*What book are you reading? (part 2)

[Ptolemy]

About 200 or so pages into Tolstoy's Anna Karenina - trying again after a first failed attempt to read it at university. I think there are so many wonderful passages in it, whether description or observation.

 

[Argonia]

About 200 or so pages into Tolstoy's Anna Karenina - trying again after a first failed attempt to read it at university. I think there are so many wonderful passages in it, whether description or observation.

I've just started that as well.

 

[ringo]

Life After Life - Kate Atkinson
To me her novels are like a cup of tea and a hug.

 

[BoatieBird]

Life After Life - Kate Atkinson
To me her novels are like a cup of tea and a hug.

She's releasing the 5th Jackson Brodie book in June

 

[PursuedByBears]

I'm about 60 pages into The Prisoner of Zenda by Anthony Hope. It's not exactly the literary classic I was expecting but it is hugely enjoyable!

 

[ringo]

The Lawless Road - Graham Greene
In which Greene reveals his total and holistic odiousness - he hates Mexico, Mexicans, socialists, women, non-Catholics, most Catholics, Mexican food, poor people and just about everybody else he meets. I hate this book.

 

[Virtual Blue]

Finished Wise Man's Fear - Patrick Rothfuss - massive, massive journey. enjoyable and wished it didn't end.

Now reading Stoner - John Williams

 

[Ming]

Just finishing Trouble Boys: The True Story of the Replacements. Poor Bob Stinson...

 

[ringo]

The Goldfinch - Donna Tartt.
Just as good as the first two, shame she's not more prolific, but then she might not be as good if she was.

 

[nogojones]

The Lawless Road - Graham Greene
In which Greene reveals his total and holistic odiousness - he hates Mexico, Mexicans, socialists, women, non-Catholics, most Catholics, Mexican food, poor people and just about everybody else he meets. I hate this book.

Ha. That's the same impression I got from The Power and the Glory, but I quite enjoyed it

 

[ringo]

Ha. That's the same impression I got from The Power and the Glory, but I quite enjoyed it

The Power and the Glory was gthe work of fiction he based on his travels recorded in The Lawless Road, it's one of the few of his I haven't read yet.
I'm glad I stuck with it. He was still odious, but it seemed like he went through some kind of breakdown on the trip so it was worth reading the deranged rantings of one of our greatest writers going through a traumatic experience. Not much fun for him though

 

[circleline]

Bloody love Donna Tartt! Was I damned chuffed off on holiday to Poland with a brand new (rare that for me, usually 2nd hand) copy of 'The Goldfinch' in my bag; delays at the airport? No problem here. Loved 'The Little Friend' much more than 'The Secret History', most people's first choice. She's so witty! Such technicolour writing! Yeah, wish she were more prolific, too...But, blimey: a new book by Donna Tartt is an event worth waiting for...

The Goldfinch - Donna Tartt.
Just as good as the first two, shame she's not more prolific, but then she might not be as good if she was.

 

[BoatieBird]

I preferred The Little Friend over The Secret History too circleline.
Recent re-read The Little Friend and loved it just as much, possibly more, the second time around.

Her three books have been released in 1992, 2002 and 2013 so I reckon we can't expect anything much before 2023

 

[ringo]

I preferred The Secret History, but both head and shoulders above most other contemporary fiction. Really enjoying The Goldfinch.

 

[flypanam]

Jacob Bacharach - The bend of the world.

 

[sojourner]

I read Blindness by Jose Saramago recently - apart from a few wincey moments where he offended my feminism, it was mostly a very interesting book.

Currently re-reading Close Range by Annie Proulx. Realised it had been 20 years since I last read it! Proper enjoying it. The fella's reading Accordion Crimes. I might just re-read everything I have by her

 

[Virtual Blue]

musashi - eiji yoshikawa.

 

[flypanam]

Olga Tokarczuk - Drive your plow over the bones of the dead.

Old woman living in Poland, learns of a neighbours death. Noirish novel commences. Gripping so far.

 

[rubbershoes]

Snow falling on cedars by David Guterson

I'm really enjoying it. A bit of courtroom drama with ethnic prejudice

 

[belboid]

Just finished Maurice Druon's The Iron King - the first in his The Accursed Kings septet, which GRRM completely ripped off for his septet.

As one might expect, it's a rip-roaring read, not particularly brilliantly written (or maybe, translated), but better than that other bloke, and without annoying things like spelling Sir as Ser. No dragons (or promise thereof) either. Made all the better by actually being overwhelmingly true. Knowing the GoT storylines probably helps get your head around some of the characters and the convoluted plotlines, because they're already vaguely familiar.

Now I just have to try to knock out the next six before the final series starts!

 

[BristolEcho]

Recently I've read a book about lutz Pfannenstiel who was the first goalkeeper to play on all 6 recognised continent's. At times he came across like a bit of a dick, but I enjoyed it for the insight into far off leagues.

Also read a short book on Pancho Villa which was good. I'm listening to the podcast about the Mexican Revolution so I'll definitely be reading more about this.

Made a start on The Last Kingdom today. Never read any Cornwall so looking forward to it.

 

[DotCommunist]

Prague Cemetery by Umberto Eco. Keep having to look up the french words in the numerous descriptions of dining, should have paid attention in gcse french.

 

[campanula]

I preferred The Little Friend over The Secret History too circleline.

Me too...but I absolutely LOATHED the Goldfinch. hated everyone in it...especially the odious Theo.

 

[campanula]

Prague Cemetery by Umberto Eco.

didn't finish. Not even to the middle. Not really sure why, but I have been increasingly reluctant to carry on reading unless gripped by 50 pages or so - the walls are stacked with piles of unread stuff. Currently wavering with AncillarySword (got 2 and 3 of Leckie's set for 50p each)...and Cixin Liu's Dark Forest languishing also.
It is seriously upsetting as the only thing worse than having a crap book at bedtime is NO book at bedtime (hopeless insomniac).

 

[kalidarkone]

I'm reading One thousand white women by Jim Fergus. I'm loving it.
It's based on the premise that in 1873 a Cheyanne Chief approached the American president and asked for 1000 white women in order to increase the Cheyanne 's dwindling numbers. (There is scant evidence that there is any truth in this). The US government set up a programme that surprisingly many women applied to. Women from prisons and mental asylums were also recruited. It is told in the form of letters and a journal written by May Dodd former mental asylum patient.
One Thousand White Women: The Journals of May Dodd by Jim Fergus.

 

[rubbershoes]

Me too...but I absolutely LOATHED the Goldfinch. hated everyone in it...especially the odious Theo.

How can you not fall for Boris' roguish charm?

 

[ringo]

Me too...but I absolutely LOATHED the Goldfinch. hated everyone in it...especially the odious Theo.

Even Hobie? I want him to be my Uncle.

 

[ringo]

The Miniaturist' by Jessie Burton is the biggest pile of wank I've read in a long time. This is why I dislike receiving books as presents. I'm halfway through and am just gonna give up on it.

About 20% in and I'm really enjoying this. I am a bit obsessed with any historical (or otherwise) story set in Amsterdam at the moment though as my ancestors lived there for at least 300 years before coming over here in the 1880's.

 

[BoatieBird]

Me too...but I absolutely LOATHED the Goldfinch. hated everyone in it...especially the odious Theo.

I loved The Goldfinch too!

How can you not fall for Boris' roguish charm?

Absolutely this

 

[belboid]

Boris was an absolutely ridiculous character. But I did still love the book.