Hey!! Let's get some action going! What are we reading?

[Nyssa]

Originally Posted by pdurrant

So, on to: The Alchemyst by Michael Scott. A YA novel I bought way back in May 2009, but I'm pretty sure I haven't read yet.

Originally Posted by maianhvk

Don't even bother, Durrant. It might be kind of interesting at first, but things get really, really boring later on. I had to quit after 3 books.

I've been interested in this series since recognizing the name from The Harry Potter series.

I beleve Mr. Flamel was also mentioned in The Mysterious Benedict Society (another fantastic kids series, if I do say so myself).

[issybird]

I'm reading The Patriarch: The Remarkable Life and Turbulent Times of Joseph P. Kennedy , by David Nasaw. It made the NY Times "Ten Best" list last year.

I'm in the middle of the account of Kennedy's failed ambassadorship to Britain and it's riveting. While I quibble at bits, it compellingly portrays Kennedy's outsized personality and tremendous drive and capacity for work.

[alansplace]

Originally Posted by alansplace

Soul Identity was an interesting story with interesting characters, and also included a neat mystery. I'll get the sequel, Soul Intent and add it to my TBR list.

There were a lot of folks talking about the release of the 5th Iron Druid novel back at the end of November. And I'd never heard of it, so with some Amazon gift Cards I got for Christmas I picked up the 1st one, Hounded by Kevin Hearne and I've just begun reading it.

I've begun Hounded and right now I'm just about to start chapter 5 and instead, I'm putting it on hold. I don't like Atticus at all. But I do love the locale. However I'm beginning to think that an unlikeable protagonist set in a familiar and appreciated locale is not enough to keep my interest, since I'm not yet at all interested!.

So to stay in the general Locale I've just begun Tony Hillerman's The Wailing Wind, the 15th Leaphorn/Chee novel.

[HomeInMyShoes]

I finished Aravind Adiga's The White Tiger. Definitely recommended. An entertaining read.

I also finished Ray Bradbury's The Halloween Tree. Definitely out-of-season, but enjoyable. I loved the opening paragraphs a lot.

Now, I'm off to Philip K. Dick's Flow My Tears, the Policeman Said. So far, very entertaining.

[Stitchawl]

Having finished Sartre's "Nausea," I needed something a bit more down to earth so I picked up "Day of Atonement," book 4 of Faye Kellerman's Peter Decker/Rina Lazarus mystery series. It's a re-read, but the cross-cultural aspects combined with good writing and wonderful plot make this series enjoyable even on the second time around.


Stitchawl

[xg4bx]

I'm reading The Hunger Games for the hell of it. I'm far more entertained by it than I ever thought I would be.

[pdurrant]

Originally Posted by xg4bx

I'm reading The Hunger Games for the hell of it. I'm far more entertained by it than I ever thought I would be.

If you forgive the ridiculous premise, it's a fun read.

[amward]

Just finished "Then Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry", areally great read. The writing is beautilfull, with some exquisite descriptions, the characterisations are brilliant, it's thought provoking, entertaining..... thoroughly deserves being shortlisted for the Booker.

[Nyssa]

I finished Among Others a little while ago, and loved the book! 5-stars. It is an acquired taste, I'm sure, but I enjoyed it more than I expected to.

Now on to Persuasion!

Does Persuasion or actually any of Jane Austen's work count as "Literary Fiction"?

[gmw]

Originally Posted by Nyssa

[...]Does Persuasion or actually any of Jane Austen's work count as "Literary Fiction"?

Depends what definition you use for "Literary Fiction". If you take the view that it means "something written explicitly to show how clever the writer is"(1), then no, I don't think they count, I don't think that was ever her aim. But you if take the view that it means "something where the style itself imparts its own charm to the story"(2) then I think, yes, they certainly count.


(1) This seems to be a common view, particularly when applied to more modern work.

(2) Seems to be how much "classic" fiction is categorised - it's a charm pretty much built-in to much older fiction by its nature, rather than (necessarily) something the writer deliberately added.

[bcgirl]

Just finished 11/22/63 by Stephen King. Got really hooked from beginning to end. Great novel by a great author! You realize in only 50 years how much have changed. People smoked everywhere, food tasted better, and security that we are so used to it these days but back it was like "There was no short-term or long-term parking, just parking. It cost seventy-five cents a day..." and "..there were no metal detectors to walk through. Passengers simply showed their tickets to a guy standing by the door, then walked across the hot tarmac to planes belonging to one of five carriers.."
Or another great part is:
"...ordered the Cloud 9 Chef's Salad. It was huge and I was too nervous to be hungry - it's not every day that a man gets to see the person who's going to change world history - but it gave me something to pick at while I waited for the plane carrying the Oswald family to arrive."

I was born one year before JFK's death, it really took me back to the times how simple life was. Loved it!

As a great timing, I just got the book from public library "50 shades of gray" that I did not want to buy, but want to read (for free) so I can have my opinion. I did not like the sample I got, not good enough to purchase it but since most of my friends are so excited about it (Its really tense, ok a lot of sex but there is a good story line) I will give it a try. Just for the hell of it!

[pdurrant]

Originally Posted by pdurrant

So, on to: The Alchemyst by Michael Scott. A YA novel I bought way back in May 2009, but I'm pretty sure I haven't read yet.

Originally Posted by maianhvk

Don't even bother, Durrant. It might be kind of interesting at first, but things get really, really boring later on. I had to quit after 3 books.

Originally Posted by Nyssa

I've been interested in this series since recognizing the name from The Harry Potter series.

I beleve Mr. Flamel was also mentioned in The Mysterious Benedict Society (another fantastic kids series, if I do say so myself).

Maianhvk is right, I'm afraid. The writing is only adequate, and I just can't believe the setup. I'm half way through and I'm going to abandon it.

I think time for something I'm sure to enjoy. It's been a while since I've read it, and so since it's this month's book club book, I'll read Persuasion.

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by Nyssa

Does Persuasion or actually any of Jane Austen's work count as "Literary Fiction"?

To my mind, no it doesn't. I'd classify "literary fiction" as fiction that is deliberately written to be "art", rather than popular entertainment. I'd consider the work of authors like James Joyce or Virginia Woolf to be literary fiction. Jane Austen was writing novels purely as popular entertainment, as were later 19th century authors such as Dickens, Trollope, Eliot, etc. None of them literary fiction.

[caleb72]

Originally Posted by kennyc

OH WOW! THERE ARE EBOOKS! WHY DIDN'T SOMEONE TELL ME!

Time to purchase and re-read. I loved this (at least the first trilogy) My favorite reluctant/anti-hero!

Oh Wow, the Library even has them....I'm on the waiting list. Woo-Hoo! What a nice birthday present!

I loved these as well - first two trilogies. I haven't read the last one.

[Billi]

Originally Posted by Nyssa

Does Persuasion or actually any of Jane Austen's work count as "Literary Fiction"?

Is this important? Just read and enjoy (or not)!