Boxall's 1001 Books You Must Read Before You Die discussion
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Which LIST book did you just finish?
I just finished "A Suitable Boy" by Vikram Seth...1474 pages in paperback. It took me most of a month to read it, but it was well worth it. Excellent book, well-written, great insight into Indian culture and society. It has been compared to Middlemarch by George Eliot and I think it is a very apt pairing. Both are a composite of life in a particular society at a particular time. I am very glad I read it. My only regret is that I now miss the characters!
Courtney wrote: "George Elliot's Middlemarch and about to finish Bel Canto. I LOVED Middlemarch and found it to be a revelation. The jury is still out on Bel Canto. "Middlemarch is one of my favorite books. Have you seen the BBC mini-series? I thought it was very well done.
Yelena wrote: "Was nearly finished with Cloud Atlas, and then forgot to pack it. I'm away for a week and realized I had left my next three list selection on my desk. The airport was no help, though I did get Midd..."Thanks for this plug. I have Cloud Atlas sitting her, but just having read two very long books, (Cloudsplitter by Russel Banks and A Suitable Boy by Vikram Seth) I want to tackle something shorter first! But you have inspired me to keep it in the pile.
Just finished House of Mirth. Really liked it - had a great discussion with my real life bookclub about this book and the choices women have today in society.
Karen wrote: "I just finished "A Suitable Boy" by Vikram Seth...1474 pages in paperback. It took me most of a month to read it, but it was well worth it. Excellent book, well-written, great insight into Indian ..."I had started reading 'A Suitable Boy', but gave up after 300 pages or so. Hearing that it is worth the time makes me think that it may not be a bad idea to give it another try. Thanks Karen.
Megha wrote: "What did you think of 'The Name of the Rose' Charity? I have heard its really good."The first 100 pages or so were a little challenging (not bad, mind you, just dense), however, the story really took off after that and was extremely engaging. I'll probably end up reading it again down the road because there were a few things that I probably didn't pick up on the first time. I definitely felt it was a rewarding read.
Libby wrote: "alicia wrote: "Just got done reading Jude the Obscurethis weekend. Normally, ..."My classics group recently read The Mayor of Casterbridge and we all really enjoyed it--it was so eventful, it was hard to put down!
Julie at All Ears wrote: "Just finished House of Mirth. Really liked it - had a great discussion with my real life bookclub about this book and the choices women have today in society."This a personal favorite of mine - glad you enjoyed it! There was actually a decent movie made w/ Gillian Anderson.
Finished Marina Lewycka's "A Short History of Tractors in Ukrainian" some days ago, I really wonder, why this book is on this list. It has some funny parts, yes, but all in all it was a very dull book in my opinion. Was really disappointed.
The Secret Life of Bees. A lovely book, and an easy read. Made me enjoy honey :)
Carol wrote: "Ijust finished The Shining by Stephen King. "and well...? Did you love it?
Ilana wrote: "The Secret Life of Bees. A lovely book, and an easy read. Made me enjoy honey :)"I loved that book! I laughed and def. cried along with them
P.S. the movie is not so bad it came out last year Dakota Fanning, Jennifer Hudson, Alicia Keys and Queen Latifa are some of the actors. I liked it
Ana wrote: "Ilana wrote: "The Secret Life of Bees. A lovely book, and an easy read. Made me enjoy honey :)"I loved that book! I laughed and def. cried along with them
P.S. the movie is not so bad"
Im sure I cried too :)
I didnt even know there was a film! Recommended?
I recently finished Passing. I thought it was really good, although the ending was really sudden. I could've read more...Hooray for this book club! I probably would never have heard about this book if not for 1001 books.
Just finished In the Forest by Edna O'Brien. Very good...but somewhat disturbing...book. Love the way she writes, so I have several more of hers on my to read list.
I finished Brave New World yesterday. I managed to avoid reading it all through school, but I probably would have enjoyed it more back then.
Ilana, the movie was good, it was a great complement to the book, I remember crying in the same places as I did in the book, Dakota Fanning was great as the Girl and so was the actress that played the sister with [the wall:].
About a week ago I finished A Boy's Own Story...which I thought was okay but nothing worthwhile. The last book to really stick in my head was Sexing the Cherry. Even though I finished it awhile ago I'm still thinking about it. Now there's a good book
Finished 'The God of Small Things', didn't like it at all. Jumped around too much.
Veronika Decides to Die A Novel of Redemption by Paulo Coelho. I liked (not loved) it, but I think it is grander in the thoughts and discussions it can potentially provoke than in the writing or story itself. What is really fascinating is what provoked Coelho to write it.
Finished Catch-22. I have a few off-list books that I'll be reading next, then I'll get back to the list.
Just finished Hideous Kinky by Esther Freud. At 187 pages and a flowing style, this was a quick read. Had the 'feel' of Michener's The Drifters.
Darlingmisty wrote: "Veronika Decides to Die A Novel of Redemption by Paulo Coelho. I liked (not loved) it, but I think it is grander in the thoughts and discussions it can potentially provok..."This got me intrigued, so I wiki-ed it. Apparently there is a movie coming out based on this book this year. That could be interesting. I read the book a couple months ago.
Just finished the 'Golden Asse', it was slow going at first but I ended up actually liking it.
I recently finished Animal's People by Indra Sinha. A pretty serious read, but I would recommend it.
Pride and Prejudice--- my FIRST Jane Austen book. No regrets- I loved the language, the plot, and the character development. This is now one of my favorites! :-)
I just finished The Time Machine and A Christmas Carol. Thought I'd knock-off some of the shorter ones on the list while also taking advantage of some of the free e-books available on my new iPhone :)
Darlingmisty wrote: "Veronika Decides to Die A Novel of Redemption by Paulo Coelho. I liked (not loved) it, but I think it is grander in the thoughts and discussions it can potentially provok..."He's great have you read other books by him?
I just finished Animal Farm - I can't believe I have never read it before- quick easy read and full of symbolism- I quite enjoyed it.
Darlingmisty wrote: "Veronika Decides to Die A Novel of Redemption by Paulo Coelho. I liked (not loved) it, but I think it is grander in the thoughts and discussions it can potentially provok..."I guess a book is different for everybody. I personally loved it. If you want a more positive book I'd recommend "The Alchemyst" instead. I find it quite inspiring, allthough many have the opinion that it has too much simplification.
Just finised 'Alice's Adventures in Wonderland', which is my 69th book. I am doing the combined list so I expect to finish in about a gazillion years!Still working on 'The Idiot' and just downloaded "Gargantua and Pantagruel' from Gutenberg.
Read The Death of Ivan Ilyich this afternoon. Very interesting book. I think this is one that I'll find myself thinking about off and on over the next few weeks.
Just finished Watchmen - what an amazing book.This really shows what the graphic novel is capable of!
The Drowned and the Saved by Primo Levi
Lenoir when I click on the link the book called Saving fish from drowning. A novel appears. I liked Primo Levi's book The Drowned and the Saved.
Sometimes if you just add the /[author: brackets, the wrong book/author link appears. The easiest and most accurate way to link books/authors is to click on the <b>add book/author</b> link right above the comment box.Clicking that and typing in <i>The Drowned and the Saved</i>, I discovered that <i>[book:Saving Fish from Drowning A Novel by Amy Tan appears first and that The Drowned and the Saved by Primo Levi appears second. So, anytime someone uses the [book: brackets for the Levi book instead of the add book/author link above the comment box, they will get the Tan book instead since it is listed first in the search.
Thanx Charity. I always use the add book/author link, cause it's just easier.
Anna wrote: "Lenoir when I click on the link the book called Saving fish from drowning. A novel appears. I liked Primo Levi's book The Drowned and the Saved. "Hmmm, weird. Thanks for letting me know.
I agree, Anna. I think some people got into the habit of using the brackets before the 'add book/author' link was an option and since the brackets are far less accurate, it has led to a lot of confusion. Not sure if Lenoir knew about the new 'add' option, so I thought I'd mention it.
Thanks Charity. No, I didn't know that was there.
Read Death in Venice last night. May not bother with anything else Mann has on the list.
I finished The Time Traveler's Wife this weekend. Didn't hate it, didn't love it. It's not on the list, though. My current list read is Cancer Ward, I think it'll take me awhile.
Recently finished from the list: Slaughterhouse-Five by Kurt Vonnegut and The Day of the Triffids by John Wyndham
Just finished Middlesex. Took me a really long time and it is time that I simply wont get back. Really didn't enjoy the book at all.
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Boxall's 1001 Books You Must Read Before You Die
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Which translation did you read? I used to have a coworker who was a Russian lit. major and he recommended the Richard Pevear and Larissa Volokhonsky version as being far superior.
As to the George or Lenny question - I don't see it as George vs Lenny. Together they each completed something that the other was lacking. They were a team vs the rest of the world. In the end George was merely doing a kindness for Lenny to save him from the ugliness and cruelty that he knew would happen but that Lenny wouldn't understand.
I don't think it's on the list but I just finished Tom Robbins Still Life With Woodpecker and I'm starting The Curious Case Of The Dog At Night-Time.