This Week I are mostly reading (contd)

Ice Storm

I'm reading Far from the Madding Crowd.

I was interested in seeing the film but I wanted to read the book first. More often than not, I end up being critical of the film when I've read the book but I enjoy being a critic nonetheless!

Anyway, the book is turning out to be quite the slog! I'm finding it very dull and it's taking me much longer to read than I anticipated. I've started skimming through it at this stage just to finish it.

I previously read Tess of the d'Urbervilles and while it's not the most uplifting story (to say the least!) I enjoyed reading it so this is a bit of a disappointment.

Callan57

Skipping my way through The Blue Beadspread by Raj Kamal Jha

pavb2

I've started the Name of the Rose by Umberto Eco I hope it picks up as it's quite slow moving at the moment.

TICKLE_ME_ELMO

Ice Storm wrote: »

I'm reading Far from the Madding Crowd.

I was interested in seeing the film but I wanted to read the book first. More often than not, I end up being critical of the film when I've read the book but I enjoy being a critic nonetheless!

Anyway, the book is turning out to be quite the slog! I'm finding it very dull and it's taking me much longer to read than I anticipated. I've started skimming through it at this stage just to finish it.

I previously read Tess of the d'Urbervilles and while it's not the most uplifting story (to say the least!) I enjoyed reading it so this is a bit of a disappointment.

I loved Far From The Madding Crowd. I'd go so far as to say it's one of my all time faves.

OakeyDokey

I finished Rebel Bell and the sequel to it Miss Mayhem by Rachel Hawkins. Rebel Belle was great but I was let down by Miss Mayhem. I also finished Eric (9th Discworld book) by Terry Pratchett. I'm really enjoying the series.

Leocolceathrar

Imperial Reckoning by Caroline Elkins.

Horrifying account of Britain´s gulag in Kenya.

ivytwine

pavb2 wrote: »

I've started the Name of the Rose by Umberto Eco I hope it picks up as it's quite slow moving at the moment.

That's a toughie. I found it a slog at times but the payoff was worth it.

eire4

Finished a re read of Morgan Llywelyn's 1916 her look at the Easter Rising.

Callan57

The Fires of Autumn by Iréne Némirovsky

Ice Storm

ivytwine wrote: »

That's a toughie. I found it a slog at times but the payoff was worth it.

It took me two attempts to read The Name of the Rose. The first time, I stopped reading at the unnecessarily long description of the church and didn't pick it up again. That was a library book and I had to return it unfinished.

A few years ago I got it on the kindle and that time I read it from start to finish. It was definitely worth it.

I've struggled with every Eco book I've read tbh. Some were more worth it than others!

Fathom

Game of Thrones.

Taboola

Mr Mercedes.

eire4

Finished a re read of Morgan Llywelyn's Pocket Book of Irish Rebels which is a handy little reference guide to some of Ireland's more important leaders going back as far as Thomas FitzGerald or Silken Thomas as he was know in the 16th century and as up to date as Sinn Fein leader Gerry Adams.

Belle E. Flops

I loved Anne of Green Gables, lovely story.

Now on David Copperfield by Dickens. Apparently it was his favourite out of all his work.

Kurtosis

Finished Brodeck's Report by Philippe Claudel today, a really excellent read with beautiful prose. That beauty is an interesting counterpoint for some of dreadful events of WWII that are described.

On to Murakami's Kafka on the Shore now.

Callan57

penguin88 wrote: »

Finished Brodeck's Report by Philippe Claudel today, a really excellent read with beautiful prose. That beauty is an interesting counterpoint for some of dreadful events of WWII that are described.

Agree, brilliant book - I'd also recommend Monsieur Linh and His Child by the same aurthor.

Tonight I'm starting The Anchoress by Robyn Cadwallader

Oliverdog

Just finished James Hannah's The A-Z of You and Me. Highly recommended - beautifully written, it may break your heart.

Aenaes

I finished The Rebel Outlaw: Josey Wales and it was enjoyable.

Now I'm reading The Third Man by Graham Greene. It's set in post-WWII Vienna, with the city divided into four sectors like Berlin. Unlike Berlin, it's not something you seem to hear/learn much about so it's a nice unusual setting.

Leocolceathrar

Garibaldi - by Lucy Riall.

This is a fantastic study of the making of a myth.

Well worth reading.

biZrb

I recently finished The Peculiar Life of a Lonely Postman by Denis Theriault, I absolutely loved it. Its about a postman who exchanges Haiku with a women. Theres a bit more to it, but the poetry was by far the best part of the book.

I'm currently reading Alone in Berlin by Hans Fallada, I see it on table in Waterstones, there was a lot of really good book on the same table so I figured picking another book that I hadn't read on that table would more than likely be a good read, glad to say that so far it is.

Callan57

biZrb wrote: »

I recently finished The Peculiar Life of a Lonely Postman by Denis Theriault, I absolutely loved it. Its about a postman who exchanges Haiku with a women. Theres a bit more to it, but the poetry was by far the best part of the book.

I'm currently reading Alone in Berlin by Hans Fallada, I see it on table in Waterstones, there was a lot of really good book on the same table so I figured picking another book that I hadn't read on that table would more than likely be a good read, glad to say that so far it is.

Superb read - enjoy

TICKLE_ME_ELMO

I've been reading Neverhome by Laird Hunt. Saw it get rave reviews when it was released. Have to say it's not really grabbing me yet.

Swiper the fox

I'm more than half way through Kate Atkinson's new book 'A God in ruins' which is a companion book o her previous excellent novel 'Life after life'. This one is not as good but still a very enjoyable and easy read.

giggii

Only getting back into reading after about six weeks or so of not getting around to it between work being hectic and moving house, it's like coming home to an old friend! :P

Read The Girl on The Train last week, tbh I was a little disappointed by it after hearing all of the hype, I found the characters to be a bit bland and the layout kind of gave the twist away before the grand reveal at the end. It was fine, but if you're looking for a whodunit there are a lot more compelling books. Which brings me onto my second book...

Read Sweetheart by Chelsea McCain in one night, couldn't put it down, and it's the main reason that [EMAIL="I@m"]I'm[/EMAIL] even more dependent on caffeine today at work. It's the second of the Gretchen Lowell series by McCain, and, having loved the first one, I was not disappointed by the sequel. They're silly and farfetched, but so compelling with twists and turns and it's very difficult to put it down. Think a gender-reversal of The Silence of the Lambs with very likeable characters and a bad guy that makes your skin crawl... It rounded off my relaxed bank holiday Monday very nicely anyway! :P

Next up is All My Puny Sorrows by Miriam Toews, I really like the premise and the reviews look good so [EMAIL="I@m"]I'm[/EMAIL] hoping that it will be an interesting read! I may go back to The Bone Clocks as well, but I just found it such a chore, it's my first book by Mitchell so I'm wondering if I just jumped off at the deep end and maybe there's a better introductory book by him...?

Callan57

This morning I started The Narrow Road to the Deep North by Richard Flanagan - finding it difficult to "get into" but that may be more my mood today rather than the book. I will perceive.

SarahBM

Finished Child 44 after spending about 4 weeks reading it. Stupid college work got in the way. Thoroughly enjoyed it.
I decided to go for a classic because I haven't read one in a while. So I picked The Secret Garden. I know its a "children's book" but I never read it and I remember loving the film as a child.
I will also be reading the Talented Mr Ripley for cinema book club. :-)

Aenaes

SarahBM wrote: »

I will also be reading the Talented Mr Ripley for cinema book club. :-)

That sounds like it would be a brilliant book. I've seen most/all of the film but never from start to end in one sitting. I never knew it was a novel.

Same with The Beach. I've seen it twice and stumbled upon the book a while ago so I have that to read. Stupid films ruining books for me.

I finished The Third Man. As always, Mr. Greene wrote it so I enjoyed it. I read on Wikipedia that it was written as a screenplay and released as a novella. It does have a screenplay feel to it but quite atmospheric.

I'm now reading A Falcon Flies by Wilbur Smith. He seems to excel at adventure thrillers with beautiful characters in exotic locations with lots of fighting/romance. They're pleasant enough to read and seem to be quite geographically/historically correct where it matters so that's pretty good.

eire4

Finished a re read of Morgan Llywelyn's 1921 about the War of Independance and Civil War.

Daisy78

Just started Tender by Belinda Mc Keon, wondering if it will live up to the hype.

TICKLE_ME_ELMO

TICKLE_ME_ELMO wrote: »

I've been reading Neverhome by Laird Hunt. Saw it get rave reviews when it was released. Have to say it's not really grabbing me yet.

Finished this today. Most disappointing book I've read in a while. It's about a woman who disguised herself as a man and went to fight in the US Civil War, which sounds like a great idea for a story but the writing is just so..... cold? If that's the right word? It reads like it's the first draft and just a basic outline of what will happen but the author never went back to flesh any of it out.