Having read this at the start of the year, I was struck by a shift in perception, unless I misunderstood it. The notion of the "Southern Softy" (that's me, now that I live in the North!) seemed to be totally reversed.
Being new to this forum I am late to all these threads, so I do apologise for rekindling some!
I read Madame Bovary at school and I loved it so much I "forgot" to return it. This threaad has made me want to re-read it as, strangely, I never have.
My favourite US classic is McTeague, a Story of San Francisco - Frank Norris. It was a achance find in a second hand bookshop and I loved every word of it. I've never manage to finish anything else of his though.
I bought one a couple of years ago when I found it half price. I use it mostly for whizzing up tomatoes, fresh and tinned. I rarely make smoothies. But it looks impressive!
The gadget I couldn't do without is the kettle.
BOOK LIST
01 North and South - Elizabeth Gaskell * * * * *
02 In the Days of Rain - Rebecca Stott * * * *
03 Haroun and the Stories of the Sea * * * *
04 The Trouble with Goats and Sheep - Joanna Cannon * * *
05 The Essex Serpent - Sarah Perry * * * *
06 A Brush with Nature - Richard Mabey * * *
07 If on a Winter's Night a Traveller - Ital Calvino DNF but may return to it
08 The Penelopiad - Margaret Attwood * * *
09 The Handmaid's Tale - Margaret Attwood * * * * *
10 A Time to Love and a Time to Die - Erich Maria Remarque * * * * *
11 The House on the Strand - Daphne Du Maurier * * *
12 Exceeding my Brief - Barbara Hosking * * * *
13 Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine - Gail Honeyman * * * *
14 Norse Mythology - Neil Gaiman *
15 Estoril - Dejan Tiago Stankovic DNF but will return
16 The Wasp Factory - Iain Banks * * *
17 Erotic Stories for Punjabi Widows - Balli Kaur Jaswal DNF dreadful!
18 Educated - Tara Westover * * *
19 A Grand Old Time - Judy Leigh *
20 Snow Falling on Cedars - David Guterson ****
21 Wonder - R J Palacio ****
22 The Master and Margarita - Mikhail Bulgakon ***
23 The Shadow of the Wind - Carloz Ruiz Zafon **
24 Caged Bird - Katy Morgan-davies ***
25 Seven brief Lessons in Physics - Carlo Rovelli ***
26 Insidiuous Intent - Val McDermid
27 The Grand Babylon Hotel - Arnold Bennett
28 The Invisible Library - Genevieve Cogman
29 Beatice and virgil - Yann Martel
30 Fathers and Sons - Ivan Tergenov
31 Max and the Cats - Maocyr Scliar
32 The Last Letter from Instanbul - Lisa Foley
33 Home Fire - Kamila Shamsie
34 The English Patient - Michael Ondaatje
35 Moon Tiger - Penelpe Lively
36 Swing Time - Zadie Smith
37 Less - Andrew Sean Greer
38 In a Free State - V S Naipaul
***** Loved it!
**** Enjoyed very much
*** Enjoyed
** Disappointed
* Hated
DNF
I'm a great lover of classics and literary fiction, although I do enjoy a good memoir.
For me, the author has to be a wordsmith. I marvel at the skill of some and tear my hair out at the lack of it in others.
For many years I've found most best sellers to be tripe but in recent years there seems to have been a shift and I'm finding some great new authors.
My to be read bookcase is creeking and I wish there were more hours in the day!
.
Good evening, everyone...why have I not found this site before?
I'm looking forward to reading as many threads as I can and getting to know you all. I recognise at least one name here from a previous reading forum!
Rebecca x