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[quote=snailmale]Ploughing through Ulysses, James Joyce. Parts of it are almost incomprehensible(to me, anyway), but other sections really take my interest. Not a book for anyone with a short attention span.[/quote]
I read it years ago, but found it mostly incomprehensible also, but I stuck with it, and took a couple of months to finish it. I won't be reading it again until at least 2092.
I have just finished reading Jennifer Worth 'Shadows of The Workhouse'. I am mulling over a story set in a workhouse and thought that this might start me off with some research. However, I find really that it was just the basis of the stories in the 'Call the Midwife' series on BBC. No doubt the stories are of true events but I having seen the programme I would have to think long and hard about where my story might go. Drat!
At the moment I seem to be on the murder/mystery/crime road. No wonder I can't sleep at night.
I keep promising myself that I will re read the classics that we were force fed at school because I might appreciate them more now. I have taken 'Northanger Abbey' out of the library, and returned it having only read about four chapters. Sorry Jane.
Best wishes Norma
Am reading Murakami's 1Q84. Really formal writing style (probably a by-product of the translation) and very heavy on exposition, but there are enough intriguing and unanswered details to keep me hooked. Which is good, as I'm on book 1 of 3!
Has anyone else read it? What did they think of the action v exposition balance? (spoiler free please!)
This week I'll be reading a variety of things (I hope) as I have a week off lectures and seminars to dedicate to my reading and assignments.
So I'll be beginning with Dickens's Great Expectations, then Stevenson's Doctor Jekyll and Mr Hyde and I'm hoping by the end of the week I'll be on Virginia Woolf's To the Lighthouse.
Depending on how well I go depends if I get onto Sarah Water's Affinity or not...but we'll see.
Have now reached page 597 of Ulysses. 337 pages to go. My first post on this was Oct 3, and I'm running out of supplies.
"Everybody knows now that Ulysses is the greatest novel of the century."
Either this is a work of incredible genius or the biggest 'con' in literary history. I decline to offer an opinion, as I will either be branded a Philistine or a literary snob, both of which probably apply
Foreign Fruit by Jo Jo Moyes. It was a slow start as I thought there were two many characters but I stuck at it and glad I did, I am nearing the end and I can't put it down.
Struggling to read To the Lighthouse by Virginia Woolf. I'll doubt I'll finish it. But I do need to read Affinity by Sarah Waters for next week. I'm quite behind on my reading.
I really enjoyed Affinity when I listened to it on audio disc a few years ago Piper, hope you do too, you'll have to let me know what you thought of it.
I've nearly finished Before I Go To Sleep and I have really enjoyed it. There's the odd bit I think that's jarred with me for some reason but overall I've found the gradual revelations throughout it gripping and I can't wait to finish it and for everything to be revealed (I hope it does all get revealed or it's going to be a very frustrating ending!)
'The women who slept for a year' by Sue Townsend- Funny with lots of lol moments, quirky and very pacey but it broke all the laws. Weird cliff hanger ending with lots of unfinished story threads. I was very dissapointed.
I'm reading The Short Second Life Of Bree Tanner by Stephenie Meyer.
I never find the whole vampire thing convincing but I love the gothic or steam punk or contemporary dystopian atmosphere (depending on author's treatment). For me, nobody can ever top Anne Rice's Interview With A Vampire which was breathtaking (Ha! fortuitous pun intended).
However, I am enjoying Meyer's writing style and getting into the character of Bree, so I shall be able to finish it.
[quote=pbw]I never find the whole vampire thing convincing but I love the gothic or steam punk or contemporary dystopian atmosphere (depending on author's treatment). For me, nobody can ever top Anne Rice's Interview With A Vampire which was breathtaking (Ha! fortuitous pun intended).[/quote]
Aside from Bram Stoker's original Dracula story, plus the related films made until about the 1970s, the concept of vampires - and especially the modern "Buffy" type, and so on - does nothing for me, to the extent that if I see a book in Waterstones that looks like it might be good, then discover it's about vampires, I simply ignore it.
As for me, I've just finished "Bright Lights and Long Nights" by Les Pringle. I think it's time for me to re-read the Harry Potter books.
I'm trying to finish Bree Tanner but got waylaid by The Dark Heroine (more vampires) written by a local author, Abigail Gibbs, who did a book signing in town recently.
[quote=Emma B]I doubt I will ever read Ulysses myself, I think I'd be going bonkers after 4 months with it. How long do you think it'll take to read the rest?[/quote]
Less than 50 pages left.
this last 60 page section doesn't contain as much as a comma in the way of punctuation no break indicating the end of sentences or paragraphs although every few pages the text will end abruptley
and a new thought process is started on the next line like this
An ideal style for anyone with punctuation or apostrophe problems.
[quote=kado]The Colorado Kid - Stephen King.[/quote]
That's the only Stephen King I've ever finished and I only read it as I was watching Haven and was curious as the series is based on it. Really enjoyed it too.
I have now finished reading 'Ulysses', which has occupied my late evening reading spot since September.
*Everybody knows now that Ulysses is the greatest novel of the (20th)century.* (Anthony Burgess, Observer.)
Deep down inside, Anthony, I'm not totally convinced of that, but hesitate to admit it for fear of being branded a Philistine by the intellectual and literary elite.
It was...unusual, and at least I have my life back now.
[quote=Neph]That's the only Stephen King I've ever finished and I only read it as I was watching Haven and was curious as the series is based on it. Really enjoyed it too.
[/quote]
It is only the third King for me after 11.22.63 and On Writing. Im about half-way through and still not sure where its going.
I'm on "A Feast for Crows", the fourth of George R R Martin's Song of Ice and Fire series. Hope to be finished the five by the time series 3 of Game of Thrones starts in March.
I've just finished reading The New Sherlock Holmes by Anthony Horowitz. A surprising end. He is a brilliant writer. His Horror Shorts (books not pants) for children are clever especially The Phone goes dead. It will give your child nightmares if read at bedtimes.
Just started Susan Hill's The Woman in Black. Can't get a fix on the era: the narrative voice sounds Victorian, but there's a reference to that as being in the past. It's only 200 pages long, so shouldn't take many days to finish.
Obsessive Compulsive Cycling Disorder by Dave Barter.
This is a self-published paperback, a collection of articles which have previously been published in specialist cycling magazines. I have a great deal of similar writing of my own, club magazine articles, club dinner speeches containing material that can be developed further, and even a few blogs. And I have the advantage of being a more entertaining writer than Dave Barter, he said , modestly. This could be a project for 2013.
(My one resolution for 2013 is to eschew false modesty. :D)
I've bought and downloaded quite a few books onto my e-reader, so I'll be working my way through them.
Looking forward to reading The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern.
[quote=Carol]The House of Silk is very good, Stan.
[/quote]
I agree, Carol. I enjoyed reading that too.
I finished The Dark Heroine, the debut vampire novel by Abigail Gibbs, (Harper Voyager). There are some editing issues (in my humble opinion) but the author's talent shines through and the atmosphere in the big mansion is just great. I enjoyed it.
Comments
Surely that ain't a cause for pessimism?
I read it years ago, but found it mostly incomprehensible also, but I stuck with it, and took a couple of months to finish it. I won't be reading it again until at least 2092.
At the moment I seem to be on the murder/mystery/crime road. No wonder I can't sleep at night.
I keep promising myself that I will re read the classics that we were force fed at school because I might appreciate them more now. I have taken 'Northanger Abbey' out of the library, and returned it having only read about four chapters. Sorry Jane.
Best wishes Norma
Surely that ain't a cause for pessimism? [/quote]
He might have been more cheerful with a wife! :rolleyes:
Has anyone else read it? What did they think of the action v exposition balance? (spoiler free please!)
So I'll be beginning with Dickens's Great Expectations, then Stevenson's Doctor Jekyll and Mr Hyde and I'm hoping by the end of the week I'll be on Virginia Woolf's To the Lighthouse.
Depending on how well I go depends if I get onto Sarah Water's Affinity or not...but we'll see.
"Everybody knows now that Ulysses is the greatest novel of the century."
Either this is a work of incredible genius or the biggest 'con' in literary history. I decline to offer an opinion, as I will either be branded a Philistine or a literary snob, both of which probably apply
What?!
You're still battling on with it?
I look forward to a very informative Amazon review - with plot summary of course.
I've nearly finished Before I Go To Sleep and I have really enjoyed it. There's the odd bit I think that's jarred with me for some reason but overall I've found the gradual revelations throughout it gripping and I can't wait to finish it and for everything to be revealed (I hope it does all get revealed or it's going to be a very frustrating ending!)
On Saturday this reading experience will have spanned four months...
I doubt I will ever read Ulysses myself, I think I'd be going bonkers after 4 months with it. How long do you think it'll take to read the rest?
I just finished the third game of thrones book and onto the fourth. Been about half a year but I'm getting there!
I never find the whole vampire thing convincing but I love the gothic or steam punk or contemporary dystopian atmosphere (depending on author's treatment). For me, nobody can ever top Anne Rice's Interview With A Vampire which was breathtaking (Ha! fortuitous pun intended).
However, I am enjoying Meyer's writing style and getting into the character of Bree, so I shall be able to finish it.
Aside from Bram Stoker's original Dracula story, plus the related films made until about the 1970s, the concept of vampires - and especially the modern "Buffy" type, and so on - does nothing for me, to the extent that if I see a book in Waterstones that looks like it might be good, then discover it's about vampires, I simply ignore it.
As for me, I've just finished "Bright Lights and Long Nights" by Les Pringle. I think it's time for me to re-read the Harry Potter books.
Less than 50 pages left.
this last 60 page section doesn't contain as much as a comma in the way of punctuation no break indicating the end of sentences or paragraphs although every few pages the text will end abruptley
and a new thought process is started on the next line like this
An ideal style for anyone with punctuation or apostrophe problems.
That's the only Stephen King I've ever finished and I only read it as I was watching Haven and was curious as the series is based on it. Really enjoyed it too.
*Everybody knows now that Ulysses is the greatest novel of the (20th)century.* (Anthony Burgess, Observer.)
Deep down inside, Anthony, I'm not totally convinced of that, but hesitate to admit it for fear of being branded a Philistine by the intellectual and literary elite.
It was...unusual, and at least I have my life back now.
I do think from now on you should sport a badge which says: 'I read Ulysses (right to the end).'
[/quote]
It is only the third King for me after 11.22.63 and On Writing. Im about half-way through and still not sure where its going.
Very impressed. Also, that you said what you thought. Bugger the intellectuals is what i say - a book should be enjoyable on some level.
I couldn't be bothered, myself.
My son has to read it though, for his uni course.
I'm begining to agree with you, Neph.
Just started Mansfield Park for my traditional Christmas read.
This is a self-published paperback, a collection of articles which have previously been published in specialist cycling magazines. I have a great deal of similar writing of my own, club magazine articles, club dinner speeches containing material that can be developed further, and even a few blogs. And I have the advantage of being a more entertaining writer than Dave Barter, he said , modestly. This could be a project for 2013.
(My one resolution for 2013 is to eschew false modesty. :D)
I've bought and downloaded quite a few books onto my e-reader, so I'll be working my way through them.
Looking forward to reading The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern.
[/quote]
I agree, Carol. I enjoyed reading that too.
I finished The Dark Heroine, the debut vampire novel by Abigail Gibbs, (Harper Voyager). There are some editing issues (in my humble opinion) but the author's talent shines through and the atmosphere in the big mansion is just great. I enjoyed it.