For the month of January, I finished six books: The Talented Mr. Ripley by Patricia Highsmith, Goldfinger by Ian Fleming as narrated by Simon Vance, Cover Her Face by P.D. James, Laura by Vera Caspray, The Redbreast by Jo Nesbø, Suitable For Giving: A Collection of Wit With A Side of Wry by Jayne Martin. My favorite probably was Nesbø’s book, which although the third in the Harry Hole series was the first translated and published in English (the first two in the series haven’t been published in English yet). I really am looking forward to the rest of the series.
So what’s next? Well, instead of trying to list all of my choices, I thought I’d just show you them all from my recently updated Goodreads to-be-read list (not in order of series — it was complicated enough for me to get them formatted this far– or in order in which I plan on reading):
So where am I going to start? I already have Nesbø’s next book, Nemesis, out from the library so I’ll probably start there. Of course, a friend just returned my copy of Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close that he borrowed from my Nook, which he said he enjoyed, although he didn’t necessarily like the way it was done. So I am tempted by that one and Tina Fey’s Bossypants from Audible, which I downloaded this past weekend.
At this point, I don’t know, but I’ll let you know as soon as I decide. If you are familiar with any of these books, let me know which one or which series I should choose to start. If you aren’t familiar with any of these books, let me know what how your reading went for January and what you have planned for February and the rest of the year?
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I just finished Bossypants yesterday–have my review half written and crossing my fingers to post it tomorrow. I will be SO curious what you think coming from a male perspective. At one point she actually apologizes to her male listeners. Ha!
interesting what you friend said about EL&IC–the way that it is written is actually what appealed to me.
Here is more of what he said: “Just finished reading Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close. Thanks for lending it to me. I don’t read much contemporary fiction, except books by Tom Wolfe, because I know what to expect. A lot of current fiction is contaminated by the postmodernism crap that was being taught as critical theory when I was in grad school. The critical stance is “Come on reader, you and and I know that you are reading a book, so lets forget about getting involved with the narrative and identifying with the characters. Look what a clever intellectual exercise I have contrived”.
I liked E L and I C. with some major reservations. It’s difficult to write from the point of view of a nine-year-old, but I think Foer made it work. I liked and empathised with Oskar. The other characters were, for me, unsuccessful, although through them I did understand the terrible things that had happened to them.
However, whenever I began to get involved and “willingly suspend my disbelief” (see Coleridge), as I would in a traditional novel, my involvement was undermined by the postmodern tricks. For example, all of the pictures of doorknobs, apartment doors and other things did not further the narrative. They interrupted it. They created a distance. “Pay attention! This is not real! Remember you’re reading a book!”
To be fair, it’s possible that the pictures were included because Oskar would have put them in, but the point of view isn’t always Oskar’s, and the inclusion of pages of numbers and facsimiles of typed pages have the same result. I suspect it’s critical ideology.
I think Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close is an interesting postmodern book.”
He did add that he did like the book anyway despite the “postmodern tricks.”
I hate to say that your friend is correct, but he probably is. I can certainly see how this book is full of gimmicks because truthfully it is. But it worked for me. For me the visual aspects of the book enhanced my experience of it rather than took away but I think it’s just a matter of taste. This does make me doubly curious about your take on it!! It’s not a book that I like to recommend because of the style but it is one of my favorites (dare I say THE favorite? Gasp!!!).
Sure, you dare to say the favorite. You go ahead and dare to say whatever you like
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Only one I’ve read is Bossypants, and I would definitely go with audio on that one.
Oops – I forgot – I also read Rebecca – and it is amazing!
Rebecca probably will be next — after Nemesis, which I’ve caved into and am reading.
Got the audio on that one, and I’m looking forward to it.
The only one on your “to-read” list that I’ve read is REBECCA (by Daphne DuMaurier) and I happened to have *loved* it! When you get around to it, I can’t wait to see what you think of it.
I have Charlie Huston’s ALREADY DEAD (Joe Pitt Novels, Book #1) in my own stack, though I’m thinking I might like to try the Henry Thomppn Novels or the stand-alone, THE MYSTIC ARTS OF ERASING ALL SIGNS OF DEATH first. So again, I’ll be looking forward to seeing what you have to say about CAUGHT STEALING.
I have EXTREMELY LOUD & INCREDIBLY CLOSE on-hand too; but I had gotten it before I knew it used 9/11 in it and so I’m not looking forward to it as I once was. That day was a very personal one for me and I always a have a knee-jerk reaction to seeing it in a novel (Yes, I’m looking at you too, William Gibson.)
I didn’t like THE NO.1 LADY’S DETECTIVE AGENCY; and if a first-in-series doesn’t grab me, I don’t bother to go on. The pace was just too slow for my tastes.
After a fast start to January, reading and/or finishing a book every couple of days, Real Life got in the way and, in the end, I was only able to get in 8 books, 2 of which were parts of series: HATER (The Hater Trilogy, Book #1; by David Moody; narrated by Gerard Doyle) which didn’t do enough for me to want to continue on to DOG BLOOD. There were some interesting parts, like the beginning and the middle; but the end was really lame. The other series book I read in January was THE YEAR OF THE FLOOD (The MaddAddam Trilogy, Book #2; by Margaret Atwood; narrated by Bernadette Dunne, Katie McNichol & Mark Bramhall.) TYOTF expanded the world as first introduced in ORYX & CRAKE and tied up some loose ends (from O&C) but it didn’t “pop” for me the way O&C did.I wrote a boggy-moshy* review of it on my blog if your interested.
*boggy-moshy – ideas competed for ink and we all got mired in the result; but I posted it anyway because otherwise I would have been picking at it for months :-/
I’ve been intrigued by the Charlie Huston books (Henry Thompson novels) too. My brother-in-law let me borrow them (well, I stole them off his shelf when he said, “Borrow whatever you like.”). For some reason, they caught my eyes. So I probably will get to them soon. I didn’t know the Margaret Atwood book The Year of the Flood was part of a series. Hmmm. The things you learn…on your own blog. For now, I’m working on Nemesis, the next in the Harry Hole series, by Jo Nesbo. Next up after that, probably Rebecca, because several bloggers I follow have been mentioning it, and then maybe the Charlie Huston books. I’ve read a few of the No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency series and like you, I don’t know if I’m completely enamored of them. I might just drop them (GASP! Really?! Yes, really!
from my TBR pile altogether….at least for now. I guess I felt guilty because a friend of mine sent me a few copies of the book. However, I guess we don’t always have to have the same tastes.
Well I think you should read Rebecca.
I thought you would…Do you have a new blog? When I went to the link here, it was a site with nothing on it yet. ????
Well I’m prejudiced in favor of Jo Nesbo – I love his books!
That’s probably where I’ll start anyway since I already have the book from the library.