Ancient & Medieval Historical Fiction discussion
Monthly Group Reads
>
AUGUST 2012 (Group Read 1): Virtues of War by Steve Pressfield
message 51:
by
Tasha
(last edited Jul 26, 2012 06:44PM)
(new)
Jul 26, 2012 06:43PM
Good to hear that about
as I have that one sitting, unread, on my shelf.
reply
|
flag
Chrisl wrote: "I kept statistics for turnaround time on interlibrary loan requests. We averaged 10 days from receiving request to informing patron of..."Hey Chris, I replied here http://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/7... just so we wouldn't get this thread too off topic. As we are liable to do when we discuss libraries. :)
Great idea, Dawn. When I was on GR earlier I meant to make a comment in the 'local libraries' thread to ask you and others about their libraries getting books in for book club requests...I forgot to post it. :-) I'll go there now.
Crystal wrote: "I'm having a hard time holding off until it's officially August. LOL"Me too. My copy has been sitting here for about 3 days on my book table-LOL
My ILL for Roman Blood, the book that lost this poll, came in at the library today. So I will be reading all four books that were on this months polls. :)
Will have to see if my library has it.
Hope it does, Margaret! :-)
Rat nuts. My library doesn't have it and I've reached my ILL ordering limit for the next two weeks.
I just put a hold on a copy within my library system to bring it to my branch. I've been meaning to read this so I'm so glad you all have prodded me to it!
Margaret wrote: "Rat nuts. My library doesn't have it and I've reached my ILL ordering limit for the next two weeks."Disappointing!!
Hi judith,That's one of the main reasons Dawn and I decided to put it up for voting. It is one of those books that many of us mean to get to and never do.
I was glad it won! :-)
Yippee. :) Virtues is in at my library. Pick it up this evening.Will start tomorrow bang on time.
Libraries rock.
Terri wrote: "Hi judith,That's one of the main reasons Dawn and I decided to put it up for voting. It is one of those books that many of us mean to get to and never do.
I was glad it won! :-)"
I'm glad I'm not the only one with lists of books I haven't gotten to.
Judith wrote: "Terri wrote: "Hi judith,That's one of the main reasons Dawn and I decided to put it up for voting. It is one of those books that many of us mean to get to and never do.
I was glad it won! :-)"
I'..."
I have a list of books a mile long.
Not enough reading hours in the year and not fast enough a reader to properly utilise the ones I've got..
Terri wrote: "Not enough reading hours in the year and not fast enough a reader to properly utilise the ones I've got.." I guess the old saying of, "Too many books, too little time," fits well here."
I have been an avid reader since I was a child. I even used to read cereal boxes at breakfast if there was not a paper available-LOL.
Fortunately, being single and retired with few responsibilities, I can read whenever and wherever I please.
I used to read cereal boxes too! I'll read bottles in bathrooms if there's no magazine stack. And as it's finally the first, I started the read! Barely, but I started.
Anne wrote: "Terri wrote: "Not enough reading hours in the year and not fast enough a reader to properly utilise the ones I've got.." I guess the old saying of, "Too many books, too little time," fits well he..."
I learned to read at 3...haven't stopped since. I usually have 3 books on the go at once, interspersed with the occasional magazine.
I am guilty of reading anything too. Labels, cereal boxes. If there's words on it, I am there. :-)
Starting Virtues tonight! Woot!I have the hardback edition with the cover shown in the group read thread title.
I see there is another cover getting around.
This one.
Okay. Have managed to place an ILL request for it. Fingers crossed I receive it within the month of August.
I have the edition shown at the start of the thread. It's the paperback.
I really like that cover. Even nicer in the flesh I feel. Burgundy and gold are two of my favourite decorating colours. :)
I have the paperback version with the cover in the thread title. I still have to finish Killer of Men (hopefully at the week end) and then I can start this one.
That's good, so there should be a few starting around the first week this month. Last month most of us started mid to end of the month on Killer of Men.
Already! That sounds promising. :)
I had time to kill waiting for the electrician today. Always a good excuse to read instead of doing something useful! 'I'm waiting for the repairman, can't do anything that might make me miss his knock!' Read this...oh darn, he got here already? ooh, he's and hour and a half late? Really?
hahaha! Give us any old excuse to read, and we shall read! :D
I also started this book last night. It is a little different, being written in a narrative style, with Alexander telling his story to his brother-in-law. It reads like a memoir.I'm finding it a dense book with big descriptions of battles. Seeing as that is what Alexander's life was....I imagine the entire book will be filled with descriptions of war and tactics. I am not sure how much this appeals to me.
Sounds like Gates of Fire. That's what Pressfield does and why he is very popular with soldiers. He writes battles and tactics more than about relationships between humans.
I've read five chapters. It isn't my ideal sort of fiction but I haven't stopped. Me, I want battles + the insides of heads. First person is a bit of a hitch for me, too. I often feel I learn less about that person, from his own perspective, and I can get bored stuck in one head.
I was supposed to start it last night. I had intended having two books on the go at once, but my other book was so good that I stayed up late last night and finished it.
Five Years to Freedom: The True Story of a Vietnam POW
Now I am finished that book, I can be completely dedicated to Virtues of War tonight.
Starting Virtues riiiggght now..*opens book*
I have to admit, even though I'm only on p60, I'm starting to wonder how A's whole career will be covered with so few pages left... lol I'm still on his first battle!
Last night I finished The Whale Road and started Virtues. I only read about 30 pages as I had not been feeling great. I like his style so far.
I read 50 pages last night. I like it, but there are some elements I'm not sure I am happy with.He isn't seeming to get close enough to who Alexander is. His deepest self. It feels rushed.
I get what Bryn wants from the book too. She mentioned not getting inside the characters heads and I tend to agree.
Crystal, if it is any consolation, I don't think is all his life story. Pressfield has another book about him called The Afghan Campaign which has more of his life story in it.
If anyone is interested in anymore details about Phillip's battle of Chaeronea (which is covered in the first 60 or so pages of this book), here is some information.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_o...
Aegae, being where Alexander's father Phillip II was killed is also where his tomb is. For anyone who wants to know more.
http://www.ancientsites.com/aw/Places...
Nearly halfway. I'm enjoying it. Maybe not as much as I thought I might, but I am still into it.I found this amusing..(not a spoiler so I'll just do a spoiler warning instead of hiding it in a spoiler).
*********little spoiler Chapter 9*********
Liked the descriptions of Alexander's mother getting out of control after Phillip's death. She sure did break loose. Lol
Got a giggle out of this..
Her eyes shone, her skin glowed; yet her jet hair glistened in the lamplight. She was spectacular. There was no woman like her in all Greece. The only real pleasure I took in those first days was sending my Generals Antipater and Antigonus One-eye to call upon her in her chambers. They practically pissed themselves. I don't blame them. Who could know with what flavourings Philip's consort had laced her wafers?
Forgot to pick up the book at the library Thurs when the email came. Our library is barely open these days so I'll have to wait until next week.
Judith wrote: "Our library is barely open these days so I'll have to wait until next week."That's no good, Judith. What a pity they are opening less and less.
Finished. I enjoyed it. Some parts I enjoyed immensely, but some elements I did not. I am happy I finally got to it! Needed an excuse for a long time.
I'm still only 150 pages in but I should finish it in the next couple days. Only 3 star huh?
I wanted to give it 4 so bad. I nearly did, but what stopped me was knowing the kind of books I give 4 stars to. So, technically, Virtues was a 3.5 for me. I would still recommend it to anyone who likes battle novels.I just came off a solid 5 star read. That always affects the book that comes directly after.
I'm not too motivated, since I have enough info to know I'm going to be lukewarm. But I've spent me money and I'll pick it up again. I'm hard on Alexander novels - I one-starred V. Massimo Manfredi. He's a tough assignment, as a Great; you can't write ordinary about him. I feel Pressfield isn't going to tell me why Alexander was Alexander. "I have always been a soldier" doesn't answer that for me.
On a postive note, I like the title: the title had me intrigued.
Bryn wrote: "I feel Pressfield isn't going to tell me why Alexander was Alexander. "I have always been a soldier" doesn't answer that for me."This book definitely doesn't answer that question. It isn't getting into modivations or how & why he became what he did.
Ancient & Medieval Historical Fiction
Books mentioned in this topic
Gates of Fire (other topics)The Afghan Campaign (other topics)
Pride of Carthage (other topics)
Gates of Fire (other topics)
The Afghan Campaign (other topics)
More...
