New book for the book club reading

[sandybay]

When will the new book to read be chosen ? It's just that because there isn't a book shop near I'll have to order it on the net or order from the library although we do have quite a good collection of classic on our shelves at home.

[eleanor2]

hi sandy waiting on beuch.but dont worry cus we really take our time in reading chosen book.i think beuch will be back to us soon with a choice.

[Oola]

this isn't a classic, but I have to say that from all the books that I've read in my time - A-level English Lit & Theatre Studies texts from Shakespeare's Much Ado About Nothing, Hamlet, Taming of the Shrew, Plays such as The Visit, Comedians, GlenGarry Glen Ross, poetry such as Sylvia Plath and 'classics' like Frankenstein, I have never read anything as enjoyable as Harry Potter. Seriously. I didn't think I would enjoy the books very much when I first picked them up. The first couple were quite simple and child-like in perspective, but still had plot twists that caught me out and a sort of meandering quality to the storytelling, so that you eventually pieced it all together without guessing from the off.

But from Prisoner of Azkaban (3rd book) through to the final Deathly Hallows, I was just amazed at JK Rowling's talent. The way she's knitted together this whole world, the intricacy of the back stories, the way she recalls something and uses it later in the book or series and you think "OHHhhh!", having realised how it was planted and woven in. Some of the plot twists were so clever and unforeseen. The humour is actually laugh-out-loud stuff, and I cried about three or four times reading the books too. Almost sobbed!

The series really isn't to be snorted at, even having read Austen/Bronte and even tackled Simone de Beauviour - they really are some of the most absorbing books that I've ever read. If you ever get a chance, really I do highly recommend them. There is so much for adults to think about and dissect, from strong allusions to Nazism and other socio-political criticisms, religious elements etc. And the best part is that the overriding message is that Love wins out.

[Shelli]

Absolutely 100% agree Oola. I was on the bookshop doorstep waiting with everyone else from book 5 onwards. It's an incredible body of work - My children are in for such a treat reading the books. I felt the same amazement with the Potters that I got when i was a child and 1st read Tolkien - i felt like there was another world just for me - that joy of total transportation.

Must 'fess up actually to being a Terry Pratchett addict too!! He's another world creator of genius proportions.

Shelli X

[sandybay]

Thre's nothing to stop us having several book reads on at the same time is there ?

[eleanor2]

thats a good idea sandy.cus we all have different interests and the way we interpret books is quite personal to.

[sandybay]

Mind you does it mean reading several books on the go ? I get confused enough as it is !

[eleanor2]

I know i prefer to stick to classics for reviewing.I quite often have a few books on the go at once.

[buecherwurm]

I also read all the Harry Potter books. I got interested one year in Edinburgh at the book festival. Everywhere you turned you saw the books (I think at that time the first 2 or 3 were out)but since they were declared "children's books" I didn't pay much attention. But somhow I bought the first book and started reading and thought "well, nice story but what is all the hype about. I bought the 2nd one anyhow and then was hooked. Same happend to my daughter and several other people I know.
But coming back to choosing a book for the book club reading here a few suggestions:
The Jewel in the Crown by Paul Scott
The Old Curiosity Shop by Charles Dickens
The Way we Live Now by Anthony Trollope
The Portrait of a Lady by Henry James
Galileo's Daughter by Dava Sobel

But I'm open to any suggestion as long as the book is well written. I have a problem with books that have an interesting theme but that are written so boringly that I just can't finish them. Like I said somewhere before I'm trying to read Gulliver's Travels by Jonathan Swift (I didn't like it when I was a child) but I think it's written without any emotion and this makes it soooooo boring. It is mentioned in Jane Eyre and praised there and I just can't find anything to praise. Anyone out there who really likes this book?

[sandybay]

Any of your suggestions sound good.

Started reading the Raj Quartet after the fantastic tv adaptation in the early 1990's.

Maybe one chooses a book and others next time ? I'm easy on how we decide. Have always wanted to read Henry James as have heard some critics rave about his work and again remember a tv adaptation of The Golden Bowl. There seems to be a mixture of strict social etiquette with a deep undercurrent going on. Quite sort of erotic as well, so much unsaid but implied.

[Oola]

I read Henry James's Portrait of a Lady in the lower sixth as part of my A-level English Lit curriculum, but it's quite a while ago and I can't really remember an awful lot about it! Anything by Oscar Wilde might be worth reading too? I don't really know why I'm suggesting anything, I probably won't have time to participate lol.

[Rosa]

I'm keen to participate. It will do me good to lose myself in a novel because I've spent too many years reading non-fiction. I have a selection of classic novels at home, but I'd be happy read whichever book you all decide upon.

[eleanor2]

A portrait of a lady by henry james sounds really good.havnt got will get from library soon as.if thats choice quite looking forward to starting.It will be a good challenge a break from my norm.

[buecherwurm]

So, will our next book be A Portrait of a Lady by Henry James? I have the book at home.
Could start pretty soon. At the moment I'm reading "Lands Beyond the Sea" by Tamara McKinley. It's a book with an Australian theme. Can't say anything about it yet. Am only on page 36.

[sandybay]

Will try and get A Portrait of a Lady from library today in case we go for it.

[buecherwurm]

So, what do you say eleanor, do you want to try "A Portrait of a Lady"?

[eleanor2]

yes beuch.you all start.daughter goes back to france wednesday.i will get it from the library after that.wont take me long to catch up.