Reading the Classics discussion

Kelsi wrote:
I love Tolkien, and this is one I have not read. I will have to ..."

The Legend of Sigurd and Gudrun is an old icelandic poem. Tolkien did translate this one. Till now I really like it, tolkien used these poems as inspiration for LOTR and the Hobbit. Quite a lot can relate back to this poem.

I just finished Crime and Punishment yesterday and started reading Animal Farm, only 15 pages left. I will pick up The Brothers Karamazov to read next.

I'm plowing through Georgette Heyer's mysteries. I've read maybe half of them before, but have never tried to read the Hannasyde/Hemingway series in order. Still missing two of them (the first Inspector Hemingway Mystery and one of the stand alones); was going to pick them up before I got to the gap but I'm reading through fast enough I may just skip it.

I am reading Tolstoy _ war and Peace _

I loved Georgette Heyer's books when I read them years ago. My favorite was A Blunt Instrument. To this day I remember the prankster's best prank and its purpose.

Currently readingThe Tempest at Dawnby James Best. Not sure why, but this novel about the building of the US Constitution has never received the popularity of other historical fiction novels. More of a cult classic. Just started reading, so I guess I am about to find out why!

Susan,

Slowed down some, but just started A Blunt Instrument today!

I just picked up Ulysses by James Joyce, which I have started a number of times. Since I'm going on vacation soon, I'm hoping to get through it.

The well of lost ploys by Jasper Fforde

sorry meant well of lost plots

Lost ploys does sound like a good thriller novel, though :)

Susan wrote: "I just picked up Ulysses by James Joyce, which I have started a number of times. Since I'm going on vacation soon, I'm hoping to get through it."

I have also started Ulysses a number of times and it is the only book that I just can't seem to get through. I always seem to find something else to read. However, I never give up on a book and I am determined to one day finish it.

Haidé wrote: "I am reading The Aspern papers by Henry James, and The Rivers of London by Ben Aaronovitch."

Haidé, did you finish Rivers of London? I couldn't decide if it sounded good or not, so I wondered if you enjoyed it.

Finished re-reading The Great Gatsby. It was better than when I read it in high school, but I still didn't love it. Probably the most classic representation of the "unreliable narrator," though.

There's been a lot of talk about the quality of The Great Gatsby on various threads, and I came across a report that a copy of the original first edition recently sold at auction for $134,000.

The Great Gatsby is great. It's one of my favorites, in fact. I am currently reading Women in love, which I find truly interesting.

Thanks, Haide.

Finished One Thousand White Women: The Journals of May Dodd. Great book, I highly recommend it.

My review: http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...

I'm reading Tell the Wolves I'm Home

I just started in Charles Dickens:


and still reading:

The Duchess of Jermyn Street.

I'm reading The Count of Monte Cristo. I would have read it years ago if I'd known it was this good!

Finished listening to Well's The War of the Worlds. It's a great, quick read. My review:


I am amazed and slightly frightened by the level of insight shown as early as 1898 (as I believe that was when this book was first published) as to what a first contact with an alien species here on our planet might actually look like. As much as the sci-fi genre gets made fun of for seemingly always depicting aliens as evil invaders, if our own history is any evidence, I think this prediction is unfortunately very realistic.

Wells weaves a tale full of fear and all the drama of the unknown we would surely face if suddenly all of our technology and knowledge were suddenly for naught in the face of overwhelming power. What would we truly become if all of our civilization was ripped away from us nearly in the blink of an eye?

Some of the descriptive sequences are a little lengthy, but the novel flows along rapidly, constantly on the move in fear of these invaders, and we feel this fear strongly along with our protagonist. Any wouldn't you know it, but extraterrestrial invaders indeed are most likely to be repulsed by the very things that wiped out previous inhabitants of regions of our own earth: disease. It's not only storybook perfect, but perfectly logical.

Last year I also listened to an audio drama of this classic including the acting talents of many well-knowns from Star Trek. It was done in such a way that I can completely understand why the original audience would have experienced its hysteria and fear.

All in all, this sci-fi classic should be a part of every self-respecting library.

Jexium Island, a children's book from the 50s.

Midway through The Known World, and starting Plato's The Republic.

I'm halfway through The Stranger, just started A Tale of Two Cities and plan on starting The Count of Monte Cristo (unabridged of course :)) soon! Liking them all so far.

I really want to read Count of Monte Cristo...I think I'll make it a goal for later this year. It's been on my list forever and I keep hearing such great things about it. I hope you enjoy it, Kelsi!

I'm currently reading Persuasion, by Jane Austen. It is by far one of my favorites books, and my favorite of hers. It begins picking off at a broken engagement, so the entire time all you can think about is how the story will develop and whether or not Wentworth and Anne will ever get back together!! I love it. Absolutely recommend it!

Cami wrote: "I'm currently reading Persuasion, by Jane Austen. It is by far one of my favorites books, and my favorite of hers. It begins picking off at a broken engagement, so the entire time all you can think..."

Cami, I read it recently and love it too. It got one of the two 5-star ratings I gave in 2012 :)

With another group I'm going through all of Jane Austen's books over this year, and I honestly don't remember if I've read Persuasion or not, but I do really like all of her works. They all have happy endings but they're not so cliche and silly like some more modern books. Truly classics!

Alana wrote: "With another group I'm going through all of Jane Austen's books over this year, and I honestly don't remember if I've read Persuasion or not, but I do really like all of her works. They all have ha..."

I've finished Persuasion and will begin reading Emma. And you're absolutely right about Austen: happy endings, but not so cliche. They're incredible!

The only thing I dislike about her is that all of her stories sound alike after awhile, which is why I can't remember which ones I've read. But they are still delightful and they've been a nice change from some of my heavier reading lately.

A fabulous relief from those awful Brothers. An Errol Flynn style tale of derring do on the high seas - kind of a blend of Frenchman's Creek and Count of MOnte Cristo. So far I love it.

The Secret Agent by Joseph Conrad.

Currently I'm about 60% through The Tin Drum and on book four of Dance to the Music of Time. Both are excellent reading.

Karen wrote: "I am currently reading The Prince and the Pauper and after that I'm going to read, I mean listen to, A Room With a View. Does anyone else enjoy audio books? I've listened to 2 classics recently, ..."

I've read most of my Classics through audio-books. I've come to enjoy them a lot. I too audio-read Frankenstein. Also, The Ghost of Canterville by Oscar Wilde, Candide by Voltaire, and some more added to the list.

Ryleigh wrote: "Rick, I want to read The Moonstone, how is it so far?
I'm currently reading Brave New World and The Great Gatsby (again)"

Wow! The Great Gatsby again? Its just awesome, Ryleigh. I too wish to read it again. It was the first classic novel I'd audio-read and absolutely loved it!

I just recently started Shirley by Charlotte Bronte. Jane Eyre has been a favorite since I was a teenager so it's about time I read Charlotte's other novels.

Alana wrote: "With another group I'm going through all of Jane Austen's books over this year, "
That sounds like an interesting group! I wouldn't mind doing that.

The Stranger's Child. So far I'm loving it.

- I'm 1/3 through and it's a million times better than I expected it to be from the panning it tends to get nowadays. (Although DHL does use the words "loin" and "womb" too much.)

I am now reading Emma, by Jane Austen...and it's interesting that there's a teen flick of the ninety's totally inspired on it!

Asha wrote: ""

Amazing book! How do you like it so far? I just finished reading it last week, for the second time... I just love the story, and how it develops.

Lesa wrote: "I've got a few books loaded up on the app but the most memorable ones right now are "Acres of Diamond" and "Les Mis". Both versions have great bios of the authors included."

Les Mis, incredible! It's a bit too descriptive of the french society of the period at times, but once the plot gets going again, it's really hard to put the book down.

Cami wrote: "I am now reading Emma, by Jane Austen...and it's interesting that there's a teen flick of the ninety's totally inspired on it!"

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'Clueless' (the teen flick, that isn't a teen flick, of which you speak) is an absolutely amazing movie and better than every other tv or movie adaptation of Emma by a country mile (not as good as the book though, obviously).

Re-read Sense and Sensibility for another group. My review:

This was the first published of Jane Austen's novels and it sets the tone for her wonderful career. While many of her character types will be repeated in later novels, she brings them to life brilliantly in this first story. Some of the characters, such as Mrs. John Dashwood and Lucy, are near ridiculous, while others are fun and friendly, other calm and sensible. The whole entourage makes for a delightful, lightweight story that takes you back to earlier days in England, when women for the most part had nothing to do but grow up, try to catch a rich husband, marry and produce children, with little time or ability in society to do much else. The exploits and heartbreaks feel very real, though, and it's easy to get caught up in the time.

Phil wrote: "Cami wrote: "I am now reading Emma, by Jane Austen...and it's interesting that there's a teen flick of the ninety's totally inspired on it!"

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'Clueless' (the teen flick, that isn't a teen flic..."

I didn't want to give it away, which is why I just said it was a teen flick. Love the book though!

Just finished a fairly heavy 'House of Hate' by Percy Janes. Great book, but I'm assuming it's never made any 'feelgood of the year' lists.

So I'm looking for something light now, and shall browse my shelves for something I haven't read which will be light and sugary.

On second thought, maybe I'll just have some cake.