ukaunz wrote:

I just started reading "Shades of Grey" by Jasper Fforde (author of the Thursday Next series).

I'm only a couple of chapters in, but it's pretty bizarre... The story is set in an Orwellian future, but with Jasper Fforde's sense of humour it's certainly not "grey". I can't even begin to describe what has happened so far, and I have no idea where the plot is going to take me. But I'm kind of hooked...

I started reading this ages ago and then just forgot about it... which had nothing to do with the fact that I didn't like it but more with the fact that I wasn't in the right mood for reading anymore. But I definitely have to start this all over again. Although I have to say that the Thursday Next novels fascinated me much more than "Shades of Grey". But still, it's Jasper Fforde, I suppose I will never not like any of his novels.
 

Ooh, I've read that!
Thank goodness I eventually killed off Anna Karenina.
I cannot tell you what an achievement I feel at completing that tome, I honestly feel I could tackle anything now!
I quite enjoyed it, but it was a long haul.
So next I go onto the book my daughter bought me for birthday/mother's day: God, the most unpleasant character in all fiction by Dan Barker.
I've also had a sneak preview at the next on my e-book list...it's an American classic(and I've read quite a few of those already!)

KatyHolmes wrote:

^ I second the sense of achievement that comes with finishing a long book! I just got through David Copperfield and feel like I can conquer anything now. Ended up totally adoring the book and all the characters and look forward to reading more Dickens, but man the middle section was a long haul and I didn't think I was gonna make it! 

I felt the same when I read it for Uni. Congrats! :-)

I laugh in the face of Dickens, well, compared to Tolstoy anyhow!  Ha.
Remember with Tolstoy, it's all the characters having three names(and Russian ones!), too!

Anyhow, I eventually started my next American classic: Anne of Green Gables.
I am loving it. What a beautifully written book and the title character is a pure delight.

I only saw the TV series, which I remember loving...
But I had no idea the book was such a treasure.

Yes, I read all of the 'Katy' and 'Women' ones.
I seemed to miss out on some of the others.
This is what I am doing on my E-reader, catching up on all of the classics: both adult and child.

Yeah, don't know if I actually read Heidi, though I loved the TV series.
But I did read all of the Little House on the Prairie books and loved them.
My kids both devoured Tolkien.

On Tolstoy: I just felt I should read some more Russian literature, I've only read one Dostoevsky, apart from that!

I loved Tess, and don't remember it being hard going, so enjoy!

Besleybean, I've had Crime and Punishment sitting on my shelf for oh, about thirty years now.  I feel that if I give it charity, it's admitting defeat!  So, kudos to you .

Last edited by Liberty (August 1, 2016 2:52 pm)

I loved the Little House books, too, and I watched "Little House on the Prairie" during my growing-up years.

I'm in the process of reading Tolkien now.  J.R.R. Tolkien: A Biography and The Letters of J.R.R. Tolkien by Humphrey Carpenter, and The Silmarillion and Morgoth's Ring by Tolkien himself.  (The Silmarillion was published posthumously by Tolkien's son, Christopher.)

 

Last edited by kgreen20 (August 2, 2016 4:46 pm)

I started "Game of thrones" during my holiday.
Not translated....
But I got accustomed, the language is pure beauty.