The Dusty Bookshelf discussion

What's that one book that keeps calling at you to read but you've not yet got round to it?

Well this is the second month of the year, the month where the majority of people who make resolutions usually stop. So go on, give in to temptation and pick it up this month ;D

Oh my. I have so many!!
Carmilla by le Fanu
The Brothers Karamzov
Crime and Punishment
War and Peace
2001: A Space Odyssey.

Ha, I can do this one easy.

Les Miserables -- I've seen the play many times, the new movie, wake up humming the tunes -- maybe it's time to read the book!?! ;o)

Les Mis, I found really boring. I tried to read it but it took me like forever to read just 50 pages.

Les Mis takes some work to get through.... but it is worth it when you finally put the book down, honest ;D

I found the 20+ chapter tangents quite annoying but trudged through them to get back to the actual story!

Les Mis took me a very long time, mostly because I kept putting it down for months at a time, then having to read the Sparknotes to refresh myself before I continued, but once I really got into it, boy, what a wonderful book! I'll probably re-read it every several years, which I don't do with very many books. It's well worth reading, at least once.

I thought this morning was a good morning to pick up a book that people are always telling me to read and that's been on my shelf for a fair while just yelling for me to pick it up: Life of Pi.

It took a lovely, calming 3 1/2 hours to get through (with a pancake stop for breakfast, of course) and was thoroughly enjoyable and not what I was expecting (expecting The Alchemist style, got something more interesting and less preachy). Now to get back to everything I should've been doing instead of reading :(

I'm working on les mis right now. It is taking a lot time because there are so many random tangents; some of which are good thoughts but completely interrupt the story. I'm really looking forward to finishing it just to know what happens.

Oh dear Jimi - have you got to Waterloo yet or are you beyond and at the Parisian Sewers tangent?

Lots of thoughts in response to y'all. :) First, someone disliked "The Alchemist"? As long as it isn't for a specific religion, I don't mind preachy. An author exercises their message about something. It's on the shelf by our bed, which means 'hope to read in 6 months'. It migrated from our library building. LOL

The old / English title of "Les Misérables" is "Jean Valjean", which my Dad took in school. It's weird people find it too distracting to get into. Dad stopped formal education early in life and doesn't read often enough. But he fondly considers "Jean Valjean" his favourite book, even memorizing a poem at the end.

Dad is one who drives swearing and mentioning politics means negativity; sadly wasted breath and discord. But if we talk of books, these are very happy moments. A low education person cherishes this novel, considered highbrow. This Christmas I read one of Maeve Binchy's short stories aloud. Everyone loved the new tradition!

Books withheld? I have 2 categories! I'm in 30+ challenges (you know the secret of how much needs to be read at our place)! In order to finish a few ASAP -2 to go on Dusty!- all of my reads are for a category. That's reason #1, for reading little of what I'd rather (paranormal or gothic mystery is my bag). I await Nancy Atherton, Juliet Blackwell, PJ Alderman, Kate Carlisle...

Reason #2: my absolute favourite Canadian author, Lyn Hamilton of wonderful archaeological mysteries, is passed on. I LOVE her legacy but don't want to gobble it. If you catch her 3 reviews in my shelf "Up To 2012", she gets to the point and only describes what matters to the story. :-)

Carolyn: Did not know that was it's original English title... I knew sections of the book were named after characters but thought that bringing them all together made the entire lot known as Les Mis.

Also, I'm fine about an author having a message in a book but making everything that happens come back to one, singular point everytime is annoying and doesn't allow for the reader to draw their own conclusions... I think Life of Pi is the better option for that sort of thinking - it allows space for you to think rather than be dragged to the same point kicking and screaming.

When the play became popular in the 90s, people started knowing the title en francais, "Les Misérables" but yeah, Dad took it in the 60s as "Jean Valjean".

I haven't read or seen it (depressing subject for an empath). Thus I completely acquiese to you on Victor Hugo's annoying / overdone segues! Hearing you speak of it again, it sounds like he couldn't let 1 point drop and you're going "yes, we got it 100 pages ago". LOL

Hmm, I guess I thought it was the name of the final volume that made up the entire book after 'Fantine', 'Cosette', 'Marius' and 'The Idyll...' Makes me wonder now why the sections in the book are split into volumes of that name if Jean Valjean was actually the name of the entire book?

You misunderstand, my last paragraph in last post was with regards to The Alchemist that you mentioned earlier ;D

Right! You mentioned previously Victor Hugo was superfluous but indeed meant Paul Coelho beats a point into the ground. I'll read "The Alchemist" to see if I enjoy other aspects but thanks for the tip.