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coastline
> Teenager of the Year <
USA
3111 Posts |
 Posted - 05/25/2007 : 18:47:36
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Wow. That's the most interesting -- and persuasive -- post I've read on this board in a long time. I'm reading "The Road" right now, which is about a possible future (post-apocalypse), but I'm going to make my next book be historical. Would you suggest "1776" before the rest of those, H-Guth?
 Please pardon me, for these my wrongs. |
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houstonguthrie
- FB Fan -
187 Posts |
Posted - 05/25/2007 : 19:56:45
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I think 1776 is a great start. The only draw back would be - that it very much centers on the revolutionary war. And I can see how for some people that would be a turn off - because don't we all wish that there was not such a thing as war? I'm certainly no war mongerer - I can see how reading about war would not be an appealing thing. However, that book really makes you appreciate the incredibly long odds that Washington overcame. I mean it's a real miracle that he was able to pull the thing out! And just the incredible hardships that he overcame to do it.
The others that I mentioned - are from that same era and naturally everybody's lives were very much impacted by the war - and so it's an integral part of it. But they focus more on the individuals' lives and not on the actual battles. They'll cover a specific battle in a couple of paragraphs whereas 1776 will devote a chapter or two.
So I would say 1776 first and John Adams second, but if you don't want to read about battles and such - then skip 1776. I don't like to read about war per se - but 1776 was still good reading for me because the focus is not about grissly details as much as it is about overcoming long odds. |
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darwin
>> Denizen of the Citizens Band <<
USA
5454 Posts |
Posted - 05/25/2007 : 20:54:25
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quote:
Originally posted by houstonguthrie
my recommendations are -
"1776" by David McCullough
"John Adams" by David McCullough
"His Excellency George Washington" by Joseph Ellis
"American Sphinx - The Character of Thomas Jefferson" by Joseph Ellis
"Alexander Hamilton" - Ron Chernow
okay - now I've gone out on a limb and established myself as the nerdiest reader on the board. Anybody else enjoy this kind of stuff?
Absolutely, the only fiction I read is kid fiction with my daughter, but I love history, biographies, and baseball books.
I've read the first two on your list. I really liked "1776", but I think war books are interesting. But, I found "John Adams" to be OK but not wonderful.
My favorites:
1) Morris's trilogy on Teddy Roosevelt - the 3rd isn't out yet
2) Taylor Branch's trilogy on MLK Jr.
3) Shelby Foote's trilogy on the Civil War (these are some of the best books I've ever read. It's amazing the details he wrote, but it reads like a novel.)
4) Janet Brown's pair of books about Darwin
5) McCullough's Truman book
6) Atkinson's An Army at Dawn about the US army in Europe at the beginning of WWII (I think this is planned to be another trilogy)
7) Bill James's Historical Baseball Abstract
8) Ball Four
9) Veeck as in Wreck - autobiography of Bill Veeck |
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coastline
> Teenager of the Year <
USA
3111 Posts |
Posted - 05/29/2007 : 06:03:07
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I finished "The Road," Kathryn. Great read. I wonder, though, whether it has the same impact on parents and non-parents alike. Having two sons, I was able to identify pretty well with the man in the book. But I don't suppose that's a prerequisite to understanding the relationship in the story. And I loved the ending. I spent the whole book worrying where it was leading. You can't help but wonder about that single bullet (loaded in each one; please take my rifles, take my guns).
Were you bothered by the lack of apostrophes in contractions like "dont" and "cant"? Or is it just me? The story was so good that it didn't matter, but why do authors do that kind of thing? At first I found it very distracting. Also, McCarthy uses some great language. Case in point: the word "slutlamp," which for all I can determine, he made up.
Please pardon me, for these my wrongs. |
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kathryn
~ Selkie Bride ~
Belgium
15320 Posts |
Posted - 05/29/2007 : 06:16:05
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quote:
Originally posted by coastline
I finished "The Road," Kathryn. Great read. I wonder, though, whether it has the same impact on parents and non-parents alike. Having two sons, I was able to identify pretty well with the man in the book. But I don't suppose that's a prerequisite to understanding the relationship in the story. And I loved the ending. I spent the whole book worrying where it was leading. You can't help but wonder about that single bullet (loaded in each one; please take my rifles, take my guns).
Were you bothered by the lack of apostrophes in contractions like "dont" and "cant"? Or is it just me? The story was so good that it didn't matter, but why do authors do that kind of thing? At first I found it very distracting. Also, McCarthy uses some great language. Case in point: the word "slutlamp," which for all I can determine, he made up.
Oh, totally. As an editor the missing apostrophes drove me nuts. You're also right about the ending being memorable, especially the last paragraph. A friend who's a bit of a trout expert (don't ask) says that a greenish diamond shape appears on trout when they're caught and squirming and it can't be detected when they're in water and it disappears when they die. Something to think about in the context of an extinct species/planet.
I can't answer the parenting question any more than you can but I do like the relationship and the question of what made so compassionate the boy, who was born after the "event." Is Cormac McCarthy hinting at inate goodness in mankind?
The aforementioned trout-expert friend and I played "what would you do" over the weekend and I concluded that I'd go by way of the mother and he plans to stock up on tinned goods and guns. What would you do?
And how do you feel about the upcoming movie? They might as well make a cake out of it, not a movie. So much of what makes it great is the writing. [/cringe]
I got some heaven in my head
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Newo
~ Abstract Brain ~
Spain
2674 Posts |
Posted - 05/29/2007 : 07:19:03
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in the mountains right now and what better company than this plotless meandering through endless digresions? it's about a guy trying to tell his life story and not getting much further than four years before he was born.
--
Allen Ginsberg says you got no soul. The ancient Egyptians say you got seven of these bastards, and Pharaohs got fourteen, what they get for being Pharaohs. |
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kathryn
~ Selkie Bride ~
Belgium
15320 Posts |
Posted - 05/29/2007 : 07:21:49
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Pretty liltho, Owen. My friend named her kid after the protagonist. Enjoy.
I got some heaven in my head
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Newo
~ Abstract Brain ~
Spain
2674 Posts |
Posted - 05/29/2007 : 08:13:57
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thanks Kiki, I am. I've been reading it on and off since 2001, which feels fitting.
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Allen Ginsberg says you got no soul. The ancient Egyptians say you got seven of these bastards, and Pharaohs got fourteen, what they get for being Pharaohs. |
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floop
= Wannabe Volunteer =
Mexico
15297 Posts |
Posted - 05/29/2007 : 08:24:24
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quote:
Originally posted by cassandra is
quote:
Originally posted by Homers_pet_monkey
quote:
Originally posted by cassandra is
I've recently finished those ones:
pas de bras pas de chocolat
How was it?
 I'd walk her everyday, into a shady place
I was quite reluctant before beginning it. I'm a long time fan of Bret Easton Ellis, but I was very sceptic about this new project. The real-false-autobiographical-stuff aspect and the fact that he took so much time since Glamorama to write this one made me think that the guy was lost, and that he wouldn't be able to try something new or that reaches the level of his previous novels. I guess that's why it took me so much time to finally read it.
I was totally wrong. After 15 or 20 pages I was really into it. It's kinda breathtaking and disturbing. I'm not going to reveal the plot, but it's really surprising. It's at the same funny, spooky, violent, ridicule, moving and disgusting. You never know what's gonna happen. And I really like the way he uses and corrupts the clichés of the fantastic genre.
It was a really good surprise to me, and I hardly recommend it to you Homers and to anyone who likes the work of Ellis.
pas de bras pas de chocolat
wish i could say i felt the same way. i just finished it. i wasn't disappointed per se, but coming off of reading AMERICAN PSYCHO this LUNAR PARK feels bland . it was interesting to read, and i'll read anything he puts out, but i don't think it's in the same league as GLAMOURAMA or AP |
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kfs
= Cult of Ray =
USA
889 Posts |
Posted - 05/29/2007 : 09:55:10
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quote:
Originally posted by kfs
quote:
Originally posted by kathryn
[quote]Originally posted by coastline
I finished "The Road," Kathryn. Great read. I wonder, though, whether it has the same impact on parents and non-parents alike. Having two sons, I was able to identify pretty well with the man in the book. But I don't suppose that's a prerequisite to understanding the relationship in the story. And I loved the ending. I spent the whole book worrying where it was leading. You can't help but wonder about that single bullet (loaded in each one; please take my rifles, take my guns).
Were you bothered by the lack of apostrophes in contractions like "dont" and "cant"? Or is it just me? The story was so good that it didn't matter, but why do authors do that kind of thing? At first I found it very distracting. Also, McCarthy uses some great language. Case in point: the word "slutlamp," which for all I can determine, he made up.
Oh, totally. As an editor the missing apostrophes drove me nuts. You're also right about the ending being memorable, especially the last paragraph. A friend who's a bit of a trout expert (don't ask) says that a greenish diamond shape appears on trout when they're caught and squirming and it can't be detected when they're in water and it disappears when they die. Something to think about in the context of an extinct species/planet.
I can't answer the parenting question any more than you can but I do like the relationship and the question of what made so compassionate the boy, who was born after the "event." Is Cormac McCarthy hinting at inate goodness in mankind?
The aforementioned trout-expert friend and I played "what would you do" over the weekend and I concluded that I'd go by way of the mother and he plans to stock up on tinned goods and guns. What would you do?
And how do you feel about the upcoming movie? They might as well make a cake out of it, not a movie. So much of what makes it great is the writing. [/cringe]
I got some heaven in my head
I finished reading "The Road" last night. I am not a parent but I had no trouble relating to the characters in this book. I
cannot imagine being in such a situation but I know it
would seem worse if I were alone.
I'm shocked! I didn't even notice the lack of apostrophes
(and that would normally drive me crazy).
I enjoyed this book but it was depressing. I thought it was
kind of appropriate to read right now while there are wild
fires in Florida and Georgia.
Do you think something like this could happen? Do you think
the entire United States was affected - all burned? What
exactly happened? I guess the point of the story isn't
WHAT happened but how they dealt with it.
What would I do? I don't know. Now that I've read this book,
I suppose I'd start stocking up on necessities at the
first sign of trouble and hope for the best.
And I'd hope I wasn't alone.
______________________
I've seen blue you've never seen
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Edited by - kfs on 05/29/2007 09:55:59 |
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kathryn
~ Selkie Bride ~
Belgium
15320 Posts |
Posted - 05/29/2007 : 10:06:06
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quote:
Originally posted by kfs
Do you think something like this could happen? Do you think
the entire United States was affected - all burned?
You bring up a good point. I, for one, realized through this book that I know next to nothing about nuclear war,i .e. how long would nuclear winter last -- 10 years or 10,000 years? How long after a blast before, say, vegetation started growing again? And what kind of blast are we talking about? And is it just the States or the whole planet or what?
I don't think stuff burns, it, um, any of the scientists feel free to jump in. Something about an ash cloud and nothing growing. But not burning necessarily? Dunno.
I got some heaven in my head
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Edited by - kathryn on 05/29/2007 10:07:08 |
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coastline
> Teenager of the Year <
USA
3111 Posts |
Posted - 05/29/2007 : 10:24:31
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*** SPOILER ALERT (sorry, Tre) ***
I'm no scientist, but I'm married to one, and now she's reading the book. I saw it on the back of the toilet this morning, opened to some page. So in a couple days maybe she can clue me in on how reasonable the scenario is. Maybe it's your garden-variety apocalypse. Anyway, I just accepted it for what it was -- one guy's approximation of a barren wasteland. And that part of the story doesn't matter so much. It was just a backdrop for the humanity that was happening between the man and the boy. The boy really touched me. He was, as he kept saying, "carrying the fire." And he was, as the man kept thinking, God. My personal version of the God concept doesn't include a figurehead, and I don't believe in an afterlife, but I do see God as love, and that's what that kid was. No matter who they came across along the road, the boy wanted to help them -- despite the man pointing out that fact that helping them meant killing themselves. All through the book, I kept expecting that it would end with the man having to kill the boy with the one remaining bullet -- to save him from whatever evil he thought would happen to the boy. But in the end, the boy was still believing there must be other good guys out there -- and it turned out there were, despite everything the man tried to teach him. I don't feel like the man was wrong to distrust everyone out there -- because I'd be the same way if it were me and my kid -- but it really touched me that the kid still believed in goodness, no matter what.
I'm just rambling. I ought to go back and edit my thoughts into something more coherent, but I'll just leave them like I wrote them. You know, like Kerouac. Heh.
Please pardon me, for these my wrongs. |
Edited by - coastline on 05/29/2007 13:49:30 |
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starmekitten
-= Forum Pistolera =-
United Kingdom
6370 Posts |
Posted - 05/29/2007 : 12:25:47
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Won't bother reading that one then...
Reading this:
Idiot. |
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cassandra is
> Teenager of the Year <
France
4233 Posts |
Posted - 05/29/2007 : 12:39:23
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quote:
Originally posted by floop
quote:
Originally posted by cassandra is
quote:
Originally posted by Homers_pet_monkey
quote:
Originally posted by cassandra is
I've recently finished those ones:
pas de bras pas de chocolat
How was it?
I'd walk her everyday, into a shady place
I was quite reluctant before beginning it. I'm a long time fan of Bret Easton Ellis, but I was very sceptic about this new project. The real-false-autobiographical-stuff aspect and the fact that he took so much time since Glamorama to write this one made me think that the guy was lost, and that he wouldn't be able to try something new or that reaches the level of his previous novels. I guess that's why it took me so much time to finally read it.
I was totally wrong. After 15 or 20 pages I was really into it. It's kinda breathtaking and disturbing. I'm not going to reveal the plot, but it's really surprising. It's at the same funny, spooky, violent, ridicule, moving and disgusting. You never know what's gonna happen. And I really like the way he uses and corrupts the clichés of the fantastic genre.
It was a really good surprise to me, and I hardly recommend it to you Homers and to anyone who likes the work of Ellis.
pas de bras pas de chocolat
wish i could say i felt the same way. i just finished it. i wasn't disappointed per se, but coming off of reading AMERICAN PSYCHO this LUNAR PARK feels bland . it was interesting to read, and i'll read anything he puts out, but i don't think it's in the same league as GLAMOURAMA or AP
you're right, but like I said it was a very good surprise to me because I wasn't expecting very much from this one, then I guess that's why I appreciated it so much, but like you say it's definitely not on the same level as AP or Less Than Zero, or even Glamorama, that's for sure
pas de bras pas de chocolat |
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cassandra is
> Teenager of the Year <
France
4233 Posts |
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Llamadance
> Teenager of the Year <
United Kingdom
2543 Posts |
Posted - 05/29/2007 : 14:45:32
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I like it so far 
No, I don't know that atheists should be considered as citizens, nor should they be considered patriots. This is one nation under God George Bush snr |
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bedrock_barney
= Cult of Ray =
United Kingdom
871 Posts |
Posted - 05/29/2007 : 15:09:56
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quote:
Originally posted by Llamadance
I like it so far
No, I don't know that atheists should be considered as citizens, nor should they be considered patriots. This is one nation under God George Bush snr
Snap!!!
But only on about page 10.
 The humble apple |
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danjersey
> Teenager of the Year <
USA
2792 Posts |
Posted - 05/29/2007 : 22:28:01
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Myths of the north american Indians, by lewis spence.
there seems to be a common delusion among the tribes
we create a series of results just by being
then reject
and or except each act as a way of gaining control
how you mix in
is your business. |
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cptnpasty
- FB Fan -
Spain
161 Posts |
Posted - 05/30/2007 : 03:22:52
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| Dave eggers ; You shall know our velocity, good, very funny... |
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coastline
> Teenager of the Year <
USA
3111 Posts |
Posted - 05/30/2007 : 21:52:52
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You might like this, Tre.
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awestruck
= Cult of Ray =
USA
377 Posts |
Posted - 05/30/2007 : 21:54:46
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The Epic of Gilgamesh. it is for my mythology class.
Favorite Quote: awestruck is a she, she's a she. -trobrianders |
Edited by - awestruck on 05/30/2007 21:55:09 |
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Jose Jones
* Dog in the Sand *
USA
1758 Posts |
Posted - 05/31/2007 : 07:15:40
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quote:
Originally posted by darwin
quote:
Originally posted by houstonguthrie
my recommendations are -
"1776" by David McCullough
"John Adams" by David McCullough
"His Excellency George Washington" by Joseph Ellis
"American Sphinx - The Character of Thomas Jefferson" by Joseph Ellis
"Alexander Hamilton" - Ron Chernow
okay - now I've gone out on a limb and established myself as the nerdiest reader on the board. Anybody else enjoy this kind of stuff?
Absolutely, the only fiction I read is kid fiction with my daughter, but I love history, biographies, and baseball books.
I've read the first two on your list. I really liked "1776", but I think war books are interesting. But, I found "John Adams" to be OK but not wonderful.
My favorites:
1) Morris's trilogy on Teddy Roosevelt - the 3rd isn't out yet
2) Taylor Branch's trilogy on MLK Jr.
3) Shelby Foote's trilogy on the Civil War (these are some of the best books I've ever read. It's amazing the details he wrote, but it reads like a novel.)
4) Janet Brown's pair of books about Darwin
5) McCullough's Truman book
6) Atkinson's An Army at Dawn about the US army in Europe at the beginning of WWII (I think this is planned to be another trilogy)
7) Bill James's Historical Baseball Abstract
8) Ball Four
9) Veeck as in Wreck - autobiography of Bill Veeck
2 years ago i got onto a huge "founding fathers era" kick of my own.
joseph ellis is great.
right now i'm reading "foley is good." ah, to be a kid again.
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they were the heroes of old, men of renown. |
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awestruck
= Cult of Ray =
USA
377 Posts |
Posted - 06/05/2007 : 19:20:14
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Now I am reading Mahabharata for my class. Retold by Krishna Dharma.
Maybe I will grin but I won’t bear
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cptnpasty
- FB Fan -
Spain
161 Posts |
Posted - 06/06/2007 : 02:18:50
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quote:
Originally posted by Newo
in the mountains right now and what better company than this plotless meandering through endless digresions? it's about a guy trying to tell his life story and not getting much further than four years before he was born.
--
Allen Ginsberg says you got no soul. The ancient Egyptians say you got seven of these bastards, and Pharaohs got fourteen, what they get for being Pharaohs.
Best. Book. Ever. |
Edited by - cptnpasty on 06/06/2007 02:20:11 |
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OLDMANOTY
= Cult of Ray =
United Kingdom
469 Posts |
Posted - 06/06/2007 : 06:01:44
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| Catriona by Robert Louis Stevenson. It's the sequel to Kidnapped, a bit dull and laboured but I've got to read it for work - doing a theatrical version at the Edinburgh Fringe this year. |
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jediroller
* Dog in the Sand *
France
1718 Posts |
Posted - 06/06/2007 : 08:17:53
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I started this today:
It's about how clever men invented the digital computer so they could break the Axis' secret codes during WWII.
You can confirm the genuineness of the deceased death by clicking on this website
free music | Blackolero | Frank Black & Pixies Tributes |
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Carl
- A 'Fifth' Catholic -
Ireland
11546 Posts |
Posted - 06/06/2007 : 08:40:55
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Okay, it's not Shakesphere, but it does trace the potency attached to rings from ancient times, which Tolkien drew on.
 "Aw yeah, that's the good stuff!" |
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kfs
= Cult of Ray =
USA
889 Posts |
Posted - 06/17/2007 : 03:06:13
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This is a collection of short stories by William Gay. He is an author that lives in my little town. I'd never read any of his other books so I picked this one up to check him out. I am enjoying it so far.
______________________
I've seen blue you've never seen |
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kfs
= Cult of Ray =
USA
889 Posts |
Posted - 06/17/2007 : 03:11:14
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...and I plan to read this one next...
______________________
I've seen blue you've never seen |
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starmekitten
-= Forum Pistolera =-
United Kingdom
6370 Posts |
Posted - 06/17/2007 : 03:25:53
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I did not enjoy Anna Karenin much truth be told. I like my Russians good and crazy and this was too much like A Grand Romantic Novel. Nowadays women who get ditched will hack up their clothes, get drunk and comment on how actually the ditcher wasn't all that great in bed anyway. It seems in days gone by they got ill/had to go abroad/died. It was long and repetitive and tedious. I wasn't sorry to finish it.
Haven't had much train reading time in this last week or so thanks to my third dose of chickenpox so not made a lot of progression here. This is my first crack at Dickens so we'll see how this goes when I start to warm up.
Idiot. |
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kathryn
~ Selkie Bride ~
Belgium
15320 Posts |
Posted - 06/17/2007 : 03:39:44
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Ooooh. One of my faves and a great recent TV adaptation. Enjoy, pox girl!
I got some heaven in my head
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kelladwella
= Cult of Ray =
Germany
729 Posts |
Posted - 06/17/2007 : 03:40:06
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Bought it because I liked the cover. That's not a bad reason to start a book by Ellis. Plus I want to check out his early stuff. Funny read so far. |
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Jose Jones
* Dog in the Sand *
USA
1758 Posts |
Posted - 06/19/2007 : 20:34:12
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i'm reading 'the hobbit' and roald dahl's 'the umbrella man.'
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they were the heroes of old, men of renown. |
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darwin
>> Denizen of the Citizens Band <<
USA
5454 Posts |
Posted - 06/19/2007 : 20:50:15
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I'm taking a break from my book on the fall of the Roman Empire to read this book. She's very funny. I was given the book for Father's day after we recently watched the Gigantic film about They Might be Giants. She (and Frank) often appears in the film and has witty things to say. I've been wanting to read this book for some time. |
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Jose Jones
* Dog in the Sand *
USA
1758 Posts |
Posted - 07/08/2007 : 08:32:43
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i just started TOBACCO ROAD due to the reccomendation (sic?) here. so far so good! the bit about jeeter constantly telling dude to stop throwing the ball against the house reminds me of bill murray's SCROOGED when he has to tell the set-makers to stop hammering.
"please! for the love of god, and your own bodies, stop that hammering!"
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they were the heroes of old, men of renown. |
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What are you reading?
sorry Homers, I'm always mistaking between hardly and strongly... of course I meant strongly... my bad english strikes again