Register Guidelines E-Books Today's Posts Search

Go Back   MobileRead Forums > E-Book General > General Discussions

Notices

Reply
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread
Old 03-04-2014, 12:22 PM   #91
LovesMacs
Fanatic
LovesMacs ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.LovesMacs ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.LovesMacs ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.LovesMacs ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.LovesMacs ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.LovesMacs ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.LovesMacs ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.LovesMacs ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.LovesMacs ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.LovesMacs ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.LovesMacs ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.
 
Posts: 513
Karma: 2644386
Join Date: Apr 2012
Device: iPhone, Kindle Touch
Quote:
Originally Posted by Xanthe View Post
IThere are a lot of books that I can't finish [...] books that are so excessively footnoted to the point that the author has managed to destroy any interest that I might have had in the topic because the rhythm of the books is constantly broken up by them.
Have you ever read Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell by Susanna Clarke? I have been meaning to read this book for years--I even have an autographed copy--but I keep putting it off in part to the copious footnotes. It's a thick book, and some pages are almost entirely footnotes. Footnotes, mind you, not endnotes, so they can't be easily ignored. I like editions of classic books with footnotes that I can consult if needed, but in this case, I am given to understand that the footnotes are very important to following the plot.
LovesMacs is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-04-2014, 01:56 PM   #92
Hitch
Bookmaker & Cat Slave
Hitch ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.Hitch ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.Hitch ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.Hitch ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.Hitch ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.Hitch ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.Hitch ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.Hitch ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.Hitch ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.Hitch ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.Hitch ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.
 
Hitch's Avatar
 
Posts: 11,503
Karma: 158448243
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: Phoenix, AZ
Device: K2, iPad, KFire, PPW, Voyage, NookColor. 2 Droid, Oasis, Boox Note2
Quote:
Originally Posted by LovesMacs View Post
Have you ever read Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell by Susanna Clarke? I have been meaning to read this book for years--I even have an autographed copy--but I keep putting it off in part to the copious footnotes. It's a thick book, and some pages are almost entirely footnotes. Footnotes, mind you, not endnotes, so they can't be easily ignored. I like editions of classic books with footnotes that I can consult if needed, but in this case, I am given to understand that the footnotes are very important to following the plot.
Yes. I've read it. I admit that footnotes have never put me off; for years, when I was doing litigation, I was a research freak, so for whatever reason, footnotes seem perfectly normal to me.

I mostly enjoyed Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell, but it's very odd. I read it some years back (wow, thinking about it...quite a few years back, now), and it's....well, it's a comedy of manners, missing the more obvious comedy elements. If you're familiar and comfortable with writers of the Dickensian age/style, you'll get the comedic elements; if not, it mayn't work for you. It's a book that is not easy to categorize.

The historical fiction part was well-researched. I just felt that in places, there was a disconnect with the readers, or more likely, it's that (for me) so many plot elements were left hanging, as if a "volume II" were in the offing that, to the best of my knowledge, never appeared. It's NOT "Harry Potter" for grown-ups, nor LOTR. Neil Gaiman liked it immensely, which is what moved me to pick it up, but...I'd have to know the prospective reader better to be able to recommend it or not. It most certainly isn't a fast-moving "page-turner" in that modern sense of the word. No big cliff-hanger endings, etc.

I will say, without a doubt, this was a book written by an author who wrote for her own delight, without a real nod toward the mass market. That's always interesting to me, so I'm definitely glad I read it. I remember that I liked it well enough to gift one to a close friend of mine--so I must have liked it at the time quite a bit better than I recollect now. :-)

Hitch
Hitch is offline   Reply With Quote
Advert
Old 03-04-2014, 01:59 PM   #93
HarryT
eBook Enthusiast
HarryT ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.HarryT ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.HarryT ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.HarryT ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.HarryT ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.HarryT ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.HarryT ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.HarryT ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.HarryT ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.HarryT ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.HarryT ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.
 
HarryT's Avatar
 
Posts: 85,544
Karma: 93383099
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: UK
Device: Kindle Oasis 2, iPad Pro 10.5", iPhone 6
I thoroughly enjoyed "Jonathan Strange". Not an easy read, but very rewarding.
HarryT is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-04-2014, 06:08 PM   #94
issybird
o saeclum infacetum
issybird ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.issybird ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.issybird ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.issybird ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.issybird ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.issybird ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.issybird ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.issybird ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.issybird ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.issybird ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.issybird ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.
 
issybird's Avatar
 
Posts: 21,296
Karma: 234636059
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: New England
Device: Mini, H2O, Glo HD, Aura One, PW4, PW5
Quote:
Originally Posted by DrNefario View Post
The one book I can think of that has so far defeated me is Don Quixote, another mammoth classic. I bought it in around 1994, when I was buying a lot of generously-proportioned cheap classics to try to feed my reading habit cheaply. That's also when I bought and read War and Peace, The Three Musketeers, and some of the Sherlock Holmes books, all as Wordsworth Classics for £1 each. I just couldn't get started on Don Quixote, though. I don't really even know why. I think it was the size of it, coupled with the narrative tone. I didn't think I could face a whole book in that style.

I kept hold of the paperback until very recently, when I finally donated it to charity. If I ever decide to make another attempt, I'm sure I can get a free ebook version.
I think for books like Don Quixote, i.e., honking huge pre-20th century works not written in English, the quality of the translation is critical. The public domain translations can be impossible, translating archaic language and form into archaic language and form. If you're going to do it, it's worth spending the money on a current translation.
issybird is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-04-2014, 07:19 PM   #95
mikemc2
Zealot
mikemc2 knows the square root of minus one.mikemc2 knows the square root of minus one.mikemc2 knows the square root of minus one.mikemc2 knows the square root of minus one.mikemc2 knows the square root of minus one.mikemc2 knows the square root of minus one.mikemc2 knows the square root of minus one.mikemc2 knows the square root of minus one.mikemc2 knows the square root of minus one.mikemc2 knows the square root of minus one.mikemc2 knows the square root of minus one.
 
mikemc2's Avatar
 
Posts: 128
Karma: 7878
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Milwaukee,WI
Device: Sony PRS-505,Kindle 3,Nook HD+,iPod Touch,Kindle PW2
"Infinite Jest" by David Foster Wallace. I take a run at it every so often but never finish it. EDIT: Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell is a slog for the first 100 pages but it gets better after that. That's one book where I'm glad I stuck it out.

Last edited by mikemc2; 03-04-2014 at 07:24 PM.
mikemc2 is offline   Reply With Quote
Advert
Old 03-04-2014, 07:33 PM   #96
Barty
doofus
Barty ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.Barty ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.Barty ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.Barty ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.Barty ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.Barty ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.Barty ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.Barty ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.Barty ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.Barty ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.Barty ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.
 
Barty's Avatar
 
Posts: 2,549
Karma: 13089041
Join Date: Sep 2010
Device: Kobo Libra 2, Kindle Voyage
I got through about 80 pages of Infinite Jest. Couldn't handle it.

But, DFW's essays are fantastic. Also, Brief Interviews with Hideous Men.
Barty is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-04-2014, 10:07 PM   #97
Froide
Wizard
Froide ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.Froide ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.Froide ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.Froide ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.Froide ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.Froide ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.Froide ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.Froide ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.Froide ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.Froide ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.Froide ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.
 
Froide's Avatar
 
Posts: 1,898
Karma: 9851695
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: Noo Yawk
Device: Samsung Galaxy and Windows devices. RIP: Palm & Nook devices.
A Daughter of the Snows, by Jack London. The racism sticks in my craw, e.g.,

"We are a race of doers and fighters, of globe-encirclers and zone-conquerors... All that the other races are not, the Anglo-Saxon, or Teuton if you please, is."

- [swiped the quotation from Wikipedia: A Daughter of the Snows]

Last edited by Froide; 03-04-2014 at 10:14 PM.
Froide is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-04-2014, 10:49 PM   #98
LovesMacs
Fanatic
LovesMacs ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.LovesMacs ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.LovesMacs ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.LovesMacs ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.LovesMacs ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.LovesMacs ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.LovesMacs ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.LovesMacs ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.LovesMacs ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.LovesMacs ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.LovesMacs ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.
 
Posts: 513
Karma: 2644386
Join Date: Apr 2012
Device: iPhone, Kindle Touch
Quote:
Originally Posted by Hitch View Post
I mostly enjoyed Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell, but it's very odd. I read it some years back (wow, thinking about it...quite a few years back, now), and it's....well, it's a comedy of manners, missing the more obvious comedy elements. If you're familiar and comfortable with writers of the Dickensian age/style, you'll get the comedic elements; if not, it mayn't work for you. It's a book that is not easy to categorize.
Read Dickens? Yes. Truly familiar with Dickens? No, probably not. I'm more encouraged to read the book after your comments.

Quote:
Originally Posted by issybird View Post
I think for books like Don Quixote, i.e., honking huge pre-20th century works not written in English, the quality of the translation is critical. The public domain translations can be impossible, translating archaic language and form into archaic language and form. If you're going to do it, it's worth spending the money on a current translation.
Seconded. The money you save with a public domain translation may become time wasted in frustration. PD translations aren't necessarily bad but they often read differently from anything modern.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Froide View Post
A Daughter of the Snows, by Jack London. The racism sticks in my craw, e.g.,

"We are a race of doers and fighters, of globe-encirclers and zone-conquerors... All that the other races are not, the Anglo-Saxon, or Teuton if you please, is."

- [swiped the quotation from Wikipedia: A Daughter of the Snows]
That reminds me of another book I couldn't continue reading: Mark Twain's The Innocents Abroad
. The narrator's judgments of his fellow travellers were very off-putting to me. It was too long ago for me to give specifics but I don't think I made it even 50 pages into the book.

Last edited by LovesMacs; 03-04-2014 at 11:45 PM. Reason: were, not was
LovesMacs is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-05-2014, 12:53 AM   #99
ebusinesstutor
Star Gawker
ebusinesstutor ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.ebusinesstutor ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.ebusinesstutor ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.ebusinesstutor ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.ebusinesstutor ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.ebusinesstutor ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.ebusinesstutor ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.ebusinesstutor ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.ebusinesstutor ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.ebusinesstutor ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.ebusinesstutor ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.
 
ebusinesstutor's Avatar
 
Posts: 526
Karma: 6944314
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: Spruce Grove, AB Canada
Device: Kindle Paperwhite
Quote:
Originally Posted by Pulpmeister View Post
Interesting--I did read LOTR in its entirely quite a few years ago, never tried Ayn Rand at all. I can't think, off the top of my head, of any book which I started and then failed to finish.

[/I]
If a book doesn't grab me in the first few chapters, I dump it and read a better one - even if it is a best seller or award-winning.

My time is too valuable to waste it on books I don't like. I am in charge of what I consume.
ebusinesstutor is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-05-2014, 04:38 AM   #100
Gazella
Wizard
Gazella ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.Gazella ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.Gazella ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.Gazella ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.Gazella ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.Gazella ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.Gazella ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.Gazella ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.Gazella ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.Gazella ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.Gazella ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.
 
Gazella's Avatar
 
Posts: 1,705
Karma: 4619474
Join Date: Nov 2012
Device: Kindle Scribe, Kindle Paperwhite
Quote:
Originally Posted by ebusinesstutor View Post
My time is too valuable to waste it on books I don't like. I am in charge of what I consume.
True. But sometimes I can't. I don't know why and I hate that about me, but I feel guilty for quitting a book and so I force myself into finishing it.
Gazella is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-05-2014, 06:07 AM   #101
Billi
Wizard
Billi ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.Billi ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.Billi ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.Billi ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.Billi ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.Billi ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.Billi ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.Billi ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.Billi ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.Billi ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.Billi ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.
 
Billi's Avatar
 
Posts: 3,388
Karma: 14190103
Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: Berlin
Device: Cybook, iRex, PB, Onyx
Quote:
Originally Posted by Froide View Post
The racism sticks in my craw, e.g.,

"We are a race of doers and fighters, of globe-encirclers and zone-conquerors... All that the other races are not, the Anglo-Saxon, or Teuton if you please, is."
Don't get me wrong, but this would rather be a plus point for me than a reason to abandon a book. Not that I'm sharing these opinions, but reading them helps me to better understand past times.
Billi is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-05-2014, 11:14 AM   #102
LovesMacs
Fanatic
LovesMacs ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.LovesMacs ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.LovesMacs ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.LovesMacs ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.LovesMacs ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.LovesMacs ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.LovesMacs ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.LovesMacs ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.LovesMacs ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.LovesMacs ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.LovesMacs ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.
 
Posts: 513
Karma: 2644386
Join Date: Apr 2012
Device: iPhone, Kindle Touch
Quote:
Originally Posted by Billi View Post
Don't get me wrong, but this would rather be a plus point for me than a reason to abandon a book. Not that I'm sharing these opinions, but reading them helps me to better understand past times.
That is the very reason why I started to read Mein Kampf. I have been struggling through it for several months.

Last edited by LovesMacs; 03-05-2014 at 11:14 AM. Reason: + the
LovesMacs is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-13-2014, 09:51 AM   #103
missimpossible
Groupie
missimpossible ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.missimpossible ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.missimpossible ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.missimpossible ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.missimpossible ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.missimpossible ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.missimpossible ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.missimpossible ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.missimpossible ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.missimpossible ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.missimpossible ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.
 
missimpossible's Avatar
 
Posts: 165
Karma: 491236
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: Glasgow
Device: Libra 2, Clara 2e, Oasis 3
I think I got about 100 pages into The Crimson Petal and the White before giving up. I just hated that book so much that I couldn't read on. Everything about it just felt obnoxious and pretentious.
missimpossible is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-13-2014, 12:10 PM   #104
ManosHandsOfFate
Addict
ManosHandsOfFate ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.ManosHandsOfFate ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.ManosHandsOfFate ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.ManosHandsOfFate ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.ManosHandsOfFate ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.ManosHandsOfFate ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.ManosHandsOfFate ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.ManosHandsOfFate ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.ManosHandsOfFate ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.ManosHandsOfFate ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.ManosHandsOfFate ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.
 
ManosHandsOfFate's Avatar
 
Posts: 298
Karma: 1537324
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: Chicago
Device: Nook, K3, Fire, Nexus 7
Quote:
Originally Posted by pdurrant View Post
I agree with Harry on this one. LoTR is wonderful. I'd urge anyone who enjoyed The Hobbit to give it a go, but bear in mind that it's not really written in the same style at all.

The Silmarillion is another thing altogether - much more like the LoTR's appendices than a novel. Only for those who really want to read more about the first and second ages.
I read LoTR when I was about 12. I was so enamored with Middle Earth that I immediately started The Silmarillion. It was a slog. I think I got about 50 pages into it and gave up. I tried it again a year or so later and it wasn't any better.

That was many years ago. Maybe as an adult it'll go better?
ManosHandsOfFate is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-13-2014, 07:37 PM   #105
Geralt
Witcher
Geralt ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.Geralt ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.Geralt ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.Geralt ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.Geralt ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.Geralt ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.Geralt ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.Geralt ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.Geralt ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.Geralt ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.Geralt ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.
 
Geralt's Avatar
 
Posts: 933
Karma: 7321117
Join Date: Jun 2012
Location: Swamp. Slaying Drowners.
Device: Kindle PW2
Quote:
Originally Posted by LovesMacs View Post
Have you ever read Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell by Susanna Clarke? I have been meaning to read this book for years--I even have an autographed copy--but I keep putting it off in part to the copious footnotes. It's a thick book, and some pages are almost entirely footnotes. Footnotes, mind you, not endnotes, so they can't be easily ignored. I like editions of classic books with footnotes that I can consult if needed, but in this case, I am given to understand that the footnotes are very important to following the plot.
It's one of my favorite fantasy books. Very unique.
I "read" it as an audio book. Narration was wonderfully done by Simon Prebble, footnotes included. It's unabridged version.
Even though you have autographed copy I recommend that you consider audiobook.
You can have a listen at the sample: here.
Footnotes are important here, but with an audiobook, you won't even think about them as you do now.
Geralt is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply


Forum Jump

Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
Do you finish all the books that you start? socal9 General Discussions 29 09-24-2010 07:25 PM
What is it with people and their paper books? Andrew Kaufman Amazon Kindle 75 09-05-2010 06:45 AM
How many people read more than 2 books at a time? SameOldStory General Discussions 68 08-24-2010 06:33 PM
Education of People who Read E-Books vivaldirules Lounge 52 06-16-2010 09:13 AM
Essay: Why are people so resistant to e-books? Alexander Turcic News 21 03-17-2008 09:44 PM


All times are GMT -4. The time now is 04:04 AM.


MobileRead.com is a privately owned, operated and funded community.