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What are you reading now?

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  • Hello, SueReader. Welcome to TB.

    I was in the middle of Tale of Two Cities before Christmas, around chapter 27 I think, but haven't had time/been sidetracked onto other reading since then. I haven't even reached the 'Foulon, he who told the people they can eat grass' section yet, one of my favourites, illustrating the rhythm of the mob. I've always loved Dickens as a master craftsman.

    Meanwhile I finished The Hunger Games, the only YA trilogy I've got on the go that I've finished. Wretchedly, part 3 was painfully slow, and I certainly wouldn't have given it hte same ending as Suzanne Collins did.

    Currently reading Daily Rituals by Mason Currey: tips and anecdotes of famous artists writers on their work habits and what helped them to put in the hours.
  • Enjoying Life After Life - original structure!
  • On Monday I listened to Richard Burton - lovely Welsh accent - reading Under Milk Wood. Then I read a book about Dylan Thomas. Since then I have been reading the Darling Buds of May series. I have read the first two. I saw them on the TV.
  • Currently reading The Cider House Rules by John Irving. I've read a few of Irving's other offerings and my initial impression is that this one will not disappoint.
  • I'm just starting The Detective's Daughter by Lesley Thomson. It's started well and I think it's going to be a good read.
  • On Monday I listened to Richard Burton - lovely Welsh accent - reading Under Milk Wood. Then I read a book about Dylan Thomas. Since then I have been reading the Darling Buds of May series. I have read the first two. I saw them on the TV.
    I am on the last chapter of those books, Stan! We obviously have similar tastes.

  • The Day of the Triffids- so far so good.

    And I'm also listening to 'Life After Life' by Kate Atkinson. Heard some really good things about it but not sure what to make yet. It's interesting and I love the language but that may in part be due to very good narration.
  • Gosh, Emma - i remember reading that years ago and being scared silly. Excellent story - as were the author's other books. John Wyndham? Or have I got that wrong? Old age, you know!
  • You're not wrong, Lizy. The Day of the Triffids was one of his scarier books... although come to think of it... there were quite a few others...

    I'm currently dipping in and out of an old Granta I picked up in a charity shop. We used to subscribe to Granta - might start again once we have a permanent address again.
  • What is Granta?
  • What is Granta?
    It's a literary magazine.

  • I used to subscribe to Granta years ago, but found it scarily literary.
  • edited June 2014
    Yes, bit scary sometimes, Mrs Bear - but it usually contains wonderful inspirational writing too. And as it's a quarterly mag, I had time to slowly absorb the content! :)
  • I've been re-reading "Great Expectations" in order to do a study guide on it. Such a clever writer, Mr Dickens!
  • I would love to have work in Granta Claudia. So many of my favourite writers have been featured
  • Oof - one of my Holy Grails, Emma! [-O<
  • Memoir written by a 'local'. I've put aside the magazine pile - can't get excited by them at them moment. I'm hoping this book will be a diversion and kick me back into reviewing.
  • Just waiting (impatiently) for the OH to finish AA Gill is Away so that I can read it... :-w
  • Memoir has been dismissed. Discovered it was 'co-written' by an established ghostwriter. The thrill (expressed by friends) that someone they knew had written such a wonderful book has been tainted a little.

    Back to my pile of 'review' books.
  • edited October 2014
    I've just finished A Man of Parts by David Lodge; a well written story on the life, lusts and death of H.G.Wells.
    I'm currently in the middle of three others:
    How We'd Talk If the English had Won in 1066 - D.Cowley;
    Mother Tongue - Bill Bryson;
    The Hero with a Thousand Faces - Joseph Campbell.
    D.Cowley's book is a qwemely read, or a pleasing read, post conquest. Much of the book is lists of words and their modern equivalent, therefore is not as absorbing as Bryson's book, which is less specific in it's focus on the language.
    I initially nodded-off a couple of times, literally, when getting into Campbell's book on the classic hero story, possibly due to his indirect writing style, peppered with litotes which I didn't fail to find, to some not inconsiderable degree, infuriating. However, it's still an interesting read. The nodding-off could also be due to lack of sleep, but that's another story.
  • Greetings from a new old bird!

    Current reading - well, as usual I have two books on the go, one for downstairs and one to read in bed. The former is 'The Love Song of Miss Queenie Hennessey' by Rachel Joyce, the follow-up to her Harold Fry novel, which I enjoyed so much, and this sequel hasn't disappointed at all. And my night time reading is 'How To Be Good' by Nick Hornby, the first I've read by him and so far, so good.
    I wonder, has anyone been reading the modern takes on Jane Austen, the one by Joanna Trollope, or Val MacDermid? I have read the first, and didn't think much of it, and have the next two to go, so hope for better things.
    I'd be interested in others thoughts though.
  • edited October 2014
    I've not read either of those modern takes on Austen, do they take the same plot as existing Austen books and re-write them?
  • I'm not reading them either, leave the classics alone.
  • I'm about to start The Witches of Eastwick (John Updike). Seen the film dozens of times, read the screenplay. Must read the original.
  • Rereading ‘Daemonic’ by Stephen Laws, one of my favourites :)
  • Just started 'The Alchemist' in case I missed something. Not sure how I never found time before.
  • I pre-ordered Stephen King's new book, Revival. It arrived today so I'm looking forward to getting stuck in!
  • Writing Scary Scenes (writers craft) - Rayne Hall.
    Nursing's Spookiest Ghost Stories: Hauntings - Ralph M Betters.
  • I'm reading The Half-Life of Hannah which I downloaded onto my kindle a long, long time ago. I've got so much to get through. I'm not recommending it... yet. I'll see if the best has been saved until last.
  • Finished Gone Girl and don't really recommend it. V. disappointing.

    Reading The Paying Guests by Sarah Walters and it is fab.
  • edited November 2014
    I enjoyed Gone Girl, Liz.
    I also read Sharp Things and Dark Places by Gillian Flynn. I think they were both better than Gone Girl, but both unsettling reads as far as I can remember!
  • C2C2
    edited November 2014
    Dark Places sounds good, will go and have a look at that. The lovely
    thing about a Kindle ( and I love a creepy story) you can flick the lights off and read in the dark. The weather is perfect for effect at the moment 8-X

    Edited to add
    Strong reviews for that book, at £3.99 worth a punt.
  • I wanted one of them at least to be good, Nell.
  • edited November 2014
    Apparently, the film's good, Liz. I haven't seen it - and don't want to as I don't like watching films from books.

    Maro, hope you enjoy it. They are both good, one better than the other but I can't remember which. My reviews are on Amazon, but probably buried beneath the hundreds of others!
  • edited November 2014
    I've been reading on my ipad short stories by Czech writer Franz Kafka (1883–1924). An interesting writer though his stories are strange, even weird. I bought a rather grubby second hand copy of his short stories while on holiday about three ago in Jaywick in Essex. The print was too small for me so I looked on the internet for eBook or Kindle versions. At times he is similar to Chekov whose short stories I enjoy reading. Chekov is an acquired taste.
    'Metamorphosis' ( Kafka ) was, absolutely, clever, when I read it in the sixties. If I remember, rightly, the ending didn't match though. I'm, currently, avoiding my library books; Anthony Riches's 'Fortress of Spears', 'Northern Renaissance Art' by Susie Nash' and a SCALA publication titled 'From Gothic to Renaissance' BUT I bought Elizabeth David's 'French Country Cooking', and 'French Provincial Cooking', recently, which are cosy reads for this time of year.
    By the way, Stan, I enjoyed a visit to the Constable exhibition at the V&A. I was in there for three hours, which more than made up for ten, unhappy minutes at the R.A. Manet last year.

  • I just bought "The Appearance of Truth" by Rosemary J Kind from Alfie Dog
    Library books - not yet started "Miss Minchin Dies" by Betty Rowland and
    J K Rowling - "The Casual Vacancy".
    Charity shop buy Neville Shute " Requiem for a Wren".
    Just finished " A week in Paris" by Rachel Hore, I really liked all her books.
    Just informed my husband I will be on planet book for awhile.

  • LOVE Neville Shute read all his as a child. Loathed the Casual Vacancy, none of the characters had anything to recommend them at all... will be interested to know if you enjoy it, opinion seems divided. I liked her detective story though written under a pseudonym.
  • LOVE Neville Shute read all his as a child.
    I have been reading again books I used to enjoy. I loved Neville Shute and had not read "Requiem for a Wren".
    Also like R F Delderfield and recently reread "Dreaming Suburbia "The Avenue goes to War".
    Also I bought "Angel Pavement" by J.B. Priestley
    I will let you know think of "The Casual Vacancy"
  • Thanks! I also loved R F Delderfield, but think he might 'age' more than Neville Shute, somehow - Shute wrote some books way ahead of his time, there's at least one that deals with time travel and one magical realism I think...
  • I loved R F Delderfield years and years ago - similar writer was Howard Spring.
  • 'Angel Pavement' - lovely book.The Dersinghams at dinner chapter - hilarious.
  • Clive James - Brmm Brmm. He's a wonderfully witty writer.
  • Oooh, yes, Howard Spring!
  • Here's my review of The Half-Life of Hannah (Nick Alexander):

    https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1110255692
  • Spotted To Kill A Mocking Bird in a charity shop and bought it because I've never read it! (Feel slightly embarrassed by that admission - considering it's one of my all time favourite films?)
  • My all time fave book - but have never seen the film as I can't bear to have my pictures of this particular book spoiled.
  • Spotted To Kill A Mocking Bird in a charity shop and bought it because I've never read it! (Feel slightly embarrassed by that admission - considering it's one of my all time favourite films?)
    I am just about to read it, too. Always on my list, never got round to it.
    My all time fave book - but have never seen the film
    as I can't bear to have my pictures of this particular book spoiled.
    am avoiding it until I have read it.

  • edited November 2014
    The film had a huge impact on me many years ago and I'm thoroughly enjoying the book so far, because I can 'see' the characters. The fact that I saw the film a long time ago might be a help as I can't remember the minutiae.
  • Oops wrong thread, sorry.
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