Now reading...

[kinuta]

[Misterioso]

[kinuta]

[Brad]

[kinuta]

[ghost of miles]

On 11/15/2019 at 2:15 PM, medjuck said:

Probably the 3rd or 4th time I've read The Big Sleep but this is really good.   Every facing page is reserved for annotations some of which are mini essays, almost all are interesting.  Maybe it will even explain who killed Owen Taylor. 

Gonna have to get that!

Among other things right now, two books about ECM:

[BillF]

On 11/16/2019 at 4:00 PM, John Tapscott said:

Would you recommend it, John?

[ejp626]

I just wrapped up Manguel's The Library at Night.

I haven't decided if I will read the follow-up Packing My Library, where he discusses having to leave his beloved personal book collection (35,000 volumes!) and move to a small apartment in Manhattan.  (I have to wonder if maybe there is a place between the two extremes...)

At any rate, reading The Book of Eve by Constance Beresford-Howe about an older woman getting fed up and leaving her husband of 40+ years.

That's a bit of a theme right now, as I also plan on reading Sandra Beck by John Lavery.

Then probably I'll be tackling Rushdie's last 3 novels, and then a huge box of books that I need to read (and get out of the house in preparation for spring cleaning...).

[Brad]

On 11/20/2019 at 8:34 AM, Brad said:

I’ve added this to the front of the line for a book club I belong to. It’s more of an academic book and a bit too dry so far.

 

Edited November 24, 2019 by Brad

[kinuta]

The last one in the excellent Bell Elkins series.

There are one or two novellas left to wrap things up.

[John Tapscott]

On 11/24/2019 at 3:05 AM, BillF said:

Would you recommend it, John?

Oh yes, highly recommended, Bill. I am reading it slowly and treasuring it. I am up to about 1944, when Buddy was discharged after a very controversial stint in the U.S. Armed Forces (he actually wanted to serve overseas and they wouldn't let him; of course, his famous temper finally landed him in solitary confinement before a medical discharge), and rejoined Tommy Dorsey (at least briefly). Rich's story is compelling (his relationship with Sinatra is detailed) and the coverage of the swing era is quite fascinating.     

Edited November 25, 2019 by John Tapscott

[BillF]

4 hours ago, John Tapscott said:

Oh yes, highly recommended, Bill. I am reading it slowly and treasuring it. I am up to about 1944, when Buddy was discharged after a very controversial stint in the U.S. Armed Forces (he actually wanted to serve overseas and they wouldn't let him; of course, his famous temper finally landed him in solitary confinement before a medical discharge), and rejoined Tommy Dorsey (at least briefly). Rich's story is compelling (his relationship with Sinatra is detailed) and the coverage of the swing era is quite fascinating.     

Thanks John.

[ghost of miles]

On 11/15/2019 at 2:15 PM, medjuck said:

Probably the 3rd or 4th time I've read The Big Sleep but this is really good.   Every facing page is reserved for annotations some of which are mini essays, almost all are interesting.  Maybe it will even explain who killed Owen Taylor. 

Just started this last night, thanks to you!

[medjuck]

4 hours ago, ghost of miles said:

Just started this last night, thanks to you!

Reading it again I think I do know who killed Owen Taylor. 

[jlhoots]

Elizabeth Strout: Olive, Again

[kinuta]

[jlhoots]

1 hour ago, kinuta said:

Is this as good as Bluebird, Bluebird?

[kinuta]

8 hours ago, jlhoots said:

Is this as good as Bluebird, Bluebird?

 Up to now it's better. I've only read the first fifty pages but can say without doubt that you should read it.

[jlhoots]

On 11/28/2019 at 0:23 AM, kinuta said:

 Up to now it's better. I've only read the first fifty pages but can say without doubt that you should read it.

ordered!

[David Ayers]

Anyone who knows Philip Pullman: would I be able to follow the new one without knowledge of previous books?

 

No spoilers please! 

[kinuta]

[ejp626]

3 hours ago, David Ayers said:

Anyone who knows Philip Pullman: would I be able to follow the new one without knowledge of previous books?

 

No spoilers please! 

I'm not 100% sure (because I haven't started the new book but read a general review), but I think it would be hard to get into this "world" without at least some knowledge about how the daemons work for example (they are similar but not exactly the same as a witch's familiar).  I would recommend reading The Golden Compass at least, if not the whole trilogy.

[David Ayers]

8 hours ago, ejp626 said:

I'm not 100% sure (because I haven't started the new book but read a general review), but I think it would be hard to get into this "world" without at least some knowledge about how the daemons work for example (they are similar but not exactly the same as a witch's familiar).  I would recommend reading The Golden Compass at least, if not the whole trilogy.

Noted! Thank you. 

[ejp626]

Really not enjoying Lavery's Sandra Beck.  It's a bit too postmodern for my taste and there is an unpleasant Lolita-like undercurrent to many of the scenes (and because it is postmodern I don't know if these will ultimately be important to the plot, such as it is, or if they could have been dropped).  I haven't decided if I am going to push pause or eject on this one, but I'll decide in the next 25 pages.

I decided to tackle Rushdie's late novels next, so I'll launch into Two Years Eight Months and Twenty-Eight Nights shortly.

[Brad]

I’m having a bit of a tough time getting into this, which I didn’t expect since I enjoyed Pride and Prejudice, and Sense and Sensibility.