Boxall's 1001 Books You Must Read Before You Die discussion
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Which LIST book did you just finish?
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Dan
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Jun 10, 2009 08:20AM
Finished The Sun Also Rises last night.
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Dan wrote: "Finished The Sun Also Rises last night."Hi Dan,
What did you think about "The Sun Also Rises"? That wasn't my favorite Hemingway...I think "For Whom The Bell Tolls" or "To Have and Have Not" are...
Molly
Molly wrote: "Hi Dan,What did you think about "The Sun Also Rises"? That wasn't my favorite Hemingway...I think "For Whom The Bell Tolls" or "To Have and..."
Molly,
It wasn't bad but it never seemed to go anyplace. I thought Jake and Brett's relationship/non-relationship could have used a little more attention and development but I guess that's not part of the Hemingway persona. The only other of his that I've read is The Old Man and the Sea, which I enjoyed. I'll have to read some more of him before I come to any conclusions. Thanks for the recommendations. I'll try one of them next.
Dan
Hey Everyman, I love your idea! I've taught British lit. classes and find that I just don't like the contemporary works as much as the older writers. I love Shakespeare, Milton, "Sir Gawain" -- all that stuff! I have Dante's work on my shelf and need some motivation (and time) to get to it. Sign me up!
Breakfast at Tiffany's - much better than I expected
Jacob's Room. Not as good as Mrs. Dalloway and To the Lighthouse but interesting as Woolf's first stab at stream of consciousness.
I just finished This Way to the Gas, Ladies and Gentlemen by Borowski. It was added to the new list. It was excellent, a 10/10. It is a literary account of experiences at Auschwitz and is in the vein of A Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich and, to a lesser extent, of Schindler's List (called Schindler's Ark in Europe).
Call of the Wild, by Jack London. I became interested in this book only after reading a bit about London's life. Very adventurous and thrilling. The book, although short (probably more of a novela), was touching.
Hitchiker's Guide to the Galaxy - awesome fun!!! Just finished reading it for the fifth time. Once is never enough with this book!
Everyman wrote: "Dianna wrote: "I have always had trouble with Shakespear's history but maybe if I had someone to help me understand...."
King Lear isn't really history (not like the other King plays). It's one ..."
Everyman wrote: "Dianna wrote: "I have always had trouble with Shakespear's history but maybe if I had someone to help me understand.
..."
King Lear isn't really history (not like the other King plays). It's one ..."
That quote is one of my favorite and it became so by watching the BBC's Richard II with Derek Jacobi in the title role. A fantastic performance!
I just finished the Dictionary of the Khazars. Although it had some good points with occ. lyrical descriptions and humor, overall, I would not recommend it.
Finished The Crow Road.Prentice's narration was incredibly funny. There were so many times I burst out laughing, which is something I seldom do when I read. It's refreshing when you find those books you never want to end
Just finished Tender is the Night last night. Beautiful to read but unsatisfying, and I haven't quite gathered my thoughts to explain why.
Chel wrote: "I just finished the Dictionary of the Khazars. Although it had some good points with occ. lyrical descriptions and humor, overall, I would not recommend it."Chel,
Why wouldn't you recommend it?
Gerald
Gerald wrote: "Chel wrote: "I just finished the Dictionary of the Khazars. Although it had some good points with occ. lyrical descriptions and humor, overall, I would not recommend it."Chel,
Why wouldn't y..."
I don't mind that it is non-traditional and that you can read any section in any order like a dictionary nor that it is a pseudo-history/anthropology of the Khazar people of the central European area. I also like the ideas such as dream hunters and three religions competing for the Khazar's blessings. What I do mind is that overall, the story is a bit pointless and has a few too many absurd descriptive references scattered throughout the text and that it is occasionally dull. Nonetheless, it is slightly in the cannot recommend category and not firmly there. Many will find the text unreadable though.
Chel wrote: "Gerald wrote: "Chel wrote: "I just finished the Dictionary of the Khazars. Although it had some good points with occ. lyrical descriptions and humor, overall, I would not recommend it."Chel,
I've had it on my shelf for, oh, maybe 10 years. I was hoping you would be giving me a reason to start reading it. Oh well . . . .
Finally finished Tropic of Cancer. I found it really difficult, but I'm glad I read it. Very different from what I usually read.
I just finished The Inferno by Dante Alighieri. It was very interesting and kind of complicated to read and understand. Thankfully it had notes at the end of every chapter, so i was able to understand it with less difficulty.
Just finished Sputnik Sweetheart by Haruki Murakami. I love this author. I am now reading A Wild Sheep Chase by him, though it is not on the list.The ending left me a bit wanting, but it made me think, just like all of his books do.
Katie wrote: "Just finished Sputnik Sweetheart by Haruki Murakami. I love this author. I am now reading A Wild Sheep Chase by him, though it is not on the list.The ending left me a bit wanting, but it made me ..."
Wow, Katie. I love Murakami too. I have read 'A wild Sheep Chase'. You will love it.
Good to hear that 'Sputnik Sweetheart' is as great as other novels of his :)
Katie wrote: "Just finished Sputnik Sweetheart by Haruki Murakami. I love this author. I am now reading A Wild Sheep Chase by him, though it is not on the list.The ending left me a bit wanting, but it made me ..."
I really love Murakami but I find "Sputnik Sweetheart" one of his weaker works. I like "A wild sheep chase" but his best books are "Norwegian Wood" and "Kafka on the Shore".
Christophe0808 wrote: "Katie wrote: "Just finished Sputnik Sweetheart by Haruki Murakami. I love this author. I am now reading A Wild Sheep Chase by him, though it is not on the list.The ending left me a bit wanting, b..."
Have you read 'Wind-up Bird Chronicle' , Christopher? That is another of his very strong book, my favorite Murakami so far.
Just finished 'Mrs. Dalloway'. I greatly enjoyed the lyrical prose and think the novel is crafted brilliantly. But on the whole, I didn't like it as much as I had expected to. Mostly because I didn't like many of the characters.
I just finished Midnight's Children and it was wonderful. I loved the magical realism in the story - from the telepathy to the sense of smell to the jungle experience. I also loved the epic feel of the story and the way that Saleem understands how his life affects and is affected by not only what happens in India, but by his family and their idiosyncrasies as well.I thought the writing here was much more down to earth than the other Rushdie I read recently (The Enchantress of Florence). That one struck me as a little self-gratifying; this one didn't at all.
I, Robot by Asimov - Not at all what I was expecting from the movie previews. A bit glad I hadn't actually wathced the movie before I read this book, but now I want to watch the movie.
Bucket wrote: "I just finished Midnight's Children and it was wonderful. I loved the magical realism in the story - from the telepathy to the sense of smell to the jungle experience. I also loved t..."So glad that you loved 'Midnight's Children', Bucket. It is one of my all time favorite books.
Even I have heard that the writing in 'Enchantress of Florence' is too "flowery".
Went "old school" with my last three reads from this list:Silas Marner, The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, and The Scarlet Letter.
I thought Silas Marner was absolutely amazing. The other two were good but not great in my opinion.
Paula wrote: "I, Robot by Asimov - Not at all what I was expecting from the movie previews. A bit glad I hadn't actually wathced the movie before I read this book, but now I want to watch the movie. "
I should warn you, the movie isn't anything like the book. It basically has a few nods to the story, but otherwise has a completely different premise: it's more action movie than philosophical sci-fi. I liked both, but they're very different.
Finished "The Glass Key" by Hammett yesterday. I really enjoyed it...even better than "Farwell My Lovely" by Chandler.
I finished Aesop's fables. It was great. It is a reread for me but I had forgotten how good the little stories were.
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