Books #10 Reading Chats.

[SaintLeo]

I’m not saying I’ve been totally brainwashed by Kindle 99p deals, but I clicked on the Amazon Prime Days offer where you get £5 credit if you spend £10 on Kindle books, and have been desperately trying to find enough 99p books I want to buy to get me to £10!!

It literally only occurred to me this morning that I could actually by any book at any price! I’m going to go for The Secret History as one of them. It’s been sitting on my wish list for ever waiting for it to drop in price and it never does. Any other recommendations for must read non-offer books welcome!

 

[LaBlonde]

I hate-read it a few years ago. You know when you’re not enjoying a book and willing it to be over but you won’t give it the satisfaction of being abandoned!? It wasn’t uninteresting a premise but was twice as long as it needed to be.

I’ve just realised why I was so confused with Middlesex. It wasn’t at all what I was expecting. But that’s because I was expecting Middlemarch. Slightly different a book there, Carapop.

i think the premise had potential if she’d gone fully in with making it a black comedy about those types of self-involved wasp-y women, but the complete lack of humour killed it for me.

also, that makes sense gosh, i love middlemarch though. i read a whole bunch of classics over the first lockdown and that one in particular is a work of art. gorgeous book.

 

[Carapop]

i think the premise had potential if she’d gone fully in with making it a black comedy about those types of self-involved wasp-y women, but the complete lack of humour killed it for me.

also, that makes sense gosh, i love middlemarch though. i read a whole bunch of classics over the first lockdown and that one in particular is a work of art. gorgeous book.

It’s on my to read list as it’s included in every “books you just read before you die”. But looking at some choice quotes from it now I’m a little concerned that i might find the language a little inaccessible. Maybe once you get into it, warm up the synapses and become accustomed to the style it becomes second nature? But on first glance tis rather intimidating!

 

[LaBlonde]

It’s on my to read list as it’s included in every “books you just read before you die”. But looking at some choice quotes from it now I’m a little concerned that i might find the language a little inaccessible. Maybe once you get into it, warm up the synapses and become accustomed to the style it becomes second nature? But on first glance tis rather intimidating!

you definitely get into the flow of it. i’ve always found george elliot to be really readable, but she does (like a lot of that era) fall into large descriptions about the countryside and theology, but you can skip that and not miss much of the actual story. i love classic lit in general though and i would say to give yourself a few chapters so you find your feet and get into the style. it gets easier!

if you are wanting to read “classics” from that era i would always recommend anthony trollope or wilkie collins first though. both very fun to read and fast paced, without a lot of the essays.

 

[sleepingsatellite]

I’m not saying I’ve been totally brainwashed by Kindle 99p deals, but I clicked on the Amazon Prime Days offer where you get £5 credit if you spend £10 on Kindle books, and have been desperately trying to find enough 99p books I want to buy to get me to £10!!

Thanks for sharing this, I just tried this for Lessons In Chemistry which is 9.99. And it qualifies! I struggled to find the offer in my Amazon app but found it via this HotDeals link. Be sure to activate the offer before you buy!

https://www.hotukdeals.com/deals/get-ps5-in-kindle-book-credit-when-you-spend-ps10-on-kindle-books-prime-members-at-amazon-3961000

 

[smellsofbiscuits]

OH now away for a couple of times so, all being well, I should have a bit more time to read in the evenings. Usually we have dinner together but that's rarely before 8pm. When he's away I just eat with the kids and have a snack later on.

Started Mother's Boy by Patrick Gale yesterday. It's a library book and it's making me have flashbacks to summer holidays as a kid. When you had all day to lie in bed and read books Anyway, I'm almost 50 pages in and really enjoying it so far. The writing is just gorgeous Although the story is turning out to be quite tragic. The early section is set during WWI and how it interrupts a blossoming love affair.

 

[capriallie]

I also made the most of the Amazon deal. Bought the 2nd crescent city book and Ninth House by Leigh Bardago and then got the priory of the orange tree as well! (I’m really into fantasy books atm which was always not a genre I went for but Goodreads/booktok has changed me completely this year!!) still reading the house in the cerulean sea which is lovely (feels a bit YA though) although I read nothing yesterday as went to sleep with a heat related headache

 

[Carapop]

you definitely get into the flow of it. i’ve always found george elliot to be really readable, but she does (like a lot of that era) fall into large descriptions about the countryside and theology, but you can skip that and not miss much of the actual story. i love classic lit in general though and i would say to give yourself a few chapters so you find your feet and get into the style. it gets easier!

if you are wanting to read “classics” from that era i would always recommend anthony trollope or wilkie collins first though. both very fun to read and fast paced, without a lot of the essays.

Ah fab, thank you. Any in particular you recommend?

 

[LaBlonde]

Ah fab, thank you. Any in particular you recommend?

for collins: the woman in white or armadale, he does a lot of gothic style mysteries which are fantastic.

trollope does huge family sagas and most of his books are part of a huge sprawling series but you don’t need them in order: strongly recommend can you forgive her?, the eustace diamonds and he knew he was right.

for george elliot, the mill on the floss and wives and daughters are two of her lighter reads so you could try those before middlemarch as a taster!

 

[Smca53]

I also made the most of the Amazon deal. Bought the 2nd crescent city book and Ninth House by Leigh Bardago and then got the priory of the orange tree as well! (I’m really into fantasy books atm which was always not a genre I went for but Goodreads/booktok has changed me completely this year!!) still reading the house in the cerulean sea which is lovely (feels a bit YA though) although I read nothing yesterday as went to sleep with a heat related headache

I loved Ninth House, I’ve got it on my list to re-read soon even though I have a million other things to get through

 

[Carapop]

for collins: the woman in white or armadale, he does a lot of gothic style mysteries which are fantastic.

trollope does huge family sagas and most of his books are part of a huge sprawling series but you don’t need them in order: strongly recommend can you forgive her?, the eustace diamonds and he knew he was right.

for george elliot, the mill on the floss and wives and daughters are two of her lighter reads so you could try those before middlemarch as a taster!

Thank you so much. You’re so generous with your replies !

I didn’t realise middleMarch was quite so long. But once I got through infinite jest I found I wasn’t quite as daunted by lengthy reads. I did that last Xmas though so might save Eliot’s epic for a snuggly winter read too!

 

[LaBlonde]

Thank you so much. You’re so generous with your replies !

I didn’t realise middleMarch was quite so long. But once I got through infinite jest I found I wasn’t quite as daunted by lengthy reads. I did that last Xmas though so might save Eliot’s epic for a snuggly winter read too!

oh i only read classics in the winter! i don’t know why, but they just seem to suit a cosy knitwear, cup of tea, nice candle environment way more

i should have added some russians in there too though. leo tolstoy is very readable and you can read the “peace” parts only of war and peace if all the battlefield descriptions are offputting. anna karenina is truly wonderful. likewise the brothers karamazov is a really amazing book. and, not russian, but the count of monte cristo is probably my favourite book of all time (if i had to pick one!)

for american classics: the age of innocence by edith wharton is incredible.

and good on you for reading infinite jest! i’ve read books around that length but something about that one always scared me. i think it was all the footnotes!!

 

[Carapop]

oh i only read classics in the winter! i don’t know why, but they just seem to suit a cosy knitwear, cup of tea, nice candle environment way more

i should have added some russians in there too though. leo tolstoy is very readable and you can read the “peace” parts only of war and peace if all the battlefield descriptions are offputting. anna karenina is truly wonderful. likewise the brothers karamazov is a really amazing book.

and good on you for reading infinite jest! i’ve read books around that length but something about that one always scared me. i think it was all the footnotes!!

I am a little wary of Russian literature after the master and the margarita. I hated it so much! I’m not even sure why . And I know it’s utter madness to write off a whole nation of writers because of one book!

Infinite jest was not an easy read! I did it on a kindle which always aids footnote reading. And accompanied by a website that serves as a kind of reference. Almost a dictionary or glossary to explain/remind on key terms or references. It was a work of great arrogance by him really. And a lot has been revealed in recent years relating to DFW and misogyny and his treatment of women. But I try and separate art from artist. And as someone who struggles with mental health, I really appreciated some of the writing around it. And I did rather miss the book when it was over. It was with me for two weeks and then suddenly no more!

 

[SaintLeo]

i should have added some russians in there too though. leo tolstoy is very readable and you can read the “peace” parts only of war and peace if all the battlefield descriptions are offputting. anna karenina is truly wonderful. likewise the brothers karamazov is a really amazing book. and, not russian, but the count of monte cristo is probably my favourite book of all time (if i had to pick one!)

for american classics: the age of innocence by edith wharton is incredible.

That’s pretty much how I read War & Peace! Skim read the war bits to get to the more character focussed peace bits. I expected to have to read W&P in stages cos it’s so big but in the end I went straight through in one go, and enjoyed it way more than I thought I would!

Agree about Anna Karenina and Edith Wharton. I studied a lot of American lit at uni and Edith Wharton was a big part of that, often looked at together with Henry James. The House of Mirth is another good Wharton novel and A Portrait of a Lady by Henry James.

 

[Carapop]

That’s pretty much how I read War & Peace! Skim read the war bits to get to the more character focussed peace bits. I expected to have to read W&P in stages cos it’s so big but in the end I went straight through in one go, and enjoyed it way more than I thought I would!

Agree about Anna Karenina and Edith Wharton. I studied a lot of American lit at uni and Edith Wharton was a big part of that, often looked at together with Henry James. The House of Mirth is another good Wharton novel and A Portrait of a Lady by Henry James.

Love this. Wouldn’t even dawn on me to just skip the bits I don’t like!

Thanks for the recs, my list is ever growing, but it’s good to get some classics in there. I’m all about contemporary fiction nowadays but I’m missing out on a well rounded experience.

 

[Kittycat86]

I also made the most of the Amazon deal. Bought the 2nd crescent city book and Ninth House by Leigh Bardago and then got the priory of the orange tree as well! (I’m really into fantasy books atm which was always not a genre I went for but Goodreads/booktok has changed me completely this year!!) still reading the house in the cerulean sea which is lovely (feels a bit YA though) although I read nothing yesterday as went to sleep with a heat related headache

The second ninth house book comes out in January, off the top of my head I can’t remember the name but it’s a decent read.
It’s kinda academia fantasy

Crescent city 2 is definitely a ride of a book, with a few little gems.
I won’t spoil it but you should understand what I’m talking about when you get to that part. S J Maas was quite proud of this little gem and the way it’s going to progress the book and future projects

 

[capriallie]

The second ninth house book comes out in January, off the top of my head I can’t remember the name but it’s a decent read.
It’s kinda academia fantasy

Crescent city 2 is definitely a ride of a book, with a few little gems.
I won’t spoil it but you should understand what I’m talking about when you get to that part. S J Maas was quite proud of this little gem and the way it’s going to progress the book and future projects

Ahh yes I have heard there is a link in CC2 but I need to hurry up and read it as have been avoiding spoilers so far!🥲

I would love to read at least one classic a year! Have never tried Anna Karenina or War & Peace. I liked Jane Eyre but didn’t enjoy Wuthering Heights.

 

[SaintLeo]

I would love to read at least one classic a year! Have never tried Anna Karenina or War & Peace. I liked Jane Eyre but didn’t enjoy Wuthering Heights.

If anyone is interested in reading more classics there’s a podcast called Novel Pairings which is good on this. It’s made by two English teachers who talk about a classic per episode (or over a couple of episodes if they’re big ones!) and then match modern novels with them too based on genre, themes, characterisation etc. Its terrible for your TBR pile but great for getting into classics in bit more depth. Both the presenters have had babies recently so the episodes have slowed down a bit but loads of old ones to work through!

 

[Katykatykaty]

I’m not saying I’ve been totally brainwashed by Kindle 99p deals, but I clicked on the Amazon Prime Days offer where you get £5 credit if you spend £10 on Kindle books, and have been desperately trying to find enough 99p books I want to buy to get me to £10!!

It literally only occurred to me this morning that I could actually by any book at any price! I’m going to go for The Secret History as one of them. It’s been sitting on my wish list for ever waiting for it to drop in price and it never does. Any other recommendations for must read non-offer books welcome!

I’ve gone for The Final Girl Support Group, Nanny Needed, The Dreamers and The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes - all been on my wish list for a while so I thought why not! Now need to finish How We Are Human (which I’m loving!) then I get started on working through them all.

 

[fernly]

Ahh yes I have heard there is a link in CC2 but I need to hurry up and read it as have been avoiding spoilers so far!🥲

I would love to read at least one classic a year! Have never tried Anna Karenina or War & Peace. I liked Jane Eyre but didn’t enjoy Wuthering Heights.

My relationship with classics is a bit problematic. I read Moll Flanders, Moby Dick and Pamela or Virtue Rewarded. I nearly died of boredom while reading Pamela or Virtue Rewarded but quite liked Moll Flanders everyone i know who has read jane eyre loved it so much, i did too (the ghost scene was so scary it still makes me shiver even to think about it) The problem with Wuthering Heights is that the male character Heathcliff is so unlikable i just wanted to read a romantic book not two people who torture each other Les misérables, The count of Monte-Cristo and Les Fiancés by Alessandro Manzoni are my top 3 i love the phantom of the opera too