Reading for pleasure! What are you reading now?

Penelope · Posted: Tue Apr 22, 2008 10:16 am Post subject:

Ooooh I LIKE the sound of that one......A Midwife's Tale.

Thank you for recommending it. I will get a copy and read it whether it is the forum choice or not.

Nice One Saffron!!!

I have just started 'The Bad Mother's Handbook' by Kate Long - fun, fun, fun....

dbooks · Posted: Tue Apr 22, 2008 10:57 am Post subject:

Memoirs of a Geisha is a really fascinating novel, I have read it twice...

Right now I am reading a detective fiction: The Falls, by Ian Rankin. I had never read any Rankin novels before and I am enjoying it, the plot is complex and intriguing...

Penelope · Posted: Tue Apr 22, 2008 12:06 pm Post subject:

I haven't ever found the time to read even the most 'masterpiece' twice.

There are so many books to read.

wrt Ian Rankin - The Wasp Factory. I haven't read it.......but my kids were mightily impressed.......

Of course, what appeals to one generation doesn't always/usually appeal to another. We inhabit different worlds with different priorities....most of the time....but not ALL the time.

Maybe that is what makes a great book....one that can speak to different generations in different countries. We do live in different Worlds.

Nostalgia is a bit of a sickness with me......maybe I should try to keep up.

Constance963 · Posted: Wed Apr 23, 2008 8:21 am Post subject:

I'm currently reading The Terror by Dan Simmons and next up is the Whole World Over by Julia Glass, which is one of the last books I got for Christmas.

ralphinlaos · Posted: Wed Apr 23, 2008 10:03 am Post subject:

Hello everyone -

I haven't been reading so much recently; I get caught up in crosswords and everything else goes out the window. I'm still reading The Second Coming by Walker Percy - excellent book.

I don't think I've ever heard of Ian Rankin. Is he British? From what you write, he seems to be an author I would enjoy. It's strange, isn't it, how some authors travel well and some don't. I mean, I suppose Stephen King and John Grisham and Ruth Rendall are read around the world - this is just supposition on my part, I don't know if it's true or not. But I would imagine that many novels never make it past the shores of the country in which they are published, for whatever reason. Or maybe in this day and age, everything is published everywhere. What do you think? Is Garrison Keillor read outside the United States?

Penny, I do hope that someday you will find something by Studs Turkel and read it; he's been an American icon for decades, but is still around. He writes about the masses, the people who go to work everyday to jobs many of us would abhor, their struggles and triumphs. He's written so many - all of them good.

Perhaps you could put some of your winnings from the races toward a good book!

Yes, Theomanic, Naked Lunch was a shocker in it's day - is it still? I haven't read it in years, but I did pick up a copy of Grace Metalious' Peyton Place a couple of months ago and it's still a pretty amazing book for it's time and, IMHO, very well written.

And Constance, my daughter told me that she loved The Terror - are you enjoying it? I haven't been able to find it yet.

Now, here's a question for everyone. I have heard about a current, popular lady novelist who, when a young girl, together with her girl-friend, committed a crime (I think it was murder). I think they both spent time in prison. Anyway, when she got out of prison, she changed her name and became a best-selling novelist. I'd really like to know more about this; does anyone know if a book was ever written about this case? I do know that their was a movie made of the incident wherein she and her friend committed the crime. It was quite a popular movie when it was released (I think it was an English film - or maybe from Ireland). I can't remembr the name of the movie - but maybe it was based on a book. Anyone ever hear of this?

Have a great holiday, Penny. I see on the BBC that Gone With the Wind, the musical, has just opened in the West End - to horrendous reviews; I'd love to see it.

Ralph

dbooks · Posted: Wed Apr 23, 2008 11:05 am Post subject:

Ralphinlaos: Ian Rankin is Scottish, his novels feature Inspector John Rebus, and are based in Edinburgh. It is a bit early for me to recommend him since I have not yet finished reading The Falls, and haven't yet read any other novel by him. However, he is considered as one of the best new detective novel writers, along with Peter Robinson (when I write "new", it is as opposed to older, longer established writers such as Rendell or P. D. James). I believe he "travels" a bit: he has been translated at least in French.
I have never heard of Garrison Keillor: is he good?

Theomanic · Posted: Wed Apr 23, 2008 12:36 pm Post subject:

Ralph: The author you are mentioning is Anne Perry, and the movie about those events is called "Heavenly Creatures". It's a creepy and eerily moving movie... definitely a surprise when I rented it, as I didn't know it was based on a true story. The movie is from New Zealand, I believe, but maybe the actual event happened there and the movie was filmed elsewhere. I'm not certain. I am told that Anne Perry didn't like the movie or feel it was very accurate. As to the movie being based on a book, I haven't a clue! Smile

Naked Lunch is still quite the shocker, even in this hedonistic day and age. Laughing

Though personally, I felt all the "shocking" situations got a bit repetitive.

Ophelia · Posted: Wed Apr 23, 2008 1:50 pm Post subject:

Ophelia · Posted: Wed Apr 23, 2008 2:02 pm Post subject:

dbooks · Posted: Wed Apr 23, 2008 4:53 pm Post subject:

ralphinlaos · Posted: Thu Apr 24, 2008 6:53 am Post subject:

Hello everyone -

dbooks: Garrison Keillor is an American writer who is quite popular here, but I think his books are probably a little bit too "American" to appeal to the rest of the world. That's what I was wondering; I imagine there are authors who are very popular in one country but unknown in others. But then, Willa Cather was a very "American" author and I think she is well known around the world, isn't she?

Yes, Theomanic, that is exactly who I was referring to - Anne Perry. She's still quite popular among female readers in America. Somewhere out there, there must be a book (non-fiction) detailing this story and her life. I'm not surprised she herself dos not want to disuss it. I vaguely remember seeing Heavenly Ceatures quite a while ago - mostly memorable because it was based on a true story and for the fact that one of the girls went on to become a best-selling author. I wonder what ever happened to the other girl.

Oh, Ophelia, do I detect a hint of sarcasm there? More than a hint, I think. Surely you, as a college professor, cannot deny that much of what your students read is not of their own choosing, no?

Thanks for the Anne Perry website, dbooks. I'd love to know (read) the whole story, but probably won't find it there.

Ralph

Chris OConnor · Posted: Thu Apr 24, 2008 7:26 am Post subject:

Ophelia said:

Ophelia · Posted: Thu Apr 24, 2008 9:45 am Post subject:

Yes, Ralph, this was just a joke, not sarcasm. Smile

I actually don't associate students with the idea of reading lists because I teach in a secondary school, and only my colleagues in French lit give set reading.

ralphinlaos · Posted: Thu Apr 24, 2008 12:24 pm Post subject:

I have no idea what ROFL means; does everyone else?

Theomanic · Posted: Thu Apr 24, 2008 12:40 pm Post subject:

Rolling On the Floor Laughing


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