[Mr.Nice Guy]

I thought this was a wonderful read. I particularly enjoyed learning about Stephen in his early years. Some of the scenes that Joyce evokes are very striking and the writing is beautiful at times. I also found it very informative as there are references to aspects of Irish life and history I wasn't aware of.

It's probably not everyone's cup of tea but for those that have read other works by Joyce and liked them, I think this one should prove just as enjoyable.

[Queen-Mise]

It is a great read. The 17 page description of hell is amazing - there isn't enough room to move your eyelash if a worm was gnawing on it !!!!

I found the arguments about Parnell fascinating at the beginning of the book. The pro & anti supporters fighting over the Christmas Day dinner.

[Mr.Nice Guy]

Originally Posted by Queen-Mise

I found the arguments about Parnell fascinating at the beginning of the book. The pro & anti supporters fighting over the Christmas Day dinner.

Yes that scene was one of my favourites. I liked the part where the old Fenian tells the anecdote about the old lady screaming in his face and how he responded to her! I found Stephen's father pretty funny in that scene. He was stirring it up it seemed.

[Mr.Nice Guy]

A very ambitious and admirable book. I had different feelings on different sections.

I did not really enjoy the first part of the story too much. I felt there was a lot here that cut have been omitted. I enjoyed the second section a lot more but felt near the end of the second section it got a bit too silly (which I guess should not be a criticism in light of the final section). The third and final section was very interesting and I appreciated how everything was handled in the end.

Much more thought-provoking than I expected and I can forgive a lot of the flaws that bothered me in the earlier part of the story. Worth checking out.

[Travel is good]

I really like your choice of books, particularly the Stephen King, Steinbeck, Salinger books. As Queen-Mise says, try some of the other modern American writers, post 1920s - 1960s. I really liked "Slaughterhouse 5" by Kurt Vonnegut, though wasn't so crazy about "Breakfast with Champions".

Another writer I've just discovered is Mary McCarthy - "The Group". I like how the book is so realistic, a potrayal of 1930s New York, and women setting out in the world (like "Mad Men). This also reminds me of "The Best of Everything" by Rona Jaffe, another favourite of mine.

Richard Yates is good too, I liked his short stories.

I will definitely track down that follow up to Cannery Row, I didn't realise there was one.

[Mr.Nice Guy]

Originally Posted by Travel is good

I really like your choice of books, particularly the Stephen King, Steinbeck, Salinger books. As Queen-Mise says, try some of the other modern American writers, post 1920s - 1960s. I really liked "Slaughterhouse 5" by Kurt Vonnegut, though wasn't so crazy about "Breakfast with Champions".

Another writer I've just discovered is Mary McCarthy - "The Group". I like how the book is so realistic, a potrayal of 1930s New York, and women setting out in the world (like "Mad Men). This also reminds me of "The Best of Everything" by Rona Jaffe, another favourite of mine.

Richard Yates is good too, I liked his short stories.

I will definitely track down that follow up to Cannery Row, I didn't realise there was one.

Thanks for the suggestions. I've managed to get hold of Revolutionary Road by Richard Yates. I'll try to have that read by the end of the month. Working my way through a Poirot novel at the moment.

[Mr.Nice Guy]

This was my second Agatha Christie novel and my first involving Hercule Poirot. As the title suggests, an aeroplane is the setting for this one and Poirot is, quite literally, along for the ride.

I found this to be a very engaging story. I was captivated by the manner in which it unfolded and I found Poirot to be a very likeable character (I found him far more enjoyable than Marple).

Once again I failed to figure out the culprit, but I was again left satisfied and with the itch to check out another Christie story.

[Mr.Nice Guy]

This is one of the greatest novels I've ever read.

[Mr.Nice Guy]

I didn't really like this one. I thought it became a bit of a mess by the end.

[Mr.Nice Guy]

This is a collection of short stories by Yates which depicts the lives of New Yorkers during the 1950s.

I thought this was a really nice book and there were several stories that I would have been glad to continue reading if I could. Yates has a great knack for leaving you wanting more from his stories, and I have become a fan of his writing style.

[Mr.Nice Guy]

The Man in the High Castle takes place in an alternate reality where the Axis Powers have prevailed in the Second World War. We get to experience the points of view of several characters based in the US.

I have mixed views on this one. Dealing with my criticisms firstly, I was a bit disappointed the various characters didn't really interact with one another. It was like a sampling of their various lives whereas I suppose I was hoping they would all come together, a la The Stand. I also thought the novel got bogged down in a lot of details at points, especially the internal squabbles of the Nazis. I had hoped too that the differences of the alternate reality and the actual reality would have been dealt with more.

On a brighter note, I very much enjoyed Juliana's storyline arc. I thought she was the most interesting character by far and it seemed to me like more care was put into her part of the story.

Overall it was a decent story. If it sounds like the kind of plot you'd find fascinating then give it a go.

[Queen-Mise]

Originally Posted by Mr.Nice Guy

This was my second Agatha Christie novel and my first involving Hercule Poirot. As the title suggests, an aeroplane is the setting for this one and Poirot is, quite literally, along for the ride.

I found this to be a very engaging story. I was captivated by the manner in which it unfolded and I found Poirot to be a very likeable character (I found him far more enjoyable than Marple).

Once again I failed to figure out the culprit, but I was again left satisfied and with the itch to check out another Christie story.

Poirot is the only fictional character to get his own obituary in the New York Time & Agatha couldn't stand him A friend of mine this year did their dissertation on Agatha Christie so I know more than I ever wanted to know about her... Try Patricia Cornells (sp) Body Farm - the woman who did the dissertation said that this was one of her best books and is a modern writer in the vein of Christie. I will state that I haven't read any Cornell, Christie type books, so it isn't a personal opinion - the closest I got to this is Sherlock Holmes. Another useless piece of info - Agatha Christie also intensely disliked Sherlock Holmes.

Why was Revolutionary Rd so good?

EDIT: Do you have any interest in the fantasy/science fiction genre?

[Mr.Nice Guy]

Originally Posted by Queen-Mise

Poirot is the only fictional character to get his own obituary in the New York Time & Agatha couldn't stand him A friend of mine this year did their dissertation on Agatha Christie so I know more than I ever wanted to know about her... Try Patricia Cornells (sp) Body Farm - the woman who did the dissertation said that this was one of her best books and is a modern writer in the vein of Christie. I will state that I haven't read any Cornell, Christie type books, so it isn't a personal opinion - the closest I got to this is Sherlock Holmes. Another useless piece of info - Agatha Christie also intensely disliked Sherlock Holmes.

Why was Revolutionary Rd so good?

EDIT: Do you have any interest in the fantasy/science fiction genre?

That's interesting to hear she didn't like Sherlock Holmes because in the few Christie books I've read I did notice her characters criticising the stories.

As for Revolutionary Road, it was a real eye opening book. It's about a young married couple in fifties America that are trapped in this suburban lifestyle that neither of them really want, but their fears and doubts have them trapped there. As the novel unfolds they make efforts to change their lives but the characters are so deluded that you feel despair for them. I'd strongly recommend this one.

I quite like the fantasy/sci-fi genre. I hope to add some more books like that in the coming weeks. At the minute I seem to be going through a phase of 20th century American literature. I am on to Ernest Hemingway at the moment. Never read him before now.

[Mr.Nice Guy]

This is a satirical war novel - with aliens and time travel thrown in for good measure - about events in the crazy life of Billy Pilgrim.

I thought this was novel was fabulous fun. I was laughing aloud on several occasions and Billy is a very endearing character. The themes touched upon in the book, particularly about the nature of the past, are themes I've often wondered about myself which is probably another reason why I liked this so much.

It's not a long read and I think there's something in here for everyone.

[marienbad]

Originally Posted by Mr.Nice Guy

That's interesting to hear she didn't like Sherlock Holmes because in the few Christie books I've read I did notice her characters criticising the stories.

As for Revolutionary Road, it was a real eye opening book. It's about a young married couple in fifties America that are trapped in this suburban lifestyle that neither of them really want, but their fears and doubts have them trapped there. As the novel unfolds they make efforts to change their lives but the characters are so deluded that you feel despair for them. I'd strongly recommend this one.

I quite like the fantasy/sci-fi genre. I hope to add some more books like that in the coming weeks. At the minute I seem to be going through a phase of 20th century American literature. I am on to Ernest Hemingway at the moment. Never read him before now.

If you are doing 20th century American lit at least one Philip Roth is essential. If you liked Revolutionary Road try American Pastoral.