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Currently reading.......

Posted: Thu Jan 01, 2009 12:35 am
by HEPZIBAH
This section is for members to tell us about the books they are currently reading or have just read. A chance to give a personal review and what's the 'experts' say about it.

[face=Comic Sans MS]I will start us off with a book I have just finished reading - The God of Small Things by Arundhati Roy. It was a Booker prize winner in 1997.

I found this book written in a very strange way, at times almost poetic and at others barely understandable and yet always descriptive. It would have been easy not to have perceveered and yet I wanted to continue as there were strings that needed pulling together and I wanted to be sure I had done that in the same way as the author.

Would I recommend it to others? - To be perfectly honest I can't make my mind up about that![/face]

Amazon.co.uk Review
In her first novel, award-winning Indian screenwriter Arundhati Roy conjures a whoosh of wordplay that rises from the pages like a brilliant jazz improvisation. The God of Small Things is nominally the story of young twins Rahel and Estha and the rest of their family, but the book feels like a million stories spinning out indefinitely; it is the product of a genius child-mind that takes everything in and transforms it in an alchemy of poetry. The God of Small Things is at once exotic and familiar to the Western reader, written in an English that's completely new and invigorated by the Asian Indian influences of culture and language. --This text refers to the Paperback edition.

Posted: Fri Jan 02, 2009 12:53 am
by jewel
I am reading "Invisible women" by Jacky Trevane true stories of courage and survival
it is a sequel to her first book, and quite hard reading -but powerful.Laura, a mother of two was mentally abused and ostracised by her entire family. Charlotte has an eating disorder and feels so invisible that her only identity is to control what she eats. Tamara, a rich successful opera singer, has a long awaited son who is autistic. These are some of the diverse and moving stories, sometimes without a happy ending. Invisible Women is a reminder that women are still vulnerable to abuse and control, but it also shows the remarkable inner resources by which they can survive. A shocking but inspirational book. :)

Posted: Wed Jan 07, 2009 9:07 am
by KJB
I'm reading "The Historian" by Elizabeth Kostova:

(From the dustcover)

Late one night, exploring her father's library, a young woman finds an ancient book and a cache of yellowing letters addressed ominously to 'My dear and unfortunate successor'.
Her discovery plunges her into a world she never dreamed of - a labyrinth where the secrets of her father's past and her mother's mysterious fate connect to an evil hidden in the depths of history.


Its intriguing. I don't usually read horror stories and, in truth, it hasn't been really scary (yet) and I'm nearly half-way through. The scene changes between time frames are not too far apart, so it is easy to follow both storylines, the characters are likeable and there are some pleasing 'sharp intake of breath' moments. So, yes, I am enjoying it and would be happy to recommend it to anyone who likes a mystery with a frisson of disquiet (can't really categorise it as frightening, not even for me).

Posted: Wed Jan 07, 2009 2:40 pm
by Karenh
The last book I read was Nefartiti by Nick Drake
I found it to be quite interesting, and it certainley was colorful with the descritpions of the ceremonies held by Ankenaton.

I would reccomend it to anyone to read.

Re: Currently reading.......

Posted: Mon Mar 05, 2018 8:48 am
by LovelyLadyLux
Flashing to the present from the past I saw this Thread re: "Currently Reading...." and was curious if anybody is currently reading anything interesting, entertaining and worthwhile? I read all the time but lately seem to have gotten stuck in a whole bunch of simply "ok" books but nothing that has been a real page turner for me.

I actually prefer reading Biographies and personal accounts of travels and interesting achievements but have somehow managed to stray over to fiction with a leaning to mysteries and political thrillers.

Anybody have anything to suggest?

Re: Currently reading.......

Posted: Mon Mar 05, 2018 9:42 am
by Grandad
I am not a bookworm so can't comment here LLL except to say the posters from 2009 brought back a blast from the past. Where are all those good people now? Sorry to diress but the names rang bells and set my mind thinking back.
Sorry ;)

Re: Currently reading.......

Posted: Mon Mar 05, 2018 9:50 am
by Mad Dilys
Me too Grandad, Jewel for example rarely boring. Always read her posts.

Re: Currently reading.......

Posted: Mon Mar 05, 2018 10:01 am
by Horus
Its the old story Grandad, as interest in Egypt generally wanes then the members actually contributing drops off. :(

Re: Currently reading.......

Posted: Mon Mar 05, 2018 1:40 pm
by Kiya
I haven't read for a while but if so it would be anything historical :)

I love my fire & watch a lot from YouTube again anything historical & have watched & followed a lot on Nexflix :)

Re: Currently reading.......

Posted: Mon Mar 05, 2018 5:30 pm
by LovelyLadyLux
I read quite a bit and love getting books on Kindle Fire. I'm reading on it several times a day. Usually when I'm on holidays I've saved up a couple of good books or books I'm interested in so looking forward to reading them. For whatever reason during this last trip I didn't have any books in the queue and while I read daily it was all whodunit fiction with nothing really outstanding there.

Just finished a book yesterday and was cruising Amazon looking for something that would really spark my interest but wasn't coming up with anything so have started another fiction that is classed as a psychological thriller. Am already about 20% into it and haven't been too thrilled yet.

The names and flashes from the past are always interesting and can set to remembering. Not sure why they're no longer chatting on here. Don't believe we have ever run anybody off nor do we have the pedantic boors. I find our daily chats quite interesting and informative.

Re: Currently reading.......

Posted: Mon Mar 05, 2018 7:26 pm
by Mad Dilys
I don't do Facebook any more, I wasted too much time on it. I think all of the missing names prefer Facebook, :(

Re: Currently reading.......

Posted: Mon Mar 05, 2018 9:24 pm
by Ruby Slippers
I'm forever reading, and at the moment I'm reading criminal fiction by a serving police officer named Lisa Cutts. She is also an officer in Kent Police force, which makes them even more interesting. They're well written and fast moving.

Re: Currently reading.......

Posted: Tue Mar 06, 2018 6:47 am
by Mad Dilys
I don't read much these days, but currently my choice is A Compendium of Watercolour Techniques. I just love this book - in fact reading it keeps me from painting because I am thrilled by the simplicity of the text and the illustrations. Over 200 tips and ideas, a really beautiful book.

I used to be an avid reader and was thrilled to get my first Kindle. Unfortunately that was when I discovered that on screen I read word by word. I hadn't noticed it on a computer screen, but sure enough that's the case and I don't get the same pleasure from a screen, though I'll use it for reference material.

Evidently on printed paper I scan and reading word for word slows me down. My imagination is also affected in as much as with fiction I'm often not sure if I've read the book or seen the film as I remember both visually.

Between the ages of 9 and 13 years I read every book in Cranbrook village library. It was a fairly small library to be sure and between 11 and 13 years I was a weekly boarder at school so didn't have so much access. I could read and remember 4 books a day on average. I was often ill so had more chance than many to read.

I was given an encyclopaedia of gardening and that inspired my love plants. I would read anything I saw print on, and as an adult could comfortably read a book a day, a short paperback novel in about an hour if I concentrated on it. I read The Godfather one night when I sat up with some hatching Peacock eggs. :lol:

The Vet wasn't a great reader and I bemused him so much that he bought me a book from a second hand stall "The Pilchard" about it's importance in world economy.(I've checked Google and a first edition is available in USA for $74!) he wanted to find something that would bore me - but I found it fascinating. :up

Re: Currently reading.......

Posted: Tue Mar 06, 2018 4:49 pm
by Ruby Slippers
Another book I am reading at the moment is the early life of Edward Enfield. What a fascinating man and life! I'm not a great fan of his son, Harry Enfield, and it's difficult to believe they came from the same stable, so to speak! Edward has written several books but I've only read a couple so far, but I will be looking for more definitely. Highly recommended. :up

Re: Currently reading.......

Posted: Tue Mar 06, 2018 5:04 pm
by LovelyLadyLux
@MD - I swear we're related! Interesting that you read word for word on a screen vs skim. I find I can skim easily enough if I chose or go word for word if I must actually remember (when I was working) all that I was reading. Basically I'll read anything vs reading nothing. With pottery I seem to find that I'm spending more time reading about it than doing anything about it.

@RS - I'll file your names and see if I can get them here. Seems every once in a while I go into a deep hole of books with nothing being that good. I like fiction and quite like it if it is based on something happening in real life - in other words make me believe it is real and basically could have happened.

Here lately the world of vampires and ghosts and other worldly things seems popular and that I can't abide reading (as I often find the writing not too good either).

Re: Currently reading.......

Posted: Mon Aug 06, 2018 3:12 pm
by Ruby Slippers
I've been meaning to post in here for some time but for some reason kept forgetting to. A writer who I have come to admire a lot over the past year or so is Charity Norman. I have just re-read one of hers and enjoyed it just as much as I did the first time round. It's 'After the Fall' and comes highly recommended by me. All her books so far have kept me engrossed and each one covers a different subject. She reminds me of Jodi Picoult in her subject matter, but she is a New Zealander and her style of writing is excellent. This particular novel would definitely appeal to LLL, I think! :up

Re: Currently reading.......

Posted: Tue Aug 07, 2018 2:01 am
by LovelyLadyLux
Will keep the title - 'After the Fall' and look for it ..... always looking for a good and interesting read

Re: Currently reading.......

Posted: Wed Aug 08, 2018 7:39 pm
by FABlux
I tend to read fiction on the kindle but bought a few actual books recently.

One was Fabulous Finn: The Brave Police Dog Who Came Back which brought me to tears as it is the true story behind Finn's Law which is going through Parliament at the moment. He is a police dog who was stabbed several times & nearly died protecting his handler (who was also slightly injured) and when it finally came to court the magistrate said "nothing for the dog" as the only charge available under present law is criminal damage, the same as breaking a window! The book was also a fascinating insight into rearing and training of police dogs.

https://www.finnslaw.com/

Re: Currently reading.......

Posted: Tue Jan 01, 2019 10:07 am
by Mad Dilys
For Christmas my youngest daughter gave me -

Brief Answers To The Big Question by Stephen Hawking

The Organized Mind by Daniel Levitin

Super Freakonomics by Steven Levitt & Stephen Dubner


That's a somewhat eclectic mix. :lol:

Re: Currently reading.......

Posted: Tue Jan 01, 2019 5:42 pm
by LovelyLadyLux
Definitely is. The book by Stephen Hawking would be interesting. Watched his movie bio on Netflix a while ago. Was quite interesting and he was more than interesting too.

I didn't read as much as usual over this holiday season. I gave but didn't get a book this year. Hmmm :urm: