Books: Book(s) you are Currently Reading

[GB]

GB does put out a list though with all the books and rating. I find it massively helpful. Just based on the amount of books read, the top echelon ensures that the book is a worthwhile read.

So I just want to thank you GB, text reviews or no text reviews, I'm happy. I love your compiled list.

I'm really glad it helps you Thanks for posting the 2016 list too.

Where could I see such a list?

There's a list of 2015 books as well as the 2016 list Jacob posted.

2015
2016

Everything's ranked by how many stars I gave it but outside of that they aren't ranked at all.

Went in to a bookcycle a couple of weeks ago and picked up some Russian literature. I'm starting with this

 

[Thucydides]

I'm really glad it helps you Thanks for posting the 2016 list too.



There's a list of 2015 books as well as the 2016 list Jacob posted.

2015
2016

Everything's ranked by how many stars I gave it but outside of that they aren't ranked at all.

Went in to a bookcycle a couple of weeks ago and picked up some Russian literature. I'm starting with this

How was the Autumn book?

I've read up a little on it, and enjoy that non linear kind of style .

How many books are you up to this year ?

 

[Spring in Fialta]

I'm really glad it helps you Thanks for posting the 2016 list too.



There's a list of 2015 books as well as the 2016 list Jacob posted.

2015
2016

Everything's ranked by how many stars I gave it but outside of that they aren't ranked at all.

Went in to a bookcycle a couple of weeks ago and picked up some Russian literature. I'm starting with this

The Gambler is phenomenal. The last scene is a perfect exclamation point.

 

[kmad]

 

[GB]

How was the Autumn book?

I've read up a little on it, and enjoy that non linear kind of style .

How many books are you up to this year ?

I've finished 82 so far.

Autumn was really good, 4* I think. It was written post-Brexit referendum and the referendum and its fallout are key parts of the book. In that regard it is very much about present day England and I'm not sure if people who haven't experienced the Brexit fallout would get it quite as much. I'd definitely recommend it to you.

The Gambler is phenomenal. The last scene is a perfect exclamation point.

The Gambler was the first Dostoyevsky I read and finished; I really like the manic energy in it. It's probably my favourite of his. A Nasty Story is very good too, well worth reading if you haven't already.

 

[Thucydides]

I've finished 82 so far.

Autumn was really good, 4* I think. It was written post-Brexit referendum and the referendum and its fallout are key parts of the book. In that regard it is very much about present day England and I'm not sure if people who haven't experienced the Brexit fallout would get it quite as much. I'd definitely recommend it to you.



The Gambler was the first Dostoyevsky I read and finished; I really like the manic energy in it. It's probably my favourite of his. A Nasty Story is very good too, well worth reading if you haven't already.

Thanks. I'll check it out . 82 is crazy, by the way . Good job .

 

[GB]

I've really enjoyed reading Ali Smith this year I hope you get as much out of her works as I do.

Behold the Dreamers is something I'd like to read but it seems permanently on order at the library.

 

[Spring in Fialta]

I've finished 82 so far.

Autumn was really good, 4* I think. It was written post-Brexit referendum and the referendum and its fallout are key parts of the book. In that regard it is very much about present day England and I'm not sure if people who haven't experienced the Brexit fallout would get it quite as much. I'd definitely recommend it to you.



The Gambler was the first Dostoyevsky I read and finished; I really like the manic energy in it. It's probably my favourite of his. A Nasty Story is very good too, well worth reading if you haven't already.

Will try to check out it thanks. But yeah, it's pretty much a tie for me between Notes from Underground and The Gambler for me when it comes to Dosto. I haven't read his longer works. But man, that ending...(from my copy)

'' I staked that gulden on manque (that time it was on manque) and there really is something peculiar in the feeling, when alone in a strange land, far from home and far from friends, not knowing whether you'll have anything to eat that day - you stake your last gulden, your very last! I won and twenty minutes later I went out of the casino, having a hundred and seventy guldens in my pocket. That's a fact! That's what the last gulden can sometimes do! And what if I had lost heart then? What if I had not dared to risk it?...
To-morrow, to-morrow, it will all be over! ''

I just finished Slaughterhouse-Five and I'm thinking of tackling the copy of Infinite Jest but 1000 pages gives me the heebie jeebies...anyhow glad to see you gave The Sun Also Rises a 5 in 2015 (it's one of my favorites) but I'm surprised you gave The Metamorphosis a 2. It's my favorite work of art of all-time, across all forms of art.

 

[Thucydides]

 

[njdevsfn95]

Read 1 of the 7 so far - The Magician's Nephew.

Read 2 of the 7 so far - The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe

Read 3 of the 7 so far - The Boy and His Horse

 

[Havre]

The Brothers Karamazov. A bit silly calling a book the best ever (who has read them all?), but that is by far the best book I have ever read (4 times now).

I don't think all of Dostoyevsky's books are great, but Crime and Punishment (which I believe people should read before The Brothers Karamazov to better understand where the author is coming from) and The Brothers Karamazov are truly special books.

I do love some of his shorter stories as well.

 

[GB]

Will try to check out it thanks. But yeah, it's pretty much a tie for me between Notes from Underground and The Gambler for me when it comes to Dosto. I haven't read his longer works. But man, that ending...(from my copy)

'' I staked that gulden on manque (that time it was on manque) and there really is something peculiar in the feeling, when alone in a strange land, far from home and far from friends, not knowing whether you'll have anything to eat that day - you stake your last gulden, your very last! I won and twenty minutes later I went out of the casino, having a hundred and seventy guldens in my pocket. That's a fact! That's what the last gulden can sometimes do! And what if I had lost heart then? What if I had not dared to risk it?...
To-morrow, to-morrow, it will all be over! ''

I have the same translation. The translation of Crime & Punishment I had irritated me a little but I had no problems with The Gambler. I have Notes From the Underground, The Devils and another one I'm blanking on by the same translator in my to read pile.

I just finished Slaughterhouse-Five and I'm thinking of tackling the copy of Infinite Jest but 1000 pages gives me the heebie jeebies

I'm going to try and get another 10 Russian books in this year and next year I want to read some really long books. I'll probably start with War & Peace, because I don't think I'll have time to read that this year, and I really want to read Don Quixote. Infinite Jest is one I'm considering as well. I've heard conflicting things about it.

The longest book I've ever read, (19Q4), is 1300+ pages; I'm looking for something longer than that.

...anyhow glad to see you gave The Sun Also Rises a 5 in 2015 (it's one of my favorites) but I'm surprised you gave The Metamorphosis a 2. It's my favorite work of art of all-time, across all forms of art.

That was a collection with quite a few short stories in. I'd probably give The Metamorphis itself 3*. It was well written, the image of the fruit rotting on Gregor stayed with me and made me feel slightly queasy for a few days afterwards, but I just didn't care about anybody or anything in the story. That was my reaction to the collection as a whole. The only Kafka I'd read before was The Knock at the Manor Gate and I'd really liked that. I'll probably try something else of his eventually. Probably The Trial.

The Brothers Karamazov. A bit silly calling a book the best ever (who has read them all?), but that is by far the best book I have ever read (4 times now).

I don't think all of Dostoyevsky's books are great, but Crime and Punishment (which I believe people should read before The Brothers Karamazov to better understand where the author is coming from) and The Brothers Karamazov are truly special books.

I do love some of his shorter stories as well.

This is on my to read pile as well. I'm planning on reading it in December. I read about 400 pages many years ago, loved it, put it down and never picked it back up.

I've just started

 

[Spring in Fialta]

That was a collection with quite a few short stories in. I'd probably give The Metamorphis itself 3*. It was well written, the image of the fruit rotting on Gregor stayed with me and made me feel slightly queasy for a few days afterwards, but I just didn't care about anybody or anything in the story. That was my reaction to the collection as a whole. The only Kafka I'd read before was The Knock at the Manor Gate and I'd really liked that. I'll probably try something else of his eventually. Probably The Trial.

Man, that book just hits me in all these emotional places while being rather humorous in it's absurdity at times, especially in the beginning. Every single imagery within the story feels perfectly placed and right to me, whether it's Gregor flying on the painting or the rotting apple. His sister playing the violin and his emotional reaction to it is the most gorgeous passage I've ever read. Personally, out of his novels, the one I'd recommend would be Amerika - hence the username - it feels more juvenile (in a good way) and infectious and I find it to be laugh-out-loud funny although I do think The Trial had the more memorable scenes, but could also be a bit less engaging and more boring by moments.

Currently reading:

 

[Babe Ruth]

Good, thorough profile on (primarily) American slavery.. written in the 1970s.
I'm about 2/3rd thru it..

 

[Ceremony]

The USA Trilogy by John Dos Passos isn't 1300+ pages but it's long and good.

 

[CycloneLaunch]

Have been reading 'My War Gone By, I Miss It So' after seeing a couple of people mention it here a while back. Now I see it's being turned into a movie with Tom Hardy

 

[Thucydides]

Have been reading 'My War Gone By, I Miss It So' after seeing a couple of people mention it here a while back. Now I see it's being turned into a movie with Tom Hardy

This is one of my favourite books ever written. So pumped to hear it's being turned into a movie.

After reading it , I wished to be rich , as I thought it would translate great to film.

Happy you're enjoying it!

 

[CycloneLaunch]

This is one of my favourite books ever written. So pumped to hear it's being turned into a movie.

After reading it , I wished to be rich , as I thought it would translate great to film.

Happy you're enjoying it!

I'm about a third of the way through and it is an incredibly chilling book [spoil]the cat eating someone's brain after their head gets split open... Jesus[/spoil] But I assume the worst is yet to come

 

[Havre]

Stoner is decent. A bit overrated in my opinion, but it is certainly well written in terms of the language.

 

[GB]

Personally, out of his novels, the one I'd recommend would be Amerika - hence the username - it feels more juvenile (in a good way) and infectious and I find it to be laugh-out-loud funny although I do think The Trial had the more memorable scenes, but could also be a bit less engaging and more boring by moments.

I'll probably try them both eventually. I had The Trial ready to take out of the library earlier this year but I accidentally knocked it between shelves where I couldn't reach it so I just walked nonchalantly away.

Here's a strange coincidence. Tucked inside the cover for Stoner is a Scottish bus ticket from the 70's/80's, some directions and a mail order slip for a copy of The Trial from Amazon.

The USA Trilogy by John Dos Passos isn't 1300+ pages but it's long and good.

This looks excellent, thanks for the recommendation.

Stoner is decent. A bit overrated in my opinion, but it is certainly well written in terms of the language.

It'd be better if any of the other characters apart from Stoner were less 1 dimensional. Or if a single female character was believable. It is well written though.

 

[Thucydides]

 

[Thucydides]

I'm about a third of the way through and it is an incredibly chilling book [spoil]the cat eating someone's brain after their head gets split open... Jesus[/spoil] But I assume the worst is yet to come

That part you quoted is pretty bad, but there is one scene in particular, from Chechnya , that still kind of haunts me.

 

[KingTux]

 

[Havre]

It'd be better if any of the other characters apart from Stoner were less 1 dimensional. Or if a single female character was believable. It is well written though.

I agree. I guess it is written in a toned down almost boring style on purpose (an ordinary life written in an "ordinary" language). Camus-ish without the philosophical undertones.

I liked it, but considering the hype it has gotten recently it is a bit disappointing.

 

[Spring in Fialta]