voxprincipalis
Foxaliciously Cinnamon-Scented (and Most Poetic)
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Has potentially infinite removable wallets
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« Reply #495 on: November 20, 2009, 09:55:58 PM » |
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Just finished the audiobook of Julie Powell's Julie and Julia, on which the film was based, and which I quite liked (and in homage to the book and its author I am now going to make myself a vodka gimlet). Before that, the audiobook of Nicci French's Until It's Over, which I wanted to like but ultimately found unsatisfying. Just started listening to Neil Gaiman's Neverwhere. The jury is still out on whether or not I'm going to like this one; the author is reading and sometimes authors aren't the best people to read their own works.
VP
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« Last Edit: November 20, 2009, 09:56:28 PM by voxprincipalis »
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larryc
Hu hatin'
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Posts: 17,571
Eschew the hu.
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« Reply #496 on: November 21, 2009, 01:02:49 AM » |
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Hostiles? The Lakota Ghost Dance and Buffalo Bill's Wild West.
Terrific book. It turns out that our understanding of the Ghost Dance and Wounded Knee have been wrong these 120 years. Why? Because Mooney failed to interview the major leaders of the movement when he did his research soon after Wounded Knee. Why? Because those Indians were recruited from an Army prison by Buffalo Bill to appear in his Wild West show soon after the massacre. So where were they? In England and Scotland touring to huge crowds.
History is funny.
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prof_smartypants
Treasure-pilferin' and grog-swillin'
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Kiss the baby!
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« Reply #497 on: November 21, 2009, 10:01:19 AM » |
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Just finished the audiobook of Julie Powell's Julie and Julia, on which the film was based, and which I quite liked (and in homage to the book and its author I am now going to make myself a vodka gimlet). Before that, the audiobook of Nicci French's Until It's Over, which I wanted to like but ultimately found unsatisfying. Just started listening to Neil Gaiman's Neverwhere. The jury is still out on whether or not I'm going to like this one; the author is reading and sometimes authors aren't the best people to read their own works.
VP
VP, I absolutely adore Julia Child. Did you read "My Life in France"? I'm nervous about Julie and Julia, though - you recommend? |
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Welcome to college, motherf*cker.
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voxprincipalis
Foxaliciously Cinnamon-Scented (and Most Poetic)
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Posts: 16,442
Has potentially infinite removable wallets
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« Reply #498 on: November 21, 2009, 10:07:56 AM » |
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VP, I absolutely adore Julia Child. Did you read "My Life in France"? I'm nervous about Julie and Julia, though - you recommend?
I didn't see the movie (I will probably Netflix it), but from watching the trailers it seemed like it was roughly equal parts of "the story of Julie Powell" and "the story of Julia Child." The book is pretty much exclusively "the story of Julie Powell." It has lots of interesting reflections on Julia Child, and cooking, and life, but it is not really about Julia Child at all. And it's definitely a light read. I found it fun, and it wasn't very long, so it wasn't a huge time commitment. VP |
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bibliothecula
Academic ronin
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like Bunnicula, only with books
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« Reply #499 on: November 21, 2009, 10:18:24 AM » |
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I've been reading The Last Witchfinder and hoping it will improve as I go, but I'm losing faith. It's remarkably boring. It's going on the BookMooch giveaway list for sure.
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I came. I saw. I cited.
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ab_grp
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« Reply #500 on: November 21, 2009, 06:43:14 PM » |
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I finished Blood Meridian last night. I still can't figure out what happened at the end (after researching on the internet), and maybe I'll never know. I'm glad I finally read the book. Next will either be Seeing (José Saramago) or Children of God (Mary Doria Russell), both sequels to books I enjoyed.
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ghillbilly
New member
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« Reply #501 on: November 21, 2009, 06:47:26 PM » |
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Just finished 'How to Read a Book' by Adler and 'Sarum' by Rutherford. I love Rutherford's books because he gives you so much detail about the history of the location he is writing about. I liked Sarum better then London.
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bibliothecula
Academic ronin
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Posts: 3,727
like Bunnicula, only with books
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« Reply #502 on: November 21, 2009, 08:28:53 PM » |
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Just finished 'How to Read a Book' by Adler and 'Sarum' by Rutherford. I love Rutherford's books because he gives you so much detail about the history of the location he is writing about. I liked Sarum better then London.
I liked Sarum better than London or The Forest, too. His Russka is pretty good. To me, they are the perfect books for air travel: not too heavy, not too light.... |
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I came. I saw. I cited.
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ghillbilly
New member
Posts: 40
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« Reply #503 on: November 21, 2009, 08:32:35 PM » |
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I liked Sarum better than London or The Forest, too. His Russka is pretty good. To me, they are the perfect books for air travel: not too heavy, not too light....
Have you read 'Mistress of the Art of Death'? If you like historical fiction you will love the book. Also, 'Aztec' is worth a read. |
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bibliothecula
Academic ronin
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Posts: 3,727
like Bunnicula, only with books
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« Reply #504 on: November 23, 2009, 05:52:19 PM » |
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I liked Sarum better than London or The Forest, too. His Russka is pretty good. To me, they are the perfect books for air travel: not too heavy, not too light....
Have you read 'Mistress of the Art of Death'? If you like historical fiction you will love the book. Also, 'Aztec' is worth a read. I'll try that one! I've read all of Jennings' Books--Aztec, Spangle, etc. They are fun. |
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I came. I saw. I cited.
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aandsdean
I feel affirmed that I'm truly a 6,000+ post
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Posts: 6,412
Positively impactful on stakeholder synergies
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« Reply #505 on: November 23, 2009, 05:56:46 PM » |
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I liked Sarum better than London or The Forest, too. His Russka is pretty good. To me, they are the perfect books for air travel: not too heavy, not too light....
Have you read 'Mistress of the Art of Death'? If you like historical fiction you will love the book. Also, 'Aztec' is worth a read. I didn't read "Mistress," but it's been on my iPod two or three times for very enjoyable repeat listenings. I concur with this recommendation--heartily. |
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Wearing a black armband for Lucy
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jossi66
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« Reply #506 on: November 24, 2009, 10:51:25 AM » |
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I finished Blood Meridian last night. I still can't figure out what happened at the end (after researching on the internet), and maybe I'll never know. I'm glad I finally read the book. I read it last year after both No Country for Old Men and The Road. It was darker still than those two, and an intense and jarring read. I agree -- very ambiguous ending, though I read some interesting theories on the web, too. It's supposed to be that way, I guess. There are rumors that it is to be filmed. I liked No Country and look forward to seeing The Road, but I can't imagine Blood Meridian as a film. |
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prof_smartypants
Treasure-pilferin' and grog-swillin'
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Posts: 6,650
Kiss the baby!
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« Reply #507 on: November 24, 2009, 12:05:04 PM » |
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I just finished The Story of Edgar Sawtelle. It really was exceptional.
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Welcome to college, motherf*cker.
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jossi66
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« Reply #508 on: November 24, 2009, 01:00:39 PM » |
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Now, someone just recommended Edward Sawtelle to me. Must see if I can find that one -- maybe for over-the holiday reading.
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ab_grp
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« Reply #509 on: November 24, 2009, 01:39:09 PM » |
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I finished Blood Meridian last night. I still can't figure out what happened at the end (after researching on the internet), and maybe I'll never know. I'm glad I finally read the book. I read it last year after both No Country for Old Men and The Road. It was darker still than those two, and an intense and jarring read. I agree -- very ambiguous ending, though I read some interesting theories on the web, too. It's supposed to be that way, I guess. There are rumors that it is to be filmed. I liked No Country and look forward to seeing The Road, but I can't imagine Blood Meridian as a film. I read No Country... and The Road earlier this year (and preferred No Country...), so I guess we are following the same path through his books. They are all dark, though they have quite different tones and affected me differently. While Blood Meridian was recommended as his best book, I was not so thrilled with it throughout most of the beginning and middle. The descriptions are amazing, but there didn't seem to be much going on. The last bit changed my opinion because it made me realize that there was more going on that I wasn't picking up on. All the Pretty Horses was also recommended. Are you planning to read that? I also have The Story of Edgar Sawtelle on my list, and now it might move up in priority. |
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