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

[Bookpossum]

Originally Posted by gmw

I just finished (well, not so much finished as stopped reading) Behind the Scenes at the Museum by Kate Atkinson.

The writing is rich and deeply evocative, and it is very effective at pulling the reader back into the past - even the multiple layers of the past that Atkinson draws the reader through in the book. There is a huge cast of diverse characters, each well painted, believable and highly individual. But, for all that, I lost patience with it. I got to chapter 4 (about 1/3rd the way through) and skipped to the last chapter ... and nothing felt out of place. It was as if I had missed nothing, because - as far as I can tell - there was nothing much to miss. I don't think there is a story here as such, just a history, Ruby's extended family history.

Spoiler:

The intriguing opening (told through the "eyes" of the just conceived fetus) seemed wasted (to me) because this little piece of intrigue went nowhere and meant nothing - it was clever writing, but that was all. To me this seemed to be the main feature of this book, clever writing with little substance.

I prefer a bit more story or purpose. It doesn't have to be a lot, but a reason to keep moving on to the next chapter helps to give characters and situations a better context, a reason for the reader to care. Kate Atkinson definitely writes well enough that I will be looking at other books by her, but next time I might try one of her mysteries.

I think you have missed out by doing this, gmw, but I suppose we all feel differently about books. I enjoyed Behind the Scenes at the Museum very much indeed, and thought Atkinson pulled off the difficult feat of writing a book that was very funny and absolutely heartbreaking at the same time.

You may enjoy her Jackson Brodie books, starting with Case Histories, but they aren't conventional mysteries.

[rainerm]

I am currently reading some fiction (for myself) and some textbooks (to prepare my PhD proposal).

Fiction: I'm reading Yann Martel's "Beatrice and Virgil," and I really like it. Sadly, however, a lot of reviewers call this a really poor book, but I disagree. The book shows how malleable the idea of "sanctity of life" is. Are we prepared to extend this idea to non-human animals, too? Are we at all prepared to think of ourselves as animals? For being an animal is believed to be such a lowly thing. We are, after all, civilized beings--civilized beings who have created countless ways to destroy lives with the press of a button.

Reviewers claim that Martel compares the treatment of Jews in Nazi Germany to the treatment of animals and that this is highly offensive and cheap. This is utterly sad. This comparison is not at all offensive. On the contrary, it is necessary. We destroy animal lives with impunity, and we kill humans who we believe act like animals. Overall, a timely book about historiography, in general.

On the other hand, I'm brushing up on college-level Sociology for my proposal. I'm reading contemporary summaries of classical sociology, which is very interesting, as these are mainly presented in the form of interpretations.

[gmw]

Re: Behind the Scenes at the Museum by Kate Atkinson.

Originally Posted by Bookpossum

I think you have missed out by doing this, gmw, but I suppose we all feel differently about books. I enjoyed Behind the Scenes at the Museum very much indeed, and thought Atkinson pulled off the difficult feat of writing a book that was very funny and absolutely heartbreaking at the same time.

You may enjoy her Jackson Brodie books, starting with Case Histories, but they aren't conventional mysteries.

I knew you had enjoyed it, that was one of the factors in my deciding to try it. I loved the opening of the book, it was intriguing and evocative ... and I loved various other bits and pieces as I hit them, but there didn't seem to be anything driving it forward. Each element just "was", without much (of any importance) to connect it to what came before or after (besides being the same cast of characters). I was surprised to see how many speak of the humour. Yes, I smiled in places where it was cute, but I would not have called it funny (or maybe the real fun doesn't start until the second two-thirds?). One of the reasons why I stopped reading was that by a third of the way through I didn't care enough about any of the characters that were left to feel much heartbreak.

Spoiler:

(There had been a few twinges as she knocked off a few of the interesting characters - and their dogs! - but some of those left we already know are destined to die. So many of these deaths were so well foreshadowed by our incredibly omniscient narrator that there was no way to feel surprised.)

I am looking forward to trying another of her books, because I did enjoy many of the individual elements of this book, I just didn't enjoy the whole (well, the third of the whole that I read). So I'm thinking that something a bit more story-like may work better for my tastes ... but I'll probably leave off trying another of her books for a while to avoid carrying over any unwanted influence.

[pdurrant]

Originally Posted by pdurrant

The Next up are Analog SFF for Sep/Oct, and Third Girl by Agatha Christie.

Both good.

Now on to: Tomorrow and Tomorrow by Charles Sheffield.

and also Guardian of the Horizon by Elizabeth Peters, the 11th (internal chronology) Amelia Peabody mystery.

[drjd]

After having finished the Doughboy: And Other Strange Tales by Don Broyles, I got my hands on 4 stand alone novels of Erle Stanley Gardner, which I have not read before. So I am halfway through The Case of the Musical Cow, which is growing as very interesting story so far.

[Apache]

Originally Posted by drjd

After having finished the Doughboy: And Other Strange Tales by Don Broyles, I got my hands on 4 stand alone novels of Erle Stanley Gardner, which I have not read before. So I am halfway through The Case of the Musical Cow, which is growing as very interesting story so far.

Are you moooved by the story?
Apache

[astrangerhere]

I am SO far behind in updating this, but I have managed to update my LIST POST for anyone who cares.

Right now I am reading Never Let Me Go for the New Leaf Book Club. I am also reading Edgar Cantero's new novel This Body's Not Big Enough For the Both of Us because my hold came in at the library.

[drjd]

Originally Posted by Apache

Are you moooved by the story?
Apache

Honestly speaking, not yet. The story begins too slowly and more in a form of travelogue, which is highly unlikely of the Gardner's style of fiction in Perry Mason and other series. But reaching midway, the story is taking a definitive pace. After return of the main characters from the journey abroad, the elements of possible dope smuggling and inadvertent involvement of the hero is taking shape. As evident from the preface, the writer has dedicated this book to his friend, a medical investigator of crime, I am expecting a few murders to come through, and narration of scientific investigations which may result in a fast paced fiction in the later half. In fact I am long obsessed with the Gardner's books, and my review could be a little bit favorably prejudiced too. I'll report back the final opinion once I finish the book.

[DiapDealer]

I was pleasantly surprised to find out that Tim Powers has a brand-new book out (Alternate Routes), so I'm reading it.

[pdurrant]

Originally Posted by pdurrant

[/I]
Now on to: Tomorrow and Tomorrow by Charles Sheffield.

and also Guardian of the Horizon by Elizabeth Peters, the 11th (internal chronology) Amelia Peabody mystery.

Tomorrow and Tomorrow started well, but drifted in the middle and had a silly ending. Disappointing.

Guardian of the Horizon was splendid, and I'm moving straight on to the next (internal chronology) in the series, A River in the Sky

[Solitaire1]

Originally Posted by astrangerhere

Just finished Meddling Kids. It was not a good book, but it was some seriously entertaining brain candy. Why Cantero felt the need to switch back and forth between prose and script-writers format baffles me, but it was not distracting enough to kill the story.

Still listening to Trading in Danger. Not sure what I'll pick on the Kobo next.

I just purchased This Body's Not Big Enough For Both Of US by Edgar Cantero (who wrote Meddling Kids mentioned above). Flipping through the book, it seems he doesn't use the script-writers format except for a few brief passage in the opening of the book.

I hadn't heard of the author but the cover of the book caught my interest (at first glance I thought it was going to be a Batman book featuring a conflict between The Joker vs. The Riddler). The premise of the book looks interesting: Warring twins (male [Adrian] and female [Zooey]) who share one body (in the words from the jacket "One body, two pilots.") and are private detectives, in a book that looks to be a combination of action, comedy, and film noir.

[PurpleStar]

I stayed up late last night to finish An Unwanted Guest by Shari Lapena. Very much enjoyed it! A creepy/fun murder mystery.

Going to start on the Star Trek: Stargazer series by Michael Jan Friedman. Bought these on sale a few months ago. I think I read the first one or two when they came out a long time ago, but didn't continue buying them for whatever reason. Now I have them all!

[Dngrsone]

Finished Don't Tell My Parents I Have a Nemesis by Richard Roberts. Ready to read the next one, though I probably should read something in between, to draw the suspense!

... but not too long, hah! Maybe another Agatha Christie...

[astrangerhere]

Originally Posted by Solitaire1

I just purchased This Body's Not Big Enough For Both Of US by Edgar Cantero (who wrote Meddling Kids mentioned above). Flipping through the book, it seems he doesn't use the script-writers format except for a few brief passage in the opening of the book.

I hadn't heard of the author but the cover of the book caught my interest (at first glance I thought it was going to be a Batman book featuring a conflict between The Joker vs. The Riddler). The premise of the book looks interesting: Warring twins (male [Adrian] and female [Zooey]) who share one body (in the words from the jacket "One body, two pilots.") and are private detectives, in a book that looks to be a combination of action, comedy, and film noir.

FWIW, I enjoyed Meddling Kids more. This Body's is amusing, but Meddling Kids really captured that Scooby Gang feel with a diverse and modern dynamic. If you like this, definitely check that out.

[seanyyz]

I am just finishing up Patrick Gale’s latest novel Take Nothing With You. It is about an older single guy in London but most of the book is composed of scenes from his very peculiar childhood. This is probably my favourite book he has written.