| Author |
Message |
Uncle_ricky
Member
07-02-2007
| Thursday, July 31, 2014 - 1:28 pm 
At long last I finished The Goldfinch this morning. I'm not surprised it won the Pulitzer Prize since it was such a sweeping tale and extremely well-written (as were Tartt's first two novels).
I was stunned by the number of characters she put into this one. They were all interesting, of course, but some of them were so sketchily done. I was really surprised with how she concluded the big finale by introducing a brand new character who we knew virtually nothing about. (Maybe she was tired of writing and just wanted to "wrap it up"). Her observations about death over the final half-dozen or so pages were probably the most interesting of the whole book. I'm so glad to be finished - that book was heavy -- my hands and wrists are sore!
All in all, I highly recommend it as have Teach and Rieann, I believe. I totally get Sea's reservations about the characters, Boris in particular, (Theo's boyhood pal in crime). I never quite warmed up to him, especially when they reached adulthood.
I'm now reading a lighter book (in weight) but not in such subject matter: I Am the Central Park Jogger by Trisha Meili. I've been meaning to read it for years and I'm finally getting around to it.
[My reading time has been vastly reduced due to all the watching I'm doing of BB UK and BB USA - so, so time-consuming (as you all know!)].
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Seamonkey
Moderator
09-07-2000
| Thursday, July 31, 2014 - 3:15 pm
I know what you mean about reduced reading time.. just US BB, plus I'm doing less sitting and waiting for patients and MUCH more walking and stair climbing .. and even more driving days..
I'm on the third book in the Blessings series.. re-reading it and loving these people so much. The actual writing is not "literary" or erudite but the characters, I just adore, the place, everything. I'll almost be sad when I get to the new book (the fifth and I really hope not last onw) in the series.
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Uncle_ricky
Member
07-02-2007
| Friday, August 01, 2014 - 11:21 am
I'm sorry the Dali Lama cat books have come to an end, Sea. At least you have the Jenkins collection to keep you busy!
Now that I finally finished The Goldfinch, I went looking around for the formal reviews and was surprised by how it's come to be one of those "You'll either LOVE it or HATE it" titles.
The HuffPost story linked below did a good job of explaining the Love/Hate phenomenon (and within it is a link to the Vanity Fair story that also explored the "does this book merit all the praise?" question).
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/06/27/the-goldfinch-book_n_5489272.html
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Seamonkey
Moderator
09-07-2000
| Friday, August 01, 2014 - 3:09 pm
I often notice that books that win prizes get fort of gushy praise which of course includes people who liked or appreciated the writing or plot or characters and then there are people who wonder what all the fuss is about.
I interpret that as some readers will always want to read the bestseller or prize winner because they figure other people know what is good.
I know what is good for me, which certainly isn't the same as good for all readers or "good" in terms of merit.
It isn't that I cannot enjoy books with unlikeable characters, but I like to have someone who isn't completely flawed, or who doesn't evolve through the course of the plot. When I end a book just as brought down by the subject and or characters or plot, or all three.. I may still appreciate the writing that kept me reading but I man not feel that the book contributed to my life or to my well being.
I can read about real people who are flawed or tragic or downright evil and be fascinated and learn something. I re-read Norman Mailer's The Executioner's Song when it came out on Kindle. I've also re-read In Cold Blood and read Capote, the biography.
All this to say that I did appreciate The Goldfinch but I would never re-read it and so far, reading reviews and plots, I just haven't clicked the buy button on anything else she has written.
I AM happy you finally got to read the book and wish you could have some of McCaffrey's fire lizards holding the heavy book for you while you read. I guess they'd be too distracting, though.
I do love long books and appreciate them now on Kindle, but the weight never stopped me back in my dead tree book days either.
The Dalia Lama's Cat would be re-readable for me.
The Blessings series I just savor the characters and enjoy them. I bumped into my review of one of them, first one, the other day on Amazon and I still feel what I said there that this town in the books is the first town to capture my heart and make me wish I could live there since Cicely, Alaska of Northern Exposure fame.
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Teachmichigan
Member
07-22-2001
| Friday, August 01, 2014 - 3:19 pm
Finished Henning Mankell's The Man who Smiled today. Hoping to finish Philomena this weekend as I just got Fatal Crossing from our library. It's the Big Read for this summer, so I need to finish it up before I have to go back to school stuff. I am officially school free for the next 10 days. Let the REAL reading begin!
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Seamonkey
Moderator
09-07-2000
| Friday, August 01, 2014 - 3:21 pm
You are ON A ROLL, Teach!!!
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Mak1
Member
08-11-2002
| Saturday, August 02, 2014 - 1:33 pm
I just finished Reunion at Red Paint Bay by George Harrar. It's a psychological thriller. I liked it, though I found the ending a little abrupt.
Before that, I read Tapestry of Fortunes by Elizabeth Berg. It's a good, light read about a group of women facing various life changes while on a road trip.
I loved the Kingsolver book Flight Behavior. No matter the topic, I always love her writing style. Her vivid descriptions put you right in the scene, and she usually teaches me something new about the subject of the story.
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Seamonkey
Moderator
09-07-2000
| Saturday, August 02, 2014 - 7:50 pm
Kingsolver is very good and her books have such variety. I loved Flight Behavior.
I've read some Elizabeth Berg.. not that one, but enjoy her too.
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Lakecat
Member
10-01-2006
| Monday, August 04, 2014 - 2:50 pm
Tapestry Of Fortune sounds good.
I read Billie Letts passed away. Where The Heart Is. Right?
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Uncle_ricky
Member
07-02-2007
| Tuesday, August 05, 2014 - 3:11 pm
Finished Trisha Meili's terrific account of her traumatic ordeal as the Central Park Jogger. Really incisive explanation of everything she experienced to NOT let death take her.
To lose 75% of one's blood volume is usually enough to shut down the heartbeat function. Somehow, despite that amount of blood loss, her heart continued to beat and that -- among many other things -- is the best testament to her will to live. An amazing true-life story!
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Reenie
Member
06-24-2006
| Wednesday, August 13, 2014 - 10:15 am
I just finished reading "One Lavender Ribbon" by Heather Burch.
I thoroughly enjoyed this novel. In my opinion, the author writes beautifully of love lost and love found.
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Seamonkey
Moderator
09-07-2000
| Wednesday, August 13, 2014 - 3:01 pm
Re-read the fourth Blessings and slowly through the new fifth one and the next one will be out next year.. ACK..
About to start Mitch Winehouse's Amy, My Daughter.
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Teachmichigan
Member
07-22-2001
| Thursday, August 14, 2014 - 1:08 pm
Just finished listening to my first ever Cormack McCarthy book, The Road. It wasn't at all what I expected, but I did like it. I'm still partway through three other books, but it is crazy busy this weekend with DS moving back to college and DH's 50th birthday party.
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Uncle_ricky
Member
07-02-2007
| Thursday, August 14, 2014 - 1:10 pm
I'm pleased to report that the Linwood Barclay I finished last night (Trust Your Eyes) is the best of his I've read thus far. Really, really exciting - I hated to see it end.
I'm now immersed in Charlie Huston's The Mystic Arts of Erasing All Signs of Death. Mr. Huston's books are always profane and a lot of fun.
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Heckagirl631
Member
09-08-2010
| Friday, August 22, 2014 - 6:34 pm
Just finished Circle of Friends by Maeve Binchy. Really good book. Not the ending I was expecting. I haven't seen the movie. Going to start Doctor Sleep by Stephen King next.
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Seamonkey
Moderator
09-07-2000
| Friday, August 22, 2014 - 10:39 pm
Oh I read that so long ago and saw the movie. So sorry Maeve Binchy is gone.
I finished the book by Amy Winehouse's father. So sad. Nice pictures.
Now reading If I Stay, which has been on my Kindle for a long time, and also got the sequel Where She Went to read after that.
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Mak1
Member
08-11-2002
| Saturday, August 23, 2014 - 5:35 pm
Recently read The House at Riverton by Kate Morton. It has a Downton Abbey "feel". I liked it a lot. The story was told through the voice of a former maid in the house who was nearing the end of her life. I liked the easy way the story slipped between her present and her past.
Now I am reading The Interestings by Meg Wolitzer. It is following a group of long-time friends who first met at summer camp. This book also moves back and forth between past and present. I like the characters and the story so far.
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Mamie316
Member
07-08-2003
| Saturday, August 23, 2014 - 5:50 pm
I am reading Midnight in Europe by Alan Furst for my book club and I hate it. It's so disjointed.
I am also reading The Girls from Corona del Mar by Rufi Thorpe and really enjoying it.
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Teachmichigan
Member
07-22-2001
| Saturday, August 23, 2014 - 5:59 pm
Finally finished Philomena. It was much different than I expected; I thought it would focus more on Philomena, but instead it followed her son's life. In hindsight, it would HAVE to be done that way (rather a DUH moment for me), and I enjoyed the story. I can't imagine the internal conflict Michael must have dealt with continually given who he was and who he worked for.
Trying to read The Little Friend this coming week as well as complete a re-read of To Kill a Mockingbird. I'm teaching my one dual-enrollment class as the community college starts Monday, and we have teacher meetings/PD all week, but I *think* I can get through them both before the true school schedule kicks in.
I'm also listening to Winds of War by Wouk. I've read it a couple of times in years gone by, but I'm enjoying hearing it again since I tend to catch little details when I listen that I miss when I read.
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Saggkl
Member
07-16-2002
| Saturday, August 23, 2014 - 6:39 pm
Teach, To Kill a Mockingbird was one of my all time favorites. Even enjoyed the movie.
Has anyone read Jeffrey Archer? I read his Cain and Abel years ago. Now reading Only Time will Tell.
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Teachmichigan
Member
07-22-2001
| Saturday, August 23, 2014 - 8:14 pm
TKAM is on my all time favorites list, too. I read it every year for 8 years when I was teaching Eng. 10, and it is a pure joy to go back to it now. The movie was also wonderful. My sophomores were always a bit leery when we started (black and white movie?), but they also loved it by the time we finished. 
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Seamonkey
Moderator
09-07-2000
| Saturday, August 23, 2014 - 10:11 pm
Mamie.. that is funny.. I lived in Corona del Mar in high school and for 18 months after I got married. Apparently the setting of the beginning of the book is the same place.
Kindle version is over $10, so I'm unlikely to get it at that price.
TKAM .. longtime favorite book and movie.
And a beautiful soundtrack, too.
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Uncle_ricky
Member
07-02-2007
| Sunday, August 24, 2014 - 10:28 pm
Finished The Mystic Arts of Erasing All Signs of Death and liked it a lot. Charlie Huston is definitely not for everyone, but his stuff is always captivating.
Earlier today I finished Kelly Oxford's Everything is Perfect When You're a Liar. Her wild and wooly past provided plenty of stories to share with the reader. My favorite was her account of going to Las Vegas after being invited there by David Copperfield, strictly on the strength of his being a fan of her postings on Twitter. Very funny stuff throughout.
I'll begin another Huston book (Sleepless) tomorrow. His dark themes never fail to please.
Mak1, I hope you enjoy The Interestings - I really think it deserves all the praise it's received thus far.
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Seamonkey
Moderator
09-07-2000
| Monday, August 25, 2014 - 8:21 am
Finished If I Stay and Where She Went. They were okay.
Reading Jodi Picoult's Kindle Single Novella, Larger Than Life now.
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Seamonkey
Moderator
09-07-2000
| Wednesday, August 27, 2014 - 11:49 pm
The novella is a prequel.. the book probably will be good but high priced..
Starting a novel, Household Saints by Francine Prose.
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