Vodkafan's book list 2013

[julie]

James

Glad to hear you read and enjoyed one of Truman's classics -- Breakfast at Tiffany's . I read it so long ago, I am clueless as to what it's about . I hate when that happens ,but I find it happening more as I get older. You remember reading a book many decades ago ,but the entire book is just lost in the FOG .

Truman did seem to have the ability to see people with all their good and bad points ,lay them out for you to examine ,and decide for yourself what you think of each one. He was so much like that in his own life. Many layered - You really WANT to like him, but he sounds as if he had some "quirks" in his personality that made him sound sometimes snobbish ,judgmental, etc .

I  only wish he would have written a lot more than what he did. Each of his stories are like going through someone's boxes in their attic .Each box has its ' own set of surprises.

In one, you may find some beautiful sparkly old Christmas ornaments. In another ,you might find the contents destroyed by mice ,but each box has a surprise .

[vodkafan]

That's the only Capote book I have read so far, maybe I should read some more Julie! I have heard he was a bit of a character. 

[julie]

James

Yes, he was definitely a character . He has lots of short stories ,which give you a real sense of the variety of his writing ,and I think in a way ,his personality shows through in each of them . No one in his stories is just a "background" black and white cutout. They are all vibrantly alive in full color . He was definitely good at studying people and describing them from every angle .

[Kidsmum]

I read In Cold Blood by Capote years ago when i was quite young & i seem to remember that it gave me a few sleepless nights 

[Athena]

I read it for secondary school (for English). Unfortunately I don't remember a whole lot of it (I probably will if/when I reread the book), I liked it but I couldn't tell you much about it.

[julie]

Kidsmum

Yea, out of all the true crime books I've read, In Cold Blood gives me the Willies each time I read it. It wins for "Most-Read-Book " by me. I'm not big into re-reading, but I've read it 3 times . Each time, from the very beginning ,when it describes what each family member in the house is doing that day, you want to yell RUN !!!! to them-- GET OUT OF THE HOUSE !!!!

[Kidsmum]

Kidsmum

Yea, out of all the true crime books I've read, In Cold Blood gives me the Willies each time I read it. It wins for "Most-Read-Book " by me. I'm not big into re-reading, but I've read it 3 times . Each time, from the very beginning ,when it describes what each family member in the house is doing that day, you want to yell RUN !!!! to them-- GET OUT OF THE HOUSE !!!!

 

I was in my early teens when i first read it so quite an impressionable age also read The Shining around the same time which really creeped me out as well . I think i must have had quite  morbid tastes in books as i read quite a lot of horror in my teens 

[julie]

Kidsmum

That might be common, I'm not sure. I really don't read any horror books at all at this point , but in my late teens /early 20's, I read some Stephen King and Dean Koontz .  I tend to lean more in the nonfiction direction now . 

[vodkafan]

Kidsmum

That might be common, I'm not sure. I really don't read any horror books at all at this point , but in my late teens /early 20's, I read some Stephen King and Dean Koontz .  I tend to lean more in the nonfiction direction now . 

 

Yes but some of your reading matter is just as grisly Julie! All those unsolved murders and stuff. As long as you enjoy them that's the main thing. I also read a few horrors in my teens . We used to have these Pan books of horror stories which circulated round and round the school. All the kids loved them. Well all the boys anyway....I didn't talk to any girls I was too shy.

[julie]

James

Yep, you're right. The books I read are grisly sometimes .Depends on the book and author .Some of the true crime ones don't go into a lot of graphic detail . I don't read them for enjoyment. More for learning why people choose to do what they do, how they do it, and how they are caught and punished.

I don't look at true crime books as being on the same level as horror stories . It sounds weird , but I'd much rather read a book about a true crime  which is just facts ,than to read a horror book that was made up in someone's mind. Strange, but true .

 

So you were shy in school ? I was just like I am now. I talk to anybody . I was born with the Gift of Gab ,so I never meet a stranger .

Might be a blessing or a curse .   

[Kidsmum]

 . I also read a few horrors in my teens . We used to have these Pan books of horror stories which circulated round and round the school. 

 

I remember those they'd have like gory pictures on the front; there was one with a skull with worms wriggling out of the eye sockets if i remember rightly 

[vodkafan]

James

Yep, you're right. The books I read are grisly sometimes .Depends on the book and author .Some of the true crime ones don't go into a lot of graphic detail . I don't read them for enjoyment. More for learning why people choose to do what they do, how they do it, and how they are caught and punished.

I don't look at true crime books as being on the same level as horror stories . It sounds weird , but I'd much rather read a book about a true crime  which is just facts ,than to read a horror book that was made up in someone's mind. Strange, but true .

 

So you were shy in school ? I was just like I am now. I talk to anybody . I was born with the Gift of Gab ,so I never meet a stranger .

Might be a blessing or a curse .   

 

I was a very dreamy kid more into books and drawing and didn't have a lot of confidence at the time.  

[vodkafan]

I remember those they'd have like gory pictures on the front; there was one with a skull with worms wriggling out of the eye sockets if i remember rightly 

 Yes I remember that one. The numbers published went into double figures I remember reading number 13 in the series. 

[Alexi]

Good to see you've had some good reads since I last caught up with your thread James

 

I've added Mansfield Park and Girl Meets Boy to my wishlist - In Cold Blood is already there! I read Breakfast at Tiffany's and quite enjoyed that one, and investigated a few more Capote works.

[vodkafan]

Life As a Victorian Lady  (k)            3/6

Life In A Victorian Household   (k) 3/6

 

Pamela Horn

 

These are two short kindle books detailing, as the titles suggest, aspects of Victorian life. Because I have been reading so much around this subject online and in more prestigious books, they actually did not tell me anything I did not already know , as the material borrows from the same primary sources, Henry Mayhew, Dickens, Arthur Munby, Jane Carlylse, Hanna Culwick et al  .  However that is totally not the fault of the author.

 At only 66p each they are informative and good value and everything is presented very well.  They would be an excellent quick reference for instance for a   fiction story writer who wanted to get period details correct, or as a first taster to someone who is new to the subject, or school kids on a  history project. .

I will certainly hunt for more of this series.    . 

Edited April 4, 2013 by vodkafan

[frankie]

Girl Meets Boy    6/6

Ali Smith

 

This is a very simple book with a straight forward linear storyline, (no plot as such) and only 5 principal characters. I read it the first time in 2 hours. Yet it is almost magical. I have to give it  6 stars because of the feelgood factor. It is about love and about water.

 

Oh boy, that makes chesilbeach a happy gal I'm happy you enjoyed it, too, I'm all the more keen to read the book when I have the chance

 

Breakfast at Tiffanys     5/6

Truman Capote

 

This was a quick and easy read,  because of the reputation of the novel  I was surprised to find it very short, not much more than a short story really.  However, little and good , as they say.

I found this SO much more interesting than the insipid  and mangled film version. 

Holly Golightly was not a nice character, people will either like her or hate her I guess.

 

I'm happy you enjoyed this one as well. I was also surprised that it was such a short read... and there wasn't exactly that much to the plot, but still it was a great read

 

 

[vodkafan]

Do you want me to send you Girl Meets Boy Frankie? Or do you already have it? I seem to remember we were going to do some sort of a swop or something a few months back.  If you have it just GO and READ it girl NOW .  It will make you feel very happy like all the bad things in the world will take care of themselves as long as love is not forgotten in the world.

 

About Breakfast At Tiffanys,  yeah it's amazing that they managed to get that completely watered down slushy worthless film from the same book. The book was so edgy and cool.  Chuck Palahniuk would probably not disown such a work. 

Edited April 5, 2013 by vodkafan

[Kylie]

In Cold Blood is simply brilliant, so I hope you get around to reading it, VF. I also loved Breakfast at Tiffany's.

 

I have read First Person and Other Stories by Ali Smith and was completely underwhelmed (I only read it last year and can't remember a thing about it), but I'll give her another chance with Girl Meets Boy.

[vodkafan]

In Cold Blood is simply brilliant, so I hope you get around to reading it, VF. I also loved Breakfast at Tiffany's.

 

I have read First Person and Other Stories by Ali Smith and was completely underwhelmed (I only read it last year and can't remember a thing about it), but I'll give her another chance with Girl Meets Boy.

 

 Hi Kylie  did you read my review of Battle Royale? I seem to remember you wanting to know my opinion on that one.

Seems like I am going to have to read In Cold Blood I have missed something good. 

[Michelle]

That's 3 to go on my wishlist, Boy Meets Girl, In Cold Blood and Battle Royale!

[Kylie]

 Hi Kylie  did you read my review of Battle Royale? I seem to remember you wanting to know my opinion on that one.

Seems like I am going to have to read In Cold Blood I have missed something good. 

 

Ah yes, great review, thanks! I really loved the Hunger Games trilogy, but I think I'll enjoy reading a more edgy book with a similar premise. I guess it might suit the brutality of the battle a bit better.

[vodkafan]

I finally finished Daily Life In Victorian London on my kindle. That took me a whole month to get through a few pages a day

[vodkafan]

Daily Life In Victorian London   4/6

Lee Jackson

 

Lee Jackson runs a most interesting website all about anything Victorian. This book is not a novel but snippets of first hand accounts of life in Victorian London . He has sifted masses of material , a lot more of which is on his website, to come up with something  informative but entertaining for the general reader.  I think he succeeded. About half the reviewers on Amazon did not seem to agree with me but maybe they expected something different . To me the fact that it was all real historical documents from primary sources was wonderful and exciting.   

Edited April 20, 2013 by vodkafan

[vodkafan]

Workhouse   2/6

My Story series

Pamela Oldfield

 

I would say that this was an educational book  for young teenagers with the intent of teaching them about Victorian England by hopefully engaging them in a story with characters their own age. 

Thought of in that way this works quite well but the story is a little weak for adult reading. So I could only give it an "OK" rating.

 I will certainly be passing this one on to my 10 year old.

It might make her appreciate having cooked dinners and a comfy bed if she knows what a child of 1871 had to put up with!

[vodkafan]

Steaming my way through The Blackest Streets. Afterwards will probably go back to Bonk.