Janet Posted July 18, 2013 Share Posted July 18, 2013 You didn't ever respond to my email - or make any comments whatsoever about my essay of Of Mice and Men - does that mean you thought it was crap?! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ben Posted July 18, 2013 Author Share Posted July 18, 2013 You didn't ever respond to my email - or make any comments whatsoever about my essay of Of Mice and Men - does that mean you thought it was crap?! Oh god.. I knew there was something I'd forgotten. I read it and completely forgot to comment and send an email back. I thought it was really good - very interesting read. I'll email you some proper thoughts tomorrow - sorry about that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Janet Posted July 24, 2013 Share Posted July 24, 2013 Do you know what... don't bother. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ben Posted July 24, 2013 Author Share Posted July 24, 2013 Wow.. um. Janet, I've been really busy in recent weeks.. I hardly even post on here that much. It really isn't anything personal. I did read the essay, and I enjoyed it.. I just never remembered to take the time to give you some proper thoughts. I appreciate you sending it to me, please don't take any offence.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
willoyd Posted July 25, 2013 Share Posted July 25, 2013 Ooh The Waves .. I have it on good authority that it's a bit of a beast .. I haven't dare attempt it Good luck!! and good luck with all your reading Ben .. that is one impressive collection of books. As a bit of Woolf fan (just a bit!) I can vouch for that - it's one of her slimmest, but easily the most challenging. I'd certainly not recommend it for one's first experience of her. On the other hand, whilst Orlando is a much easier read, I'd say that one or two of her others would be better lead-ins. My personal favourites are To The Lighthouse, Mrs Dalloway and The Years, with Between The Acts following closely behind. I'd certainly read at least t one or two of the first three before heading off to The Waves. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ben Posted December 30, 2013 Author Share Posted December 30, 2013 2013 Reading Review I suppose that no posts since the close of July (but with books still being read), sums up a topsy-turvy reading year for me. Really, it should have been an excellent one - the potential was there from the onset of 2013, to be the greatest list yet. Inevitably, though, I fell short - and not just hugely off a projected 100 total, but three short of 2012's final amount (81), as well. Nothing says strange like reading in only seven of the twelve months (in comparison to reading in 11/12 last year) but still managing to fall beneath last year's total.. .. so, as usual, my reading came in fits and starts, lacking a consistency that university and my own mojo just won't let me have. I've had time to cram in books, but not to write down as many thoughts as I would have liked. Still, I can't have too many complaints: in a busy twelve months I've still managed to get through some truly wonderful novels - including a new author that walks straight into the upper-echelons of my 'favourites' lists. Salman Rushdie and his remarkable Midnight's Children without a doubt takes this year's top spot, in a year which has found me thoroughly exploring his brilliant catalogue. I have finally managed to get myself stuck into further classics this time around, and haven't been disappointed. From the unmatchable wit and genius of Oscar Wilde in The Importance of Being Earnest, to ending what seemed like an endless struggle (over years gone) to finish Dostoyevsky's Crime and Punishment. As I thought: once I gave it the time and patience it deserved, I discovered another gem. A truly gripping exploration into the passions of human nature and the consequences of our actions. Who could forget the heart-wrenching tale of Lennie and George? Steinbeck's Of Mice and Men would have to round off 2013's top three. Yet looking back with a smile I see so many that really deserve more than the fleeting mention I will give: Kerouac's On the Road - a marvellously funny, sprawling journey across America, packed tight with weird and wonderful observations. Orwell's Animal Farm - I can say nothing that hasn't already been said, but what a novel. If you haven't read it already, you really are missing out. Linda Gillard, Richard Montanari, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, Neil Gaiman, Carlos Ruiz Zafon, Franz Kafka, Ben Elton, Hanif Kurieshi, Joseph Conrad, Zadie Smith, T.S. Eliot, W.B. Yeats, Caryl Philips, Merle Hodge, Chinua Achebe, Ian McEwan, E.M. Forster, G. R. R. Martin, Aldous Huxley, Toni Morrison, Dashiell Hammett, Mark Twain, Lewis Carroll, Jeffrey Deaver, John Grisham.. The year ended with me stuffing myself full of popcorn-for-the-mind novels, in the form of Lee Child - but other than that last flurry of fiction, as I look through my lists I find my reading has been wide-reaching. I've looked at a number of different genres and that has reflected in the number of new and different authors I've explored. From poetry to crime thriller, I am delighted with this year's range. It has been an awfully busy twelve months for me and yet still I managed to make a successful dent in my TBR and discover new delights. Here's hoping 2014 brings more of the same.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Athena Posted December 31, 2013 Share Posted December 31, 2013 Great write-up, I hope 2014 will be a good (reading) year for you . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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