vodkafan Posted January 23, 2010 Share Posted January 23, 2010 (edited) Jan: The Time Traveller's Guide to Medieval England- Ian Mortimer The Last Post - Max Arthur Northanger Abbey - Jane Austen Feb: Slaves of the Klau- Jack Vance The Blue World - Jack Vance The Moses Legacy- Graham Philips (Abandoned) A Thousand Splendid Suns - Khaled Hosseini The God of Small Things - Arundhati Roy Model Behaviour - Jay Mcinerney Shame - Jasvinder Sanghera Mar: How Opal Mehta Got Kissed Got Wild And Got A Life - Kaavya Viswanathan A Scanner Darkly - Philip K. Dick Lovely Bones - Alice Sebold April: Sophie's World - Jostein Gaarder The Dying Earth - Jack Vance Pride and Prejudice and Zombies - Jane Austen and Seth Graham-Smith If Chins Could Kill - Bruce Campbell East End Girl - Sally Worboyes The Reluctant Fundamentalist - Mohsin Hamid One Girl's War - Joan Miller Tipping The Velvet - Sarah Waters May: Q&A - Vikas Swarup Lyonesse- Jack Vance Middle Classes their rise and sprawl - Simon Gunn/Rachel Bell Lyonesse 2 The Green Pearl -Jack Vance Lyonesse 3 Madouc - Jack Vance Trainspotting - Irvine Welsh June: Miss Smilla's Feeling For Snow - Peter Hoeg Five people you meet in Heaven - Mitch Albom My Lover's Lover - Maggie O'farrell To Live Forever - Jack Vance The Boy in The Top Knot - Santham Sanghera The Boy In The Striped Pyjamas - John Boyne The Night Watch - Sarah Waters Judgement on Janus - Andre Norton July: Victory On Janus - Andre Norton The 19th Wife - David Hebershoff Persuasion - Jane Austen We Need To Talk About Kevin - Lionel Shriver August: The Handmaid's Tale - Margaret Atwood A Man of Double Deed - Leonard Daventry Duel - James Landale September: The Interpretation of Murder - Jed Rubenfeld Pay It Forward - Catherine Ryan Hyde October: The Death of Vishnu - Manil Suri Claude and Madeleine - Edward Marriot November: The Forgotten Soldier - Guy Sajer Courtesans - Katie Hickman Mrs Kimble - Jennifer Haigh December: Marianne Dreams - Catherine Storr Dina's Book - Herbjorg Wassmo TBR PILE: The Mathematics Of Love Papillon Edited December 30, 2010 by vodkafan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigWords Posted January 24, 2010 Share Posted January 24, 2010 Unplanned is the best way to read if you aren't working off a pre-existing list. More surprises wait in store that way. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lucybird Posted January 24, 2010 Share Posted January 24, 2010 Mine was a bit like that before I joined here, I never used to usually have more than 3 books on my TBR pile, how things change! Now I usually say I'm not allowed to buy more books until my TBR pile in in the single figures! Unless there is a special reason. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vodkafan Posted January 25, 2010 Author Share Posted January 25, 2010 (edited) Hi fellow readers, I don't know if I am using this thread the best way- I will look at how some others do it. Anyway just finished Northanger Abbey. OK where to start with such a book? I don't want to spoil it for anyone who has yet to discover it. This is only my second Austen novel. After reading Pride and Prejudice I was already prepared for the idiosyncracies of the period: the painfully slow modes of transport and communication all by letter. One of the consequences of that is that when a person in that age goes visiting they are obliged to stay for long periods with others they hardly know; and also that they may be totally ignorant of circumstances only a few miles away and heavily reliant on other's opinions. Jane Austen uses all these factors as essential plot devices to weave a story around which seems very clever to us nowadays. ( The arrival of a letter in an Austen novel is never unimportant or uneventful!) Also the economy of the writing is so impressive; there is no padding, everything is important. The characters seem like they could step off the page. I was pleased to see that 17 year old Catherine was no mouse and was capable of putting a bully in his place. When she finally gets to visit the Abbey of the title her vivid imaginings and conspiracy theories had me laughing out loud. Amazing that the writer's sense of humour comes across just as strong 200 years later. And the reasons for the Generals strange behaviour had me hooked right until the last page. I enjoyed the elegant use of language. A great read . I enjoyed this very much. Edited January 28, 2010 by vodkafan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frankie Posted January 25, 2010 Share Posted January 25, 2010 Oooh I hope you liked Northanger Abbey, I'll be looking forward to your review on it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vodkafan Posted January 27, 2010 Author Share Posted January 27, 2010 Review of Northanger Abbey just done in the library section....I might move my reviews to this section like Frankie does... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frankie Posted January 27, 2010 Share Posted January 27, 2010 I think it's good that you put your reviews also in the library section so that way people who don't generally read other people's reading lists can read the reviews and write in the threads themselves and it stirs up conversation. But if I were you, I'd also put your reviews on this thread as well because it'll be nice for yourself to see what you've read over the year, and if someone finds out they have a very similar taste with you when it comes to books it'll be easier for them to follow your reading when you post your reviews on your own thread But these are just my ideas, it's your blog so you can do whatever you want with it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vodkafan Posted January 28, 2010 Author Share Posted January 28, 2010 I think it's good that you put your reviews also in the library section so that way people who don't generally read other people's reading lists can read the reviews and write in the threads themselves and it stirs up conversation. But if I were you, I'd also put your reviews on this thread as well because it'll be nice for yourself to see what you've read over the year, and if someone finds out they have a very similar taste with you when it comes to books it'll be easier for them to follow your reading when you post your reviews on your own thread But these are just my ideas, it's your blog so you can do whatever you want with it! Took your advice Frankie; good idea. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vodkafan Posted January 30, 2010 Author Share Posted January 30, 2010 Review: The Last Post by Max Arthur. Laundry Fairy got me this one for Christmas. There are a lot of similar books on the market at the moment, many of them by the same author, who has made it his thing. It is basically the recollections of the last surviving British veterans of the First World War. So you ladies might be forgiven for dismissing this as a "boy" book about war. Actually upon reading it I realised it has a much more general appeal, the reason why I will go into shortly. Twenty-one men write their stories in this book. They were all over a hundred already. By the time the book was finished there were only four left. And the last two- Henry Allingham and Harry Patch- died last year. This book really was the last post. The main strength of the book is that it does not only document the men's wartime experiences but they were encouraged to tell their whole life stories. And EACH one of these men has over a HUNDRED years of history to tell! So I quickly became fascinated by the glimpses of a world and English lifestyle long gone, as lived by the common man. The class system, the relative poverty, the village life. My own parents were born at the end of WW1 and some of the things they had told me from their childhoods I recognised . One of the stories made me feel strange as the man had trained and lived in Northampton. I knew all the factories and places he mentioned and I had even slept in the same army barracks as an army cadet as a kid. This was a very easy book to read as each chapter was a self-contained story and so I could read a whole chapter in odd moments. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vodkafan Posted February 3, 2010 Author Share Posted February 3, 2010 Reading a Book called the Moses Legacy. But I left that to re-read an old favourite. Slaves Of The Klau by Jack Vance. Just finished it. Will review later. Am on a roll now. Thanks to you lot I have now got a TBR pile. Something I have never had before. Here is what I have lined up: The Blue World The God of Small Things Tipping The Velvet The Night Watch Persuasion Bye for now Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nicola Posted February 3, 2010 Share Posted February 3, 2010 Oooooh I quite fancy reading Tipping the Velvet too. I'm sure the BBC adapted it for tv a few years ago and it caused quite a scandal. If you get round to reading it before me, I'd love to find out how you find it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
~Andrea~ Posted February 5, 2010 Share Posted February 5, 2010 I'd be interested to hear your opinion of The God of Small Things. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vodkafan Posted February 6, 2010 Author Share Posted February 6, 2010 I'd be interested to hear your opinion of The God of Small Things. I think I will read that one next. I have just finished The Blue World by Jack Vance, an old favourite. I gave up on the Moses Legacy it was rubbish. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vodkafan Posted February 6, 2010 Author Share Posted February 6, 2010 Oooooh I quite fancy reading Tipping the Velvet too. I'm sure the BBC adapted it for tv a few years ago and it caused quite a scandal. If you get round to reading it before me, I'd love to find out how you find it Hi Nicola I have had a slight annoyance about Tipping The Velvet. I ordered the book from a new seller on Amazon. I figured being a new seller he/she would give good service to want to get good feedback. BUT the book hasn't arrived and no reply to my queries. But I had the DVD at home ready to watch so I cheated and watched this first....If you are interested I will be reviewing it later tonight in my film review thread (members thread) This film has made me change my mind about gay people and how we treat them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frankie Posted February 6, 2010 Share Posted February 6, 2010 Hi Nicola I have had a slight annoyance about Tipping The Velvet. I ordered the book from a new seller on Amazon. I figured being a new seller he/she would give good service to want to get good feedback. BUT the book hasn't arrived and no reply to my queries. That sucks!! Has it been long since you ordered it? Is there a way you could let others know that this new seller hasn't been trustworthy with you and others should have caution? But I had the DVD at home ready to watch so I cheated and watched this first....If you are interested I will be reviewing it later tonight in my film review thread (members thread) This film has made me change my mind about gay people and how we treat them. I'd be interested to hear your thoughts on it, although I might have to read your review only in tiny snippets, I don't want to know the whole plot since I haven't read the book yet I've forgotten if I've asked you already, have you read any other novels by Waters? Fingersmith is absolutely brilliant! I just love it that there's great gay literature out there and not just the heterosexual kind, and yet Waters doesn't make a huge deal of the characters being gay. She's actually written the only beautiful sex scene I've ever read, I usually find the sex scenes in novels a bit awkward, most writers don't know how to do it naturally. I hope you enjoy the movie! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vodkafan Posted February 6, 2010 Author Share Posted February 6, 2010 About the Amazon seller, I will give bad feedback if I have to but I am giving them a chance first to sort it out. It looks like I may have been ripped off. About Tipping the Velvet don't worry I won't give away any plot. I was writing my review a couple of minutes ago and my PC crashed and I lost it all. Will start again now. No I have only read Fingersmith so far but was impressed with SW's writing. Would you call her chick lit? I dunno. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frankie Posted February 6, 2010 Share Posted February 6, 2010 About the Amazon seller, I will give bad feedback if I have to but I am giving them a chance first to sort it out. It looks like I may have been ripped off. That's nice of you, and you never know if there's been a delay of some sorts with the mailing or in the post office, but do report it in the end! No I have only read Fingersmith so far but was impressed with SW's writing.Would you call her chick lit? I dunno. Sarah Waters's writing is indeed really beautiful and magnificent, I definitely want to read all her novels eventually and she'll be one of those authors whose career I will be looking closely, I'll be waiting for new novels I wouldn't call it chick lit though, I think that would be blasphemy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vodkafan Posted February 6, 2010 Author Share Posted February 6, 2010 I wouldn't call it chick lit though, I think that would be blasphemy Yeah. My review is up in my members thread. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vodkafan Posted February 6, 2010 Author Share Posted February 6, 2010 (edited) Been to WH Smith today and bought some off Amazon (I was bored at work) So here is how my TBR pile is looking: A Thousand Splendid Suns (Current read) The God of Small Things Tipping The Velvet (when it arrives) The Night Watch Persuasion Shame The Boy In Striped Pyjamas A Man of Double Deed Lyonesse 1 Lyonesse 2 Lyonesse 3 Think I better stop now..... Edited February 7, 2010 by vodkafan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vodkafan Posted February 8, 2010 Author Share Posted February 8, 2010 I was looking around at home for books to swop and instead I have found enough interesting unread books to keep me reading until September. That's without even touching Laundry Fairy's stash of chick lit books. If I do a Reading Circle book every month as well then the books might last until Christmas without buying any more. I will most likely swop most of them afterwards. I have no room for books. Laundry Fairy is getting into it too. She told me yesterday she wanted to read 1984 by George Orwell so I ordered it from Amazon. She doesn't like my avatar picture. She worries people might think that is actually me. Struggling with Khaled Hosseini. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kylie Posted February 8, 2010 Share Posted February 8, 2010 I did wonder if it was you, but I decided it wasn't. So just who is it exactly? I hope Laundry Fairy enjoys 1984. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frankie Posted February 8, 2010 Share Posted February 8, 2010 I always wondered who Laundry Fairy is, if it's your wife/OH or an imaginary friend of yours. I kind of hoped that it was the latter, Laundry Fairy seems kind of one-dimensional role for a wifey Nice to hear you found so many interesting unread books lying around they'll keep you busy this year. Do you think you'll be diving into LF's stashes after you've finished your own? It's nice to hear she's getting into reading herself, you never know she might even want to join the forum yourself! As for you avatar, eventhough your nick is vodkafan I figured it's not really you in the pic, but it does kind of give the impression that you're a laid back kind of fella and easy to get along with. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vodkafan Posted February 8, 2010 Author Share Posted February 8, 2010 Oh no Laundry Fairy is not one-dimensional. She is my wife we have been together 21 years. We have 6 beautiful children all half Indian . We have done our bit for race-mixing. Yes it would be cool if she joined the forum. Thank you. I like to think I am laid back. But I suspect I am just worn out instead. I let things pass me by these days live and let live. I found the avatar photo on google. I picked him because he seems the antithesis of a reader, glued to the telly with a beer in his hand. That's so funny you thought Laundry Fairy was an imaginary friend... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vodkafan Posted February 12, 2010 Author Share Posted February 12, 2010 I'd be interested to hear your opinion of The God of Small Things. Andrea were you saying that because you have already read it? I am a chapter in and it has something about it....her description is strong, quite sensual and evocative language...the first chapter seems a bit messy but she does have a lot of explaining to do...I won't say any more till I have read it all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kylie Posted February 12, 2010 Share Posted February 12, 2010 Ooh, evocative language...I might have to bump this up my TBR pile! I've just realised that I have absolutely no idea what The God of Small Things is actually about. It must be one of the few books I've bought where I haven't known anything about it. I shall await your further opinions eagerly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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