alicedrinkwater

YAAAAYYYY!

This is a difficult task for me, as there are authors I haven't read much of, but from the few books I have read, I have a feeling they will be in my top 10. But I will pick authors I have widely read already, with the disclaimer that my list may change in the future. Here is my top 10, in alphabetical order. 1. Ray Bradbury 2. Stephen R. Donaldson 3. Fyodor Dostoevsky 4. Philippa Gregory 5. Robert Heinlein 6. Mark Helprin 7. Robert McCammon 8. Patricia McKillip 9. Gene Wolfe 10. Vladimir Nabokov (yeah, I've only read two books so far, but that's all I need to know how much I love his writing)

Hmmm, I don't think I have 10, but there are a few. 1. John Fowles 2. Umberto Eco 3. Henry James 4. E.R. Eddison 5. Nathaniel Hawthorne I do have a few authors that I have read one or two books by, and want to read everything I can get my hands on. 1. Daphne Du Maurier 2. Vladimir Nabokov 3. Neal Stephenson 4. Mary Stewart 5. Peter Straub 6. Theodore Sturgeon (he writes mostly short stories, but he has more to say about the human condition in short pieces than most authors say in a long novel) 7. Jack Vance 8. Gene Wolfe

I decided on Endangered Species, short stories by Gene Wolfe, instead of The Book of the New Sun. Ahhhh, Mr. Wolfe. I love the puzzles that your writing poses, but you frustrate me when I can't figure all of it out. I've only read the first story so far, I've re-read, deciphered some of it, but I'm still grasping for all the answers. I think I will always have a love/hate relationship with you and your subtle clues and unreliable narrators.

I am looking forward to reading this, but I'm waiting for the paperback. I have no issues with Atticus Finch being a bit "different" than what was portrayed in TKAM. I prefer my heroes to be flawed. I will take Batman over Superman any day.

If you like ethereal stories that leave you feeling you are in a dream, you should love it. In other news, I've changed my mind again. I'm going to read Endangered Species. The Book of the New Sun series is daunting, and I'm not ready for it yet.

It's okay. If you're not looking, you can't find Edgewood.

frankie, it's really not a difficult read once you get into the rhythm of it. I tried it twice and almost gave up on it. The third time, I got past the first 50 pages, and I was pulled into it. It had an unexpected twist ending that literally made me burst into tears. That rarely happens in my reading experience. It was so worth it. Try to put aside your notion that it's a difficult read. I thought it would be, too, but in the end it wasn't.

I did finish both of those, but I was rather miffed at myself for wasting my time. I have almost all of Nabokov's books, but have read so few. I have a feeling I will love most if not all of them, though. His command of the English language astounds and awes me.

Thank you, Marie and Little Pixie! A few words on my rating system. I rate books on a scale of 1 to 5, using asterisks. I won't rate a book that I didn't finish. 1 = It was so horrible I'm not even sure why I finished it. 2 = It was an okay read, but left a lot to be desired. I won't read it again. 3 = Light, easy read that had moments that kept my interest. I will probably read it again. 4 = A book worth pondering, or one that emotionally surprised or touched me. Flaws are few and is worth a re-read. 5 = A work of great literature, with all the elements I enjoy; compelling characters, ideas to ponder, and that ripped me apart emotionally. A book that I will NEVER give away. The Black Swan by Mercedes Lackey: My rating: *** My thoughts: Mercedes Lackey, I know, has been around as a fantasy writer for many years now. Even so, I had no expectations to speak of when I read this book. I purchased it on whim. I love fairy-tales, and re-tellings can be so much fun. I didn't really know the story of Swan Lake, so this was really a new story for me. I'm pretty sure Odile, the central character, was portrayed as evil in the original tale. In The Black Swan, she is a victim of her evil father, the sorcerer that has turned women that he finds dishonorable into swans by day. This was an easy, light read. The characters were not well-developed over all, but I did feel a bit of compassion for Odile, so there was something real about her. She is why I continued with the book and would read it again. It did feel like a fairy-tale, so I couldn't help but enjoy it. I don't like to give the plot away when I talk about a book, but a few cautions. If you are troubled by cruelty to women or animals, there are one or two scenes that you might find disturbing. Some of the resolutions in this story were too easy, but sometimes I just want to enjoy a read, and not think too much. This fit the bill. I already changed by mind about my next read. I know, I'm terrible. Endangered Species is a book of short stories and I'm not in the mood for that, so I am reading the first two volumes of The Book of the New Sun instead, called The Shadow of the Torturer and The Claw of the Conciliator. They are by the same author as Endangered Species, though; Gene Wolfe.

You're welcome. Back to Edgewood now.

I finished The Black Swan by Mercedes Lackey, and it was enjoyable. I will give my thoughts/rating on my blog. My next read will be the first two volumes of The Book of the New Sun series by Gene Wolfe.

Oh, I do know, and I agree. I would much rather be alone than with the wrong person. I agree with this. I would also love to have an actual library in my house, not just bookshelves.

Thanks, Anna! I try to plan what I'm going to read, but it usually never works out, because I'll go to grab the book I'm planning to read, and see another one that had slipped my mind. You may be disappointed. My reviews are usually pretty sketchy.

The closest thing I can think of that may fit your requirements is Dandelion Wine by Ray Bradbury. It definitely features the comfort of home and family, it was written between the years you specified, I am pretty sure there are animals and countryside, there is no romance, and it is more vignettes than a single plot. It's also a beautiful book, period. You might want to give it a try.

Thank you, Athena. If you read Leaving Time before me, I would love to hear your thoughts. Thank you, frankie. It's a picture from an illustrated version of my favorite book; Little, Big. Hi, Kylie. I haven't read any of Le Fanu's work yet, but besides Uncle Silas, I do have a book of his best short stories, which includes all of In a Glass Darkly. I will definitely tell you what I think of Uncle Silas. I love a good chilling ghost story.

I hope I will be living with someone I love dearly, in a secluded spot with lakes and mountains and meandering paths. In reality, I'll probably still be alone and struggling to survive in this noisy, crowded city.

Since this is a thread for books we recommend, I should post a few of mine here. The Little Stranger by Sarah Waters Little, Big or The Fairies' Parliament by John Crowley Possession by A.S. Byatt Peace by Gene Wolfe Lolita by Vladimir Nabokov Rebecca by Daphne Du Maurier I have lots more, but that's a start and what I can think of at the moment.

Hi and welcome! I'm new here, too.

I am, actually! Thank you, it is! Really enjoying The Black Swan by Mercedes Lackey. It's light reading, but it keeps my interest and I am a sucker for a good fairy tale.

I don't keep a list of what I am going to read each year, as I just pick up whatever book strikes my fancy at the moment. But I would like to try giving thoughtful reviews on the books I have read, as I see others have done here. Currently I am reading The Black Swan by Mercedes Lackey, a re-telling of Swan Lake. I am enjoying it, and will give my thoughts when I finish, which will be soon. I do know what my next few reads will be, so I will list them here. Endangered Species by Gene Wolfe Leaving Time by Jodi Picoult Uncle Silas by J. Sheridan Le Fanu Happy reading, everyone!

Finally gave up on The Memory Keeper's Daughter. Too many distractions going on in my life right now, and it wasn't good enough for me to focus on it and get through to the end. I'm starting on The Black Swan by Mercedes Lackey. I have never read any of her works before. I hope I enjoy it. I do love a re-telling of a fairy tale if it's done well.

Yes. This old book I just borrowed from the library! It's called Ship of Theseus by V.M. Straka. It has a ton of papers in it; written letters, postcards, a sheet of paper that says "Confidential", a map drawn on a napkin, and there's a bunch of writing in the margins of the book, written in different shades of ink. Interesting!

Here's another one that did not like The Book Thief. There are more of us than you think. ;-) Of course, I also didn't like The Shadow of the Wind or One Hundred Years of Solitude, two other novels that seemed to receive endless praise.

Thanks for the welcome, vodkafan! If you like Jack Vance, you should check out Gene Wolfe, in particular his Book of the New Sun series.