pontalba

Jane Eyre Gone With the Wind Black Beauty

It isn't any one thing I can put my finger on poppy, I find him wooden for one thing, but beyond that...all I know is that every time I try, and I tried mainly because muggle likes him so much and we agree on other authors, so I figured it might be the one or two I'd picked up to that point, but no...every time I try to read one, it just sets my teeth on edge, like someone is running long fingernails down a chalk board. It's a totally visceral reaction.

Whatever works! BTW, which two are your favorites?

I do reread, sometimes several times if only to get a timeline straight in my head especially if it is for a discussion. But one can always get more out of it as has been said above, and really just wait a few years and rereading will be like the first reading sometimes. There are some books that I am so anxious to know the ending I sweep through like a house afire, I know I miss details, but I have to know what happens, then I can go back and reread in a more relaxed manner.

In a BBC interview the interviewer asked Nabokov if he could say how much Vera had contributed to his work, he answered "No." I took that to mean that she had contributed so very much that he could not possibly enumerate her input. If you don't have it already, I'd highly recommend Brian Boyd's two volume bio of VN, one covers the "Russian Years", and the second the "American Years", I purchased them second hand on Amazon several years ago at a very reasonable rate, in the trade paperback edition. In addition to an extensive bio, they contain a comprehensive synopsis and analysis of each of VN's books.

That's true, and even if the book is replaced, it isn't the same.

To my knowledge, the Nabokov family never considered it an affliction, more a gift, another dimension of enjoyment of the written word. Interestingly enough each of them had a bit of a different coloration.

Quite seriously, I think that is a lovely attitude to have, I cannot achieve it however. I will say this for myself though, I love to give books to true friends that I know will enjoy and appreciate them. P.S. :shock: clutter??

Well, fortunately for me about half of my books are in the home office and not every visitor goes in that room, there are 5 book shelves along the main downstairs hall though that is readily seen by anyone, the main bookshelf I have trouble like that with is the one that is loaded with health books, so I have a ready made excuse with that, saying oh, sorry, I refer to that all the time, can't lend it! And smile sweetly. The rest of the shelves are mainly history, which practically no one else is interested in. And frankly I'm to the age where if they don't like it, they can lump it. Anyone who knows me well knows I hate to lend books and wouldn't ask.

I construct the basic physical scenery from the prose, but once done, I tend to see the characters in a fog-like state that does not detract from the dialogue, I've never used places I know as a base for the construction though, but I'd have to say that we all have our own ideas of what certain structures look like, and see the described scene through that lens. My idea of a large rambling white house may have no similarity to what some of y'all's would be. Oh, and yes synesthesia is seeing colors as someone above mentioned. In fact Vladimir Nabokov and his wife and son all were ones that had that ability. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Synesthesia

I have occasionally lent books, but no longer will. The last time I lent a book, when I asked after a couple of months how they were liking it [hint, hint, I want it back], she blithely told me she hadn't finished it, and thank you so much for giving it to me! awk!! That was the last time. Fortunately it was not a favorite because I was so dumbfounded I couldn't get any words out that were allowed in polite company.

The only Roth I've read is Patrimony so far, however I do have American Pastoral, I Married a Communist and The Human Stain in my stack. As I understand it the latter three are a loose trilogy. I've read that Patrimony is not typical of Roth though I thought he captured the relationship with his father beautifully.

LOL When I nick onto an author I know I like, I'll buy a bunch of theirs, [especially if I see a pile of them at the second hand store in good condition] and then there are series. I've only read about 6 of the James Lee Burke detective {Robichaux}, but have the whole series, I think it's 20 something books. I intend to read them in order of publication, but he is so intense I can't read them all in a row. I have several series of that nature.

Yes , but I think what I loved about it was the suspense of hmmm, is that 3 or 4 wives, and his working a Vera figure into the book. Really in a way she was throughout the book, but I'm speaking of the end now.

Sorry, I'd forgotten I put that block on there, I just removed it.

I'm holding off on that one till last. I read Lolita first, then The Enchanter, um...Pnin then I think and Glory and The Real Life of Sebastian Knight, then decided to work my way from the beginning. But slipped Harlequins in the middle somewhere. I've only read 12 I think. Oh, have you read the new introduction to Laughter in the Dark by John Banville? Worth the price just for that, of course it's an extra copy.

That is only books I actually own and are unread. Oh, now if you want a list of ones I want to buy/read...I couldn't even begin to put a number on that. As I said, I haven't been inputting all new books into Good Reads, as their input system is a bit cumbersome sometimes. http://www.goodreads.com/review/list/380014?shelf=to-read

Yup, guilty on that count as well. At least that is what my Good Reads profile tells me, however that is only of the books I've input there, which is only about 1/3rd. But as far as I can remember of the ones I've not listed yet I only have a couple of hundred that I have not read yet. Lovely, I mean after all, one never knows what will happen does one?

Ahhh, sorry I posted in the Pnin thread before I saw this. Yes, Belle had a great deal to thank Lolita for it's true, and the under cover trip to Russia perhaps was the one VN --- I don't want to say "wished he'd taken", but the trip he was nostalgic about not having taken. Perhaps. I do want to finish VN's books, and reread Harlequins for sure. It's been a couple of years since I read it and details have faded I am afraid.

Yes! Have you read Look at the Harlequins! ? I've only read about half of VN's books, and I laughed myself silly at the references to his other books and his own life. ** Just saw your post in Harlequins.

Oh Yes!! Figuring out the narrator was the knottiest puzzle, but the clues are definitely there. I think I need another reread. . . . .

Age plays a role of course, but experiences that come with that age are the real deal breaker. It's a two way street really, as we experience more of life we widen our reading menu, and as we expand our reading, we are led off on tangents by the books themselves, and of course the forums we inhabit. I've changed my reading habits in the last 5 years or so especially, branching out to authors I'd only peripherally heard of before. I find I am more adventuresome in my reading, and while I may and have developed deep dislike for a few authors, I have at least given them a chance and tried several of their works. But the previously unknown authors I have received joy from, that is a whole 'nuther ball of wax!

Hmmm, 5 books not recommended. First off, anything by John Steinbeck, having managed somehow to wade through East of Eden, truly disliking practically every second of it, I have tried at least two others, Of Mice and Men, The Moon is Down, oh!, and when I was quite young The Winter of Our Discontent. Blindness by Jose Saramago The Crying of Lot 49 by Thomas pynchon