Ooshie Posted January 27, 2013 Share Posted January 27, 2013 Outlander (or Cross Stitch as I think it was called when I read it) is a wonderful book! I have read it twice, but I'm sure I will be back again for another read soon Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pontalba Posted January 28, 2013 Author Share Posted January 28, 2013 Outlander (or Cross Stitch as I think it was called when I read it) is a wonderful book! I have read it twice, but I'm sure I will be back again for another read soon Have you read any more of the series? Yes, it is the same as Cross Stitch in the UK. Annoying when they change names like that! I really have loved the whole series and can't wait for the next one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ooshie Posted January 28, 2013 Share Posted January 28, 2013 I read several of them but my OH had a massive brain haemorrhage when I was a bit of a way into the one that takes her to America I think, and for some reason I just couldn't pick up the book again. It has been 17 years though, so maybe I need to give it another try! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pontalba Posted January 29, 2013 Author Share Posted January 29, 2013 Ooshie, OMG. I can understand your aversion in that case. I'm so sorry you (both) went through that. A terrible time, I know. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pontalba Posted January 29, 2013 Author Share Posted January 29, 2013 (edited) The Bridge Over the River Kwai by Pierre Boulle. 3/5 I liked it, but man 'o man, it annoyed me. A product of it's times (written in 1954), Kwai is both stereotypical and stiff in the telling of a 1942, WWII, Pacific Theatre event. I suppose most have at least seen or heard of the film starring Alec Guinness and William Holden. The stiff-necked Brit Colonel Nicholson whose pride blinds his patriotism somehow and the attending figures that surround him. Colonol Saito his Japanese counterpart that is head of that particular POW camp and the bridge that must be built for the Japanese invasion of Burma to go as planned. I'd seen most of the film many years ago, and really Guinness is perfect for the part of Nicholson breathing a life into the character that is somehow flatter in the book. But I must get back to the book. Sorry. Blind pride. Men following orders. Oppressive jungle temperatures. Partially unprepared insurgents. Boulle really brings out the similarities of nationalities, probably a bit ahead of his time, I think. A quote of the first page of the book kind of sums it up. "The insuperable gap between East and West that exists in some eyes is perhaps nothing more than an optical illusion. Perhaps it is only the conventional way of expressing a popular opinion based on insufficient evidence and masquerading as a universally recognized statement of fact, for which there is no justification at all, not even the plea that it contains an element of truth. During the last war, "saving face" was perhaps as vitally important to the British as it was to the Japanese. Perhaps it dictated the behavior of the former, without their being aware of it, as forcibly and as fatally as it did of the latter, and no doubt that of every other race in the world." I like that, in other words, we are all the same underneath the skin, as it were. Nationalism, racism and whatever other "isms" one can think of are essentially superfluous. It is true, and I wish more would realize it. We are creeping up on that thought, but faster, please! Edited January 29, 2013 by pontalba Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vodkafan Posted January 29, 2013 Share Posted January 29, 2013 That was a very interesting quote and observation Pontalba. Hmm might look out for BOTRK. Was Pierre Boulle actually there at the camp? He wrote Monkey Planet (Planet of the Apes). Robert Goddard and Outlander/Cross Stitch look interesting too. I read a YA novel many years ago called Devil On The Road that sounds a bit similar but that was a male protaganist. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pontalba Posted January 29, 2013 Author Share Posted January 29, 2013 (edited) I wonder myself VF, I don't know Boulle's history. A bit of research would prove interesting. I knew he'd written Planet of the Apes, and as you probably know it's quite different from the film(s). I'll look for his other 18 or so books at Library Sales, etc, but won't go way out of my way looking for them.... Edited January 29, 2013 by pontalba Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
julie Posted January 29, 2013 Share Posted January 29, 2013 Now THAT is quite a stretch on books- to write somethng with the subject matter that River Kwai has, then Planet of the Apes. Certainly must have been a very multi-faceted writer . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pontalba Posted January 29, 2013 Author Share Posted January 29, 2013 (edited) True dat! lol I was surprised to see that he'd written so many books, to tell the truth. There is a list of 19 books of is all together! I forgot to add that there is an absolutely great quote in the front...by Joseph Conrad. "No, it was not funny; it was rather pathetic; he was so representative of all the past victims of the great joke. But it is by folly alone that the world moves, and so it is a respectable thing upon the whole, and, besides, he was what one would call a good man." Edited January 29, 2013 by pontalba Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
julie Posted January 29, 2013 Share Posted January 29, 2013 So how many of the 19 sound like they are on serious subjects and how many are Planet of the Ape level ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pontalba Posted January 30, 2013 Author Share Posted January 30, 2013 Dang, Julie, no idea. But I'll tell you one thing, while I don't think I'll actively search for his books, if I run across them at a Library Sale, or on the cheap I'll buy 'em. You know, Planet of the Apes is really nothing like the film. Just sayin'. I read it years ago, and it's around here somewhere. I ought to hunt it down and examine it, or actually read it again........ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
julie Posted January 30, 2013 Share Posted January 30, 2013 Yea, I really shouldn't make fun of it. I haven't read it,so maybe it's really much more interesting than the movie looked. I haven't ever even sat through the movie,but just seen small bits of it,since I'm not a movie watcher . I think maybe the thing that threw me off were the Halloween-like monkey masks ,that didnt move right when they were talking .. Just looked a little too fake,but I'm sure if they did a remake of it today,they could make them look much more realistic . They have all kinds of new gadgets to make things look more lifelike in movies now I think . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pontalba Posted January 30, 2013 Author Share Posted January 30, 2013 The remake was very different, and for what it was, better. Different though, to say the least. Special effects were, and I really hate to use this word, awesome. The book was a rather quiet little story, with, for me at least, shades of "Twilight Zone". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pontalba Posted February 1, 2013 Author Share Posted February 1, 2013 I finished Life As We Knew It by Susan Beth Pfeffer the other night, and it left me wanting to know more. Always a good sign in a trilogy. This is the first of said trilogy and it covers the first year of a family's life after a catastrophic event that leaves the earth heaving with tsunamis, extreme volcanic action, and it's moon in a new orbit. It is told from the perspective of a 16 year old girl in more or less diary form. The story is well told and fairly plainly told. First picking it up I was not aware it was a Young Adult book, but I'm glad I did. Some events are a bit glossed over, but all in all it is told in a realistic, straight forward manner I found refreshing. Yeah, I've ordered the next two. Recommended. 3.5.5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nollaig Posted February 3, 2013 Share Posted February 3, 2013 I enjoyed Life As We Knew It, though I don't remember much about it now, but I never bothered with the later two books. I'll be interested to hear what you think of them1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frankie Posted February 3, 2013 Share Posted February 3, 2013 Borrowed Time by Robert Goddard is a rather convoluted murder mystery. A man and woman. A chance meeting. Violence. Murder. Is the narrator a reliable one? What, if anything, is he leaving out? Just when the reader thinks they've figured it out, and have discounted the obvious, another twist comes into play. I thought I had it solved a couple of times, only to be surprised. Goddard is certainly an author to be reckoned with, and one heretofore unknown by myself. Although all of the characters were not fully realized, it didn't take away my enjoyment of the ever thickening plot. Recommended 4/5 Sounds like a good read, thanks for the review! I was just thinking the other day about reliable narrators and I thought I might like to read a novel like that, what coincidence you've just reviewed something that might include something like that Oh, you found Robert Goddard ! Love him ! I haven't read any of his recent ones,but read several of his first ones : Past Caring ( my all time favorite), In Pale Battalions, Into the Blue ,Beyond Recall, Hand in Glove, Closed Circle, Debt of Dishonor, Painting the Darkness . I know what you mean about trying to figure out the mystery. I'm no good at figuring out ANY mystery books I read,but his are especially so. Lots of turns you never see coming . Have either of you read Jeffery Deaver, and if so, how would you compare Robert Goddard to him? At the moment JD's my favorite thriller author (although I should definitely get to reading more of his books, I've only read two so far). I think I might have to look this Goddard up and give his books a go! Edit: Are Goddard's books stand alones? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pontalba Posted February 3, 2013 Author Share Posted February 3, 2013 (edited) Sounds like a good read, thanks for the review! I was just thinking the other day about reliable narrators and I thought I might like to read a novel like that, what coincidence you've just reviewed something that might include something like that Have either of you read Jeffery Deaver, and if so, how would you compare Robert Goddard to him? At the moment JD's my favorite thriller author (although I should definitely get to reading more of his books, I've only read two so far). I think I might have to look this Goddard up and give his books a go! Edit: Are Goddard's books stand alones? I haven't read Deaver, but you are peaking my interest! I'll have to acquire one or three. lol Yes, the Goddard I read was a stand alone. You know it's really awful. I pulled the one Goddard out of a group of three.....and now I can't find the other two. Kylie! I need your organizational skills!!! hee hee Oh well, it'll turn up sooner or later. /sigh/ btw, unreliable narrators are my favorite! Edited February 3, 2013 by pontalba Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pontalba Posted February 3, 2013 Author Share Posted February 3, 2013 I enjoyed Life As We Knew It, though I don't remember much about it now, but I never bothered with the later two books. I'll be interested to hear what you think of them1 I've bought the other two, and will get to them soonish! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kylie Posted February 4, 2013 Share Posted February 4, 2013 I haven't read Deaver, but you are peaking my interest! I'll have to acquire one or three. lol Yes, the Goddard I read was a stand alone. You know it's really awful. I pulled the one Goddard out of a group of three.....and now I can't find the other two. Kylie! I need your organizational skills!!! hee hee Well hurry up and fly me over! I'm sure you have a private jet lurking somewhere, ready and waiting to whisk me away from my humdrum life to an exotic life or book cataloguing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
julie Posted February 4, 2013 Share Posted February 4, 2013 Frankie Just now saw your question about the Deaver books. I haven't read any of his either,but I "think" they would be more along the line of...not sure what word I'm searching for ...more like a rough-edged suspense . Not exactly a good term ,maybe more along the line of a thriller type book that'd appeal a lot to men ? Also not a good term,since I've never read any, they just sound like that to me, but I could be totally off the mark on them. As for Goddard, I really can't think of anyone I'd compare his writing to,and calling them just mystery books would be selling him short . I think his go much deeper than that. They are usually told in a very convoluted way.The main chacracter in the book is usually just kinda bumbling along through life when a chance meeting, letter,or event begins a long series of events ,that are all connected to another tiny piece of the story .From all these tiny pieces, you have to sorta connect the dots(and it's a huge dot-to-dot ),to make a complete picture. You go along gathering these up throughout the story ,and think you finally are on the right track,but the end is always a surprise,nothing even close to what you think it'll be . To my knowledge, and I can't speak for any of his newer ones, just the first ones I mentioned,the only ones that have the same character in them are the ones that start with Into The Blue .. I think that narrator is named Harry ? Just guessing again, it's been a decade since I've read them I think ... Oddly the Harry one is the one I would list as last in my rating scale. They are all good,but his story is told in more modern times. The others I read were all about long-ago events,secret diaries,letters, pictures,just old clues found along the way to solving a big story from the past. Past Caring is just beautiful. A REALLY thick book with a modern day character who is at loose ends in his life. Everything has kinda fallen apart ,and he is looking for something to to focus his attention on .He gets an offer from an unknown party,and becomes involved in a story from the past. You go along with him,reading what he reads, finding out what he does right along with him.It is based on some actual people ,but a lot made up along the way. It's a really sad story(I think that part is true too ),and it's a mystery that remains unsolved today. ( I think that part of it happened from a true event,if I recall). Anyhow Past Caring would be my first choice,followed closely by In Pale Battalions . I think it took place during WW I-- Sorry,a lot of this is fuzzy. I did recently purchase Past Caring for my Kindle so I can reread it at some point . Hope you can find one and try it out . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pontalba Posted February 5, 2013 Author Share Posted February 5, 2013 Well hurry up and fly me over! I'm sure you have a private jet lurking somewhere, ready and waiting to whisk me away from my humdrum life to an exotic life or book cataloguing. Naturally! I'll just call up my Magic Carpet and we'll come and pick you up! I wish. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pontalba Posted February 5, 2013 Author Share Posted February 5, 2013 The Music of Chance by Paul Auster A five star if there ever was one, this Auster sneaks up on the reader. It first worms it's way into your heart, then packs a punch. Man oh man, I can't recommend this one highly enough.A man, a car, the open road. For a while at least. Hobbled in the most inventive of ways, Auster's hero with feet of clay, turns into one of the most self reflective characters. Not in a selfish manner, in a searching, hoping, unrealistic way. Powerful ending.Great characters, interesting settings.Read it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pontalba Posted February 5, 2013 Author Share Posted February 5, 2013 Just prior to Auster's book I'd finished another one. Not Auster. The Secret Scripture by Sebastian Barry 4/5 I ended up loving this story of a woman that might be a hundred years old writing and keeping hidden her manuscript, her telling of her life as she remembers it. She has been incarcerated in an Asylum for the better part of her life. The injustice she has suffered has not, somehow, made her bitter and she seems to be more writing her story to straighten it out in her own head as much as to leave something behind.....for someone. In tandem, the head of the Asylum writes his notes. The dovetailing of those "scriptures" makes for a complete, well, almost complete story. How all the lives intertwine, finally, is a heart wrenching story of love, abandonment, political insanity, but mostly affirmation of self. I found it a bit slow to get into, but well worth the wait. A most satisfying read. Recommended. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pontalba Posted February 6, 2013 Author Share Posted February 6, 2013 (edited) Travels in the Scriptorium by Paul Auster 5/5 Unknown room, unknown name, unknown time and country. Mr. Blank is having an unsettling day. He doesn't know who he is, or why he is in this very plain, blank room. Who are the people holding him here? His story slowly, if somewhat unreliably, unfolds. To a point that is. Who is the narrator? Reliable, or unreliable? Very Twilight Zone in aspect, Auster has spun a tale that will stay with me for a long time. I don't believe I'll ever think of the man in white in quite the same way. Recommended. Edited February 6, 2013 by pontalba Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pontalba Posted February 7, 2013 Author Share Posted February 7, 2013 When The 100-Year-Old Man Who Climbed Out the Window and Disappeared is compared to Forrest Gump, it's an accurate assessment. I've not read FG, bud didn't care much for the film. But readers whose taste I trust enjoyed it, so I thought.....well, maybe.The again, maybe not. I managed about a quarter of the book and skimmed the rest, hoping I could latch onto something I'd appreciate. Didn't happen. I really did laugh out loud at the first few chapters, then it just became too repetitive for my taste. I believe part of my dislike was cemented by some of the casual and to my mind, disrespectful references made about persons for whom I have a high regard. Just not my cuppa. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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