What book are you currently reading?

I just finished Game of Thrones, the first in a series. It was excellent and I just started reading Smokin Seventeen by Janet Evanovich

Lilli--It's been a few years since I've read "American Gods". I remember it being all right, maybe a bit better than most of the other popular novels out there, but as far as it being worth finishing, I really can't say. If the book is boring you that much, I would have to say no. I don't remember anything really spectacular happening at the end.

Jen--Ah, I'm glad to see a fellow addict to "A Song of Ice and Fire" series. I have read the four books currently in print and am eagerly awaiting "A Dance With Dragons", which is (hopefully, allegedly) coming out in July. And it damn well better not be another six years until the next novel, like it was for this one, Mr. George R. R. Martin!

How is the Dostoevsky book coming?

I'm currently reading The Red Badge of Courage by Stephen Crane. I'm up to chapter four.

Jen wrote:

How is the Dostoevsky book coming?

It's finished. Review is in the review section.

Dormouse wrote:

I'm currently reading The Red Badge of Courage by Stephen Crane. I'm up to chapter four.

Let us know how you like it. It's great to see you back, Dormouse!

I'm a little confused. Is A Song of Ice and Fire related to Game of Thrones? Are they separate series?

Anyone here read the Dresden Files? I'm hacking my way through the next couple or so.

Lillian wrote:

I'm a little confused. Is A Song of Ice and Fire related to Game of Thrones? Are they separate series?

Anyone here read the Dresden Files? I'm hacking my way through the next couple or so.

"Game of Thrones" is the first book of the series that is called "A Song of Ice and Fire". Right now there are four novels published in this series, with the fifth novel due to come out in July. The author is George R. R. Martin. Very much recommended.

Sorry, I've never read the Dresden Files.

Well, I have finally acquired a book that I should have read years ago, a book that I'm sure most of you have read already: "To Kill A Mockingbird" by Harper Lee. It's about time I got to this one.

Paul wrote:

Well, I have finally acquired a book that I should have read years ago, a book that I'm sure most of you have read already: "To Kill A Mockingbird" by Harper Lee. It's about time I got to this one.

I'd like to hear your thoughts on this one, Paul. I liked it in a way, though I had a hard time getting through it - it's not exactly a pageturner, and some parts of it could have been left out without lessening its appeal in the least. In fact, I think condensing the entire novel might have added to its message.

I've been reading a lot of Tess Gerritsen and Anne George lately - thrillers and good old murder mysteries. I have this huge stack of books I desperately want to read, and I am going to tackle it starting Wednesday at noon. (11:15 is when I'll be handing out report cards to my students - summer holidays, yay!)

Paul wrote:

Well, I have finally acquired a book that I should have read years ago, a book that I'm sure most of you have read already: "To Kill A Mockingbird" by Harper Lee. It's about time I got to this one.

I'm really looking forward to seeing what you think of this. It isn't exciting at all in my opinion, but it still captivated me, especially from Scout's POV. One of my favorites.

I have a couple of books that, sooner or later, I will be diving into. One is "Atlas Shrugged" by Ayn Rand. I have heard much about Ms. Rand, especially her politics (she supposedly makes current American Republican conservatives look like out-and-out liberals). And as I look at the pages of the book (which I got in a second-hand bookstore), I am seeing over 1000 pages with very small print. Well, if I don't like the book I can always use it as a doorstop.

Another book I got is a more recent one. It is "The Passage" by Justin Cronin. This is another book I have heard a lot about. From what I have heard it is a horror novel of sorts, with vampires or zombies or some such roaming a post-apocalyptic world. A cross between Stephen King's "The Stand" and Cormac McCarthy's "The Road", from what I understand. Well, I have read, and liked, both of those novels. So we will see about this one.

Needless to say, I will write reviews whenever I get to these books.

Well, I have started "The Passage" by Justin Cronin. I am about 100 pages into it. It seems well-written, but I'm already noticing spots that could have used a good editorial touch. And yes, it does seem to involve some sort of vampires. I'll post a review once I'm done.

I'm about fifty pages into "Der Prozess" by Franz Kafka (still trying to grab some knowledge of literary classics along the way). It is a typical Kafka in many ways... hard to describe, really. It's the feel of the text itself. It's creepy and surrealistic without being fantastical. It's more like the feeling you get in a really realistic nightmare.

To be perfectly honest, I'm not too much of a Kafka admirer, but I'll do what I can

Paul wrote:

I have a couple of books that, sooner or later, I will be diving into. One is "Atlas Shrugged" by Ayn Rand. I have heard much about Ms. Rand, especially her politics (she supposedly makes current American Republican conservatives look like out-and-out liberals). And as I look at the pages of the book (which I got in a second-hand bookstore), I am seeing over 1000 pages with very small print. Well, if I don't like the book I can always use it as a doorstop.
Needless to say, I will write reviews whenever I get to these books.

Well, I am very interested on your views regarding this book. I've heard a lot about it, but have no intention of going through it any time soon, as I disliked the philosophy that was presented. I found it morally distasteful.
I've always supported the far left in regards to government financial policy. I believe that a society should support its members.
I am very much looking forward to this review, I hope you enjoy the novel.

I have two weeks vacation coming up - going to spend most of it at the cottage, on the deck with a cool drink and several books (on the list is Horns by Joe Hill, Under Heaven by Guy Gavriel Kay and Moonlight Mile by Dennis Lehane). Currently I'm reading Let the Right One In. I'm enjoying this one - it's quite interesting to read a horror novel that humanizes vampires without making them overly sympathetic or romantic. Eli (the vamp) feeds because she has too much like we eat because we have to. Her "pain" comes from extreme loneliness, not some pining for lost humanity or teeth gnashing over what kind of monster she has become.

Oh, interesting. I have the Swedish movie made in 2008. I haven't had a chance to see it yet, but the critics seemed to like it. But if the novel is better than the movie (novels tend to be, unless both are terrible) than I should definitely give the book a shot. It looks like she is suffering from an interesting dilemma.
I hope you will let us know how you enjoyed it once you finished it.

Enjoy your other novels.

I'm just about finished with the first book of the new series by Rick Riordan, again centering around Camp Half-Blood. Yes, I know it's children's lit, and being a historian and all, I should find novels about Greek gods living above the Empire State Building and giants blowing up stuff and grazing satyrs somewhat tedious, but to be perfectly honest, I love it to bits. I devoured the first series, I am reading the separate series called "The Kane Chronicles" (beginning with "The Red Pyramid" ), and now there's this new series - it's fantastic. And fantastical, really.

I've been in a short story mood lately. I’ve just finished reading The Dunwich Horror by Lovecraft. I may read another of his or maybe Poe. I have some Horacio Quiroga stories here and a book of short stories by Juan Rulfo (which I have barely looked at for some time) so I may move onto them next.

Ben wrote:

I've been in a short story mood lately. I’ve just finished reading The Dunwich Horror by Lovecraft. I may read another of his or maybe Poe. I have some Horacio Quiroga stories here and a book of short stories by Juan Rulfo (which I have barely looked at for some time) so I may move onto them next.

Have you checked out James Thurber? He's a great satirist. I also love the short works of Ambrose Bierce.

I could use some good references for non-American short story writers, though. Any suggestions?

Paul - is that really "non-American" or rather "non-English-language"?

I can recommend short stories by Anita Desai (India), Bharati Mukherjee (India), Michael Marshall Smith (technically English, although he did spend some time in the US, South Africa and Australia), Wendy Wallace (Britain), Ron Butlin (Britain), and, for guilty pleasure, Pierre Bellemare (France), although I am not altogether sure if he has ever been translated into English.

If, though, you'd like to get some insight into classic German short stories, that's a different matter entirely. Then you might want to look into Wolfgang Borchert, Heinrich Böll (whom I hate with a passion, but he did win a Nobel Prize of Literature after all), Ilse Aichinger, and perhaps Siegfried Lenz (his novellas are exquisite, but I've never tried any of the short stories).

Paul wrote:

Ben wrote:

I've been in a short story mood lately. I’ve just finished reading The Dunwich Horror by Lovecraft. I may read another of his or maybe Poe. I have some Horacio Quiroga stories here and a book of short stories by Juan Rulfo (which I have barely looked at for some time) so I may move onto them next.

Have you checked out James Thurber? He's a great satirist. I also love the short works of Ambrose Bierce.

I could use some good references for non-American short story writers, though. Any suggestions?

I have actually just downloaded a collection of works by Bierce. I am surprised to see it doesn't incude An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge! I have always wanted to read that. I've never heard of James Thurber (shame on me lol) but I'll keep an eye out for him, thanks.

As for non-US short story writers; you can't go far wrong with Juan Rulfo and Horacio Quiroga. Pedro Paramo by Rulfo is an amazing story. It inspired Gabriel Garcia Marquez to write One Hundred Years of Solitude, which happens to be one of my favourite novels. Algernon Blackwood, M.R. James are very good (though I am sure you have already read them) Roberto Bolano has published (to my knowledge) three collections of short stories. I have read a fair few now. They are great. Although he is not for everyone. I read 2666 earlier this year and my view of literature and its possiblities have never been the same since. He was an excellent writer.

Sorry, I can't think of any more at this time, but soon as I do I'll let you know.

Hope it helped a little.

Laura wrote:

I'm just about finished with the first book of the new series by Rick Riordan, again centering around Camp Half-Blood. Yes, I know it's children's lit, and being a historian and all, I should find novels about Greek gods living above the Empire State Building and giants blowing up stuff and grazing satyrs somewhat tedious, but to be perfectly honest, I love it to bits. I devoured the first series, I am reading the separate series called "The Kane Chronicles" (beginning with "The Red Pyramid" ), and now there's this new series - it's fantastic. And fantastical, really.

I love the new series. It's much in keeping with the old style. I don't like the Kane Chronicles quite as much, but I did enjoy the first two.

I have taken the plunge into "Anna Karenina", a book I would have never considered reading twenty or even ten years ago. I am about 100 pages into it, and again I am amazed at Tolstoy's brilliance at portraying his characters' emotions. He uses words and phrases I would never consider using, yet gets a "Yes! That's exactly what that feels like!" reaction out of me.

Paul wrote:

I have taken the plunge into "Anna Karenina", a book I would have never considered reading twenty or even ten years ago. I am about 100 pages into it, and again I am amazed at Tolstoy's brilliance at portraying his characters' emotions. He uses words and phrases I would never consider using, yet gets a "Yes! That's exactly what that feels like!" reaction out of me.

It's on the shelf next to my bed... it's just that I detested "War and Peace", so I am having trouble bringing myself to actually touch it.