pontalba

Thanks for the info, I hope they follow through as you say. I do tend to have a bit of a cynical attitude towards it though.

Sounds like a real project!!

Somehow a novella of Margaret Atwood arrived on my kindle. So, last night I started reading Positron....it's several novellas by Atwood set in a dystopian world, but it's black comedy. I read three of them last night and have the fourth on the kindle as well. Dipstick characters, bizarre situations. This is not the Atwood I've read before, and I like it. They are around 50(ish) pages long, so I suppose I'll lump them together and count them as one.

Finished Requiem For A Wren last night, loved it, review on my thread. thanks again, poppy! Started something by Margaret Atwood last night, Positron. A series of novellas. Interesting. Bizarre.

I'm not particularly a fantasy reader at all, but I loved Neverwhere as well! Agree with all the above.

Kylie is right, you are not silly in the least!!!!! You are hurting, rightfully so. Very sorry about what you are going through.

Requiem For A Wren by Nevil Shute 5/5 Shute reveals the end at the beginning, but only part of it, the devastating part. A young woman's suicide that seemingly has no rhyme or reason starts the returning home Aussie pilot on a journey through his past. The attention to detail is fantastic and the reader learns much about the nitty gritty of maintaining the gunnery parts of British WWII ships. I had no idea that there was such a thing as Ordinance Wrens in the War. They were an integral part of the War Effort and they suffered as much of what we know now as PTSD as any of the soldiers that saw action. All of this plays into Shute's story and is worked beautifully into a story of love, war, regret and family. While the author pulls no punches, he does not dramatize, he tells it like it was, laying bare the hearts of the characters. Even knowing of the eventual end of the pivotal character does not take away from the dramatic tension Shute creates throughout the story. He brings us to slow realizations in a wonderfully artistic manner, dawn breaking finally revealing the true depth of each character. Highly Recommended.

Yay, hooray! Good for you, Gaia! What will your duties entail?

I hadn't thought too much about a writer just petering out like that, although her blog post ends on a very hopeful note. I do think that one has to have the absolute compulsion to write, that it feels as though it's bursting out of you and you just can't manage anything else till you release the pressure by writing the darned thing. It seems that is only the initial phase though. And that the rest has to be dragged out, kicking and screaming. But lately it seems some other older writers have decided to "retire", Philip Roth comes to mind first thing. I wonder though.....can one retire from writing? James, I know there is nothing "easy" about writing.......unless one is Stephen King and is able to somehow grind out a new book every year. And his books are new...not like some authors that essentially rewrite the same book over and over again.........Sue Grafton, I'm looking at you....! But, at least Grafton et als write their own books, unlike someone like James Patterson that "farms out" stories.

Great reviews.....both sound interesting. I think I already have the Flynn.

Hi! Welcome. I've read the first 4 or 5 of the Dresden books and enjoyed them although they do tend to be a lot alike, finally. But they are fun. I'd recommend them, for sure. Loved Gone Girl.

Funny you should mention Shute. I've just started Requiem For A Wren by him. A while back, when the Reading Circle discussed his On the Beach, poppy recommended Requiem..... I'm about 50 pages in and enjoying it! Thanks poppy!

I think her looks are fascinating! Maybe I'm odd too! Maybe, did I say maybe?? heh

Hah, no, instead they seem to "milk" the situation. What I can never understand is the wide discrepancy in prices in the U.S. and the U.K. Doesn't make any sense to me. Lots of my second hand books come from used booksellers in the U.K. Even with the 3.99 USD postage attached, they can be cheaper than copies from Stateside. Weirdness.

I receive notifications from the blog of Mary Doria Russell, author of Doc, Epitaph (both about Doc Holliday), The Sparrow and more. She recently spoke of writing a book about Edgar Allen Poe from the viewpoint of, I believe, his fiancé. Russell has shelved that project and this blog speaks to the game of writing. http://www.marydoriarussell.net/2014/11/13/writer-tech-not-an-easy-game-to-play/#comment-43443 a small quote from the blog post: Is it worth it? How much can we the readers expect from an author? Would we, given the talent and patience, be able to accomplish anything near to what the authors we voraciously read?

WOWEE!!! I was lucky! I think I paid 12 USD for mine. Keep an eye on it, it'll come down. Way down!

Thanks! He is really an interesting author.

I'm not caring much for the book I've started, The Shadow of the Shadow...it's short but is taking a lot of time to get to the so called meat of the story, too much messing about with characters I cannot care about. I'll probably put it to the side and start something else.

Nice list! Some real classics there.

The latter. They are on the way.....The Search Warrant and Suspended Sentences: Three Novellas. A friend on Good Reads is reading the novellas, and loves them. So, I thought why not? :D One new and one second hand from Amazon.

I've only read a couple of Kerr's books, but liked them a lot. Very atmospheric.

Thanks for posting that Sue. It puts a new perspective on the whole thing. The problem though, is that absolute power corrupts absolutely. No matter how good the intentions. And your post does indicate good intentions. What that government does next will tell the tale as to whether it is a lasting good or becomes what it sought to eradicate.

Congratulations, frankie! Good going. I think you should, Gaia. You'd be excellent at the job!

The Murakami looks very interesting, great review! I've only read a few of his, including 1Q84, well worth it Brian!.

I think it is the secretiveness of the project that appeals to Atwood. (IMO) she is a bit of a strange duck. I'm not sure I am able to appreciate her particular strangeness. Oh, I read this one eons ago, and loved it at the time. I really need to go back and reread a few to see. Sorry the blurb on the back spoiled it for you. I hate it when the publisher (of all people!) does that. grrrrr! That's an interesting thread, glad you linked it. I vaguely remember seeing it, but didn't follow up on it at the time.