Must-reads

[+ Chris Eisenhower]

I've been trying to get back into the habit of reading more than Wikipedia and the occasional copy of Entertainment Weekly.

 

Today I started a book that Prof Mitch gave me called "This Is Where I Leave You," which reminds me of another book I read a long time ago called "There Should Have Been Castles," the Herman Raucher. It's sad that book has never been made into a movie... if you can manage to get ahold of a copy, read it. Hilarious.

 

What's on your reading list for the remainder of summer and fall?

[Will Do]

A Confederacy of Dunces by John Kennedy Toole

 

For the 15th or 20th time.

[+ Chris Eisenhower]

A Confederacy of Dunces by John Kennedy Toole

 

For the 15th or 20th time.

 

I tried reading that once and just could not get into it. I think the story about how the book was published is quite interesting.

 

From Wikipedia: "Director John Waters was interested in directing an adaptation starring Divine as Ignatius when Divine was alive."

 

Oh, if only.

[playwrestler]

And then there's my all time favorite - John Irving's A PRAYER FOR OWEN MEANEY. Must read that again soon.

[TruHart1]

I've been trying to get back into the habit of reading more than Wikipedia and the occasional copy of Entertainment Weekly.

 

Today I started a book that Prof Mitch gave me called "This Is Where I Leave You," which reminds me of another book I read a long time ago called "There Should Have Been Castles," the Herman Raucher. It's sad that book has never been made into a movie... if you can manage to get ahold of a copy, read it. Hilarious.

 

What's on your reading list for the remainder of summer and fall?

 

I have just finished reading The Impossible Lives of Greta Wells by Andrew Sean Greer (somewhat comparable to The Time Traveler’s Wife, but taken in unexpected directions) and The Cuckoo’s Calling by Robert Galbraith (aka J.K. Rowling – a really fun, well-structured murder mystery with a wonderfully idiosyncratic lead P.I., whom I hope she plans writing a long series around!) I am moving next to Mr. Greer’s The Confessions of Max Tivoli which, from the reviews, has been described as a much better written The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (the F. Scott Fitzgerald short story, not the movie with Brad Pitt) type novel. Happy reading to all!!!

 

Truhart1:cool:

[actor61]

I'm just so thrilled to find people who actually read! I devour books but hardly ever have anyone with whom I can discuss them. Right now, I'm reading "A Royal Passion", the history of the marriage between Charles I of England and Henrietta Maria of France. I know it sounds boring but it's absolutely fascinating and exciting. I read that on the beach and at home, I'm reading "Apollo's Angeles", a history of ballet. I usually only read history and bios, although I love reading and reading classic novels - Hugo, Dickens, Melville, Poe - when I have the time to sit and read for hours. Winter is a really good time to dive into "Moby Dick" or "Last of the Mohicans" Rainy days too. I got into Arthur Conan Doyle last summer; the original Sherlock Holmes stories are wonderful. I love Elmore Leonard novels; he just died last week. What a loss. Sometimes, I feel that my head is so full of stories, characters, words and images that it's going to burst - I love that feeling.

[+ friendofsheila]

Recently:

 

I'm struggling through Fielding's "Tom Jones".

 

And "Going Solo : The Extraordinary Rise And Surprising Appeal Of Living Alone" (not struggling at it)

 

Just finished "The Verse by the Side of the Road" (story of the Burma Shave signs), and the Spoto bio of Joan Crawford (not very good, I thought).

[DeNeufaille]

The Red and the Black by Stendhal...a great read that has my current attention.

[+ WilliamM]

The Grass is Singing by Doris Lessing.

 

Lessing is the oldest person to ever win the Nobel Prize for Literature (2007), but was unable to travel to Stockholm for the award. She's still alive at age 93. Many of her books are about life in Zimbalwe; she is superb on British colonialism.

[+ friendofsheila]

The Red and the Black by Stendhal...a great read that has my current attention.

 

I've got the Norton Critical Edition. I'm looking forward to it.

[+ E.T.Bass]

In the past I'd wondered if any posts had ventured into books. So I see at least one did. Ran across this old thread today.

 

I just finished A Boy's Own Story by Edmund White. EW had interviewed James Franco last year in Out magazine, so I became familiar, and put his book in my queue. Written in the 80s, setting in the 50s, it's an interesting look at days gone by for a boy growing up gay. I expect it would strike a chord with many gay men and others too. I've started his follow-on book, The Beautiful Room is Empty. a continuation.

 

I also recently read James Baldwin's Giovanni's Room. Just got a copy of his The Fire Next Time.

If Beale Street Could Talk

in also in my queue.

[+ WilliamM]

Patricia Highsmith from Strangers on a Train through her several Tom Ripley books. Thomas Mann, The Magic Mountain. Currently, a new biography of Rock Hudson.

[LoveNDino]

I myself am halfway through Iain Pears’ Arcadia

[+ Avalon]

Since I became been housebound last April I have not seen the doctor so the money I've saved I've spent some on books. During my hiatus from the Forums I bought a dozen plus books. The one I'm currently reading is "Kingdoms of Faith - A New History of Islamic Spain" by Brian A Catlos.

 

https://www.danverslibrary.org/readthis/?p=142063

[+ WilliamM]

Since I became been housebound last April I have not seen the doctor so the money I've saved I've spent some on books. During my hiatus from the Forums I bought a dozen plus books. The one I'm currently reading is "Kingdoms of Faith - A New History of Islamic Spain" by Brian A Catlos.

 

https://www.danverslibrary.org/readthis/?p=142063

 

Very Interesting, but also try Thomas Mann's The Magic Montain, which takes place in Switzerland before the First World War, a period of interest to you. Mann received a Noble Prize for Literature in 1929. Mann lived in the United States and Switzerland when Hitler came to power.

 

I have just ordered "kingdoms of Faith" at your suggestion. Thank you so much. I am very much looking forward to reading it.

[TruthBTold]

The Great Believers by Rebecca Makkai. A must read for those who lived then and for those who did not.

[+ E.T.Bass]

I'm reading The World of Normal Boys by K. M. Soehnlein for The Lambda Literary book club meeting coming up in WEHO. Not sure yet if this one is a Must Read, although I must, because I'm taking part in the club discussion!

 

http://www.kmsoehnlein.com/normalboys/images/entire_cover_rotate_brown.gif

 

I'd recently read the first 2 of Edmund White's autobiographical trilogy and look forward to the 3rd part, The Farewell Symphony.

.

[+ Just Sayin]

Karl Soehnlien was here for a local reading when The World of Normal Boys was published; I liked him and I liked his book; for those of you who may hail from the Upper Midwest (and for those who do not!), I'd recommend "Oranges" by Gary Eldon Peter; here is a blurb from the Minneapolis paper:http://www.startribune.com/review-oranges-by-gary-eldon-peter/495209601/

[+ E.T.Bass]

Karl Soehnlien was here for a local reading when The World of Normal Boys was published; I liked him and I liked his book; for those of you who may hail from the Upper Midwest (and for those who do not!), I'd recommend "Oranges" by Gary Eldon Peter; here is a blurb from the Minneapolis paper:http://www.startribune.com/review-oranges-by-gary-eldon-peter/495209601/

 

"Oranges" by Gary Eldon Peter sounds perfect for me. I added it my queue.

 

Another great coming of age book, this one takes place at the opposite side of the country from Oranges, is Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe, about a Latinx boy in El Paso and his unique worldview. It's a lovely book by critically acclaimed author Benjamin Alire Sáenz .