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

Linda wrote: "J_BlueFlower wrote: "Started Gone with the Wind yesterday."

Oh my goodness, I read this book for the first time this year and it immediately went into my favorites pile. I absolutely ..."

I am stating to look forward to disliking Scarlett the next 900+ pages. She is such a character, but realistic at the same time. And the best thing is that the book is not just about her. The black slaves that scorn and look down on the poor white,.... the feeling of the civil war just hanging there about to start....

three at a time. Justine, What Maise Knew and Robinson Crusoe

I began J.D. Salinger's Franny & Zooey a few days ago. Looking forward to reading it.

Moby Dick by Herman Melville. I have been meaning to read this for such a long time.

Starting The Big Sleep by Raymond Chandler.

The Talented Mr Ripley by Patricia Highsmith. Another book that has had to sit around far too long waiting for me to notice it.

just starting Dracula... very excited about this one!

Kate wrote: "Starting The Moonstone by Wilkie Collins."

Love that book!

Nikki wrote: "just starting Dracula... very excited about this one!"

I have an excellent edition - an audiobook narrated by Alan Cumming and Tim Curry!

I just started The Virgin Suicides by Jeffrey Eugenides.

Linda wrote: "I just started The Virgin Suicides by Jeffrey Eugenides."

I liked that one.

The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath (audiobook read by Maggie Gyllenhal)

Like Water for Chocolate

by Émile Zola

I just started Lolita by Vladimir Nabokov. I'm listening to the audio version read by Jeremy Irons.

Faceless killers. I'm enjoying it so far.

I have just started Far from the Madding Crowd by Thomas Hardy and I am thoroughly enjoying it. I was daunted by the size of the book as at the moment I don't have big chunks of time to spend reading. However, the shorter chapters make it really easy to pick up and put down, which is great for reading on public transport.

The Cubs and Other Stories. Also reading it as the December book for Around the World in Books!

The Sense of An Ending - Julian Barnes

So I put down Glamorama because I just couldn't get into it. At all. It was getting to the point that I was skimming it and not getting anything out of it so I strayed from the 1001 list to read some other things and I've picked up Lady Chatterley's Lover by D.H. Lawrence. I love his writing so I am sure to enjoy this one.

The Robber Bride and The Wings of the Dove. Two very different books. One is my 'bath book' the other I'm listening to on audio.

Sandokan: The Pirates of Malaysia... It's difficult going on reading without singing the theme of the Italian tv show XDDD

Our Mutual Friend by

Luís wrote: "Kate wrote: "Our Mutual Friend by "

Looking forward for this one."

I love ending the year and bringing in the new one reading Dickens. I plan on reading more of his books in the upcoming year.

Kate wrote: "Luís wrote: "Kate wrote: "Our Mutual Friend by "

Looking forward for this one."

I love ending the year and bringing in the new one reading Dickens..."

I love it. I read it a few months ago when I wanted something solid but probably enjoyable to sink my teeth in to. I had read nearly all of his work bar this one.

I started to read Kiss of the Spider Woman by Manuel Puig couple days ago.

It has been okay so far. Not the greatest thing I ever read, but not the worst thing either.

Lord of the Flies - I've always been a bit nervous about tackling this book.

Luís wrote: "Nicola wrote: "Lord of the Flies - I've always been a bit nervous about tackling this book."

It seems a bit like "Captains of the Sand" of Jorge Amado."

No idea what that one is like.

I am about a fifth through The Three Musketeers as of right now. I tried to read it about five years ago and stopped way before this. I don't know if my reading has matured or what, but it is much easier to understand this time around and far more entertaining than I anticipated given the antiquated language.

I just started The Turn of the Screw on audio. This might be the perfect format for it, actually. It's my first Henry James, but I haven't noticed a single distracting comma yet ;)

I'm just about to start Embers.

Luís wrote: "Nicola wrote: "Luís wrote: "Nicola wrote: "Lord of the Flies - I've always been a bit nervous about tackling this book."

It seems a bit like "Captains of the Sand" of Jorge Amado."
..."

Pass :-) Lord of the Flies is quite traumatizing enough. I'm having to listen to it in short chunks.

A Clockwork Orange by Anthony Burgess

The Scarlet Letter - this apparently incredibly famous book was so far off my radar that I didn't even know of its existence until a year or so ago when I started seriously working through the list and joining in this group. I think it's probably an 'american' book and not considered relevant in the way that books like To Kill a Mockingbird and The Adventures of Tom Sawyer and other such books are. Otherwise I just can't understand how I've never heard it referenced in my common culture in the same way as books like that are.

So far I'm enjoying it although the excessive puritanism does grate.

Nicola wrote: "The Scarlet Letter - this apparently incredibly famous book was so far off my radar that I didn't even know of its existence until a year or so ago when I started seriously working thr..."

That one was required reading for me in high school, so it's been 25 years since I've read it. It's probably one I should reread in order to check it off the list.

I just started and am almost done with Troubling Love by Elena Ferrante. I loved the Neapolitan Tetralogy so I had high hopes for this one. It's mostly held up. It's a lot of fun. I needed something enjoyable after Blood and Guts in High School, which I abhorred.

Have just started Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas - looks to be quite a ride

I am reading The Shining by Stephen King.

Kirin wrote: "Started Remembrance of Things Past, 2 Vols. Hoping to finish it by the end of this year."

Good luck! That one will be nice to get checked off the list.

I started The Black Dahlia.

I am working on Go Tell it on the Mountain by James Baldwin. It seems to be a good story so far.

Dangerous Liaisons and Brave New World. Both seem excellent so far :-)

Just started 'A Tale of Two Cities', my third Dickens so far. Looking forward to it!

In am in the middle of the audio book version of The End of the Affair. I am enjoying the way that Graham Greene gradually ekes out the story of the affair. Perversely, it is a bit reminiscent of Lolita, with a similar bitter, self centered and obsessed narrator.

Just started Dictionary of the Khazars: A Lexicon Novel in 100,000 Words last night. Really enjoying it.

Kirin wrote: "Thanks! I've had the book on my shelf for over a decade. I figured I should read it now or else I would never get to it."

I need to plan ahead for that one. Perhaps 2017 will be the year. I'll be curious how you progress! :)

A Suitable Boy--this is going to take awhile!

Nowdays I like reading books which were written by Turkish people. And nowdays I love reading poems mostly.

Oranges Are Not the Only Fruit by Jeanette Winterson

Jean wrote: "I started The Black Dahlia."

I have also just started it, is one of the book of the month's in one of the other Goodread books, I belong to and, so far it seems to be brilliant. Also have just started Rickshaw Boy as I try and have two different books on the go, reading the one depending on which mood I am in. This one is also a good read.

In Cold Blood byTruman Capote.

Jim