Book questions, stolen from Thistlerose and The_merope:

[lyras]

1) Which book has been on your shelves the longest?

Here in Oz, Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell, which is the only book I brought with me. I should probably get rid of it, since I didn't enjoy it that much (I thought the short stories set in the same universe were much better). Back home, I inherited quite a few from my parents, but the one that

Comments

[the_merope]

Why was finding Anansi Boys enjoyable a surprise?

And LotR!! Mine's been with me most places too. Except now. WOE.

[lyras]

Mainly because it's been sitting on my shelves for about two years and I just couldn't get around to reading it. Also, I thought it was a children's book, so discovering that it was a light adult comedy was a pleasant surprise. :-)

[wanderlight]

Anansi Boys definitely was a pleasant surprise! I thought it would be some sort of continuation of American Gods -- which it really isn't, in theme or atmosphere or anything -- so it really threw me at first, but I ended up loving it once I figured out what it was. :)

Also, I couldn't get through Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell either. *hides* A lot of people on my flist will kill me for saying this, since it seems so widely loved!

[vegablack62]

You didn't like "Jonathna Strange and Mr. Norrell"? Ouch! I loved it. It was one of those books that my entire family read at once in a group love fest.

As my Dad says, "That's why Baskin Robbins makes 31 flavors."

I love seeing people's reactions to books. I love this meme.

I'm not a fan of Paul Theroux. I have to read House of the Spirits and just haven't yet.

[lyras]

I'm glad I finished Jonathan Strange, because I loved the ending. There were parts of it I loved all the way through - I just thought it could have been a good two hundred pages shorter. Which I think is why I enjoyed the short stories much more - I recommend them if you haven't read them yet (The Ladies of Grace Adieu).

I'm finding the Paul Theroux book a bit of a struggle so far. I just don't seem to be in the mood for all the slow-moving detail he provides, despite being very interested in the subject (Africa).

[vegablack62]

My problem with Paul Theroux is that I don't like him. I read his book on China and never read another because it felt like being trapped sitting next to someone you didn't like on a tour bus. He kept getting in the way of the view. I just wanted him to shut up.

[lyras]

I must admit I'm not warming to Theroux at all. I'm fifty pages in, and so far he's bitched quite a lot about his fellow tourists, and about not being able to get a visa for Sudan. And that's about that.

it felt like being trapped sitting next to someone you didn't like on a tour bus

That's a great description, and I shall bear it in mind!

[thistlerose]

The Dark Tower supposedly gets progressively better. I've only read the first three books, but so far that's been true. He wrote the first book LONG before he wrote the rest, and it really shows. Of course, sometimes he still gets on my nerves. King has this tendency to overplay things. But when he's good, he's really good. I remember Eyes of the Dragon, one of his fantasy novels, being a lot of fun.

[lyras]

I do intend to try The Dark Tower again at some point, mainly because my friend J (see answer to the last question) highly recommends it.

I didn't know King had written more fantasy/sf. I'll have to look into that!

[lyras]

Hi! You've been very quiet recently - studying keeping you out of mischief?

I loved parts (like, a hundred pages at a time) of Jonathan Strange. I just thought it could have been about two hundred pages shorter.

After Touching the Void, my friend and I walked out of the cinema and took a few big gulps of air. I couldn't believe how much it affected me!

[lyras]

God, the Brown Girl in the Ring bit was awful, and so well done. I have it going around in my head now...

[retsuko]

I'm sorry to hear you didn't like Jonathan Strange. I loved it, but I know only one other person who did, too, and most other people I've spoken to are ambivalent about it. The plot moves slowly and I do wish an editor had worked with Ms. Clarke on that front.

WORD on "The Dark is Rising". D:

And I feel the same way about Proust. :)

[lyras]

I loved a lot about Jonathan Strange (like the character of Jonathan, all the fairy stuff that's hinted at, the ending) - but yeah, my main gripe is that it could (and therefore arguably should) have been quite a bit shorter.

Maybe we should start a Proust reading group when we retire. *g*