Malkah and Shadowlander: Thank you for your thoughts on Anna Karenina. One thing I am rather keen to know is if

Thanks for that concise review! I am a big WW2 nut, so this tome sounds like my proverbial cup of tea. There's a common thread in many history books one can get and that is oftentimes the author/s will tend to get wordy and hoity-toity, presumably so they can say "Look at me, I'm famously smart! Look at this huge book I wrote on this particular subject". I'm glad Churchill writes in plain English and that his personality comes across in the book so well. He was quite a man! I'll be adding this to my list in the future!

You are most welcome! I'm sure that you would enjoy it! I just wanted to quickly add that I read the six book series by Churchill, and not the book The Second World War- which is an abridgment of the same series into one book by Mr. Churchill. I'm sure the latter would nevertheless be good, but probably not quite as in depth.

Next on my list is Wuthering Heights. I am determined to finish it this time!

Will you let us know how you like it when you're done? That is one novel I think I should read again, as I have a somewhat skewered perception of the novel from watching a really badly adapted film version of the novel right after I read the actual novel.

wisewoman will be happy to know that I found I have what looks to be an unabridged copy of The Secret Garden, and I've started reading it today. So far so good, although I'm only one or two chapters in.

I'm not sure if Mara has already linked this here or not, but in case she hasn't, it's Pride and Prejudice...with emoticons. Well worth it!
http://bookshop.livejournal.com/1010612.html warning: don't read past the end of it into the comments unless you would like to be bombarded by profanity.

[quote="Malkah, about Bell at Sealey Head":2ope1a7i]

Spoiler

such a simple motivation feels rather flat.

Spoiler

Like paper? ...That's either a really profound thought, or really dumb.

re: Anna Karenina:

And, Mel, I like Inkdeath too.

Oh, good! I am not alone! And after two such enthusiastic mentions of Winter Holiday I think I need to read the next book in the Swallowdale series so I can hurry up and read that one.

[quote="FF, asking about Anna Karenina":2ope1a7i]

Pride and Prejudice...with emoticons. Well worth it!

Yes, it was well worth it!

Ditto! It will be really quite fun- reading it again, and also reading it with you.

. So what I PMed you was good?

I read that just a few days ago and really, really enjoyed it! Although there's some confusing bits, I'd say it's one of her most accessible novels. Which you want, for your first McKillip. And it's such a lovable story--by the end, you'll want to live in Sealey Head.

Yeah parts of it have been a tad confusing but I'm getting pretty much...I think . I already want to live there! Seems like such a nice place .

Well, I finished Pride and Prejudice (it's so wonderful when Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth finally get together!)--I thoroughly enjoyed it!

I have now started on Emma. So far I'm enjoying it (I knew I would). I just wish I had more time to spend with it. Of course, I could always spend less time on NarniaWeb and more time reading!

I'm glad

oh yay! I hope you enjoy that book! Haha I've recently made that resolution but I haven't been keeping to it very well

I've experienced the book-dragging effect too. I try to read books before I see films, but to be honest sometimes I go and see a film and then realise it's a book, or the film inspires me to read the book. Usually I much prefer the book; there have only been a couple of times I have actually enjoyed the film more.

yes sometimes I don't know it's a book til after I watch the movie, but I always try to check first . It's kinda funny b/c the rest of my family acts like it's a "burden" on them b/c before they watch a movie they have to ask me if I've read the book first .

Ooh, interesting! I think there's a real drive for that sort of thing to be written at the moment. Personally I don't have a problem with there being a strong female character, but I don't like when the man then sits there and does absolutely nowt. I like it when they work together; it's much more interesting. I guess it's a kind of reaction to the "Every main character is a male!" thing.

Yes there is...and it's kind of unfortunate, IMO. I don't mind a strong female character either, I just like the guy to be strong too. Not just sitting around like an Amazon male . Yes the perfect scenario is when they work together towards a common goal.

I'm not sure if Mara has already linked this here or not, but in case she hasn't, it's Pride and Prejudice...with emoticons. Well worth it!
http://bookshop.livejournal.com/1010612.html

that was great!

Malkah:Next I'm starting in on Anna Karenina. Does anyone have recommendations for a good translation?

I don't have an answer to your question (sorry!) just curious as to what people think also. I read Crime and Punishment last year and remember feeling like some phrases and words were translated almost awkwardly. And that was the Wordsworth edition...so I'm keen to hear of any other publishers who may have had better luck translating works from Russian to English. I've had my eye on Anna Karenina and War and Peace (strange film though...) but have yet to read them.

@Ramagut: How did you know you would like Emma? I'm curious. I thought I would like it merely because it had the words 'Jane Austen' printed on the bottom; but that's about it. Perhaps I should give it a re-read; I was not really blown off my feet the first time around until it got into the third 'book'. I don't know why. Maybe because I read it straight after Persuasion, which is my all time favourite from Austen -I love it.

p.s. P&P in emoticons is hilarious!

StudyMate, I'm the same! For my final year of school we studied Emma and Persuasion, and I loved the latter while I really didn't think the former was that good. I mean, I enjoyed it, but it just didn't compare ... I need to re-read Emma though, and I have a feeling I'll like it more this time.

P&P with emoticons - genius. *Bookmarks page*

after two such enthusiastic mentions of Winter Holiday I think I need to read the next book in the Swallowdale series so I can hurry up and read that one.

Well, you have Peter Duck first, and that is also awesome, though a little more "fantastic". You've read the first two?

I actually really like the variety in the Swallows and Amazons series. Whereas most of them are set in the Lakes, or in the Norfolk Broads, or somewhere on the coast of the UK, there are a few which are more "adventure story" books. Peter Duck and Missee Lee are, though people say Great Northern? is as well, but I don't agree.

I'm not sure if Mara has already linked this here or not, but in case she hasn't, it's Pride and Prejudice...with emoticons. Well worth it!
http://bookshop.livejournal.com/1010612.html

That was good! Very creative of the person to do something like that.

Mel:

🙂 . So what I PMed you was good?

Yes indeed!

I started reading The Answer is God by Elise Miller Davis today. It's a re-read actually. In case anyone (and since it's now an out of print book, I guess that would be many) hasn't heard of it, it's a biography on the lives of Roy Rogers and Dale Evans Rogers, with the main focus on how their lives were transformed and changed by the power of the Lord. I think I will enjoy reading it again.

*giggles over P&P in emoticons* Who knew emoticons were such good actors?

Yep, AJ, I've read the first two. Book three is Peter Duck? Huh. I had this impression that it was later in the series from reading the wiki article, but maybe I'm mixing it up with Great Northern...

I read Jo's Boys a few years ago, but can't remember much of it at all.

Reread Beauty by Robin McKinley yesterday/this morning... I really enjoy that book. I think the descriptions are lovely, and just all around I like the book. Though there were two or three places where they seemed to misuse the Lord's Name. It wasn't a "large" amount at all, but--yeah. I didn't remember that being there from the first time I read it, and was a little surprised seeing it in there. *shrug*

@ the P&P emoticon version. lol.

Fanny,

Yeah parts of it have been a tad confusing but I'm getting pretty much...I think . I already want to live there! Seems like such a nice place .

Yay, I'm so glad you're liking it so far! I'll be interested to hear what you think of it when you finish!

just curious as to what people think also. I read Crime and Punishment last year and remember feeling like some phrases and words were translated almost awkwardly. And that was the Wordsworth edition...so I'm keen to hear of any other publishers who may have had better luck translating works from Russian to English.

I'm using the Pevear/Volokhonsky translation for Anna Karenina, and it's fairly good. It definitely is a modern translation, but not jarringly so (with a few exceptions). I would have preferred something with a bit more of an 1800s feel, but their translation works well.
I also read The Idiot last year with the Constance Garnett translation and loved it! I thought it was beautifully translated and fit perfectly into the period of the story. She's done quite a few of Tolstoy and Dostoevsky's works.
Oh, and I've found that awkwardness in pretty much every version. Wonder if it's simply a problem with Russian-English translations?

I don't remember any of that in Beauty! That's odd.

The order S&A was published in is: Swallows and Amazons, Swallowdale, Peter Duck, Winter Holiday, Coot Club, Pigeon Post, We Didn't Mean To Go To Sea, Secret Water, The Big Six, Missee Lee, The Picts And The Martyrs, Great Northern?. I guess they don't have to be read in that order, but some of them would make more sense if they were.

I just started the Left Behind series. I read the Left Behind: The Kids series 3 or 4 years ago and loved them. At the time, Mom wouldn't let me read the adult series so I've just now started reading them. I'm only a couple pages into the first book but I like them already. Anyone else read this series by Tim LaHaye and Jerry B. Jenkins?

^^ I read the kids Left Behind and I like them! my mom won't let me read the adult ones yet.....

I think we're geniuses.

I can live with that.

re: Anna Karenina

Spoiler

Swoonable Amazingness? Nice description. It seems like the sentence is perfect for a snarky quote sig. Like I said, I never really saw him as a 'hero', so I'm not sure if he's set up for a big reveal or not. All in all, I have him pegged as a jerk all through the book.

How far are you? And what do you think of Levin's brothers?

I don't remember anything objectionable in Beauty either, but I sure noticed a few things I'd never noticed before last time I read Blue Sword..

So, is the Swallows and Amazons series written in chronological order? Or did Ransome go back and fill in gaps later?