Janet Posted June 25, 2007 Share Posted June 25, 2007 I thought I'd start a thread where people can ask about books that they are thinking of reading - and if anyone has already read it, then they can give their opinion of it (without spoilers of course!). I don't know if the thread will work, but it's worth a try and I have one to ask about, so... Has anyone read Queen Camilla by Sue Townsend? If so, did you like it? Would you recommend it? I read The Queen and I many years ago, and I seem to remember that it didn't live up to my expectations. Is this one worth looking out for? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fiona Posted June 25, 2007 Share Posted June 25, 2007 Good thread! I would have said 'The Inheritance of Loss' but I've started it - would be interested in other people's opinions of it though who've read it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
happyanddandy Posted June 25, 2007 Share Posted June 25, 2007 IHas anyone read Queen Camilla by Sue Townsend? If so, did you like it? Would you recommend it? My son of 14 has read it and often quotes from it - he thought it was ace!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
angerball Posted June 25, 2007 Share Posted June 25, 2007 Good idea for a thread! I'm interested in reading the His Dark Materials trilogy by Philip Pullman. I have read a lot of positive comments on it, and seen it frequently popping up on Top 100 book lists, but I'm not sure if it would be my kind of book. I'm not into fantasy books really, yet given the things I've heard about it, I'm thinking of giving it a try. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kylie Posted June 26, 2007 Share Posted June 26, 2007 This thread has come along at a good time. I was given some books yesterday and was going to ask if people had read any of them. Donna Tartt - The Secret History Donna Tartt - The Little Friend Colette - The Claudine Novels Angela Carter - The Bloody Chamber and Other Stories Michael Chabon (ed) - All New McSweeney's Enchanted Chamber of Astonishing Stories (collection of short stories by Margaret Atwood, Stephen King, David Mitchell and many others) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fiona Posted June 26, 2007 Share Posted June 26, 2007 Good idea for a thread! I'm interested in reading the His Dark Materials trilogy by Philip Pullman. I have read a lot of positive comments on it, and seen it frequently popping up on Top 100 book lists, but I'm not sure if it would be my kind of book. I'm not into fantasy books really, yet given the things I've heard about it, I'm thinking of giving it a try. Read read read read read read read read read read read read read read read read read read read read read read read read read read read read read read read read read read!!!!!!!!!!!!!! It is one of THE best books I have EVER written. Great writing, great characters, gripping story and fantastic all the way through. It is so imaginative and brilliant. You don't need to be a fan of fantasy, I'm not a fan of fantasy as such... this is different. It is fantasy, but it is also um... based in this world too, but with a bit of imagination. It isn't all dwarfs and pixies rear up for a fight against evil war lord with a magic egg or whatever. It is so much deeper and better and the bestest of books ever to be written. READ!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Echo Posted June 26, 2007 Share Posted June 26, 2007 This thread has come along at a good time. I was given some books yesterday and was going to ask if people had read any of them. Angela Carter - The Bloody Chamber and Other Stories I haven't read that exact Angela Carter, but I've read The Magic Toyshop, and The Bloody Chamber is next on my list. Her books are really interesting, and I read The Magic Toyshop in about two days. Definitely try it out! I believe that The Bloody Chamber is a re-telling of some traditional fairy tales. I haven't read any of your other choices, but I've heard really good things about Colette. I hope that helps! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Echo Posted June 26, 2007 Share Posted June 26, 2007 There are a few titles on my TBR list that I'm curious about, if anyone can give me some insight. The Trouble With Magic by Madelyn Alt To the Lighthouse by Virginia Woolf Daniel Deronda by George Eliot The Professor by Charlotte Bronte The Historian by Elizabeth Kostova The Thirteenth Tale: A Novel by Diane Setterfield By the way, I agree, this is a great idea for a thread! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kylie Posted June 26, 2007 Share Posted June 26, 2007 I haven't read that exact Angela Carter, but I've read The Magic Toyshop, and The Bloody Chamber is next on my list. Her books are really interesting, and I read The Magic Toyshop in about two days. Definitely try it out! I believe that The Bloody Chamber is a re-telling of some traditional fairy tales. I haven't read any of your other choices, but I've heard really good things about Colette. I hope that helps! It does help, thanks! I looked up Colette on Wikipedia and read that originally her books were published under her husband's pen name and he locked her in a room until she had written the required number of pages! I love looking up info about authors and books - it helps give me some perspective when I'm reading them. I didn't know what The Bloody Chamber was about - it certainly does sound interesting! The Thirteenth Tale: A Novel by Diane Setterfield Unfortunately I haven't read any of the books on your list elbereth, but I have heard good things about The Thirteenth Tale - so much so that I would like to read it myself! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kell Posted June 26, 2007 Share Posted June 26, 2007 The Historian by Elizabeth Kostova A few of us here have read this one as it was our Reading Circle choice at one point. I think the general consensus was that it was pretty good - I certainly enjoyed it. You might enjoy it more if you've already read Dracula by Bram Stoker and perhaps have a little background knowledge on Vlad Tepes (Vlad the Impaler), but that's not essential - just related reading that might mean you get more out of it. It did seem to drag a little in the middle, but it was worth getting past that point and continuing with it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Echo Posted June 26, 2007 Share Posted June 26, 2007 You might enjoy it more if you've already read Dracula by Bram Stoker and perhaps have a little background knowledge on Vlad Tepes (Vlad the Impaler) That's great! I actually read Dracula about seven years ago. I've been thinking about re-reading it, so maybe I'll do that before I try out The Historian. Thanks for the advice! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
angerball Posted June 26, 2007 Share Posted June 26, 2007 Donna Tartt - The Secret HistoryDonna Tartt - The Little Friend I loved The Secret History. It's one of those books that I definitely must re-read. It's a psychological thriller, but it's also so much more than that. It's not a quick and easy thriller, but one that is very rich in detail and story-telling. I say, go for it. I picked up The Little Friend, after having read The Secret History, and I have to say, I didn't enjoy it half as much. In fact, I gave up on it. However, I think it was probably down to the mood I was in, as the plot was very interesting. I'd like to give it another go sometime, however I suggest that you start off with The Secret History. It's generally thought of as the better of the two. Read read read read read read read read read read read read read read read read read read read read read read read read read read read read read read read read read read!!!!!!!!!!!!!! It is one of THE best books I have EVER written....<snip> OK, you've sold me on it, Fiona! I'll have a look for it next time I'm in the library. As a side note, they are making a movie of one of the books, called The Golden Compass (I think one of the books goes under two different names, depending whether you're in the UK or USA). You can find more info here. The Historian by Elizabeth Kostova Hmmm, this is another one that I gave up on towards the end. I loved the first two-thirds of it, but then I just felt it dragged on too long, and I wanted it to be over. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fiona Posted June 26, 2007 Share Posted June 26, 2007 Read read read read read read read read read read read read read read read read read read read read read read read read read read read read read read read read read read!!!!!!!!!!!!!! It is one of THE best books I have EVER written. Great writing, great characters, gripping story and fantastic all the way through. It is so imaginative and brilliant. You don't need to be a fan of fantasy, I'm not a fan of fantasy as such... this is different. It is fantasy, but it is also um... based in this world too, but with a bit of imagination. It isn't all dwarfs and pixies rear up for a fight against evil war lord with a magic egg or whatever. It is so much deeper and better and the bestest of books ever to be written. READ!!! Look at that nasty type... I meant EVER read not written. Obviously I could never write such a fantastic trilogy. Silly me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
angerball Posted June 26, 2007 Share Posted June 26, 2007 Look at that nasty type... I meant EVER read not written. Obviously I could never write such a fantastic trilogy. Silly me. I didn't notice that, Fiona. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fiona Posted June 26, 2007 Share Posted June 26, 2007 I even made a typo when trying to type typo. I used to be a pretty good typer, honest but it is this stupid laptop I'm sure. :/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leona Posted June 26, 2007 Share Posted June 26, 2007 i'm not entirely sure how to do the quote thing from other peoples replies but i loved 'the thirteenth tale'. it's a pretty good story but what i really liked about it was all the references to reading and books and what a joy it is being a book addict. love this thread! has anyone read 'the glass books of the dream eaters' by gw dahlquist? i thought it looked like a thumping big historical read, i started it and wasn't sure,.it looks a bit fantasy-ish, and that's not really me' then i was going on holiday and flying ryanair-i didn't want to be done for excess baggage(seriously, this book weighs a ton) so i brought a few others intsead, now i'm looking at it and wondering 'is it worth the effort?-life is short, my list is long..... etc! would love to know if anyone else persevered. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maclsj Posted June 27, 2007 Share Posted June 27, 2007 I'm currently reading 'The Way of the World' by Elizabeth Aston. It's ok but I probably wouldn't recommend it. I've taken a look at her list of other books and having read the blurb of 'Mr Darcy's Daughters' I'm wondering if its the same book as 'The Way of the world' just under a different title. Anyone read any of these and can help prove/disprove this? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michelle Posted June 27, 2007 Share Posted June 27, 2007 has anyone read 'the glass books of the dream eaters' by gw dahlquist? i thought it looked like a thumping big historical read, i started it and wasn't sure,.it looks a bit fantasy-ish, and that's not really me' then i was going on holiday and flying ryanair-i didn't want to be done for excess baggage(seriously, this book weighs a ton) so i brought a few others intsead, now i'm looking at it and wondering 'is it worth the effort?-life is short, my list is long..... etc! would love to know if anyone else persevered. I was sent the 10-part version, and I think I managed the first four or so. It just seems to go on and on without getting very far, and I think the language was just kinda losing me. It looks good on the shelf though! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leona Posted June 27, 2007 Share Posted June 27, 2007 hey michelle, thanks for that, i feel less guilty now about flinging it! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Janet Posted July 9, 2007 Author Share Posted July 9, 2007 A bit of a strange one, but I don't suppose anyone has read any of Spike Milligan's books? His 'fiction' ones I mean, such as Hitler - My Park in his Downfall. At parent's evening, his English teacher mentioned that our son should read more fiction because he mostly reads non-fiction. However, getting him to do so is easier said than done! He does like Spike Milligan's poetry, so I wondered whether he might be interested in the books but I really don't know whether they're suitable or not. He's 12. Thanks in advance! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
samgrosser Posted July 9, 2007 Share Posted July 9, 2007 I read Hitler - my part in his downfall when I was a teenager. I thought it was hilarious and quite brilliant but I'm afraid I can't remember exactly how "suitable" it was. I also remember being really into Alistair Maclean novels when I was about 13, which might appeal to him. Good luck in finding something that he likes, and keep us posted. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Janet Posted July 9, 2007 Author Share Posted July 9, 2007 Thanks Sam. I will look out for some Alistair Maclean books. I took him to The Bookbarn today and he chose a Michael Morpego (sp?) book and also Milligan's The Bible - The New Testament... According to Spike Milligan - a bit irreverant, and I'm not sure what his English teacher will make of that, but she did say it had to be fiction! He was laughing about "...and there was light... but the electicity company said it wouldn't be available until Thursday!" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Liz Posted July 10, 2007 Share Posted July 10, 2007 Just wondered if anyone had read any books by Neal Stephenson? I have recently been thinking about giving him a try and wondered if anyone had any thoughts on him. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laramie Posted July 10, 2007 Share Posted July 10, 2007 I've not read anything by Neal Stephanson, I was just thinking of reading some Stephen King books as they seem to be very popular, and I was wondering if there's a particular one I should start with, and if there were any series I need to read in the right order.:)Thanks in advance:) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
angerball Posted July 10, 2007 Share Posted July 10, 2007 Just wondered if anyone had read any books by Neal Stephenson? No, so I can't really comment. However, I have heard rave reviews about Cryptonomicon, and would eventually like to read it. Heard it's quite chunky and heavy going though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts