What are you reading? Showing 22,901-22,950 of 28,901

[Alisha Marie]

I finished Still Missing by Chevy Stevens and gave it three stars. It started out great, but halfway through, the book suffered through a massive identity crisis that it didn't recover from. Now I'm going to start A Very Private Grave which was a First Reads win.

[Dennis]

"Antony And Cleopatra" by Adrian Goldsworthy
and
"Fall Of Giants" by Ken Follett

[Steph]

Well, I'm giving up on The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle by Haruki Murakami because this is the second time I've tried to read it and I just can't figure out what is so appealing about it. I know it's a well loved book and I can tell Murakami is a good writer but I just can't get into the story itself. Did anyone else have this problem? It's the first book I've tried by him but I also own Norwegian Wood and I'm wondering if that will be any better for me or if I should just put it in the 'trade in' pile too. For now I've started Water for Elephants which I'm already speeding through and I'm also in the middle of reading my FirstReads win Girl, Stolen.

[Sasha]

Ah cool Dennis, I've been meaning to read Goldsworthy. How is it?

In addition to The Disappearing Spoon: And Other True Tales of Madness, Love, and the History of the World from the Periodic Table of the Elements, which is still really interesting, I've been browsing through A New Literary History of America. It's like 200 essays, mostly on American authors and works, but with detours for everything from Linda Lovelace to Puritan woodblocks. Not every essay is brilliant, but enough are to make it worthwhile even at its high price.

[Dennis]

Alex wrote: "Ah cool Dennis, I've been meaning to read Goldsworthy. How is it?

In addition to [book:The Disappearing Spoon: And Other True Tales of Madness, Love, and the History of the World from the Periodi..."

Goldsworthy is good. Have read some of his other works and havent been disappointed.

[Sasha]

I was gonna start with his Caesar bio.

[Andreea]

Stephanie wrote: "Well, I'm giving up on The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle by Haruki Murakami because this is the second time I've tried to read it and I just can't figure out what is so appealin..."
What don't you like about The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle? Is it the magic-realism bits or the sheer randomness and lack of events of the plot? Have you tried listening to all the songs mentioned in the book? The Random House website has a list of songs mentioned in the book (just click on the music section) and listening to them while reading really helped me not so much make sense of the book, but grasp it better, feel it as something material rather than just immaterial random randomness. Norwegian Wood is quite different from Murakami's other books in the sense that it doesn't have any fantasy elements, though the narration style is roughly the same. I think you should give it a try before giving it away.

[Steph]

Andreea wrote: "Stephanie wrote: "Well, I'm giving up on The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle by Haruki Murakami because this is the second time I've tried to read it and I just can't figure out w..."

I don't mind random or magical realism. It's definitely the lack of events in the plot. I mean, one moment there's a cat missing, but nothing really happens, then someone is testing his water and then I keep waiting and waiting and more random characters show up, and there's a dried out well etc etc and I suppose the book is too all over the place for me. Though I did really love some of the quotes and the interaction between him and his wife. I'll definitely give Norwegian Wood a try before giving it up.

[Susanna - Censored by GoodReads]

Haven't read Goldsworthy's Caesar bio, but his How Rome Fell: Death of a Superpower is very interesting.

Eta: finally finished the excellent Heartstone! What a read.

[Leslie T.]

I finally finished Casino Royale and now I can't make up my mind on what to start next. I planned on The Talented Mr. Ripley, but I really want to go ahead and start Love in the Time of Cholera. I need to wait because it's part of a group read for November, but I don't know if I can. I might read One Hundred Years of Solitude first.

[AmandaLil]

Leslie T. wrote: "I finally finished Casino Royale and now I can't make up my mind on what to start next. I planned on The Talented Mr. Ripley, but I really want to go ahead and start [boo..."

I highly recommend [book:One Hundred Years of Solitude|320]!!!

[Sasha]

I read group reads ahead of time occasionally. I figure it's okay, 'cause it'll certainly fresh enough to participate in the discussion - and if something comes up in November (some book I'm just dying to read) I won't have to feel guilty about not getting to the group read.

Also: some people have trouble with 100 Years; it's a tougher read than Cholera. There's a minor chance that you won't like 100 Years and then you'll feel burned out on Marquez just when you're supposed to start Cholera.

That's my two cents!

[Leslie T.]

That's true, if I hate 100 Years, it may ruin Cholera. I think I will just go ahead and start. Poor Mr. Ripley, left behind again.

[Kaion]

Catie wrote: "I LOVE Daughter of Fortune! It's one of my favorite books. I guess telling the whole life history of everyone is kind of an Isabel Allende hallmark. I hope it gets better for you! ..."

Finished Daughter of Fortune, and the second half did pick up (once they finally got to California). I still found it 80% tell and 5% show and 15% history lesson. Too many pacing problems overall. The Gold Rush era is certainly chock full of entertaining material; I've just seen it done better.

Stephanie wrote: "Well, I'm giving up on The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle by Haruki Murakami because this is the second time I've tried to read it and I just can't figure out what is so appealin..."

Stephanie, I plodded to the finish despite my profound boredom... and the later parts of the book don't improve. I don't know if Murakami is a bad writer, but The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle is certainly long and tortrous enough that I probably won't care to find out. So be sure to tell us! :)

Want to read something fun to balance out The Metamorphosis (rereading for a class), can't decide to continue either the Percy Jackson or the Hunger Games series.

[Maria]

Miss GP wrote: "Maria wrote: "i started The Solitude of Prime Numbers today at lunch. it's pretty good so far, hoping to get some reading in tonight between everything else i need to get done!"

I..."

it was OK. i liked the first part of it alot, but the last 20 pages or so really let me down. i disliked the turn of the story, and i thought the writing wasn't as good. i am glad i read it, though.

[Maria]

Betsy wrote: "Finished Middlesex early this morning. For being about hermaphroditism,it was unpornographic and sentimental"

i loved Middlesex, i thought it was an awesome story.

[Maria]

Patricia wrote: "I finished Night by Elie Wiesel and Lady Chatterley's Lover by D.H. Lawrence. Both great reads! I'm now moving on to The Kids Are All Right by Diana Welch."

[book: Night} is still one of my favorites. we read it in YAL class in college, and it was such a strong story. i've re-read it a few times since, and it's still just as powerful.

[Maria]

Amanda wrote: "The Gargoyle, can't put it down!"

i loved that book, glad you are enjoying it!

[Maria]

finally getting a chance to catch up after my half marathon trip (finished in 2:46, yeah me!)!

anyway, i finished The Solitude of Prime Numbers and i really liked the majority of the book. however, the last 20% or so really didn't sit well with me. i didn't the like the turn of the story, or the writing. not sure why, i just didn't care for it.

i finally got around to starting Breaking Dawn and it's ok. i've got about 200 pages left. the first part was not good at all, IMO, but the later half of the book is shaping up to be better.

[Tracy]

Started Bones of Faerie yesterday.

[Jason]

As it's almost Halloween, I decided to get into some Edgar Allan Poe. I'm reading The Fall of the House of Usher and Other Tales. So far I've read the first two stories, and they were a chore to get through. Granted, I'm not up to any of the "greatest hits" yet--Usher and Amontillado and Pendulum are later in the book--but I'm a little leery about plodding through these stories one after the other.

Maybe I'll read a story or two, then read something else, then come back to the book. That's the good thing about a collection of short fiction: you can dip in and out without breaking up the flow.

The one really great thing is that I'll get to read The Tell-Tale Heart again. I love that story. I know I've read a couple of others of his, but can't really remember them.

[Sasha]

Ahhhh, that's such a good idea rytr. I wish I'd thought of that. I should dig up some Lovecraft.

Agreed that with collections it's sometimes hard to plow right through.

[Heather L]

rytr_1 wrote: "Maybe I'll read a story or two, then read something else, then come back to the book."

That's what I've been doing with an 800-page collection of short stories by Dorothy L. Sayers, working in a short story or two in between other books. I've finally passed the 200-page mark. I might make it to 300 by end of the year.

[Dennis]

Alex wrote: "I was gonna start with his Caesar bio."

Good choice!

[Dennis]

Susanna wrote: "Haven't read Goldsworthy's Caesar bio, but his How Rome Fell: Death of a Superpower is very interesting.

Eta: finally finished the excellent Heartstone! What a read."

Havent read "How Rome Fell" yet, but it's on the shelf waiting!

[Linda]

Just finished . Gave it a 3. It was just so/so to me. Also reading and . Thoroughly enjoying both so far.

[Yassemin]

3; World Without End, Excavation and The Gargoyle

[Maria]

finished Breaking Dawn at lunch today. the end was way better than the first 1/2 of the book. i do sort of wish there was another book, one that tells more about the other vampires and the rest of the story of the volturi, but it's probably better that there were only 4 books.

[Scott]

I just finished Neverwhere. What a fantastic book.

Now I'm going to start The Lust Lizard of Melancholy Cove.

[Brenda]

I am in the middle of Eat That Frog! by Brian Tracy it is a book on helping you STOP procrastinating. It has great ideas in it.

[Sasha]

Mm, frog legs.

[sheila]

With Halloween around the corner I am reading Dracula. I have always wanted to read this, so far its a good book never want to put it down.

[Suzanne]

One of my favorites...

[Susanna - Censored by GoodReads]

Not decided what my new fiction will be. Possibly the new Elizabeth George, This Body of Death.

[Sasha]

My wife's a big George fan, but she wasn't crazy about Body of Death. Didn't think it was her best work. For whatever that's worth.

[Susanna - Censored by GoodReads]

My mother liked it (and we have similar literary taste); so I'm reasonably hopeful.

[Sasha]

My wife vs your mom: FIGHT!

[Maria]

i started Wild Ride from Jennifer Cruise and Bob Meyer today. i liked (actually, loved) the other 2 books they've written together, but this one hasn't hooked me just yet. i'm about 30 or so pages in, so i'm hoping it improves shortly.

[Emma]

Scott wrote: "This afternoon, I'm going to start Neverwhere. This will be the first book I have read by Gaiman."

I recently read Neverwhere as my first Gaiman book as well. I hope you enjoy it, I was kind of iffy on it. Let me know what you think; I am curious about others' thoughts on it.

[Marti]

I am reading The Other Family: A Novel. It is good so far... Interesting situation......

[Joanie]

Haven't been sharing much lately but I just finished Dead in the Family and I'm now reading Her Fearful Symmetry and I'll Carry the Fork for work. I also just started Commencement on audio. I had all these plans for Halloween reads but so I keep reading other stuff.

[Madeline]

I just started Pirate Latitudes. I have to be honest, I love the way Crichton builds an adventure. Bummed that he's not around to keep em coming.

[Cathy]

I am reading Angelology by Danielle Trussoni Very interesting so far

Cathy

[Gitte]

I'm reading The Custom of the Country by Edith Wharton and I'm listening to Sarah's Key by Tatiana de Rosnay. I really like them both!

[Scott]

Emma wrote: "I recently read Neverwhere as my first Gaiman book as well. I hope you enjoy it, I was kind of iffy on it. Let me know what you think; I am curious about others' thoughts on it. "

I really enjoyed it. I thought it was a little slow at the beginning but once his adventure in London Below started it really started to pick up and I just couldn't put it down.

[Sasha]

Madeline, I've been tempted by Pirate Latitudes, despite my immense distaste for Crichton's ridiculous "global warming is a myth" bs...it does sound fun. Lemme know how it works out for you.

[Susanna - Censored by GoodReads]

I'm reading This Body of Death, and enjoying it so far. Havers has been ordered to go on a shopping spree a la "What Not To Wear"! I nearly died of laughter.

[Tracy]

Just finished The Scent of Rain and Lightning yesterday and started Faithful Place today.

[Tracy]

Oh cool! I am glad I am in for a good read! Thanks, Catie for letting me :o) I did not realize it was one in a series. What are the other books in the series?

[Jeane]

Finished Eat, Pray, Loveand now started The Last Kingdom