On the (marvellous) subject of books: Patrick O'Brian was the author of the Aubrey/Maturin series of books, which were set during the Napoleonic war. Great stuff, and the movie based on the series, Master and Commander, was really good too.
Hmm, I've heard of Master and Commander. I'm not a big fan of the Napoleonic period but I'll look it up on IMDB
If Pratchett's Discworld isn't your speed, I'd actually really recommend his Nation, which is about the nature of religious belief and colonialism, and which is certainly silly in parts but also had me sobbing like a baby within the first thirty pages.
I'll look it up on Amazaon. I have to admit though, when it comes to what I read, I'm like one of those awful little children who pokes at the filet mignon on their plate complaining that it's not a cheeseburger and can I have some ketchup, lol
I've actually been on an Atwood kick myself, lately, trying to read more Canadiana. Have you read any of her other stuff? I recently read The Robber Bride and the The Blind Assassin and just adored them both.
I've read Life Before Man, which was quite conventional but which I remember enjoying. It was about a love triangle. Married man academic has an affair with his graduate assistant. Wife is cold but had a tortured past. Interesting. Hmph. I may have to re-read that. It's been years and I barely remember any details. But I did enjoy it. I also tried to read Bluebeard's Egg but I never finished it. Can't even remember what I read in it. Hmm, may have to crack that one open again too. And I may still have Lady Oracle floating around here somewhere. But I didn't read that at all. Well guess I got some fiction to check out. It's funny. I'm currently on hiatus from reading The French Lieutenant's Woman and I think John Fowles reminds me a wee bit of Atwood.
Oh I've also read Possession by A.S. Byatt. LOVED it although it was a bit dense and inside baseball. But I bow before the sheer audacity of it, most especially all the poetry. I'm not learned enough to judge it critically. But I'm just staggered by her simply doing a credible enough job to fool me, lol. She also has a short story collection that's a bit magical. I have a thing for fairy tales.
In that case, if I can press Pratchett's suit, his Witch's Abroad and the aforementioned Lords and Ladies are quite good. But then, as established, I am a huge fan of good meta and I love stories about stories.
I have to admit though, when it comes to what I read, I'm like one of those awful little children who pokes at the filet mignon on their plate complaining that it's not a cheeseburger and can I have some ketchup, lol
*laughs* I'm a picky reader too. I once entered into a book exchange with a friend in which we sent off our favourite books for each other to read, and I grew more and more embarrassed as I continued to flat out hate everything that was sent to me. I have very particular squicks and my friend's favourites just happened to hit them.
In that case, if I can press Pratchett's suit, his Witch's Abroad and the aforementioned Lords and Ladies are quite good. But then, as established, I am a huge fan of good meta and I love stories about stories.
Hmm, I didn't know Pratchett did fairy tale related stuff...* plans a trip to Bor- I mean Barnes and Nobles ( spares a tear for Borders * sigh *) *
*laughs* I'm a picky reader too. I once entered into a book exchange with a friend in which we sent off our favourite books for each other to read, and I grew more and more embarrassed as I continued to flat out hate everything that was sent to me. I have very particular squicks and my friend's favourites just happened to hit them.
Oh isn't that awful? I always feel SO bad when that happens, like I'm being a snob...or the little kid trying to plop some ketchup on filet mignon, lol.
Oh isn't that awful? I always feel SO bad when that happens, like I'm being a snob...or the little kid trying to plop some ketchup on filet mignon, lol.
Exactly. I had that friend insist, insist, insist that I was going to just love a certain Sarah Waters book that she loved, and this was finally going to be the book we agreed on. This got built up for weeks, and when I finally read it...not only did I hate it, but I felt like I had just spat on the thing. But, different strokes for different folks, right?
Yeah. ...I suppose regular, non-bookish folk don't get upset over things like this, lol. But I do. It makes it hard for me to follow someone's recommendation cause I know I'll hate it. That doesn't happen as much with fan fic though. I mean I'm not a huge Minerva fan or femme-slash fan so when I get lots of femme-slash Minerva-centric recs, I feel bad that I can't read and give feedback cause I know I'll be either bleh, or won't like it. Same for threesomes. And I feel bad that I can't support folk who write it or rec it =^/ I run into the same problem whenever anyone suggests Stephen King. He's a good writer, but I can't read him, lol. I'll be hiding under the bed if I do!
Interesting. You know, I've found my fanfic tastes have changed a lot more than my profic tastes over the years. The novels I loved as a teenager still, with a few overly purple exceptions, hold up to re-reading, but the fanfiction I liked then was very...well, sweet but bland is probably the best description.
Hmm, I've heard of Master and Commander. I'm not a big fan of the Napoleonic period but I'll look it up on IMDB
If Pratchett's Discworld isn't your speed, I'd actually really recommend his Nation, which is about the nature of religious belief and colonialism, and which is certainly silly in parts but also had me sobbing like a baby within the first thirty pages.
I'll look it up on Amazaon. I have to admit though, when it comes to what I read, I'm like one of those awful little children who pokes at the filet mignon on their plate complaining that it's not a cheeseburger and can I have some ketchup, lol
I've actually been on an Atwood kick myself, lately, trying to read more Canadiana. Have you read any of her other stuff? I recently read The Robber Bride and the The Blind Assassin and just adored them both.
I've read Life Before Man, which was quite conventional but which I remember enjoying. It was about a love triangle. Married man academic has an affair with his graduate assistant. Wife is cold but had a tortured past. Interesting. Hmph. I may have to re-read that. It's been years and I barely remember any details. But I did enjoy it. I also tried to read Bluebeard's Egg but I never finished it. Can't even remember what I read in it. Hmm, may have to crack that one open again too. And I may still have Lady Oracle floating around here somewhere. But I didn't read that at all. Well guess I got some fiction to check out. It's funny. I'm currently on hiatus from reading The French Lieutenant's Woman and I think John Fowles reminds me a wee bit of Atwood.
Oh I've also read Possession by A.S. Byatt. LOVED it although it was a bit dense and inside baseball. But I bow before the sheer audacity of it, most especially all the poetry. I'm not learned enough to judge it critically. But I'm just staggered by her simply doing a credible enough job to fool me, lol. She also has a short story collection that's a bit magical. I have a thing for fairy tales.
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In that case, if I can press Pratchett's suit, his Witch's Abroad and the aforementioned Lords and Ladies are quite good. But then, as established, I am a huge fan of good meta and I love stories about stories.
I have to admit though, when it comes to what I read, I'm like one of those awful little children who pokes at the filet mignon on their plate complaining that it's not a cheeseburger and can I have some ketchup, lol
*laughs* I'm a picky reader too. I once entered into a book exchange with a friend in which we sent off our favourite books for each other to read, and I grew more and more embarrassed as I continued to flat out hate everything that was sent to me. I have very particular squicks and my friend's favourites just happened to hit them.
Reply
Hmm, I didn't know Pratchett did fairy tale related stuff...* plans a trip to Bor- I mean Barnes and Nobles ( spares a tear for Borders * sigh *) *
*laughs* I'm a picky reader too. I once entered into a book exchange with a friend in which we sent off our favourite books for each other to read, and I grew more and more embarrassed as I continued to flat out hate everything that was sent to me. I have very particular squicks and my friend's favourites just happened to hit them.
Oh isn't that awful? I always feel SO bad when that happens, like I'm being a snob...or the little kid trying to plop some ketchup on filet mignon, lol.
Reply
Exactly. I had that friend insist, insist, insist that I was going to just love a certain Sarah Waters book that she loved, and this was finally going to be the book we agreed on. This got built up for weeks, and when I finally read it...not only did I hate it, but I felt like I had just spat on the thing. But, different strokes for different folks, right?
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