What are you reading?

Finally finished Pegasus, by Robin McKinley. Slow going, partly because I barely had time to read, and partly because it's a very descriptive book, so you don't just want to not-quite-skim (which is what I usually do).

Glad I didn't give too much credit to the negative Amazon reviews - partly thanks to Jennie's review here - because I loved it. It does end as a cliffhanger, but the sequel be out eventually.

I'm so glad you liked it! It's always a worry, with those descriptive books, that people won't like it as much as I do!

I think my next book will be Colin Bateman's "Dr Yes".  I LOVED "Mystery Man" but was underwhelmed by the sequel, so I've just picked it up from the library instead of buying it.

Just finished Andrew Miller's Oxygen and now starting A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius.

Oxygen was ok but didn't really do much for me.  

Finally broke down and got The girl with the dragon tatoo Hard to get into at first but gets better as it goes along. I love the way they're constantly drinking coffee! 

I am reading "Squirrel Seeks Chipmunk" by David Sedaris.  I am hoping he will sign the book when I go see him in May.

I am reading "Squirrel Seeks Chipmunk" by David Sedaris.  I am hoping he will sign the book when I go see him in May.

He read from that when I went to see him last year! 

One Day by David Nicholls

After starting it in the summer, and then putting it down for months (I'm so inconstant & easily distracted) - I finally, finally finished Jude the Obscure on New Year's Eve.  And then grieved for poor Jude for days afterward.  So sad.  

I have now started Marilynne Robinson's Home, companion book to Gilead, which I read this time last year - I think it was.  Makes me want to read Gilead again.  And also I need to get her book Housekeeping as well.  Love the Midwestern voice & her meditative style of writing.

After starting it in the summer, and then putting it down for months (I'm so inconstant & easily distracted) - I finally, finally finished Jude the Obscure on New Year's Eve.  And then grieved for poor Jude for days afterward.  So sad.  

I have now started Marilynne Robinson's Home, companion book to Gilead, which I read this time last year - I think it was.  Makes me want to read Gilead again.  And also I need to get her book Housekeeping as well.  Love the Midwestern voice & her meditative style of writing.

Interesting.  I enjoyed Gilead but didn't know there was a companion book?  Tell me what you think of it.

I don't think I've ever fully gotten over reading Jude the Obscure. 

Interesting.  I enjoyed Gilead but didn't know there was a companion book?  Tell me what you think of it.  

It's about the other minister's family - the one with Jack, the prodigal son & all...if you remember those characters from Gilead?  So a lot of the same characters but told from a different perspective - different family's story.  Early indications & stuff written on the book jacket suggest that while Gilead was uplifting, Home is going to be a sadder book.

Thing about Jude is that I kept thinking - he just needs a Clarence (a la It's a Wonderful Life)...except what was really, really sad is that I don't know what Clarence could have shown Jude to convince him otherwise from thinking it would have been better if he had never been born.  

After two (potentially) sad books in a row, I'll be ready for something happier then, I think!

Early indications & stuff written on the book jacket suggest that while Gilead was uplifting, Home is going to be a sadder book.

Uh oh, sadder book means I'll have to wait for warmer weather to read it.

I feel certain Hardy wrote Jude during an English February.

I feel certain Hardy wrote Jude during an English February. 

Could be.  I think it was serialised to begin with?  And I know that his estranged wife was mega-angry with Hardy over publishing Jude - maybe making them even more estranged.  She didn't take kindly to his indictment of marriage & his 'lack of morals'. 

I have now started Marilynne Robinson's Home, companion book to Gilead, which I read this time last year - I think it was.  Makes me want to read Gilead again.  And also I need to get her book Housekeeping as well.  Love the Midwestern voice & her meditative style of writing.

I read Home (but not Gilead) and thought it was very well-written but at the same time it really irritated me. I wanted to shake all the characters and tell them to JUST DO SOMETHING.

I've just started South Riding by the wonderful Winifred Holtby.

I do love Hardy and have chosen Far from the Madding Crowd for my book group's March read - a re-read for me. And, for an added spin, we're going to read Tamara Drewe by Posy Simmonds alongside it.

I do love Hardy and have chosen Far from the Madding Crowd for my book group's March read... 

Read that a couple of years ago, which I have understood to be (from what others have said) Hardy at his most hopeful, if any of his books can be said to be hopeful.  And so now I've recently finished what is generally recognised as his most despairing book.

H, if you want some interesting extra bits to take along to a Hardy book discussion (it's the sort of thing I would do), here is one:

http://poemsandprose.blog.co.uk/2007/11/03/title~3238031/

And especially, the legend of Hardy's heart, the biscuit tin & the cat!

http://www.pawsonline.info/cobby.htm

http://www.stargazy-pie.com/issue3/fiction/hardysheart.html

http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/tol/arts_and_entertainment/article3985028.ece

Never read Jude the Obscure, but read Far From the Madding Crowd last year and enjoyed it. I love a good sad book, so I may have to put that on my list! I've recently had so many books come in that I can't wait to read!

Right now, I'm reading Faithful Place by Tana French. Good so far, but I really, really loved In the Woods, so not sure if this will live up to that one, but I'm hopeful.