pontalba's 2013 reading list

[pontalba]

Great review pontalba , and I think that novellas are a good taster for a new authors style. One for my wishlist.

 

Thanks Marie.   He is the author of House of Sand and Fog.....which I think might be my next read. 

 

His father is a well known author as well, I have several of his books on the shelf. 

[frankie]

I have just finished reading, in one huge gulp, A Streetcar Named Desire by Tennessee Williams. 5+/5

 

One of the most hard hitting, moving, and intense dramas I've ever read.  Blanche DuBois, fragile and barely hanging onto sanity by a finger hold. Her sister Stella who left Blanche to deal with dying relatives in a run down plantation about to be foreclosed.  Stanley, the low life married to Stella.  Mitch the would be suitor.  They all explode onto the stage and not all survive.  The setting, a rather seedy apartment in post war New Orleans.

 

Whenever I hear the name Blanche DuBois, I think people mean Blanche from Golden Girls That is, of course, if I don't hear what they are actually saying about her. I actually had to google what is GG-Blanche's last name and if it was DuBois, coincidentally, but no, Deveraux

 

I suppose everyone knows the basic story.  No need to relate it again, or allude.  I want to try to impart the intensity and passion that Williams puts on the page.  It staggers the reader, rendering the reader dumbstruck, unable to focus.  The brutality, the violence washes over the reader in waves.  The play reeks of betrayal.

 

I actually don't know the basic story, I'm afraid! But I've been wanting to read this play for a while... Your review on it made me think of Gone with the Wind, but I suppose that was a different war. Too many wars to keep track!

 

 

I think it`s actually obligatory in the UK to see them.

 

Why is that then? Is it because Bond is British? I didn't even remember that, the movies are rather Americanized... I've only seen one and I think that's enough for me

 

Pontalba, I loved reading about your travel! What an interesting trip, the train and the Metro and the Museum and oh, all the pretty books... You talking about Kramer books reminded me that my All American dictionary had a few entries for bookstore chains, but I can't remember which they were... I need to look them up, I've been wanting to ask my American friends if the chains are still up and running

 

Oh, and I also wanted to ask, I only learned a few years ago that it's not New Or-LEANS, but New OR-leans. Or at least that's what I heard on a TV show... Do you get a lot of tourists who mispronounce it? Is it one of your pet peeves?

[Little Pixie]

 

 

 

Why is that then? Is it because Bond is British? I didn't even remember that, the movies are rather Americanized... I've only seen one and I think that's enough for me

 

Rats, can`t get `quote` to work. Yes,Bond`s very popular here. It`s quite typical to have a Bond film showing on Xmas Day Tv.  

[pontalba]

Whenever I hear the name Blanche DuBois, I think people mean Blanche from Golden Girls That is, of course, if I don't hear what they are actually saying about her. I actually had to google what is GG-Blanche's last name and if it was DuBois, coincidentally, but no, Deveraux

 

 

I actually don't know the basic story, I'm afraid! But I've been wanting to read this play for a while... Your review on it made me think of Gone with the Wind, but I suppose that was a different war. Too many wars to keep track!

 

 

Why is that then? Is it because Bond is British? I didn't even remember that, the movies are rather Americanized... I've only seen one and I think that's enough for me

 

Pontalba, I loved reading about your travel! What an interesting trip, the train and the Metro and the Museum and oh, all the pretty books... You talking about Kramer books reminded me that my All American dictionary had a few entries for bookstore chains, but I can't remember which they were... I need to look them up, I've been wanting to ask my American friends if the chains are still up and running

 

Oh, and I also wanted to ask, I only learned a few years ago that it's not New Or-LEANS, but New OR-leans. Or at least that's what I heard on a TV show... Do you get a lot of tourists who mispronounce it? Is it one of your pet peeves?

 

~LOL re Blanche Devereaux!   I really liked that show too.   She was a great character.

 

~The basic story is that Blanche has left the plantation, as everyone else has died off and left a mountain of debt.....so the property was sold off for settlement of the debt.  And, it is World War II for Streetcar Named Desire.......it was the American Civil War 1861-1865 for Gone With the Wind.

Blanche has come to New Orleans, the nearest city to her old home, and it is where her sister Stella and Stella's newish husband, Stanley are living in an apartment in the French Quarter of New Orleans, or right near the Quarter at any rate.   The play is the dynamic between the three of them, and one other male character, a possible suitor for Blanche. 

 

~Yes, as LP pointed out, Bond is very, very British.   He is an agent of MI6 (Britain's Secret Intelligence Service), which I suppose corresponds with the American CIA...IOW, it operates out of the country, not supposed to operate within the confines of their own country.   I suppose the films are a bit Americanized, but they are made by  Eon Productions, not sure where they are incorporated.  I do know they use British workers.  Because, in fact, I dated a guy that worked on the Bond picture that was partially made in New Orleans, back in the 1970's.  He was from Yorkshire.

 

~Kramer Books is not part of a chain as far as I know.  In fact however, there used to be two Kramer Book stores, unrelated in the Washington D.C. area.  I only know this because Charles's company had an office in W.D.C. and he worked down (I say "down" because at that time Charles lived in New York City) there for quite a while.  Of course he knew both Kramers! lol

 

Regarding book store chains......Books-A-Million has cut back on their stores, and the local BAM has changed to a second hand book/DVD/CD/LP/gaming store. It is still owned by the BAM company though.  Barnes & Noble is still going fairly strong, we have one in the town below the closest town to us.  There is also a large one across the lake, in Metairie.  Probably more in N.O., but I'm not familiar with them.   

Borders is the huge chain book store that has gone out of business, completely.  Others I don't know about.

 

~YES!  New OR-leans.... stressing on the OR.  In fact, some slur it, coming out more like N'Awlins...heh  Yes, a pet peeve. 

Oddly enough though the city (name) is pronounced in the above manner, the name of the Parish (we have Parishes instead of the American Counties*) IS pronounced New Or-LEANS.  I've never met anyone that can explain that discrepancy. 

 

*First is the Country, divided into States, then the States divided into Counties or in Louisiana's case, Parishes.

Edited November 21, 2013 by pontalba

[pontalba]

Just thought I'd post this little local thing going on Sunday. 

 

http://www.poboyfest.com/

[frankie]

~LOL re Blanche Devereaux!   I really liked that show too.   She was a great character.

 

I agree, it's an amazing show! Great characters, great writing... Brilliant actors! And Betty White is such a darling....

 

~The basic story is that Blanche has left the plantation, as everyone else has died off and left a mountain of debt.....so the property was sold off for settlement of the debt.  And, it is World War II for Streetcar Named Desire.......it was the American Civil War 1861-1865 for Gone With the Wind.

Blanche has come to New Orleans, the nearest city to her old home, and it is where her sister Stella and Stella's newish husband, Stanley are living in an apartment in the French Quarter of New Orleans, or right near the Quarter at any rate.   The play is the dynamic between the three of them, and one other male character, a possible suitor for Blanche. 

 

Thanks for that! Sounds the sort of thing I would read, most definitely

 

~Yes, as LP pointed out, Bond is very, very British.   He is an agent of MI6 (Britain's Secret Intelligence Service), which I suppose corresponds with the American CIA...IOW, it operates out of the country, not supposed to operate within the confines of their own country.   I suppose the films are a bit Americanized, but they are made by  Eon Productions, not sure where they are incorporated.  I do know they use British workers.  Because, in fact, I dated a guy that worked on the Bond picture that was partially made in New Orleans, back in the 1970's.  He was from Yorkshire.

 

Ah! The fact that it operates out of the country explains so much!   That I did not know. The reason why I've avoided the Bond movies is that I find the womanizing bits too much... Not my thing.

 

I can't believe you dated a guy who worked for a Bond picture! That makes you a Bond girl, well, sort of? But a no nonsense one

 

~Kramer Books is not part of a chain as far as I know.  In fact however, there used to be two Kramer Book stores, unrelated in the Washington D.C. area.  I only know this because Charles's company had an office in W.D.C. and he worked down (I say "down" because at that time Charles lived in New York City) there for quite a while.  Of course he knew both Kramers! lol

 

With you two's connections you could conquer the world!

 

Regarding book store chains......Books-A-Million has cut back on their stores, and the local BAM has changed to a second hand book/DVD/CD/LP/gaming store. It is still owned by the BAM company though.  Barnes & Noble is still going fairly strong, we have one in the town below the closest town to us.  There is also a large one across the lake, in Metairie.  Probably more in N.O., but I'm not familiar with them.   

Borders is the huge chain book store that has gone out of business, completely.  Others I don't know about.

 

I've heard of Barnes & Noble and Borders but I don't know if I would've known they were bookstores... Books-A-Million and Metairie do not ring any bells... Although now that I think about it, maybe Metairie was one of the bookstores mentioned in the dictionary. I should look them up, but the books' covered in stickers (I stickered everything that sounded interesting ) so it's just a big mess at the moment : D

 

~YES!  New OR-leans.... stressing on the OR.  In fact, some slur it, coming out more like N'Awlins...heh  Yes, a pet peeve. 

 

It's really hard to remember that and to say it if one's in a hurry, when one has thought it's the other way around the whole time...

 

Oddly enough though the city (name) is pronounced in the above manner, the name of the Parish (we have Parishes instead of the American Counties*) IS pronounced New Or-LEANS.  I've never met anyone that can explain that discrepancy. 

 

That's very odd! Maybe it's highly classified information. Something only the American James Bond would know

 

*First is the Country, divided into States, then the States divided into Counties or in Louisiana's case, Parishes.

 

 

Funnily enough, the dictionary did mention that Louisiana was a parish, not a county! I think there was maybe another one, too... Can't remember at the moment.

 

Just thought I'd post this little local thing going on Sunday. 

 

http://www.poboyfest.com/

 

I didn't know what a po-boy was, it sounded like a slurred version of poor boy, so I googled. Oh bloody hell, they look de-li-cious!!! *drools*

 

[pontalba]

Metairie is the city, actually a suburb of New Orleans.  It is in the adjoining (Jefferson) Parish.

 

We made a little trip over the lake today, down to the above mentioned Metairie.   Two Estate Sales, and we hit the Mother Lode in books. 

 

A Christmas Carol & two other Christmas Books by Charles Dickens (an absolutely adorable teeny book from the Collector's Library)

Rumpole A La Carte by John Mortimer

William Wallace The King's Enemy by D.J. Gray

Girl in Hyacinth Blue by Susanl Vreeland

Alexander The Ends of the Earth by Valerio Massimo Manfredi

The Elements of Murder, A History of Poison by John Emsley

Three Bags Full by Leonie Swann (A Shepherd is murdered, and his flock of sheep detect his murderer)

The Winemaker by Noah Gordon

Pigs in Heaven by Barbara Kingsolver

The Oxford Book of Detective Stories edited by Patricia Craig

The Origin by Irving Stone (Life of Charles Darwin)

Eleanor of Aquitaine by Alison Weir

Dictionary of Narratology by Gerald Prince

The Grave Digger by Peter Grandbois

Gabriel Garcia Marquez Collected Stories

Alexander the Great by Norman F. Cantor

The Daughters of Cain by Colin Dexter

On the Trail of the Assassins, My Investigation and Prosecution of the Murder of President Kennedy by Jim Garrison

Dearest Friend, A Life of Abigail Adams by Lynne Withey

The Heaven Tree Trilogy by Edith Pargeter

Mary Chestnut's Civil War edited by C. Vann Woodward (winner of the 1982 Pulitzer Prize in History)  (that's the American Civil War, 1861-1865)

Tales From Chaucer ( A lovely, very old, old copy)

 

Also, from Amazon:

 

S. by J.J. Abrams and Doug Dorst....ya hafta see this to believe it!! It comes in it's own shrink wrapped slip case, and has all sorts of stuff inside the book....postcards, newspaper clippings etc.  Amazing!!  http://www.amazon.com/S-J-Abrams/dp/0316201642/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1385170009&sr=1-1&keywords=s+jj+abrams

 

The Sunset Limited by Cormac McCarthy (A Novel in Dramatic Form)

The Stonemason by Cormac McCarthy (A Play in Five Acts)

Darkly Dreaming Dexter by Jeff Lindsay

Red Country by Joe Abercrombie

 

For the books from the Estate Sale above, they only charged 5 USD.  Yup, Five Dollars.  Phew!!

[Marie H]

Oh my, that is a humongous haul  . For 5 USD... ...   

[Athena]

Wow, great haul ! And very cheap, too!

[lauraloves]

wow some great books there

[pontalba]

Oh my, that is a humongous haul  . For 5 USD... ...   

 

 

Wow, great haul ! And very cheap, too!

 

 

wow some great books there

 

I don't think we've come across such a good group anywhere else, certainly not at that price! 

 

Charles had a great idea.  We're going to keep those books together, on their own shelf as a tribute to the unknown book lover whose estate we purchased them from.  I think they'd like that.  I know I would, were they mine.  I listed them on their own shelf on Library Thing. 

[Kidsmum]

I don't think we've come across such a good group anywhere else, certainly not at that price! 

 

Charles had a great idea.  We're going to keep those books together, on their own shelf as a tribute to the unknown book lover whose estate we purchased them from.  I think they'd like that.  I know I would, were they mine.  I listed them on their own shelf on Library Thing. 

 

Love that idea , it's like keeping the family together 

[Athena]

Charles had a great idea.  We're going to keep those books together, on their own shelf as a tribute to the unknown book lover whose estate we purchased them from.  I think they'd like that.  I know I would, were they mine.  I listed them on their own shelf on Library Thing. 

x

I think that's an excellent idea! I think I'd do that too.

[Marie H]

I don't think we've come across such a good group anywhere else, certainly not at that price! 

 

Charles had a great idea.  We're going to keep those books together, on their own shelf as a tribute to the unknown book lover whose estate we purchased them from.  I think they'd like that.  I know I would, were they mine.  I listed them on their own shelf on Library Thing. 

I agree! As Kidsmum and Athena say, that is a wonderful idea  .

[pontalba]

House of Sand and Fog by Andre Dubus III truly deserves a higher rating than 5 stars. I felt as though I was watching a slow motion train wreck with the inevitable, but oh, so preventable, fatal casualties. Dubus is a master of the human condition, he inhabits such a variety of opposite characters so completely, one wonders if the man is a magician. He is. No doubt about it.

The basic story is simple. A woman is evicted from her home by the County, ostensibly, for non-payment of certain taxes. A man, a former Colonel in the Iranian Army, purchases the home at auction. Their individual back-stories are told in the course of the tale. She cannot accept the fact her home is lost, and he will not entertain any thoughts of compensation to her.

The collision of personalities and cultures explodes off of the page engulfing the reader in their lives.

It took me a bit longer to read this novel, as the intensity level was so high, I could only stand so much at the time. But I read the last 100 pages or so in one fell swoop, until 2 in the morning, unable to put it down. Sleeping afterward was difficult.

Tragic. Ironic. Heartbreaking. Frightening.

Edited November 26, 2013 by pontalba

[Karsa Orlong]

House of Sand and Fog by Andre Dubus III truly deserves a higher rating than 5 stars. I felt as though I was watching a slow motion train wreck with the inevitable, but oh, so preventable, fatal casualties. Dubus is a master of the human condition, he inhabits such a variety of opposite characters so completely, one wonders if the man is a magician. He is. No doubt about it.

 

The basic story is simple. A woman is evicted from her home by the County, ostensibly, for non-payment of certain taxes. A man, a former Colonel in the Iranian Army, purchases the home at auction. Their individual back-stories are told in the course of the tale. She cannot accept the fact her home is lost, and he will not entertain any thoughts of compensation to her.

 

The collision of personalities and cultures explodes off of the page engulfing the reader in their lives.

 

It took me a bit longer to read this novel, as the intensity level was so high, I could only stand so much at the time. But I read the last 100 pages or so in one fell swoop, until 2 in the morning, unable to put it down. Sleeping afterward was difficult.

 

Tragic. Ironic. Heartbreaking. Frightening.

 

 

Great review!  I saw the film version a few years ago and thought it was stunningly good - may have to read the books as well now!

[Devi]

House of Sand and Fog by Andre Dubus III truly deserves a higher rating than 5 stars. I felt as though I was watching a slow motion train wreck with the inevitable, but oh, so preventable, fatal casualties. Dubus is a master of the human condition, he inhabits such a variety of opposite characters so completely, one wonders if the man is a magician. He is. No doubt about it.

The basic story is simple. A woman is evicted from her home by the County, ostensibly, for non-payment of certain taxes. A man, a former Colonel in the Iranian Army, purchases the home at auction. Their individual back-stories are told in the course of the tale. She cannot accept the fact her home is lost, and he will not entertain any thoughts of compensation to her.

The collision of personalities and cultures explodes off of the page engulfing the reader in their lives.

It took me a bit longer to read this novel, as the intensity level was so high, I could only stand so much at the time. But I read the last 100 pages or so in one fell swoop, until 2 in the morning, unable to put it down. Sleeping afterward was difficult.

Tragic. Ironic. Heartbreaking. Frightening.

Fantastic review. Added to my ever growing wish list. Edited November 26, 2013 by Devi

[Kidsmum]

Great Review Pontalba  The title sounds familiar though i haven't come across the author so maybe it's the film I've heard of. I've added it to my christmas want list so i look forward to reading it soon

[bobblybear]

Great review. I might have to add this to my wishlist, as I enjoyed the film (though I don't think 'enjoyed' is quite the right word).

[pontalba]

Thank you, thank you, thank you, very much!  

 

I have to, absolutely have to see the film.  I knew Ben Kingsley played the Colonel, and pictured him the whole time.  Perfect. 

[poppy]

That sounds fantastic Pont! Very good review. I would like to see the film too ....I love Ben Kingsley. Will put it on my Kindle wishlist

[pontalba]

Hey poppy!  Thanks.  I have another of his on the stack...The Garden of Last Days, it  looks just as interesting.   I just couldn't take another one on the heels of Sand and Fog!

[pontalba]

The Preacher by Camilla Lackberg 3/5

 

Well put together detective/mystery involving 3 generations of suspects and 20-odd year apart ritualistic murders. I guessed the killer, at least one of them, about halfway through, but there were enough twists to keep me interested.

The dynamic of the detectives and their relationships was fairly well done. I believe that aspect is still coming together as this is only the second in the series, and the first I've read. The story is told from many perspectives, allowing the reader to get into the mind of the killer and his victims.

The story is a bit cookie-cutter, better than some, not as interesting as others. I'll read more in the series to see how the permanent characters progress.

[pontalba]

While not the really cheap err, inexpensive kindle copies, I managed to buy three new kindle books.  Two are ones I already have in hardback but want to reread.  The Mote in God's Eye and Lucifer's Hammer by Larry Niven and Jerry Pournelle.  Then I saw The Luminaries...all together cheaper than one hardback on sale.   A good day.

[Athena]

Congrats on the new books !