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Post by lillielangtry on Jul 27, 2017 15:19:52 GMT -5
That's a shame. I had heard good things about the flaneuse book (though, don't know what those people were expecting exactly).
#49 A.S. Byatt, The Children's Book This was a reread. It's a very dense, complex novel based on the life of children's author E. Nesbit (who wrote The Railway Children). Other characters are also semi-based on real-life people around the early years of the 20th century, such as sculpture Eric Gill, who had a very murky private life. It's not always easy-going and there are a lot of characters to keep track of, but the end - let's say just it's 1919 and I was weeping.
#50 John Williams, Stoner I'd heard that this was a great book but I wasn't bothered about it really. Then it got chosen for book club. Wow, it's wonderful. On the surface it's a quiet read, about a man who does nothing spectacular with his life. But it is just so beautifully written. I loved it. And that's two books in a row that had me crying at the end.
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Post by scrubb on Jul 27, 2017 22:48:16 GMT -5
lillie - did you like "Possession"? I ask because I loooove EB Nesbit's children's books and want to read The CHildren's Book - but I am a bit put off the author because I didn't really enjoy Possession. I think I thought it was worth reading, but only just, and I got exasperated with it. So, if you loved Possession, I'll have that background for your feelings about this book.
Also, I really loved Stoner too. Yes, it made me cry. I just bought Butcher's Crossing by the same author and am looking forward to it. Also really liked Augustus, by him, but thought Stoner was the better book.
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Post by lillielangtry on Jul 27, 2017 23:35:59 GMT -5
I did enjoy Possession, yes (although I skipped the poems! Ha!). I tried something else of Byatt's which I did not enjoy and did not even finish, but I can't remember what it was now.
I can quite see that this wouldn't be to everyone's taste, it's both slow and quite difficult and her style... sometimes there are series of quite short sentences, other times there are sections of historical background inserted in. Nesbit the real author is mentioned a few times in these, separate from the character Olive who is based on Nesbit.
I suspect if you weren't into Possession you won't be into this either to be honest, but who knows - maybe your interest in the subject matter would make the difference.
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Post by scrubb on Jul 28, 2017 0:21:18 GMT -5
Thanks. I'll probably give it a try, but maybe I'll get it from the library.
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Post by tucano on Jul 28, 2017 2:47:40 GMT -5
'Walking The Americas'- Levison Wood. Wood is an ex-soldier who now makes his living doing long distance treks around the world and writing and broadcasting about them. This is the 3rd after the Nile and the Himalayas, following his trek from the coast of Mexico down through Central America and across the Darien Gap into Colombia.
He writes well and there are some interesting bits that didn't make it into the TV show. Found the bit about crossing the Darien with the help of local tribes and the permission of the military fascinating.
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Post by Webs on Jul 28, 2017 11:41:15 GMT -5
Scrubb - I read some of her stories in "The Djinn in the Nightingale's Eye" which were interesting. She also wrote "Angels & Insects" which was made into a movie with Mark Rylance.
I found a copy of "Shadow of the Wind" and I'll be reading that next.
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Post by Liiisa on Jul 28, 2017 19:19:36 GMT -5
lol, I also loved "Possession" but skipped the poems, which I thought were terrible. Haven't read anything else by her, though.
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Post by ozziegiraffe on Jul 29, 2017 8:00:40 GMT -5
I read Angels and Insects" some years ago, and wasn't particularly impressed at the time.
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Post by ozziegiraffe on Jul 30, 2017 3:12:53 GMT -5
Finished 3 books today, two audio and one paperback. 43. A Demon Summer, G M Malliet. This continues to be an excellent series, this time set in a convent, with a quite complex plot and interesting characters, both religious and secular. What I love about this series is the open view of spirituality expressed by characters who are clergy, even the bishop. These clergy are more in tune with many of the real life clergy I know, rather than the caricatures often presented in fiction. 44. Good Bones and Simple Murders, Margaret Atwood. A provocative collection of fictional essays. 45. The Tent, Margaret Atwood. Interesting set of fictional essays. I listened to the audiobook, so missed the author's illustrations. Atwood is always thought-provoking!
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Post by Queen on Aug 1, 2017 10:21:17 GMT -5
Posting today but finished in July... honest.
#30 Barchester Towers (Chronicles of Barsetshire #2) Anthony Trollope
More in the same line, family saga for Mr. Harding his daughters and their families. It's interesting that the women are relatively present in this one, and there are a couple of highly manipulative women characters one of whom is very strange. Felt quite emotional at the end, at Mr. Harding who finally wins what he deserves in a way - through being true to his faith. The book was published 160 years ago, impressively relevant in parts looking at the political machinations... in this case for church positions and including ideologies of the church which I don't entirely follow but the same stuff happens today.
#31 Weird Ideas that Work Robert I. Sutton
about leadership in a creative company and proposing ideas that go against conventional wisdom... full review elsewhere and the author just thanked me on twitter saying it was his favourite book.... Geek cred!
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Post by Queen on Aug 1, 2017 10:40:58 GMT -5
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Post by scrubb on Aug 2, 2017 23:44:56 GMT -5
My final July read was Ian McEwan's "First Love, Last Rights", a collection of short stories.
His writing is great, but the man has a very twisted imagination. I felt grossed out by the grotesque characters and situations, regardless of the talent exhibited in revealing them.
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