What are you currently reading?

[karlhenning]

Jane Austen-Sense and Sensibility

We watched the latter part of the Masterpiece Theatre adaptation; some delicious scenes!

[Danny]

Good to be reading Fedya again; just read and loved the first story "A Nasty Anecdote."

[Bogey]

Jane Austen-Sense and Sensibility

Perfect.

[MN Dave]

From Publishers Weekly
In Rainey's enjoyable WWII adventure with a superfluous SF plot twist, courageous American flyers with the navy Blue Devil unit shoot down Japs above the Solomon Islands. The U.S. airmen, led by Lt. Cmdr. Drew McLachlan and based on remote Conquest Island, see fast and fierce action, occasionally suffering a tragic loss. Then, in the cinematic tradition of the period, the story veers into horror flick territory with SF undertones when the airmen discover peculiar savages in the caves of Conquest's mountainous landscape. For good measure, Rainey (The Lebo Coven) also throws in a gigantic, monstrous extraterrestrial with galaxy-ruling ambitions. The novel benefits from the author's obvious interest in WWII aircraft, and readers nostalgic for the era's war movies and pulp fiction will enjoy the ride. (Jan.)

[Kullervo]

Marcel Proust - In Search of Lost Time, Volume Two: Within a Budding Grove

[orbital]

Marcel Proust - In Search of Lost Time, Volume Two: Within a Budding Grove

I am assuming your next post in this thread will be a while 

[Kullervo]

I am assuming your next post in this thread will be a while 

Well I finished Swann's Way in 4 days, so perhaps not a great while.

[Kullervo]

Also: why couldn't you finish Swann's Way, if you don't mind my asking?

[George]

I am assuming your next post in this thread will be a while 

[DavidRoss]

Beside reading these days is the ubiquitous Kite Runner.  Competently crafted.  What I like about it is the sense that my world is expanding by viewing a slice of life through the eyes of an Afghan expatriate in America.  It broadens my sense of community.  Such literature is inclusive, not exclusive, opening the reader's heart and mind to compassionate celebration of our shared heritage and commitment to our shared responsibilities.

[Bogey]

Beside reading these days is the ubiquitous Kite Runner.  Competently crafted.  What I like about it is the sense that my world is expanding by viewing a slice of life through the eyes of an Afghan expatriate in America.  It broadens my sense of community.  Such literature is inclusive, not exclusive, opening the reader's heart and mind to compassionate celebration of our shared heritage and commitment to our shared responsibilities.

We read that for our book club at work David.  Your points are right on the mark David as posted above.  However, I was about the only one that did not like it as an "actual read".  Did you find it to be a bit "contrived/overly predictable" in parts?   My colleagues also enjoyed his A Thousand Splendid Suns, which I also did not care for.  Obviously I am in the minority about its merits when it comes to "enjoying" his style of writing.

[O Delvig]

Good to be reading Fedya again; just read and loved the first story "A Nasty Anecdote."

Looks interesting! Were those written before Siberia, or after? I'm rereading Notes from Underground, and am absorbing far more of it the second time around.

Pevear and Volokhonsky are easily the best translators of Russian classics that I've read.

[DavidRoss]

Did you find it to be a bit "contrived/overly predictable" in parts?   

Yes, Bill.  Not great literature, of course, but competent and a cut above many "best sellers."  I would rather read a sincere writer of mediocre talent telling a story with heart than something impeccably crafted but soullessly banal.


edit.  corrected typo

[Bogey]

Yes, Bill.  Not great literature, of course, but competent and a cut above many "best sellers."  I would rather read a sincere writer of mediocre talent telling a story with heart than something impeccably crafted by soullessly banal.

A very fair comment. 

And speaking of broadening my "sense", have you looked into:


http://www.amazon.com/Reluctant-Fundamentalist-Mohsin-Hamid/dp/0151013047
Another of our recent book club reads, of which I liked, save one or two parts, which I thought was extremely well written.  The rest of the club, save one other person, did not care for it though.

[DavidRoss]

No, Bill--but on your say-so I will check it out.  Like the title!

[Bogey]

No, Bill--but on your say-so I will check it out.  Like the title!

David, I found that the folks that did not like book, for the most part, did not because they did not agree with the main character and his views and this disagreement was at a passionate level in some cases.  For me, whether I agree or disagree with a character's view point does not indicate whether I will "like" a book or not, even if I loathe that character by the end of the book.  And to boot, this book has an absolutely unforgettable ending IMO.  A quick read as well.

[orbital]

Also: why couldn't you finish Swann's Way, if you don't mind my asking?

I don't really know. I lost interest after a while each time I've started so far  Way too much detail, and I hate to skip over paragraphs. Actually I'd rather not read the book than skip

[Drasko]

When I was younger I used to read a lot of Italian comics - Bonelli's Mister No, Zagor, Komandant Mark, and I still have substantial collection of Magnus & Bunker's Alan Ford (boxed somewhere). Those were hugely poular in Italy and Yugoslavia but don't think anyone else ever heard of them.

Still enjoy them occasionally.

[MN Dave]

When I was younger I used to read a lot of Italian comics - Bonelli's Mister No, Zagor, Komandant Mark, and I still have substantial collection of Magnus & Bunker's Alan Ford (boxed somewhere). Those were hugely poular in Italy and Yugoslavia but don't think anyone else ever heard of them.

Still enjoy them occasionally.

Very cool, Drasko.

[Drasko]

Very cool, Drasko.

don't think any of those were ever translated into English but if you're curious you can check these:

http://www-en.sergiobonellieditore.it/personaggi/personaggi.html

Bonelli Editions page - Zagor, Mister No, Mark, Dylan Dog and Martyn Misterie were the most popular ones (Zagor the most)

and quite detailed wiki page on Alan Ford

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alan_Ford_(comics)