What are you reading?

[JFlo]

I started The Way the Crow Flies by Anne-Marie MacDonald last night and I'm hooked. Beautiful language, a sort of dreamy, nostalgic overall feel and likeable characters. It's set on a Canadian military base in the 1960's and deals with subjects as diverse as the cold war, childhood, and murder. I love slowly-paced novels that still manage to suck you in. This is one of those novels: you want to devour this one slowly. Anne-Marie MacDonald has previously written Oprah's Book Club pick Fall on Your Knees, and this is just as good, if not better.

Hey!! I just started reading that as well! My husband bought it for me awhile ago, because he knew I liked her play Goodnight Desdemona (Good Morning Juliet). We're kind of Shakespeare junkies around here, and I have used a monologue from it for several auditions back in my acting days. I probably haven't gotten as far as you, but it has drawn me in. The first thing that interested me was the third person present tense, which you don't get that often, but is really well suited here. I just adore Madeleine. Right off the bat I felt a kinship to her as she drove in her parents' car imagining "her movie" in her head. This was taken directly from my childhood, I'm sure! Anyhow, I'd suggest we start a thread for discussion, but honestly, with a two year old, it takes me forever to finish a book these days! (Well, maybe if I spend a little less time on this website, I can find a little more time for reading.)

[geek the girl]

Hey!! I just started reading that as well! My husband bought it for me awhile ago, because he knew I liked her play Goodnight Desdemona (Good Morning Juliet). We're kind of Shakespeare junkies around here, and I have used a monologue from it for several auditions back in my acting days. I probably haven't gotten as far as you, but it has drawn me in. The first thing that interested me was the third person present tense, which you don't get that often, but is really well suited here. I just adore Madeleine. Right off the bat I felt a kinship to her as she drove in her parents' car imagining "her movie" in her head. This was taken directly from my childhood, I'm sure! Anyhow, I'd suggest we start a thread for discussion, but honestly, with a two year old, it takes me forever to finish a book these days! (Well, maybe if I spend a little less time on this website, I can find a little more time for reading.)

It's such a cool coincidence that we're reading the same book! Let me know when you're done and then we'll create a thread where we can discuss it. I'm just a little over 100 pages in, but it seems like the kind of book you'll want to discuss with someone; it's such an absorbing read with so many different layers. And you're right: the third-person present tense is perfect for the story: it makes you feel like you're there, witnessing everything. Returning to the pace I was talking about earlier, I really like the fact that the story starts with a bang ("The birds saw the murder" - talk about a great opening line!) and then slows down, letting the reader become acquainted with the characters before the story really picks up. I agree with you about Madeleine - she's adorable. She reminds me a lot of what I was like as a child, constantly daydreaming and creating little movies (starring myself, of course) to pass the time. I'm hoping that the story will stretch out over several years so that we get to meet her as an adolescent - or possibly even an adult - as well.

[Pomeraniac]

I finally, finally finished On The Run by Gregg Hill and Gina Hill, and it was a downer, for sure.

Link to info on the book: http://www.twbookmark.com/books/8/044652770X/index.html

It wasn't particularly well-written, but it was written in a very reader-friendly, uncomplicated way, and it came off as though the two writers were just talking to the reader from across the room.

The story itself was a downer, and it left me feeling slimed -- I grew to hate the guts of Henry Hill after reading it, and prior to reading this book I hadn't given him much thought because I'd never read Wiseguy (his life story as told to some author) or seen Goodfellas the movie about his life story.

Henry Hill, you piece of crap, this is for you:

Oh and Karen, you worthless excuse of a mother, here's yours:

[Rattus]

I'm reading City of Light by Lauren Belfer. It meets my requirements as an entertaining read, and I find the historical perspective on Buffalo fascinating (Buffalo was a city of the wealthy? Well I'll be damned), but there's something about the writing style that seems a little odd to me. For some reason it the language seems a little too modern, though to be honest I have no idea how people spoke at the turn of the last century. It could just be a hangover from my recent rereading of all my Sinclair Lewis books, many of which were written and published in the twenties.

[Corine]

The Chronicals of Narnia, I know I know, everyone but me read this book years ago. It is bound all together in one big book with The Magicians Nephew starting it all off. That is a newer one I guess and it was meant as a prequel, so far it is very interesting! I love the discriptive language. So far the characters have not fleshed out much but I am not that far into it.
Just finished The Truth, with jokes, by Al Franken. I LOVED it! A great book, tons of interesting facts (not factlets), and lots of jokes.
Before that I read Forever Odd... and John I loved it too! I couldn't put it down. I think it is one of the best Koontz books I have read.

[PWS]

Just finished Prep, which aspires to be about the female Holden Caufield--a fish out of water story about a very introspective insecure teen from South Bend who gets a scholarship to a New England prep school---still mulling how I feel about her, and before that The Other Boleyn Girl, about Anne Boleyn's sister (who was also Henry VIII's mistress, who knew?)--fun historical fiction with a pretty strong reality base. Certainly gives you a different perspective on Henry's wives.
Also read The Nanny Diaries--great fluff to counter the previous Million Little Pieces which was very powerful, fiction or fact. Classes start soon...gotta indulge while I can!

[TwilightxDawns]

I've just started Interview with a Vampire by Anne Rice. It's really great so far.

[CCL]

Just finished Prep, which aspires to be about the female Holden Caufield--a fish out of water story about a very introspective insecure teen from South Bend who gets a scholarship to a New England prep school---still mulling how I feel about her!

I know what you mean PWS! I alternated between wanting to strangle Lee and empathizing with her.

TwilightxDawns - I loved Twilight as well. There is supposed to be a sequel in the works.

[geek the girl]

Prep is another one of those books I've been ogling in the book store lately. Since it's out in paperback now, and since several people with similar taste have recommended it to me, it's probably just a matter of time before I do read it. The Holden Caulfield comparisons seem very apt. Thanks for the input, PWS and CCL.

As for me, I'm about halfway into the 700+ powerful pages of The Way the Crow Flies. It's taken a rather disturbing turn now, but the language and the pace are still as beautiful and serene as ever. A very powerful strategy.

[PWS]

I know what you mean PWS! I alternated between wanting to strangle Lee and empathizing with her.

TwilightxDawns - I loved Twilight as well. There is supposed to be a sequel in the works.

Yes, exactly, CCL. My sig. other has come down on the side of strangling, but I work with a lot of egocentrically shy students (the ones who think everyone is judging them when most people are only thinking about themselves) so I'm a little more sympathetic. And better at remembering my teen years I think.

Hope you enjoy it, geek the girl!