The Literary Society

Ahhh this thread



My username is eyreheathcliff (if i remember rightly..) if you wish to add me I have some pretty generic lists at the moment but the library near me has been under refurbishment and I'm stingy when it comes to buying books I don't know much about!


Posted from TSR Mobile

I do I only have a few friends who use it... although one of them is a linguist who seems to read more books than I thought possible so my account just feels inferior in comparison

x

Is anyone doing the 2013 Reading Challenge on Goodreads? I've set mine at 60, after only getting 54/100 last year. Currently 10 books behind schedule, but I remain optimistic!

Yesterday, I have read an excerpt from Charlote Bronte's novel Jane Eyre. In this excerpt the town Millcote is mentioned. But as foreigner who don't live in Great Britain I wonder whether the town exists or its just a fictional one. When I googled it I can't locate the town...

Has anyone read much of Hermann Hesse? I'm reading Steppenwolf at the moment, pacing myself with it so I have time to think it over. Always find Hesse's ability to draw you in to these philosophical discussions amazing, although I wish I didn't have to read in translation.

Fictional.

I've started using Goodreads more now, especially since my booklist has been growing steadily..

http://www.goodreads.com/user/show/6155801-gunjan

I also just finished American Gods. I'm not sure how I feel about it to be honest.. I really liked the story behind it, but didn't feel very satisfied with the way it turned out.

Anyway, I'm going to read The Road by Cormac McCarthy now.

Neil Gaiman can be a little like that; sometimes he doesn't sustain his ideas throughout a novel. I actually disagree on American Gods as it happens, though, but if you want to read something along the same lines with a slightly more focussed plot try Anansi Boys.

Not sure if I should try another one of Gaiman's books.. I loved the commencement speech he gave, and his interviews are always enjoyable to watch.

I've read all of his novels for adults and a few of his young adult ones and would recommend Neverwhere, Anansi Boys, American Gods, and Coraline to anyone (Neverwhere also has a great Radio 4 adaptation which just aired with a fantastic cast including Benedict Cumberbatch, Christopher Lee, Natalie Dormer, Bernard Cribbins and James McAvoy). If you like Terry Pratchett or just want something to tone down the Gaiman-ness then Good Omens is great as it's a collaboration, and it's got a good mix of humour with the fantasy elements. Nowhere near as heady as American Gods and never aspires to be, but fun for a light read! Sorry to be so enthusiastic, hardly anyone I know has read anything of Gaiman's so I'm keen to talk about his books.

Good luck with The Road btw, it's miserable but beautifully written from what I've read of it!

A Madman's Diary - and will begin to read some short stories based in China very soon.

Is anyone doing the 2013 Reading Challenge on Goodreads? I've set mine at 60, after only getting 54/100 last year. Currently 10 books behind schedule, but I remain optimistic!

I haven't heard of this before. Could you explain what it is?

Just finished Steppenwolf. Wow, that was an odd but intense read. It's so heady and surprisingly emotionally involving (although I was reminded of Chapter 11 of Dorian Gray during Harry's experience in the Magic Theatre, hehe). Would definitely recommend but I'm going to have to reread to pick up on some of the ideas properly.

Not sure what to read now. I should read some poetry as I'm applying for English and I'm weak on it outside of the syllabus, and I've been meaning to pick up some Byron for a while now since I read Darkness for my coursework, any suggestions where to start on Amazon? A collection of all the Big Six Romantics would be nice actually.

I haven't heard of this before. Could you explain what it is?

Goodreads is a site where you can list and 'bookshelf' down the books you're reading/have read/want to read; you can also write reviews for them, get recommendations and join various lit communities. They have a 'reading challenge' which means you put down how many books you want to read, say 50, and it sees how much you have to go. (I'm 15% ahead! ) But mainly I use Goodreads to keep track of my books and my thoughts about them. It's good, I would give it a go.



Don Juan is Byron's most lauded 'epic satire' if I'm not mistaken. But to be honest, as a poetry fan, I would really suggest reading away from old, white men. They're so dead (and overdone).

Mr Porter explained it well - here's a link for the ongoing one, where you can sign up if you're on Goodreads.