Re: Jo's Boys/Little Men-- Ah, that might have been the reason. Still,

I liked Little Men for all the boys, not chiefly for Jo. She didn't really have the Jo-ish flavor from Little Women in that book, but I think I didn't notice because, from reading Jo's Boys, I knew it was there. Little Men was just a sweet, delightful read--especially after the heaviness of Jo's Boys. By the way, I loved Josie in Jo's Boys, especially the way that she reacted when

- Persuasion: although Anne seems at times a bit self-righteous, it is a splendid book and the love story is just so engaging...

Self-righteous? Really? I never felt that. I do love that book .

And for the last months I have the proud owner of an electronic reader. I must confess I still prefer to read a paper book, but it is really useful to save space - and I am in a great need of that! - and to travel on holidays. This way, maybe I won't have to carry a bag for my books!

I could never get an e-reader, for the same reason that I hardly ever listen to audiobooks- it's not the same experience as actually reading the story off of paper.

I started reading Pride & Prejudice today, I think it will take me a few reading times for me to get re-acquainted with Austen's writing style, but I'm not too shocked as that happened before. Not that Austen's writing style is odd, of course. I at first was surprised that the chapters were rather short, as well.

ditto. Yes I forgot how short the chapters were . Maybe we should read more than a few a week, I read three yesterday .

Glenstorm: I quite agree! How about we try for a few chapters each day? There's 61 chapters or so in all, so that should pace the book out nicely. I'm on chapter 13, (I wasn't sure what to do exactly since the chapters were so short, so I read ahead some) so if that's far ahead of you I can wait until you've caught up.

Wow, yeah 61. Yes we can read 5-10 a day I think, depending on how long they are. Oh it's ok, you can read a head. I'll try to be on 16 or so by the end of the day .

the 9th book in The 39 Clues is out! I can't wait to read it! my friend told me that it's the best in the series so far! ! yay!

^the 8th book was just shipped to my library so I'll be reading it soon . Can't wait! My younger sister said she's going to buy the 9th book and the card packs .

About Sealey Head:

re: electronic reader thingys. I think the idea of them is interesting, but I couldn't ever imagine myself owning one. The only things I read online are stuff like fictionpress and fanfiction. To me, half the fun of books is the fact that they're BOOKS that you hold in your hand and collect on your shelf! Having then all on a little reader thing wouldn't be half so fun, although I suppose if it was either that or NO books at all then I'd go with the reader thing.

Right now I'm reading War by Robert Greene. It's quite fasinating. Then I'm on to The 48 Laws of Power by the same author. XD

Anyone read The Virgin Suicides? I recently saw the movie and I'm curious as to how it holds up to the book.

I'm rereading Summer of the Monkeys, and Hard Times. I just finished The Four Loves, and am reading Till We Have Faces.

*offers a grave hurrah* (<--- and that "hurrah" is not intended to be, er, like I'm pushing you to read it, or something? I'm sure you'll understand).

Oh, not at all! More like a sincere encouragement. I do wish they had some sort of edition where it's broken down in four or so books to be more digestible for people like me... *sighs*

I want to say it's a re-read, as I was previously quite familiar with the plot (and have only seen one film version once or twice or three times? And even that was long ago), so I must have read it before even though I only faintly remember one possible time, and I don't even know if that was unabridged or abridged. So. Let's just say it's the first time I've actually gotten into the story and really read it. I enjoyed it, although there was one or two things I didn't quite like. Still thinking on those parts, though.

Mmm, I see. That's always interesting! just a quick sidetracked topic, which version did you see?)
I'm glad you enjoyed it! If you don't mind my asking, which are the parts that you didn't like/aren't so sure about?

@Sweeet: regarding Jo's Boys/Little Men--

Yes, Jo changes quite a lot in Little Men, but I sort of liked the change to some extent. I'd have to take a re-read to develop my opinion, though.
Josie is the darling of Jo's Boys!! Right after Beth & Jo, she's my favourite. ^.^

Speaking of the Little Women triology, [spoiler=]I've slowly settled and accepted the Jo/Mr. Bhaer pair up more than before. As reading it for the first time when I did a few years ago, the regular annoyance and grief confronted me when the infamous scene was read and it still does, but then I grow to dislike Laurie in Part Second. He seemed to be really insincere in his feelings, very impulsive. Jo deserved better than that and got Mr. Bhaer, which is a delight. Laurie and Amy's selfish natures matched each other... *mutters* I still need to get over this disliking Amy [March]...not that I desire to. It's my only way of ranting at this annoying, fictious character.
Thankfully, my opinion of Laurie in Part Second doesn't taint the one of Part First. He was a sensitive, mischevous, sweet boy in that one and the transition to when he was an adult is an inexplainable disappointment for me.[/spoiler]
Let's just say that the LW books aren't my favourite of Louisa May Alcotts work, except for the outstanding characters in them.
I've started reading Agnes Grey by Anne Bronte[with diaresis...]. I'm only on chapter two, but I'm so satisfied with what I'm reading...it's written in a lovely way. Perceptive, understanding, and realistic.

Aslanisthebest: Whenever I read these [stuck-on-a-desert-island] kind of books I always lecture myself that I had better read it, because who knows if I might be in that situation, so I had really better pay attention. *shakes head dolefully*

Ahaha this made me laugh! I do the same thing; and my favourite Stuck on an Island 101 (or Island living for Dummies) book would have to be Coral Island by R.M Ballantyne. I loved that book growing up and have some vague idea of how to make leather shoes from wild pig's hide (don't ask me how I am to catch and cook wild pig a la carte) and candle wax from a candlenut tree. And something about Indian rubber and paper. Btw, I'm glad you're enjoying Robinson Crusoe; and I know what you mean about the lack of conversation. Just don't read it straight after Austen.

I came in here to exclaim over and ask if anyone's read The Promise which I've just learnt today is the sequel to Chaim Potok's The Chosen! I'm a little nervous about reading it because I'm scared it will be one of those sequels that ruins the flavour of the first book, if you know what I mean. Any thoughts would be appreciated.

p.s. to those who responded thanks for all the Russian translation information (say that three times fast) it was very helpful.

p.p.s; I didn't find Anne from Persuasion self-righteous at all; in fact I found her the epitome of grace and genuine humility -and maybe a little proud? In a good way though.

Wow, yeah 61. Yes we can read 5-10 a day I think, depending on how long they are. Oh it's ok, you can read a head. I'll try to be on 16 or so by the end of the day .

Okay, great! What chapter are you on? I'm in the middle of chapter nineteen, which leaves about 42 chapters left. If I read five chapters a day, I will finish the book in 8.4 days. If I read three chapters a day, I'll be done in 14 days. So I'll pick the happy medium and read four chapters a day and be done in 10.5 days.

So far I have really gotten into the story- which is something I must admit I'm really quite happy about. Austen really brings across depth in her work without having to use an over abundance of words!

To me, half the fun of books is the fact that they're BOOKS that you hold in your hand and collect on your shelf!

Same here! Plus there's that special kind of fun of having to fit a few books in your bags when you're packing to travel, and things like that which make me like the idea of books over electronic readers.

I'm rereading Summer of the Monkeys, and Hard Times.

How are you enjoying your re-reads of these two books? I've read both of them, and Hard Times was my very first unabridged Dickens.

Oh, not at all! More like a sincere encouragement. I do wish they had some sort of edition where it's broken down in four or so books to be more digestible for people like me... *sighs*

Oh good!

You could always read Norm's Notes for Vegetables on the Go; I heard that one VeggieTales character (Mr. Lunt, actually) did so with War and Peace and it took him fifteen minutes.

But seriously, I think your idea of it being in four different volumes would actually help a lot of people not be so intimidated by the size of it, which I think can be half the battle sometimes.

Mmm, I see. That's always interesting! just a quick sidetracked topic, which version did you see?)
I'm glad you enjoyed it! If you don't mind my asking, which are the parts that you didn't like/aren't so sure about?

I believe that I saw the 198(6) version... I don't mind a bit you asking what I didn't like about it. It was mainly

p.p.s; I didn't find Anne from Persuasion self-righteous at all; in fact I found her the epitome of grace and genuine humility -and maybe a little proud? In a good way though.

ditto

Ok, I'll do the same as you Fanny . I'm in chapter 14 right now. But I'll catch up!

Ditto about Austen's writing style. I love it. I thought it would be hard to get in to the book b/c I know the story so well and watch the movies so often, but it's a delight to re-aquaint myself with the story .

I must admit I find Anne a little self-righteous in the ITV (2007) adaption of Persuasion. I think there's a hint of pride in the book, as commented, but for the amount there is I don't think it's a bad thing.

The Anti-Christ will be a malevolent, cunning, charismatic, ruthless, and very intelligent person, and towards the beginning of the series he is portrayed largely in this fashion. The guy should give you the willies...I mean c'mon, he's evil. But towards the end it began to look more like an episode of The 3 Stooges, with (I'm not kidding here) Fortunato (the False Prophet) and Nicolai tripping over themselves (literally) several times and looking more like buffoons than anything else.

I took the change in character to show the shift in power. However, this gave the end less "oomph", I guess; not that it wasn't obvious who would win ... There is one moment I love that's near the end of the books though:

You make a valid point about the crazy cast as well! There are way too many to keep a note of. I find that to understand what's going on I have to start from the beginning again and work my way through.

Buck and Chloe were the only characters I cared about in the books and I didn't even like them that much.

Nah, I love them - if only on the first few books alone. I adore the cookie episode in Tribulation Force (I think). It cracks me up every time!

I find it really funny reading the Left Behind books now because all the technology is now so out of date. Everything's on VHS, and they go on and on about these super-duper tiny phones that you can do all sorts of things with. Yet despite all these things I still really enjoy them.

A couple of days ago a finished Wuthering Heights! I really enjoyed it. My flatmate couldn't believe that I was reading it willingly, but she lost love for it at school when it was chopped to death under the eye of an over-enthusiastic English teacher. It sounds like she went through the same experience as I went through with The Great Gatsby; every single thing had to have a meaning, and so the story was swallowed up by a wave of "this is that" and "the eyes!" and "the light on the dock!" I could probably still write an essay on that book, and I would hate hate hate it. Anyway, enough on dear old Gatsby.

WH I found similar to Gatsby in a way, mainly through the awful and irredeemable characters. I can't understand how an author can take pleasure in writing about such people all the way through a book! A villain can be quite fun to write, but a book full of them is exhausting. Like Gatsby WH had a rather irritating narrator who didn't really do anything except tell the story, and usually it was another who told it anyway. Yet despite all this I found it really gripping and I did enjoy it.

Though Heathcliff is indescribably bad, what he does is interesting. The way the characters interact with one another is a good study in awful behaviour. What's frustrating is that though there is a redeeming ending (for a couple of the characters), for the majority that's it. I do like the ending; it's a nice relief after the barrage of the rest of the book. But ... wow, what a book. I very much enjoyed it, but I can see where my flatmate is coming from. If I'd had to study it at school I think I'd loathe it as much as I hate Gatsby.

Self-righteous? Really? I never felt that. I do love that book.

I must admit I find Anne a little self-righteous in the ITV (2007) adaption of Persuasion. I think there's a hint of pride in the book, as commented, but for the amount there is I don't think it's a bad thing.

I had only seen the BBC adaptation with Amanda Root, and I liked that version a lot. But then, when I read the book, I found some passages when Anne came across as a bit proud, too conscious of the selfish nature of her family and how selfless and better she was. On the whole, I liked her character a lot, but I commented that because it surprised me, I had not expected it.

In general, I prefer real books to electronic readers, especially for books I like and want to keep, but sometimes it is so much practical that I found it a wonderful present. Apart from the fact that they are cheaper . Besides, due to my literary tastes, I find it difficult to find certain books, so it is much easier to buy them online, and even more if they are in digital edition.

Plus there's that special kind of fun of having to fit a few books in your bags when you're packing to travel, and things like that which make me like the idea of books over electronic readers.

Well, it's exactly the opposite for me , especially when I have to take an additional suitcase for them - I usually carry tons of books for holidays- and have to take a plane with all this. I have not enough hands . Anyway.

Though Heathcliff is indescribably bad, what he does is interesting. The way the characters interact with one another is a good study in awful behaviour. What's frustrating is that though there is a redeeming ending (for a couple of the characters), for the majority that's it. I do like the ending; it's a nice relief after the barrage of the rest of the book. But ... wow, what a book. I very much enjoyed it, but I can see where my flatmate is coming from. If I'd had to study it at school I think I'd loathe it as much as I hate Gatsby.

I agree with you completely. However, for me it was the contrary. I liked it a lot when I was younger, and was attracted by the extreme characters, much more than I am now.

I'm still reading Till We Have Faces. It is fairly good.