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

Heart of Darkness - Finally read this literary classic and I can see why it is so rated. Very engaging up until the end when it was 'wrapping up' so to speak. I can't say that I quite 'got it' but I definitely enjoyed it.

3 stars

Nicola wrote: "Heart of Darkness - Finally read this literary classic and I can see why it is so rated. Very engaging up until the end when it was 'wrapping up' so to speak. I can't say that I q..."

I love this one. I have an audiobook copy narrated by the great Kenneth Branagh. I know many people can't stand Joseph Conrad but I really like him.

Kirsten wrote: "Nicola wrote: "Heart of Darkness - Finally read this literary classic and I can see why it is so rated. Very engaging up until the end when it was 'wrapping up' so to speak. I can..."

I feel the same way. I was pleasantly surprised at how much I liked this book.

I just finished Foundation. I was very disappointed especially because some people call this the best SF work ever written. It started ok, but then it just got worse and worse.

Ellinor wrote: "I just finished Foundation. I was very disappointed especially because some people call this the best SF work ever written. It started ok, but then it just got worse and worse."

I wouldn't call it the best ever written, not even the best of Arthur C. Clarke. I hope you don't let it chase you away from science fiction.

Kirsten wrote: "I wouldn't call it the best ever written, not even the best of Arthur C. Clarke. "

It's by Isaac Asimov

I finished reading all of Margaret Atwood's novels in the 1900 section...
Alias Grace - liked it. I didn't realize until after that this was based on real events.
Cat's Eye - loved it. I really connected with this book.
Surfacing - it was alright.
The Handmaid's Tale - loved it.
The Robber Bride - hated it...with a passion.

Finished A Visit from the Goon Squad. I thought it was pretty amazing. It took me a while to adjust to the time changes and characters, but once I did, I was hooked. The individual stories all came together in the end and made me want to immediately reread it to see what I might have not connected the first time.

I have finally written a review for The Death of Ivan Ilych. I'm still reading the introduction which takes up a 1/4 of the book.

Finished The Butcher Boy by Patrick McCabe. A mix of super dark humor and heartbreak that I never would have picked up if not for the list.

Amsterdam - A very easy read. Short and light; if you have a couple of hours uninterrupted reading time this is a good one to knock off the list.

I don't think it deserved the Booker prize though.

3 stars

Jazz - this was not an easy book to follow as it time skips and jumps around narrators constantly. There is a lot of symbolism as well which makes it even more difficult. It was worth it in the end though.

3 1/2 stars

Justine which I didn't like and can't see the reason it's still in print.

Elizabeth (Alaska) wrote: "Justine which I didn't like and can't see the reason it's still in print."

That's too bad. My mom always told me how much she liked Lawrence Durrell.

Elizabeth (Alaska) wrote: "Justine which I didn't like and can't see the reason it's still in print."

It's got a high rating, but then again...

I finished Invisible Cities. Amazing book, I can't figure out how to shelve it or how to rate it.

Calvino has got to be one of China Mieville's influences though. This book kept taking me back to Mieville's cities.

Elizabeth (Alaska) wrote: "Justine which I didn't like and can't see the reason it's still in print."

That's disappointing to hear.

I found a very old used paperback one day, so I have it sitting on my nightstand yet to read.

I initially became intrigued by the quartet since it was written by Gerald Durrell's brother, who I was amused by his portrayal of in Gerald's book that I loved - My Family and Other Animals.

Linda wrote: "Elizabeth (Alaska) wrote: "Justine which I didn't like and can't see the reason it's still in print."

That's disappointing to hear.

I found a very old used paperback one day, so I ha..."

Don't let my disappointment deter you. I have been wildly enthusiastic about some list books and didn't give a fig for others. I might be your contrarian indicator.

Elizabeth (Alaska) wrote: "I might be your contrarian indicator."

:) We shall see. I'll let you know when I get around to reading it.

Dree wrote: "I finished Invisible Cities. Amazing book, I can't figure out how to shelve it or how to rate it.

Calvino has got to be one of China Mieville's influences though. This book kept takin..."

THat sounds intriguing. I noticed that it was one of the books you can gets through the Kindle Unlimited program.

Kirsten wrote: "THat sounds intriguing. I noticed that it was one of the books you can gets through the Kindle Unlimited program. "

Try it! It is very unusual and fascinating. I read it with a group, we start discussion Apr 1--and I can't wait.

It's also short ;) I may read it again once the discussion starts--at least the first half, because halfway through I figured out how I was interpreting it.

Finished Saturday Night and Sunday Morning by Alan Sillitoe. Not bad, but really not my type of book, either.

Amsterdam by Ian McEwan. One of those books that I can't decide if I liked or not.

Ulysses - CHECK!!!

Checking that one off the list is a sigh of relief. It is, as universally known, a very difficult read. I gave it 3 stars, mostly because a lot of it was over my head, and also because much of the time reading it felt like work. But, there were many humorous, sorrowful, bizarre, and clever bits that I quite enjoyed.

Linda wrote: "Ulysses - CHECK!!!

Checking that one off the list is a sigh of relief. It is, as universally known, a very difficult read. I gave it 3 stars, mostly because a lot of it was over ..."

Wow. Good for you. I'm a little scared to start that one.

The Mill on the Floss
Boring at first, but about halfway through I got engrossed.

The Tenant of Wildfell Hall
Anne Bronte's command of the English language is truly impressive. Sadly, from this book one can conclude she didn't have good experiences with men in her short life (she died at age 29 of tuberculosis).

Atonement. My sister saw my expression while I was reading the last few pages and now refuses to read it.

Amanda and what was that expression? Mine was irritation

Stephanie, mine was sadness! I really liked the book. What didn't you like about it?

I simply didn't like the main character without giving anything away.

Stephanie wrote: "I simply didn't like the main character without giving anything away."

I liked the book but I can't say the ending was a surprise. As soon as the final third started I just smelt a rat, I knew something wasn't right.

Finished A Fine Balance by Rohinton Mistry. Amazing.

Lolita - I was expecting to find it disturbing of course but I wasn't expecting to be bored. The writing was beautiful but it really dragged from about halfway.

2 1/2 stars

Just finished Never Let Me Go. Really enjoyed it, its definitely one to keep me thinking for a while.

Ann A wrote: "The Mill on the Floss
Boring at first, but about halfway through I got engrossed.

The Tenant of Wildfell Hall
Anne Bronte's command of the English language is truly impr..."

I loved The Tenant. All the Bronte sisters I think were proto-feminists and it shows up in their works.

I just finished What Maisie Knew by Henry James. I've learned that James loves to make me hope for final outcomes that just never happen. This one hurt the most.

Yesterday, I finished Thérèse Raquin. Today I read the preface to The Portrait of a Lady - where James includes a paragraph or two from Ivan Turgenev about how he decides upon what to write. This made me realize what the problem with Therese is (although I rated it 4 stars). Zola decided on a plot and crafted characters to fit. The books I like best are those that are character-centric. Zola is OK in Therese, and his later novels are much better, but he comes up a bit short in this.

I finished The Pilgrim's Progress. Phew! I am glad I read it and very very glad to be done. It was actually easier to read than I expected (especially thanks to the end notes that explained so many references I would not have caught), but there was only one part that I truly enjoyed.

Dree wrote: "I finished The Pilgrim's Progress. Phew! I am glad I read it and very very glad to be done. It was actually easier to read than I expected (especially thanks to the end notes that expl..."

I can't say I'm looking forward to it much either Dree. Still, how bad can it be?

Our Lady of the Assassins - Dark, violent and repetitive (oh look he just shot someone, now he shoots someone else and there he is shooting yet another person, now I'll comment for the 20th time how violent Columbia is and how corrupt the society is before the next person gets shot). There is some very dark and black humour running through but still, not my sort of book.

1 star

Finished Falling Man, my second Don DeLillo. He's a good writer but his books aren't really my kind of thing.

Nicola wrote: "I can't say I'm looking forward to it much either Dree. Still, how bad can it be?"

Lets just say if you know the bible inside and out, and are familiar with the events going on in England between the Church of England, the nonconformists, and events going on with the Catholic Church, all during the hundred years or so before the book was written, it would be a lot more interesting!

My family is Catholic, and many sections are Catholic-bashing, but without the endnotes I would not have known, because I am not that familiar with England c1650.

However, it is under 300 pages, and some basic endnotes made it much more understandable for me. The writing takes some getting used to, but this used to be read by kids--my library still shelves it as YA.

Dree wrote: "Nicola wrote: "I can't say I'm looking forward to it much either Dree. Still, how bad can it be?"

Lets just say if you know the bible inside and out, and are familiar with the events going on in E..."

I'm going to be listening to it so no endnotes for me. But I will be reading it with a very good bookgroup so I'm hoping they'll help me out a lot.

I wonder how they will narrate it? It is written like play, with the speaker announced every time it changes. Though more details are given in what is "said", like:

(not a quote: I returned my book to the library yesterday)

Christiana: Mercy what shall you be doing?

Mercy: Mercy works on more items for the poor. I am making clothing to cover those in need.

It takes some getting used to, both in form and language. I can't imagine listening to it, but I am not good with audio books, my mind wanders.

Finished The Crying of Lot 49 by Thomas Pynchon. Found it hard work despite being only a novella and was not overly impressed.

Just finished listening to The Shining by Stephen King as read by Campbell Scott.

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

As a Man Grows Older - Self centred, middle aged man blames women for everything which goes wrong in his life.

It's a bit more involved than that but not much. I still found it an enjoyable read.

3 stars

Nicola wrote: "As a Man Grows Older - Self centred, middle aged man blames women for everything which goes wrong in his life.

It's a bit more involved than that but not much. I still found it an e..."

LOL!

I just finished Summer by Edith Wharton. I enjoyed it very much. Vivid language and imagery. Well thought out characters. Classic Wharton.

Finished Oroonoko. I wrote a review, but boy am I still struggling with this. I feel like I need to do more reading on the author, Suriname, and read more of her stories before I finalize my review. But I peeked at more of her stories in the edition I had, and I don't want to read them.