What are you reading?

[KimFan101]

The Red Hat Society's by Sue Ellen Cooper. It may seem really boring on the outside, but on the inside, it is very very funny. The club that the author is in has a very good sense of humor. All the stories she told has made me laugh, especally the dressing room story.

[applesauce]

I just purchased The DaVinci Code in paperback and I am on the second chapter. I am already hooked after five pages! Just must find time to read.

kimrs, I just picked this up as well. I've wanted to read it for ages but have so little time lately with the kids and our crazy schedule.

[kattatude]

I'm reading Tobacco Road by Erskine Caldwell. I read it when I was in school years ago, but I like to reread books every now and then.

[nikoniko]

E.T.A. Hoffman's Des Vetters Eckenfensters in the original. So good. I prefer german literature to french/latin as to me it seems more mysterious.

[Britannia]

I'm really enjoying "We Were the Mulvaneys" but frustratingly have not had the time to read as much of it as I would like.
I was in the library yesterday and picked up a book called "Pope Joan" by someone called ...Donna Cross? (I think) It's about the legend(?) that there was once a pope who turned out to be a woman. Has anyone read it? And if so, what did you think? (without giving too much away)

[geek the girl]

I'm really enjoying "We Were the Mulvaneys" but frustratingly have not had the time to read as much of it as I would like.

Glad to hear you're enjoying it, Britannia. Joyce Carol Oates is my favourite living author - I actually make an attempt to keep up with her crazy publishing schedule, which says a lot - so if you want advice on where to go next, I'm your proverbial man.

I was in the library yesterday and picked up a book called "Pope Joan" by someone called ...Donna Cross? (I think) It's about the legend(?) that there was once a pope who turned out to be a woman. Has anyone read it? And if so, what did you think? (without giving too much away)

I remember reading an excerpt from it when it came out several years ago, but I never picked it up. Is it any good? The premise is intriguing. Is there any truth in it? Not that it matters; a good story is a good story.

I've been meaning to post something about the whole Historian thing, by the way, but I've been way too busy with uni to get a time to rack my brains. The truth is, while I found the first 100 or so pages absolutely intriguing and atmospheric, I have yet to finish it. Yes, I, Geek the Girl, who never gives up on a piece of fiction, has abandoned a novel. I do intend to finish it eventually, though: it's just that more pressing matters (such as the latest Alice Hoffman) came to my attention. Since I've just re-read Dracula for class (such a great book! Do read it if you get the chance. I wonder why all other Bram Stoker novels are supposedly rubbish?), the timing couldn't be better. But yeah, I'm with both SnowflakeGirl and Critical on this one. I loved the first couple of chapters, but there's something about the writing style that strikes me as a little contrived. And the fact that I've given it up - albeit for a few weeks - speaks volumes. (Didn't you do the same thing, Critical? Or is my mind playing tricks on me?) I'll try to finish it over the weekend and get back to you on my final verdict.

In the meantime, I did something I love to do last weekend. I picked up a novel I had never heard of before, solely based on its jacket blurb. I like to call it extreme book shopping. Since this particular blurb featured a rave review from none other than Kate Atkinson, this one was a must. I'm not sure if Kate Atkinson is at all known over in the U.S., but she is truly one of the most original, eloquent, and refreshing authors to have come out of the U.K. in decades. Please pick up Case Histories or Human Croquet a.s.a.p. and you'll know I'm right Also, she is a big fan of Alice Hoffman's writing, and frequent FoRTER's will know that I, too, love everything Hoffman writes. So I picked up Sugarmilk Falls by Ilona Van Mil on the spot, despite knowing nothing about the book except I loved the cover (a black and white shot of a foggy forest. Somehow that gets me going every time) and that one of my favourite writers loves it. Here's Kate Atkinson's praise: “Atmospheric and dreamy with a finely tuned sense of place, Sugarmilk Falls is one of those books that draws you into its poised, poetic narrative. Moving back and forth in time it builds up a tapestry of secrets and lies, and finally, truths that is compelling for the reader.”

Now, I love books that are atmospheric and dreamy, especially ones that have multiple layers of time in them. Also, it won a crime award back in 2002 (howcome I didn't hear of it until now?) and has been favourably compared to Snow Falling on Cedars, which I loved. Can't wait to start this one.

[Lucy]

Geek, I love Kate Atkinson, and your dreamlike new book sounds intruiging, so let us know whether your mystery purchase was worth it.

[Critical]

Geek - I actually did finish The Historian and I liked it okay. The first third of it was much better than the rest of it but I kept at it because I wanted to see what happened. It was a bit of a slow read and I didn't love it, but I liked it. The Eight by Katerine Neville (sp?) was far superior - I wish it would get more attention. It was kind of an academic DaVinci Code only written WAY before that book and by a much better writer. It's got the same elements of history and a sort of scavenger hunt-ish feel but it's about a chess set. Sounds boring, but very well written and interesting and it moved well.

I'm still reading The Irish Game, which has turned into more of a crime story than an art history story. Still, interesting, but not what I expected. I don't know what's next on the agenda. I have a huge stack of books waiting for me and SO much coursework. If I was smart, I'd keep away from recreational reading until the end of the term.....I may not be that smart.

[geek the girl]

The Eight by Katerine Neville (sp?) was far superior - I wish it would get more attention. It was kind of an academic DaVinci Code only written WAY before that book and by a much better writer. It's got the same elements of history and a sort of scavenger hunt-ish feel but it's about a chess set. Sounds boring, but very well written and interesting and it moved well.

OMG! So that's what it's called! Back in my junior year in high school, when I was getting into well-written mystery books with a historical theme, mainly the much underrated books of Mark Frost (yes, the other guy from Twin Peaks) the librarian recommended me a book that sounded amazing but unfortunately wasn't available at the time. I do remember the letter "eight" in the title and the premise of the novel sounded just like what you're describing. Every once in a while, I've been racking my brains trying to remember the actual title and, my dear, now you've helped me locate a book I never got around to reading in high school. And people say the FoRT is just for reality TV.

Now that we're discussing the historical/scholarly suspense novel (that's a genre, right? ): has anyone read The Labyrinth by Kate Mosse (no relation to the super model, unfortunately) or The Oxford Murders by Guillermo Martinez? I've come across them in various book stores over the last few months, picked them up, read the blurb but then decided against buying either of them because I'm afraid it will just turn out to be another DaVinci Code.

[MsFroggy]

I love books that involve art, books, history, anything like that. I read some of Arturo Perez-Reverte's books. Some I found a bit hard to get into, but "The Flanders Panel" was one I really liked.