What I'm Reading - March

[John]

I've never read Boghossian before. I wonder if he's worth it. He's at NYU. I suppose it can't be too bad.

[Aloha]

It looks like a really interesting book, especially in the argument about relativism and constructivism. Relativism is a huge argument, especially when you're wondering, for example, what morality is, depending on the culture and the times.

[John]

I used to be a moral relativist, but as I've grown older, the arguments seem less and less cohesive to me. My youthful flirtations with postmodernism and deconstruction seem equally so.

[Aloha]

That's why I'm curious about his arguments against relativism, and whether I will agree with them. It's funny, but I think that the more we know, the more we realize that we don't know that much, and the less argumentative we become.

[John]

John wrote: "I can't imagine bailing on a novel halfway through, especially when it was that long. I'd stick with it just in order to be able to put it in my "read" pile."

I consider books where I've read more than half before bailing as "read".

[John]

Cheater.

[Sue]

John wrote: "John wrote: "I can't imagine bailing on a novel halfway through, especially when it was that long. I'd stick with it just in order to be able to put it in my "read" pile."

I consider books where ..."

I'm with you John. I also won't finish a book anymore if I really don't like it. I don't care enough whether I can count it as read or not. I just don't want to waste my time. The book may be fine but not for me.

[John]

John wrote: "Cheater."

I feel that if I dislike it at that point I can honestly say I gave it a fair shake, indicating why I'm giving it a poor review, beyond "I couldn't get into it." Be assured that situation doesn't often occur; I tend to bail much earlier and move on.

[Peggy]

I remember really liking Until I Find You, but there have been other Irving books that turned out to be a slog. I was mad at him over A Son of the Circus for years!

[John]

I loved A Son of the Circus!

[Peggy]

John, I wish I could remember what cranked me up about A Son of the Circus, but I read it back when it first came out. I was a huge Irving fangirl (love his early books), and just remember that I was actively angry about it. I'm not even sure if I finished it - and I was a determined finisher back in those days.

[John]

I've read that many Irving fans hated it; I've since tried to read other Irving works, but couldn't get into them all.

[TheGirlBytheSeaofCortez]

I loved Son of a Circus, but I'm not an Irving fan. I absolutely hated A Prayer for Owen Meany.

[Sherry, Doyenne]

Aloha, I loved Perfume enough to have read it three times. That does not happen any more. I read it once on my own, once more for an in-person book group and once again when Constant Reader had it as its book.

[Ruth]

Owen Meany is what made me decide never to read another Irving.

[Sherry, Doyenne]

Also finished within 24 hours, Perfume: The Story of a Murderer. Now, this is my kind of book! Recommended by my friend Sparkle, who is trying to get me to read Spinoza again. My review for Perfume is at:
http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/129...

Aloha, you might be interested in reading our discussion of Perfume here:
http://web.archive.org/web/2006110201...

[John]

Non-fiction alert!

I'm nearly finished with Harlem is Nowhere: A Journey to the Mecca of Black America - a terrific read, especially for those with an interest in African-American, or New York City, history.

[Aloha]

Sherry, if you like perfume, you might like A Carnivore's Inquiry: A Novel. I can't wait to start on that one. Like Perfume, that's going to be a purely pleasure reading for me.

Sherry wrote: "Aloha, I loved enough to have read it three times. That does not happen any more. I read it once on my own, once more for an in-person book group and once again when Constant Rea..."

[Aloha]

I'll check out the discussion. Thank you.

[Sue]

John wrote: "Non-fiction alert!

I'm nearly finished with Harlem is Nowhere: A Journey to the Mecca of Black America - a terrific read, especially for those with an interest in African-American, ..."

I have added this to my list. Oh so long a list.

[Diana S]

I just finished "Half Broke Horses" By Jeannette Walls, which I had a great time reading. Now I'm reading " The Secret Scripture " By Barry Sebastian for another book group I belong to.

[Lyn]

Sue wrote..."the Twain book. I have wondered if it was worth buying or rather a book to get from the library."

I'd definitely get it from the library, unless you are specifically a Twain scholar.

I am on to Reading Lolita in Tehran, which looks like a fast read.

[Sue]

Thanks Lyn

[TheGirlBytheSeaofCortez]

Ruth wrote: "Owen Meany is what made me decide never to read another Irving."

It almost made me swear off Irving as well. I found that book so annoying.

[Carol]

Like the others I hated Owen so much, I will not read another Irving book.

[Sue]

I've never read it or any of Irving's books--don't think I will after reading a lot of the comments. Anyway, I have so much else to read.

[Melissa]

I haven't read Owen Meany, though a few of my friends actually really like it. I do admire Irving's A Widow for One Year.

[Sara]

Me too, Philip. Seeing the movie (which is only oh a quarter to a third of Widow) is what brought me back to Irving after never forgiving him for the car accident in Garp.

I listened to Cider House last year and really liked it.

and now I think we've completed our two-to-three times a year love/hate Irving discussion. :)

[Melissa]

Yeah, I know I've said that about Widow here before!

[Dottie]

Sara -- that cracked me up. I'd have to say it's at the very LEAST an annual love/hate Irving conversation! I pulled out one of Frances Mayes' Tuscany lifestyle books and started reading it after discussing her and her books a bit with a friend and I suppose that's okay as nothing much else of my current reading is actually being read lately though I have begun again on The Tulip Virus which has been quite good actually.

[Sherry, Doyenne]

I really liked Owen Meany. Different strokes, etc. I haven't seen the movie based on Widow, which I also liked. Have you all seen the movie based on Cider House? I loved that.

[Joy H.]

Sherry, the movie based on Widow is called "The Door in the Floor". (I was curious and looked it up.)
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0348593/

Wiki says: "The Door in the Floor is a 2004 American drama film written and directed by Tod Williams. The screenplay is based on the first third of the 1998 novel A Widow for One Year by John Irving."
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Door...

[Joy H.]

Yes, I loved _Cider House Rules_. Saw the movie too. It was good but I liked the book better.

[Aloha]

I finished Fear of Knowledge: Against Relativism and Constructivism in the first quick reading. I am now doing a second reading highlighting and taking notes. It's one of those books that I have to do that, and I'm not doing it for a class, only for the joy of knowledge. Yes, I'm crazy. Not as fun as reading Perfume: The Story of a Murderer.

I started listening to A Carnivore's Inquiry: A Novel. There was talk about cannibalism, complicated love/sex affairs, Italy, a chubby guy, history and art. I swear, I thought somebody stole my diary. I've never heard of this book before I became a cannibal. I'm gonna have to stop walking around with foil pyramid hats. I'm picking up all sorts of thought signals. Now that's my fun read.

But I think I ought to pick up Perdido Street Station, since I've been talking about reading China Miéville forever. It's also Fantasy Aficionados' March read. I just finished The Blade Itself. That should complete what I owe them, right? I can go into that forum with my head held high? Just saw Miéville's picture. He's a handsome looking bald guy. I've been dating bald guys lately. Of course, the last time I dated was with my stbx when I was in my early 20s. Not too many bald guys around that age group.

[J10]

Theresa wrote: "I just started The City & The City by China Mieville . So far, confusing but in a good, intriguing way. Has anyone read this?

Theresa"

I have. It was my first book by Mieville, and I loved it. Though the plot is at sometimes a bit action-film-y, the setting is brilliant. The cities brim with life.

[Marjorie]

I bought Irving's Prayer for Owen Meany 11 years ago and still have not read it, probably because of its length. After reading all the comments, I guess I'll give it to the library book sale and make room for another book.

Marge

[Gina]

Cider House Rules was a great book. I loved it, too. Owen Meany was harder to read but was good. I'm still reading Until I find You. I think I just crossed over into enjoying it. I hate to give up on a book.

[Flora]

I just finished Julie and Julia: 365 Days, 524 Recipes, 1 Tiny Apartment Kitchen and really enjoyed it. I am looking forward to seeing the movie.

I'm now still trying to finish Kraken but the end is in sight.

[John]

Many people disliked Julie, Flora, but I liked the book myself; having lived for several years in her Queens neighborhood helped. The movie was interesting, but made her and her husband out to be more glamorous (urban yuppie) than they (probably) are.

[Jim]

reading THE COMPLAINTS by Ian Rankin

it's very intriguing and various plots are woven together masterfully.

[J10]

Have started to read Leviathan. It's good, but I decided I needed something lighter first. So now I'm deep into Ripley's Game.

[Sherry, Doyenne]

I've started reading Chronic City by Jonatham Lethem. I loved his Motherless Brooklyn. He's going to be in Key West in January for the seminar Yet Another World. Chronic City is rather strange but fun so far.

[Mary Ellen]

Don't give Owen Meany away unread! It was the first Irving I read, and I loved it. Perhaps the Vietnam-era connection helped. I also enjoyed Widow and Cider House.

[Cateline]

John wrote: "I consider books where I've read more than half before bailing as "read". ..."

Couldn't agree more. When I've invested the time to read some 500-odd pages of a book, and then quit, I think it only fair to count it.

Re: A Widow for One Year, I was inspired to read it by watching the film mentioned above The Door in the Floor. I absolutely Had To Know the rest of the story! Every time I say "Well..." I can see and hear Bridges voice now. :)

[Cateline]

Jantien wrote: "Theresa wrote: "I just started The City & The City by China Mieville . So far, confusing but in a good, intriguing way. Has anyone read this?

Theresa"

I have. It was my first book by Mieville, and I loved it. Though the plot is at sometimes a bit action-film-y, the setting is brilliant. The cities brim with life.
..."

I have as well, also my first Mieville, although I do own several more unread as yet.
I enjoyed it with reservations. I suppose I just wanted more....maybe closure.

[Cateline]

Finished American Gods the other night, thanks to this thread. :) Odd but most interesting. Even when I thought I wanted to stop, the writing just dragged me along. Good stuff.

Reading Medicus at present, first of the series by Ruth Downie.

[Aloha]

Neil Gaiman is a terrific writer. I enjoy his books. We had a great discussion on American Gods in my fantasy forum.

[Ruth]

Aloha wrote: "Neil Gaiman is a terrific writer. I enjoy his books. We had a great discussion on American Gods in my fantasy forum."

I don't normally read fantasy, but found myself listening to Gaiman's Neverwhere as an audiobook. Now I'm listening to Fragile Things And I agree, he is a terrific writer. Not only does he have an amazing imagination, he can handle language with grace and skill. And he's a terrific reader of his own work to boot.

[Cateline]

Ruth wrote: "Aloha wrote: "Neil Gaiman is a terrific writer. I enjoy his books. We had a great discussion on American Gods in my fantasy forum."

I don't normally read fantasy, but found myself li..."

I don't either Ruth, that was the amazing thing for me. I loved Neverwhere.

[Jean]

Owen Meaney is one of my all time favorite books. In fact I like most of Irvings books except the one about The Third Hand.