This Week I are mostly reading (contd)

SarahBM

Jijsaw wrote: »

I finished it this morning- very anti-climatic ending I thought, I just read the last couple of pages and thought "that's it?". However it did improve in the last 100 pages which bumped it up from 2 stars to 3 stars but I wouldn't read it again.

I agree, the last 100 kind of redeemed it a small bit, but not enough to make up for the slog in the middle. I can see someone taking the idea of it and perhaps making a tv mini series out of it.

Callan57

Just starting on I Know This Much Is True by Wally Lamb

heathledgerlove

Callan57 wrote: »

Just starting on I Know This Much Is True by Wally Lamb

I just bought that a couple weeks ago at charity shop! Going to wait till I've the few books I'm in finished till I start it, it's quite a tome.

Just started Amongst Women. Tried years ago and it didn't appeal, but now I really like the bare-bones style.

eire4

Finished a re read of Jim Maher's biography of Harry Boland. Very interesting read although it really is only a biography of Bolands role in the independance movements key years from just before 1916 to his death in 1922.

Swiper the fox

I finished that Girl on the Train recently, can't for the life of me see what all the fuss was about. I don't read much mass market fiction but when I do read these huge best sellers I can usually see why they appeal to so many people. In this case I just don't get it. It was a very mediocre thriller, nothing in the book pointed to the way it ended. Disappointing overall but readable, I won't say terrible.
Started Harvest by Jim Crace now.

Callan57

heathledgerlove wrote: »

I just bought that a couple weeks ago at charity shop! Going to wait till I've the few books I'm in finished till I start it, it's quite a tome.

Just started Amongst Women. Tried years ago and it didn't appeal, but now I really like the bare-bones style.

Agree, at nearly 900 pages it is a bit of brick but it's actually very quick reading. I'm flying though it & I only had train time & lunch time to read so far today.

Amongst Women is super, I just love McGahern's style and the sheer beauty of the writing. Have you see the TV version with Tony Doyle as Moran? He inhabited the part IMHO

Wyldwood

Just finished Mary Wesley's The Camomile Lawn. It's a strange book, I can't say I disliked it but I didn't love it either.
It's got no real plot and is basically reminiscences of an extended family, set during WW2 and flashing forward to the 1980s when they are all headed to the funeral of one of the protaganists.

I suppose the surprising thing is the liberal mind of Mary Wesley who wrote the book in her 70s having been born in 1912. It would appear that morals were thrown to the wind during the war and blood relationships made no difference. None of the characters were particularly likeable and some were downright nasty.

Now on to Anne Tyler's A Spool of Blue Thread.

heathledgerlove

Callan57 wrote: »

Agree, at nearly 900 pages it is a bit of brick but it's actually very quick reading. I'm flying though it & I only had train time & lunch time to read so far today.

Amongst Women is super, I just love McGahern's style and the sheer beauty of the writing. Have you see the TV version with Tony Doyle as Moran? He inhabited the part IMHO

I've not seen the adaption no, I'll check it out when I've finished the book lest it colour my imagination! I meant to do the same with Farrell's Troubles that I read recently also, haven't gotten round to watching the film yet though. I liked the book though found it a little disjointed; but very evocative of tensions arising from the rural agitation of the War of Independence / decline (literally) of the Big House

GLaDOS

Just finished The Day of the Triffids by John Wyndham, absolutely loved it. Would appreciate recommendations on his other work if anyone has any insight to offer.

Will start on Heart Shaped Box by Joe Hill tonight. Love his father's work and have heard good things about this.

Belle E. Flops

Started Go Set a Watchmen yesterday and just after finishing it. I was so disappointed in it. After loving To Kill a Mockingbird last week, I wish I hadn't bothered reading it.

About to start Republic of Thieves by Scott Lynch. It's the 3rd book in the Gentlemen Bastards series. I adored the other two books so I'm looking forward to this.

I've put David Copperfield on hold because I started losing interest in it, but I will get back to it. I'm also still dipping in and out of A History of the World by Andrew Marr.

ivytwine

Belle E. Flops wrote: »

Started Go Set a Watchmen yesterday and just after finishing it. I was so disappointed in it. After loving To Kill a Mockingbird last week, I wish I hadn't bothered reading it.

About to start Republic of Thieves by Scott Lynch. It's the 3rd book in the Gentlemen Bastards series. I adored the other two books so I'm looking forward to this.

I've put David Copperfield on hold because I started losing interest in it, but I will get back to it. I'm also still dipping in and out of A History of the World by Andrew Marr.

I feel very uncomfortable with how Go Set a Watchman was released and how much actual consent Harper Lee could give. It sounds like a draft rather than this finished novel they've found.

Belle E. Flops

I didn't know anything about it really other than it was supposed to be a sequel, but once I finished it I googled it to see reviews and it's only now i've learned that she has dementia and may or may not have agreed to release it, and i also read somewhere that it is possibly a draft that ended up as Mockingbird.
Regardless I'm going to try and pretend I haven't read it so it doesn't taint Mockingbird.

TICKLE_ME_ELMO

I read somewhere that Watchman was written before Mockingbird. It featured loads of flashbacks to Scout's childhood and the publishers or an editor or someone liked these parts so much and suggested focusing on them instead and that's how Mockingbird came to be.

Now whether this version of Watchman is what was originally written back then or she went back to it after Mockingbird and changed it, well, who can say?

fruvai

Bleeding Edge by Thomas Pynchon

Aenaes

I finished Clear And Present Danger, took longer than I thought and near the end I just wanted it to finish. A bit drawn-out for a shoot-em-up thriller with USA as the good guys where everyone has an interesting and unique backstory.

I've started The Tailor Of Panama by John le Carrè and can't wait to get stuck into it.

NormalBob Ubiquitypants

Hey just to let you know, Amazon emailed and said that there may be some lines missing from the bottom of the page on Go Set a Watchman. I have them underneath this message in a spoiler so as not to ruin it for anyone. Amazon are sending an extra copy to everyone who ordered the book.
There are only a couple of lines missing over 6 pages.

p.252
“I’ve killed you, Scout. I had to.”
“Don’t you give me any more double-talk! You’re a nice,

p.261
She grabbed for the water and drank rapidly. She kept her eyes closed and let the warm alcohol creep through her.

p.265
“why not, sir?”
“You wouldn’t have listened to him. You couldn’t have

p.268
it by the letter and by the spirit of the law. That’s the way he lives.”

p.272
“Feeble, hell! You’re about as feeble as a crocodile!” Jean Louise touched her mouth.

p.277
“Atticus?”
“Ma’am?”

Jijsaw

I'm 30 pages into 'The Silver Linings Playbook' by Matthew Quick and I'm enjoying it so far, it reminds me of a grown-up version of 'The Perks of Being a Wallflower' which I also read and enjoyed.
Although I did read that it spoils some classics that I haven't read yet so I'll have to keep an eye out, I already got spoiled accidentally for 'Anna Karenina' in a book on religion, and After Hours/Buzzfeed (I should have known with that source to be honest) spoiled 'The Time Traveler's Wife' for me

Mr.Nice Guy

A while back I mentioned I was struggling to get through The Count of Monte Cristo having hit a point in the middle that seemed to really drag. Well, I stuck with it on the advice of people here and overall, I am glad I did.

I did find a lot of elements that seemed to stretch the realms of credibility - particularly near the end - and there were times when I really disliked the Count's actions, but on the whole it wrapped up in a satisfactory way.

I will say though that I felt bad for

the plight of Mercedes.Edmond gets to sail off into the sunset with a hot young woman while she apparently is left haggard and worn (before forty) and consigned to a life of loneliness. Harsh! I had expected the two would reconcile with one another.

SarahBM

Mr.Nice Guy wrote: »

A while back I mentioned I was struggling to get through The Count of Monte Cristo having hit a point in the middle that seemed to really drag. Well, I stuck with it on the advice of people here and overall, I am glad I did.

I did find a lot of elements that seemed to stretch the realms of credibility - particularly near the end - and there were times when I really disliked the Count's actions, but on the whole it wrapped up in a satisfactory way.

I will say though that I felt bad for

the plight of Mercedes.Edmond gets to sail off into the sunset with a hot young woman while she apparently is left haggard and worn (before forty) and consigned to a life of loneliness. Harsh! I had expected the two would reconcile with one another.

but it's still a brilliant story!!!!

Just beyond halfway through the Silkworm. Really enjoying it

eire4

Finished a re read of Patrick McCabe's Winterwood. One of those types of books that seems to run the gamut of opinions. Personally I think its very good.

Leocolceathrar

Farther and Wilder - Blake Bailey - Biography of Charles R. Jackson - worthwhile and informative read.

Swiper the fox

I finished Harvest by Jim Crace which won this years impac though it's a couple of years old now. Loved the first half but got very bored with it and couldn't wait to finish it. Therefore I got a nice surprise at the end, thought I had about 15 pages to go but the end of the book is a prologue(taste) to another of his books.:p

I'm starting a new book tonight which is a new release called 'two hours', it's about he quest to bring the world record for the marathon below that magic number, I read a brilliant article on the subject by the author (Ed Caesar) in this months GQ magazine which has really whetted my appetite.

SarahBM

Finished the Silkworm and I loved it. Cannot wait for the next book.

Starting Spill Simmer Falter Either by Sara Baume. Heard good things about it. Only 20 pages I. but I like it so far.

Aenaes

I finished "The Tailor Of Panama". Intelligently written and humourous. I felt it was very like "Our Man In Havana" and in his acknowledgements le Carrè does pay homage to Graham Greene.

Now I've started "The Black Arrow" by Robert Louis Stevenson. Hopefully I'll learn a bit about the War of the Roses, I'm just wary of the language used.

Callan57

I'm almost finished Tender by Belinda McKeon ... not nearly as good as Solace IMO Finished Tender ... OK but it would have made a better book it it had been tightly edited to about 200 pages. Next for the weekend is The House Where It Happened by Martina Devlin

Fathom

Gone with the Wind.

SarahBM

Fathom wrote: »

Gone with the Wind.

I wasn't able to finish it

Fathom

SarahBM wrote: »

I wasn't able to finish it

Classic. Long. Required reading.

shazzerman

Read James Ellroy's Perfidia this week. It is the first novel in a new L.A. Quartet series - set before the events of his first L.A. Quartet (which began with The Black Dahlia, and includes L.A. Confidential). Even though I raced through the 800 pages in three days, Perfidia is not as good as Ellroy's best, but still a cracking read.

I am now re-reading L.A. Confidential (very different to the film), and have begun Station Eleven as well.

Ipso

shazzerman wrote: »

Read James Ellroy's Perfidia this week. It is the first novel in a new L.A. Quartet series - set before the events of his first L.A. Quartet (which began with The Black Dahlia, and includes L.A. Confidential). Even though I raced through the 800 pages in three days, Perfidia is not as good as Ellroy's best, but still a cracking read.

I am now re-reading L.A. Confidential (very different to the film), and have begun Station Eleven as well.

LA Confidential is a beast of a book, the fact they stripped out a lot and were still left with a hefty film says a lot.
I wasn't crazy about Perfidia either, I think he tried to shoevhorn too much of the other books into it.
I would recommend David Peace's Red Riding Quartet, similar to Ellroy but more grim.

First_October

Just finished Napoleon the Great by Andrew Roberts; a fantastic behemoth of a book. Now on to An Anthropologist on Mars by Oliver Sacks.

Travel is good

I am trying to read GWTW too......it is long. Though I am enjoying it!

Travel is good

I do agree with you, I am disappointed with GKAW. I have downloaded TKAM onto my Kindle, I just want to remind myself how brilliant Harper Lee is.

Callan57

Finished The House Where It Happened - great read beautifully written.

Now it's on to The Magician's Wife by Brian Moore

Maslacko

Just moved to Dublin and ofc, joined the library.. Started with the books from a-d section.. I am reading Lucy Dillon books, all of them I can't believe you can borrow up to 12 books

Fathom

The Little Prince

Junior D

Used to have a huge interest in reading as a kid, but lost it as I was going through university. I didn't get the same enjoyment out of reading a book for pleasure after reading books for work all day.

Decided to pick up a Stephen King book the other day, "Joyland". Tbh, it wasn't great, just ok. There was a lot of waffle in it and it was boring for long parts. The ending was poor enough too I thought.

But the book has whetted my apatite for reading again. Ordered some online and can't wait to get stuck in:
- Any Human Heart: William Boyd
- Fight Club: Chuck Palahniuk
- Salem's Lot: Stephen King
- 11.22.63: Stephen King
- Misery: Stephen King

I actually couldn't even wait for them to be delivered, so I picked up Kite Runner yesterday. Decided to read the opening chapter before bed around 1.30am and when I looked at the clock again it was 3.30am. Feels like its going to be very good, its been that way so far so hopefully it doesn't let me down.

Feels good to be back!

SarahBM

Junior D wrote: »

Used to have a huge interest in reading as a kid, but lost it as I was going through university. I didn't get the same enjoyment out of reading a book for pleasure after reading books for work all day.

Decided to pick up a Stephen King book the other day, "Joyland". Tbh, it wasn't great, just ok. There was a lot of waffle in it and it was boring for long parts. The ending was poor enough too I thought.

But the book has whetted my apatite for reading again. Ordered some online and can't wait to get stuck in:
- Any Human Heart: William Boyd
- Fight Club: Chuck Palahniuk
- Salem's Lot: Stephen King
- 11.22.63: Stephen King
- Misery: Stephen King

I actually couldn't even wait for them to be delivered, so I picked up Kite Runner yesterday. Decided to read the opening chapter before bed around 1.30am and when I looked at the clock again it was 3.30am. Feels like its going to be very good, its been that way so far so hopefully it doesn't let me down.

Feels good to be back!

Misery was the first Stephen King book I read. I thought it was brilliant! The kite runner has been sitting on the bottom of my to read pile for literally years. I had read a thousand spendid Sun's and I didn't like it.
Let me known what you think of the kite runner.

Callan57

For the weekend I'll be reading We Are Water by Wally Lamb

SarahBM

I finished spill simmer falter wither. I didn't get the ending.
Don't know what I want to read next

Swiper the fox

SarahBM wrote: »

Misery was the first Stephen King book I read. I thought it was brilliant! The kite runner has been sitting on the bottom of my to read pile for literally years. I had read a thousand spendid Sun's and I didn't like it.
Let me known what you think of the kite runner.

The Kite Runner is brilliant although I loved a thousand splendid sons also. The newer book isn't in the same league at all unfortunately.
I'll be getting started on Cloud Atlas tonight, that has been on my to read list for quite a while.

Jijsaw

Just started 'Vanity Fair' by William Thackeray, looking forward to it!

Gonzovision

Started 'The shock of the Fall' by Nathan Filer, having finished 'The Silkworm' by Robert Galbraith, which I enjoyed, even though the ending was a bit run of the mill.

Junior D

SarahBM wrote: »

Misery was the first Stephen King book I read. I thought it was brilliant! The kite runner has been sitting on the bottom of my to read pile for literally years. I had read a thousand spendid Sun's and I didn't like it.
Let me known what you think of the kite runner.

Finally managed to get around to finishing the Kite Runner tonight. The book is about 340 pages long and I was at page 180 starting tonight at 11pm. I've literally just finished about 20 minutes ago. I couldn't put it down. My advice is read this book!

Generally, this wouldn't be the type of book I'm interested in. I thought it started off well, maybe a bit slow and laboured, and dragged a bit in the middle. It was only coming to the end of the book that I realised that's the way it was meant to be described, and written perfectly so. I won't go into any more details, I don't want to spoil any minor detail because to me its a type of book that you should really soak in every word.

Enjoy

TICKLE_ME_ELMO

I've been trying to read The Sound and the Fury for about a week now. The first third of the book seems to be written by someone who's not quite all there and none of it makes any real sense. There's an introductory note at the start that suggests it makes sense eventually but it's a struggle.

Aenaes

I finished The Black Arrow by Robert Louis Stevenson. I enjoyed it, wasn't as straight-forward as I expected it to be and the language wasn't that difficult to understand.

I'm nearing the end of The Quiet American by Graham Greene. It revolves around an English reporter in French Indochina in the 1950's, reporting on the Viet Minh's struggle against the French occupying forces.

fruvai

TICKLE_ME_ELMO wrote: »

I've been trying to read The Sound and the Fury for about a week now. The first third of the book seems to be written by someone who's not quite all there and none of it makes any real sense. There's an introductory note at the start that suggests it makes sense eventually but it's a struggle.

I've got bad news for you then - it's not even the most challenging part of the book :pac: The story does become a lot clearer the further you go on

cookiecakes

I finished A Little Life by Hanya Yanigahara yesterday and honestly, it was probably the toughest book I've ever read. It was heartbreaking and I properly sobbed during the last quarter of it. It's about 700 pages but it took me about a week to read it because I kept having to put it down and walk away. I'm not sure I've ever read anything that had such an effect on me. I was so bloody sad yesterday thinking about it! Have now lined up 5 or 6 less challenging books while my heart heals! Definitely worth a read but it was heavy going. The author is also doing a reading & q&a on the 25th in the Morrison. This will probably be me:

TICKLE_ME_ELMO

fruvai wrote: »

I've got bad news for you then - it's not even the most challenging part of the book :pac: The story does become a lot clearer the further you go on

Is it worth struggling on?

fruvai

TICKLE_ME_ELMO wrote: »

Is it worth struggling on?

Definitely - it's a brilliant book