Reading 1001 discussion

Any comments, information or anything that doesn't fit in another thread can go here.

Happy 4th of Jully in the United States, hope you have your beach read, perhaps Anna Karenina, there by your side. I'm starting with
Season of Migration to the North as it is summer in the northern hemisphere.

Kristel wrote: "Happy 4th of Jully in the United States, hope you have your beach read, perhaps Anna Karenina, there by your side. I'm starting with
Season of Migration to the North as it is summer in the norther..."

When I stopped at my local public library today, they had a display of "beach reads" right up front ... about a third of the shelves were empty already!

At the beach so thinking about beach reads.

If you have a Kindle, At Swim, Two Boys, Intimacy and Midnight All Day: A Novel and Stories, and Gabriel's Gift are all on sale for $3.99 each.

Diane wrote: "If you have a Kindle, At Swim, Two Boys, Intimacy and Midnight All Day: A Novel and Stories, and Gabriel's Gift are all on sale for $3.99 each."
I know that At Swim, Two Boys and Intimacy are on the list but not sure why you added Midnight All Day and Gabriel's Gift? are these different names for books on the list??

Oh, I see that Intimacy is part of a collection and then I did find Gabriel's Gift, so ignore that. Do you know, is this author worth reading?

Kristel wrote: "Diane wrote: "If you have a Kindle, At Swim, Two Boys, Intimacy and Midnight All Day: A Novel and Stories, and Gabriel's Gift are all on sale for $3.99 each."..."

I haven't read either of the authors yet. I only know that the books are part of the 1001 list.

Diane wrote: "Kristel wrote: "Diane wrote: "If you have a Kindle, At Swim, Two Boys, Intimacy and Midnight All Day: A Novel and Stories, and Gabriel's Gift are all on sale ..."
I looked at reviews and bought them. Looked okay.

I have had many literary mentions that I could have been adding but I am somewhat confused as to the process. I only see the 1001 Bookshelf Avatar as doing anything there. Are will still suppose to add our books under the the appropriate folder or is there something else we are suppose to do?

@kristel- I usually add them every 3 months or so but under the generic account. We all have access to it so anyone can add them just log in with the shelf personality. When you add, you need to update the master list found and the individual book mention. It's a bit more work than at shelfari which is why I am updating them less frequently

Jen wrote: "@kristel- I usually add them every 3 months or so but under the generic account. We all have access to it so anyone can add them just log in with the shelf personality. When you add, you need to up..."

I think by "we" you mean all Admins, right, Jen? At Shelfari, anyone could note the references in the relevant thread and then you would update. As you say, everything takes a little more effort here. I'm probably done tracking ratings. That extra time is a bit of the camel's straw.

The New York Times T magazine has an email exchange between Natalie Portman and Jonathan Safran Foer which is of interest because Portman's directorial debut is an adaptation of Oz's A Tale of Love and Darkness.

Pip wrote: "The New York Times T magazine has an email exchange between Natalie Portman and Jonathan Safran Foer which is of interest because Portman's directorial debut is an adaptation of Oz's A Tale of Love..."

Thanks for the info Pip. I loved the book and can't wait to see the movie.

Is everyone at the beach this month?

@John I wish. More like swamped at the office for me. I haven't really had any summer vacation this year. We're taking a small family vacation to Denver next week although I'm not sure if it counts when we're trying to fit in family time around a conference presentation I am giving.

John wrote: "Jen wrote: "@kristel- I usually add them every 3 months or so but under the generic account. We all have access to it so anyone can add them just log in with the shelf personality. When you add, yo..."

yes. Sorry, just saw your question. I do mean the admins.

Hi all,

Just curious, if you think back over all the 1001 books you have read, which would top the list as your favorite(s)?

Your least favorite?

Jen wrote: "Hi all,

Just curious, if you think back over all the 1001 books you have read, which would top the list as your favorite(s)?

Your least favorite?"
I have a hard time with this type of questions. For one reason, my tastes can vary from year to year so hard to compare 2005 with 2016. This year, my favorite would have to be Broken April. I know that The Shipping News and The Stone Diaries are up there for me.

What is kind of maddening for me recently is that there are some really good books coming out this year and the list has not been updated in a long time. I am being more and more drawn away from reading 1001 books because I have a desire to read some of these other works.

Oh and least favorite, probably Blue of Noon. That was pretty awful.

Kristel wrote: "I have a hard time with this type of questions"

yes, me too. My least favorite is easy: Story of the Eye. I have thankfully not read Blue of Noon.

Favorites are hard because I've discovered some good ones on the list. I did love Broken April and Stone Diaries too and both of those were surprises for me -- I had no expectations going in.

The History of Love and A Fine Balance stand out for me as two of my favorites (read in recent years).

Kristel wrote: "Jen wrote: "What is kind of maddening for me recently is that there are some really good books coming out this year and the list has not been updated in a long time. I am being more and more drawn away from reading 1001 books because I have a desire to read some of these other works"

Yes, I plan on asking that as one of my future questions (which books would you add to the list?) to the group :). I'll wait until August and then will post that question!

Jen wrote: "Kristel wrote: "I have a hard time with this type of questions"

yes, me too. My least favorite is easy: Story of the Eye. I have thankfully not read Blue of Noon.

Favorites are hard..."
History of Love is another favorite

Some favorites from the past:
The History of Love
A Suitable Boy
Quo Vadis
The Little Prince
The Big Sleep
Half of a Yellow Sun
To Kill a Mockingbird
Cancer Ward
One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich
Animal Farm


Some favorites from this year:
Cloudsplitter
Broken April

Worst:
The Tin Drum
The English Patient
Gone with the Wind

How could I forget - 1Q84 and Kafka on the Shore

I should also note, the only reason the books noted by Kristel and Jen aren't on my worst list is because their warnings dissuaded me from picking them up - for which I am very grateful - those are images I don't need in my head.

I would add my endorsement of Cancer Ward, One Day in the Life of ID, Half a Yellow Sun and To Kill a Mockingbird. And I like IQ84 and Kafka on the Shore too. Actually all of them. Glad to clear the filth out of the way for you, John.

Lets add Crash J G Ballard to the worst list :)

Cloud Atlas would go on my best list

I will be adding the BOTM questions later tonight.

I would add Pale Fire as a favorite. I also loved Wind-up Bird Chronicle, a large handful of the classics, The Day of the Triffids, Song of Solomon, Midnight's Children and A Ballad for Georg Henig.
I've had a lot more five star books than one star, but Worstward Ho by Beckett and Story of the Eye are very much at the bottom for me.

The windup bird chronicles and cloud Atlas ate two of my all time favorite books. I read them both before joining this group. I guess this means I will have to read Pale Fire too in the near future.

I have Pale Fire. Have to get to it.

Ha ha --my typos. Sorry, I often respond from my phone app and as a result make lots of careless mistakes.

Kristel- we should read this together some time since I think we will both like it. Did you read Lolita? What did you think?

Yes, one of the first books back when I started the list.

@ Kristel, thank you - greatly appreciated.

@Book, yes - another one for which I owe others thanks.

@Tracy, Agree with A Ballad for Georg Henig. I also thought of Worstward Ho, but decided I had too much fun writing my review to include it in my worst list; I thought it was pointless, not offensive.

Oh, Handke. I would add Afternoon of a writer to my worst list. Not offensive but dreadfully dull.

John's comment made me think whether worst is defined by offensive or by multiple criteria. I think I've only given 1 one-star rating and that was a book I found offensive. I've given quite a few 2 star reviews and usually for a variety of reasons

I was thinking of starting another discussion with that as the topic - for you, what are the qualities that puts a book on your "worst" list. In fact - I will add this to the August thread.

Yes, I like that idea!