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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Inna
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Jul 27, 2010 11:49AM
The Music of Chance by Paul Auster
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Linton wrote: "Mike wrote: "Tanya: One more try. This laptop is driving me nuts. My first read of "Catch 22" was great. I was fresh out of the Air Force. This time I found the book tedious to read. The dar..."Maybe I should read it again. I was half my age when I read it last...
I've just finished 'Of mice and men' by John Steinbeck and before that I read 'Methamorphose' by Franz Kafka'. Both great books!
On the Road by Jack Kerouac - I don't know how I missed reading this book when I was younger. I wish I would have to see how I would judge it then compared to now. I was expecting so much more than getting together with acquaintances, drinking, smoking dope and blowing through money. Clearly a "boy book" - women are for "banging," impregnating, providing cash, and divorcing. I was surprised that Kerouac, et al. were hostile toward homosexuals - guess I'd assumed that everything would be "cool". The road trips became boring and the behaviors juvenile for someone of Kerouac's age.
I gave up on Kafka on the shore. I reached page 300 so read the majority but the lack of decent plot (only in my opinion!) stopped me from continuing. I loved the wind up bird though so his work isn't above me so to speak, I just didn't like this particular book.
I just finished House of Leaves When I started reading I was intrigued but by the end I was bored and had a headache.
I just finished rereading The Professor's House. For some reason, I always find this novel inspiring.... Maybe it's because I identify with the main character (a professor who went over the edge). You can read my full review at my blog.Ex Lit Prof
www.the-reading-list.com
Christine wrote: "I just finished The Thin Man by Dashiell Hammett. At first I really enjoyed it. Plenty of humor, snappy dialogue, and colorful characters. Unfortunately, about halfway t..."I'm finding that happen in many books that I read. I guess we are willing to give the author the benefit of the doubt until she or he gets their characters established and then we fill cheated if there is no follow through.
Leslie wrote: "I just finished rereading The Professor's House. For some reason, I always find this novel inspiring.... Maybe it's because I identify with the main character (a professor who went o..."That wasn't a list book was it?
Under the Net by Iris Murdoch
Yas wrote: "I gave up on Kafka on the shore. I reached page 300 so read the majority but the lack of decent plot (only in my opinion!) stopped me from continuing. I loved the wind up bird though so his work is..."Excellent decision. It was a badly-written, pretentious plagiarized work.
I'm really glad someone agrees. I saw a lot of negative reviews were plagued with abuse from fanatical obsessed fans.
Yas, fully aware of these fanatical, obsessed Murakami fans, what I did was to write a satirical review disguised as praise of Kafka on the Shore, gave it 5 stars, then, after several days when no one is looking anymore, changed the 5 stars to 2 stars.No one noticed that I was actually mocking the book in my review, most of them self-confessed Murakami fans.
LOL!!! I should have tried that one :PHe's not totally awful, I loved the Wind up Bird but bloody hell Kafka was difficult!
Charity wrote: "That wasn't a list book was it?
Yes...and Willa Cather's only work on any of the lists."
Charity, how many books have you read and when did you start the list?
Yes...and Willa Cather's only work on any of the lists."
Charity, how many books have you read and when did you start the list?
Charity, how many books have you read and when did you start the list?I started working on the list in 2008. I've read 100+ books from all three lists, but I own another 200+ list books that I'm making my way through. :)
You are definitely giving me some hope, I just started last month and only have 9 read :(
You are definitely giving me some hope, I just started last month and only have 9 read :(Just keep plugging away. They'll start adding up before you know it. Are you using one of the spreadsheets? Having something to check off can really help you feel like you're making progress.
Charity wrote: "You are definitely giving me some hope, I just started last month and only have 9 read :(
Just keep plugging away. They'll start adding up before you know it. Are you using one of the spreadsheets..."
Yes, I'm using the spreadsheet Auryokimi has for all 3 lists
Just keep plugging away. They'll start adding up before you know it. Are you using one of the spreadsheets..."
Yes, I'm using the spreadsheet Auryokimi has for all 3 lists
You're right about checking off the books you read. It feels good as they add up. I only started this year and I'm also a "little" older than you guys so I probably will never get there. But it's a great way to pick books.
Just finished Sterne's Tristram Shandy. Loved his style and originality, but was not 100% drawn into the story. Though there are some truly hilarious moments. All in all, three stars.
Yas wrote: "I gave up on Kafka on the shore. I reached page 300 so read the majority but the lack of decent plot (only in my opinion!) stopped me from continuing. I loved the wind up bird though so his work is..."I loved Kafka on the Shore but I learned early on with Murakami to approach his writing like a short story. They don't always have the traditional story elements and often read more like Carver's prose.
Yas wrote: "I gave up on Kafka on the shore. I reached page 300 so read the majority but the lack of decent plot (only in my opinion!) stopped me from continuing. I loved the wind up bird though so his work is..."Wow! I finished this in a day! I think plot might be more of an afterthought with some Murakami.
Last one I finished was Midnight's Children. It was, surprisingly, my first Rushdie but I loved it. I'll be reading more of him.
El wrote: "Last one I finished was Midnight's Children. It was, surprisingly, my first Rushdie but I loved it. I'll be reading more of him."I loved this book. One of my faves. I've also read The Satanic Verses, but didn't find it as profound as Midnight's Children. Both of them are great reads though.
Charity wrote: "That wasn't a list book was it?Yes...and Willa Cather's only work on any of the lists."
Why isn't "Death Comes to the Archbishop" on the list? I thought it was much better than "The Professor's House." However, the latter novel has some very beautiful sections in it - especially the sections where the indian ruins are found and described.
Why isn't "Death Comes to the Archbishop" on the list?I have no idea. My Ántonia got the shaft as well. Boo, I say. Would love to see Cather better represented on the list, but don't even get me started on those that were slighted. Feel free to rage against the list here.
Just finished The Hunchback of Notre-Dame by Victor Hugo. As with all of Hugo's books, there was a long tangent or two but I still enjoyed the book. I prefer Les Miserables but this books was still pretty good. He spent so much time on the architecture and Paris of the 15th century that I feel as though the actual plot got squeezed a bit; but when the actual story was being told, I was completely caught up in it.
Hubert wrote: "Yas wrote: "I gave up on Kafka on the shore. I reached page 300 so read the majority but the lack of decent plot (only in my opinion!) stopped me from continuing. I loved the wind up bird though so..."Yeah I think it is. Well like I say, that particular book wasn't for me but because I loved WUB so much, I definitely want to pick some more up. To be honest I wasn't that keen on the elderly protaganist, he just annoyed me so much which didn't help. Hopefully Norwegian Wood next.
Where are the lists? Where is the spreadsheet? (Suggestion - maybe you could point new subscribers to the lists.)
Where are the lists? Where is the spreadsheet? (Suggestion - maybe you could point new subscribers to the lists.)Drora,
The last folder on the group page is labeled 1001 Book List and its first thread contains the spreadsheets with all the editions of the list.
(See this thread.)
I just ordered it from my library. The book I have just finished is The Bradbury Report, which reviewers compare with Never Let Me Go. Unanimously, they find the Ishiguro book better.
Yeah its well worth a read. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did! Will have to look into the other one you mentioned.
"The Good Soldier Svejk" - Jaroslv HasekLow level slap-stick comedy, but fun all the same! Obviously made the list because it was ahead of its time for humorous satire about war and governments.
Just finished Absalom, Absalom! by William Faulkner.I read it for Stanford's EPGY Summer Program thing. Definitely can't read this book without a teacher
Tarzan of the Apes by E. Rice Burroughs, Remembering Babylon by David Malouf, Rashomon by Ryunosuke Akutagawa and Pippi Longstocking by Astrid Lindgren.
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