Kylie Posted August 14, 2009 Author Share Posted August 14, 2009 It sure is fantastic, Chesilbeach Thanks for your comments everyone. I still have Eugenides' The Virgin Suicides on my wish list. This was originally the only one of his I wanted to read! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frankie Posted August 15, 2009 Share Posted August 15, 2009 Personally I think that you started with Eugenides's best work, The Middlesex. I was really disappointed with Virgin Suicides. I had my own thoughts about how the book would go and it didn't happen that way, and because of that and some other reasons I just didn't like the book. Consider yourself warned! But: I'd like you to read it anyway, to make up your own mind of course. The book's shorter than Middlesex anyway so it's worth the bother I think Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kylie Posted August 16, 2009 Author Share Posted August 16, 2009 Thanks Frankie. I've read quite a few not-so-good reviews of The Virgin Suicides, which is why I haven't bought it yet. I'm not sure it will be worth it. I'll get around to it one day though. And at least I know I like Eugenides' style of writing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lopeanha Posted August 16, 2009 Share Posted August 16, 2009 I haven't read Middlesex but I really liked The Virgin Suicides. I've seen the movie and read the book in german aswell as in english. I even own all three things, so that has to mean something, right?! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kylie Posted August 16, 2009 Author Share Posted August 16, 2009 Thanks, Lopeanha! It's great to see a positive review. I've seen the movie and enjoyed it so I think I will enjoy the book. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kylie Posted September 4, 2009 Author Share Posted September 4, 2009 I haven't been doing very well at keeping my thoughts up-to-date here. Last month I read the final book in Scott Westerfeld's Uglies series, called Extras. This is a young adult dystopian series that has some great ideas in. They made for very enjoyable reads. I followed it up with Bogus to Bubbly, which is an insider's look into the series and provided a lot of interesting additional information to where Westerfeld got his ideas from. I also read my first Enid Blyton book, The Magic Faraway Tree, which was a quaint and enjoyable romp with interesting characters and worlds to explore. I imagine I would have loved this book a lot if I had read it as a child. I've also continued my Trixie Belden odyssey, with Trixie Belden and the Mystery on the Mississippi which is right up there with the best of the series, I think. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kylie Posted September 4, 2009 Author Share Posted September 4, 2009 I recently finished The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck, and it has gone straight on to my list of favourite reads. Despite the depressing subject matter, Steinbeck handles it beautifully. It's so well-written, and the descriptions of the people, their situations and their surroundings are stunning. It's a book that will stay with me for a long time. Also finished recently was Watership Down by Richard Adams. It was as wonderful as everyone said it would be, although it took me a little while to get into it. Once I did though, the story flew along and I couldn't wait to see what would happen next. I got through another of Graeme Base's books recently, called The Sign of the Seahorse. It's a lavishly illustrated children's story written entirely (and cleverly) in verse. There are great environmental messages within and the artwork is beautiful as always. I found myself thoroughly examining every picture because I didn't want to miss a thing he put in there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Weave Posted September 4, 2009 Share Posted September 4, 2009 Some great reads there Kylie, sounds like you enjoyed them all, which is great:D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kylie Posted September 4, 2009 Author Share Posted September 4, 2009 Indeed I did, Gyre! I have read some great books this year, and I notice you have as well Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Weave Posted September 4, 2009 Share Posted September 4, 2009 Indeed I did, Gyre! I have read some great books this year, and I notice you have as well Yes indeed, we have had a great reading year so far Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kylie Posted September 8, 2009 Author Share Posted September 8, 2009 I finished another terrific PG Wodehouse recently, in The Inimitable Jeeves, and I read the first two books in Janet Evanovich's Stephanie Plum series: One for the Money and Two for the Dough. They're nice, fast reads and I like the flawed heroine. Now I'm reading my first Sir Arthur Conan Doyle novel, A Study in Scarlet. It's only short so I'll have it finished by tomorrow. I seem to be having a crime/mysery month this month. To date, I've read 51 books this year and my yearly goal is usually only 52, so I'm well ahead of the game! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
~Andrea~ Posted September 9, 2009 Share Posted September 9, 2009 Also finished recently was Watership Down by Richard Adams. It was as wonderful as everyone said it would be, although it took me a little while to get into it. Once I did though, the story flew along and I couldn't wait to see what would happen next. So pleased you enjoyed it. It really is a wonderful book. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blithe Posted September 9, 2009 Share Posted September 9, 2009 I finished another terrific PG Wodehouse recently, in The Inimitable Jeeves, and I read the first two books in Janet Evanovich's Stephanie Plum series: One for the Money and Two for the Dough. They're nice, fast reads and I like the flawed heroine. The Inimitable Jeeves is the first Wodehouse book that I read. I liked it so much that I became a Wodehouse fan. Bertie's such a nitwit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kylie Posted September 9, 2009 Author Share Posted September 9, 2009 So pleased you enjoyed it. It really is a wonderful book. Indeed! I really want to check out the animated movie now. The Inimitable Jeeves is the first Wodehouse book that I read. I liked it so much that I became a Wodehouse fan. Bertie's such a nitwit. Yes, he is. He gets himself into so many pickles. If only he would stand up for himself a bit more. I finished A Study in Scarlet by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle yesterday. I really loved it: the meeting of Watson and Holmes for the first time, and learning about Sherlock's science of deduction. The mystery itself was great as well. I really liked the way the story was set out in two parts, and as I mentioned on another thread, it inspired me to do further research on Mormonism. Highly recommended. I have all of the Sherlock Holmes mysteries at home, and I look forward to getting into the rest of them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nollaig Posted September 10, 2009 Share Posted September 10, 2009 I also read my first Enid Blyton book, The Magic Faraway Tree, which was a quaint and enjoyable romp with interesting characters and worlds to explore. I imagine I would have loved this book a lot if I had read it as a child. I never noticed this! Was that the one with cousin Dick (or possibly Rick, if you're unfortunate enough to have one of the stupid reprints)? There's three in the series, and all three are some of my favourite childhood books, I have them all in one big volume. They're great for kids, I used to wish so much I could go to all those mysterious lands! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kylie Posted September 10, 2009 Author Share Posted September 10, 2009 I bought quite an old edition of the book, so it still has the original names of Dick and Fanny. I think it's a such a shame that the names have been changed in recent editions. This is the only story I've read with the Faraway Tree, but I'll be interested to read the others as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nollaig Posted September 10, 2009 Share Posted September 10, 2009 The new ones have Joe, Beth, Rick and Frannie. They changed all the names, which to me is ridiculous. Also, Dame Slap became Dame Snap, and she didn't slap anyone, she shouted very loudly. It's so stupid - a book is a book, you can't just change it because modern society is immature and people suddenly realised it's wrong to hit children - that's how the world WAS back then, simple as. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kylie Posted September 11, 2009 Author Share Posted September 11, 2009 I agree. I'm surprised they haven't started taking the 'n' word (for African Americans) out of books yet. It may be an inappropriate word now, but it's still important as a historical account of past times. I was outraged when they started airbrushing the cigarette out of Paul McCartney's hand on the Abbey Road album cover. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chesilbeach Posted September 11, 2009 Share Posted September 11, 2009 Thank goodness my mum kept all my childhood books, I've still got the original copy I read, so it's exactly as Blyton wrote it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kylie Posted September 18, 2009 Author Share Posted September 18, 2009 An update: Farewell, My Lovely by Raymond Chandler was an excellent crime story. I like Chandler's writing style and he often has me chuckling with his witty one-liners. Philip Marlowe is an excellent character. I also read I am David, by Anne Holm. I read this in my class back in primary school and it has always stayed in mind so I was very excited to track down a copy of the book at a book fair one day. I couldn't remember most of the plot, but one scene with a bar of soap had stuck in my mind. It's funny that I had blown it up in my mind to be a huge part of the book, but actually it was only very small. It's an excellent children's book about a 12-year-old boy who escapes from a concentration camp, having lived there most of his life. His journey takes him through several countries and he makes many important discoveries about life and the way that other people live. It's a very touching book. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
~Andrea~ Posted September 18, 2009 Share Posted September 18, 2009 Hello I've just been looking through the lists at the front of your blog. They are very impressive - you have a very well organised TBR Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kylie Posted September 18, 2009 Author Share Posted September 18, 2009 Thank you! Being organised with my TBR list has come in very handy. I was able to print it off the other day in preparation for an upcoming book fair so I can take the list along to remind me of what I already have Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kylie Posted September 23, 2009 Author Share Posted September 23, 2009 Wow, I've already read 10 books so far this month. That's about two and a half times my usual amount. Some of my recent reads: 84 Charing Cross Road by Helene Hanff: an utterly charming book full of correspondence written by a writer in New York to an antiquarian bookstore in London. The letters make for quick reading, but it's a really lovely story. The sequel, called The Duchess of Bloomsbury Street, was included in my edition and was also very good. 8/10 Deathworld 1 by Harry Harrison: a sci-fi book that centres around a gambler who moves to the planet Pyrrus in order to find out why all of the lifeforms there are intent on destroying the humans who have colonised the planet. This was a pretty good read, and short. I've got the next two in the series and look forward to reading them. 7/10 Harriet the Spy by Louise Fitzhugh: I'd been wanting to read this for many years - ever since a character in my favourite series of childhood books mentioned it. I knew roughly what the story was about and I guess it was an OK read. I didn't feel it was anything special. I really disliked Harriet and kept expecting her to redeem herself but I just never grew to like her or her friends. What a nasty little group of children! 6/10 Trixie Belden and the Mystery of the Missing Heiress (#16) by Kathryn Kenny: the next in my group of unread Belden mysteries. This one was pretty good, as far as they go (occasionally there's not a great deal of mystery or excitement). 7/10 I'm now reading Enduring Love by Ian McEwan. Tomorrow I'm going away for a few days to a huge bookfair in Canberra. I anticipate buying a lot of books! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Janet Posted September 24, 2009 Share Posted September 24, 2009 84 Charing Cross Road by Helene Hanff: an utterly charming book full of correspondence written by a writer in New York to an antiquarian bookstore in London. The letters make for quick reading, but it's a really lovely story. [/color][/b] Wow - I nearly bought this on Tuesday! Perhaps I should go back and get it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BookJumper Posted September 27, 2009 Share Posted September 27, 2009 I'm so sorry you didn't like Harriet the Spy, Kylie - it was one of my favourite books as a child, one of the select few I reread regularly. Oh well . Wow - I nearly bought this on Tuesday! Perhaps I should go back and get it! You should, you should! You can read my rather sprawling and gushing review of it here, if you need convincing further . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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