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

[poohbear_nc]

I'm wending my way through Brideshead Revisited (Evelyn Waugh) for an umpteenth re-read. This is one book I keep rediscovering every few years or so (along with Moby Dick and The Good Soldier) - and always find something new I hadn't previously noticed before. As I've been reading quite a bit of Henry James lately, I began noticing Waugh's sentence structure this go around. He too can compose sentences that fill an entire page, or more - but his language is so lush and vivid, you don't notice - you're carried along with the flow of the prose.
[Of course, having Jeremy Irons' voice over in your head helps considerably! The 1981 miniseries was a true landmark of adapting book to screen.]


If you've never read it - you're in for a treat! I can't recommend it highly enough.

[JoelArnold]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

My next read is going to be The Big Sleep by Raymond Chandler for the book club. I just hope it's good.

I recently read my first Chandler - The Long Goodbye - and love his prose style. The Big Sleep is certainly on my TBR list!

[Gazella]

I just finished reading The Importance of Being Earnest by Oscar Wilde. An outstanding play; clever, humorous and delightful!

[pilotbob]

Originally Posted by Gazella

I just finished reading The Importance of Being Earnest by Oscar Wilde. An outstanding play; clever, humorous and delightful!

Good play, and funny. When we read it (one of the kids needed to read it for school) we all read it out loud each of us taking on a part or two... so different characters had different voices.

BOb

[pdurrant]

Originally Posted by Gazella

I just finished reading The Importance of Being Earnest by Oscar Wilde. An outstanding play; clever, humorous and delightful!

One of my favourite bits, from the first scene:

Algernon. [Picking up empty plate in horror.] Good heavens! Lane! Why are there no cucumber sandwiches? I ordered them specially.

Lane (Algernon's Gentleman's gentleman). [Gravely.] There were no cucumbers in the market this morning, sir. I went down twice.

Algernon. No cucumbers!

Lane. No, sir. Not even for ready money.

[LovesMacs]

I am currently reading Elixir by Brian Fagan. I think I picked it up in an earlier Kindle Big Deal. The book is about how people have managed water throughout history, from primitive irrigation canals to Roman aqueducts to modern day cities in the desert. I'm roughly a third of the way through and I'm finding the book a bit dry. I'm not sure if it is the subject matter or the writing style or just my current mood, but I find I have to force myself to keep reading. I'm thinking of moving on to another book.

Which book? Possibly The Brendan Voyage by Tim Severin. The description sounds intriguing: the author attempts to recreate the legendary voyage of St. Brendan from Ireland to what we now call North America, using a replica oxhide leather boat. St. Brendan was said to have made this journey in the sixth century.

[Moe The Cat]

Originally Posted by poohbear_nc

[Of course, having Jeremy Irons' voice over in your head helps considerably! The 1981 miniseries was a true landmark of adapting book to screen.]

Yes, it certainly was. I remember it well ...

[dreams]

Originally Posted by Gazella

I just finished reading The Importance of Being Earnest by Oscar Wilde. An outstanding play; clever, humorous and delightful!

Originally Posted by pilotbob

Good play, and funny. When we read it (one of the kids needed to read it for school) we all read it out loud each of us taking on a part or two... so different characters had different voices.

BOb

I absolutely love that play! It is now my favorite thing to listen to while doing any chores that I don't want to do and the time just flies by as I laugh and smile my way through it. (I picked up a freebie by the L.A. Theatre Works and the voices are in my head when I read the book)

A beginning favorite part:

Spoiler:

Algernon I really don’t see anything romantic in proposing. It is very romantic to be in love. But there is nothing romantic about a definite proposal. Why, one may be accepted. One usually is, I believe. Then the excitement is all over. The very essence of romance is uncertainty. If ever I get married, I’ll certainly try to forget the fact.

Jack I have no doubt about that, dear Algy. The Divorce Court was specially invented for people whose memories are so curiously constituted

Then, of course, all the fun with loving and the name "Ernest" that is done with such absurd convention.

[Dazrin]

Originally Posted by Dazrin

For now I am going to read the May book club selection The Big Sleep by Raymond Chandler, the first of the Philip Marlowe mysteries.

That was a good read, will wait till the 20th for any discussion though.

Not sure where to go from here, maybe Honor Harrington 4...

[alansplace]

Originally Posted by alansplace

Die Trying was a very exciting read and The Quest of the Missing Map was a nostalgic one. Both were quite enjoyable.

Now on to The Clue in the Jewel Box (Nancy Drew #20) by Carolyn Keene (Mildred A Wirt) and another new author for me, Patrick Rothfuss' The Name of the Wind (The Kingkiller Chronicle #1)!

The Clue in the Jewel Box was another Nancy Drew Mystery and, as usual, a fun read for me.

The Name of the Wind was a totally unexpected and quite pleasant surprise! Because of my recent negative reaction to George R.R. Martin's A Game of Thrones when I'd tried reading it and a preconceived notion I had (totally unwarranted), for whatever reason, about Patrick Rothfuss (I kinda' thought of him as a younger version of GRRM) I was expecting to not care for it. I was dead wrong!! Anyway, it was a very enjoyable read and I'm looking forward to the other two books in The Kingkiller Chronicle trilogy.

Next, Taken, (Alex Verus #3) by Benedict Jacka and The Secret in the Old Attic, Nancy Drew #21) by Carolyn Keene (Mildred A Wirt).

[Joy736]

Originally Posted by Joy736

Next up: City of Bones by Cassandra Clare.

I looooved this book. It's full of non-stop action. The situation sometimes changes every page. Highly recommended to Harry Potter and Dresden Files fans.
Next up: Professor Gargoyle by Charles Gillman

[samhy]

Originally Posted by Gazella

I just finished reading The Importance of Being Earnest by Oscar Wilde. An outstanding play; clever, humorous and delightful!

I really liked it too
It reminded me of The Game of Love and Chance by Marivaux.

[Pookeysgirl]

Originally Posted by Joy736

I looooved this book. It's full of non-stop action. The situation sometimes changes every page. Highly recommended to Harry Potter and Dresden Files fans.
Next up: Professor Gargoyle by Charles Gillman

I got this for my daughter but after reading the description I'm definitely going to read it as well. Sounds like it's my kind of series .

[pilotbob]

Just finished _Starbound_ which is book two of Joe Haldeman's Marsbound trilogy.

Book two wasn't as good as the first... It was slower than the first as well, with no too much happening until about 1/2 way in. I also didn't like the way the moderator of the book switched back and forth with no warning or context. The who first book was written in 1st person voice of the main character, which this one switched back and forth between two of them, and also some from the other characters.

However, the book did move the story forward and I bought and started reading the final book (at least, the final one published) _Earthbound_... which I think is a bit of play on words. Marsbound was about their journey to Mars. Startbound was about their journey to the stars. Earthbound is set all on Earth (I think anyway, I've only read the first few chapters).

BOb

[pdurrant]

Originally Posted by pilotbob

Just finished _Starbound_ which is book two of Joe Haldeman's Marsbound trilogy.

I also didn't like the way the moderator of the book switched back and forth with no warning or context.

I found this confusing as well, when I read it back in February.

I'll be interested to hear if you think Earthbound is worth buying.