alicedrinkwater Posted July 11, 2015 Posted July 11, 2015 I guess this is where I introduce myself. I'm old, a little shy, and love to read. In fact, I enjoy the company of books more than I do the company of most people. My user name is from a character in my favorite book; Little, Big by John Crowley. Some of my favorite authors are Ray Bradbury, Stephen R. Donaldson, Fyodor Dostoevsky, Daphne Du Maurier, Philippa Gregory, Robert Heinlien, Mark Helprin, Susanna Kearsley, Robert McCammon, Patricia McKillip, Kate Morton, Vladimir Nabokov, Jodi Picoult, Tom Robbins, Dan Simmons, Neal Stephenson, Mary Stewart, Peter Straub,Theodore Sturgeon, Jack Vance, and Gene Wolfe. I looked at my bookshelves and picked out authors that I seem to have a lot of. Quote
Anna Faversham Posted July 11, 2015 Posted July 11, 2015 Hello Alice. I'm new too and I have found everyone to be very friendly and although I am still finding my way around, I think you will find lots of threads that will interest you. Quote
alicedrinkwater Posted July 11, 2015 Author Posted July 11, 2015 Thank you for the welcome, Anna. I have been looking through some of the threads, and have found some interests. Quote
Athena Posted July 11, 2015 Posted July 11, 2015 Welcome here ! Among the authors you've named, I've got a couple of books on by shelves, unread, by Ray Bradbury, Stephen R. Donaldson and Robert Heinlein. I loved Hyperion and Hyperion: The Fall of Hyperion by Dan Simmons (I have them in an omnibus edition), but I've read to read my Endymion Omnibus which is said to continue the story. I love Jodi Picoult's books, I've not read all of them yet but I'm making nice progress. Which ones are your favourites? I have some books by Kate Morton on my shelf too but I haven't yet started them. I believe I have a book by Dostoevsky but I'm not sure if it's really for me. I also have a couple by Neal Stephenson (unread) and by Jack Vance (unread). Yes, there is a theme here , but trust me, there are a lot of books too that I have actually read . I hope you'll enjoy it here. Quote
alicedrinkwater Posted July 11, 2015 Author Posted July 11, 2015 Thank you for the welcome, Athena. I love your name, by the way. You should definitely read the Endymion Omnibus. It does complete the series. I haven't read all of the Jodie Picoult books I have, but my favorites so far are Change of Heart, My Sister's Keeper, and House Rules. Kate Morton is a lovely writer, and she only has 4 novels published so far. I didn't enjoy Dostoevsky until I found the right translators, so maybe that would work for you as well. Unless you read Russian? I wish I could. Also, I know what you mean about having so many books you haven't read. I have more unread books than I have read. Quote
alicedrinkwater Posted July 11, 2015 Author Posted July 11, 2015 Thank you for the welcome, frankie! Quote
woolf woolf Posted July 11, 2015 Posted July 11, 2015 I didn't enjoy Dostoevsky until I found the right translators, so maybe that would work for you as well. Welcome. You aren't one of those Constance Garnett detractors, are you? Quote
alicedrinkwater Posted July 11, 2015 Author Posted July 11, 2015 Welcome. You aren't one of those Constance Garnett detractors, are you? No. While I personally don't enjoy her translations, I have no problem with someone who does prefer them. They are just not my style. Quote
woolf woolf Posted July 11, 2015 Posted July 11, 2015 No. While I personally don't enjoy her translations, I have no problem with someone who does prefer them. They are just not my style. I don't know about it myself, but it seems logical that today there are better translations, due to a widespread specialized teaching of russian. I just don't like how many disrespect her just because they don't like or don't feel comfortable with her work. Quote
Athena Posted July 12, 2015 Posted July 12, 2015 Thank you for the welcome, Athena. I love your name, by the way. You should definitely read the Endymion Omnibus. It does complete the series. I haven't read all of the Jodie Picoult books I have, but my favorites so far are Change of Heart, My Sister's Keeper, and House Rules. Kate Morton is a lovely writer, and she only has 4 novels published so far. I didn't enjoy Dostoevsky until I found the right translators, so maybe that would work for you as well. Unless you read Russian? I wish I could. Also, I know what you mean about having so many books you haven't read. I have more unread books than I have read. Thank you ! I will! I also loved My Sister's Keeper and House Rules. I liked Change of Heart but not as much as those other two mentioned. I've really liked most of the ones I've read by her, except Songs of a Humpback Whale, somehow I couldn't get through that one and I abandoned it. I plan to go back to it some day though, maybe I'll get on with it better then. No, I can't read Russian . I only read books in Dutch (or Flemish) and English. I also have more unread books than read ones . I've become a member of the library last December, too (to help me buy less books , I needed to for finances' sake), so that's not helping in reading a lot of my own unread books, but I do love it at the library . So I read a mixture of both library books and my own books. Quote
pontalba Posted July 12, 2015 Posted July 12, 2015 Welcome Alice. Glad to see someone name Vladimir Nabokov as a favorite! And Mary Stewart is an old favorite of mine as well. Have you read any of John Banville? I first came across him with The Sea......the advert on the cover compared him to Nabokov, so I had to read him. I believe I've read most of his books now, and he really is comparable to VN. Quote
Little Pixie Posted July 12, 2015 Posted July 12, 2015 Hello Alice ! Ditto on the love of Mary Stewart. Quote
alicedrinkwater Posted July 12, 2015 Author Posted July 12, 2015 I don't know about it myself, but it seems logical that today there are better translations, due to a widespread specialized teaching of russian. I just don't like how many disrespect her just because they don't like or don't feel comfortable with her work. I don't think she deserves disrespect. From my understanding, she brought Russian literature to the English-speaking world. Thank you ! I will! I also loved My Sister's Keeper and House Rules. I liked Change of Heart but not as much as those other two mentioned. I've really liked most of the ones I've read by her, except Songs of a Humpback Whale, somehow I couldn't get through that one and I abandoned it. I plan to go back to it some day though, maybe I'll get on with it better then. No, I can't read Russian . I only read books in Dutch (or Flemish) and English. I also have more unread books than read ones . I've become a member of the library last December, too (to help me buy less books , I needed to for finances' sake), so that's not helping in reading a lot of my own unread books, but I do love it at the library . So I read a mixture of both library books and my own books. Well, you can read more languages than I can, Athena. Welcome Alice. Glad to see someone name Vladimir Nabokov as a favorite! And Mary Stewart is an old favorite of mine as well. Have you read any of John Banville? I first came across him with The Sea......the advert on the cover compared him to Nabokov, so I had to read him. I believe I've read most of his books now, and he really is comparable to VN. Oh, yes! Nabokov's prose is stunning. I must admit I'm quite jealous of his mastery of the English language; it's playfulness, it's nuances, it's poetry. I must look into this John Banville. Hello Alice ! Ditto on the love of Mary Stewart. Glad to see two other Mary Stewart fans. I consider her a guilty pleasure, only because her books are easy and fun to read. I shouldn't feel guilty, though. I read books for many reasons, but first and foremost I must enjoy the experience. Thanks for all the welcomes, everyone! Quote
vodkafan Posted July 12, 2015 Posted July 12, 2015 Welcome Alice! I am happy to meet another Jack Vance fan. Quote
alicedrinkwater Posted July 13, 2015 Author Posted July 13, 2015 Thanks for the welcome, vodkafan! If you like Jack Vance, you should check out Gene Wolfe, in particular his Book of the New Sun series. Quote
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