~Andrea~

They were raving about it on Richard and Judy today. It does sound good, a pacy thriller, easy to read and gripping as opposed to meaty literature from what I gather but I had to switch over, they were telling me too much!! I like to find out what happens by reading!!

Finally finished Dorian Gray, took me ages considering how little it was, though I did have a bout of illness which slowed me down. The Picture of Dorian Gray - Oscar Wilde 9/10 What a great book. Fantastic writing and great story all interspersed with Wilde's witty little epigrams. There's some great descriptive prose in this book especially of drizzling victorian London after dark that serves as a suitably dark and sordid setting for this creepy little tale. I would have given it 10 if hadn't been for a couple of unnecessarily long pages of heavy detailed description in the middle which interrupted an otherwise gripping yarn. Now I need to decide what to read next. I really want to read the Hobbit but feel I should get on with Dracula for the comparative circle. Also Dracula arrived at work from Amazon while I was off and I havent anything to read tonight. Maybe I should start the Hobbit and try and read them both together.

I sometimes get car sick if I read in the car. Especially if i'm sat in the front for some reason, not so bad in the back. Wierd.

I think I tend to visualise things quite easily and only need a vague suggestion of what something looks like before I can see it in my mind. If there is lots of heavy description in a book it tends to put me off because I find I dont want a detailed instruction on how to visualise something that I would rather imagine in my own way.

Two books I read this year I picked up bcause they had been on my TBR for ages and I felt I ought to read them. I wasn't in the mood at all so was really doing out of discipline to get through books I'd acquired on a whim and lost interest in. They turned out to be two of my favourite reads of the year. Funnily enough they were both autobiographies, which I'm not used to reading. Ugly by Constance Briscoe and Daniella Westbrook's autobiog. Gererally I think I do need to be in the mood for a book and am more motivated if its something I really want to read, but sometimes you just don't know what treats in store until you open the pages and start reading! That's very intriguing. Can you tell us more?

I'm thoroughly enjoying Dorian Gray. I'm about half way through and its become quite a page turner. I love the characters and the prose is very descriptive and dynamic.

I haven't heard of him. What are his books about?

On Saturday I bought The Klaxons, Myths of the near future. Love it!! Only

Oh I might be going to see the musical soon! Looking forward to it. Maybe I'll read the book afterwards as well! I'd be interested to see what you think of this. It's one I might have a go at myself one day.

I can understand that, Dorian Gray is quite dense and wordy. I find myself re-reading paragraphs all the time. I think its one of those books you really have to be in the mood for.

Currently thoroughly enjoying the picture of Dorian Gray. Very well written. Only 40 odd pages in. I hope I don't finish it before "Dracula" arrives because I'd like to read that next for the comparative circle. Otherwise it'll be The Hobbit which I'm also looking forward to re-reading in readiness for finally tackling LOTR. Oh so much to read...

Of Mice and Men - John Steinbeck 9/10 Excellent. The characters are so well drawn in this book and the story is superb. I was surprised at the excessive use of adverbs though which jarred a little. There was about 5 a page, quite obtrusive ones too, disgustedly, admiringly, threateningly. Maybe trends in writing have changed but you wouldn't expect that today, it almost smacks of () bad writing. A brilliant book nonetheless. I was sorry that I had worried about the ending so much because I ended up deliberately distancing myself from the characters which spoiled my enjoyment of the book. I wish I'd got more involved and had a good cry at the end. It wasn't as depressing as I'd feared, the ending was more touching and less grim than I had expected. (Not to say it isn't grim but its dealt with differently to how I'd expected). I should have just trusted the writer and gone with it. Also before I read this I had guessed the ending based on things I'd heard about it but I was wrong. I thought that

So THIS is where my post ended up. It mysteriously vanished from the July nominations thread! Sorry I'm a bit slow to catch up.

Ack no its completely outrageous. Wrath is right, it should be renamed.

My favorite hobby is creative writing, its probably the real reason I like to read - to improve my own use of language, get ideas, pick up techniques etc. I also dabble in digital photography though have little time for it these days. I love to keep fit, I've recently started jogging!! A first for me and I don't go very far (or fast) plus swimming and yoga. Also love cinema and occasionally theatre.

What's posh club? Is that a premium member thing?

I hadn't read any biographies or autobiographies until this year (I thought I should rectify the ommision) I read my first two autobiographies and loved both. (Ugly - Constance Briscoe, and Daniella Westbrooks, both are in the overcoming the odds vein which I think is what I liked so much) I'm now on the search for more. I think I will try Julian Clary and M J Fox as they have both been recommended here I think I am more interested in autobiography than biography. (Although it depends on the biographer and how much input the subject has which may vary from book to book.) Many years ago I started but never finished Brian Keenans and Terry Weights (although they may have been specifically about their kidnap rather than their lives I can't remember). I would like to retry Terry Weight's one day. I've heard John McCarthy's is very good.

Thanks, I ended up going for Mice and Men in the end. Its the shorter book. But i'm really looking forward to reading Dorian Gray too. I'm only 25 pages in. I'm bracing myself for the ending which I gather isn't too cheery!

Hi and welcome, Sounds interesting!! Andrea

Some books I put down with the intention of never picking them up again like White Teeth by Zadie Smith. Some I give up on because of lack of perseverance or not being in the mood, like Pride and Prejudice and The French Lieutenants Woman. I would definitely like to pick the latter up again. I also intend trying Rebecca again. Its years since I attempted it. I think there needs to be a huge passage of time between attempts otherwise I just cannot face going over old ground again. Rebecca was over 15 years ago, which is probably enough The French Lieutenants Woman was less than 5 which is too soon. I'm trying to think of any books i've successfully read after an initial failure but I can't off the top of my head. Its usually fatal for me to give up which is why these days I try hard to persevere unless I know I really don't care about the book.

Now I have to decide what to read next Its between "Of Mice and Men" and "The Picture of Dorian Gray". I think I'll probably end up going for Of Mice and Men.

I finished The Other Side of Nowhere last night and it was brilliant. It made me cry again. I had no idea of the devastating extent of her problem. This is the story of someone seriously screwing up their life. Over and over again. If you didn't already know the outcome you would begin to believe she would never get better. But here you see someone hit absolute rock bottom and then amazingly make their way back up. This book is also a fascinating insight into the powerful stranglehold an addiction can have on someone's life. In spite of her huge mistakes she comes out the other side with her integrity intact. Great stuff.

Ah thanks. I've heard of the series in fact I have a friend who loves them. Maybe I should check them out.

Hi Victoria, Welcome to the forum, its a great place and i'm sure you won't be stuck to know what to read next for long! The title of the book your reading sounds intriguing. Who's it by and what's it about? Andrea

Hi Sarah, welcome. This is a good place for suggestions to expand your reading, you'll discover loads of new stuff to try. Before I came here I was always found it hard to find decent books and never knew what to read. Now my wanted list is massive and growing all the time!! Hope you enjoy it here Andrea