Kylie Posted February 17, 2010 Posted February 17, 2010 I'm sorry you haven't been able to get into GwtW the way you want to, but after all, 'tomorrow is another day'. (I'm not sure how far you've read, but if you don't recognise the quote, you will soon). Quote
AbielleRose Posted February 21, 2010 Author Posted February 21, 2010 I bought 3 new books Friday night: Flowers for Algernon by Daniel Keyes, Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger, and The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold. I've read both Flowers for Algernon and The Lovely Bones before but haven't had a chance to read Catcher in the Rye before. I'll try and wait until I finish Gone with the Wind but FfA is really calling my name! Quote
BigWords Posted February 22, 2010 Posted February 22, 2010 Catcher In The Rye is worth reading. Even if you only read it the once - it is kinda like Marmite, people either hate it or love it. Quote
frankie Posted February 22, 2010 Posted February 22, 2010 Great buys Abby Maybe you could just quickly read Flowers for Algernon and then continue with GwtW... I hope your mojo for GwtW returns soon Quote
AbielleRose Posted February 27, 2010 Author Posted February 27, 2010 Great buys Abby Maybe you could just quickly read Flowers for Algernon and then continue with GwtW... I hope your mojo for GwtW returns soon Thanks Frankie. I hope the mojo comes back too. Things are starting to get back to normal (or close to normal) in my personal life so maybe when I get back into a normal boring routine everything will fall back into place with my reading habits. Last week I impulsively ordered a new historical fiction thriller called Heresy by S.J. Parris. Something about it grabbed my attention instantly and I just had to have it Blurb: Giordano Bruno was a monk, poet, scientist, and magician on the run from the Roman Inquisition on charges of heresy for his belief that the Earth orbits the sun and that the universe is infinite. This alone could have got him burned at the stake, but he was also a student of occult philosophies and magic. In S. J. Parris's gripping novel, Bruno's pursuit of this rare knowledge brings him to London, where he is unexpectedly recruited by Queen Elizabeth I and is sent undercover to Oxford University on the pretext of a royal visitation. Officially Bruno is to take part in a debate on the Copernican theory of the universe; unofficially, he is to find out whatever he can about a Catholic plot to overthrow the queen. His mission is dramatically thrown off course by a series of... Catcher In The Rye is worth reading. Even if you only read it the once - it is kinda like Marmite, people either hate it or love it. I've heard of this 'marmite' you speak of and all I can say is EW!!! Quote
AbielleRose Posted March 3, 2010 Author Posted March 3, 2010 (edited) I've added the Coldfire Trilogy by C. S. Friedman to my TBR pile (thanks Noll!) I love good vs evil themes in books so this sounds right up my alley. Blurb: The Coldfire trilogy tells a story of discovery and battle against evil on a planet where a force of nature exists that is capable of reshaping the world in response to psychic stimulus. This terrifying force, much like magic, has the power to prey upon the human mind, drawing forth a person's worst nightmare images or most treasured dreams and indiscriminately giving them life. This is the story of two men: one, a warrior priest ready to sacrifice anything and everything for the cause of humanity's progress; the other, a sorcerer who has survived for countless centuries by a total submission to evil. They are absolute enemies who must unite to conquer an evil greater than anything their world has ever known. I also plan on picking up a couple poetry books this weekend. William Blake for sure and maybe a new Tennyson or Whitman. Edited March 3, 2010 by CaliLily Quote
AbielleRose Posted March 3, 2010 Author Posted March 3, 2010 (edited) Updated Reading List for 2010 TBR: Phantom of the Opera- Gaston Leroux Essays and Poems- Ralph Waldo Emerson The Divine Comedy- Dante Alighieri The House of the Seven Gables- Nathaniel Hawthorne Gone with the Wind- Margaret Mitchell Catcher in the Rye- J.D. Salinger Beowulf A Thousand Splendid Suns- Khaled Hosseini Yet To Obtain: 1. Bitten (The Women of the Underworld Series)- Kelly Armstrong 2. The Secret History of the Pink Carnation (series) - Lauren Willig 3. The Shopaholic Series- Jane Kinsella 4. The Help- Kathryn Stockett 5. The Inkheart Trilogy- Cornelia Funk 6. Salem's Lot- Stephen King 7. The Divinci Code- Dan Brown 8. Interview with the Vampire- Ann Rice 9. Mr. Darcey's Daughters- Elizabeth Aston 10. The Last Witchfinder- James Morrow 11. The Witches of Eastwick- John Updike 12. Of Mice and Men- John Steinback 13. Mysteries of the Benjamin Society- Trenton Lee Stewart 14. Witch and Wizard- James Patterson 15. Her Fearful Symmetry- Audrey Niffenegger 16. Burned- P.C. and Kristen Cast (to be released in 2010) 17. The Break-up Club- Melissa Senate 18. Oliver Twist- Charles Dickens 19. Nicholas Nickleby- Charles Dickens 20. A Christmas Carol- Charles Dickens 21. David Copperfield- Charles Dickens 22. A Tale of Two Cities- Charles Dickens 23. Great Expectations- Charles Dickens 24. Running With Scissors- Augusten Burroughs 25. Percy Jackson and the Olympians Series- Rick Riordan (borrowed from a friend) 25. The Shack- William P. Young 26. Fallen- Lauren Kate 27. Complete works of Edgar Allen Poe 28. Breathless- Dean Koontz 29. The Last Lecture- Randy Pausch 30. The White Queen- Philippa Gregory 31. Breakfast At Tiffany's- Truman Capote 32. Othello- William Shakespeare 33. Romeo and Juliette- William Shakespeare 34. Brave New World- Aldous Huxley 35. I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings- Maya Angelou 36. Sundays at Tiffany's- James Patterson 37. The Shining- Stephen King 38. The Keeper- Natasha Mostert 39. Philippa Gregory - The Constant Princess 40. The Complete Tales and Poems of Edgar Allan Poe (Barnes and Noble Classics Edition) 41. Black Sun Rising (Coldfire Trilogy)- C.S. Friedman 42. When True Night Falls (Coldfire Trilogy)- C.S. Friedman 43. Crown of Shadows (Coldfire Trilogy)- C.S. Friedman To Re-Read P.S. I Love You- Cecelia Ahren The Time Traveler's Wife- Audrey Niffenegger The Mortal Instruments Series - Cassandra Clare The Complete Works of Elizabeth Barrett Browning Where the Red Fern Grows- Wilson Rawls Wurthering Heights- Emily Bronte Flowers for Algernon- Daniel Keyes Edited March 14, 2010 by CaliLily Quote
AbielleRose Posted March 7, 2010 Author Posted March 7, 2010 My grandma asked me to order her a couple of Jude Law movies online so I ended up doing a little book shopping myself because I was only $7.00 away from meeting the 'free shipping' requirement. I ended up buying O, Juliet by Robin Maxwell. Its a typical Romeo and Juliet love story (the characters are actually named Romeo and Juliet). http://search.barnesandnoble.com/O-Juliet/Robin-Maxwell/e/9780451229151/?itm=1&USRI=o+juliet That TBR pile is growing a little more each day it seems. I'm getting close to finally finishing Flowers for Algernon but my mojo just hasn't been around much lately. I hope to finish it today so that I can start Wurthering Heights for the Rory Gilmore List Challenge. Quote
AbielleRose Posted March 10, 2010 Author Posted March 10, 2010 (edited) Flowers for Algernon by Daniel Keyes Synopsis: Charlie Gordon is about to embark upon an unprecedented journey. Born with an unusually low IQ, he has been chosen as the perfect subject for an experimental surgery that researchers hope will increase his intelligence-a procedure that has already been highly successful when tested on a lab mouse named Algernon. As the treatment takes effect, Charlie's intelligence expands until it surpasses that of the doctors who engineered his metamorphosis. The experiment appears to be a scientific breakthrough of paramount importance, until Algernon suddenly deteriorates. Will the same happen to Charlie? Flowers for Algernon is one of my favorite books for several reasons. First of all, Charlie's character draws me in almost instantly and makes me feel a bond with him, the kind where I want to protect him and hold his hand as he walks along his journey through the operation and the events afterwards. Keyes wove Charlie's character into someone so real through his use of improper grammar and spelling in the beginning, and the choices (however unpopular they may have been) he made after achieving his intelligence. Keyes portrayed beautifully that intelligence does not nessecarily equal happiness. The part that always gets me is when Charlie decides to go live at the Warren State Home after his regression. If you decide to read this keep a box of tissues handy. Not one, not two, a whole box. Extra fluffy with lotion. 10/10 Edited March 10, 2010 by CaliLily Quote
Nollaig Posted March 10, 2010 Posted March 10, 2010 I can't wait to get my paws on that book. I really need to order a few titles off Amazon. Quote
AbielleRose Posted March 10, 2010 Author Posted March 10, 2010 Its one of those rare books that will stick with you long after you've finished reading it. If I remember right at one point they tried to get it banned in the US. You know when they try to get a book banned that its destine for greatness Quote
Nollaig Posted March 10, 2010 Posted March 10, 2010 Definitely. Hey I wonder is there a list out there anywhere of 'books people wanted to burn' or 'books that were/nearly banned'? Might be worth hunting down and having a looksee! Quote
AbielleRose Posted March 10, 2010 Author Posted March 10, 2010 Yes, here is a list of books in alphabetical order along with the reasons they were banned and in what country. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_banned_books Its really interesting, so many of those are ones I never would have imagined would have been banned! This article is very interesting and I like it better than the wiki link. http://www.time.com/time/specials/packages/article/0,28804,1842832_1842838_1845265,00.html Quote
Nollaig Posted March 10, 2010 Posted March 10, 2010 Awesome, thanks for the links! Seeing a lot of titles on there that don't surprise me, but I haven't read most of them anyway so a lot aren't surprising or not surprising me. Quote
Kate Posted March 10, 2010 Posted March 10, 2010 There is also this link: http://classiclit.about.com/od/bannedliteratur1/a/aa_bannedlist.htm Quote
AbielleRose Posted March 10, 2010 Author Posted March 10, 2010 There is also this link: http://classiclit.about.com/od/bannedliteratur1/a/aa_bannedlist.htm Thats a great link, Kate! *Gasp* Charlie and the Chocolate Factory was banned?!?! Though I've never actually read the book, I can't imagine it being banned! Quote
Kate Posted March 10, 2010 Posted March 10, 2010 Thats a great link, Kate! *Gasp* Charlie and the Chocolate Factory was banned?!?! Though I've never actually read the book, I can't imagine it being banned! I know, crazy isn't it! I enjoyed the book when I was younger Quote
AbielleRose Posted March 10, 2010 Author Posted March 10, 2010 I know, crazy isn't it! I enjoyed the book when I was younger Hmm... the banned list is working its defiant magic on me... I think I'll put this one on my TBR list along with A Wrinkle in Time. *Gasp!* Shakespeare is banned? Who the F would ban Shakespeare?! Quote
Kate Posted March 10, 2010 Posted March 10, 2010 *Gasp!* Shakespeare is banned? Who the F would ban Shakespeare?! I guess it depends on the content and when it was banned. Twelfth Night for example is about a girl dressing as a guy and the mick is taken out of a Puritan - two reasons why it might be banned Quote
AbielleRose Posted March 10, 2010 Author Posted March 10, 2010 Thats true. I suppose Some of his work really isn't approporiate for a younger audience. I'm starting Wurthering Heights by Emily Bronte today along with The House of the Seven Gables by Nathaniel Hawthorne. I've set a goal for myself to have both of those finished by mid next week. Quote
AbielleRose Posted March 10, 2010 Author Posted March 10, 2010 *Update to TBR pile* Added: Catcher in the Rye- J.D. Salinger Beowulf O, Juliet- Robin Maxwell A Thousand Splendid Suns- Khaled Hosseini O, Juliet- Robin Maxwell Heresy- S.J.- Parris As soon as I finish Wurthering Heights and The House of the Seven Gables I plan to move on to Beowulf and A Thousand Splendid Suns. My goal for March is to finish a total of 5 books. Quote
frankie Posted March 10, 2010 Posted March 10, 2010 If I remember right at one point they tried to get it banned in the US. You know when they try to get a book banned that its destine for greatness Why would they want to ban that book? Honestly, sometimes for the "reasons" for banning are so incredible and incredibly stupid Interesting lists you've all posted, I'd like to take a look at some of those books at some point. Thanks Quote
Kylie Posted March 10, 2010 Posted March 10, 2010 I'm starting Wurthering Heights by Emily Bronte today along with The House of the Seven Gables by Nathaniel Hawthorne. I'll be interested in your thoughts on the Hawthorne, as I have this on my TBR pile. Quote
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