I have just read....

[Warwick]

‘War and peace’ by Leo Tolstoy.

I think that it is one of the greatest novels ever.

By the way, have you read Dostoevsky? I wonder to know your opinion.

What translation did you read? I'd like to find a good English version. I read it in Russian and had to slog so hard that I missed most of the story.

[Crazy Russian]

What translation did you read? I'd like to find a good English version. I read it in Russian and had to slog so hard that I missed most of the story.

Hi!

I am Russian, so I’ve read the book in Russian.

Yeah, finding good English translation is really a problem. Many translators consider that it is very difficult to translate Russian books into English.

I know only one e-library: http://www.gutenberg.org/

Try to find there…

By the way, ‘War and peace’ is the favourite book of Nicole Kidman. (She said it herself.) Natasha Rostova is her favourite character.

By the way, Nicole also loves Dostoevsky and Chekhov.

[Warwick]

Hi!
Chekhov.

I have a lot of time for Chekhov. His stuff translates well. Translation is easier too. I was happy to read his work.

[philsmove]

The Life and Times of the Thunderbolt Kid

Bill Bryson

: :

[Crazy Russian]

You know, I downloaded the book from Gutenberg e-library. I think that the translation is very bad. Try to find the book in ‘normal’ library, not e-one.

Or alternatively read it in French. I’m 100 cent sure that the French translation is very good. Good luck.

[detomo]

Mrs Dalloway by Virginia Woolf for a local book club . May have been ground-breaking in its time but hasn't aged well

[straycat]

I put aside book four of Song of Ice & Fire (was giving me insomnia) for a while and have just finished The Time Traveller's Wife, which people have been on at me to read for a while. Loved it. Great book.

[LemonCake]

Lord of Light by Robert Zelazny (sp?). Very good, been reading it on the bus/train. Not read much SF before but might try some more based on that experience.

Also re-read Douglas Adams' Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency and The Long Dark TeaTime of the Soul. Restarted and for the first time actually finished Brave New World. Very good, if worrying! Might try and make it to the end of 1984 next.

Anyone looking for a good read could do worse than 84 Charing Cross Road by Helene Hanff (I think). Delightful stuff.

[Blueshoes]

Captain Corelli's mandolin. Absolutely superb.

[Barry Shnikov]

Lord of Light by Robert Zelazny (sp?). Very good, been reading it on the bus/train. Not read much SF before but might try some more based on that experience.

Oooh, be careful. Lord of Light is one of SF's outstanding books by a terrific writer. 95% of SF can't hold a candle to it.

Recommendations: Gateway, by Frederik Pohl; Ringworld by Larry Niven; the short stories of James Tiptree Jr (pen name of Alice Sheldon) in particular 'And I awoke and found me here on the cold hill's side', 'Forever to a Hudson Bay blanket', 'Houston, Houston, do you read?', and 'Love is the plan, the plan is death'; The mote in God's eye by Larry Niven and Jerry Pournelle; To your scattered bodies go by Philip Jose Farmer; The battle circle trilogy by Piers Anthony; Stand on Zanzibar by John Brunner; The Ophiuchi hotline by John Varley; Rendezvous with Rama by Arthur C Clarke; Engine summer by John Crowley. Top recommendation: Gateway

[Barry Shnikov]

In last couple of weeks have read A bend in the river by VS Naipaul; Miss Smilla's feeling for snow by Peter Hoeg; Moon palace by Paul Auster. Liked the VS Naipaul best and was cross with Miss Smilla as I felt the book seemed to be in one genre and then turned into another genre.

[Barry Shnikov]

Master and Commander by Patrick O'Brian.

I was inspired to read this after seeing the film and I really enjoyed it. I'll have to try and work my way through the other 19 books in the series now.

...well worth it!

[LMC]

*dusts thread*

Iain Banks / Iain M Banks (first prize for least obscure nom de plume?)

I don't really know why I've never read any Banks before this year. I've managed to work my way through several now though (the trains have been pretty bad ). Mainly the sci-fi - enjoyed Against a Dark Background and Player of Games particularly. Thought the ending of The Business was a bit weak so am not tempted to try any of his other non-genre novels - unless anyone can recommend a good one?

[philsmove]

unless anyone can recommend a good one?

Crow Road

And if your in the right mood The Wasp Factory (but please don’t ask me what the right mood is) its not light reading

[mrs_warwick]

Crow Road

And if your in the right mood The Wasp Factory (but please don’t ask me what the right mood is) its not light reading

I have read the Crow Road, after seeing the TV adaptation, and enjoyed it enough to re-read recently. I have at least one other, can't remember which one. It was very dark, haven't been desperate enough for something to read that I'm prepared to pick it up again!

[straycat]

Crow Road

And if your in the right mood The Wasp Factory (but please don’t ask me what the right mood is) its not light reading

Crow Road is wonderful.
Espedair Street is another favourite of mine.
The Wasp Factory - was unusual (very good, but very twisted)
Complicity - also very good, also very twisted - extremely grim, but one of his best books, I think.
Whit - one of his most cheerful books - loads of fun.

Oh - and avoid A Song of Stone like the plague. I hated it

[Beowulf]

I have just read..

Programming ASP.NET

the characters are two dimensional and there's no plot to speak of.

[Dreadful Scathe]

I have just read..

Programming ASP.NET

the characters are two dimensional and there's no plot to speak of.

Theres an evil corporate bad guy in there though

[DianaS]

I have just started to read the Artists Way by Julia Cameron. It's snowing here and it arrived this morning so I've made my journey through the first chapter... It's arrival was very well timed as I couldn't get into work. i'd love to hear from any one else who has read this book. could you send me a pm?
Di de Di

[Alice]

I have just read A Harlot's Progress by David

It's based on Hogarth's prints of London in the 1730s. Very clever style of narration (unreliable narrator, lots of hallucinations, dreams etc) and some stunning language

Just started a book by Alice Walker which I'm very much enjoying Anyone else come across her before?