What are you currently reading?

[Brian]

I love Atonement and think it a very good novel, but one way or another you WILL have strong feelings about the end. Because the end is something unique.

[stingo]

I've yet to read Atonement, but McEwan's Saturday was really good and really well-written.

[North Star]

Brian, I'm tackling my first Agatha Christie as well.
(The Murder of Roger Ackroyd)

[Jo498]

It will be a disappointment, I am afraid. The first part of "Atonement" is one of the best things I ever read. It is incredibly well done as far as atmosphere, psychology, tension and the viewpoint of the young girl narrator are concerned. The second part is decent, the third and therefore more or less the "clou" of the whole thing terrible, IMO. I think he should have made it a short novel consisting only of the first part.
I have not read anything else by this author neither have I seen the movie.

[kishnevi]

Brian, I'm tackling my first Marple as well.
(The Murder of Roger Ackroyd)

That is a Poirot.
The plot twist was apparently groundbreaking in its day,  but probably less impressive now.   I think the Christie that I liked most was Ten Little Indians but overall I did prefer the Marples to the Poirots.

[Karl Henning]

That is a Poirot.
The plot twist was apparently groundbreaking in its day,  but probably less impressive now.   I think the Christie that I liked most was Ten Little Indians but overall I did prefer the Marples to the Poirots.

Thanks for reminding me of the 1945 And Then There Were None . . . .

[North Star]

That is a Poirot.
The plot twist was apparently groundbreaking in its day,  but probably less impressive now.   I think the Christie that I liked most was Ten Little Indians but overall I did prefer the Marples to the Poirots.

Yes, I don't know how I managed to mix Christie & Marple in my mind. 

[Brian]

Brian, I'm tackling my first Agatha Christie as well.
(The Murder of Roger Ackroyd)

When I taught a class on murder mysteries, that was one of the books I had my students read! The plot twist is still amazing today, but my students all objected over a giant plot hole which rendered it invalid. Unfortunately...I can't remember what the giant plot hole was. Maybe you will notice it and let me know?

[North Star]

When I taught a class on murder mysteries, that was one of the books I had my students read! The plot twist is still amazing today, but my students all objected over a giant plot hole which rendered it invalid. Unfortunately...I can't remember what the giant plot hole was. Maybe you will notice it and let me know?

I sure will, if I will

[Ken B]

Yes, I don't know how I managed to mix Christie & Marple in my mind. 

Gives me an idea for a book. We find a Finn murdered in Foglo, the motive obscure, and everyone baffled -- until a cross-dressing Belgian detective Marpot arrives and deduces that a crazed Agatha Christie fan killed him for defaming The Murder of Roger Ackroyd.

[Karl Henning]

Governor Christie?

[Phrygian]

I'm currently reading two books in tandem, the first one of which is proving alarming:

"Democracy in Decline:  Steps in the Wrong Direction", James Allan (Garrick Professor of Law at the University of Queensland, Australia)

"In Defence of Freedom", Chris Berg

I've emailed Professor Allan about his book and he's been very generous in discussing further aspects of the issue.   

The book was published in Canada and its main concerns are about declining democracy in the USA, GB, Canada, Australia and New Zealand. 

[listener]

KLOP by Peter Day
a biography of Klop Ustinov, Peter U's father and his activities in international spying and  counter-spying mainly in WWII.   
There seems to be a half-dozen new characters introduced every other page but the books is so well written that they don't get confused and there is a 14-page cast of characters for reference if you need it.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Klop-Britains-Most-Ingenious-Spy/dp/1849546932/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1417211157&sr=1-1&keywords=klop

[Linus]

It will be a disappointment, I am afraid. The first part of "Atonement" is one of the best things I ever read. It is incredibly well done as far as atmosphere, psychology, tension and the viewpoint of the young girl narrator are concerned. The second part is decent, the third and therefore more or less the "clou" of the whole thing terrible, IMO. I think he should have made it a short novel consisting only of the first part.
I have not read anything else by this author neither have I seen the movie.

I've finished it and feel that, overall, it's a good novel.

The first part is still the best part, even if it was weaker towards the end. By then, I had lost interest in the characters (not a good sign) and the second part did little to redeem that. By the end of the second part, however, it got more interesting again, and the beginning of the third part is excellent in my opinion. While the second part didn't seem to connect well with what happened before (or perhaps I'm just slow on the uptake), I think the third part's hospital scene metaphors were emotionally quote "accurate" and horribly effective. Strong stuff.

As a whole, I think this novel would have worked so much better if the "epilogue" wasn't so short, so instead of an epilogue we'd have a proper fourth part. I suppose McEwan thought it more effective or provocative to admit only a few pages of justification, but I personally needed something more well-reasoned, an outlet for analysis, like a part of the book where its whole philosophy is explored intellectually.

Anyhow, it was definitely worth the read.

[Daverz]

Some light holiday reading.  This one has been on my to-read pile for years

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I didn't realize that there were more stories, and they've been gathered together here:

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[kishnevi]

Some light holiday reading.  This one has been on my to-read pile for years

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I didn't realize that there were more stories, and they've been gathered together here:

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Oh yes....I have had all three individual paperbacks.
The first is the lightest and most inventive in its use of Chinese lore, but the third, which is darker and runs much deeper emotionally, is IMO the best.

[mn dave]

Circus of Dr. Lao and Other Improbable Stories
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A paperback from 1956.

[Drasko]

Rubbish. Whoever created pulpy trash delight that is True Blood out of this dross is a genius.

[mn dave]

Rubbish. Whoever created pulpy trash delight that is True Blood out of this dross is a genius.

My wife loves those.

[Bogey]