[Liz's 2009 Reading Lists]

There seems to be a theme to some of these!

 

Are you finding that by remaining in an Oscar Wilde 'zone' you are getting all the juice you can from his life and works?

 

I quite often reach out beyond one book by an author to get more, and here you have gone above and beyond.

 

I have dabbled in in some of Oscar Wilde, but many years ago - he most certainly is a fascinating man.

My obsession with Oscar Wilde happened gradually. First I read The Picture of Dorian Gray and it instantly became one of myfavorite books. Over the next year or so I started reading quotes of his and found him to be extremely clever and witty and I fell in love with him (even though he was gay ). So began my realtionship with Oscar Wilde. I wanted to know all about this fascinating man and read everything he'd written. Wilde uses words like a painter uses his brush.

 

Even my screen name here is influenced by Oscar Wilde. "Wilde" is obvious; "Lily" was Oscar's favorite fllower.

[Finish the thought, game (join in)]

....who was waving his red robe as he chased the crazed bull down cobblestone street.

[Book buys: Internet or bookshop?]

I love bookstores, especially used book stores where you never know what pearl of a book you might discover. I do find, though, that if I'm looking for a specific book amazon.com is the best place to find it, nine times out of ten.

[Have you read a book more than once?]

read 84 Charing Cross Road twice, might read it a third time it's lovely.

 

Oh yes, that's such a charming book!

[Have you read a book in one sitting?]

With four kids in the house I rarely have time to read the whole newspaper at one time, let alone a whole book, but I did stay up all night reading Angela's Ashes by Frank McCourt. I simply lost track of time I was so absorbed in the story.

[Finish the thought, game (join in)]

.....the thorn of a rose that had been tossed into the street by....

[Liz's 2009 Reading Lists]

2009

Oscar Wilde, His Life & Confessions by Frank Harris

 

The Importance of Being Earnest, a play by Oscar Wilde

 

The Wilde Album by Merlin Holland

An Ideal Husband, a play by Oscar Wilde

 

The Prince by Niccolo Machiavelli

Oscar Wilde's Wit and Wisdom: A Book of Quotations

The Real Trial of Oscar Wilde by Merlin Holland

Goethe. Selected Poems, Edited by Christopher Middleton

 

The Secret Life of Oscar Wilde by Neil McKenna

Bosie: The Man, The Poet, The Lover of Oscar Wilde by Douglas Murray

 

Salom

[Who is your favorite detective/crime fighter?]

My favorites are Sherlock Holmes, Inspector Morse, Hercule Poirot and Inspector Maigret.

[All new What's for dinner?]

I'm thinking we'll have Chinese food delivered.

[Hello from across the pond]

Hi Liz, I'm Liz too, and I've been here just about a week. I'm finding it to be a great place to meet with friendly, fellow bibliophiles. Enjoy!

[Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte]

Since finishing Jane Eyre i have ordered the BBc adaption of Jane Eyre, the most recent one. Have you seen it, is it good? I have seen clips on You tube and its seems good, i just hope it keeps to the story of the book.

 

It does stray a little from the book in some of the finer details but the main storyline is the same. I enjoyed it when it first came out on tv and then bought my own copy on dvd when that came out.

 

The BBC series is quite good, I thought it seemed a bit rushed in parts but it's worth watching

 

 

My favorite film version is the BBC's 1983 production, starring Timothy Dalton and Zelah Clarke. It stays true to the book, and Jane ans Mr. Rochester are played the way I imagine them.

 

[Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte]

I have Wild Sargasso Sea but have always put off reading it. I'm a bit bothered that it will spoil Jane Eyre for future reading.

 

I didn't spoil it for me, but I've only read Jane Eyre once, and although I enjoyed it, it isn't a beloved favourite for me, so I was happy to embrace another dimension to the story by reading Wide Sargasso Sea. My friend thinks Jane Eyre is a children's book, and by that measure, I would say Wide Sargasso Sea is the grown up companion to the story.

 

 

I read that book and loved it. Strangely I began reading it with the idea that it was the Jane Eyre story through the eyes of Bertha. I was delighted when I realized the premise of the book. I think that the author, Jean Rhys, did a wonderful job of making this "prequel" believable and respectful of the original book

[Books that made you cry]

Only one i can think of that made me leak was The Green Mile.

 

Very sad at the end.

 

Yes, it was. The whole story was gut-wrenching.

[Finish the thought, game (join in)]

...ear of a camel. He had a certain camel in mind, and knew he lived.......

 

...in the Egyptian Sphinx, so he decided to re-think his idea and...

[Unusually cool music videos]

Some of my favorites:

 

by Pearl Jam

by Pearl Jam

 

Losing My Religion by R.E.M.

 

by The Smashing Pumpkins

 

One by Metallica (it was taken off of YouTube, unfortunately)

[Favourite fantasy book]

I don't generally read fantasy books, but I loved The Mists of Avalon by Marion Zimmer Bradley. After much prodding by my teenaged daughter I finally read the Twilight series and really did enjoy them.

 

I've got The Priestess Of Avalon by the same author - i got it years ago as one of the books to fill out my obligation to a book club - i've never gotten around to reading it but think i may do now you've recommended it.

 

Read The Mists of Avalon first. It's long but well worth it. The others in the series aren't as wonderful, but they are very good. I wouldn't have enjoyed them as much, though, if I hadn't read Mists first.

[Worst film accents?]

Gillian Anderson's British accent as Lady Dedlock in Bleakhouse was annoying. I found it very distracting. She just seemed to try too hard.

[Do you read the 'introduction'?]

I usually read the intro. if the author has written it. If it's a "scholarly" introduction by someone else I skip it....I dodn't want the book interpreted for me. I may or may not go back and read it when I've finished the book.

[Which country are you from?]

I live in Annapolis, Maryland, on the east coast of the USA. I was born just outside of Washington, D.C. in Cheverly, Maryland. Lived in the Annapolis area all my life accept for two years in Japan as a child and 2 years in Connecticut as an adult.

 

[Stephen King]

I have read the following:

 

It

The Green Mile

'Salem's Lot

The Dead Zone

Hearts in Atlantis

Christine

Pet Sematary

Carrie

Cujo

Nightshift

Dreamcatcher

The Stand

Misery

Rose Madder

Dolores Claiborne

Four Past Midnight

 

My favorites of these are 'Salem's Lot;The Shining; and The Dead Zone.

 

I wasn't crazy about The Stand, and I hated Dreamcatchers.

 

I think Stephen King is a master at reaching the deep-seated fears of people and transforming them into frightening stories. With two exceptions, I've enjoyed being terrified by all of King's novels that I've read.

[Have you read a book more than once?]

I've read Jane Eyre three times; A Christmas Carol at least a dozen times; The Lover twice; The Shining twice; The Accidental Tourist twice.

[Finish the thought, game (join in)]

....living creature in the universe to....

[Wilde Lily ~]

Welcome to the forum Wilde Lily. I'm sure you have fun here.

 

Thanks so much!

[Introduction]

I thought it would be a good idea to introduce myself by way of dipping a toe gently into this forumming lark.

 

I'm Katherine, I'm 48 ( how did that happen? ), married, 5 kids ( 3 of whom are in the process of leaving home ) so I now have a little more time to indulge in one of my great pleasures, reading.

 

I like all sorts from Jane Austen, Dickens and Trollope to Neil Gaiman, Barbara Trapido and Kate Atkinson.

 

My guilty reading pleasures are 'old fashioned' detective stories Christie, Dorothy L Sayers and Sherlock Holmes. I can re-read any of them any number of times. I have also been known to return to childhood favourites such as Milly Molly Mandy, Enid Blyton and Little Grey Rabbit but my kids are too old now for me to pretend I'm reading to them, so I have a secret kiddy book stash under the bed!

 

Other interests are the theatre, music, patchwork, knitting and dressmaking and walking my little dog.

 

Anyway, I look forward to reading lots of threads and maybe contributing a little.

 

Hi Katherine! I'm Liz, a newbie, too, 49 years old for one month now, AND I have 5 kids. I love Dorithy Sayers and Sherlock Holmes, as well. Have you read any of Ruth Rendell's psychological mysteries, or George Simenon's Inspector Maigret books?

[All new What's for dinner?]

Baked ziti and meatball casserole is in the oven. My daughter's prepared a lovely salad of mixed greens. A loaf of Italian bread is waiting to be sliced. Mmmm....my tummy's rumbly!