Next Group Read from 6th June

[[deleted user]]

What would you like to read next? Another Vargas Llosa? some poetry, perhaps? I've just returned to Wales from a week's holiday in Brittany where I was able to get quite a bit of reading done. I particularly enjoyed Halldor Laxness' The Fish Can Sing. Having previously read only The Atom Station by Laxness, I was pleasantly surprised by this compelling story of a young boy growing up in Reykjavik in the early part of the twentieth century. I think much of my enjoyment of this novel was due to the excellent translation by the late Magnus Magnusson.

So my nomination for our next read is Independent People by Halldor Laxness.

[Valerie]

I don't really know if poetry would be a good idea. I've noticed that unlike most other genres and styles, poetry is the most undefined. Each person ends up having a totally different perspective than another person might have.
If we did decide to read from a poet, I think I would go with Pablo Neruda.

However, if not then I did find Laxness interesting :)

[Valerie]

I live in BFE, Ohio and I was surprised that I was able to find a couple of Laxness' stuff at my library's site.

I don't know about other states, but when you search the library for a book title online, if you can't find it local, there should be an option to search the whole state for it and have it transferred to your particular library.

I'll send you a private message with a link to your library's search engine with Laxness' info inputted.

[[deleted user]]

Bruce wrote: "Yes, I routinely get books by interlibrary loan through our local public library, but it sometimes takes several weeks to arrive. So I'm not sure that is a reasonable alternative for me if we're o..."

Laxness is now available in the UK with at least seven of his works being published by Vintage, an imprint of Random House. My local library doesn't seem to have any though.

[TD]

I would be interested in reading Laxness, since I only moved to Iceland a few months ago. However, I am open to just about everything. (possibly) interesting detail: Here people tend to refer to him by his first name Halldór due to the Icelandic naming system.

[[deleted user]]

OK. Are there any other nominations for the next Group Read to start on 6th June? Currently we seem to be set on Independent People by Halldor Laxness

[Cl.]

I have found it at my library.