It is unabridged, I made double sure of that because I can't stand abridgments!

You are going to fit in perfectly here . Welcome!

You mean they [the Attolia books] get even better? *chafes at the unreachableness of the library*

Indeed they do. Buckle your seatbelt; you're in for it now . The first time I read the second two, I read the series all in one weekend, and then was sick the next weekend so I reread them. And they just get better when you reread!

Harriet the Spy: I read this one a long time ago -- i think i liked it. I'll find out soon enough, i guess.

I remember really enjoying that book too. It was very good. I wonder how it would hold up for a reread.

Bleak House: My favorite Dickens. I read it a while ago, then saw the recent mini-series and want to compare; but i want to read it again for its own sake, too.

That's my favorite Dickens too! I started the miniseries but never finished it. The dream sequences in the first hour were kind of tacky and put me off. But I keep hearing how good it is, so...

Now I have started Brideshead Revisited by Evelyn Waugh. My reasons for enjoying it thus far: 1) There's a character named Sebastian 2) He has a teddy bear named Aloysius.

I recently read that (thoughts here if you care to read them). It was fantastic on audiobook. Aloysius was very fun, but kind of poignantly sad too:

Any more thoughts to convert Dppselej, fellow Attolians?

I finished The Mystery of the Yellow Room yesterday and wrote up my review. Now if I could just find time for The Wyvern Mystery...

Well, I finished Jane Eyre… It was really one of the books that wouldn’t win my bet for a good plot. Don’t get me wrong; I loved the writing style of the book. It is, by far, one of the best books I’ve read, as far as the writing style goes. However, as far as the plot goes, I really dislike it.

Dppselej, I agree with you on AOFG. It’s interesting to compare the youth then, to the youth now.
And, as for EC and RiB, I liked how RiB ended; it was just what I was hoping would happen. But, EC is a more enjoyable read.

WW, I agree with you on the Attolia spoilers and

Sorry for the much skimming through the last few pages! And, sorry if there are many typos in the spoiler--I didn't look through it.

Well, I finished Jane Eyre… It was really one of the books that wouldn’t win my bet for a good plot. Don’t get me wrong; I loved the writing style of the book. It is, by far, one of the best books I’ve read, as far as the writing style goes. However, as far as the plot goes, I really dislike it.

I loved the writing style too: atmosphere, description, etc. And my favorite part was also It made me think the book far superior to Wuthering Heights! But I also liked the plot!

My spoiler response to your spoiler ...

Mods: I LOVE the new spoiler feature!!!

sorry I haven't been on in awhile. I had this whole thing where I had to reactivate my account... whatever...

so anyway, I'm still reading S&S but I'm more than halfway through it. Then I'm reading the third Horatio Hornblower book (like I said before) but instead of reading The Hobbit (which I decided I'd read before Fellowship of the Ring due to all your advice) I'm gonna read a book of Robin Hood stories that I found in the teen section of my library (right next to Harry Potter, of all places). Then I'll read The Hobbit and LOTR.

Lady Liln said...

GtG, I'm enjoying S&S. It's not the best Austen, but it's still Austen. I look forward to your thoughts when you're through with it. Oh, and The Hobbit before LotR.

wisewoman wrote...

So how are you liking Sense & Sensibility, GtG? It was my first Austen book, and will always be special to me because of that! When you're done with the book, I recommend the film adaptation starring Emma Thompson. It's fantastic.

I like S&S so far, but definitely not as much as I liked P&P and Emma. I find the story just a tad bit predictable so far. There haven't been any real suprises for me so far besides that I do find Elinor remarkably like me though. I've taken several Jane Austen character quizzes and they've all said I'm like her and now taht I'm reading the book I"m finding out that that's true . I'll be sure to get that movie out ww. When I finish a book I like, I tend to watch every version of the movie I can get my hands on, . I read Oliver Twist a few months back and we're in the process of watching the 3-part series with Kiera Knightley right now. It's the best adaption I've seen so far. Closest to the book, and I'm a book purist .

ww wrote...

Oh, and I almost forgot to mention: Someone posted Tahn on BM the other day and I requested it

I noticed

it's on my wishlist too. Unfortunately I got to it a little too late.

boy I am loving bookmooch! I just requested two books I've wanted forever but were too expensive to get. Yay me

are those Dear Canada books like the Dear America ones?

glenstorm: In regards to the Dear Canada books, yes, they are quite similar to the Dear America ones, although everyone is from a Canadian perspective, obviously.

Bella: My first reactions were, and probably still are, the same as yours in regards to Jane Eyre. Perhaps a re-read would help me see things in a better light, but my overall impression of the book was one of apathy (not hate, just, okay, that's an interesting book, but I don't see what the fuss is over it).

Methinks we need a Jane Eyre Special Feature — or perhaps a Bronte sisters SF. Would you guys be up for that?

I know, 220, I love the new spoiler feature too

Oh, sorry GTG about snagging that copy of Tahn! For some reason I thought you already had it. If I don't like it I will re-list it for you; how's that?

As for S&S, keep reading...

Catch-up

forgive me if I've missed something Lys, but is this the first time you will have read Beowulf?

Yes, can you believe it? It's been on my reading list for quite some time, so I was so excited when it popped up on my Medieval Literature syllabus. I love it when I'm assigned books I already wanted to read! And to whoever mentioned the Seamus Heaney (sp?) translation: we haven't been assigned that one, but if I ever go back and read the poem on my own, I will do so in that version.

I hope Leroux is able to deliver on all this hype he's building.

Oh, he is. You're liking it more than his Phantom of the Opera, I take it?

You mean they [the Attolian books] get even better?

Psst ... don't tell anyone ... but I'm in the minority by liking The Thief the best of the three. Each book is rather different from the other, and I prefer the more humorous, light-hearted air of the first.

I'm reading all of the "British" and "English" materials you mentioned for class this semester, Phos, although the continental stuff isn't included. So far I've really enjoyed some of the Celtic and Anglo-Saxon poetry ... "The Old Woman of Beare", "The Wanderer", etc.

how do you quote specific people?

(quote="username")quoted text(/quote) ... except with square brackets instead of parentheses.

Oh, and I love "The Scouring of the Shire" as well.

I suppose the worst time is right after reading a more complex book, because it's such a large jump.

Really? I find myself yearning for a simple, easy read after I've finished a complex book, and vice versa. Keeps my reading diet varied and interesting.

I'm certainly not saying you shouldn't read Daniel Deronda, and it certainly has an interesting plot line—after I read Silas Marner, I spent a long time trying to decide which Eliot I'd read next, and I ended up with DD—but I think that in some sense the miniseries is better. And Middlemarch just trumps all.

Which version of Tristan and Iseult were you speaking of? Bedier, perhaps? There are so many different tellings of that tale!

*clicks on the link to ww's Yellow Room review trembling in anticipation* Well, that wasn't as bad as it could have been. I will warn you: if you plan on reading The Perfume of the Lady in Black, watch out for spoilers! They are positively everywhere, even in some reviews of Yellow Room! Don't read anything about the book if you can help it. The back flap of my copy spoiled me and I definitely was angry about it.

ww:

Lys:

And Middlemarch just trumps all.

Now, I can agree with you on that. Of the four or five Eliot I've read, Middlemarch was the one I enjoyed the most and liked the best.

Really? I find myself yearning for a simple, easy read after I've finished a complex book, and vice versa. Keeps my reading diet varied and interesting.

I can understand that- although I think that if you're in the habit of doing that then it's not so much of a jump. The first few times I read an easier book after a complex one, it was a huge change. Now, it's become slightly easier to go back and forth, most likely because I've done it more and time has passed....

In response to Arwenel's post: I am not sure where Collins is going with this. The second book in the series, Catching Fire released this past week and I just picked it up. I'm hoping to get a start on it this afternoon (out in the breezy sunshine in my comfy outside reading chair. ) Someone mentioned they found the premise of The Hunger Games disturbing (I thought it was you, Arwenel??) and I agree. What a terribly exciting book, though, despite the fact I'm thankful it is a fictional society. I'm curious where Collins is taking the series.

Not much time at all for reading lately *weeps* but I am, as mentioned above, about to begin Catching Fire, and am deep in Randy Alcorn's Heaven and loving it; also I had put down Chris Walley's lengthy final book in his Lamb Among the Stars series last summer after making it about halfway through, because I found I just needed a break from the intensity. I'm ready to pick it up again soon. Maybe part of it is that I don't want the trilogy to end.

After reading part of R.C. Sproul's Reformed Theology at ww's place this past summer, I was determined to purchase it, so buy it I did. It looks excellent, as Sproul's writings always are.

My most enlightening read of late has been on DiGs' recommendation, What Really Happened to Humpty? Wow! What a tale! Really, though, it is a hoot and the pictures are priceless. The story is clever, fun, and colourful, and I am not going to give a hint as to who the villain is (thanks for not telling me, DiGs)!

I was just looking over our bookshelves and thinking I really should organize them ... again. Some are; some aren't, but wow, what a mammath task lays ahead. I'd kind of like to move; this would be a great help *waits for ww to pipe up* for then I'd have a fresh and clean start. One collects hundreds and thousands of books over the decades I've been adding to my own library, as well as for the hubby and kids. And all five of us are readers! A good problem to have.

Someone mentioned they found the premise of The Hunger Games disturbing (I thought it was you, Arwenel??) and I agree. What a terribly exciting book, though, despite the fact I'm thankful it is a fictional society.

Yep, that was me. I'm re-reading The Hunger Games while i wait for Catching Fire to come in at the library.

I finished The Merlin Conspiracy; it wasn't bad, but i didn't like it as much as some of DWJ's other books. I wish she wouldn't

I read the Artemis Fowl book; it was like the others, interesting but not outstanding. I give the series a solid 3 so far.

Spoiler

The fairies' prejudice against humanity would be more believable if their society wasn't so similar to ours (and if it weren't made so obvious).

Mar in Narnia: That's fine about the translations! You're a bilingual reader? That's impressive! I'll enjoy hearing your opinion whenever you do finish.

Indeed they do. Buckle your seatbelt; you're in for it now . The first time I read the second two, I read the series all in one weekend, and then was sick the next weekend so I reread them. And they just get better when you reread!

Oh, dear. What have I gotten myself into?

I liked how RiB ended; it was just what I was hoping would happen.

Same here! I was so relieved at the ending of RiB, after watching Rose

You mean they [the Attolian books] get even better?

Psst ... don't tell anyone ... but I'm in the minority by liking The Thief the best of the three. Each book is rather different from the other, and I prefer the more humorous, light-hearted air of the first.

Actually, that was me. The humor--laugh out loud at times--is one of the reasons The Thief was so enjoyable for me. Are TQOA and TKOA much darker?

lys:

And Middlemarch just trumps all.

Now, I can agree with you on that. Of the four or five Eliot I've read, Middlemarch was the one I enjoyed the most and liked the best.

Middlemarch was what converted me into an Eliot fan after a rather negative experience with Silas Marner (although SM improves greatly with rereading). Would The Mill on the Floss be a good one to read next? Daniel Deronda is a bit too much to tackle right now.

Has anyone read She by H. Rider Haggard?

lsyander: yes, I meant Bedier's Tristan and Iseult. I liked the story, except for...

Has anyone read She by H. Rider Haggard?

Yes. And I didn't like it. I'll explain why tomorrow. I've read 3 or 4 novels by Haggard. My favorites are Allan Quatermain, Marie, and The Wizard.

wisewoman wrote...

Oh, sorry GTG about snagging that copy of Tahn! For some reason I thought you already had it. If I don't like it I will re-list it for you; how's that?

oh don't worry about it I was just bugging you. But that's sounds great! Although I'm sure you'll like it...

I'm almost done with S&S I hope to finish tonight or tomorrow.

Oh and I forgot to mention in my last post that I got two new books at the dump- A Tree Grows in Brooklyn and...*drum roll*...Inkheart! The front covers kind of torn up but besides that it's in pretty good condition. If when I get around to reading it and don't like it that much I'll just give it to my friend because she loves Inkheart.

Are TQOA and TKOA much darker?

QoA is, by quite a bit. KoA is somewhere between the two. But don't worry about it. They're all awesome, and lys is a rarity because he can state with finality his favourite. I'd say mine is QoA, but then I think about it and I really really like The Thief (I've read it more than the other two, after all) and then I remember that KoA has one of my mostest mostest favourite scenes in the all three books...

Okay, I've just finished Hayao Miyazaki's animation work biography Starting Point :1979-1996. This book was amazing. It's a heavy read, with essays covering everything from Miyazaki's works, to philosophy and religion, Japanese economy and the life of an animator and so much more. I found it a contradictory, frustrating and often pessimistic read but also an incredibly fascinating and honest book. It adds a whole new dimension to the man we know in Miyazaki. He's a genius as an animator but it seems he must be a terribly unfulfilled person in real life (he missed much of his children's lives due to his workaholic attitude). The book could do with some more pictures and maybe more info on his Nausicaa manga but otherwise it's a brilliant read but not always a happy one.
Highly recommended for Miyazaki fans. 10/10