Which LIST book did you just finish? Showing 1,451-1,500 of 7,922

[Judith]

Just finished "The Secret History" and was really enthralled by the story.

[Lorena]

Animal Farm, not what I expected, but great non the less.

[Melody]

The Bell Jar...yep...I made it through high school and college (as an English major) and graduate school and was never assigned to read it (not even in a feminist lit course) and put a great many books before it on my "to do" list ...but the recent suicide of Plath's son made me take it off the shelf and give it a go. I was hooked from the first page and couldn't stop reading it. It was great. Sad to think what other great novels we could of had from her....

[Gaston]

Tender is the Night by Fitzgerald. Thought it stomped all over Gatsby.

[Boomerang]

I found 'The Bell Jar' indulgent and it made me feel suicidal reading it. Sylvia Plath's talent has been over-rated - anyone who dies young and doesn't achieve their full potential seems to become some kind of cult figure. She clearly should not have been left in charge of 2 small children by herself - no wonder they suffered as a result with feelings of worthlessness.

[Boomerang]

I just finished a new book called 'Junk Food hero' - it's a really witty account of a teenage boy's attempts at changing his lifestyle by cutting out junk food and sitting in front of a computer playing games... or chatting on the internet...like what I'm doing now, yeh.

[Susan]

Cat's Eye, by Atwood. Almost done with We.

[Silvana]

Mu number 63: The Metamorphoses by Ovid. Not bad, but could've been better in organization.

[Melissa]

Just gave up on Anagrams by Lorrie Moore. Couldn't get into it. I don't understand why it's on the list. I didn't hate it, just didn't find it worth finishing when there are so many books I don't have to make myself read.

[[deleted user]]

Cold Comfort Farm by Stella Gibbons and Kitchen (2008 list) by Banana Yoshimoto.

[Dan]

The Return of the Soldier by Rebecca West. A quick read but a very good book. Deals well with several topics in only a few pages. West's style is also appealing.

[Cynthia]

Melissa: I absolutely love Anagrams. In the 15 years our book group has met, we had our best discussion so far with that book. We did not all love it, but we had a lot to talk about, lots of theories to throw out.

[Darcy]

The Scarlet Letter.
There were parts I enjoyed and parts I found myself really bored and had a hard time paying attention.
Pretty good book though, I liked the themes that Hawthorne focuses on.

[Stacie]

Go Down, Moses.

[Dan]

Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas and Delta of Venus.

[Denise]

Giovanni's Room by James Baldwin. Excellent. A lot packed into a slender volume. I will have to track down some more Baldwin.

[Eva]

Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day by Winifred Watson a quick read and a nice feel good book.

[Yrinsyde]

I've just finished Huckleberry Finn. A very entertaining read, but also sobering. I wasn't shocked by the references to 'nigger' - this is probably because I am not of North American origin. What I was shocked about was the cruelty shown towards animals (and I'm including people in here as humans are animals). It seemed that if a person, dog, cat, etc didn't 'belong' somewhere, wasn't anyone's property, then people felt free to torture them and kill them. What interested me about the slave situation was how they were conditioned to think of themselves as products, and not as individuals ... it was only when Jim escaped was he able to articulate his feelings freely. Well worth reading and I'm glad I did.

[Eliza]

Just finished City of God. I loved parts of it and found myself confused by the rest of it. Maybe a reread is in order.

[Gaston]

The Sound and the Fury by Faulkner

[[deleted user]]

Alice in Wonderland.

[Gaston]

Megha, I enjoyed it, but not as much as 'Absalom, Absalom' or 'As I Lay Dying'. Especially considering the merit that 'Sound and Fury' has with the critics. I think it's so popular because of the three different narrators he uses, especially Benjy. I think the main theme of the book is the decline of the southern aristocracy, but there are some important themes regarding the obsession of 'time'. One of Faulkner's big themes seemed to deal with the family's decline after Caddy 'destroyed' the family's name. In Absalom, Absalom, the Compson family seems better represented and more important than they are in Fury. All in all it was very engaging, but not his best in my opinion.

[Dave]

Ana wrote: "Life of Pi "

What did you think of it? I read it a few months ago, and it was one of the better stories I've read in awhile.

[Dave]

Emilee wrote: "Alice in Wonderland."

What did you think of it? Just finished reading it to my kids at night(1 chapter a night). Thought it was awful, while trying to consider the time period.

[Kristi]

Finally finished City of God, but only because it's due back at the library. There were sections that I thought really good, but I didn't like it overall. I guess I like my fiction to have a flowing story.

[FromAna]

Dave wrote: "Ana wrote: "Life of Pi "

What did you think of it? I read it a few months ago, and it was one of the better stories I've read in awhile.
"

I def enjoyed it. Pi"s journey is both captivating and terrifying. I've been recommending it to anyone who will listen.

[FromAna]

Dave wrote: "Emilee wrote: "Alice in Wonderland."

What did you think of it? Just finished reading it to my kids at night(1 chapter a night). Thought it was awful, while trying to consider the time period. "

I didn't like it much either. I don't say this often but in this case it sticks, the movie was better than the book. I felt Alice was simply rude and petulant.

[Katie ATX]

I just finished A Severed Head by Iris Murdoch. I didn't care too much for it. I just strated City fo God last night....I'm not sure I'm going to like the flow of it though.

[Dave]

Ana wrote: "Dave wrote: "Emilee wrote: "Alice in Wonderland."

What did you think of it? Just finished reading it to my kids at night(1 chapter a night). Thought it was awful, while trying to consider the ti..."

Exactly! That was one of the worst parts of it. I could deal with all the surreality, even if I wasn't entertained. Alice, on the other hand, is like nails on a chalkboard.

[Nicola]

Just finished Ulysses..phew!

[Julie]

Yrinsyde wrote: "I've just finished Huckleberry Finn. A very entertaining read, but also sobering...."
I just finished Huck Finn last week. What a great American classic! I have to say I picked it up because there have been rumblings in the press about schools taking it out of the curriculum because of the use of the 'N' word. I listened to this one in audio. It is narrated by Dick Hill and it won an Audie award. The narration is fantasic - I highly recommend listening to this one. He does a great job with the slang and accent.

[Alicia]

Just got done reading Jude the Obscurethis weekend. Normally, I love Hardy's novels, but this one dragged by. It wasn't my least favorite of his, but most definitly not my favorite.

[Libby]

alicia wrote: "Just got done reading Jude the Obscurethis weekend. Normally, I love Hardy's ..."

Hmm, I love Far from the Maddening Crowd so I was planning on reading Jude the Obscure. What did you think of Far from the Maddening Crowd? What other Hardy novels did you like better than Jude the Obscure?

[Alicia]

Libby wrote: "alicia wrote: "Just got done reading Jude the Obscurethis weekend. Normally, ..."

I have actually not read Far from the Maddening Crowd yet, it's the next on my list. Personally, I love Tess of the d'Urbervilles and The Return of the Native. Altogether Jude was an all right book, but I felt that it dragged towards the middle. There was so much back and forth between the characters that I lost interest in who would eventually end up with who. I'd give Jude 3.5 stars.
However, this is just my personal opinion; I still enjoy reading Hardy's stories and most definitly recommend some of his other works to you.

[Libby]

Thanks for letting me know. I've got Tess of the d'Urbervilles and I'll try that next. Far from the Maddening Crowd was my first Hardy novel and i really enjoyed it. I'll be interested to see what you think.

[Lianne]

I finished reading Marina Lewycka's A Short History of Tractors in Ukrainian yesterday. I thought it was a wonderful read =D

[Kristi]

Jane Eyre! Loved it!

[Dan]

Just finished Of Mice and Men.

[FromAna]

Kristi wrote: "Jane Eyre! Loved it!"

I just started it about 80 pages in. I'm not in love with it yet.
What did you love about it so much? I'm fine with spoilers

[FromAna]

Dan wrote: "Just finished Of Mice and Men."

So are you team Lenny or team George?

[Lianne]

I finished reading Orwell's Animal Farm yesterday; it was quite interesting =)

[Dan]

Ana wrote: "Dan wrote: "Just finished Of Mice and Men."

So are you team Lenny or team George?
"

Not to avoid the question, but I'd have to say I'm team Lennie/George because they faced life best as a team. Lennie couldn't function in the world and would have faced a horrible life without George. George dreamed because he knew Lennie. Neither would be the same without the other.

[Olympia]

Kristi wrote: "Finally finished City of God, but only because it's due back at the library. There were sections th..."

It just became available at the local library I just picked it up. Seems interesting so far but I'm only on page 10. How was it for you?

[Libby]

Dan wrote: "I'm team Lennie/George because they faced life best as a team. Lennie couldn't function in the world and would have faced a horrible life without George. George dreamed because he knew Lennie. Neither would be the same without the other"

That's a great way to describe Of Mice and Men!

[Libby]

Olympia wrote: Re: City of God "How was it for you?"

I'm still wading through this one but I think it’s worth it. I didn't really feel it started moving (or making sense) until page 40-something but after that I was into it. Just FYI, it really helped me to keep a list of characters. The book jumps around and it helped me to have running notes.

[Olympia]

Libby wrote: "Olympia wrote: Re: City of God "How was it for you?"

I'm still wading through this one but I think it’s worth it. I didn't really feel it started moving (or making sense) until page 40-something..."

Thanks, will keep a list

[Cynthia]

Dan, "Neither would be the same without the other" is a lovely way to describe "Of Mice and Men." No wonder this books continues to be taught in most high school English classes. Great summary.

[Charity]

Recently finished Great Expectations (re-read) and The Name of the Rose.

[Kristi]

Ana, I loved the character of Jane.

I just finished The Yellow Wallpaper and The Return of the Soldier. The Yellow Wallpaper was interesting, especially if you know a little bit about the author's life. I loved The Return of the Soldier, the prose was beautiful and the story was very moving.

[Anna]

Dead souls by Gogol