What Books Are You Reading?-#3

[talkingtocactus]

Re: What Are You Reading?-#3

^ i've heard that is a good book, it's one of those on my to do list, i think i'll have to get around to it!

I'm reading Birdsong now, and really enjoying it. I didn't mind the romance subplot but it seemed a bit silly and out of nowhere to me, I mean Stephen moves into this French guy's house and straight away he just has to have the guy's wife? I do believe in instant chemistry etc but it still seemed a bit odd, perhaps because I never 'felt' the chemistry between them. Then it got to the 1916 bit. I think the whole description of life in the trenches and the utter futility of it all is amazing, Faulks really seems to 'get' it. The descriptions of the tunnellers' work is particularly well written, I think, and disturbing.

yep - well obviously for my diss etc i ended up reading a lot of first hand accounts and he really did get it right, especially as you say the futility which for me is the overriding aspect of the entire war. and i know exactly what you mean about the romance - i felt the same!

I'm looking forward to reading 'All Quiet' because it gives the same story from the 'other' side. As for what you say about experiences of the war being very similar, I think that's bang on. In 'The Victors' which I read a while ago, the author mentions that many American veterans of WW2 actually got along with and liked the Germans they met at the end of the war best out of all the various nationalities they met, basically because of Germany being at that time, in some ways, quite progressive and forward thinking, like America at that time, which I thought was very interesting. Of course that is shown in films like AMC (had to mention it:thumbsup and Joyeux Noel too.

absolutely, once they got past the propaganda of the other side being evil monsters, i think there was a lot of common ground. perhaps less so in WW2 because so many germans were nazis and i think they were inevitably harder to empathise with. but yes, i like stuff that shows the human element, that there were good guys on all sides, really. and yay AMC!

Sounds interesting. I love Steinbeck too.

i went to his house! it was so cool he's a great writer, i still highly recommend 'the moon is down' for you, i think you'd like it. and 'cup of gold' was really good too, although really different from later stuff he did in many ways.

LOL at the 'sucking a dead man's.....' thing. That sounds interesting. I think real life CSIs must hate the shows because they are pretty unrealistic, but then I don't watch for the forensics, I watch for one particular scientist/detective.

haha yeah that always makes people laugh i get the impression she doesn't hate the shows, but she does have a few gripes - partly that they simplify the process to a point where resemblence is almost lost, which i don't really see a problem with that because hey, it's entertainment! but the other gripes she had i can see her point - one was that numbers of forensics courses and students have soared and now people seem to think they can just do a degree in forensics and go straight into a glitzy crime lab, which isn't how it works at all, and also that juries won't notice any non-forensic evidence in court - she said a lot of crimes are solved by just detective work and forensic evidence is minimal but if a jury don't see dna and so on they think the case must be at fault, they assume that forensic evidence is all that counts, and given how often the csi shows state that evidence is what solves crimes, i can see her point. that must be pretty frustrating.

 

[MacsLady]

Re: What Are You Reading?-#3

I checked out 'The Moon is Down' on amazon and it looked great, so I ordered it (this is why I work, after all! We don't have it at the library and it's not on audible uk (they have no Steinbeck!) so good old Amazon!). I will probably take it to San Francisco, it will be good for the plane journey (along with 1984, such cheerful books I read!)
I'm really pleased I ordered it actually as I only have one book put aside for SF (The Apprenticeship of Duddy Kravitz) and I was a bit worried that it wouldn't be enough, even on a holiday when I'm doing loads I read a lot and of course there's the plane journey and waiting at airports to consider. So hopefully with this book as well, and 1984 on my Ipod, I'll be okay.
Amazon says it will come in 3-5 days.
I'll definitely let you know what I think when I've finished it.

 

[talkingtocactus]

Re: What Are You Reading?-#3

such cheerful books I read!

oh, i've had holidays where i read nothing but solzhenitsyn (who was in the gulag and wrote primarily about that), primo levi (auschwitz), and thomas hardy (just misery through and through) - and it was all helpfully soundtracked by the manics and joy division. i love a bit of misery

even on a holiday when I'm doing loads I read a lot and of course there's the plane journey and waiting at airports to consider.

same, i didn't read so many this time (3 or 4 i think), but in the past i've read 18 books in 2 weeks on holiday! that was a beach hol tho so lots of downtime

 

[MakeTracksCowboy]

Re: What Are You Reading?-#3

i just finished reading a biography on Daphne du Maurier the author of Rebecca. there was nothing shocking an scandalous about the author but she had some issues that if known come out in her novels and short stories. it was amazing to read how much of herself she put into the main character in Rebecca, the main character reflects some of du Maurier's insercurities she had at the time she was writing the book.

so now after reading about Daphne du Maurier i am now reading Rebecca again. i love this book and now since i read about Daphne du Maurier and her writing style and everything else i'm really enjoying the book a lot more.

 

[GregNickRyanFan]

Re: What Are You Reading?-#3

Hell's Aquarium - Steve Alden (I think that's his name) its one of the sequels to "Meg" (about the prehistoric shark). Basically its like Jurassic Park except with megladon sharks instead of dinos. I've read two chapters so far lol.

 

[MacsLady]

Re: What Are You Reading?-#3

I finished Birdsong, and really enjoyed it.

Spoiler: spoilers for those who haven't read it

I thought the final bit of Stephen's story, where he's rescued by Lt. Levi and the other two Germans was really good. It showed how similar the war was for both sides, and how the Germans were just people, with their own dreams of home and their own family and their own losses and grief. When they sit together and it's completely quiet because the war is over, it's such a powerful scene. Also, how among the majority of men at the front, by the end, neither was bothered about winning, they just wanted it to be over. Though of course in many ways it was never over for so many of them. I thought the fact that Levi was Jewish was interesting, made me think that despite serving his country, if he was still alive when Hitler came to power he'd have been persecuted. I guess that must have happened with lots of Jews.

Really good book, it really did convey the horror and utter, utter pointlessness of it all.

such cheerful books I read!

oh, i've had holidays where i read nothing but solzhenitsyn (who was in the gulag and wrote primarily about that), primo levi (auschwitz), and thomas hardy (just misery through and through) - and it was all helpfully soundtracked by the manics and joy division. i love a bit of misery

Me too. Right now I'm reading 'Faithful Place' by Tana French. It's about Frank Mackey, who works for the undercover division of the Guards in Ireland (he appeared in French's previous book, The Likeness). When Frank was 19, growing up in a working class area of Dublin known as the Liberties, he fell in love with a girl called Rosie and they planned to run away to England together, but she never showed up the night they were supposed to run away. Frank ran away from his family, and never looked back, but when Rosie's suitcase is found stuffed inside a fireplace in one of the old houses on their street, he has to return, deal with his dysfunctional family, and consider the fact that Rosie, rather than having run away to England on her own that night years ago, is actually dead.
It's pretty grim and dark and miserable....and I love it. I hardly read any crime any more, only Tana French's stuff and Robert Crais'. I get my crime fix from CSI nowadays. Reading wise, I'm finding I'm reading more non-fiction than before.

 

[talkingtocactus]

Re: What Are You Reading?-#3

so now after reading about Daphne du Maurier i am now reading Rebecca again. i love this book and now since i read about Daphne du Maurier and her writing style and everything else i'm really enjoying the book a lot more.

i always liked jamaica inn more than rebecca, but both are good, she was a great writer. not that i've read anything by her in many years but i remember them as good

Really good book, it really did convey the horror and utter, utter pointlessness of it all.

totally agree

such cheerful books I read!

oh, i've had holidays where i read nothing but solzhenitsyn (who was in the gulag and wrote primarily about that), primo levi (auschwitz), and thomas hardy (just misery through and through) - and it was all helpfully soundtracked by the manics and joy division. i love a bit of misery

Me too. Right now I'm reading 'Faithful Place' by Tana French.

that sounds good! i finished "never suck a dead man's hand" - it was pretty silly really. very entertaining but more about the gross out than anything else. i enjoyed it but wouldn't call it a serious csi book, even though it's by a real csi.

right now i'm reading a book about dick cheney - frankly it's terrifying.:scream::scream:

 

[MacsLady]

Re: What Are You Reading?-#3

^Faithful Place was awesome. Like all of French's books, as well as the crime element, there's usually a very strong personal storyline going on for the central character that is connected to whatever the case/crime is but is a very strong element of the book in and of itself. In this book, for example, the detective, Frank Mackey has an awful lot of stuff going on with his very dysfunctional, f**ked up family, that's very connected to the murder he's investigating, but it also really compelling all on it's own. I was hooked by the crime story, wanted to know 'whodunnit', of course, but just as hooked, if not more, by his personal story. She has a knack for writng these very real, flawed, screwed-up yet likeable central characters who are really compelling. There's often quite a bit of dark humour in her novels too.

 

[Joycie84]

Re: What Are You Reading?-#3

I'm reading "Eat, Pray, Love" by Elizabeth Gilbert. I wanted to read the book before I saw the movie. But I heard the movie isn't all that good, so I might just stick with the book. I just started reading, I'm about 10 chapters in, but it's ok so far. I haven't really sympathized with Liz yet, but I think I will eventually. It's just a fun and light read.

 

[talkingtocactus]

Re: What Are You Reading?-#3

^ there are very few movies/books that i outright refuse to watch/read, but that's one of them! actually, having said there are very few, the girl with the..... stuff is one of those too, i just won't do it! it's weird to have 2 out at a time that i just refuse to even try, it really doesn't happen that often. if i had to choose between those, i'd grudgingly choose the girl who did all that weird shit over the eating with julia roberts thing. [/pointless]

 

[MacsLady]

Re: What Are You Reading?-#3

I tried The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, and I just couldn't get into it. I know it's meant to take a while, but I've read books like that before, where the plot takes a while to get going, and those were fine.
I'll be lazy and just watch the film(s) I think.

 

[Wojo]

Re: What Are You Reading?-#3

x guns n roses drummer Steven Adler who was kicked out of the band because of drug use (what a joke coming from this band) after 20 yrs and finally sober has written about about his life called. My appetite for destruction. I highly recomend it for all GNR fans or fans of rock music in general.

 

[talkingtocactus]

Re: What Are You Reading?-#3

i'm reading a book called 'the cat detective' - mainly because my cat, boobs, is having some 'issues' that i need to sort it out - i'm a bit worried about him

i'm also still reading about dick cheney & being scared!

 

[MacsLady]

Re: What Are You Reading?-#3

Lisa, I hope you will find out what is wrong with Boobs and he will be all right.

I just finished reading 'Just Henry' by Michelle Magorian. It's about a 14 year old boy in 1949. His dad was killed in the war, he died a hero, and Henry misses him and finds it hard coping with a new stepdad and baby sister. He loves films and going to the cinema. His new teacher assigns him a history project where he has to learn about films and film making in history, but to Henry's horror he's put in a group with Pip, who is illegitimate, and Jeffries, the son of a deserter. Henry has been led to believe by his very bitter and prejudiced gran that such people are bad, and should not be associated with. However, Henry soon finds himself learning that not everything is as black and white as it seems, and becoming friendly with the two outcasts he's been grouped with. His whole worldview begins to change, and he begins to suspect his gran isn't the sweet, loving old lady he thinks she is (the reader can tell straight off she's a nasty, vicious, conniving old bat, but it takes Henry a while to realize it). Henry gets an old camera and takes pictures with it, but when he develops the film, he uncovers a dark secret and his life becomes like the dramas on the big screen.
I enjoyed it. It's written for teenagers, but is one of those books adults can enjoy as well.

Now I'm reading Love, Aubrey by Suzanne LaFleur. It's about an 11 year old girl called Aubrey, who lost her father and sister in some kind of accident, a car wreck, I think, and now her mother has disappeared too. After surviving a few days on her own, Aubrey is taken in by her grandmother. The story is intersperesed with letters from Aubrey to her missing/lost family members. I'm not very far in yet, but am enjoying it. Aubrey seems like a very real, compelling character.

 

[talkingtocactus]

Re: What Are You Reading?-#3

^ 'just henry' sounds good!

i'm still reading dick cheney, but although it's interesting it's also kind of dry so i'm reading other stuff on the side. at the moment i'm reading 'tobacco road' by erskine caldwell. it's sort of vaguely similar to 'the grapes of wrath' in one sense, it was written around a similar period (7 years previous) and is about a family of sharecroppers who're suffering in the depression and have lost everything. that's about where the similarity ends though - this family are quite different from the joads, they're kind of lazy and crude and seem to be constantly having sex with just about anyone (including each other). there's quite a lot made of the fact that boy children are supposed to leave home and work asap while girl children are only good for selling off in marriage to make some money for snuff, and as soon as possible, with the standard marriage age for girls standing at about 12. actually it starts off with one of their neighbours complaining that their daughter, who he bought from them, won't sleep with him and he's tried everything, being nice, beating her, tying her to the bed etc and can't work out what her problem is (i was reading that thinking "er, well, she's 12!"), while naturally their other daughter, who's 18 but has a disfigurement that stops her being marriageable seems to be a nymphomaniac and when this neighbour comes over to ask the father to order his younger daughter to sleep with him the older girl pretty much assaults the neighbour and keeps him occupied (while the younger brother watches and cheers!) so the father can steal his turnips. it's quite comical but kind of tragic as well.

i think the book was written as a kind of satire but with a serious point as well. caldwell grew up where it's set so although he plays their activities for some laughs, he's also quite sympathetic and there are lots of passages where he explains how they ended up this way, how they have been done over by just about everyone, so although they come across as lazy and crude you also see why they are - i believe it was kind of a shocking book when it came out (1932) because it was so up front about their behaviour but also didn't necessarily blame them for it. also it shows them up as kind of immoral but then also shows that the reason they're immoral is that local authority figures (such as the preacher, land owners etc) are just as bad and how can anyone expect people with nothing to be moral when those with everything are setting such a bad example? it's quite entertaining though, they have absolutely no boundaries at all!