*What book are you reading ?

[Maurice Picarda]

I thought that Black Swan Green was a bit of a disappointment. It read like a promising first novel. Ghostwritten and Cloud Atlas were far better, and Number 9 Dream had more to it.

 

[Andy the Don]

Anthony Beevor - The Battle for Spain: The Spainish Civil War 1936 - 1939

 

[trashpony]

I thought that Black Swan Green was a bit of a disappointment. It read like a promising first novel. Ghostwritten and Cloud Atlas were far better, and Number 9 Dream had more to it.

It's the only book of his I've read so perhaps I've done it in the right order

Lea - why couldn't you get into Cloud Atlas?

 

[May Kasahara]

I thought that Black Swan Green was a bit of a disappointment. It read like a promising first novel. Ghostwritten and Cloud Atlas were far better, and Number 9 Dream had more to it.

Apparently he wrote BSG first, but didn't publish it until he had a few more under his belt, which might explain why.

I loved it - it totally won me over - but haven't got round to reading any of his other stuff yet.

 

[London_Calling]

It's the only book of his I've read so perhaps I've done it in the right order

Lea - why couldn't you get into Cloud Atlas?

You're not addressing me and I can't answer for Lea but, fwiw, I got to halfway and just stalled. It's been on the bedside table for several month and I'm considerably past hooks that (i imagine) drive people on yet . . .

Can't even offer a view on the book.

Must try harder.

 

[foamy]

i loved Black Swann Green too but found that i lost my momento half way through Cloud Atlas and had to struggle not to abandon it. But I think that was mostly due to not liking the middle storyline very much.

Have Ghost Written on my shelf so will read that soon

 

[Lea]

It's the only book of his I've read so perhaps I've done it in the right order

Lea - why couldn't you get into Cloud Atlas?

I dont think that I read enough of it. I had only read part of the first story before giving up. The first story really didnt appeal to me.

 

[JerryLundegaard]

momento

is that a very fast moving souvenir?

 

[Dirty Martini]

I Finished Too Loud A Solitude by Bohumil Hrabal, which started slowly and got stronger and stronger until it became quite a complex, poetic, funny and very moving description of a life. Beautifully translated as well.

"Quietly devastating" is the reviewer's cliche for this sort of tale.

Now it's Estates -- An Intimate History by Lynsey Hanley.

 

[cybertect]

Most of this week it's been The Penultimate Truth by Philip K. Dick, which was up to his usual standards.

Switching back to French again for Nouvelles sous ecstasy by Frédéric Beigbeder. That guy really loves playing with language - the entire first chapter was written as a stream-of-consciousness series of questions.

 

[Throbbing Angel]

My little blue dress
by Bruno Maddox
ain't started it yet
amazed that I'm the 1st person to take it out the library
3or 4 years on a shelf
untouched

 

[chooch]

I Finished Too Loud A Solitude by Bohumil Hrabal, which started slowly and got stronger and stronger until it became quite a complex, poetic, funny and very moving description of a life.

Glad you liked it. It does creep up on you.

 

[seeformiles]

Just finished "The Grave Tattoo" by Val McDermid - not bad and not half as gory as some of her others. About to start some Kathy Reichs book I got in a charity shop for 50p (title escapes me at the moment). Reading diet seems to be largely violent crime and death at the moment!

 

[dada]

假面的告白 by 三島由紀夫

 

[maya]

假面的告白 by 三島由紀夫

????

 

[Dillinger4]

I bought The Sandcastle by Iris Murdoch today for £1.50.

Iris Murdoch being recommended Milly Molly.

I am liking it already.

 

[DotCommunist]

假面的告白 by 三島由紀夫

Yukio Mishima ?

 

[moonsi til]

Just finished 'The Book Seller of Kabul' by Asne Seierstad.

essentially based upon her time living with a middle class (ish) family in Kabul but she tells it from each family members perspective.

 

[quimcunx]

The Undercover Economist. He's annoying me a bit. I'll withold judgement until he concludes.

 

[mentalchik]

Am reading - Hunter's Run by george r.r. martin, gardner dozois and daniel abraham

and

Ilario (The Lions Eye) by Mary Gentle

 

[Dillinger4]

This Iris Murdoch is brilliant.

Why had nobody ever told me before?

 

[jeff_leigh]

The Gum Thief - Douglas Coupland

 

[Dillinger4]

The Gum Thief - Douglas Coupland

You enjoying it? I quite liked it, myself.

 

[Vintage Paw]

You enjoying it? I quite liked it, myself.

Oi, stop reading other stuff and read my brautigan books you bugger so I can have them back

 

[Paulie Tandoori]

just purchased and ploughed thru the intro and first chapter of Violence by Slavoj Zizek, and been thoroughly entertained by some enjoyable invective.

 

[jeff_leigh]

You enjoying it? I quite liked it, myself.

Yeah I am thanks

 

[dada]

Yukio Mishima ?

yes it is.
after two easy fast reads of coupland in a row*, i'm picking up a chinese translation of the confessions of a mask.
i don't want the english version as it wouldn't be as accurate as the chinese interpretation would be.
been a difficult read cos it's taking me a while to get back into rhythm of reading chinese characteres.

*jpod was a blast. humorous and made me laugh hard in the sort of geeky sense. i'm unsure how others will relate if they don't work in a similar environment.
*the gum thief. i was so tempted to get glove pond after.

 

[Dillinger4]

Glove Pond made me want to read John Cheever novels.

I resisted. I think it was for the best.

 

[dada]

Glove Pond made me want to read John Cheever novels.

I resisted. I think it was for the best.

why?
is it a good or bad thing?
never read john cheever before.

 

[chooch]

Glove Pond made me want to read John Cheever novels. I resisted. I think it was for the best.

Bullet Park is pretty great.