This Sunday was a bit of a washout to say the least. It was the one day where hubby was home between week long trips away and I spent most of it asleep on the couch, thanks to the flu virus I'm still doing battle with. I'm now writing this on Monday night, feeling much improved it has to be said.
Reading has been slow going around these parts lately, mainly due to my reading
War and Peace AND
Snow by Orhan Pamuk concurrently, both hefty novels of serious literary content. I've just this very instant finished Snow and I'm desperately wondering if I have anything intelligent to say about it. I think it will take a few more days of percolations through the old grey matter before I can commit to an opinion. One thing I can say is that I enjoyed it thoroughly. It was a very challenging read but one that leaves your brain feeling good, like it's just done a vigorous workout at the gym. It taught me things that I hadn't known previously, like a lot of Turks migrate to Germany (I still want to find out why) and did so in a language engaging and ethereal. It's a serious book but I totally recommend it if you're a fan of literature.
Next up, I have
The Finkler Question by Howard Jacobson and
Someone Knows My Name by Lawrence Hill in my sights, the first for my own pleasure and the second for April's Book Club. Hopefully I can get some pace back into my reading again with these two, for no other reason than to make sure I can get around to reading all of the amazing books I've come across lately. Hopefully the one positive of the hubby being away is that the couch will be exclusively mine for a week and the PlayStation will be off which makes for good reading conditions.
I hope everyone else had a a healthier Sunday than I did! What are
you planning on reading next?
i'm reading The Three Musketeers, two chapters a day at the moment, and love it! Aside from that, i'm failing to commit to anything really! Hope you feel better soon!
ReplyDeleteWell, now I've read your post, I'm planning on reading The Museum of Innocence by Orhan Pamuk next. It's been sitting on my shelves for a while, calling to me. Now is it's time. Thank you.
ReplyDeleteAnd I would LOVE a post giving tips about writing book reviews (not necessarily for publication) as I've just joined a book club (in the real world).
Thanks again.
I'm (slowly) plugging away at War and Peace. Still haven't had that aha moment where I'm happy I'm reading it.
ReplyDeleteHere's my Sunday Salon: www.readerbuzz.blogspot.com
I have a nonfiction book I want to read first, but once I'm done with that, I'm open to suggestions for my next fiction read. I think you've read a lot of books that I would probably like, as I too am a contemporary fiction sort of gal. I'm embarrassed to say this, but I've loved pretty much every Oprah's Book Club book that I've read. I just like the books she picks! Some favorite authors are Joyce Carol Oates, Jhumpa Lahiri, John Irving, Rohinton Mistry, hmmm, can't think of anymore now. So, what should I read next?
ReplyDeleteBex - Good stuff! How is it? One of my mini claims to fame is that the 90's version of the movie had a scene shot in my home town - at the same harbour which the scene from the end of Tim Burton's Alice is filmed in... I think the claim to actually having read the book is far more admirable ;)
ReplyDeleteLunar Hine - Great! I'd love to hear your thoughts when you're done (or while reading it!) And wow, a request for a post? That'd be my first! I'm very honoured and not entirely sure I'm the best person to ask but I'll have a crack at it for you. If you're worried about having something to say at your book club, you don't need a book review, just some thoughts on the book itself. It shouldn't be too serious :)
Deb - I love that term, plugging away! Hope it becomes more fun for you soon :)
Cahleen - Nothing wrong with Oprah's recommendations. She's got some good ones going on there. Ok... here are a couple for you:
ReplyDeleteRoom by Emma Donoghue
The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Schaffer and Annie Barrows
The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Settersfield.
Also, if you're free one Tuesday morning a month and would like to join our Taipei book club, let me know! We'd love to have you! :)
Thumbs up for Snow, eh? That novel has been on my shelf for years - I think since right after it came out in paperback, and I've never had the guts to try it. It looks...as you say...very serious. And dense. Glad to hear you enjoyed it!
ReplyDeleteGlad to hear you're on the mend! I am looking forward to reading Snow, so I'm excited for your review. I just finished reading and reviewed The Oracle of Stamboul (loved) and am finalizing a review on the life you've imagined (loving). Hope you feel better even sooner!
ReplyDeleteGreg - I reckon it's time to take it down, especially after reading your post on being scared of short novels!! This is the exact opposite - decent length (426 pages) and keeps you plunged in the world of Kars for a good long while. Give it a whirl!
ReplyDeleteCoffee - Review of Snow should be out today or tomorrow, I reckon. Hope you enjoy! In the meantime, I'm going to shoot over and read your review of The Oracle of Stamboul :)
i've got a few books going right now--skipping a beat, bumped, and a re-read of prom and prejudice with my students at school. i can't believe you have the fortitude to slog through such heavy books! good luck to you. :)
ReplyDeleteNat - Thanks! I just love reading the harder stuff sometimes. I guess it's part of my life-long goal to be well-read. Also cos I'm a book snob ;)
ReplyDeleteThanks for the invite, Kath! I'm stuck at home during the mornings now while Jonathan has a nap, but hopefully I'll be able to do more stuff soon as he gets older. A book club sounds like so much fun!
ReplyDelete