I love to read. And I love reading romance. It's not a guilty pleasure for me, it's just a pleasure. You know the end will be okay and the romantic leads will end up together to live out their days in happiness. But it is still fun to read.
On occasion though, I feel I need a bit more than just a simple romance novel. And I buy other books. Literary works. Hailed by the critics. Must-reads. And I get a copy of said must-read and try and work my way through it. I bought The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood (before the current series and hype). I tried to work my way through it, but as of today, I have been at it for over three years. And as with the film (after which I bought the book), I find it extremely hard going.
I started David Copperfield by Charles Dickens. As of today I have yet to finish it. I started it in 1993! I bought On the Road by Jack Kerouac. I don't get it. I Just Don't Get It! But, I would not be deterred. I decided to go for the big guns and got hold of a copy of The Gulag Archipelago (the abridged version) by Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn. No read for the beach, but on the other hand: I couldn't put it down either. And yes, I finished it.
The latest in my tries to bring a bit more culture to add to my collection was 1984 by George Orwell. I didn't know what to expect and I was a bit apprehensive, but even though it was quite tough reading at times, it was also a book I could not put down. And this morning (while at work) I finished it. It had me wrong-footed from quite early on (I tipped Julia), but I guess that was what it had intended to do from the get-go.
So, what's to be next? Any suggestions? (And yes, I might give David Copperfield another go. At some point)
Hari OM
ReplyDeleteI adore Solzhenitsyn and Orwell - you could stick to them and go for One Day In The Life of Ivan Denisovich (AS) and good ol' Animal Farm (GO)... David Copperfield is perhaps not the best to begin your Dickens' education; I would suggest Oliver Twist - way better to read than has ever been produced on screen. Modern and light are the No.1 Ladies Detective series by Alexander McCall Smith; I defy anyone not to fall in love with Madam Ramotswe and her endless teapot!!! Happy reading. YAM xx
I think I struggled my way to the finishing post on Great Expectations. The thing about Dickens is, he elaborates on a simple brown hat for about five pages, by which time I have lost all interest in that simple brown hat that doesn't have that much significance anyway. Oh, and I did read A Christmas Carol, which was on the okay side. Mainly because it was fairly short!!
DeleteMy husband was in the UK on business at Waterstones the big bookstore chain and called and said "they have your book on display (TBOB went #1 in both the US and the UK). I thought that was pretty cool - then he said "they also have 'also by this author" But the second book wasn't written yet. He looked, the second book in the display was also by a
ReplyDeletethe artist as a young man".
So between your first and second book you had a sex change and wrote a book you never wrote. Way to go on research Waterstones (which by the way must be my favourite book store, I once spent five hours in there)!
DeleteMom usually whips right through most books. Do you belong to Goodreads.com? You can see books other have read and how they liked them. Mom tried to read "Little WOmen" but could not get through it.
ReplyDeleteYour Pals,
Murphy & Stanley
I do belong to Goodreads, but even though they show books that I might like (I have a list) they are not always that easy to get hold of and/or very expensive. And no, I will not pay over 40 pounds for a book that is not even new!
DeleteBy the way: I loved Little Women. Isn't it funny how some books appeal to some and not to others?
DeleteI am not much of a reader these days. No suggestions from here.
ReplyDeleteI nearly only read at work. I used to learn Norwegian at work as well, but now that I speak the language, I read. And often get caught out as I miss my departure time...
DeleteI too love to read Mara but with my failing eyesight don't do all that much of it anymore. However I always read for pleasure. If a book doesn't please me after the first hour or so that's it ..... goodbye book. I've read literary works but if they don't hold my interest its on to the next one for me. A book I really loved and would recommend is Life and death in Shanghai by Nien Cheng. I read it many years ago now and would love to reread it. If only my eyes would let me.
ReplyDeleteIs there not a possibility to have it as a listening book? I have listened to The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy while doing the ironing! Absolutely brilliant.
DeleteAs for an hour, sometimes I don't even get that far. I remember trying something by Tolkien and giving up after not even a chapter. Awful!
I don't know when I read my last book ! I am reading blogs !! Sometimes so interesting especially those who immigrated to Australia when they were children or other moving stories ! I am in Amsterdam and it rains !
ReplyDeleteBig brother is watching you …
ReplyDeleteYes, "1984" should be required reading in school. You will find that a lot of what that book is about is coming true today.
I don't think I would have gotten that book in school. I found it hard to 'get' now!
DeleteI read one comment somewhere that said: this was supposed to be a warning, not a guide. So true! So scarily true!!
I almost forgot one of my favorite books: "River of Gods" by Ian McDonald. It looks at India in 2047.
DeleteIt's on the list, but first there are some other books I have to focus on. The type that can only be read after I have actually finished writing them!
DeleteGood luck with your writing! I always loved writing and started with little poems in grade school. Then it was on to short stories, and finally a couple novels which I hope to publish sometime.
DeleteDr. Zhivago...have you read that? That novel has everything, intrigue, romance, tragedy, and history.
ReplyDeleteHugs Cecilia
I have never been able to power through classics but I did enjoy Great Expectations. Right now I am slowly enjoying John Adams by David McCullough...revolutionary USA history, but also a great insight into his relationship with his wife!
ReplyDeleteGive me a good Stephen King book and I'll have no problem powering through it :-).
I feel like I should read both Handmaid and 1984. I've seen the movie/tv version of both, but feel a bit guilty about not reading the books. I found the Handmaid series quite absorbing.
ReplyDeleteLove your header photo. I'm a romance reader all the way....
ReplyDelete