What's The Last Book You Read?

[Hlao-roo 389]

I re-read The Giver recently in preparation to see the new film (on which I've since chosen to pass). It felt sparser than I'd remembered it, not just in terms of plot, but also in terms of world-building and breadth of character development. Lowry cleaves narrowly to Jonas's perceptions and ruminations, and her prose remains mostly spartan, making the lyricism and vibrant detail that attend Jonas's awakenings all the more powerful. In general, there's a unruffled modesty to the tale that today we might consider restraint, as the AV Club's Andrea Battleground notes:

Dystopian YA lit and fantasy has become such a hackneyed go-to genre in the last decade that it’s difficult to conceive that just two decades ago, such a plot was considered revolutionary, perhaps even too disturbing to be teaching children (as evidenced by the book’s frequent billing on the American Library Association’s Most Frequently Challenged Books list.) By 2014 standards, The Giver is relatively tame. The kids are too young for a romantic plot (a detail worked around in the film adaptation by aging them up to 16); puberty is only alluded to as a “Stirring” to be medicated out of adolescents; the concept of sex is never so much as broached. In fact, one of the most surprising aspects of this re-read was how little “action” is actually in the book. These days, we’re conditioned to expect “noble teens on the run” adrenaline-pumpers. The Giver is basically 200 pages of an adolescent boy musing on his memories and his feelings while having instructive conversations with the adults responsible for him. It’s an extremely meditative book about the death of childhood, responsibility to one’s community, and rebellion against corruption. The final few chapters provide an impetus for real suspense, but that’s about it.

[Incanus 5,722]

Travels with Charlie by John Steinbeck: A breezy bit of fun, this uneven Steinbeck novel illustrates how he does a fine job meshing sharp yet humane observations on life with great wry humour and subtle sense of larger than life, something mythic even. Not one of his profound works but light and entertaining just the same. He paints vivid imagery and people with such ease.

[Koray Savas 2,251]

I re-read The Giver recently in preparation to see the new film (on which I've since chosen to pass). It felt sparser than I'd remembered it, not just in terms of plot, but also in terms of world-building and breadth of character development. Lowry cleaves narrowly to Jonas's perceptions and ruminations, and her prose remains mostly spartan, making the lyricism and vibrant detail that attend Jonas's awakenings all the more powerful. In general, there's a unruffled modesty to the tale that today we might consider restraint, as the AV Club's Andrea Battleground notes:

Dystopian YA lit and fantasy has become such a hackneyed go-to genre in the last decade that it’s difficult to conceive that just two decades ago, such a plot was considered revolutionary, perhaps even too disturbing to be teaching children (as evidenced by the book’s frequent billing on the American Library Association’s Most Frequently Challenged Books list.) By 2014 standards, The Giver is relatively tame. The kids are too young for a romantic plot (a detail worked around in the film adaptation by aging them up to 16); puberty is only alluded to as a “Stirring” to be medicated out of adolescents; the concept of sex is never so much as broached. In fact, one of the most surprising aspects of this re-read was how little “action” is actually in the book. These days, we’re conditioned to expect “noble teens on the run” adrenaline-pumpers. The Giver is basically 200 pages of an adolescent boy musing on his memories and his feelings while having instructive conversations with the adults responsible for him. It’s an extremely meditative book about the death of childhood, responsibility to one’s community, and rebellion against corruption. The final few chapters provide an impetus for real suspense, but that’s about it.

The film looks horrendous. Love the book.

[KK 3,307]

Yeah, it's a darn shame they decided to gear the film towards Twilight/Hunger Games audiences...the content could have warranted a great one.

[Red 75]

Blood Meridian by Cormac McCarthy

Bit of light, fun reading to pass the summer time.

[Incanus 5,722]

Poirot and Me by David Suchet: The inimitable character actor David Suchet reminisces on his 25 odyssey with the character of Hercule Poirot and basically goes through the experience series by series from start to finish. An interesting look at the psychology and development of Suchet (and indeed the character he played) and a nice farewell to the well loved fictional detective on his part. It also enlightens the readers how uncertain it was from year to year that he would ever be allowed to film all the Poirot stories (the production companies wavered a number of times but always finally continued with the succesful TV series) and how it finally happened and how he managed to keep a high profile theater actor life and most of all his family life going through these years while still becoming the definitive dramatic embodiment of the "little Belgian". Although the actor shares a good deal of positively beaming reviews of the show and his theater life Suchet comes off as a rather humble and level-headed and grounded man, who attributes so much of his success to the character of Poirot and not himself. Also his deep appreciation for the fans of the show and his fellow actors (he is extremely proud that Poirot attracted such high caliber British acting talent) is lovely to read. While there is a bit of a love fest going on with nary a negative comment on the actors, quite the opposite in fact, Suchet does e.g. openly admit being not entirely satisfied with certain seasons of the series. A bit formulaic in style (it does go through the 25 years in sequences based on the seasons (or series as they are called in UK) of the show the book still gives interesting insight to the character and most of all to the man behind Poirot and Suchet quite extensively details Dame Agatha's life and works on the side as well showing considerable expertise (he is of course a Poirot expert after all these years). Highly enjoyable read, even more to the fan of Dame Agatha's creation and fan of the show.

[Koray Savas 2,251]

Blood Meridian by Cormac McCarthy

Bit of light, fun reading to pass the summer time.

Still never able to actually finish that one.

[JoeinAR 1,949]

Mr Mercedes was a good read with several twist I did not see coming and a creepy ending.

Now rereading the Strain.

[nightscape94 965]

I have a vacation coming up this week. Maybe I'll finally get around to reading James Joyce's "Ulysses". On the other hand, I do have a lot of not reading planned.

[Jay 37,432]

Going anywhere?

[nightscape94 965]

Dunno. I was thinking about taking a trip down to Savannah, Ga.

[Jay 37,432]

What is there to see/do there?

[JoeinAR 1,949]

Eat at Paula Dean's Lady and Son's. Food is pretty damn good.

[Wojo 2,453]

There's a TVFoodMap app that shows you all the local restaurants in the area that have been on the food networks. I wish I would have remembered to use it last month in California. It would have saved me from fast food late night burgers.

[JoeinAR 1,949]

I want to eat at the Boston Fish House in Orlando and have fried clams.

[nightscape94 965]

What is there to see/do there?

It might be a strange thing to say, but Bonaventure Cemetery looks neat. Tybee Island looks appealing. River Street looks like a nice walk. Overall it looks like a rather charming place. Could be worse ways to spend a few days, and I like to travel.

[JoeinAR 1,949]

My friends love Tybee Is.

Cemetery exploring can be a blast, educational, and best of all creepy. Love the Boston ones.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

An excellent 724 page book detailing every aspect of the show. with insightful comments from the people who made it, and surprisingly honest too.

[Faleel 5,382]

The Shaping of Middle-earth.

[Sir Hilary Bray 235]

Cornelius Ryan's A Bridge Too Far what with the 70th anniversary of Market-Garden approaching. Though perhaps superseded by subsequent works based on archive materials and whatnot, this is the work to go. Ryan's research was immaculate and of course benefits from the people themselves contributing such as Eisenhower, Urquhart, etc. At once the worst episode of the war perhaps for the Allies but also a strong hour in the courage shown.

[Incanus 5,722]

A Study In Scarlet by sir Arthur Conan Doyle: A Study In Scarlet is the first Sherlock Holmes story that tells of the first encounter of John Watson and Sherlock Holmes and how they come to share an apartmet at 221B Baker Street where Watson for the first time witnesses the world's only (and greatest) consulting detective at work on a puzzling murder which neither Lestrade nor Gregson of the London police can solve. Doyle's first take on Holmes shows his main characters of Watson and Holmes fully formed but their surroundings are still in the rough, e.g. there is no mention of Mrs. Hudson yet although the street urchin informants lead by Wiggins do play part in this tale. The story structure is highly unusual and I was surprised to find out that Holmes actually disappears for nearly half of the story as Doyle expounds on a convoluted backstory to the events of the murder in a way that makes it feel almost like a separate tale. This is an intended effect but it does take spotlight curiously away from Holmes for such a long period of time (and to another continent entirely) that the final two chapters feel almost like an obligatory round-up where Holmes gets to show off a bit more of his skills when the actual plot has already been explained in detail and in a manner that feels highly detached from the rest of the novel. Doyle would certainly improve upon this first novel in many ways throughout the years but it cannot be denied that there is still the spirit and charm of Sherlock Holmes already very well formed in this work. It just needed more sculpting before reaching its most satisfying form.

I am now off to read the next novel The Sign of Four!

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

That's my fav Holmes novel

[Incanus 5,722]

That's my fav Holmes novel

I have yet to read the other three. I have read all the short stories though, even the more obscure ones. But I felt the Study went off to an odd direction with the literary device of jumping to the backstory in the middle of the story.

[Incanus 5,722]

The Second World War by Antony Beevor: A comprehensive account of the conflict between 1939 and 1945 where Beevor, both a soldier and a historian, casts a critical eye on the whole massive war in all its theaters. Fascinating and readable but naturally somewhat gruelling, due to its subject matter, 900 page work illuminates the bigger and smaller maneouvres but humanizes the action by numerous eye witness accounts of both soldiers and civilians. A rather sombre reading but really gave me for the first time a comprehesive overview of the war that touched most of the globe in one way or the other.

[Sir Hilary Bray 235]

The Lost World, Michael Crichton.

When one reads JP, one shoots onto The Lost World. For whatever reason it doesn't work for me after Jurassic Park. It lacks something and the addition of the kids is something I wasn't keen on. It's alright in Jurassic Park (where, unlike the film, Grant likes kids- /"Babies smell!") but here just is annoying. Again it's down to the kids to work the computer. Admittedly the high point is Dodgson's come-uppance. Otherwise I'm not mad on it.

[JoeinAR 1,949]

That's my fav Holmes novel

I am ashamed to admit that of the thousands of books I have read I have never actually read Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. However I am reading him and a Douglas Preston Lincoln Child novel Fever Dream about their resolute FBI Special Agent Aloysius Pendergast. I had read their book White Fire about a lost Holmes story which caused me to start with the Holmes Short stories. I have the entire Holmes collection. Next week I must read King's novel Revival.

[BloodBoal 7,538]

I think we should really two separate threads for this:

- What's The Last Book You Read? (Older Books)

- What's The Last Book You Read? (Newer Books)

I'm tired of having to wade through pages and pages of posts talking about old books I don't care about just to find the one post talking about a newer book I'm interested in.

[Wojo 2,453]

Yes, because people here are so passionate about reading that we have had four posts in this thread since September.

[BloodBoal 7,538]

Yes.

[Wojo 2,453]

Indeed

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

We read every day!

Here....

[Wojo 2,453]

Then we need a thread where we can talk about our favorite threads.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

Brilliant!

[Koray Savas 2,251]

Didn't we already add another useless reading thread? Like what are you planning to read or something?

[Jay 37,432]

Faleel did!

http://www.jwfan.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=23488

[Marian Schedenig 8,227]

- What's The Last Book You Read? (Newer Books)

How do we define "newer books"? Books that are currently sold in bookshops? Doesn't that include most older books as well?

Then we need a thread where we can talk about our favorite threads.

We need a "what's the last thread you read" thread. Anyone posting any other thread into that thread is a LIER.

[BloodBoal 7,538]

- What's The Last Book You Read? (Newer Books)

How do we define "newer books"? Books that are currently sold in bookshops? Doesn't that include most older books as well?

Well, I guess it's up to the poster to decide whether the book he/she read is old or not. But we definitely need two different threads, because I would feel more comfortable that way.

[nightscape94 965]

...a Douglas Preston Lincoln Child novel Fever Dream about their resolute FBI Special Agent Aloysius Pendergast. I had read their book White Fire about a lost Holmes story which caused me to start with the Holmes Short stories.

The only book of theirs I've read is The Relic, which does have Pendergast in it. Really enjoyed it, but never purchased/read another one.

[JoeinAR 1,949]

I think there are about 15 now. Some better than other.

Then we need a thread where we can talk about our favorite threads.

but shouldn't we have one for our favorites old thread and one for our favorite new threads.

My favorite old thread is the one about me buying up all the film stocks of AI and destroying each one.

My favorite new thread is the discussion about old and new movies.

[Incanus 5,722]

Three Blind Mice aka The Mousetrap and Other Stories by Agatha Christie: A nice little collection of Christie short stories featuring her famous The Mousetrap that has been turned into the well-known long running play. Other tales feature both Miss Marple and Hercule Poirot and it gives a sort of quick all-around view of her style and world. I have to say I prefer her longer stories where she has an opportunity to really build up the characters and story twists but these shorter pieces offer very light diversions like the Poirot stories The Third Floor Flat or Four and Twenty Black Birds that really extoll his little grey cells but deprive the reader a chance to really try to sleuth along as the big reveal comes too soon and we never quite know all the facts. Light and entertaining.

[Mr. Breathmask 555]

I'm considering ordering the Hunger Games trilogy. Is it any good? Or is it mostly the same old angsty teenage girl stuff that stuff like Twilight and Divergent seem to have oozing from their pages?

[Unlucky Bastard 7,782]

When first The Hunger Games movie was released, all I heard were comparisons to Twilight.

[Mr. Breathmask 555]

They were all in favor of The Hunger Games though.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

Watching fluffy kittens being smashed to death with an axe would be favorable to anything Twilight.

I've been told by various adults that the books are solid reads.

[Koray Savas 2,251]

They're entertaining but nothing special.

[RedBard 71]

A first edition copy of Peter and Wendy.

It's not everyday that I get to hold a first edition copy of a book, so reading this was a treat, even if I did know the story front to back.

[Unlucky Bastard 7,782]

Yes boy... yessss

[A24 4,356]

I'm considering ordering the Hunger Games trilogy. Is it any good? Or is it mostly the same old angsty teenage girl stuff that stuff like Twilight and Divergent seem to have oozing from their pages?

It's way better than Twilight (not really comparable) and Divergent. Especially the first one is pretty good. I haven't seen the third one but I hear it's the lesser one of the bunch.

Oh, you are talking about the books ....

[Jay 37,432]

Of course he is, this is a book thread first of all, and second of all the Hunger Games is only a trilogy in book form, its a quadrilogy in movie form.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

Lol FAIL!