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This Week I are mostly reading (contd)

Sammy Jennings

...continued from this thread

A Good School by Richard Yates

Slight, but some great moments

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Hells Belle

Finished Sacrifice by Paul Finch, very good thriller/police procedural set in the UK. This is his 2nd book the first being Stalkers. I only paid 3 pounds for both on the Kindle.

I have A Storm of Swords on audio book, I like to listen to it when I'm cooking and about half way through. Really enjoying it.

I snatched a copy of MaddAdam from the librarian today, all shiny and new! It does recap the last 2 books but I'm a bit sketchy on The Year of the Flood so I'm going to reread the last few chapters.

I'll let ye know how I get on :-)

Callan57

Finished Dreams of Joy by Lisa See last night - set in China during the extraordinary period of Mao's Great Leaf Forward when mass delusion & starvation in pursuit of unattainable ends wiped out millions.

Next for me is Another Thing to Fall by Laura Lippman

a0ifee

reading I Am The Messenger by Markus Zusak. It's completely different to The Book Thief, but its brilliant in it's own way - what a fantastic writer

SarahBM

Well now that I have finally read the Hunger Games I can get back to the Count of Monte Cristo. But Im going to read Of Mice and Men over the wknd because I have to give it back to my friend

hairyprincess

A few recommendations, Into the Darkest Corner by Elizabeth Haynes - brilliant reading; one were the kids were neglected while reading!

From Me to You by Jojo Moyes - a serious tearjerker, again another case of kids being neglected! A truly lovely story.

What Have I Done by Amanda Prowse - a brilliant read. It put me through such a range of emotions. Finished abruptly though, and at 87% if I remember correctly, on the kindle.

She's Come Undone by Wally Lamb - another excellent read.

The Detectives Daughter by Lesley Thomson - I'm torn on this one, it's a book with a long build up, the way the story is going to unfold doesn't become clear until around 75%, up until that you are introduced to different characters with no sense where they are going to fit in. However the last 25% was very good, so if you can cope with a dragged out beginning and middle then the ending is worth it.

Oh and Michael McIntyres (the comedian) autobiography is hilarious; Life and Laughing: My Story.

SarahBM

I know of Mice and Men is a tiny book, but I am actually struggling.

I dont like it at all. Its so boring. Must persevere.

Aenaes

I'd urge you to try and stick with it. It's a pretty straightforward and simple story (yeah, themes and such can be found but let's leave that for LC students) and you have to remember it's not really meant to be action-packed. Those labourers were eking out a living during the Depression, basically working just to get their meals and I think the book tries to capture their boredom and lack of excitement.

Perhaps try and approach the book appreciating what they had to go through, it might help.

SarahBM

thanks I'll try. But after reading East of Eden, I didnt really look forward to this. Im going to try and finish it today.

MagicMarker

I'm nearing the end of A Song of Ice and Fire #2. It's definitely not as good as the first book, I think there's far too many characters tbh, I'm finding myself starting to skim now.

Callan57

Finished Another Thing to Fall by Laura Lippman .... it was ok but not as good as some of her other books.

Just picked up How Many Miles to Babylon by Jennifer Johnston

TICKLE_ME_ELMO

Callan57 wrote: »

Just picked up How Many Miles to Babylon by Jennifer Johnston

Maybe I'm just being sentimental because I did it for my leaving cert, but I love this book.

I am currently reading The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry. It's okay, I guess, but it seems like quite a short story padded out with lots of walking.

vitani

MagicMarker wrote: »

I'm nearing the end of A Song of Ice and Fire #2. It's definitely not as good as the first book, I think there's far too many characters tbh, I'm finding myself starting to skim now.

Wait until #4!

That's where I gave up the first time I tried the series. I managed it again a couple of years later, but yes, it goes from a novel with a nice, small number of characters, most of whom are in the one place to a giant, sprawling epic that's impossible to keep track of without the help of wikipedia.

Still a fantastic series though.

Swiper the fox

SarahBM wrote: »

thanks I'll try. But after reading East of Eden, I didnt really look forward to this. Im going to try and finish it today.

You don't like East of Eden OR Of Mice and Men?:eek: Tough lady to please!:p
Please tell me you like something Steinbeck has done, Grapes of Wrath?

I've just started on the new Roddy Doyle book, follow up to the Commitments, he has matured a lot as a writer since those early books but still has a great ear and pen for dialogue, very easy to read, shouldn't take long!

TICKLE_ME_ELMO

Swiper the fox wrote: »

You don't like East of Eden OR Of Mice and Men?:eek: Tough lady to please!:p
Please tell me you like something Steinbeck has done, Grapes of Wrath?

I love Steinbeck but I couldn't finish Grapes of Wrath.

Cannery Row and Sweet Thursday are good ones too. Not too much going on and reasonably short.

Swiper the fox

TICKLE_ME_ELMO wrote: »

I love Steinbeck but I couldn't finish Grapes of Wrath.

Cannery Row and Sweet Thursday are good ones too. Not too much going on and reasonably short.

Grapes of Wrath is my favourite book ever without a doubt, no book ever moved me as much as that.
Different strokes for different folks, I've disliked quite a few books that I've been recommended.

TICKLE_ME_ELMO

Swiper the fox wrote: »

Grapes of Wrath is my favourite book ever without a doubt, no book ever moved me as much as that.
Different strokes for different folks, I've disliked quite a few books that I've been recommended.

I just found it a bit of hard work. It's similar to East of Eden in that way but I found myself captivated by EofE in a way that I wasn't by Grapes. It's been a fair while since I tried to read it though. Must give it another go.

Belle E. Flops

I finished The Northern Lights this morning and I have to say I really enjoyed it. It was just pure escapism into another world.
I am going to continue on with the second book in the trilogy 'The Subtle Knife'.

Callan57

Finished the beautiful How Many Miles to Babylon - really loved it.

Now it's on to The Daughters of Mars by Thomas Keneally

mickoregan

The Son by Philipp Meyer. Wonderful book by an author I've only recently discovered. I read his first book, American Rust, which showed huge promise but didn't feel quite there. However, the new one is excellent.
A major talent.

SarahBM

LOVE His Dark Materials Trilogy. They are great.

I havent read grapes of wrath, I hated East of Eden and I havent picked up of mice and men since Sunday. Ergh. I just find Steinbeck so depressing.

Im not tough to please, I just like to be able to crack at least one smile when I read a book.

Nero707

I picked up a copy of Catcher in The Rye by JD Salinger. I haven't really been able to get into it though.

Jimmy Iovine

Nero707 wrote: »

I picked up a copy of Catcher in The Rye by JD Salinger. I haven't really been able to get into it though.

My dad bought it for me a few years ago. I got through it but I didn't particularly enjoy it.

vitani

^That's one of my favourite books! Maybe because I was a teenager when I read it first, I could identify with Holden's disgust at all the phoniness around him.

Gonzovision

I've just finished Imperium by Robert Harris and am going to read Fatherland before diving straight into the next Cicero book.

Ice Storm

vitani wrote: »

^That's one of my favourite books! Maybe because I was a teenager when I read it first, I could identify with Holden's disgust at all the phoniness around him.

Yeah, I loved it too. I do think that when in your life you read it makes a big difference. It's fairly short though so to anyone struggling, I'd say stick with it.

I loaned my copy to a friend who couldn't get into it and I never got it back. :mad:

Jimmy Iovine

vitani wrote: »

^That's one of my favourite books! Maybe because I was a teenager when I read it first, I could identify with Holden's disgust at all the phoniness around him.

Ice Storm wrote: »

Yeah, I loved it too. I do think that when in your life you read it makes a big difference. It's fairly short though so to anyone struggling, I'd say stick with it.

I loaned my copy to a friend who couldn't get into it and I never got it back. :mad:

My dad said it was one of the few books that he wouldn't be able to read now (now being when he gave it to me).

I was coming to the end of my teenage years, probably 18 or so, when I read it. Maybe if I read it three or more years before that I might have appreciated it more.

I just found Holden to be annoying and didn't care much for him.

I am glad that I read it though, even if I didn't really enjoy it.

Callan57

Gonzovision wrote: »

I've just finished Imperium by Robert Harris and am going to read Fatherland before diving straight into the next Cicero book.

I haven't read Imperium but Fatherland is an awesome read - enjoy

wilkie2006

Just started "The Spinning Heart" by Donal Ryan. It's one of the long-listed Booker Prize novels.

Broadly, it's about how the recession has affected a rural village in Ireland.

So far, I'm really enjoying the novel. I like how Ryan writes: he has a great capacity to capture very different characters' voices. Regarding the plot, it's really engaging, and very moving. I'd recommend it, although I'm glad the book's only 150-odd pages; I suspect that a novel treating this topic could becoming very, very dark unless it's kept in check.

Anyone else read it? What did you make of it?

Nero707

Jimmy Iovine wrote: »

My dad said it was one of the few books that he wouldn't be able to read now (now being when he gave it to me).

I was coming to the end of my teenage years, probably 18 or so, when I read it. Maybe if I read it three or more years before that I might have appreciated it more.

I just found Holden to be annoying and didn't care much for him.

I am glad that I read it though, even if I didn't really enjoy it.

I have to agree with you about Holden. I thought he was a bit of a moan-y b***h. Just couldn't really like him.

downonthefarm

gangland international.good owl read lots of interesting characters from prohibition era