October: What Are You Reading?

[Sherry, Doyenne]

I have just barely opened Dr. Haggard's Disease by Patrick McGrath. I know I am going to like this. So far the writing just draws me in, and I'm a sucker for books that take place in the country in England and there is a "surgery."

[Ruth]

I just started Utopia Parkway, a big fat bio of Joseph Cornell. The first chapter bodes well.

[Bahareh]

'Aloft' and 'Tinkers' simultaneously. Will I ever get over them?! Oh wait a minute, was Jerry working on an old clock, a landscaping project or sending people to Philippins? ;)

[Sue]

Sherry wrote: "I have just barely opened Dr. Haggard's Disease by Patrick McGrath. I know I am going to like this. So far the writing just draws me in, and I'm a sucker for books that take place in..."

sounds interesting Sherry--I added it to the lengthening list.

[Jim]

Marialyce wrote: "I am reading Freedom. Don't know how I got it so soon. I was 334 on the list and I walked into the library today and there it was on the new book shelf."

I'm listening to FREEDOM and it's really funny plus a send up of modern sensibilities with an edge.

There's an undercurrent of something's going to happen that gives me the feeling like I'm out on the ledge of a tall building and afraid to look down but know I'm going to any way.

[Erika]

Dottie wrote: "Erika wrote: "This month has been taken up so far with Les Miserables."

Such a wonderful way for a motnh to be taken up though. i've read it several times in several forms -- the last being the..."

Dottie, I love it. It's nice to see that so many people have read it. I'm about 750pp through the. I'm a little embarrassed to say that I didn't know the story before I opened it. But, that said, I'm so glad I didn't!

I'm looking forward to watching the film(s) after I have finished. I have the 1998 version on my Netflix streaming list. Any recommendations on film or performance versions to watch?

[Flora]

I just finished The Witches of Eastwick which I loved. And am just getting started on The Witchery

[Larry]

We got back from a week long trip to Atlanta ... on the trip. I finished Jo Walton's HA PENNY and HALF A CROWN. Put simply, as a trilogy they are all stunningly good. Very understated at times, the feeling of fascism slowly tightening its grip on England is so well worked out.

I had mentioned in a previous post how I had come to dislike much of SF's alternate history sub-genre. Walton's three novels in the FARTHING trilogy to me shows that there is new life in this sub-genre.

[Larry]

I just started Steve Martin's, BORN STANDING UP.

The front fly leaf starts like this, "In the mid-seventies, Steve Martin exploded onto the comedy scene. By 1978, he was the biggest concert draw in the history of stand-up. In 1981 he quit forever. This book, in his own words, is ... "why I did stand up and why I walked away." "

I really liked what he said in the first chapter, "In a sense, this book is not an autobiography but a biography, because I am writing about someone I used to know."

[Sue]

Larry wrote: "We got back from a week long trip to Atlanta ... on the trip. I finished Jo Walton's HA PENNY and HALF A CROWN. Put simply, as a trilogy they are all stunningly good. Very understated at times, th..."

I just received Ha Penny from the library and I'm looking forward to reading it even more after your comment. Then I'll request Half A Crown.

[Ruth]

I also just started Room. Two pages, and my review was already forming in my mind. "Tonstant Weader fwowed up," as Dorothy Parker once said.

I've got fairly good control of the twee vocabulary now by forcing myself to ignore it. We shall see what we shall see.

[Pamela]

I'm reading Freedom, too. So far, so good!

[Marialyce]

Ruth wrote: "I also just started Room. Two pages, and my review was already forming in my mind. "Tonstant Weader fwowed up," as Dorothy Parker once said.

I've got fairly good control of the twee vocabulary n..."

I am anxious to see what you think, Ruth. I just finished it not too long ago.

[Anne]

Gulped down Tana French's IN THE WOODS and also LITTLE BEE. Now working my way into THE ELEGANCE OF THE HEDGEHOG--it feels promising thus far.

[Sherry, Doyenne]

How did you like In the Woods, Anne? I just finished the third of hers, Faithful Place. It features Frank Mackey as the main character.

[A.J.]

Haven't read Room yet, but I saw Emma Donoghue read last night at the writers fest in Ottawa, and "twee" is apt. Her reading was downright twee.

[TheGirlBytheSeaofCortez]

Sherry wrote: "I have just barely opened Dr. Haggard's Disease by Patrick McGrath. I know I am going to like this. So far the writing just draws me in, and I'm a sucker for books that take place in..."

Sherry, you're the only other person I know whose even thought about reading that book, though of course I know there are more. I read all of Patrick McGrath's work. I love it.

[Sherry, Doyenne]

I think I bought this book at Halfprice books either at the Chatanooga CR meeting or in Arlington, Texas. I know I was with Tonya when I bought it. She's the one who told me it was good.

[TheGirlBytheSeaofCortez]

Sherry wrote: "I think I bought this book at Halfprice books either at the Chatanooga CR meeting or in Arlington, Texas. I know I was with Tonya when I bought it. She's the one who told me it was good."

The first of his books I read was Asylum, which I didn't think was as good as some of his others, though I did like it.

[Mary Ellen]

Roxanne wrote: "I'm reading The Lay of the Land - on page 100 and it is way better than I expected. Recently I have started and put down about 4 books. But this one is going to take. Elephant's Journe..."

Roxanne, LOTL has been sitting on my shelf for a while. I was hoping for a CR read -- I remembered a few people expressed interest a few months back. If I get through The Surrendered in time, I'll pick up Ford to compare notes with you!

[Sherry, Doyenne]

I thought LOTL was a Reading List selection one time. Did I just dream that?

[Mary Ellen]

I don't remember that but, maybe, Sherry.

[Sarah]

Asylum is the only McGrath I've read, and it made me want to read more. I have one on my shelf, but I can't recall the title.

[Geoff]

Read the first 30 pages or so of Thomas Bernhard's Wittgenstein's Nephew last night and loving it so far. I've read Concrete several times and was afraid to read any more Bernhard for fear of its not living up to my expectations.

[TheGirlBytheSeaofCortez]

Sarah wrote: "Asylum is the only McGrath I've read, and it made me want to read more. I have one on my shelf, but I can't recall the title."

I liked Asylum, Sarah. I just liked some of his other works more. All are very dark.

[A.J.]

I'm reading The Sentimentalists by Joanna Skibsrud, one of the finalists for this year's Giller Prize (which is Canada's top literary prize).

This is an interesting book. It's a small press book, beautifully made. Each copy is hand-printed by the publisher in his garage, on vellum laid. The printing process is so slow, and the initial print run for this book was so small, that copies have been unobtainable. Used copies were being offered for $200. Now the second printing is coming out and people can actually buy it.

I managed to get a copy of the first printing at cover price, lucky me.

[Carol]

I am enjoying House of Mirth

[Janet]

I'm about 1/5 way through our next book selectionThe Surrendered. Usually I groan at the thought of reading another book with war as a theme; I'd much rather read something on another topic. However, I'm finding this author's storytelling ability to be captivating and the plot also focuses on the main characters' lives many years later as well.

[toria (vikz writes)]

Just about to start

[TheGirlBytheSeaofCortez]

I'm just finishing Lark and Termite by Jayne Anne Phillips, which has a war theme as well.

[Ruth]

I finished Surrendered and Room (if I get my act together I'll post a review,) still reading Utopia Parkway: The Life And Work Of Joseph Cornell

[Marialyce]

I am very interested as to what you thought of them, Ruth.

[TheGirlBytheSeaofCortez]

Ruth wrote: "I finished Surrendered and Room (if I get my act together I'll post a review,) still reading Utopia Parkway: The Life And Work Of Joseph Cornell"

I'm very interested to know what you thought of them, too, Ruth, especially The Surrendered.

[Ruth]

MrsSeby wrote: "I'm very interested to know what you thought of them, too, Ruth, especially The Surrendered."

I'll save my Surrendered comments for the discussion coming up soon.

[TheGirlBytheSeaofCortez]

Ruth wrote: "MrsSeby wrote: "I'm very interested to know what you thought of them, too, Ruth, especially The Surrendered."

I'll save my Surrendered comments for the discussion coming up soon."

Okay, great, Ruth. I'm doing the same thing. That's why I haven't posted my review here, either. At least I don't think I've posted it here on CR.

Still anxious to know what you think of Room, though.

[TheGirlBytheSeaofCortez]

Sherry wrote: "I have just barely opened Dr. Haggard's Disease by Patrick McGrath. I know I am going to like this. So far the writing just draws me in, and I'm a sucker for books that take place in..."

Oh, I'm a sucker for books that take place in the English countryside, too. I usually just love them.

[Jane]

Sherry wrote: "I thought LOTL was a Reading List selection one time. Did I just dream that?"

Sherry,

Yes, we did read THE LAY OF THE LAND for February 2007. Since I am a compulsive list keeper, I looked it up on my data base.

[Sherry, Doyenne]

I think that discussion must have been lost in the ether. It was before Goodreads and after Tonya kept archives. Too bad.

[Geoff]

Almost done with Wittgenstein's Nephew--what an amazing book.

[Jana]

I finished The Magic Mountain witch took me about 3 months to read. I'm reading Astrid & Veronika and I will soon start re-reading HP The Deathly Hollow.

[Barbara]

A.J. wrote: "I'm reading The Sentimentalists by Joanna Skibsrud, one of the finalists for this year's Giller Prize (which is Canada's top literary prize).

This is an interesting book. It's a sma..."

That's a pretty amazing story, A.J. Do you know any details about how The Sentimentalists got wider attention?

[A.J.]

Plain and simple: it got shortlisted for the Giller. Instant attention, guaranteed.

[Carol]

The Elephant's Journey I am enjoying it so far. It is humorous.

[Barbara]

A.J. wrote: "Plain and simple: it got shortlisted for the Giller. Instant attention, guaranteed."

But, isn't it sort of amazing that it even got noticed for the Giller with such a small initial print?

[A.J.]

Prize judges read what publishers submit, so the size of the print run doesn't really matter. If the jury likes the book, attention follows.

[Barbara]

Thanks, A.J.

[Sherry, Doyenne]

I'll close this thread now and start a new one for November.