Boxall's 1001 Books You Must Read Before You Die discussion
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Which LIST book did you just finish?
Emma wrote: "I finished Legend, which was awesome, and this is not my genre.And I just today finished Evelina, Or, the History of a Young Lady's Entrance into the World. I loved h..."
Cryptonomicon from the 06 list was a real page turner.
Decline and Fall by Evelyn Waugh. It had some laugh out loud moments, and some interesting insights at the end.
ROBINSON CRUSOE -yes, I'm shouting - for joy! I'm free . . . I'm sure this was a dramatic adventure novel in its time, full of fear and trepidation, but I lost interest very quickly. Don't get me started on the subjugation (sp?) of Friday and his pidgen English . . . "me makee fun" . . . gad.
I just finished Gormenghast. I ended up enjoying it, but it took me a long time to get through. Great language and atmosphere, but it is a pretty large book with a very episodic structure--so I found it hard to ever get really engaged in it.
I beg to differ, Robinson Crusoe is an awesome book, not just for its historical significance. The footprint discovery is one of the single most riveting moments in literature. I'm sorry you failed to appreciate it.
Thanks for the page-turners, Shardae, Tony, Chel!
Emma wrote: "Thanks for the page-turners, Shardae, Tony, Chel!"
You are very welcome.
You are very welcome.
I just finished Breakfast at Tiffany's last night and I did not like it at all. On to the next.
July's People. Still mulling it over. It raised some interesting points, but I feel like the writing was almost deliberately obscure.
Just finished The Castle of Otranto and I really wish I could have appreciated it more. My favorite part about it was the back story Walpole invented about having translated it from an old Italian manuscript. That's good salesmanship. And it has me rethinking, again, the whole Frey A Million Little Pieces scandal.
Finished "Mansfield Park" this weekend.I was pleasantly entertained by it. Sometimes you just need a happy ending to a love story!
Elise wrote: "July's People. Still mulling it over. It raised some interesting points, but I feel like the writing was almost deliberately obscure."Elise, if I remember correctly, this was a group read a few months ago. You may want to check and see what others have said. I know that I said about the same thing you just did, but with more frustration! I did discern a little more appreciation for its ending after giving it more thought over time. I wondered if the author's purpose in writing the novel was more limited than I wanted it to be...thus the unanswered questions....
Ginny wrote: "Just finished Foe."What did you think of "Foe"? I've been looking for a copy....
jf Far from the Madding Crowd. I think I enjoyed it the most of the Hardy novels I've read so far. While it had sad moments, I found it less depressing over all.
Just finished "The Elegance of the Hedgehog". At the beginning I didn't think I was going to like it but it ended up being a revelation to me. I'd definitely recommend it.
Anne wrote: "Just finished To Kill A Mockingbird, am ashamed that I have not read it before now. "I just started this book yesterday. I'm on like page 70. I hear it an awesome book, and I l o v e. A good read. :)
Don't know if this book is in the list or not but its one of the best stories I've read! Very good read! "Water For Elephants"
Brandy wrote: "Don't know if this book is in the list It's not, but I'm glad you enjoyed it nonetheless.
Shardae wrote: "I just finished Breakfast at Tiffany's last night and I did not like it at all. On to the next."At least it was short!
Sterlingcindysu wrote: "Shardae wrote: "I just finished Breakfast at Tiffany's last night and I did not like it at all. On to the next."
At least it was short!"
Lol, yes very short. It wasn't horrible but I just wanted more to it. But I just bought about 40 list books so I excited to starting reading through them.
At least it was short!"
Lol, yes very short. It wasn't horrible but I just wanted more to it. But I just bought about 40 list books so I excited to starting reading through them.
Just finished Turn of the Screw. I thought it was alright but I am not a fan of henry James' writing style. He writes things that are just completing unnecessary, it wouldn't be so "heavy" if he just took some things out.
The Satanic Verses by Rushdie. Crazy good book.
Erik wrote: "The Satanic Verses by Rushdie. Crazy good book."
I agree with you, Erik, but we might be in the minority on that. There should be a thread for it in the monthly book club selection somewhere.
Just finished James Kelman's Kieron Smith, boy. Wonderful! My first by him and I am now looking forward to reading his more popular book, How Late It Is How Late.
Don't mean to throw water on this appraisal but it's not on the list because it shouldn't be. While the part of the book that focuses on the protagonist as on old man is warm and insightful and rings of truth, the section on him as a young man is a poorly researched and weakly presented tale of life in the circus. Worse, the young self-absorbed character is just not believable. Not a terrible read but "must read before I die?" Not on a bet.
Judith wrote: "Elise wrote: "July's People. Still mulling it over. It raised some interesting points, but I feel like the writing was almost deliberately obscure."Elise, if I remember correctly, t..."
Thanks, Judith, I'll have to check it out!
Denise wrote: "Erik wrote: "The Satanic Verses by Rushdie. Crazy good book."
I agree with you, Erik, but we might be in the minority on that. There should be a thread for it in the monthly book club selec..."
Will do (:
Can't imagine why people wouldn't like it?
Erik wrote: "Anthem.At least it was short."
The Ayn Rand book? I don't think it's on the list
Haha yuuup I realized that after I posted it. (: What a wasted Wednesday! But I am happy it isn't on the list. It was pretty eh.
Erik wrote: "Haha yuuup I realized that after I posted it. (: What a wasted Wednesday! But I am happy it isn't on the list. It was pretty eh."Yeah,sorry about that, I read your post on the other thread after I posted here.
Denise wrote: "Erik wrote: "The Satanic Verses by Rushdie. Crazy good book."
I agree with you, Erik, but we might be in the minority on that. There should be a thread for it in the monthly book club selec..."
I'm also in the majority, but I thought that Midnight's Children is so much better. I also have Shalimar the Clown on my TBR, and everyone I know that loves Rushdie says that Shalimar is his best.
Just finished Animal Farm. Whether or not I like it is my dilemma. I think the book is outdated for one so it might have been a great book in the 50s and 60s. The ending is --- ehh. Nope. I didn't like it.
Regine wrote: "Denise wrote: "Erik wrote: "The Satanic Verses by Rushdie. Crazy good book."
I agree with you, Erik, but we might be in the minority on that. There should be a thread for it in the monthly book..."
This book was my intro to Rushdie. I'm really excited to read the rest :)
Bill which book are you talking about?K.D I've got Kieron Smith, boy on my bookshelf. Read How late it was, how late and really enjoyed it, hope you do too.
After reading them both for more than a month, I've finished THE RECOGNITIONS by William Gaddis and THE 120 DAYS OF SODOM by Marquis de Sade. The first one I liked to understand but didn't, the second one I didn't like to understand but did.
Regine wrote: "Denise wrote: "Erik wrote: "The Satanic Verses by Rushdie. Crazy good book."
I agree with you, Erik, but we might be in the minority on that. There should be a thread for it in the monthly book..."
I love Rushdie but thought Satanic Verses was mediocre, and personally, thought Shalimar was one of his worst books......
Just finished Veronika Decides to Die, I can't wait for the discussion
Just finished the Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time by Mark Haddon. I really enjoyed it, my grandson has aspergers and I was fascinated by the thoughts that went through the young man's head in the book.
Inna wrote: "Homo Faber by Max Frisch"Please tell us what you thought of this one, Inna. I don't believe anyone else in the active part of the group has read or commented on it.
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Boxall's 1001 Books You Must Read Before You Die
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Jorge Luis Borges (other topics)Juan Carlos Onetti (other topics)
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While I admit that I am philosophically opposed to the author's reactionary, racist world-view, it was the repetition and poor prose that made me hate this book, not his politics. Truly a repulsive read.