Boxall's 1001 Books You Must Read Before You Die discussion
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Which LIST book did you just finish?
Coalbanks wrote: "Kristi wrote: "Read Cannery Row last week. Really liked it."Have you read TORTILLA FLAT ? "
I did right before Cannery Row! I prefer Cannery Row.
I just finished Innocent Traitor A Novel of Lady Jane Grey. Not on the list, but I liked it.
Kristi - Are you in the Tudor Lovers group? Anyway - I am currently reading Innocent Traitor and am enjoying it quite a bit.
No, I'm not in the group, Lyn. I'll check it out.
I finished The Count of Monte Cristo today. It drove me nuts sometimes with frustration/suspense. I loved it. So glad to have read it and all thanks to this list.
The Count of Monte Cristo is one of my absolute favourites.
The Secret History by Donna Tartt & The Reader by Bernhard Schlink. I really enjoyed both of these books.
Coalbanks wrote: "Julie at All Ears wrote: "Just finished 3 off the list - The Spy Who Came in From the Cold (just ok and definitely a bit dated with the Cold War and Berlin Wall), ... SPY...Dated, yes as to time & place but what about the treachery & deceit? Still relevant, no? Hi, Coalbanks. It's interesting that you mention the treachery and deceit in The Spy Who Came in From the Cold. The excerpt for this title from the 1001 Books says that what makes this book different from other espionage books is how the intelligence agencies cynically manipulate their own citizens. Isn't it sad that in this day and time that doesn't seem that shocking or even noteworthy! Ahh... those idealistic times.
I just finished The Sea by John Banville. It was good, but not as mind-blowing as the reviews would claim it is.
Tyme wrote: "ppl should definalty read the time travelers wife"...I just finished The Time Traveler's Wife and was quite disappointed for several reasons: shallow, immoral characters that I couldn't relate or sympathize with, way too much profanity (ie. excessive use of "f" word), and graphic sexual content (descriptions of oral sex - no thanks!). I wanted to read it before seeing the movie, but I think it will be one of those that falls in the "movie was better than the book" category. Glad I only paid 50 cents for it, because I'm not keeping it on my shelf.
Linda wrote: "Tyme wrote: "ppl should definalty read the time travelers wife"...I just finished The Time Traveler's Wife and was quite disappointed for several reasons: shallow, immoral characters that I could..."
Oh no! I'm slated to read that in September for a small in-person reading group that includes my stepmom and her mom! I'm not at all looking forward to the graphic details. This should be interesting... Thankfully a friend loaned me the book, as it seems it may not be one to stick around on my shelves.
JudithGot Morvern Callar from the library, not a book I'd want a copy of just didn't think it was that great. Poor version of trainspotting. Both set in Scotland and written in dialect but Morvern doesn't have the dark humour of trainspotting.
Hawksmoor* - Peter AckroydThis is my first by this author, and it is a memorable experience. I'm still not sure how much I liked it though it is certainly creative!
Just finished a re-read of The Scarlet Letter. I have read that book several times, and it still affects me and makes me think.
Finished Cloud Atlas yesterday. Felt like reading a set of loosely connected short stories. I thought 5 of the 6 were really worthwhile.
Stacie wrote: "Just finished a re-read of The Scarlet Letter. I have read that book several times, and it still affects me and makes me think."It definitely affected me more on the reread than when I originally read it for school, but I enjoyed it both times.
Finished The End of the Story A Novel. It's hard to see from this novel how Lydia Davis is so critically acclaimed. The book is obviously an attempt on experimental writing, which is all well and good, but the delivery just falls flat.
Ana wrote: "Ann from S.C. wrote: "Just finished ANNA KARENINE."WOW! that's a big one
May I ask how long it took you to read the whole book?"
Sorry I am just now answering your question. It took me 1 week, but I do not work outside of the home, and I really got into it and could not put it down!!
Ann - I'm glad you liked Anna Karenina. I couldn't make it all the way through that one.
Just finished The Well Of Loneliness by Radclyffe Hall. I wouldn't particularly recommend it!
I finished The Handmaid's Tale last night. It was a pretty quick, terrifying read. Can't believe I hadn't read it before.
That's funny, Emma - just last week I went from Handmaid's Tale to Cloud Atlas. I noticed you're doing the same. :) Great minds think alike.
Cindy wrote: "That's funny, Emma - just last week I went from Handmaid's Tale to Cloud Atlas. I noticed you're doing the same. :) Great minds think alike."I saw that too! I'm not too far into Cloud Atlas yet but so far it looks like we went from one diary to another and from the subjugation of the Handmaids to that of the Moriori.
Just finished The red and the black by Stendahl.
"A Handful of Dust"* - Eveyn Waugh
Deanne wrote: "Just finished The red and the black by Stendahl."Anna, how did you like "The Red and the Black"? I read it earlier this summer and struggled with it a bit until the last third of the novel. Such a confusing protagonist!
"Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?" - Philip K Dick. Very quick & fun read!
I just finished Go Tell It on the Mountain, too. I was suprised by the ending, but it actually worked for me. I love Baldwin's writing. I thought he did an excellent job portraying the different perspectives of the characters.
I finished The Book About Blanche and Marie a couple days ago. I thought Blanche Wittman was such an interesting person, and when I finished the book I immediately went on the internet to find out more about her, but there was nothing! I was shocked. How could history leave out such an amazing woman? Thank goodness for Enquist's book, or else the world would never know about Blanche.
The twins by Tessa DeLoos, very interesting to read about life in Germany and Holland during the second world war.Especially as the lives are those of twins separated at six and brought up on opposite sides of the war who meet in their seventies, and go onto to tell each other what happened to them.
Bibliocrates wrote: "I recently finished Wise Blood by Flannery O'Conner, a very strange book! It's one I won't soon forget."Strange in a good way? Just trying to figure if Flannery might be my kind of reading or not.
Denise wrote: "The Road by Cormac McCarthy. I liked it, but may have been expecting too much since I'd heard a lot about it."I tried to listen to this one on audio book....depressing, depressing, depressing.
Kristi wrote: "Niche, a very strange book, isn't it?! A friend of mine loves Perfume, and had me read it. I still can't decide whether I liked it or not. I guess I don't like it, but it has stuck with me. I r..."Wow...I so did not know this book was about that. I watched about the 1st 5 min.'s of the movie & just thought I would hate it & turned it off. Almost sounds like a book I could read.
Jamaie wrote: I tried to listen to this one on audio book....depressing, depressing, depressing."I also thought like that. Also loads of gossips, rumours and stuff about it.
Also adore The Poisonwood Bible...it is my favorite all-time book. I have recommended it many times over.
Brave New World is one I read recently & I really liked it. Put great images in my head as I read it.
Dave wrote: "The Story of O. I'm torn on how I feel about it."Oh yes, I'm with ya on that. Wierd just doesn't say it quite right. How bout' "hard to believe".?
Bibliocrates wrote: "Jacha wrote: "Nineteen Minutes by Jodi Picoult. It's the first book of her Ive read but definalty not the last one. What an amazing story!"Is Nineteen Minutes a 1001 book?
"
Good to hear u liked this one...it's on my "next-to-read" list. I have liked her books immensely. Loved Plain Truth.
Chel wrote: "I just finished The Outsider (The Stranger) by Albert Camus. It was excellent."I have seen this book in my library recently. Without giving anything away, can you say why you think it was excellent?
Li wrote: "I just finished The Reader a little while ago. I thought the story was intriguing, just at the right length too. The tone of the narrator was just right for the story too; it kept me interested. "I saw the movie...I'm almost sorry I didn't read the book first. I loved the movie & I'm betting the book adds more depth than the movie could show.
I finished One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest and The Awakening this week.
I don't remember the movie well enough to make the comparison, but I liked the book well-enough. I do have it on my Netflix list, so I will soon know which I preferred.
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Boxall's 1001 Books You Must Read Before You Die
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Have you read TORTILLA FLAT ?