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

Just finished The Good Soldier. I hated it. I never use the word hate either haha. It got good reviews but definitely missed something on this one.

I finished Jhumpa Lahiri's 'The Namesake'. I enjoyed it a lot, it was very 'readable' to use one of the quotes from the blurb. (Although I feel there's something vaguely patronising about the word :/).

Thanks Erika, appreciate your input.I will give it another go when I get round to Mrs Dalloway

Just finished Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? (Blade Runner #1)by Philip K. Dick. `I had a love/hate relationship with it.

Rachel wrote: "Just finished Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? (Blade Runner #1)by Philip K. Dick. `I had a love/hate relationship with it."

I had seen this book, but didn't realize the movie Blade Runner was an adaptation from it. Now I'm even more interested.

Casino Royale by Ian Fleming. Bond's character was more human than he is in the movies. The story line was shorter than I expected, but it did moved along.

Just finished the Quiet American - Graham Greene. Was really into this book and trotted along quite quickly.

Finished Los de abajo. It was okay, but I didn't like the characters much.

The Yellow Wallpaper by Charlotte Perkins Gilman. Might I suggest that people put the year of the edition of the Boxall that they are using. I know that since I am using the original edition several books have been cut from that to make way for others. (2006)

Finished White Teeth by Zadie Smith yesterday evening. Found it really surreal reading it immediately after Midnight's Children, as it is so clearly indebted to the earlier work.

Angelique wrote: Might I suggest that people put the year of the edition of the Boxall that they are using. I know that since I am using the original edition seve..."

I actually have combined all the lists and select what to read from the combined list - I think quite a few people do this too.

I just finished Quartet by Jean Rhys and Kreutzer Sonata by Leo Tolstoy. I really really liked Quartet but I don't know did I like Kreutzer Sonata or not...

Read kreutzer sonata last year. Though I sort of liked the plot. I found reading it painful

Just finished Atonement by Ian McEwan. This book has brought up a lot of emotions especially with Briony Tallis. She annoys and frustrates me. I'm still digesting the book.

Mandy wrote:
I actually have combined a..."

I have a list like that as well. :) I just seen "that is not on the list" a few too many times. I plan on trying to read all the lists combined but sticking mainly to the 2006 list first.

"Pippi Longstocking". I only liked her monkey, Mr. Nilsson. Pippi is an exhibitionist and an illiterate anarchist. She's supposed to represent freedom and creativity but she resents anyone who doesn't pay total attention to her. Ugh.

So Long a Letter, short but powerful.

Pereira Declares: A Testimony by Antonio Tabucchi. I read this book in one day and it was interesting. I liked the story but I don't know how much I liked his style.

Jonpaul wrote: ""Pippi Longstocking". I only liked her monkey, Mr. Nilsson. Pippi is an exhibitionist and an illiterate anarchist. She's supposed to represent freedom and creativity but she resents anyone who does..."

I liked this book a lot when I was a kid, but it hasn't held up well over time for me either.

The last list book I read was The Waves. The writing was amazing, but I could barely follow what each of the characters were up to. I much preferred Mrs. Dalloway.

Just finished up "Perfume" by Patrick Suskind. I loved it. Grenouille though, never genuinely disliked a villain so much. Good job Suskind

Fall on your knees & The home at the end of the world

I just read The Vice Consul by Marguerite Duras. I didn't hate it but I just didn't... get it.

Mia wrote: "I just read The Vice Consul by Marguerite Duras. I didn't hate it but I just didn't... get it."

That's how I felt about all three of her list books.

Sandi wrote: "Mia wrote: "I just read The Vice Consul by Marguerite Duras. I didn't hate it but I just didn't... get it."

That's how I felt about all three of her list books."

I've read the other two too. The Lover was good but I didn't really like The Ravishing of Lol Stein.

The Unconsoled
Very strange book, but I appreciated the flow of Ishiguro's writing and that he dared to do something unique. It did start to drive me crazy how Mr. Ryder would travel and travel, only to find himself in the next room!

Reading both A Confederacy of Dunces and Carry on, Jeeves. Ones lunacy and the next is silly antics; enjoying both for different reasons.

Just finished Jazz by Toni Morrison. I'm not a huge fan of Beloved or the Bluest Eye, so I was pleasantly surprised to like this as much as I did.

The Turn of the Screw - I have really enjoyed Henry James in the past, but this time I thought the overly complicated writing kept bringing the suspenseful story to a screeching halt. It's hard to have a page turner when you have to keep going back and re-reading sentences to get their meaning.

I just finished At the Mountains of Madness. I was underwhelmed but I can see why it is on the list. It probably was something new and unique when it was written.

Ellinor wrote: "I just finished At the Mountains of Madness. I was underwhelmed but I can see why it is on the list. It probably was something new and unique when it was written."
I felt the same way, Ellinor. I wanted to love it but it had a difficult time just liking it. I didn't like the voice and felt it be a bit boring.

Melissa wrote: "Reading both A Confederacy of Dunces and Carry on, Jeeves. Ones lunacy and the next is silly antics; enjoying both for different reasons."

Is Carry On, Jeeves on the list? I loved Thank You, Jeeves and was disappointed that it was the only title on the list by Wodehouse.

I've completed Justine by Lawrence Durrell

Mekki wrote: "I've completed Justine by Lawrence Durrell"

What did you think of it? I see it is part of a 4-book series, which has gotten great reviews overall.

Jacob's Room by Virginia Woolf. I want to like her, but I just can't....

The Mayor of Casterbridge-it earned a 4 star review from me with all the plot twists, role reversals, & Karmic justice...

Thanks very much, Kim. I appreciate the vote of confidence.

Linda wrote: "Mekki wrote: "I've completed Justine by Lawrence Durrell"

What did you think of it? I see it is part of a 4-book series, which has gotten great reviews overall."

It was good. Lawrence Durrell was a poet and novelist so he really has a poetic way with words and prose. The novel itself isn't that easy to follow though as it moves back and forth in time as the narrator reminisces over his past, sometimes with no warning. Lots of interesting characters. I'll continue with the rest of the books later on.

Just finished A Visit from the Goon Squad. It was good, not mind blowing, and it was a really fun exercise in the connections between characters. there's a really cool infographic of the characters' relationships here http://www.filosophy.org/projects/goo....

Also, I swear I had read the safari scene before, but definitely hadn't read the book. Isn't it weird when you're reading something and you feel like you've already read it? I don't think I've picked it up and then abandoned it, but I definitely remembered one of the scenes very clearly.

Mekki wrote: "Linda wrote: "Mekki wrote: "I've completed Justine by Lawrence Durrell"

What did you think of it? I see it is part of a 4-book series, which has gotten great reviews ov..."

Thanks for your input. A friend of mine had read it years ago and said the writing was complicated almost to the point of detracting from the story, but I've read so many great reviews of the series as a whole that it has me quite interested.

I just finished Adam Bede. Not exactly my favorite book, but not one of the worst either. Those I'll personally reserve for anything of Rushdie's, LOL. The archaic language made it difficult to deal with, but it really IS a good story.

Lisa wrote: "I just finished Adam Bede. Not exactly my favorite book, but not one of the worst either. Those I'll personally reserve for anything of Rushdie's, LOL. The archaic language made it ..."

Rushdie. Yeah, that guy. Whenever I read him I feel like he's that jerk at a party who is constantly trying to explain the appetizers to you. You explain that, yes, you do already know what dulmas are and, no, you don't care for them, but then Salman tries to explain that your palate is unsophisticated and proceeds to relate some long-winded account of a Lebanese folk tale in which the heroine saves the life of a king with an enchanted piece of baklava. In the meantime, you're just looking for a Dorito and an exit.

That guy. Ugh.

Jonpaul wrote: "Lisa wrote: "I just finished Adam Bede. Not exactly my favorite book, but not one of the worst either. Those I'll personally reserve for anything of Rushdie's, LOL. The archaic lang..."

Jonpaul is the reason I look forward to notifications about this thread. :)

I just finished Moon Palace, which has one of the best opening paragraphs I've ever read. The opening paragraph lays the blueprint for what will happen in the rest of the novel and then Auster proceeds to fill in the blanks using the techniques-stories nested within each other like matryoshka dolls, exploration of interior life battling with ruminations about art and imagination, etc.-and fascinations which propel most of his work.

In this case, unfortunately, Auster lost me about 2/3 of the way through, bogged down in thin characterizations, excessive interiority, and ponderous, repetitive narrative. Invisible, The New York Trilogy, and The Music of Chance all explore similar themes more thoroughly and enjoyably. Despite this novel's faults, Auster is more daring and exciting than most authors. His philosophical explorations of solitude and identity will turn off some readers, who may dismiss his work as pretentious.

Just finished The colour Purple by Alice Walker

Laini wrote: "Just finished The colour Purple by Alice Walker"

Wonderful work, that one.

Just finished The Big Sleep by Raymond Chandler.

I finished reading the first part of Maya Angelou's autoibiography I Know why the Caged Bird Sings. Hard reading in places but a lot of joy too.

I just finished Invisible Cities by Italo Calvino. It was little weird... but I did like Calvino.

Mia wrote: "Jacob's Room by Virginia Woolf. I want to like her, but I just can't...."
That (thankfully short) book almost killed me. I suffered through every page.