What are you reading?

[geek the girl]

Just started reading The Namesake by Jhumpa Lahiri and it looks like I'm in for a treat. Delicious language (the kind that's so beautiful and elegant, you almost want to eat it) and interesting theme - novels about cultural contrasts (in this case American vs. Indian) always interest me. I read a collection of short stories - The Interpreter of Maledies - by the same author a few years ago, and this one is just as good, if not better.

[phat32]

phat32, that was one of my favorite reads last year! I hardly left the couch once I opened it up!

Finished it last night after a marathon reading session. All I have to say is: . That's not exactly deep and thoughtful literary criticism. I was blown away. How's that?

No spoilers, but the scene near the end in the art museum had me vaklempt. Unbelievable. (Critical, you know the scene I'm talking about.)

If you're into time travel stories, you might want to try Doomsday Book by Connie Willis and Forever by Pete Hamill (the latter is more a story about immortality, but SO good. Another time travel book that I read recently, although it's not new, was Daphe du Maurier's The House on the Strand. I read a bunch of time travel books all within the last six months. They all had that theme in common, but it was interesting how each author had a different take on the process and the effects.

They all sound like good recommendations. Thank you. I will check them out and let you know what I think. Thanks!

[G.G.]

The last time-travel book I read was Vonnegut's Timequake which I loved. I've got Time Traveler's Wife on the shelf and have had it for some time. I keep saving it for something "special"...like a "real" vacation where all I have to do is lie around in front of some body of water and read. Maybe when I go to Vegas in May - I've just heard too many good things about it to make it an ordinary read.

PS: Did anyone else hear that someone is working TTW into a movie (with Brad Pitt)?

PPS: I'm currently reading The French Lieutenant's Women...and limping my way through The Shipping News. Still. After a year.

[phat32]

The last time-travel book I read was Vonnegut's Timequake which I loved.

I forgot all about Timequake. I'll add it to my list.

PS: Did anyone else hear that someone is working TTW into a movie (with Brad Pitt)?

I found this after a little Googling.

Pitt? Oh...snap. No, not for Henry DeTamble. I liked Pitt in Se7en and disliked him in...a lot. But what the hell? I always like a little cheese with my ham, and this will be one vehicle Pitt can show off his (melo)dramatic skillz.

Funny, I was casting the movie in my mind last night and had Pitt for Gomez, but not Henry. I can't think of a Henry, but I think Julianne Moore for Clare.

[G.G.]

Having not read the book yet, I'll still say, pleeeeeeeeeeeease not Julianne Moore. I don't know why I'm tired of her...I just am.

A friend who read TTW was thoroughly convinced that Brad Pitt should play the husband; him or Matthew McConaghey.

I hope I'm not saving this book and building it up in my mind only to be disappointed.

[Critical]

Well, since I had more time to read this week....

I finished The Eight and moved on to Michael Connelly's The Narrows and then Susan Vreeland's The Forest Lover. Both good, but VERY different. I just started Connie Willis' Lincoln's Dreams. Now that FoRT is up and running it'll take me a week to finish

[phat32]

I finished The Eight and moved on to Michael Connelly's The Narrows...

Don't forget, Connelly's The Closers--May 16.

You can read an excerpt here, but I recommend finishing The Narrows first. (I don't think you'll find any spoilers here, but I could be wrong. It's been a while since I read The Narrows.)

[CCL]

Well, since I had more time to read this week....

Now that FoRT is up and running it'll take me a week to finish

Oh dear. Joining Critical in the same boat.

I just started The Turkish Gambit by Boris Akunin. Really liked his previous books (The Winter Queen & The Leviathan). 19th century-set Russian detective fiction with the hero being inspector/diplomat/stammerer extraordinaire Erast Fandorin. Akunin's apparently written a dozen books in the series but only these 3 have been translated into English at this time. Boo.

[haejin]

Currently rereading "Battle Royale" by Koushun Takami. The idea behind the plot is interesting: 42 students are sent to a remote island, given weapons to kill each other with, and the last student alive "wins." But I guess it's pretty predictable, in terms of who'll be the surviving student.

[phat32]

42 students are sent to a remote island, given weapons to kill each other with, and the last student alive "wins."

Sounds like my junior-year Statistics class. Actually, that does sound interesting, but you're right that books like this are usually predictable. (It's bound to be the most sympathetic male or female, right?)