What are you reading? - Page 235

geek the girl · 11-16-2006, 03:56 AM

Critical, I'm glad you liked Echo Park. I'll get my hands on it as soon as my dad has finished it.

After all the dark, Gothic stuff I've been reading lately (well, not just lately

), I was in the mood for something lighter. Marian Keyes' latest novel, Anyone Out There?, seemed like the ideal book. I'm only a couple of chapters in, but so far, so good. I really admire Keyes' ability to be entertaining without becoming too lightweight.

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JLuvs · 11-18-2006, 09:54 PM

Just finished My Sister's Keeper by Jodi Picoult. Excellent book.

Going up to Oregon tomorrow via train so I checked out a bunch of random books that looked interesting in the library. Hopefully I got some good ones.

swingkat · 11-19-2006, 05:51 AM

I'm about halfway through "The Athenian Murders" by José Carlos Somoza and I'm absolutely loving it. I thought it would be a classical whodunit, and was loving the fact that the main character of the book was a "Decipherer of Enigmas" named Heracles Pontor (he even has a pointy head

), but all of sudden the plot has turned much darker and scarier than I had expected. It's a mystery within a mystery and a darned good one IMO. From Powell's.com

"In ancient Athens, one of the pupils of Plato's Academy is found dead. His idealistic teacher Diagoras is convinced the pupil's death is not as accidental as it appears, and asks the famous Heracles Pontor, the "Decipherer of Enigmas," to investigate. As the death toll rises, the two men find themselves drawn into the dangerous underworld of the Athenian aristocracy, risking their own lives to solve the riddle of these young men's deaths. Simultaneously, a second plot unfolds: that of the modern-day translator of the ancient text, who, as he proceeds with his work, becomes convinced that the original author has hidden a second meaning in the text, one that can be interpreted through certain repeated words and images. As the story advances, however, the translator is alarmed to discover references to himself, which seem to address him personally in an increasingly menacing fashion. "

Jake8203 · 11-20-2006, 01:55 AM

Just finished "Try" by Dennis Cooper and am now reading "All American Boy" by William J. Mann

geek the girl · 11-20-2006, 04:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by swingkat

I'm about halfway through "The Athenian Murders" by José Carlos Somoza and I'm absolutely loving it. I thought it would be a classical whodunit, and was loving the fact that the main character of the book was a "Decipherer of Enigmas" named Heracles Pontor (he even has a pointy head

), but all of sudden the plot has turned much darker and scarier than I had expected. It's a mystery within a mystery and a darned good one IMO. From Powell's.com

"In ancient Athens, one of the pupils of Plato's Academy is found dead. His idealistic teacher Diagoras is convinced the pupil's death is not as accidental as it appears, and asks the famous Heracles Pontor, the "Decipherer of Enigmas," to investigate. As the death toll rises, the two men find themselves drawn into the dangerous underworld of the Athenian aristocracy, risking their own lives to solve the riddle of these young men's deaths. Simultaneously, a second plot unfolds: that of the modern-day translator of the ancient text, who, as he proceeds with his work, becomes convinced that the original author has hidden a second meaning in the text, one that can be interpreted through certain repeated words and images. As the story advances, however, the translator is alarmed to discover references to himself, which seem to address him personally in an increasingly menacing fashion. "

swingkat, by the sound of this, I'll have to look out for this one next time I'm in a book store! Intriguing stuff. Thanks for letting us know about this book!

at the character called Heracles having a pointy head. Doesn't his namesake (give or take a vowel) have more of an egg-shaped head, though? (If we're nitpicking.)

swingkat · 11-20-2006, 12:29 PM

Quote:

Doesn't his namesake (give or take a vowel) have more of an egg-shaped head, though? (If we're nitpicking.)

Yep, you're totally right

. I think the word Somoza actually uses to describe Heracles' head is "conical" and it was my own interpretation of the adjective I wrote

. I guess I'm the typical person who changes the original wording in those "spread-the-message-by-whispering-in-your-neighbor's-ear" communication games. I'm getting all set to read the last half of the book after very reluctantly putting it away yesterday to go visit my inlaws.

cricketeen · 11-20-2006, 07:23 PM

Finishing up The Gods of Newport by John Jakes. I've enjoyed his books in the past. This one just doesn't seem up to par. If I remember correctly, he was ill for quite awhile, maybe that's had an effect.
Next up is Pigs in Heaven by Barbara Kingsolver.

Pomeraniac · 11-24-2006, 12:06 AM

Just yesterday I started reading BORN TO STEAL: When The Mafia Hit Wall Street, by Gary Weiss. So far it's very entertaining and I'm learning a lot about things that are pretty foreign to me (the Mafia and Wall Street).

DesertRose · 11-24-2006, 08:15 AM

Has anybody read Snow Flower and the Secret fan? I got hooked by the first page. It's such a beautiful story of women in ancient China, their place in the family (just above dogs, but barely), foot binding, secret woman language, etc.

kattatude · 11-24-2006, 09:02 AM

DesertRose, who is the author? That sounds like something I'd like to read. I loved Pearl S. Bucks' books about China. (That's hard to say...Pearl S. Bucks' books...lol)

11-16-2006, 03:56 AM	#2341
geek the girl Culture slut Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Maternal bliss Age: 29 Posts: 1,859	Critical, I'm glad you liked Echo Park. I'll get my hands on it as soon as my dad has finished it. After all the dark, Gothic stuff I've been reading lately (well, not just lately ), I was in the mood for something lighter. Marian Keyes' latest novel, Anyone Out There?, seemed like the ideal book. I'm only a couple of chapters in, but so far, so good. I really admire Keyes' ability to be entertaining without becoming too lightweight. __________________ "There's more to life than books, you know, but not much more" (Morrissey)

11-18-2006, 09:54 PM	#2342
JLuvs RENThead Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Commuting for Work Posts: 4,584	Just finished My Sister's Keeper by Jodi Picoult. Excellent book. Going up to Oregon tomorrow via train so I checked out a bunch of random books that looked interesting in the library. Hopefully I got some good ones. __________________ Whenever you see darkness, there is extraordinary opportunity for the light to burn brighter. -Bono

11-20-2006, 07:23 PM	#2347
cricketeen FORT Fogey Join Date: Sep 2005 Posts: 1,696	Finishing up The Gods of Newport by John Jakes. I've enjoyed his books in the past. This one just doesn't seem up to par. If I remember correctly, he was ill for quite awhile, maybe that's had an effect. Next up is Pigs in Heaven by Barbara Kingsolver. __________________ "If everything seems under control, you're just not going fast enough." - Mario Andretti

11-24-2006, 12:06 AM	#2348
Pomeraniac FORT Fogey Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Enjoying Real Life Posts: 5,731	Just yesterday I started reading BORN TO STEAL: When The Mafia Hit Wall Street, by Gary Weiss. So far it's very entertaining and I'm learning a lot about things that are pretty foreign to me (the Mafia and Wall Street). __________________ Click HERE for Great Music on Your Computer

11-19-2006, 05:51 AM	#2343
swingkat FORT Regular Join Date: Apr 2006 Posts: 86	I'm about halfway through "The Athenian Murders" by José Carlos Somoza and I'm absolutely loving it. I thought it would be a classical whodunit, and was loving the fact that the main character of the book was a "Decipherer of Enigmas" named Heracles Pontor (he even has a pointy head ), but all of sudden the plot has turned much darker and scarier than I had expected. It's a mystery within a mystery and a darned good one IMO. From Powell's.com "In ancient Athens, one of the pupils of Plato's Academy is found dead. His idealistic teacher Diagoras is convinced the pupil's death is not as accidental as it appears, and asks the famous Heracles Pontor, the "Decipherer of Enigmas," to investigate. As the death toll rises, the two men find themselves drawn into the dangerous underworld of the Athenian aristocracy, risking their own lives to solve the riddle of these young men's deaths. Simultaneously, a second plot unfolds: that of the modern-day translator of the ancient text, who, as he proceeds with his work, becomes convinced that the original author has hidden a second meaning in the text, one that can be interpreted through certain repeated words and images. As the story advances, however, the translator is alarmed to discover references to himself, which seem to address him personally in an increasingly menacing fashion. "

11-20-2006, 01:55 AM	#2344
Jake8203 FORT Newbie Join Date: Aug 2006 Posts: 28	Just finished "Try" by Dennis Cooper and am now reading "All American Boy" by William J. Mann

11-24-2006, 08:15 AM	#2349
DesertRose When coffee just won't do Join Date: May 2005 Location: Reno hell Posts: 3,410	Has anybody read Snow Flower and the Secret fan? I got hooked by the first page. It's such a beautiful story of women in ancient China, their place in the family (just above dogs, but barely), foot binding, secret woman language, etc.

11-24-2006, 09:02 AM	#2350
kattatude FORT Fan Join Date: Aug 2003 Posts: 272	DesertRose, who is the author? That sounds like something I'd like to read. I loved Pearl S. Bucks' books about China. (That's hard to say...Pearl S. Bucks' books...lol)