Anika

Most of Dicken's works were written in serialized form in weekly/monthly installments. When first put into book form they comprised 2-3 volumes, though later cheaper editions emerged containing the entire book. Working-class people back then couldn't usually afford whole books, and if they really liked a serial he just kept on writing it. (sorry, it's the pedant in me coming out:shrug:...... as a Victorian-lit. fiend, the urge to clarify was too great.) I like to read something that's going to take me a while to finish, so I'm grateful for longer books. If I want to read something 'thin', I'll get it used so the expense & quick-reading factor won't annoy me.

I used to say I'd NEVER read autobiographies, but then I read Nuala O'Faolain's, "Are You Somebody?". She's a bit too candid in places, but the reason I always hated autobiogs. is because the person would only dwell on the self-congratulatory, or if they included negative aspects it seemed (to me) only as a way to garner sympathy. Not always the case with everyone, I'm sure, but at least with the few I'd picked up previously. So, it depends on WHO wrote it, whether I'd read it or not. I got really sick of the Potter hype too, but finally decided to see what all the fuss was about, and borrowed the first 2--(NO problem there, everyone I knew had MOST of the books! ) And, they weren't bad. I mean, I can see why KIDS like them so much. I might even read the rest of them someday. I won't read chick-lit., espionage, abuse-memoirs, prequels/sequels made from another authors work, or anything 'gory'. I really only read any book to enjoy the writing quality, not just to get to the end of the 'story'. Anyone can come up with a 'scenario' that seems brilliant, but if the writing is feeble, I just can't finish the book.

Many times! I've often sacrificed a nights sleep to finish a book I bought the day before and just couldn't put down.

I agree with you 100%, Dimitra!

It's only about 15 right now. I'm surprised! It's usually higher than that, but I've been on a reading frenzy lately.

'Whuthering Heights' is my most favorite book! I've read it many times. I started 'Tenant of Wildfell Hall' last month, but have to admit, I put it down at chapter 22. I'll probably finish it, but can't say so far that I'm all that enamored. I tried to read 'Villette' last year and couldn't get very far into it at all. I found it really dull and plodding. Doubt if I will attempt it again. I'm also reading a book that Daphne Du Maurier wrote about Branwell. Didn't realize she'd written this and just came across it on one of my used bookstore forays, but it's not bad. A little too convoluted, though.

What a good idea!! I love the Archer's! And I listen to BBCi player almost every night!! I've heard some great plays, comedy programs and even whole books on there.

Someone bought me this book for a present last year and I have to confess I still haven't read it.....I'm sure I'll get to it eventually.

21 volumes?! Wow! I love stories like this, but so far have not read any of these. Doubt if I'll be able to get through ALL of them, though....

I recently heard this story on BBCi player, and found it very moving. This is a book I'd really like to read!!

Katrina! I've looked at this book several times, but never bought it...... Wasn't sure if I would like it or not, but it sounds like a good story. I'll have to get a copy soon.

I've read it a few times and always enjoyed it.

The only book I ever had read to me (at school), and if we didn't behave the teacher threatened not to have story-time that day!! We all loved the book so much, and would wail when she had to stop; begging for just one more page.... E. B. White is one of my all-time favorite writers! He also wrote "Stuart Little" (made into a movie with Michael J. Fox doing Stuart's voice) and countless essays for The New Yorker magazine. His writing style is very succinct, and humorous.

I just read this book, and I didn't know it was a teen story...? It's more of a romance, in my opinion. Albeit a mild one. They've re-issued it here recently so it was on the 'New Arrivals' table at Barnes & Noble, which explains my mistaking the category, and it didn't have the genre-type on the outside cover either. Good thing or I wouldn't have read it. I liked it, actually!! The descriptions were very good, and it kept my interest throughout, but then I'm NOT a fan of riveting, 'edge-of-your-seat' tension and suspense!

I read an article about Brian Jacques in the newspaper and was impressed by his story. He used to go to hospitals and tell stories to children which he later turned into books: "The Redwall" stories. I found 'Mossflower' on a remainder table for just a few dollars so I bought it, even though it's a children's book, and it's pretty good actually! All the character's are animals and they have adventures similar to the fantasy books I've read. The dialogue is quite funny and the stories move at a quick pace. Overall very enjoyable!! If you haven't read any of these stories, I suggest you try one. Jacques is a prolific writer so there's many books to choose from. He's also written a couple of tales similar to R. L. Stevenson's "Treasure Island"--the first is called, "The Castaways of the Flying Dutchman" in which the characters are people. I will definitely read those next. Here's his website if you want to read more: http://www.redwall.org/

Does anyone else enjoy reading published letter collections? I'm always looking for new ones since I am a firm adherent to the 'lost art of letter writing'. Some that I really like are: * Letters of E.B White~edited by Dorothy Lobrano Guth * For Your Eyes Alone: Robertson Davies~edited by Judith Skelton Grant * Love Letters; An Anthology~chosen by Antonia Fraser * How They Said It; wise & witty letters from the famous and infamous~Rosalie Maggio * Letters of Virginia Woolf~edited by Nicholson/Trautman Can you tell me about the ones you've read-- or would maybe like to read?

I just joined recently and after a look around I don't see anything about Colm Toibin. If I've missed it and there's already a thread somewhere, you can let me know. I've decided to read "The Master" again, because I absolutely LOVED it! And I kind of read it at break-neck speed the first time, when it's the type of book one should savor for the imagery and writing quality. It came out in 2004, and I don't want to give anything away, so I'll quote from the back cover: "In stunningly resonant prose, Toibin captures the loneliness and the hope of a master of psychological subtlety whose forays into intimacy inevitably failed those he tried to love. The emotional intensity of this portrait is riveting." Has anyone else read this book? --and if so, what were your feelings about it? Have you read any other books by this author?

Thanks for the link, Andrea! I'll be sure to check it out! As for "Carmilla", I really enjoyed it very much! I wish the story was longer, though, because I like Le Fanu's writing style quite a bit. 'Schalken the Painter' is a good creepy story. I just finished 'Dracula' last night, and yeah, there's a definite slackness in the pace of the last part. One thing I thought was weird is the lack of minor characters. In those days, they had so many servants, etc., who lived-in, but few are mentioned; none by name. Nor are any employees or functionaries under Dr. Seward refered to. You get the feeling he runs the place by himself, which could hardly be the case. ( .........yes, I get caught up in certain little unrealities in fiction, I'm afraid. Can't help it.) And Renfield's sudden insights of erudite clarity made me laugh, but his history before, and why, he comes to the asylum should have been more detailed, in my opinion.

I buy a lot from used book stores, but I've pretty much resigned myself to what's available, if it's a book I really want to read..... They're often in poor shape. I was so glad to find a used book store I didn't know about one day, but then to my absolute HORROR I saw that the owner had priced ALL the books in the store, in huge numbers, with a black grease pen---on the FRONT cover!!! It was all I could do not to insult her in front of everyone that she had no business selling books!!!

I bought "Toilers of the Sea" by Victor Hugo last year because I thought I'd enjoy it, being about the Channel Islands, but then I just couldn't get interested. I know someday I'll pick it up and LOVE it and wonder what the problem was....

"The Biography of Emile Zola" bought in 1994.

I enjoy reading the diaries of writers as a way to gain insight on how they felt about the books they've written. At the moment I'm reading the last volume of Virginia Woolf's diaries. (There's 5 in all) There's also the condensed version called, "A Writer's Diary".

"Kristin Lavransdatter" by Sigrid Undset

I like inscriptions in books if it's a gift to me from someone special, or if it's a really old book, and has the date and location included. I especially love finding bookplates in them (whatever happened to those?). I would never write in any book I had purchased for myself. I don't even put my name in them.

My husband is NOT a book reader at all, but he definitely understands my enjoyment of it. I'm very lucky compared to some of my friends whose husbands say things like, "Why do you need that book? You already have books at home!!" or start whining one minute and 12 seconds after going into a bookstore to "browse" that they're ready to leave.