor for American Humor Writing. I've been to many author events at or put on by The Thurber House. I will say James Thurber is better known for his short stories, and I preferred The Wonderful O over The 13 Clocks."

I live in Columbus and certainly agree!

[Kingfan30]

Finished Rabbit, Run by John Updike

[Mandy]

Thanks Diane & Charity, I was interested in other peoples view on this one...have not yet read The Woderful O.

[Peter]

I finished Hard Times by Charles Dickens yesterday and although I felt that it had merits it was probably my least favourite of Dickens's works that I have read thus far. A real shame.

[Charity]

Finished Ragtime.
Quite engaging!

[Kristel]

Just finished Perfume by Patrick Süskind. Odd but interesting. I posted my review here http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...

[Tomchicago]

Calvino's If On a Winter's Night a Traveler. Delighted me.

[Ellinor]

Embers by Sandor Maraì. A really good book!

[Steve]

Ellinor wrote: "I just finished a couple of books from the list: Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas (I have absolutely no idea how this one made it onto the list), Veronica decides to die (same here), Siddhartha (I re..."

I totally agree sense of an ending was fantastic, and although I enjoyed thurbers 13 clocks I dont see how its top 1000 in history of world?

[Grada (BoekenTrol)]

I just finished Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy by John le Carré

[Christina Stind]

I haven't read 13 Clocks butI just want to remind you that it's not the 1001 best novels but the most influential. Some of them are not very good - like Bataille and de Sade - but has had a huge influence. Maybe that's the case here?

[Mikela]

Just finished The Riddle of the Sands

my rambling thoughts for those who are interested

[James]

The Riddle of the Sands is one of my very favorites of all time. I appreciate your comments about the sailing technicalities but the mood Childers engenders, the picture of that bleak part of the world, and forsight he shows in predicting the coming War not to mention the background of Childers eventual execution never ceases to grab me.

[Mikela]

James, your comments are truly valid. My review does not delve into the importance of the book nor Childers' foresight in predicting the war, it is simply my reaction on reading it. Even the bleakness of that part of the world was IMHO partly overshadowed by all the technical jargon. I just had a hard time with that aspect of the novel although I have a strong suspicion that there was overall more familiarity with the terms at the time this book was first published. It was a good book that I did enjoy, but not one of my favorites. As all other books on the list there are people who love it, those who hate it and those in-between.

[Deanne]

Finished Disobedience by Alberto Moravia, only found it after discovering that it also goes by the title Luka and is one of two stories in the book The Two Adolescents. Well that leaves 50.

[Mikela]

Deanne, when you first began reading from the list did you anticipate reading all of them? Your accomplishments are absolutely awesome.

[Kristen]

Just finished The Devil and Miss Prym

[Karina]

Finished re-reading The Hobbit and I am glad I did read it again. Haven't read it in over 10 years and I forgot some important stuff!

[Armi]

I finished The Quiet American by Graham Greene. It wasn't my cup of tea, I thought the story was a little dull. It wasn't terrible, just dull. I will certanly have difficulties with the next Graham Greene novels that are on the list. Hopefully I wont have to read them anytime soon!

[Tugba]

andré maurois-climats

[Ginny]

Just finished The Beautiful Mrs. Seidenmen. I enjoyed it. Because of my fahter's leukemia (and his concern that his particular type of CLL tends to run in families) I did some research on it. CLL is often found in Eastern European Jews. I have often thought there might be Jewish ancestry from my paternal grandmother (her mother's maiden name was Finkbinder, she refused to eat any pork, we have a very distinctive nose) but there was always denial. When I brought the connection between the CLL and the heredity, he didn't make eye contact and admitted that yes, we did have this heritage. He was born in 1930 and I think the denial was his family's way of dealing with the fear of that time. My aunt (his younger sister) said the exact thing that one of the characters in the book said; "I can't accept them because they killed Jesus." This is one of the first books I've read about this time period since finding out our history. So sad that my father felt he had to hide it from us. Interesting.

[Deanne]

Mikela
When I started I'd read 28, thought it would be a good point to find good books. Found authors and books I've loved, and some I've hated. Still finding that's the case but also finding other books through goodreads.

[Leora]

Just finished 'Pilgrims Progress' by Bunyan. Glad to have that one crossed off!

[Nicole]

War of the Worlds

[Stephanie "Jedigal"]

The Tenant of Wildfell Hall. Loved it! Even better than my favorites from her sisters!

[Kristi]

Northanger Abbey
Oliver Twist

[Beth]

Diane wrote: "having a hard time starting a Faulkner book"

Try the one I just finished:

Absalom, Absalom!--I didn't love Faulkner til this one (but it did take awhile to get hooked: http://bethslistlove.wordpress.com/20... )

[Beth]

Tomchicago wrote: "Calvino's If On a Winter's Night a Traveler. Delighted me."

I felt the same way. I'm hoping his other books are such fun!

[Diane]

Beth wrote: "Diane wrote: "having a hard time starting a Faulkner book"

Try the one I just finished:

Absalom, Absalom!--I didn't love Faulkner til this one (but it did take awhile to get hooked: http://beths..."

Thanks Beth!
I'm done with the first section of The Sound and the Fury which I am hoping will be the hardest, but I will certainly seek out Absalom, Absalom!

[Mekki]

I just finished Under the Skin by Michel Faber. At 300 pages it was hard to put down. Michel Faber's prose was very easy to read.

In alot of places it was pretty brutal but it was always for a reason. In a sense this novel is satire, a kind of dark satire.

[Diane]

Courtney wrote: "Just finished The Blind Assassin by M. Atwood. One of the best things I have read in years. Am working through the delectable Old New York by E. Wharton, which is not on the list. Hypotheticall..."
I couldn't find The Blind Assassin in my international edition so I checked it on Amazon. Looks really interesting. I've loaded down a sample. Thanks for the hint.

[Denise]

Volume I Swann's Way of In Search Of Lost Time Vol 1: Swann's Way. Realize it is only a portion of what is counted as one read but...moving on to Volume II

[Mekki]

Denise wrote: "Volume I Swann's Way of In Search Of Lost Time Vol 1: Swann's Way. Realize it is only a potion of what is counted as one read but...moving on to Volume II"

Good Job. I paused my reading of that one. Hopefully I'll get back to it soon.

[Rebecca]

January was a good month for me. I read In Cold Blood, The History of Love, and The Island of Dr. Moreau. I enjoyed all three.

I might not have enjoyed The History of Love as much if I had known beforehand that the author was married to Jonathan Foer. I kept going, "This particular style of writing reminds me of a book I've read before..." of course that turned out to be Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close. Since I went in with ignorance so I liked it.

[Sarah]

I just finished Calvino's "Invisible Cities", and didn't really enjoy it. I feel like I'm missing the forest for the trees on this one - struggling too hard to find the author's point.

[Susan]

Denise wrote: "Volume I Swann's Way of In Search Of Lost Time Vol 1: Swann's Way. Realize it is only a portion of what is counted as one read but...moving on to Volume II"

I am struggling with that one. Just can not seem to get into it.

[Denise]

Susan wrote: "Denise wrote: "Volume I Swann's Way of In Search Of Lost Time Vol 1: Swann's Way. Realize it is only a portion of what is counted as one read but...moving on to Volume II"

I am struggling with tha..."
There is another group called "A Year with Proust" that you might consider joining to help you along.









'

[Denise]

Susan wrote: "Denise wrote: "Volume I Swann's Way of In Search Of Lost Time Vol 1: Swann's Way. Realize it is only a portion of what is counted as one read but...moving on to Volume II"

I am struggling with tha..."
Keep trying, Susan. If it still doesn't catch you, then maybe save it for a better time. There are times when I have difficulty as well and hen there is a change in course and...?I'm in again

[Elizabeth (Alaska)]

Susan wrote: "Denise wrote: "Volume I Swann's Way of In Search Of Lost Time Vol 1: Swann's Way. Realize it is only a portion of what is counted as one read but...moving on to Volume II"

I am struggling with tha..."

I got to the part where he was eating asparagus and decided this was just too inane and my reading further would be a complete and utter waste of my time.

[Susan]

I am in the Proust group. Have a great deal going on right now and just not feeling it.

@Elizabrh: Asparagus? You mean there comes a point where he stops describing beds?

[Elizabeth (Alaska)]

Susan wrote: "I am in the Proust group. Have a great deal going on right now and just not feeling it.

@Elizabrh: Asparagus? You mean there comes a point where he stops describing beds?"

The Asparagus was in the 3rd week, I think. Page 168 in the MKE edition. A paragraph on asparagus, including his chamber pot results.

[Cynthia]

"There but for the," By Ali Smith. Delightful.