Kidsmum
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I read The Island for our Real Life book club a few years ago. I really enjoyed it. Hope you did too.
I did enjoy it Miss Mabel, i think it would be an ideal beach holiday read
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I started and finished Running with Scissors by Augusten Borroughs.. liked it, but it's so harsh in some passages I had to force myself through.
I read this last year on my hols & really enjoyed it but there were parts of it that made me cringe. Some of the descriptive parts of it when he was with his boyfriend made my toes curl
I finished The Island by Victoria Hislop over the weekend & have made a start on Bleak House Charles Dickens.
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One of my book resolutions was to read some Dickens this year so yesterday i started Bleak House. The size of the book is a bit daunting & i'm finding it's taking me longer to read than usual so i'm only about 50 pages in but i am enjoying what i've read so far.
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5. What do you think about the title - 'Wolf Hall'?
I must admit that although this is a clever play on words, it's significance did not strike me as particularly important....
I agree, as it doesn't feature much in the story i'm not sure why she chose it for the title. Haven't said that i do like the title & i'd be interested to know why she picked it.
6. In terms of the writing, a number of reviewers felt the difficulty of too many Thomases and too many he's - that Mantel didn't make the effort to help readers through the confusion. Do you agree? Did you find other difficulties in reading the work...or did you find her prose clear... and engaging? How else might you describe Mantel's writing?
I had a slight trouble sorting the "he" at first, then realized that when Mantel referred simply to "he" she meant Cromwell. There were several times she did, in fact, clarify that it was Cromwell speaking. All other times, she clarified which Thomas/he was speaking.
It took a bit to get into the rhythm of her writing, but once there, wow!
I felt forewarned as other people had had trouble with her writing style & i did have to give the book my full concentration especially in the beginning which is no bad thing really but once i'd got into the flow of the book i didn't find it a problem. I sometimes found i'd forgotten who was who when it came to the minor characters so it was really helpful having them listed at the front of the book.
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Regarding my family tree on my fathers side, currently in talks with my cousins in Italy regarding my dads side of the family.
If you like I can let you know what I find out - its ok if you don't want me to. It's ok to say no!
I would be really interested to hear what you find out Devi
Hi kidsmum I like the sound of all the latest books you have been reading.
Hi VF I've read some great books so far this year & my mojo's flying high, long may it continue
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I'm halfway through The Island still enjoying it but think i'll go for something a bit meatier for my next read
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Dropped some stuff off at the charity shop this morning & came out with
The Amateur Marriage Anne Tyler
Crystal Rooms Melvyn Bragg
& for the children
War Horse Michael Morpurgo
Alfie All Alone Holly Webb
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I've just heard that The Thread is our next book club read so I need to pick up a copy sometime soon..
I look forward to hearing your thoughts on it
I read the first 100 pages in The Island last yesterday, so far so good.
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I visited my favourite charity shops yesterday & came home with
Black Diamonds The Rise & Fall of an English Dynasty Catherine Bailey - I'm determined to read more non fiction this year & this caught my eye.
The House On The Strand Daphne Du Maurier - i loved this book when i first read it when i was much younger. I've picked up other Du Maurier books in charity shops over the years but this is the first time i 've spotted this one so i snapped it up straight away.
Sharpe's Devil Bernard Cornwell- another one for the collection.
The Accidental Tourist Anne Tyler - I enjoyed her book Digging For America so i was really pleased to see this one under a pile of grubby looking paperbacks a bargain at 79p
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You're in with a treat with The Island KM, brilliant book.. I didn't enjoy her second book though and have yet to try The Thread.
Good to hear you enjoyed it Charliepud. iIhave The Thread as well, i picked it up in a charity shop a few weeks ago
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I've just finished reading The Dean's Watch Elizabeth Goudge, a nice gentle story i enjoyed it though it was a bit of a struggle getting into it at the beginning as Still Missing was a hard act to follow. My next read is going to be a book i've had on my shelf for quite a while The Island Victoria Hislop.
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Great post Pontalba, like Chrissy i've jotted down quite a few titles, i've not read any John Banville so will be checking him out & i already have Widow For A Year on my TBR pile. Off the top of my head i would say The Forsyte Saga John Galsworthy is one of my transcendant reads. There's a part in it where one of the characters receives a telegram that his son has died in the South African War not in battle but of an illness & he thinks of his son dying in a foreign land without any family or friends around him but being brought up to keep a stiff upper lip he's unable to express his grief. I cried & cried when i read that & it still brings a lump to my throat when i think of it, in fact when i finished the whole saga i felt bereft i'd enjoyed it so much. Wuthering Heights, i first saw the film with Laurence Olivier & Merle Oberon when i was a child & loved it then later read the book & loved that even more, a story of such passion & torment. Also both The Little Friend & Secret History Donna Tartt fantastic reads with strong characters.
Gosh i nearly forgot A Month In The Country J.L.Carr, a beautifully written book & a very emotional read, one that i know i'll keep coming back to.
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It sounds great.
I wonder if my library has it?ETA: It's in the area covered by our library system - I've added it to my wish list.
Thank goodness for libraries
i've discovered quite a few books from my wishlist are on the library catalogue although the more recent ones have long waiting lists but hey it's not like i don't have anything to read while i'm waiting I found out that one of my best friends great grandfather who was a rat of tobruk, fought against my great grandad in Africa at around the same time as they were in pretty much the same area. I thought that was pretty amazing.
That's amazing Devi
Have you ever thought of doing your family tree i bet it would be really interesting?See, here's another book to add to my TBR shelf. This isn't healthy...
Nonsense, there's nothing healthier looking than a well stocked shelf
I read this years ago, and you are right - it is an outstanding story. There are details of it that have stayed with me for years, including the dogs name and the beautifully understated emotional scenes. Great review Kidsmum.
Thanks Chrissy it certainly was an outstanding book
I've added Still Missing to my wishlist. It's a shame it's not available on Kindle. If it's comparable to Red Leaves then it must be good, as I found that book amazing.
Hope you enjoy it Bobbly, it's worth checking out the library catalogue to see if it's available in your area as it is a bit on the pricey side
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I'm almost half way through Doris Day - Her Own Story, the pages are just flying by.
That made me smile, i used to go out with a guy who had a thing for Doris Day
That's a good idea, Chesil. I may have to try that.
Chesil beat me too it, i always listen to classical music on my ipod when i'm trying to read & there's a lot of background noise
I finished Still Missing Beth Gutcheon . This is not just the best book i've read this year it's one of the best books i've ever read......Brilliant!!!
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Still Missing Beth Gutcheon
First Published in 1981, Still Missing was translated into 14 languages & has been continously in print in the USA ever since. In 1983 it was made into a film called Without A Trace starring Kate Nelligan. I first heard about it on Radio4's A Good Read & added it to my Amazon wishlist where it has remained for quite some while, mainly because at £12 for the paperback i felt it was a bit too pricey then by a lucky chance i found a copy at my local library. The book is about Alex a 6 year old boy who goes missing one morning walking the 2 blocks from his home to school, the subsequent investigation & the effect his disappearance has on his mother & father, family, friends & local community. I would compare this book to the wonderful Red Leaves Thomas H. Cook but to be honest it completely blows it out of the water. This is simply one of the best books i've ever read it's all of those literary cliches heart-rending, an emotional rollercoaster, gripping to the last page & more.
5/5
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What about The History Boys Alan Bennett, it's a play though so not sure if that would put you off it
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Dead Man Walking Sister Helen Prejan
In 1982 Sister Helen Prejean, a catholic nun became the spiritual advisor to Patrick Sonnier a convicted killer sentenced to die in the electric chair of Louisiana's Angola State Prison. In this book she writes of her experience as a spirtual advisor to death row inmates & argues persuasively for the abolition of the death penalty. Interesting & enlightening this book was a good read although i'm not sure how up to date some of the information is as it was published in the 1990's
4/5
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4. What is your impression of Cromwell's feelings about Anne Boleyn? What do you think about her?
I thought that Cromwell tolerated Anne because she was Henry's woman & so that made her powerful he knew that he had to stay on the right side of her but i don't think he liked her. Anne was a bit like a spoilt child she exploited her power over Henry to the max but of course as we know her power was transitory.
On Saturday on CH4 there's a program on called Walking Through History with Tony Robinson about the Tudors & it mentions Thomas Cromwell in the info about it .... reveals the extent of Thomas Cromwell's ruthless ambition. I think it would be interesting to see another take on Cromwell so i'm going to record it.
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I finished Dead Man Walking Sister Helen Prejean today & have now started reading Still Missing Beth Gutcheon a book i've had on my wishlist for a long time & then discovered in my local library. While i was there i also reserved The Last Runaway Tracy Chevalier; there's quite a waiting list but hey it's not like i don't have anything to read while i'm waiting...... Yay for libraries
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Yes it is. We read it since we are children here in Italy, because Levi is one of the most important writer of italian literature. He's really important from an hystorical point of view too, you know, because he was in Auschwitz and so on. You should read his books and believe me, you won't regret it.
Reading If Not Now, When? has certainly made me want to read his other books Eleonora.
My dads Italian as you know, and my great grandfather on his side was a prisoner of war in Africa in one of the camps during ww2. When Italy sided with the allies, they released all the prisoners and they had to make their own way back home, or fight with the allies, so my great grandfather walked all the way back to Northern Italy.
Also he had an unexploded bomb fall in front of his home.
That's really interesting Devi, i didn't know your dad was Italian. My dad was a soldier in WW2 & he has lots of stories he never saw frontline action but he likes to talk about all the silly & sometimes dangerous things he got up to with his friends that you wouldn't do in peacetime but he says none of it mattered because you knew you could be dead the next day. It's hard to imagine what that must feel like.
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I finished Digging To America Anne Tyler last night & this morning i started a book i read about on Ruth's reading log called Dead Man Walking Sister Helen Prejean.
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That sounds like a fantastic book Kidsmum, I've added it to my wishlist.
I've added it, and the other three books too.
I hope you both enjoy it , it's an excellent read IMO
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If Not Now,When ? Primo Levi
Amazon Synopsis
Primo Levi was among the greatest witnesses to twentieth-century atrocity. In this gripping novel, based on a true story, he reveals the extraordinary lives of the Russian, Polish and Jewish partisans trapped behind enemy lines during the Second World War. Wracked by fear, hunger and fierce rivalries, they link up, fall apart, struggle to stay alive and to sabotage the efforts of the all-powerful German army. A compelling tale of action, resistance and epic adventure, it also reveals Levi's characteristic compassion and deep insight into the moral dilemmas of total war. It ranks alongside THE PERIOD TABLE and IF THIS IS A MAN as one of the rare authentic masterpieces of our times.This book was a Mother's Day present from my hubby apparently it was on my wishlist though i can't remember adding it so i guess i must of popped it on while listening to a book programme on the radio & then forgotten about it either that or the book fairy put it on. This was such a compelling & thought provoking read although a work of fiction it's so convincing that i was completely pulled in by the characters. Levi himself was born into a Jewish family in Turin In 1919, in 1943 when the Germans invaded northern Italy he escaped to the mountains & joined an anti-fascist partisan group; soon captured he was sent to Auschwitz & was liberated in 1945. But apparently haunted by guilt for surviving when others didn't he committed suicide on 11 April, 1985.I also have If This Is A Man/ Truce his experiences of Auschwitz which was also on my wishlist apparently
I've given it 5/5 but it deserves more as it's a book i just can't get out of my head.5/5 -
Still reading Digging to America but i've less than 100 pages to go & hubby's going out with some friends so i'll probably finish it tonight
Your Book Activity ~ April 2013
in General Book Discussions
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Thanks i'll check that one out
I'm 120 pages into Bleak House, i like it, but i think it's going to take me till the end of next month to finish it