Constant Reader discussion

A new month ... and my TBR stacks continue to grow higher. Life is good. Still reading The Son, but it will have to wait this morning until the Sunday newspapers are read.

I am going to begin reading The Husband's Secret for another book group discussion and continue listening to Me Before You which I already read for a challenge on my Kindle.

Finished Claire of the Sea Light by Edwidge Danticat. So many lives, so many intertwining stories creating love, heartbreak, and tragedy in a seaside Haitian town, Ville Rose.

Gina wrote: "Finished Claire of the Sea Light by Edwidge Danticat. So many lives, so many intertwining stories creating love, heartbreak, and tragedy in a seaside Haitian town, Ville Rose."

I read a brief interview with Danticat recently that made me want to read this title. It sounds like environmental issues form part of the heartbreak.

Conversation with my husband:

Me: The novel I'm reading just turned tragic, but there was no hint from the tone that it was going to be a tragic novel, so I wasn't expecting it.
Him: So you're unhappy?
Me: Well, no, I guess I'm happy. It's very compelling.

Funny though. You usually know from the start if a novel has the capacity for tragedy.

Gina wrote: "Finished Claire of the Sea Light by Edwidge Danticat. So many lives, so many intertwining stories creating love, heartbreak, and tragedy in a seaside Haitian town, Ville Rose."

I added this to my wishlist a couple of days ago--sounds really good.

I'm re-reading Sense and Sensibility. It's my favorite Austen. Then I'm going to read Life after Life. Really looking forward to it!

Finished A Good Hard Look tonight. It's one of those flawed novels that feels more alive than some of the unflawed ones.

Perhaps because I didn't get any time off this summer, I'm closing it out with two books set at the site of many childhood vacations: Cape Cod.

I just finished That Old Cape Magic. The third book of Russo's that I've read, and the least compelling, but still enjoyable. His main character is kind of a downer, and some scenes were silly, though not funny. But who can't recognize the adult moment of recognizing just how much impact one's parents have had, one way or another, on one's way of approaching the world?

I just started The Big House: A Century in the Life of an American Summer Home. The opening made me feel right at home, though I'm not sure how he's going to get a full book out of the "history" of his family's summer home. Still, it was a National Book Award finalist....

Beth wrote: "I'm re-reading Sense and Sensibility. It's my favorite Austen. Then I'm going to read Life after Life. Really looking forward to it!"

Yes, Sense and Sensibility is the most explicit about the economic side of life, I think, and the way women are constrained by that in terms of who they can love.

Mary Ellen wrote: "Perhaps because I didn't get any time off this summer, I'm closing it out with two books set at the site of many childhood vacations: Cape Cod.

I just finished That Old Cape Magic. The third boo..."

I've read a lot of Russo. However, I was disappointed in That Old Cape Magic.

House of Illusions, onr of Pauline Gedge's ancient Egyptian novels.

Reading the book Things Fall Apart yet again (can't remember the ending and always end up rereading it). After that, its on to Doc by Mary Doria Russell unless I get sidetracked.

Not about what I'm reading (The Infatuations), but a blog by Mary Doria Russell regarding her sequel to Doc.

Larry, I think it was you that mentioned the sequel a while back, Epitaph. Here is a blog post by MDR regarding same. I got a kick out of it, and thought many here might as well. http://www.marydoriarussell.net/2013/...

Getting around to rereadingFar from the Madding Crowd. It is still a good book, after all these years. I finally finishedThe Charterhouse of Parma, it was an okay read for me. I was a little bored by Fabrizio's escapades after a while.

Ruth wrote: "Mary Ellen wrote: "Perhaps because I didn't get any time off this summer, I'm closing it out with two books set at the site of many childhood vacations: Cape Cod.

I just finished That Old Cape Ma..."

I thought Russo was brilliant with Nobody's Fool and Empire Falls, but I didn't think That Old Cape Magic was very good.

Shawn wrote: "Reading the book Things Fall Apart yet again (can't remember the ending and always end up rereading it). After that, its on to Doc by Mary Doria Russell unless I get sidetracked."

What a sad story.

Gins wrote

I thought Russo was brilliant with Nobody's Fool and Empire Falls, but I didn't think That Old Cape Magic was very good.

Exactly.

Cateline wrote: "Not about what I'm reading (The Infatuations), but a blog by Mary Doria Russell regarding her sequel to Doc.

Larry, I think it was you that mentioned the sequel a while back, Epitaph. Here is a..."

Thanks, Cateline. Yeah, I did mention her and this sequel to Doc. Sherry and I have been following the progress of that sequel because MDR is a Facebook friend for each of us, but she hadn't posted anything nearly as detailed as her blog entry here.

Well, I've started BRIGHTON ROCK by Graham Greene and THE LADIES' PARADISE by Emile Zola.

The Deer in the Mirror by Cary Holladay and In an Uncharted Country by Cliff Garstang.

I have just started War & Peace with one GR group - I am behind so need to catch up this week. Then next week I also need to start Of Human Bondage for another group read. I don't usually alternate between two big fiction books so this should be interesting.

Susan wrote: "I have just started War & Peace with one GR group - I am behind so need to catch up this week. Then next week I also need to start Of Human Bondage for another group read. I don't usually alternate..."

That's a reading handful! or brainful, maybe.

Kat wrote: "Beth wrote: "I'm re-reading Sense and Sensibility. It's my favorite Austen. Then I'm going to read Life after Life. Really looking forward to it!"

Yes, Sense and Sensibility is the most explicit a..."

I never thought about it that way--that's a great point!

Ruth wrote: "Gins wrote

I thought Russo was brilliant with Nobody's Fool and Empire Falls, but I didn't think That Old Cape Magic was very good.

Exactly."

Gina wrote: "Ruth wrote: "Mary Ellen wrote: "Perhaps because I didn't get any time off this summer, I'm closing it out with two books set at the site of many childhood vacations: Cape Cod.

I just finished Tha..."


As I recall, The Risk Pool was pretty good also.

Oddie wrote: "I'm starting Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte."

Oddie, congratulations on finishing War and Peace. I remember you posted when you began it and now you have completed it. Do you think you might post a review?

I read War and Peace when I was in college but never seem to have the same long stretches of time I had back then to read The Big Ones.

You have my admiration.

Best from
Portia

this is an interesting look back at the 1930's, 40's, and 50's ----Mad Men fans would like this book!

Zorro wrote: " this is an interesting look back at the 1930's, 40's, and 50's ----Mad Men fans would like this book!"

Have pity on those who can't read those teeny covers.

That said, I love the stories of John Cheever. What graceful writing.

am following the sisterhood series and i find it to be very fast of a read.

I am reading Life After Life with two groups. What a fortunate timing!

I just finished Deadlockedand have started Dead Ever After. Finally getting round to finishing the Sookie Stackhouse stories.

Hoping that Charlaine Harris writes some more Aurora Teagarden stories!

Kgwhitehurst wrote: "Well, I've started BRIGHTON ROCK by Graham Greene and THE LADIES' PARADISE by Emile Zola."

I reread this not long ago and it's still fairly fresh in my mind, so if you want to discuss when you're done start a thread!

I'm reading The Round Houseby Erdrich right now. I love her books. This is for my neighborhood book club.

Anne wrote: "I'm reading The Round Houseby Erdrich right now. I love her books. This is for my neighborhood book club."

We discussed that here, recently, Anne. I really liked it. http://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/1...

Received my copy of Strategos - Born in the Borderlands and started it. Like it so far.

I finished Philipp Meyer's The Son this week. It's a great American novel. It tells the story of Eli, a 13-year boy taken captive by Comanches, after they kill his mother, sister and other brother. He becomes a Comanche warrior himself until his particular band is devastated by disease. He becomes a Texas ranger and a Confederate colonel before going on to become one of the largest ranchers in Texas and a wealthy oilman. But the book is more than that. It is also the story of Eli's son and great-granddaughter and Meyer is equally skillful in telling their story as he jumps back and forth between these generations. The other character is the land. People die for the land and they kill for the land, whether they are Comanches, white Texans, or Mexicans.

One reviewer pointed out that he was at first annoyed that Meyer kept on cutting away from telling Eli's story to tell the story of his son and great-granddaughter but quickly became caught up in their tales also. I had the same reaction. It's not a happy book, but it is a amazingly well-written book of great power and it will change you.

Larry wrote: "I finished Philipp Meyer's The Son this week. It's a great American novel. It tells the story of Eli, a 13-year boy taken captive by Comanches, after they kill his mother, sister and other brother...."

Thanks for that review. I've been considering this one and now I think it has to go to the top of the list!

Larry wrote: "I finished Philipp Meyer's The Son this week. It's a great American novel. It tells the story of Eli, a 13-year boy taken captive by Comanches, after they kill his mother, sister and other brother...."

You've really caught my interest Larry, thanks! :) The way you describe the generational bits and the fact that the land is a character in itself...it sounds, in a way, that the land might be the center of the story.

DonnaR wrote: Thanks for that review. I've been considering this one and now I think it has to go to the top of the list!

I looked at about ten reviews of this book as I read it ... all except one had the most complimentary reviews possible. And then a few minutes ago, I looked at Philipp Meyer's one webiste, http://www.philippmeyer.net/


It's natural for an author to capture favorable comments, but the number of favorable comments and blurbs are just amazing. You get comments like this from Kate Atkinson, whose own style is quite removed from Meyer's: "One word—stunning. The Son stands fair to hold its own in the canon of Great American Novels. A book that for once really does deserve to be called a masterpiece." And the comments just go on and on.

So, anyway, I'm starting Meyer's first novel,

American Rust today.

Thanks, Larry! It's going right on my to read list.

Larry wrote: "I finished Philipp Meyer's The Son this week. It's a great American novel. It tells the story of Eli, a 13-year boy taken captive by Comanches, after they kill his mother, sister and other brother...."

It sounds like a good book for discussion. Somebody remember to nominate it next time that rolls around.

Reading Herzog!

Reading All That Is by James Salter. Moderately boring.

I've been keeping a list of what I've read since 1994 in a spreadsheet. American Rust is the 1,000th book in that list ... I know that I've forgotten to add some books over the years, but it's still fairly complete. The most striking thing to me about the list is how well I remember some books (even some in the mid-1990s) and how little memory I have of some fairly recent books. It's not always the best books that are memorable, although that is a significant factor. I think that it's a combination of great (or bad) writing combined with what's going on in my own life as I'm reading a particular book that causes these books to be remembered or forgotten. In the case of Philipp Meyer's The Son (my 999th book) and his American Rust (my 1,000th book), I think that his sharply drawn characters will be one of the major reasons that I remember these books for a long, long time.

In terms of fiction, I've just finished 1Q84and am about to start The Accursed.

Poetry-wise, I'm reading and dipping into Countdown

Larry wrote: "I think that it's a combination of great (or bad) writing combined with what's going on in my own life as I'm reading a particular book that causes these books to be remembered or forgotten."

This is true for me. In fact, I would go so far as to say that this is what determines whether a book is influential in my life--whether it changes my perspective in some way. I think reading is a much more dialectical process than we often assume.

Kat wrote: "Larry wrote: "I think that it's a combination of great (or bad) writing combined with what's going on in my own life as I'm reading a particular book that causes these books to be remembered or for..."

I agree with you, Kat, and add that we bring our own perspective to our reading, often much more than we realize. This group's recent discussion of The Painted Veil is an excellent example.

Portia wrote: "Kat wrote: "Larry wrote: "I think that it's a combination of great (or bad) writing combined with what's going on in my own life as I'm reading a particular book that causes these books to be remem..."

Interesting. I'll have to read that--I didn't join in, as it's been several years since I read the novel.

Larry wrote: "I've been keeping a list of what I've read since 1994 in a spreadsheet. American Rust is the 1,000th book in that list ... I know that I've forgotten to add some books over the years, but it's stil..."

That's quite an accomplishment to keep your spreadsheet that long and to know that you've read your 1000th book. I really enjoyed American Rust - gritty story of two young men growing up in the steel companies' meltdown. I'm so anxious to read The Son. Hopefully, it will get nominated for 2014.

Gina wrote: " I really enjoyed American Rust - gritty story of two young men growing up in the steel companies' meltdown. ..."

I just finished it. He paints such a picture of desolation and yet manages to end the book with some hope. I guess it's just the ability of the main characters to endure. I hope that Meyer has a long and successful writing career. To start it with these two published novels sets the bar very high for himself. One very hopeful sign is that as good as American Rust is, I think that The Son is even better.