Around the World in 80 Books discussion

turn of the screw

i have only read the first page to see how "difficult" it was and it seems it's going to be a easy read. i am trying to get through all my novellas before starting another novel. i have so much to read it's unbelievable.

Reading The Man in the White Sharkskin Suit: My Family's Exodus from Old Cairo to the New World for Egypt. Very good.

turn of the screw isn't hard but doesn't Henry James go on and on, stop beating round the bush. also it has the trademark campNess of the 19th century novel.

anuier wrote: "turn of the screw"

anuier wrote: "turn of the screw"

Hi Hattie,
yes I like Rutherfurd´s New York. It reminds me of the novels by James Michener

I started reading Journey to the End of the Night.

reading

Kuraj a great find on nomads of Central Asia. A pretty thick type of read with tribal oral history transcribed into the novel... I'd say you have to be interested, but if you are, it's wonderful.

Jennifer wrote: "Cheryl wrote: "Jennifer wrote: "I'm reading and . Both are enjoyable at the m..."

Owen Meany is one of my all time favorite books. I just got it out again to see if it still holds up. Please post again when you finish it. Also read the Psychopath Test - fascinating and funny at the same time. Good Writer

Deb wrote: "Owen Meany is one of my all time favorite books. I just got it out again to see if it still holds up. Please post again when you finish it. Also read the Psychopath Test - fascinating and funny at..."

I loved Owen Meany! I wasn't sure at first, but once I got going I could not stop reading!!

Now I'm reading and enjoying this one as well.

Reading . It is so funny and a great way to get insight into Aspergers.

I'm reading Dying to be Me by Anita Moorjani. It's one of the many memoirs on near death experiences. So far, so good.

Started Inés of My Soul. Loving it so far...

Jennifer wrote: "Now I'm reading and enjoying this one as well."

I enjoyed reading that one too, Jennifer. Maybe when you're done we can compare reviews :)

Reading: . Enjoying it so far.

Cheryl wrote: "Jennifer wrote: "Now I'm reading and enjoying this one as well."

I enjoyed reading that one too, Jennifer. Maybe when you're done we can compare revi..."

Sounds good - I'll be in touch!!

I'm reading The Fault in Our Stars, which is quite cute for a YA book. I'll likely finish it tonight and move on to something else.

I enjoyed Inés of My Soul so much I'm reading another Allende novel called Zorro. It takes place in both California and Spain.

Valerie wrote: "Started Inés of My Soul. Loving it so far..."

Valerie, I have only just discovered Isabel Allende this year and have read 3 of her books. I particularly enjoyed The Sum of Our Dayswhich is written in the form of a long "letter" to her deceased daughter Paula. As soon as I finished that title I added Paula to my list so I could connect even more to Allende and Paula. Also read The House of the Spirits as well as Daughter of Fortune. All of them were good. I listened to an interview with Allende and she described the process of writing Zorro and some of her other titles. Hope you continue to enjoy Inés of My Soul.

Lynn G. wrote: "Valerie wrote: "Started Inés of My Soul. Loving it so far..."

Valerie, I have only just discovered Isabel Allende this year and have read 3 of her books. I particularly enjoyed The Sum of Our Day..."

I am! Allende has been a great discovery for me. I always thought she was one of those authors you study in school which are so boring. Nothing could be further from the truth. After I finished "Inez" I set a goal to eventually read all her books.

I'm reading The Book Thief by Markus Zusak, and have just started it. So far, it's capturing me, especially the voice of Death as the narrator.

I'm reading Family Matters by Rohinton Mistry (set in Bombay, India) and it's being such a great reading! So touching... And the writing is enjoyable, really smart.

Julia wrote: "I'm reading The Book Thief by Markus Zusak, and have just started it. So far, it's capturing me, especially the voice of Death as the narrator."

Julia, The book thief is an AMAZING book! I loved it! It's one of my all time favorites.

Thanks, Sandra--I'm really touched by this book. And I just read this about the film:

"Most interesting about the novel is that it is narrated by death, and the movie will follow the same format. Roger Allam from “Game of Thrones” will narrate the movie.

During question and answer sessions on The Book Thief Facebook page, Zusak answers the most prominent question: why is the novel narrated by death and not Liesel?
“Everyone says that war and death are like best friends,” Zusak said. “Who better to be hanging around in time of war than Death?” The Book Thief also breaks the expectation that death enjoys war and seeing humans suffer."
http://www.dailycampus.com/focus/film...

I just completed Kindred, which I loved, and I'm moving on to And the Mountains Echoed.

Julia wrote: "Thanks, Sandra--I'm really touched by this book. And I just read this about the film:

"Most interesting about the novel is that it is narrated by death, and the movie will follow the same format. ..."

I look forward to watch the movie. I'm usually afraid of being disappointed of movies based on books I loved, but I think The book thief worth try it.

When I realized in the first pages who the narrator was I hesitate a little, but after a couple of chapters I just couldn't imagine a better narrator!
I loved all the characters, though Rudy was my favorite. I loved this boy from the very beginning.

Zusak was in a Live Chat here at Goodreads last week. He was so friendly and funny. The video is probably in his Goodread's author page (I didn't check it).

Nea wrote: "I just completed Kindred, which I loved, and I'm moving on to And the Mountains Echoed."

Nea, And the Mountain Echoed was one of the best books I read this year. I've seen that most of the people like The Kite Runner better, but I think And the Mountains Echoed is the best book by Khaled Hosseini. I liked all his three books, but in this last one the writing is so much mature. I think it shows how Hosseini has grown as an author.

I'm rereading 'Daughter Of China and I'm listening to The Spy Who Came In from the Cold

Julia wrote: "I'm reading The Book Thief by Markus Zusak, and have just started it. So far, it's capturing me, especially the voice of Death as the narrator."

I hope you enjoy it as much as I did-won't say any more until later, then will post you my review, see what you think. Geoffrey Rush, of The King's Speech fame, is playing her father. I think it is great casting.

Sandra wrote: "I'm reading Family Matters by Rohinton Mistry (set in Bombay, India) and it's being such a great reading! So touching... And the writing is enjoyable, really smart."

Recently finished - it is definitely in my top 10. Recently purchased Family Matters.

Just finished Family Matters by Rohinton MistryI loved Mistry's writing. Its pace worked perfect to me. The story is touching, and in my opinion it has everything to do with how in love we find peace, and how family really matters.

I'm starting now Five Quarters of the Orange by Joanne Harris

I'm reading Inferno by Dan Brown set in Florence.I've just started and the book action is non-stop which keeps me turning the pages :)

the secret history by tartt

Currently reading

Doctor Zhivago . By Boris Paternak

I have just begun reading How It All Began by Penelope Lively and found the following, which, I believe, sums up the way many of us on Goodreads feel:

"Forever, reading has been central, the necessary fix, the support system. Her life has been informed by reading. She has read not just for distraction, sustenance, to pass the time, but she has read in a state of primal innocence, reading for enlightenment, for instruction, even. She has read to find out how sex works, how babies are born, she has red to discover what it is to be good, or bad; she has read to find out if things are the same for others as they are for her -- then, discovering that frequently they are not, she has read to find out what it is that other people experience that she is missing...She read to discover how not to be Charlotte, how to escape the prison of her own mind, how to expand and experience...Thus has reading wound in with living, each a complement to the other. Charlotte knows herself to ride upon a great sea of words, of language, of stories and situations and information, of knowledge, some of which she can summon up, much of which is half lost, but it in there somewhere, and has had an effect on who she is and how she thinks. She is as much a product of what she has read as of the way in which she has lived; she is like millions of others built by books, for whom books are an essential foodstuff, who could starve without."

Just finished Five Quarters of the Orange. It is a good story. I'm glad I read it. I'll certainly try more Joanne Harris' novels.
Now starting The Almond Tree by Michelle Cohen Corasanti

Just finished The Book Thief; it's been a long time since a book has brought me to tears, but this one certainly did. My review is posted here: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Lynn G. wrote: "I have just begun reading How It All Began by Penelope Lively and found the following, which, I believe, sums up the way many of ..."

Oh I love love that.

sonny wrote: "the secret history by tartt"

On my bookshelf.

Currently reading To Kill a Mockingbird. Read it years ago when I was very young, and very interesting to reread it. It is definitely a classic and timeless.

Reading and

The Tale of Hodja Nasreddin: Disturber of the Peace. He's a native of Bukhara and wanders about Central Asia if not further I think. Looks like fun.

Kiss Me First

Bryn wrote: "The Tale of Hodja Nasreddin: Disturber of the Peace. He's a native of Bukhara and wanders about Central Asia if not further I think. Looks like fun."

It is! I read it a couple of years ago and I really liked it. It isn't only funny, it has also moral teachings.

I will be completing the Cemetery of Forgotten Books trilogy by Carlos Ruiz Zafón. I loved The Shadow of the Wind and will be reading The Angel's Game and The Prisoner of Heaven.

Also, Zafon's short story "Rose of Fire", which is a prequel to the trilogy, is only available electronically, so my friend loaned me her iPad so I could read it :-) It's very thin, but does give a mythical background to the labyrinthine library.

Started reading A Fine Balance by Rohinton Mistry.

dely - what an amazing book. I finished it last month.

Sarah wrote: "dely - what an amazing book. I finished it last month."

Yes, I remember you liked it :D