Constant Reader discussion

I just started reading Stephen King's 11/22/63, and yes, it's a very big book.

I'll close out the April thread now.

MAP wrote: "I just started reading Stephen King's 11/22/63, and yes, it's a very big book.

I'll close out the April thread now."

Let me know what you think.

I'm reading Clive Barker's Weaveworld, and it has turned out to be a pleasant surprise. I can't remember if I've read any of his books before - if I did, it was a long, long time ago. It took him a while to get going, and the action-to-description ratio is unbalanced, but the dude has a HUGE imagination, and his story-telling is top-notch. It's clear his roots are in horror, though, because the bad guys are REALLY bad. Just reading about them makes me angry, and if they don't die horribly, I'm going to be very disappointed.

MAP wrote: "I just started reading Stephen King's 11/22/63, and yes, it's a very big book.

I'll close out the April thread now."

My husband rarely reads much anymore but he enjoys Stephen King and read this on my Kindle. He kept giving me mini-synopsis as he progressed so I know basically what happens. Even so I may get around to reading it and if it gets picked in the voting at least I'll have it already.

I forgot my copy of The Stranger's Child one day about a week ago when I had a bunch of long subway rides ahead of me, so I picked up The Art of Fielding, by Chad Harbach, in a bookstore I walked by. So much for finishing The Stranger's Child in time for the discussion, because I haven't put down Art of Fielding since. I could see how it wouldn't be everyone's type of book, but it's definitely mine. It's Philip Roth/John Irving -esque, but with 90% less sex.

I'm reading Parade's End by Ford Madox Ford. It's been on my to-read list for ages and I'm glad I finally got the courage to tackle it. Absolutely fantastic so far.

I hesitate to comment on a book that's coming up for discussion soon, but I'm having trouble getting into the middle section of The House in Paris. This section is supposed to provide the "background" to the present-day first part, but I feel I've learned little and am becoming more confused (and slightly irritated). Good thing I grew to like the kids, who re-appear in Part Three.

I read 3 beautiful books in the past month. One was "The Snow Child". The other was the "Art of Hearing Heartbeats" and also I just finished "A Walk Across the Sun". All three were moving in their own unique ways. I strongly suggest other members to add these books to their reading list.

John wrote: "I hesitate to comment on a book that's coming up for discussion soon, but I'm having trouble getting into the middle section of The House in Paris. This section is supposed to provide the "backgrou..."

That's exactly where I've been stuck for quite a while. Not sure what the problem is, and yes, I like both the kids.

I am stuck there also. I put the book down and have not picked it back up. (Sigh)

I think we all seem to be facing the same issue regarding the (adult) characters not holding our interest. I have only a couple more hours to listen until the kids return, and you folks (I assume) are reading the print, so you can skim through and I think I'll manage to listen to the rest of this part ... then we can all explore our "issues" next month! Deal? I feel a lot better that it's not just me - thanks for the confirmation!

I'm skipping the Classics for June altogether. I wanted time to catch up. Just started The Secret Scripture which I am really loving so far.

I was skeptical of being able to get into it, Sherry, but Roseanne proved a truly engaging character.

John wrote: "I think we all seem to be facing the same issue regarding the (adult) characters not holding our interest. I have only a couple more hours to listen until the kids return, and you folks (I assume) ..."

Actually, I'm listening as well. It taunts me on my player as I skip over it to something else!

I will say that the narration is better with the kids - Leopold's dad's voice sounds almost the same as his son's!

The Heart is a Lonely Hunter is winning me over.

MAP wrote: "I just started reading Stephen King's 11/22/63, and yes, it's a very big book.

I'll close out the April thread now."

I'm reading that, too - I enjoy it, but I think I expected more. So many here thought it was the best book of the year, I am not sure about that. Maybe it will get better later? I hope the actual twist in the events will change my opinion, too. Will there actually be a shooting?

Tory wrote: "I'm reading Parade's End by Ford Madox Ford. It's been on my to-read list for ages and I'm glad I finally got the courage to tackle it. Absolutely fantastic so far."

On my all-time best list. We discussed The Good Soldier but never, I think, this one. It's far less elliptical but it has an inexorable quality which is impressive. Since you're still reading it I will not say more.

Ioana wrote: "MAP wrote: "I just started reading Stephen King's 11/22/63, and yes, it's a very big book.

I'll close out the April thread now."

I'm reading that, too - I enjoy it, but I think I expected more. S..."

I'm not sure it was the best book in 2011 either, but it is enjoyable. When I saw it on the nominations list, I remembered that my husband read it and liked it.

Just finished The Return of Captain John Emmett, a mystery, historical fiction, set in the years immediately after WWI in an England struggling to recover so much loss. I really liked this novel. It really is a period piece, not for those looking for a fast paced procedural.

Finished What Maisie Knew by Henry James, which is one of his finest, and will probably finish Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close today or tomorrow (reserving comment for now), when I'll be picking up The Razor's Edge by Somerset Maugham. Maugham is supposed to be a 2nd rate writer and I understand why (cliches, melodrama), but at the same time I always find him both easy and rewarding to read.

Peony in Love - Lisa See
Audio book narrated by Janet Song
3***

In 17th century China, Peony has grown up as the only child of the wealthy Chen family. Her father is a scholar and he has encouraged his daughter’s love of books, opera and poetry. Now, two days before her sixteenth birthday, the household is preparing for a presentation of the famous Chinese opera – The Peony Pavilion, and her father has made special arrangements so that women will be able to hear the performance. The opera is controversial because many young maidens have been lured to their deaths by the strong emotions engendered by the love story.

This is a very Chinese story. Steeped in the long-held traditions of ancestor worship, belief in spirits and strict societal roles, See manages to present a story that celebrates feminism and the women writers who are all but forgotten today. I found it difficult to engage in the novel because of this deep tradition; it was, simply put, too foreign to me. I kept judging Peony and the other characters by my present-day standards. I was irritated by the restrictions she and other women so easily accepted. I caught on to several plot twists long before Peony realized them. I just had to keep reminding myself of her sheltered upbringing, her youth and inexperience.

Song’s narration didn’t help this. She has a slow, almost ponderous delivery, which just did not breathe any life into the work.

What I found most interesting was the author note at the very end of the book. See’s assignment to do a magazine piece about Lincoln Center’s full-length production of The Peony Pavilion led her to information about the lovesick maidens. Intrigued, she did further research and found a wealth of information about the accomplished women writers in China. I appreciate that she tried to pay homage to them in this work, but I think the story got away from her.

A hundred pages into The Heart Is a Lonely Hunter, I'm now less excited. It's frequently brilliant, but it's also frequently coy and sentimentalized and "clever."

Geoff wrote: "A hundred pages into The Heart Is a Lonely Hunter, I'm now less excited. It's frequently brilliant, but it's also frequently coy and sentimentalized and "clever.""

I've always found the opening brilliant, but then couldn't get much further into it.

Geoff wrote: "A hundred pages into The Heart Is a Lonely Hunter, I'm now less excited. It's frequently brilliant, but it's also frequently coy and sentimentalized and "clever.""

I didn’t want to dissuade you from reading this book but it is one I didn’t like despite all the hype it had.

Kat (@21 above) I loved The Razor's Edge in high school and must have read it three or four times. The quest for meaning and one's true identity spoke to me powerfully at that age, I guess. I found Larry's story particularly intriguing. Otherwise I tend to prefer Maugham's short stories to his novels.

Finished The Secret Scripture...can't wait to hear what you all have to say!

Small Island
Andrea Levy
4****

Set against the backdrop of World War 2 and its immediate aftermath, this is a story with universal appeal. Two couples – the Jamaicans Hortense and Gilbert Joseph and the British Queenie and Bernard Bligh – find their way in circumstances neither ever considered. They share a desire to better themselves, but fail to recognize their common goals and instead focus on their differences. Queenie grabbed at a chance to leave her life on a farm and hastily married a boring banker, but her husband never returned from the war and now she is alone and friendless in a house that she cannot maintain. Hortense, schooled in proper manners and with expectations of refined living, is shocked at the sordidness of the post-war London home in which she and Gilbert are lodgers, and at the hostility that many Britons display to these immigrants. The sudden return of Bernard Bligh will spark the turn of events leading to the climax.

Levy has written a gem of a novel that explores every human emotion, but ends with a feeling of hope. The dialogue is wonderful, including just enough colloquial expression to really bring the characters to life. I felt for these wounded people and celebrated their triumphs, however small. The four central characters take turns narrating, giving us insight into their expectations, strengths and failings. Levy also has the action alternate between Jamaica and England; the novel also goes back and forth in time, building suspense and leading to an ending that is as inevitable as it is unexpected.

I just finished The Orphan Master's Son, which I found powerful, interesting and beyond sad. I am wondering how much of the sorts of torture and mental craziness he depicts is really true in North Korea.

Lyn,
Thanks for the review. You may want to read Nothing to envyNothing to Envy: Ordinary Lives in North Korea. It is non-fiction, but the conditions in North Korea are so bad that it reads like some kind of dystopian nightmare. Does The Orphan Master's Son have any hope in it? If so, I will read it.

In the mood for something lighter to read, I read Girl Walks into a Bar . . .: Comedy Calamities, Dating Disasters, and a Midlife Miracle. This is by SNL's Rachel Dratch. I liked it a lot.

I also read Steve Martin's Born Standing Up: A Comic's Life. Martin has a very serious, analytical approach to comedy - somewhat surprising when I remember laughing at all his goofy bits on SNL. This one is not so funny, but very interesting, and the man can really write.

Lyn wrote: "I just finished The Orphan Master's Son, which I found powerful, interesting and beyond sad. I am wondering how much of the sorts of torture and mental craziness he depicts is really true in North..."

Just put a hold on it at the library. Thanks.

I'm reading (and loving) GOD ON THE ROCKS by Jane Gardam. Didn't care too much for her book, Old Filth, but this one is very good.

Marge

I also read Steve Martin's Born Standing Up: A Comic's Life.

I agree, Ann. There were some very interesting insights in that book.

Barb,
It certainly gave me an appreciation for the art of stand up comedy. You really have to be totally committed (obsessed?) to make a go of it. My advanced ESL students read an article about the discovery of King Tut's tomb and I showed them a video clip of Martin's "King Tut" just for fun. We all cracked up.

Martin's childhood was unhappy, which I think is par for the course for many comedians. However, the books I've read by female comedians Tina Fey, Rachel Dratch, and Mindy Kaling reported very happy home lives and supportive parents.

Marge,
I also liked GOD ON THE ROCKS.

Ann

If you're interested in the stand-up, check out Jerry Seinfeld's documentary, Comedian. It's about how he retired his act when the show ended, and his efforts to create new material from scratch. The thing I remember most is watching Jerry and another comedian (I think it was Chris Rock) discuss Bill Cosby, and you could hear the awe in their voices at how he managed to have all new material on a regular basis.

My favorite book by Steve Martin is THE PEASURE OF MY COMPANY. It is told from the POV of Daniel, a warm, loving young man who is obsessive-compulsive. It is humorous and moving, with a lovely ending.

Marge

Peggy,
Seinfeld came to my hometown this year with his new standup act. We weren't in time to get tickets. I will definitely Netflix his documentary.

Marge,
I have both Pure Drivel and The Pleasure of My Company. You have motivated me to reread The Pleasure of My Company.

Ann

Ann, there is some hope in The Orphan Master's Son, and I am glad to have read it. Thanks for the recommendation of Nothing to Envy: Ordinary Lives in North Korea; I am going to read that one; though it looks to be very sad, in this far too materialistic culture we live in, I live a frugal, simple (and very happy) life, but just because I am surrounded by those who feel they "need" this and this and this, I enjoy getting a wider perspective that confirms that I have all I need in an abundance that many in the world would justifiably envy.

And thanks for all the recommendations of comedian books! They will provide a nice contrast. When I think of comedy books, I think of how much I liked Bossypants and 30 Rock, and how I can never really put a finger on exactly what makes Tina Fey so funny and likeable, but she really is.

Just finished "Tony and Susan". I gave it a 3.5. Very absorbing at the beginning somewhat slow at the end.
Now reading "The Rules of Civility". Good so far.

Another reminder for us people who have an aversion to hovering over book covers. Could you please put the title and author in so we can find it more easily? The cover doesn't do much for me. It's very small, especially on my smartphone, which is where I usually pick up these threads.

On the Beach – Nevil Shute
4****

This post-apocalyptic novel was published in 1957 and set in the future – 1963 (though current readers might consider it “historical”). It takes place primarily in and around Melbourne Australia. World War has decimated the northern hemisphere a year or two previously, and the nuclear debris is slowly spreading on the winds to the southern hemisphere. The population knows that the end is coming; in about nine months they will all get radiation sickness and die. But for now … the sun shines, people go to work (albeit on horseback or via bicycle since they have no petrol), babies are born, children attend school, sports matches are played, beach and picnic outings are had … in short, life goes on.

I cannot remember the last time I was so affected by a book. Part of my reaction, I’m sure, harkens back to my own days as a child during the Cuban Missile Crisis and the Cold War. I lived in a military town, and we felt we would be a prime target if bombs were launched against us. I remember the “duck and cover” drills, the discussions I had with my parents about what to do if “something happened” while I was at school. On a basic level, this book touched and awakened all those fears and insecurities.

I’ve had dreams about the situation these characters find themselves in. What would I do if I knew I was going to die? Would I plant daffodil bulbs I’d never see flower? Would I start a new course of study I’d always wanted to pursue, knowing I’d never finish it and never be able to get a job in that career field? Would I abandon my duties and obligations to indulge in hobbies? Would I give up and seek the numbing effects of alcohol? Would I embrace the chance at a new love? Would I kill my baby or my elderly parents to ensure they didn’t suffer? Would I end it quickly or die a slow agonizing death, knowing my loved ones, friends, neighbors, countrymen were all dying similarly?

It’s not a “teary” book, but I was in tears at the end. I’m really glad I finally read this book that has been on my tbr list for (literally) decades.

Lyn,
I always like books with some humor to read between more "literary" novels or non-fiction, which tell sad stories more often than not. Let me know if you have any suggestions.

I'm going to put The Orphan Master's Son on my TBR list.

NOTHING TO ENVY shows the reader a country that has been ruined by its leaders - a place where most of the people are destitute and sometimes even starving, but children are taught that they have "nothing to envy" from any other country in the world. The disconnect between the propaganda and reality is appalling. At the same time, the book tells the story of several people who managed to escape, so there is some hope for them at least.

Geoff wrote: "The Heart is a Lonely Hunter is winning me over."

Great. I read it (finally) a couple of years back. I enjoyed it a lot!

Just as I was about to turn to the Bolano 2666 that has been on my to-read shelves forever, a friend lent me Atwood's The Blind Assassin. That was a melancholy, but satisfying read and I think I am now just about ready to turn back to Bolano (but wait...my visiting father-in-law left a copy of We Need to Talk About Kevin that I may not be able to put off.)

Danielle wrote: "Just as I was about to turn to the Bolano 2666 that has been on my to-read shelves forever, a friend lent me Atwood's The Blind Assassin. That was a melancholy, but satisfying read and I think I am..."

You'll need fortitude to tackle 2666, but it was well worth it. We had a fantastic discussion here about it a while back.

Hey Kat, you should nominate What Maisie Knew for our classics board. I have been meaning to read that for forever and am sure it would provide good discussion fodder.

I just got Bring Up the Bodies from the library, the sequel to Wolf Hall. Looking forward to diving in to that era again.

I'm still laboring through A Word Child by Iris Murdoch. It was reaaaaaaaaaaaally slow starting, then got going like a house afire. But now it's going round and round in seemingly endless interior muddling. I've started to skip chunks. Not a good sign.

Al, I'm dying to read Bring Up the Bodies. I may save it for summer though.

I just finished Judi Dench's And Furthermore. It's obvious that she's an actor, not a writer, but I enjoyed it. I think any Dench fan would. And, I just started The People on Privilege Hill so I'm spending more time with Edward Feathers.