A Book(s) Thread

[AGBF]

I've read 9 on the list. And a couple few of them I didn't care for at all, like The Bell Jar. The Lovely Bones I don't see as a classic...I'd've put A Separate Peace on there in place of that, personally.

The books on the list keep changing, packrat. A Separate Peace was on there at one point when I looked at the list, maybe even the time I took the quiz!

Deb

 

[AGBF]

AGBF, I'll tell you mine if you tell me yours. I've only read 11 of the books listed, but I'm okay with that. To be honest, I just don't care for most books that are considered classics. The majority of those from that list that I've read were way back in high school, over 20 years ago. I read them because I had to, but I don't think I got much out of them. There are exceptions, of course, and I did enjoy a few required books. I think it's interesting that a lot of required reading in high school these days are newer books by popular authors like Jodi Picoult. They're more relevant and kids can relate to the subject matter more.

I mentioned above that I got 36, Zoe. Many of the books I got "credit" for reading were Thackeray; Dickens; and Jane Austen. As I mentioned, I went to prep school and, way back then, it was pretty classical. I didn't have to study Greek and Latin although Latin was one of my options for a second a language. (Two foreign languages were required for high school graduation and I stupidly picked Spanish as my second after French. I have regretted it all my life.)

When we studied "English", we did not study the works of writers who wrote in the English language. We did not, for example, read Faulkner or Hemingway, let alone Norman Mailer. We read writers who wrote in England and in the British Isles. We read poetry by Drysdale and Swift and Pope and Matthew Arnold. We read the War Poets of World War I like Rupert Brooke and Wilfred Owen. And we read books like Vanity Fair. So I was not exposed to Crime and Punishment or War and Peace. They were not written by English men.

Deb/AGBF

 

[packrat]

I've read 9 on the list. And a couple few of them I didn't care for at all, like The Bell Jar. The Lovely Bones I don't see as a classic...I'd've put A Separate Peace on there in place of that, personally.

The books on the list keep changing, packrat. A Separate Peace was on there at one point when I looked at the list, maybe even the time I took the quiz!

Deb

Well crap, a changing quiz isn't fair! They should have A Wrinkle in Time on it too.

 

[MichelleCarmen]

Deb - I'm so glad you're enjoying my old friends, the Mitford books!

I scored a lowly 25 on the BBC quiz. In several cases I'd read other books by authors on the list - I think I should be allowed additional half-points for that! I've been addicted to lighter literature for many years now but I think trying to balance the many things demanding my attention had a lot to do with that. Now that my life is a bit less hectic and I have more time, I am starting to think about reading some weightier books, and maybe even re-visiting some of the authors I was introduced to in high school.

My score on the BBC quiz was only 27. There were some additional books that I had read part of but couldn't finish and some books that I had read twice. I guess I'd have a higher score if I could count those ones twice (and I didn't count the ones I didn't finish, except I counted one...I think I deserve one point for trying to make it through some REALLY boring novels. lol!)

 

[TooPatient]

I only scored 20 but we have over 50 of the books listed on our shelves waiting for me!

Great link!!

 

[Gypsy]

I've only read 16.

 

[violet3]

I only got 19 books on that list - a little embarrassing.

I just finished "The Interestings" by Meg Wolitzer, and I LOVED it!!! Highly recommend. I am now starting "The light between oceans" by M.L. Stedman.

 

[AGBF]

Thank you so much for posting more about your thoughts on the Mitford series, marymm. I actually bought the next three books in the series from Amazon and was waiting in a state of high excitation for them. (I had to grab just anything off my bookshelf to read after finishing the last book of the series that I had in my house and am, therefore, now reading a book called Murder and Marinara. My usual choice of reading materials tells you why I don't have a higher score on the BBC classics list!)

The last time I posted about my reading I had just finished the first three books of Jan Karon's "The Mitford Series". I am now reading the eighth book of nine and already feeling sad that the series is going to send soon. (Murder and Marinara is going to have a sequel, by the way, but it hasn't been published yet. It was cute. It is a "comfortable" read for those of you who like that kind of murder mystery.) I am now reading Shepherds Abiding, which has a Christmas theme, and I love it. After this I plan to go on to The Woman in White and Crime and Punishment. I just talked to my husband about the latter book. He didn't like it at all and for some interesting reasons, so I look forward to reading it so that we can discuss it. Maybe I can discuss it with some of you who have read it, too. Sort of like the old days of our book club when we read The Moonstone and The Help.

AGBF

 

[Gypsy]

I actually REALLY liked Crime and Punishment. It's very... psychological. I think you'll like it Deb.

No spoilers but:
You won't like the character... and it's told from within his mind. But you aren't SUPPOSED to like him either. And you have to consider him an unreliable narrator. It's very cool. IMO, anyway.

 

[missy]

I actually REALLY liked Crime and Punishment. It's very... psychological. I think you'll like it Deb.

No spoilers but:
You won't like the character... and it's told from within his mind. But you aren't SUPPOSED to like him either. And you have to consider him an unreliable narrator. It's very cool. IMO, anyway.

Gypsy I agree-great book. I LOVED it.

 

[violet3]

I loved "the light between oceans" by M.L. Stedman - what a heartbreakingly beautiful book. It was such an incredible story, but more than that, the writing and scenery were just beautiful.

I also just finished "me before you," by Jojo Moyes - I liked it, but I didn't love it like first book I mentioned. It was a good, quick read and an interesting story - I'd try another of her novels.

I have just started two books that I'm really excited about. The first is "Unbroken," by Laura Hillenbrand. It's a novel based on the true story of the life of Louie Zamperini, a soldier who is stranded alone on a raft during World War II, and his struggle to survive. The second is "the secret history," by Donna Tartt.

I am off to see Divergent this weekend and I'm super excited about it!!!

 

[AGBF]

I actually REALLY liked Crime and Punishment. It's very... psychological. I think you'll like it Deb.

No spoilers but:
You won't like the character... and it's told from within his mind. But you aren't SUPPOSED to like him either. And you have to consider him an unreliable narrator. It's very cool. IMO, anyway.

Gypsy I agree-great book. I LOVED it.

Thanks, missy and Gypsy. My husband is an intellectual and his objection, which I do not recall completely since I have not yet read the book and only know a little about the plot so far, did not have to do with whether the protagonist was likeable. It had something to do with how Catholicism was represented.

Deb

 

[rosetta]

I've read 70 books on the BBC list, most of them are the modern ones. I didn't coming the bible as I haven't read it cover to cover.

I would recommend the time traveller's wife, cloud atlas, atonement, the kite runner, possession, life of pi, captain corelli's mandolin and cold comfort farm.

From the classics, my favourites are sense and sensibility, war and piece, of mice and men and Anna karenina. I also enjoyed the great gatsby, little women and to kill a mockingbird, all read in school.

I'm currently reading another book by Khaled Hosseini named And the mountains echoed, which I don't think is as strong as his previous work. I would recommend another of his books A thousand splendid suns over this one.

Now that I have a list, I'll try to read the other 30!

 

[rosetta]

I forgot to say, I was so glad to find A town like Alice on the list. I think Neville Shute is underrated these days. I loved On the beach.

I also forgot to recommend Rebecca and The Handmaid's Tale.

My mother would catch me reading the back of cereal boxes as a child. Nothing makes me happier than curling up with a good book.

 

[missy]

So I cannot believe this but I read 59 books on the list. Thank you Deb for posting the link.
http://www.listchallenges.com/kaunismina-bbc-6-books-challenge

I say I cannot believe it and almost feel like a fraud because I haven't been reading nearly as much in the last decade as I had before that so most of the books I read were from my younger years. I have started reading again (as it provides such a marvelous escape which I so need right now) and will choose some from the BBC list that appeal to me I have not yet read. Thanks again Deb for the information.

 

[VRBeauty]

The last time I posted about my reading I had just finished the first three books of Jan Karon's "The Mitford Series". I am now reading the eighth book of nine and already feeling sad that the series is going to send soon... After this I plan to go on to The Woman in White and Crime and Punishment. I just talked to my husband about the latter book. He didn't like it at all and for some interesting reasons, so I look forward to reading it so that we can discuss it. Maybe I can discuss it with some of you who have read it, too. Sort of like the old days of our book club when we read The Moonstone and The Help.

AGBF

Never fear!
There are two "Father Tim" books yet to read, (one of which I really enjoyed ) and... Jan Karon recently signed on to write two more Mitford books!

http://bigstory.ap.org/article/jan-karon-writing-new-mitford-novel.

There's plenty of time to read Crime and Punishment before the first is due to be published, however.

Do I even need to mention that I just pre-ordered my copy of the new Mitford novel from Amazon?

 

[AGBF]

The last time I posted about my reading I had just finished the first three books of Jan Karon's "The Mitford Series". I am now reading the eighth book of nine and already feeling sad that the series is going to send soon... After this I plan to go on to The Woman in White and Crime and Punishment. I just talked to my husband about the latter book. He didn't like it at all and for some interesting reasons, so I look forward to reading it so that we can discuss it. Maybe I can discuss it with some of you who have read it, too. Sort of like the old days of our book club when we read The Moonstone and The Help.

Never fear!
There are two "Father Tim" books yet to read, (one of which I really enjoyed ) and... Jan Karon recently signed on to write two more Mitford books!

http://bigstory.ap.org/article/jan-karon-writing-new-mitford-novel.

There's plenty of time to read Crime and Punishment before the first is due to be published, however.

Do I even need to mention that I just pre-ordered my copy of the new Mitford novel from Amazon?

Wow. I truly cannot believe this. I honestly thought that her "no" was written in stone. I felt about The Mitford Series the way I felt about the series written by Vince Flynn when I found out, recently, that he had died. (Except that I did not have to mourn Jan Karon.) This gives me a whole new lease on life!!!

Deb

PS-I hadn't planned on reading non-Mitford Series Father Tim books. Which one did you like?

 

[VRBeauty]

Deb: Home to Holly Springs is actually a nice finish to the Mitford series (or I guess to Part I of the Mitford series) and definitely worth reading. In the Company of Others was pleasant enough, but more of an aside than an adjunct to the series. I rarely dislike well-written books and I didn't dislike this one, but for me it didn't carry the same Mitford gravitas as Home to Holly Springs and if I had to choose one of the books to skip, it would be this one.

 

[aviastar]

I have a new one I want to add to this thread, The Book of Lost Things, by John Connelly. It was powerful, beautiful, heartbreaking, and hopeful. A story of childhood and childhood ending, but not a story for children. Connelly uses the ur--tales and tips them on their heads to explore archetypes, fear, the grievous process of growing up, loss, triumph, love...it's a deceptively complex novel.

I absolutely loved it.

 

[blackprophet]

I forgot to say, I was so glad to find A town like Alice on the list. I think Neville Shute is underrated these days. I loved On the beach.

I also forgot to recommend Rebecca and The Handmaid's Tale.

My mother would catch me reading the back of cereal boxes as a child. Nothing makes me happier than curling up with a good book.

The Handmaids tail is an excelent book. Margaret Atwood is brilliant. The Year of the Flood has recently Skyrocketed up my to read list recently.

 

[AGBF]

I just finished reading Jan Karon's Mitford series. It was amazing. While reading it I also squeezed in Lee Child's Never Go Back featuring his protagonist, Jack Reacher, because it finally came out in paperback and it was automatically mailed to me. I still intend to read the books I mentioned above, but ordered them from Amazon and won't pay for shipping, so am now reading things I already have in the house. Of course I could have gone to the library, but having made the commitment to buy, I am sticking with it. (I figure that owning Crime and Punishment is probably worth the investment. I am sure I will want to look things up in it from time to time. Especially for a woman who buys Lee Child books.) Don't even talk to me about a kindle. [Did anyone read the article in, "The New Yorker" about the book by the professor who is trying to make a case that there was human sacrifice by the Greeks on the Acropolis because of writing found on papyrus used on mummies? What if that papyrus had never been found? Not that I think her case has any merit. But the find of the writing itself was miraculous!]

At any rate, I am now reading Fannie Flagg's Daisy Fay and The Miracle Man. I never read anything by her before and I think she is simply wonderful! I remember seeing her on quiz shows when I was young; she she was a pretty comedienne/actress. I had no idea she was such a wonderful writer. She really has great wit; I find myself laughing out loud!

Here is a link to an article about the papyrus...http://nypost.com/2014/01/26/the-secret-history-of-the-parthenon/

Deb/AGBF

 

[zoebartlett]

I just picked up Keep Quiet, Lisa Scottoline's new book. It's an interesting story about a teenage boy and his dad who cover up a car accident that killed a classmate of the boy's. Her books are fairly quick, easy reads, which is right up my alley, and I've never been disappointed by her books.

 

[AGBF]

I also forgot to recommend Rebecca and The Handmaid's Tale.

The Handmaids tail is an excelent book. Margaret Atwood is brilliant.

For some reason I was was put off when I considered reading The Handmaid's Tale and now I do not recall why. I have a vague recollection of feeling there was some anti-feminist sentiment in the book and that that had annoyed me. You two are making me want to read more about it. Does anyone have any idea what I might have read based on what he knows about the book?

Deb/AGBF

 

[VRBeauty]

I love visiting the library! Yesterday's haul:

Accused by Lisa Scottoline. It's a return to her Benni Rosato storyline - Yay!
The Quirky Charms of Others - the next (for me) book in Alexander McCall Smith's Isabel Dalhousie series.
The Dry Gardening Handbook - Plants and Practices for a Changing Climate by Olivier Filippi, because I live in the draughty Central Valley!

I returned The Knitting Circle by Ann Hood. How to characterize this book - loss and redemption chick lit? The main character is a woman who lost her young daughter to an unexpected and devastatingly fast illness, who finds her way out of all-consuming grief with the help of a knitting circle. She finds that each knitter in the circle has her own story of struggle or loss. I put it in the chick lit category not only because it revolves around women, but also because the ancillary stories are a bit pat at times. However, the primary story reflected the author's own loss of her young daughter and rang very true. On the whole, I found this a satisfying book. I'm also looking forward to reading a collection of essays on knitting, written by a bunch of writers, that Ann Hood recently curated.

Also on deck - Stitches, an Handbook on Meaning, Hope, and Repair, by Anne Lamott.

 

[zoebartlett]

VR, Accused is a good book. I was really glad that Scottoline (finally) wrote another book in the Rosato & Associates series.

 

[VRBeauty]

I also forgot to recommend Rebecca and The Handmaid's Tale.

The Handmaids tail is an excelent book. Margaret Atwood is brilliant.

For some reason I was was put off when I considered reading The Handmaid's Tale and now I do not recall why. I have a vague recollection of feeling there was some anti-feminist sentiment in the book and that that had annoyed me. You two are making me want to read more about it. Does anyone have any idea what I might have read based on what he knows about the book?

Deb/AGBF

I had the same reaction. I actually found it repellant - and I don't recall, now, whether it was the story itself, the way it was told, or just that I didn't think it live up to the hype... or maybe the real reason was more personal than that? In any event, I haven't read a book by Margaret Atwood since.

 

[blackprophet]

I also forgot to recommend Rebecca and The Handmaid's Tale.

The Handmaids tail is an excelent book. Margaret Atwood is brilliant.

For some reason I was was put off when I considered reading The Handmaid's Tale and now I do not recall why. I have a vague recollection of feeling there was some anti-feminist sentiment in the book and that that had annoyed me. You two are making me want to read more about it. Does anyone have any idea what I might have read based on what he knows about the book?

Deb/AGBF

I had the same reaction. I actually found it repellant - and I don't recall, now, whether it was the story itself, the way it was told, or just that I didn't think it live up to the hype... or maybe the real reason was more personal than that? In any event, I haven't read a book by Margaret Atwood since.

There is definately a anti-feminist sentiment in the book, but that is only the setting of the stage for the story. It is dystopian fiction. I don't think I can say more without giving away the story line, but I love dystopian fiction, so I liked this book. If you do read it, I would say make sure you read all the way to the end.

VR her other books (the ones that I have read or know about at least) are nothing like this. Might be worth checking out.

 

[AGBF]

I also forgot to recommend Rebecca and The Handmaid's Tale.

The Handmaids tail is an excelent book. Margaret Atwood is brilliant.

For some reason I was was put off when I considered reading The Handmaid's Tale and now I do not recall why. I have a vague recollection of feeling there was some anti-feminist sentiment in the book and that that had annoyed me. You two are making me want to read more about it. Does anyone have any idea what I might have read based on what he knows about the book?

I had the same reaction. I actually found it repellant - and I don't recall, now, whether it was the story itself, the way it was told, or just that I didn't think it live up to the hype... or maybe the real reason was more personal than that? In any event, I haven't read a book by Margaret Atwood since.

Since VRBeauty and I have the same taste in reading material, if she found it repellent, chances are that I would, too...and I would prefer not to do things that repel me with my time.

AGBF

 

[VRBeauty]

VR her other books (the ones that I have read or know about at least) are nothing like this. Might be worth checking out.

I'll keep that in mind, bp!

 

[Gypsy]

I just read a bunch of good books in a row:

Fantasy (all different sub-genres):

Among Thieves: A Tale of the Kin by Douglas Hulick Genre: Fantasy *
Sea of Shadows: Age of Legends by Kelley Armstrong Genre: Teen Fantasy (but very adult and unexpectedly dark for a teen story). *
Human Tales: Anthology Genre: Fantasy *
Dragon Path Series: Daniel Abraham Genre: Epic Fantasy *
Dying is My Business: Nickolas Kaufman Genre: Urban Fantasy
Generation V: ML Brennan Genre: Urban Fantasy
Blood Song: Anthony Ryan Genre: Fantasy *

Romance:

With Me series by Kristen Proby (first one is free on amazon) *
London Steampunk series Bec McMaster

* are the ones I really liked