englishrose60 goes for 100 in 2009

Hoping to do 100 again in 2009.

Good for You!!! I am two away for 2008! This is the first time for me to reach this number.....(My chlidren are older and don't require as much) :(

Thanks Book Shelter. I look forward to seeing what your library contains. Lewis is cute, and I do envy you your house with loads of bookshelves.

Ready, Steady,

Just found your thread and starred it -- I always like seeing what you've been reading!

Thanks Laura, I keep an eye on you too, your reading I mean:-)

Merry Christmas everyone!

Happy New Year, and welcome aboard!

Thank you and Happy New Year to all 'Centurians', and all other LTers of course, may 2009 be a year of good health, good fortune and good books.

Slapping a star on er60 for '09. And she's off!

ER60 - I am hanging with the 75 challenge group, but I always love reading your lists. I have starred your thread. Happy New Year! =)

Thanks tiffin, slapped you back :-)

JILL - good to see you and a Happy New Year to you too. Good luck with your 75 challenge. Starred you too.

1. A Crime in the Neighborhood by Suzanne Berne - very good first novel. Marsha looks back to when she was 10 years old faced with her parent's separation and how her actions affect the people in her neishborhood.

2. Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte - Penguin audiobook read by Julie Stevenson.

3. Frankenstein by Mary Shelley - Penguin audiobook read by Richard Pasco.

4. Great Expectations by Charles Dickens - Penguin audiobook read by Hugh Laurie.

5. Northanger Abbey by Jane Austen - Penguin audiobook read by Jill Balcon

6. Oliver Twist by Charles Dickens - Penguin audiobook read by Alex Jennings.

Yes, I have discovered a new way to *read*. My OH bought me a 10-set collection of Classic Penguin Audiobooks for Christmas. These are all rereads for me of some of my favourite classic stories. I thought Hugh Laurie's rendition of Great Expectations was particularly good.

I love Hugh Laurie - I'll have to look for his version of Great Expectations for my next long car trip!

The ISBN for the Penguin audiobook of Great Expectations read by Hugh Laurie is 0141804483.

7. Lost in Translation by Eva Hoffman - an interesting read about the dislocation felt by a young Polish Jewish girl on emigrating to Canada, and her search for her identity in the New World.

8. Middlemarch by George Eliot - Penguin audiobook.

Rosie, the audio books don't act as a soporific?

Not in this instance tiff. I was given 5 jigsaws at Christmas so, killing 2 birds with one stone I listen to audiobooks while I jig.

9. Crime and Punishment by Fyodor Dostoevsky - Penguin audiobook. Better than I remembered.

Ooh. Wonderful list of classics. I have never tried an audio book - I don't think I could do it.

Amanda - I prefer the feel of a book in my hands, but as they were a gift from my husband I had to give them a go.

As tiff suggested I would probably have nodded off except for the fact that I kept my hands busy while I listened to these wonderful classics.

I still have 2 more to listen to The Mayor of Casterbridge by Thomas Hardy and Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte, but they'll have to wait until I have a few new jigsaws to do!

10. Arlington Park by Rachel Cusk - a day in the lives of a group of suburban women in which we learn what it is like for them to be a wife and a mother in suburbia! I enjoyed this, a lot of what is said rings true!

What a lovely gift, ER60. I have never done an audio book, either, but have a friend who does them while gardening. I suspect I'd miss hearing the birds, but puzzles would be good. And I've thought of taking up knitting ...

Now that I've found you, you are starred.

Knit one, Chapter two, Purl one....yes knitting would work kambrogi :-)

11. Harbor by Lorraine Adams - an interesting and thought-provoking about imigrants, both legal and illegal who arrive in Boston, USA from Algeria.

LOL!
That one looks good; recommended?

Yes!

12. One of Ours by Willa Cather - Pulitzer Prizewinner and well deserved IMO. I loved this story of a young man growing up in Nebraska who then went to France during World War I. Great characters an descriptive passages

Interesting! I have only read My Antonia! but was inspired to read more by the documentary, American Masters' Willa Cather: The Road Is All. Really good, and available at NetFlix.

Thanks kambrogi!

13. Old Goriot by Honore de Balzac - enjoyd reading this but I did not care for any of the characters.

14. All Quiet on the Western Front by Erich Maria Remarque - read this for 1929 Project. Very harrowing account of life in the trenches as told from the point of view of a young German man, Paul. Set during WWI, Remarques's novel highlights the brutality and futility of war.

A short read but definitely not for the faint-hearted.

The last page breaks my heart every time I read it. This is one of the books I'm planning on re-reading for the 1929 project, too.

*sniff* make sure you have plenty of Kleenex handy!

15. Nation and Novel by Patrick Parrinder - an history of the 'English' novel from its roots to the present day. Parrinder search for what is 'Englishness' is very intersting and thought provoking. Recommended for anyone interested in the history of the literature of England.

#34 - this sounds fascinating. Is it dry? i.e. is it for students of literature or for those of us who just like reading?

dihiba, I would say that it is suitable as a basic study for students and is readily accessible for the general reader who has an interest in English literature.

16. Bruno's Dream by Iris Murdoch

17. Beyond Black by Hilary Mantel

18. By Night in Chile by Roberto Bolano - a short but interesting novel in the form of a deathbed monologue of a Jesuit priest trying to come to terms with his right-wing associations (Pinochet and his generals). I found the very long sentences a bit of a struggle, but otherwise enjoyed it.

I've made a note of Nation and Novel for my daughter, the scholar. Once in a while I can point her to something she doesn't already know about. (We'll see.)

I hope that if she decides to get it that she finds it useful!

19. The Mermaid and the Drunks by Ben Richards - a woman returns to Santiago after her exiled father commits suicide. There she gets involved with 2 men. A romantic thriller containing many historical facts about Chile. Quite an absorbing read.

20. The Remedy by Michelle Lovric.
21. The Mayor of Casterbridge by Thomas Hardy (Penguin Audiobook).
22. Juan de la Rosa by Nataniel Aguirre.

I can't believe you've read 22 books so far! I think you need to amend your goal. Good job!

Audiobooks are new for you this year, right ER60? I suspect they will increase your count significantly, because you're now able to "read" more during each day. You're amazing.

Great selection of books ER - I am impressed with the volume of reading, too.

Thank you all for your comments. I only have one more audiobook to 'read' Jane Eyre and I shall be starting a course with the OU on Saturday so I think my reading will slow down a lot from then until November.

23. The Pleasure of Eliza Lynch by Anne Enright - read this for Reading Globally (Paraguay) and found it a bit hard to follow.

24. Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte - last of my Penguin Audiobook collection. One of my favourite comfort reads.

Hi, ER!
You are doing a great job with your reading! I was just wondering if you ever got a chance to read Beloved? I remember you saying that it was coming up last December.

I am thinking about trying books on cd to encourage me to exercise more on my elliptical.

Have a great day!
--BJ

billiejean, I shall be reading Beloved this year for my 999 Challenge, not sure exactly when.
Audiobooks are great when you need to be doing something else, but I personally prefer to have the book in my hands.

Forgot to say good luck with your exercises.

Thanks, I need lots of encouragement there. :) I was just noticing lots of mixed reviews on this book and wondered what you thought. Have a great day!
--BJ

Will let you know once I have read it.

Jane Eyre is one of my favorite comfort reads, too. I've scheduled it for a re-read soon (right after I finish my ER book) and am impatient to get to it. I remember reading it for the first time when I was 11 - it is my mom's favorite book, and she gave it to me as soon as she thought I could understand it even a little bit. I didn't quite get it then, but a few years later I certainly did.

As for non-Jane books, what do you think about The Mayor of Casterbridge? I just read it a week or so ago, and loved it.

I really like your reading lists, ER! So many books added to my TBR - thanks!

ETA: that message below is an inadvertent double post. Sorry!

Loved The Mayor of Casterbridge too. Hardy is one of my favourite male novelists. Glad you are getting ideas from my reading list. That's one of the great things about LT - seeing other books to read.

25. Wild Swans by Jung Chang. I read this for the biography category of my 999 Challenge. An amazing story of a family under the communist regime in China. Highly recommended.

I had the Penguin audio books too. Like you I found them great. My fav was Pride and Prejudice which reawakened it for me. As you say, Great Expectations was superebly read.

What OU course are you doing?
Jenny

AA100 The Arts Past and Present. Then I want to do a couple of lit courses to complete my degree.

26. Eva Luna by Isabel Allende. Another good book by this author. This time about a girl with the ability to weave stories and her life in Venezuela. Some memorable characters too.

27. Six Women Novelists by Merryn Williams.

28. The Leopard by Giuseppe di Lampedusa.

Did you like "The Leopard", ER60? I read it last year and it was one of my top books for 08.

tiffin I enjoyed reading The Leopard. Very evocative descriptions of Sicily and I liked the Prince and to some extent Tancredi. Would have liked more development of his other characters, especially the women, but otherwise a good book to read.

29. Old Filth by Jane Gardam. I put all my other reading aside to finish this novel. It's the story of a Raj orphan from his birth in Malaya to his old age in England. Lots of interesting characters, a mystery about his childhood, and his mermories make this a most engrossing book. Recommended.

>64 englishrose60:: thanks for this! Another book I'd seen around a lot but never heard anything about it that compelled me to pick it up - but it sounds like my kind of thing.

>64 englishrose60:: I enjoyed Old Filth, too. The main character was such a product of his time. Very interesting.

#65, #66 Thank you both for your comments. My further thoughts after reading Old Filth is that I would like, someday when time permits, to do my own mini project on 'Raj orphans', especially those who became writers.

I am a great fan of Jane Gardam - I loved Old Filth despite the unappealing title and recently read her latest, a short story collection based on the same village. Not quite as captivating but still very worthwhile.

I shall definitely look out for more of Jane Gardam's books. Apart from Old Filth I have read The Queen of the Tambourines.

Touchstone not working.

BTW - her latest is called The People on Privilege Hill and the first story revisits Old Filth. It was a good read, especially if you like short stories.

I haven't read anything by Gardam before. But Old Filth sounds like it needs to be on my TBR tower!

30. Disobedience by Naomi Alderman. This was an interesting story about a young woman who rebelled against her Orthodox Jewish upbringing. On her father's (a much respected rabbi) death she returns to London from New York to attend his funeral.
She reassesses the decisions she has made about her life.

You pick such interesting books!

Thank you but, I think sometimes they pick me! They are usually from a list e.g. Orange, Virago, Pulitzer etc.

31. The Stories of Eva Luna by Isabel Allende. Very good.

32. To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee. Enjoyed this Pulitzer Prizewinner.

Hi, englishrose60!
Just stopping by. I think To Kill a Mockingbird is one of the all-time greatest books. I am glad that you liked it. Have a great day!
--BJ

Thanks for stopping by with your thoughts ,billiejean.

33. The Keepers of the House by Lisa St Aubin de Teran.Decline of a family and its fortune in a valley in Venezuela.

34. Half of a Yellow Sun by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie. Wow! Now I see what all those good comments and recommendations were about. An astounding novel about the Biafran War from the viewpoint of the Ibo people. This one will stay in my thoughts for some time.

Englishrose - great line up of books! I just tried to listen to To Kill A Mockingbird on tape with Sissy Spacek, but her accent was so strong I couldn't concentrate on the words!!! I will prefer to read it, I am sure.

That's strange kiwidoc. When I was reading it I kept hearing Jodie Foster's voice in my mind as Scout aka Starling (Silence of the Lambs). Probably a totally different accent to Scout's but I'm British, so what do I know?

.......ducks US missiles......

35. Forgot to mention this one I read in February. Doctor Faustus by Christopher Marlowe. A play which is good but I prefer Will Shakespeare.

Glad to see you liked Half of a Yellow Sun. I was one of the legions that thought it was wonderful!

Accents are funny things - I used to cringe at the Aussie accent (being a Kiwi/Pommie). Now I cannot tell the difference between the two. (ducking the antipodean arrows!!!)

I also used to think the US and Canadian accents were the same - now they are totally different to my ear. The Newfoundland accent is a favourite, though. It is quite charming.

Yes. Some accents are pleasant to the ear, while others tend to grate.

>81 kiwidoc: Funny thing...I bought the audio book of To Kill a Mockingbird just because it was read by Sissy Spacek, who I love. Having read the book countless times, I thought I'd enjoy hearing her reading it. Haven't tried it yet.

36. Under the Net by Iris Murdoch. This was her first novel and a very good one too.

>88 englishrose60:: er60, have you read a lot of Murdoch? I've only read one of hers - The Nice and the Good - and couldn't stand it, but she is so widely praised that I wonder if I hit an "off" one, or I just really won't like her stuff. Any thoughts?

FlossieT - I am doing a murdoch marathon, reading all her novels. I think she is one of those authors whose books you either like or dislike. I personally enjoy her work, but I can see why she might not appeal to a lot of readers. I can only suggest that maybe you try another one and if you still don't enjoy it then she is not for you. There are lots of books to read out there so don't get stuck with an author whose work you do not like. Life's too short.

er - I loved Under the Net. I think my favorite, though, is A Fairly Honorable Defeat. A Murdoch-a-thon sounds like a lot of fun! Are you doing them in any particular order?

I am reading them in publication order apart from a few of the earlier ones which I am fitting in where I can.

I started Under the Net last year and it didn't grab me. I mean to give it another try one of these day. She is so highly regarded I won't cross her off my list yet---I probably was just in the mood for something entirely different at the time.

37. Turtle Moon by Alice Hoffman. Quite good but I could have done without the Angel.

38. Body Snatcher by Juan Carlos Onetti. It took me a while to get used to the different narrators within this novel. At first I thought I would give up on it, but I persevered and soon became intrigued by the story and needed to know what the outcome was going to be. Set in a town in Uruguay, Larsen (Body Snatcher) eventually sets up a bordello nearby which is frowned on by some of the citizens and the church. Meanwhile, recently widowed Juilita, who may be mad, has an affair with the seventeen year old Jorge, her brother-in-law. A difficult read, but glad I read it.

I shall read the sequel to this book next. It is called The Shipyard, ('Allegorical, reflecting the decay and breakdown of Uruguyan society and modern urban life' - from back cover).

39. An Interrupted Life by Etty Hillesum.

I found this book containing the diary and letters of a young Jewish woman in Holland during the holocaust very moving, especially her letters to her friends.

You are not helping my TBR piles, you know! =)

Re: message 58

Have you read Critical Thinking Skills, Palgrave? I think it would support your OU course immeasureably - but you may already have seen it. See my 50 book challenge link to find out more.

I am thinking of doing an OU Course too - an MA in history. It starts in October. I am very excited about it.

Jenny

mrstreme, I have lots of tbr and adding to them all the time, but it's good to know that there will always be something fresh to read.

mum, I have the Arts Good Study Guide, How to Read a Novel, How to Read Poetry but not Criticial Thinking Skills. I think I might invest in a copy as I surely need it.

mum, so remiss of me. Good luck with your MA in History.

I have an MA in History - a wonderful degree if I may say so myself! =)

What's the How to Read A Novel like? I have often wondered about that.

Thanks for your kind wishes Mrstreme.

mum, I have to be honest, I have not read it properly yet. Just had a quick look at contents. It is one of the Palgrave books so it should be helpful when I can find the time!

40. Women and Fiction: Feminism & the Novel 1880-1920 by Patricia Stubbs. Very interesting discussion about literary images of women In fiction at the turn of the century.

41. A Concise Chinese-English Dictionary for Lovers by Xiaolu Guo. I was charmed by this book. The way in which people from another culture see us I found very interesting and enlightening. Good storyline too.

42. I finished The Shipyard by Juan Carlos Onetti in the early hours of this morning. Very bleak story, but well written.

This is an allegorical story reflecting the breakdown of Uruguyan society and modern urban life.

er60, I've enjoyed following your Latin American readings. Your recommendation for The Ventriloquist's Tale was spot on (reading it right now), so I'm going to get my hands on The Shipyard and "visit" Uruguay.

lindsacl, So pleased you enjoyed The Ventriloquist's Tale.

43. What the Body Remembers by Shauna Singh Baldwin. Was not too sure when I first started reading this because of her frequent use of Indian words I did not know. I am glad I did not give up. This is an amazing story, told from a Sikh point of view, of the collapse of the British Raj and India's struggle for independence after WWII, and the formation of East and West Pakistan. There is a good mix of Hindu, Muslim and Sikh characters. The main characters being Satya and Roop, the two wives of a Sikh who is enamoured of the English way of living. His view gradually changes as India becomes an independent state, abandoned by Britain after partition.

There are many levels to this book, not only a history of India but also the position of women in a patriarchical society.

This sounds to be a fascinating read. I will have to check out the library to see if they can find a copy for me. It sounds like something I would enjoy greatly. Excellent review, by the by.

Thank you nannybette. Hope you get a copy from your library.

44. Pale Fire by Vladimir Nabokov. Read for Group Read. Glad I read this but need to have a reread in the future when I can spend more time to savour it.

45.The City of Your Final Destination by Peter Cameron. Full of humour this was an enjoyable read about Omar who goes to Uruguay with the intentions of persuading the family of Jules Gund to authorise him to write Gund's biography. His arrival changes his life and theirs.

46. The Old Man Who Read Love Stories by Luis Sepulveda. Set in the Amazonian jungle in Ecuador this a story of Antonio Jose Bolivar, the old man of the title, who is asked to hunt down an ocelot who is killing people to avenge the death of her cubs. He does so with regret. He loves the jungle and hates the way civilisation is destroying it. Only 128 pages, beautifully written. Recommended.

I am definitely putting this on hold at the library. Sounds very good. Your reviews, englishrose60, are making my TBR list longer and longer.
Happy reading and catcha later.

Nan that's the trouble with LT, just when you think your list might be complete along comes another great read. Great isn't it!

47. Foreign Affairs by Alison Lurie. Anglophiles and anglophobes abound in this witty novel about Americans visiting the UK. I thoroughly enjoyed it. Very amusing bunch of characters.

48. Lark Rise to Candleford by Flora Thompson. I loved this book about the changes in village life at the turn of the 19th/20th centuries.

Foreign Affairs sounds good, I haven't read anything by Alison Lurie yet.

"And another one bites the dust".
Lark Rise to Candleford (beautiful title) sounds like part of a series. Is it a stand-alone-book? I must read it. I, too, love books of this era.
If you've not, you must read Alice Hoffman's book of shorts: Blackbird House. I think you would enjoy it.
Happy reading on this snowy morning. Coffee, snow, LT, a good book--what more could a girl want?

And a quiet house. No grandkids this morning. WOO HOO!~!

Snow! Where are you! Here in the sunny UK it's a beautiful Spring day!

Lark Rise to Candleford, a group read on the Virago site, consists of three volumes i.e Lark Rise, Over to Candleford and Candleford Green.

I will look out for the Hoffman book that you suggested.

OK! I give up! What have you done with the grandchildren? I don't have the pleasure of any yet, but I live in hope.

I live right square (as the crow flies) between Mt Rainier and Mt St Helens in Washington State.
And not to worry, the grandchildren are safe. (not in the forest with the woodcutter and wife) Their mother took a vacation day today so I am free, free, free and loving it. Not that I don't love them, but a break now and then is lovely also as I have them daily.
This is the second time today that I have heard of the Virago Classics.
Whaaaaaaaaa?

49. A Sin of Colour by Sunetra Gupta. A story of three generations, their loves and losses, and the family home 'Mandalay' in Calcutta.
London and New York are also featured in this novel. Enjoyed this and would like to read more by this author.

#122 Virago Group is great! Happy to hear grandchildren are with their Mum for the day! Hope you enjoyed the break!

I keep wanting to call them "Viagra Group" and am still trying to figure it out. Am sure I will feel be more excited once I've done so.
And yes, thank you very much. I did enjoy the break. I spent 18 hours on LT and 2 reading! Hmmmm, sounds like a fixation or something.

Maybe you just needed a little company while you were on your own!! 18 hours does seem a little over the top though, when you could have been reading some of those lovely books!

50. A Fairly Honourable Defeat by Iris Murdoch. A very enjoyable story from one of my favourite authors about good and evil and the consequences of keeping secrets from those we love.

HALFWAY THERE!! That is to 100 although I shall try to reach 150 if I can.

Hi ER,

Thought I would stop by and browse. Cool books and some new ideas for the old wishlist.

Congratulations on reaching the halfway point! And with such a great book, too!

FicusFan and jfetting: Thanks for calling by and for your comments.
Hope you are both finding good books to read.

>116 englishrose60:: Drat. I was doing so well... an hour or so on LT and I hadn't yet put a book on my list, and then you go and put that Alison Lurie book up there ;)

Sorry to interfere with your good intentions FlossieT. It happens to us all! Here's another one :-)

51. Bel Canto by Ann Patchett. Thoroughly enjoyed this book set in South America, about a group of people who are taken hostage while attending a birthday party. The house is under seige by the government forces and a Swiss Red Cross worker mediates between them and the kidnappers. The story of what goes on in the house over the next few months and how the people inside relate to each other is fascinating and full of suspense. Recommended

Good morning enlishrose60;
Bel Canto actually sounds pretty intense. That's why I never go to birthday parties. One just never knows what might occur.
Hey -- Congratulations on meeting (and beating) the 100 count mark. And look at all the months left in the year. You will most likely make 230 or so. You go girl.
Happy reading.

nannybette, hello and thanks for the congratulations. Don't think I'll make over 200 though. I have some big books to read for my 999 challenge. Next one is Testament of Youth by Vera Brittain (661 pages). I also have The Forsyte Saga by John Galsworthy for the Group Read-Literature this month which is quite wordy. I shall continue my reading and not worry about the number. As long as I have good books to read I shall be happy enough. How is your reading going this year? I shall drop by sometime and see what your up to!

My reading is going fairly well this year as well. I have read some really good books and only a couple of duds. I just finished a group of short stories by a master of that forum, Capote. It was very good. In each one there was "someone" I knew or I knew someone who had a "someone" in one of his stories. Wonderful.
I also just finished The Breakdown Lane by Jacquelyn Mitchard. It also was good, but not great. I had read only one other by her; The Deep End of the Ocean. The first 2/3 of the book was excellent, but the final 1/3 lagged for me and just didn't finish "on" if you know what I am trying to say.
You have a great day.
I am off to Olympia for some appointments. Seems like they never end.

52. Testament of Youth by Vera Brittain. I have wanted to read this book for years but have just got round to doing so. I am so glad that I have. Although 661 pages I flew through this autobiography of her life from 1900 to 1925. Her experiences at Oxford University and as an auxillary nurse during WWI and her subsequent re-entry to university life were a pleasure to read. Her story is both heart-rending and inspiring. I am now looking forward to her Testament of Friendship and Testament of Experience.

53. Writing for Their Lives by Gillian Hanscombe. An interesting analysis of modernist women writers, 1910-1940. Includes much biographical material and how these women struggled to have their work produced, published and accepted. They formed a network supporting each other in New York, London and Paris. Their avant-garde lifestyle mirrored their avant-garde writing. I found this book very informative and I shall at some stage in the future study their work in more depth.

54. The Observations by Jane Harris. A debut novel which was shortlisted for the Orange Prize. A very entertaining novel set in Scotland during the nineteenth century. Bessie, fifteen years old, fleeing from Glasgow and her mother who has coerced her into a life of prostitution becomes the maid of Arabella Reid. Arabella is writing a book called 'The Observations' which is about the lives of female servants. Each of Bessie's predecessors have kept a diary of their activities, thoughts and feelings for Arabella to use and Bessie does the same. The main story is told by Bessie who is an engaging character, although her language can be a bit colourful. The plot and characters are well drawn. Although the ending is not what I expected I enjoyed reading this modern take on the Victorian novel.

The Observations sounds like one I would like. I will add it to the list.

OK! Judy! What would we do without our lists? :-)

Life would be so much more complicated . . . .

Indeed!

55. Ahab's Wife by Sena Jeter Naslund. I enjoyed this amazing story of Una who became the wife of Captain Ahab. I particularly liked the part when she lived in the lighthouse, and the way she incorporated historical characters into the story.

I read that chunkster a couple of years ago. I was impressed how Naslund imitated the language used in Moby Dick. The lighthouse part was my favorite too.

mrstreme not having read Moby Dick I have missed out on her imitation of the language. She does paint wonderful scenes of the sea and the night sky.

56. The Forsyte Saga by John Galsworthy. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this for the Group Read-Literature.

57. The Tenderness of Wolves by Stef Penney

I am reading The Tenderness of Wolves now, but I am having a hard time with it. Slow moving for me. What did you think of this one?

It was slow going. I see she has written and directed movies. While I was reading this I thought it would make a good movie, and I think that is the way she has written it. Does not make for a great read, although I thought the plot was good and some of the characters were interesting.

58. The Weight of Water by Anita Shreve. I very much enjoyed the story about the 19th century Norwegians living isolated and lonely lives. The desolate imagery of the islands was very good. Like some others who have read this I found it harder to relate to the modern day people on the boat. Apart from that I enjoyed this novel.

englishrose60;
I am glad you enjoyed The Weight of Water. I loved it as I do most of Shreve's stuff.
I toggled over and read the reviews on The Tenderness of Wolves and though it wasn't glowed on over here, I think I may give it a try. It sounds good to me. I'll let you know what I think when I finish it down the road because my list is verrrrrrrrrrrrrrry long.
A happy day to you all.
N/B

nannybette: thanks for visiting. Hope you enjoy The Tenderness of Wolves when you get to it. Reading certainly is a long and winding road but a wonderful journey with lots of places to visit on the way. Happy reading.

59. The Little Friend by Donna Tartt. This seemed to take forever to read which was not just due to its 555 pages. Although the plot was quite good I could not relate to or like any of the characters except little Harriet. I put the book down many times through sheer boredom. Other parts made me think 'well, its not so bad' and so I struggled on to the end. The pace picked up in the final chapers but the ending was a let down.

60. The Cutting Room by Louise Welsh. Enjoyed this muder mystery apart from the graphic details of homosexual sex which I could have done without.

61. While I Was Gone by Sue Miller.

Ohhhhhh englishrose60, I absolutely loved While I Was Gone. I couldn't stop thinking of it for days and days. I read it several years ago and do not want to read it again until I have the time to do the dwelling it takes. Did you love it?

Hello Nannybette. I can't say I loved it but I did enjoy reading it and perhaps I too will reread it when I have more time to think about it. So busy at the moment with my studying.

I thought While I Was Gone was wonderfull as well, and I hope to reread it some day - and I don't say that about many books (mainly because I have too many to read!).

62. Fault Lines by Nancy Huston. Liked the way the story was told over the four generations of children, although I had to remember sometimes that it was a child speaking, not an adult. Before reading this book I did not know that this had happened to children and to the horrifying extent that it did.

63. The History of Love by Nicole Krauss

I popped over and read most of the reviews on The History of Love and it sounds like a tremendous read. I am adding it to my wish list. Sounds like there is a lot of depth there within the book and that those who didn't like it appeared to give up on trying to understand all the underlying stories. I will be excited when it does come round to my turn with it.
I hope you enjoy and appreciate. Let me know.
belva

Hi ER60: am reading The Observations now. Not too far in but interesting so far.

Nannybette, The History of Love is very interesting and a good read. I think you will enjoy it.

tiffin, I enjoyed The Observations and hope you continue to find it interesting and enjoyable.

64. Homestead by Rosina Lippi. I thought this was quite good but I found it a bit confusing sorting out all the family connections.

Good morning.
I stopped by to say "hi" and it turned into a book so I copied and pasted it into your comments and deleted it from here.
later,
belva

Good morning Belva, here's another good one.

65. Fish. Blood and Bone by Leslie Forbes. Orange prize longlist. A good read.

One of my RL book groups read the Forbes book several years ago. It was very good.

66. The Zigzag Way by Anita Desai. A delightful story about a young man who travels to Mexico to find out more about his Cornish grandfather's life in the tin mines there.

67. Keeping Up with Magda by Isla Dewar. Very funny and poignant at the same time. Enjoyed this story very much.

Magda sounds rather like the "soup nazi" off the Seinfeld show except that we knew nothing about his personal life. I think I may check this one out. It sounds like a good old fashioned laid back relaxing read.
belva

68. Dot in the Universe by Lucy Ellman
69. The House Gun by Nadine Gordimer
70. Gilead by Marilynne Robinson
71. Beloved by Toni Morrison
72. A Thousand Acres by Jane Smiley
73. Scarlet Feather by Maeve Binchy
74. Black and Blue by Anna Quindlen
75. Five Quarters of the Orange by Joanne Harris
76. The Colour by Rose Tremain

wow, you got some good reading in this month. What did you think of Gilead?

Hi, nice to hear from you again, er60! I agree with jfetting, you've been reading some great books over the past month.

jfetting - thanks for calling by. Gilead was not my favourite book this month. Good writing but it did but hold my interest as much as other books.

lindsacl - Hello again. I have been so busy this month and with Wimbledon as a 'must not miss' event LT has been neglected by me. Shamed. Hope to visit more often again now.

77. White Teeth by Zadie Smith. Forgot to add this to my June reading.

So glad you're back. Wimbledon is a good excuse to not be on LT!

78. Breathing Lessons by Anne Tyler.

mrstreme - good to be back - I have a lot of catching up to do on messages.

Federer rocks!

79. Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe by Fannie Flagg. This is one of my all time favourite stories.

Excellent choice for reading anytime, englishrose60. It is also one of my all time favorite books. I think "the bee charmer" is still out there somewhere, don't you?
belva

That's a lovely thought, Belva.

80. The Color Purple by Alice Walker. I was thoroughly absorbed by this heart-rending story of Celie and Nettie, two sisters who were separated by circumstances. Highly recommended.

81. The Yearling by Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings. Good story but I started this one in April and kept putting it down to read other things.

Missed 2 out of #171.

82. The Short History of Tractors in Ukrainian by Marina Lewycka.

83. Liars and Saints by Maile Meloy.

ER60, Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings lived about 90 minutes north of my home. I hope to trek to her homestead one day, probably in the fall when it's cooler.

mrstreme, Hope you enjoy your trek one day.

Hi Belva thanks for flying by. Wow! just been looking at your reading this year. Very impressive.

84. The Bell by Iris Murdoch. Read this years ago and enjoyed it even more second time around.

85. A Severed Head by Iris Murdoch. Very entertaining.

86. An Accidental Man by Iris Murdoch. One of her best.

87. The Black Prince by Iris Murdoch. I found the first half of the book a bit laborious, but the remainder made up for that.

88. The Italian Girl by Iris Murdoch. A quick and easy read this time.

89. The Sacred and Profane Love Machine. Another enjoyable novel by Iris Murdoch.

90. The Return of the Soldier by Rebecca West. Enjoyed the story of shell-shocked Chris suffering from the loss of his memory of the past fifteen years of his life. He returns home to Kitty, his wife of whom he has no memory, his cousin Jenny who was his childhood playmate, now a woman, and his first love Margaret who has been married for 10 years.

91. Harriet Hume by Rebecca West. Another West novel for Monthly Author Reads Group. Loved it and was surprised at the ending.

92. Sunflower by Rebecca West.

93. Indecision by Benjamin Kunkel. I read this as part of my World Journey (Ecuador). Start wasn't too bad but after that it did not hold my interest at all. It has taken me months to read this one and I'm glad it's over.

94. The Judge by Rebecca West.

Hello englishrose60. How are you?
Are you enjoying the summer? It appears that you are getting quite a bit of reading in.
I think I need to add more Rebecca West to my library. She just sounds too good. I only have the one; The Fountain Overflows. I peeked at your library and you haven't rated that one. Have you read it as of yet?
Well you take care.
hugs,
belva

Hello Belva, Thanks for popping by. Summertime is good here in UK apart from a few showery days. How is yours. Haven't read The Fountain Overflows yet. Maybe later this year after 999 Challenge is completed. Only 10 more to read.

Hi ER60. Just stopping in to say Hi. I see you read A Short History of Tractors in Ukrainian #82. I enjoyed it very much. I also brought it to one of my RL book groups and they enjoyed it too.

#201 Thanks for dropping by FicusFan. Glad you enjoyed A Short History of Tractors in Ukrainian.

I forgot to ask :( did you like it ?

I did.

95. Testament of Friendship by Vera Brittain. I thoroughly enjoyed this tribute to Winifred Holtby. An amazing woman. I shall have to read her work. I think I read South Riding in my teens.

Next read will be Brittain's Testament of Experience.

96. Just finished Testament of Experience by Vera Brittain, which covers the years from 1925 to 1950. An experience I am glad I read about along with her other two Testaments.

Caught up! Like you, I've been barely keeping up with LT but unlike you, not because of tennis. Some good reading here, ER60.

tiffin - thanks. I shall be reading The Common Reader in a week or two. What do you think of it?

97. 800 Years of Women's Letters by Olga Kenyon. An interesting and absorbing anthology of letters written by women, from the 12th to 20th Centuries.

#208: I like it very much, ER. At times I'm in awe of a mind so formed, so clever, in one so young as she was when she wrote the essays. I'm still bimbling my way through it, as I find essays don't lend themselves to being devoured all at once but need to be sipped and savoured.

tiffin I have four of her books of essays to read for 999 Challenge, so I may gorge myself on their first reading, but, I shall, I know, return to them later to savour them slowly.

98. Virginia Woolf: A Biography 1882-1912 v.1 by Quentin Bell. Very good.

99. Virginia Woolf: A Biography 1912-1941 v.2 by Quentin Bell. Recommended for anyone interested in the life and works of Virginia Woolf.

englishrose60;
thank you for those recs. I love her works but had never looked into a bio on her. Was she part of the "bloomsbury group"? I have been reading a bio on Dora Carrington and seem to recall a mention of V. Woolf from there, though Carrington was rather on the outside.
belva

100. The Common Reader 1 by Virginia Woolf. Spent a very pleasant Sunday reading these essays.

nannybebette - yes she and her husband were part of the Bloomsbury Group as was her sister Vanessa Bell (an artist).

Congratulations on hitting the target!!

Thank you FlossiesT. How's your 100- challenge going?

#212 & 213: ER, I've had a boxed set of that since it first came out in 1972 from Hogarth Press. I haven't looked at it since I read it back then but I am reading her Common Reader 1 at the moment AND have the Common Reader 2 at the ready. It was so much fun to walk through Bloomsbury last September, imagining her tripping along the same streets. Such an exciting, rich era. I have Lytton Strachey's bio sitting waiting too (but it's a big thumper).

And somehow fitting that she should be your 100th read. Well done!

>217 englishrose60: not as far along as yours! 80 so far... still updating over on the 75er thread. Maybe I'll "graduate" properly next year :)

tiffin - I enjoyed Quentin's biography of his aunt. I have read The Common Reader 1 which gives much food for thought and hopefully I shall start The Common Reader 2 tonight. Lytton Strachy's biography looks like it might go on the wishlist:-)) It must have been wonderful walking in Woolf's shoes in Bloomsbury.

FlossieT - It does not matter how many books you read as long as you are enjoying the journey.

101. A Room of One's Own by Virginia Woolf. I enjoyed this very much, especially the idea of Judith Shakespeare. If only!! This small volume gives much food for thought. A definite re-read for the future.

102. The Common Reader 2. Another great collection of essays by Woolf.

103. Three Guineas by Virginia Woolf. VW reasons why she should or not give a guinea to each of three requests: one for world peace; one for female education; and one to open the professions to women. It was very interesting to follow her thoughts through to their conclusions. Not an easy read but worth the effort.

104. The Death of the Moth and Other Essays by Virginia Woolf. Splendid.

This thread getting a bit long. New thread here:

http://www.librarything.com/topic/71076&newpost=1#lastmsg