Classics Without All the Class discussion

Let's start out 2014 with a fresh thread.

So what is everyone currently reading? (doesn't have to be a classic)

My bookmark is in so many different books it's hard to know where to start! I am reading Finnegans Wake, I'm still reading The Year of the Gadfly, Skinny Dip, Wool Omnibus. And I have to read The Ocean at the End of the Lane before the end of January.

Joe Abercrombie The Heroes and The Color of Magic Pratchett

I started the year off being sick and am just now getting my head above water (but just barely) so I feel like I'm behind a bit on my own reading goals. I'm reading The Shipping News, Perfume: The Story of a Murderer, and The Kingmaker's Daughter right now.

1984 - George Orwell

I'm now reading Eugene Onegin by Alexandr Pushkin. Quite enjoying the poetic form of the novel.

I'm currently reading Afterparty by Ann Redisch Stampler, Anna Karenina by Tolstoy, and Mr. Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore by Robin Sloan.

Martin wrote: "QUESTION: How does one get his book title to appear as a hotlink inside of a post?? Type slowly; I'm a Luddite."

Top right of comment box click on add book/author then just type in your title and bam

I'm reading Youth and getting ready to start The Hunchback of Notre-Dame.

I'm reading American Psycho and I started also Aristotle Detective, a mystery novel set in the ancient greece.

I'm reading Tess of the d'Urbervilles, First They Killed My Father: A Daughter of Cambodia Remembers and Sacrilege.

After the Quake is my next Murakami-novel.

Cry, the Beloved Country, The Voyage of the Dawn Treader, Les Misérables, The Once and Future King, The Blue Notebook and The Mystery Of The Yellow Room: Extraordinary Adventures Of Joseph Rouletabille, Reporter are all on my Currently Reading. A book for all occasions!

After finished Aristotle Detective, today I started Joyland, taken into library.

Currently I'm working on completing the works of Shakespeare, among a few others. Which people find odd, because I hate Shakespeare. I just like to be well versed on things when I insult them.

I am working on Divergent (audiobook) and will be starting another for my commute soon. I am trying to decide between A Feast For Crows or 1Q84. Either will be a long journey but that's what a commute is for, lol,

I, recently, finished Rebecca and really liked it.

Currently reading 'Anna Karenina', which is surprisingly really humorous and easy to read! Also reading 'The Restaurant at the End of the Universe' by Douglas Adams which is so ridiculous it's brilliant.

I just finished a whole slew of books. Still working on The Hunchback of Notre-Dame, but finished In Cold Blood, The Ground Beneath Her Feet, The Master and Margarita, Oryx and Crake, and The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time. Trying to get a lot of books that are on my shelves read before I visit the library book store again. :)

I'm from the group of people who can only read one book at a time, so just reading "The idiot" by Dostoevsky right now. It's the first piece of Russian literature I've been exposed to and I've been surprised pleasantly, they're so different from the Victorian stuff I usually read. It feels more passionate (the characters, plot, dialogue) and psychological at the same time. Is all Russian literature similar?

Alana wrote: "Cry, the Beloved Country, The Voyage of the Dawn Treader, Les Misérables, The Once and Future King, The Blue Notebook and [book:Th..."

The Blue Notebook was amazing, and hard. What did you think? The ending?

Ayesha wrote: "I'm from the group of people who can only read one book at a time, so just reading "The idiot" by Dostoevsky right now. It's the first piece of Russian literature I've been exposed to and I've been..."

Dostoyevsky tends to be more on the darker side of things compared with some of the others giving the psychological side of things. I loved Crime and Punishment. There is a common feel to many of the Russian classics though. Most come with a free history lesson one way or another. I don't care for Tolstoy so much as he tends to use wealthy upper class type characters where Dostoyevsky likes the ill or imprisoned or poor, insane etc.

I chose to continue with books by Stephen King and today I started The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon.

I'm currently reading Anna Karenina by Tolstoy, Flowers in the Attic by VC Andrews, and Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe by Benjamin Alire Saenz. I've enjoyed Anna Karenina, but it is very lengthy and has a lot of character names. I'm excited to watch some of the movie versions. I'm reading Flowers in the Attic for the Lifetime book group. I also plan to watch the original movie and the new Lifetime version. I think boys would enjoy Aristotle and Dante... more so than girls. It's a quick read, but it's not what I expected from the synopsis.

The Spider Catchers, Tess of the d'Urbervilles, A Different Blue and Behind the Beautiful Forevers.

Currently reading Dr Sleep and 1001 books you must read

I'm currently reading "Richard II" in my quest to finish the rest of the works of Shakespeare this month, along with Charlotte Bronte's "The Professor."

Currently on Candide. Meant to finish last night, but got distracted by Almost Human. ;)

Now I'm reading American Gods. I have only one word about this book: wonderful!

Pam wrote: "The Spider Catchers, Tess of the d'Urbervilles, A Different Blue and Behind the Beautiful Forevers."

I'm reading Tess of the d'Urbervilles for another book club right now - it's hard to form an opinion of it so far. The book itself it difficult for me to get into, probably because of the language of the author. Tess is an interesting heroine, especially for a 19th century one! She has the typical Victorian-woman thing going on, but a prideful streak too.

I'm reading Mossflower by Brian Jacques, the second book in the endless Redwall series but actually the prequel to Redwall. Also reading Listening for Lucca by Suzanne LaFleur. I read lots of kid lit because I live across the street from 12 year old triplets who I adore and do lots of reading with.

I just picked up Hemingway's A Farewell to Arms. I forgot how much I like Hemingway.

Colleen wrote: "Alana wrote: "Cry, the Beloved Country, The Voyage of the Dawn Treader, Les Misérables, The Once and Future King, [book:The Blue Notebook|6060623..."

Honestly, The Blue Notebook is one of the shortest I've read in a long time, at something just over 200 pages, but it took me AGES to get through! I only read about 10 pages in a sitting, scattered here and there, and renewed it at least twice. I won't say the writing was bad, but with the subject matter, I just had a hard time with it. The ending was fitting, though certainly not "happy." Not one I would have picked up on my own and one I almost wish I'd abandoned, since it took me so long to get through it.

Anna Karenina, I'm reading this novel once more time and I still love it! All those small gestures of characters described so well by Tolstoy, all those understatements - it makes this book not so obvious and psychologically believable.

I finished American Gods. I Liked the story and the author's imagination. Now I'm reading Dracula. This is the first time I read the novel.

I liked Dracula. Dragged a bit toward the end, but was an enjoyable read. Kind of fun to see where some of our modern ideas come from :)

Reading The Sound and the Fury and loving it. Also reading The Great Night by Chris Adrian.

I'm reading Anna Karenina again. I loved it last time and am enjoying it again. Levin is my favorite character. I identify with his insecurities. And I'm thinking about Of Mice and Men. I read that years ago and loved it. Steinbeck and Tolstoy are two of my favorites.

rereading The Host, finishing last book of The Breathing Series, started Generation Me, The Making of a Story, and The First Days of School. Also working on kids' books; The Chocolate War and If I Built a Car.

I'm reading "A Lantern in Her Hand" by Bess Streeter Aldrich. I'm really enjoying her writing style. I find it very similar to Willa Cather.

I'm slowly making my way through Moby-Dick; or, The Whale and am enjoying it quite a bit, though some parts I have to slog through. I also have my bookmark in Jamaica Inn by Daphne du Maurier, Half Broke Horses by Jeannette Walls and Zombies Vs. Unicorns, a short story anthology. A nice, eclectic mix. ;)

Many people who read classics ignore short story. Not me, I am reading "The Fiddler of the Reels and Other Short Stories" by Thomas Hardy. I became ensconced by his rendering of tales about the age of agricultural ism and the lives of ordinary countrymen in England. The 1800s are most diffidently my favorite years to read about. I also, started Don Quixote today.

I'm reading Albert of Adelaide by Howard Anderson. I'm really enjoying how fun it is :)

I have three books going right now. Middlesex by Jeffrey Eugenides, Gathering Blue byLois Lowry, a companion book to The Giver which I read recently and enjoyed, and an absurd little science fiction book called Emperor Mollusk versus The Sinister Brain by A. Lee Martinez that I am reading for a challenge - and enjoying.

Almost finished and enjoying The Hunchback of Notre-Dame then its on to Doctor Zhivago

Glad to hear you're enjoying emperor mollusk I picked it up in a sale recently and haven't gotten to it yet. It looked entertaining

I've finished The Cuckoo's Calling, a good, but not excellent mistery and now I'm reading The Ocean at the End of the Lane, a wonderful story by Neil Gaiman, full of magic and a little sadness.

I liked Middlesex and The Cuckoo's Calling in on my list, looks good. Just finished The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks and almost done with A Thousand Splendid Suns. I'm ready for a lighter read next.

I am getting ready to start Middlesex. I just finished A Tale for the Time Being and really enjoyed it! I am also in the middle of Bel Canto.

Andrew wrote: "I've finished The Cuckoo's Calling, a good, but not excellent mistery and now I'm reading The Ocean at the End of the Lane, a wonderful story by Neil Gaiman, full of..."

I really loved The Ocean at the End of the Lane. Gaiman is so wonderful. I'm a little sad I hadn't discovered him before last year.

I agree with you Karena and this book is wonderful, also if a litte sad. I discovered Gaiman a few years ago, but it's only last year that I started to read his books regularly, more or less one for month, for a challenge. He is able to pass from stories for teenagers to novels more for adults.

Colleen wrote: "I liked Middlesex and The Cuckoo's Calling in on my list, looks good. Just finished The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks and almost done with A Thousand Splendid Suns. ..."

I liked the The Cuckoo's Calling, well written, but a little disappointing if what you are looking for are suspense and action.