Boxall's 1001 Books You Must Read Before You Die discussion

I just started "The Count of MonteCristo" - I had it in my collection since JUNE but hesitated to pick up; now I'm hooked. I'm also intrigued by its author, Alexandre Dumas - he was a pretty interesting character.

The Accidental

Too soon to tell what I'll think of it yet...

I'm starting Nights at the Circus by Angela Carter

Mekki wrote: "I'm starting Nights at the Circus by Angela Carter"

I want to read some Angela Carter this year; she's an author I discover via this list that I really want to check out.

Just started "Nights at the Circus," by Angela Carter.

I just started Half of a Yellow Sun. So so good. 160 pages in and I'm riveted.

Lynecia wrote: "I just started "The Count of MonteCristo" - I had it in my collection since JUNE but hesitated to pick up; now I'm hooked. I'm also intrigued by its author, Alexandre Dumas - he was a pretty intere..."

Yup, did you know he's father was Haitian. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas-A...

Lynecia wrote: "Mekki wrote: "I'm starting Nights at the Circus by Angela Carter"

I want to read some Angela Carter this year; she's an author I discover via this list that I really w..."
Do try her.. This novel is pretty fun so far.

Mekki wrote: "Lynecia wrote: "I just started "The Count of MonteCristo" - I had it in my collection since JUNE but hesitated to pick up; now I'm hooked. I'm also intrigued by its author, Alexandre Dumas - he was..."

I did. I knew he was half French half Caribbean, but I didn't know which island Dumas' grandmother was from.

I'm starting The Unbearable Lightness of Being by Milan Kundera and still working on A Confederacy of Dunces by John Kennedy Toole.

I just started If On a Winter's Night A Traveler by Italo Calvino.

Started Platero and I. Not sure so far. Want to be a children's book. It's a quick read and short. Will see how it goes

I've recently started into Atonement, I'm rather nervous I'm not good with sad books!

Nights at the Circus


This is one that I have been looking forward to.

I have started these 3, in no particular order:

The Story of O-CAUTION-keep out of reach of children!

Tipping the Velvet-from what I've HEARD, ALSO keep out of the reach of children

The Kitchen House

Listening to a The Sense of an Ending. It was the audible deal of the day for 1.95. Not bad. About half way through

The Hour of the Star by Clarice Lispector.

I just started The Life of Insects by Victor Pelevin.

"The Golden Asse" ... it's really hard going ...!

Crime e Castigo of Fyodor Dostoyevsky

Started Last Days of Mankind by Karl Kraus. Found a free kindle version of the original German edition. Very strange so far, first because it's a play (there shouldn't be any plays on the list), and second because it's written in the way the characters would talk, in Austrian dialect of early 20th century. The author apparently claimed that all scenes really happened and he didn't make them up but reported them.

Fanny Hill, or Memoirs of a Woman of Pleasure by John Cleland

Saturday Night and Sunday Morning by Alan Sillitoe.

Kristin Lavransdatter

Started the first in the trilogy, The Wreath, this afternoon. Looking forward to it.

Ivanhoe on audio and The Jungle.

So Long a Letter

Nights at the Circus. I had to get this second hand on Ebay, so I am excited to finally be starting.

Edwin wrote: "
Nights at the Circus. I had to get this second hand on Ebay, so I am excited to finally be starting."

I'm reading this to right now. 50 pages in, I'm disappointed I shelled out the money and bought it. It just doesn't hold me for some reason.

The Razor's Edge by Somerset Maugham, which is also my first by him. A couple of pages in and already really liking it.

Starting Nights at the Circus by Angela Carter. Have not read a page, so hopefully today.

Danyellemastro wrote: "The Razor's Edge by Somerset Maugham, which is also my first by him. A couple of pages in and already really liking it."

I read this book a few years ago, and I LOVED it! Enjoy.

The Stranger by Albert Camus

I'm starting a Dashiell Hammett compliation which includes Red Harvest, The Maltese Falcon (Read), The Glass Key, and The Thin Man as well as The Dain Curse which is not on the list. I finished Sherlock Holmes recently and want some before bed novellas to curl up with. Hammett fits the bill nicely.

Just started Don Quixote by Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra. 58 pages in and I'm loving it! It's quite humorous. :)

Linda wrote: "Just started Don Quixote by Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra. 58 pages in and I'm loving it! It's quite humorous. :)"

Loved it!Hilarious..

Just started Foucault's Pendulum by Umberto Eco

Just started Dracula - Bram Stoker.

Underworld by DeLillo. I've read about 10% of the books. Some were jewels, some were torture. One I will never read is Ulysses. A joke goes "Anyone who says he has read Ulysses is James Joyce or a liar!"

Amadis of Gaul .... Gonna be a loooong read!

I have started White Teeth by Zadie Smith.

Ethan Fromme by Edith Wharton - a short one at 77 pages.

I started Waiting for the Barbarians by J.M. Coetzee last night and I'm enjoying the novel so far. It's my first Coetzee and I already think he's a wonderful author.

@Cindi - Guess my dad was James Joyce, then. :) He read it once when he was in the army in the 50s, and then again years later.

@ Samantha - Waiting for the Barbarians was one of my favorite reads in college.

Cindi wrote: "Underworld by DeLillo. I've read about 10% of the books. Some were jewels, some were torture. One I will never read is Ulysses. A joke goes "Anyone who says he has read Ulysses is James Joyce o..."

Haha Cindi - in my literature course we were assigned Ulysses and only one student finished the whole thing. We all accused him of being a liar. I managed about 1/4 before my head exploded and I gave in, however, I think it is a book I will sit down with when I am retired (in 45 years time) and try to get through then!

I did really enjoy Joyce's A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man

I have just started reading Gone with the Wind, I'm excited because I've heard so much about it.

Dracula by Bram Stoker. I read it like twenty + years ago.

The Savage Detectives by Roberto Bolaño.

A Maggot - John Fowles

A Maggot

Just started One Hundred Years of Solitude for the fourth time. I'm actually enjoying it so far this time though so hopefully I'll actually finish!

Animal Farm on audio.

I am now on to the Virgin Suicides by Jeffery Eugenides. I love the movie and am interested actually reading the book....plus I am a big fan of J.E's work.