What are you currently reading?

[ritter]

When I was in the old part of Toulouse 2 years ago I went into a library (fantastic place covering different buildings and different floors with entries on 3 different streets, almost a labyrinth) and came out with 2 items: the complete Contes normands by Maupassant (almost 900 pages) and the complete novels by Hesse. All of them old friends, stuff I had read when I was much younger. I'm still only halfway through the Maupassant, so the Hesse is somewhere in the future. My reading is much slower than it was 40 years ago  . But I'll get there eventually.

You mean the Ombres Blanches bookstore? Fantastic place indeed...

[André]

You mean the Ombres Blanches bookstore? Fantastic place indeed...

That's the one ! 

[vers la flamme]

I think that you might need to build up a lot of stamina reserves before tackling The Glass Bead Game. I found it to be a very fine read but tough going nonetheless.

Well, I did just read The Brothers Karamazov. I'd say my literary stamina is in pretty good shape. Might not be a bad idea to strike while the iron is hot 

[Artem]

Two books that I'd recently finished reading. Both were well written, but I didn't enjoy them as much as I expected.

[Florestan]

Well, I did just read The Brothers Karamazov. I'd say my literary stamina is in pretty good shape. Might not be a bad idea to strike while the iron is hot 

Good idea! 

[aligreto]

Well, I did just read The Brothers Karamazov. I'd say my literary stamina is in pretty good shape. Might not be a bad idea to strike while the iron is hot 

Go for it! Good luck if you do.

[Florestan]

Go for it! Good luck if you do.

Well, TBK is almost a fast-paced whodunit, while TGBG is much more abstract and philosophical. I'm very interested in vers la flamme's findings.

[Mandryka]

Well, I did just read The Brothers Karamazov.

Who dunnit?  -- I couldn't get to the end and I'm dying to know.

[Florestan]

Who dunnit?  -- I couldn't get to the end and I'm dying to know.

Smerdyakov.

[Mandryka]

Smerdyakov.

Noooooo. I was sure it was Alexei!

[Mandryka]

Here's a good book cover, which kind of gives away the secret

[Florestan]

Noooooo. I was sure it was Alexei!

Wrong. Alyosha murdered Zosima.

[Florestan]

Here's a good book cover, which kind of gives away the secret

Hah! Spoiler even before the first page is turned. 

[Stürmisch Bewegt]

That's the one ! 

Librairie = Bookstore; Bibliothèque = Library; Go Figure...

[André]

Librairie = Bookstore; Bibliothèque = Library; Go Figure...

Indeed !

[vers la flamme]

Well, TBK is almost a fast-paced whodunit, while TGBG is much more abstract and philosophical. I'm very interested in vers la flamme's findings.

I know what you mean, definitely with regard to the second half of the book, especially—it became quite the page turner. But given the whole 800-page book takes place over a couple of days, and then another couple of days several weeks (months?) later, and consists almost entirely of dialogue, I would call it ultimately pretty slow paced. But it was a hell of a book and a fascinating read.

[Dry Brett Kavanaugh]

Yes, that last interaction hit me hard, especially because I lost my mother when I was a kid. I suspect I'll be rereading Narcissus & Goldmund at least a few more times throughout my life. There's a few more big Hesse works I still need to read for the first time, too: Steppenwolf and The Glass Bead Game being the big ones.

I am rereading it about every 2 years. It's getting better and better. I am sorry about your mother, I think I know how you feel.
Just finished reading The Seagull.

[Dry Brett Kavanaugh]

Started:



on the "Indo-European" mother tongue and its traces in modern usage

Very interesting. Probably I will buy the book.
I was going to buy the books below.

[Ganondorf]

The film adaptation was terrific (Stroheim's Greed) so I was excited to find this in a library. So far, unfortunately, it doesn't quite have the charm the film has. The book isn't very subtle in its thematic significance and symbolism. Nevertheless, the basic storyline I am familiar with is still there and there are some great passages. Unfortunately certain Jewish character in this book is extremely racistly drawn, even for its time.

Also, I have to say this, Mcteague is a real creep. I mean, he makes out with a passed out woman in dentist's chair. while he's supposed to treat her. How messed up is that?

[SimonNZ]

Has anyone read Oil! by Upton Sinclair - the one There Will Be Blood is based on? There's a copy at the secondhand bookshop near me that I'm on the fence about.