Pontalba's Portly Pile

[pontalba]

January - My Dream of You by Nuala O'Faolain 528 pages -- recommended

February - The Half Brother by Lars Saabye Christensen 682 pages -- recommended
.................Crucible: McCoy- Provenance of Shadows by David R. George III
627 pages -- recommended

[dogmatix]

February - The Half Brother by Lars Saabye Christensen 682 pages -- recommended

:smile2:

[pontalba]

March - Malevil by Robert Merle 575 pages -- highly recommended
http://www.bookclubforum.co.uk/forum...80&postcount=1 (http://www.bookclubforum.co.uk/forum/showpost.php?p=37880&postcount=1)

[pontalba]

April -- An Instance of the Fingerpost by Iain Pears 691 pages
Interesting, twisty, must pay attention to characters placement.

I was not as surprised at one of the twists at the end mostly because of having read so much of the period, but it was well presented.

Recommended.

[pontalba]

May -Cloud Atlas by David Mitchell - 509 pages

Interesting puzzle. Wonderful writing, even when you think a section coming up is not your cuppa, read on, in a few pages you'll be right to home. :D

Highly recommended.

[pontalba]

June -- The Woman in White by Wilkie Collins 617 pages
[not counting end notes etc.]

Published in 1860, this twisty rollercoaster of a mystery/detective novel keeps one guessing until the last pages.
Highly recommended. 5/5

[pontalba]

JULY -- Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J.K. Rowling 759 pages

Disappointing. But since I am not a Fantasy fan not surprising, I mainly read it out of curiosity.

[Maureen]

I haven't read any of them, and I don't feel i'm loosing out!

[pontalba]

AUGUST -- Gone With the Wind by Margaret Mitchell 959 pages

I cannot count the number of times I've read this all or in part, the first being when I was about 15. I love the book. I hadn't read it in about 20 years, and the difference in my perspective from my 30's to my 50's is marked. There are nuances I totally missed before and did not appreciate.

It is the story of a way of life that is literally gone with the wind, and the repercussions for all involved...
Some may find parts they consider "politically incorrect" language wise. Well it was what it was at the time, and that is the way people spoke, and to misrepresent them would not be fair either.

Margaret Mitchell grew up hearing the stories of the Confederate survivors, she knew these people and lived with them for all of her life. Her portrayal is true and honest.

Highly recommended.

[Renniemist]

I saw the film when I was younger but did not read the book ‘till two or three years ago. I loved both.

I had not realised that the book had 959 pages because it was so good I just flew through it. Glad you enjoyed the re-read.

[pontalba]

I loved the film too, and it was accurate as far as it went. It would be a wonderful mini-series, but who on earth could play Scarlett and Rhett?!

[pontalba]

Sorrowfully I failed to read one doorstep a month, although managed two in December, so maybe that will help pull me out of the muck and gore. :mrgreen:

For December...
The Golden Notebook by Doris Lessing 635 pages
By Love Possessed by James Gould Cozzens 570 pages