What Are You Reading? Feb 07

I'm reading Prep by Curtis Sittingfield which I'm really enjoying. I've just finished Man Of My Dreams by the same author and she's a great writer. American. Like watching a film rather than chick lit (hate that label).

I'm also reading Wasting Police Time by PC Copperfield which is REALLY funny, I'm loving it.

I just bought The Genius Factory for my dp's birthday and it looks so interesting, I might try and read it without bending the spine before I wrap it up

I love Wilkie Collins too. There's something about the 19th century - I've always loved Dickens - think is a brilliant story teller. I really loved "The Quincunx" - modern author - can't remember name tho - huge book, sort of pastiche of 19th century novel, lots of twists and turns, marvellous characters and intricate plots. "Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell" by Susannah Clarke is in a similar style, huge but just so absorbing.

Know exactly what you mean, Issymum.
Presumably you've read Possession? - overwhelming memory of that is how good-hearted a book it is.

Eugene Onegin? - not exactly uplifting, but really engaging and downright satisfying.

Gorky's autobiographies.

Now can I have some jury-service suggestions please?

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I am reading Plain Truth by Jody Picoult and I cant put it down, its amazing

Currently by my bed are a clutch of books most of which arrived as part of a 'mystery selection' from a book club:

Iain Banks: The Business - took me a while to get into but am now enjoying just because the premise is so unusual, I can identify with the corporate-warrior heroine and I like the humour.

Carol Shields: Unless. So well-written and thoughtful, so interesting on the experience of motherhood, but wanly sad and made all the more so by knowing that Shields died of breast cancer not long after completing it.

Hugh Cunningham: The Invention of Childhood: - a little disappointing but interesting to dip into (the book was serialised on Radio 4).

Ian McEwan: Atonement. Too scared even to start it.

I feel a bit embarrassed to admit this, but my problem is that as I get older I find it less and less easy to cope with tragedy or even sadness in literature, particularly if it's unresolved. Despite being both very happy and lucky personally, middle age (is 43 middle aged?) has brought with it a profound sense of just how disappointing, dreary and downright ghastly life could be and I don't want to read about it. I do however still want to read well-written, challenging and interesting books; just ones with happy endings or at least ones that don't actively make me sad. At this rate I'll be on an unrelieved diet of 1990s Chicklit, David Lodge and Georgette Heyer by the time I'm 60. Bink, Marina et al: Any suggestions for books that will engage and uplift me but I won't have to hide behind a copy of The Economist on the train?

As in I read the Moonstone straight afterwards; I'm not ordering you to!

The Girl from the Chartreuse - Pierre Peju. A beautiful, although sad, book, beautifully written (in translation from French). Picked it up by chance but am loving it.

Ggirl - I LOVE the Woman in White! Def. one of my favourite books. Didn't want it to end - read the Moonstone straight afterwards!

I love Tristram Shandy. It does need a particular sort of reading rhythm, though - you have to bounce through it - going with the digressions - filling in the voids - seeing what's not being said -

Some people find it deadly; probably the same people who don't like Moby Dick.

Does that help?

What do you all think I should arm myself with for upcoming jury service?

I quite liked Notes on a Scandal, but I did find it very sad - all the stuff about the loneliness of having no family and getting old. A friend of mine thought it hilarious though. Have recently read Vikram Seth's "Two Lives" which was really good though made me weep uncontrollably at several points. (I should point out that I am pregnant and therefore extra susceptible). I loved Julian Barnes' "Arthur and George". It's one of those books that's very hard to put down.
If you want a bit of very easy reading, Elizabeth Peters series of novels about a lady egyptologist having adventures of derring-do in the 19th century are good fun. The 1st one is "Crocodile on the Sandbank".
Has anyone read any Arturo Perez-Reverte? The "Seville Communion" is brilliant - sort of thriller mystery but with a handsome Catholic priest as protagonist - very sexy!

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is it worse in (a) science fiction (b) fantasy? Discuss, with reasons for your view.

Have had flashbacks to the ludicrous sex scenes in various sci-fi classics I have read over the years bink

um, Marina: have decided Ings not quite up there with Mitchell because Ings is a bit ill-judged in the sex bits. (Mitchell doesn't really do sex bits, does he? Or if he does - think there may be some in Number 9 Dream - it's because the script required it -)

dh says that this is because Ings has heretofore done science-fiction (which is of course notorious for ill-judged sex)

I'm obviously a weakling going to bed way before you lot

I really liked Wicked. I read it about, 6 yrs ago (?) bought on a trip to CA. I really enjoy authors that put a spin on tradditional fairytales. It made me think, "oh, yeah it could be that way" Just reinforces the concept that everything is different depending on your point of view. I've read "Confessions" as well -- but don't remember it as clearly as Wicked.

Noticed that Mirror is set in Italy, so will be giving it another go soon. Now that my brain is killed dead by working so hard I might get into it.

I am currently reading Running with Scissors, not really enjoying it.

TBH, don't know if it's me or the books but I've not enjoyed the last few books I've read.

Tory Hayden - Beautiful child, Have read the other books also.....

I didn't like notes on a scandal, but I will go and see the film out of interest. i always like to see the film after I've read a book, it's always disappointing, but I feel the need to do it anyway.

I loved Poisonwood Bible too.

A friend recommended Robert B Parker books to me. I thought they wouldn't be my thing at all ( American Detective) but I'm addicted.

I went to the library today and oredered 5 more for next week.
Anyone else read them?

I am reading Love and Other Impossible Pursuits which is much less chick-lity than it appears fortunately. I also have Notes on a Scandal, This Book will Save your Life and The Good Life. All going in my hospital bag!

'Notes on a scandal' is such a nothing book.

QApart from MSc course work am about to start 'The Farm'.Factual account of family forced to sell up after 200 years.
Farm turned into trendy housing natch.

Struggling to get into Madame Bovary. I know I should be loving it but... Felt I should read something classic to counteract all the rubbish I'm drawn to!
Just finished The Island which I really enjoyed (don't think I was supposed to like it)

I'm reading The Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver and I am loving it. Fabulous.

Reread Mansfield Park yesterday as had to sit on the sofa most of the day with ill child's head in my lap. Am reading nothing but stuff about the hundred years' war for the next two weeks however as my OU course has started in earnest. Have got enormous pile of stuff to wade through and am panicking a leetle.

"Jane Eyre". I'm re-reading it, coz I've just read "Rebecca" and "Wide Sargasso Sea", and thought I would do a bit of, well, you know, linking....Aksherly, coming back to it as a 40 year old, rather than a teenager, I think "JE" is a load of overwritten twaddle, but DH points out that it is all to do with the Victorian sublimation of sex (notwithstanding the fact that Charlotte B.never had any). Mr R's marmoreal temples and glinting eyes are getting a bit much for me.