All About Books discussion

What are you planning to read in January?

3 off the tbr goal for the year, 1 that I put on pause to finish for a 2016 challenge.
The Altman Code
Demon's Kiss
Coma
Kiss of Crimson
The Darkest Surrender

Read-a-longs: (2 classics for the goal of 10-12 for the year)
Heidi
A Tale of Two Cities
The Little Prince
The Bazaar of Bad Dreams

I hope I can get that all done...

I will be starting a reread of Ulysses for our group read here on AAB. I've also put in a library request for Dancing at Lughnasa but its an interlibrary loan and doubtful to get to me before mid-February.

Also:
The Fishermen
and maybe one of The House of Mirth (I've never read Edith Wharton) or The Voyage Out

As usual, I have bigger aspirations than can be realistically accomplished!

I will be focusing each month of 2016 on a different geographical area. I will read books from elsewhere as well (group reads, mysteries and books that capture my fancy) but hope to read at least one book by an author from the designated area.

January takes me to South America so I plan to read:

off my shelves/Kindle/iPod:
Dom Casmurro by Machado de Assis (Brazil)
Tess of the d'Urbervilles by Thomas Hardy (audiobook) {AAB Group Classic}
The Diary of a Provincial Lady by E.M. Delafield
Under Western Eyes by Joseph Conrad
The Art Forger by Barbara A. Shapiro
Don Juan in Hell by George Bernard Shaw {AAB Group Drama theme}
and perhaps The Doorbell Rang by Rex Stout, Underworld by Don DeLillo and/or Outlander by Diana Gabaldon (audiobook)

from the library:
Daughter of Fortune by Isabel Allende (Chile) (audiobook)
Selected Poems by Gabriela Mistral (Nobel Laureate from Chile)
Solaris by Stanisław Lem {AAB Group Fiction}
Dancing at Lughnasa by Brian Friel {AAB Group Play}
The Cornish Coast Murder by John Bude
Rogue Island by Bruce DeSilva {Rhode Island mystery}


and perhaps Ficciones by Jorge Luis Borges (Argentina)
or maybe something by Nobel Laureate Mario Vargas Llosa (Nobel Laureate from Peru)

I have a lot of review books for NG to read in January so mostly them

I plan to read 4 books in January plus a chunky monkey which I will read over 6 weeks.
1, Chunky monkey Gone with the wind Margaret Mitchell
2, Sputnik sweetheart by Haruki Murakami with Charbel.
3, The nightingale by Kristin Hannah.
4, All the light we cannot see by Anthony Doer.
5, The Moonshine by Wilkie Collins.

I'm really looking forward to next year's books. :)

Myst wrote: "3 off the tbr goal for the year, 1 that I put on pause to finish for a 2016 challenge.
The Altman Code
Demon's Kiss
Coma
Kiss of Crimson
[b..."

Myst, [book:The Little Prince|157993] is fantastic. If you like that then I heartedly recommend The Tale of the Rose: The Love Story Behind The Little Prince written by his wife. these two, well they understood each other; they thought similarly.

why doesn't my first link work - sorry!

I have some big plans for January - not sure I'll be able to read all those books, though, but I'll try.

I'm planning on reading:

Tess of the D'Urbervilles
Stoner
The Homecoming Party
The Tartar Steppe
Poor Folk
Bloodsucking Fiends

... and maybe squeeze in something else, too.

Marina, I hope you love The Homecoming Party. I did....but Stoner was a disappointment for me. I wonder what you will think.

I have five books I need to read in January, group reads, challenges and books I've won:

Inside the O'Briens *****
The Forgotten Garden ****
Eve returned to library didn't read, couldn't get past 5 pages
What Was Mine ***
Let Me Explain You returned to library didn't read, too much profanity

Two more I have requested from the library:

The Guest Room **
My Name Is Lucy Barton ****

Will probably dive into the long list of books in my kindle. But these are definite as they have been sitting on my bookshelf for months now.

Girl Online On Tour by Zoe Sugg
The Girl in the Spider's Web by David Lagercrantz
Keep Your Friends Close by Paula Daly
The Forgotten Garden by Kate Morton

Chrissie wrote: "Marina, I hope you love The Homecoming Party. I did....but Stoner was a disappointment for me. I wonder what you will think."

I will let you know, Chrissie. I'm very intrigued by Stoner as it recently went through a big hype here in Italy. It was given to me as a present for my birthday several months ago, so I thought I'd give it a try, seen it is also a Group Read in another group I'm a member of.

Marina wrote: "Chrissie wrote: "Marina, I hope you love The Homecoming Party. I did....but Stoner was a disappointment for me. I wonder what you will think."

I will let you know, Chrissie. I'm ver..."

Maybe you will like it more than I did. I hope so.

I will start with these:

The Fishermen (3 stars read) by Chigozie Obioma
Z: A Novel of Zelda Fitzgerald (3 stars read) by Therese Anne Fowler
Wayfaring Stranger (1 star dumped after a third)by James Lee Burke
Pompeii : The Life of a Roman Town (3 stars read) by Mary Beard
White Nights (1 star read) by Fyodor Dostoyevsky
The Eternal Husband (3 stars read)by Fyodor Dostoyevsky
Testament of Youth (4 stars read) by Vera Brittain

See messages 14 and 50 and 51 for all books read this month.

Leslie wrote: "As usual, I have bigger aspirations than can be realistically accomplished!

I will be focusing each month of 2016 on a different geographical area. I will read books from elsewhere as well (group..."

That is a big list Leslie! I read Daughter of Fortune this year and really liked it.

Tracey wrote: "I plan to read 4 books in January plus a chunky monkey which I will read over 6 weeks.
1, Chunky monkey Gone with the wind Margaret Mitchell
2, Sputnik sweetheart by Haruki Murakami with Charbel.
3..."

I have read your numbers 1, 3, and 4 and enjoyed them all, happy reading!

Patricia and Alannah, The Forgotten Garden was my favourite Kate Morton book, enjoy!

I have already started my first January book, Stay Close. Then I have planned The Life and Times of the Thunderbolt Kid, Fall on Your Knees, and From Here to Eternity.

Chrissie, I'll be interested in your thoughts on Testimony of Youth. I was organizing my books yesterday and held this one in my hand and thought I should read it soon.
I was looking for my copy of The Idiot but never found it. Must keep looking.

Evelyn wrote: "Leslie wrote: "As usual, I have bigger aspirations than can be realistically accomplished!

I will be focusing each month of 2016 on a different geographical area. I will read books from elsewhere..."

It is indeed Evelyn! I probably won't get to them all but having the list acts like a smaller pool of books from which to choose (rather than the larger pool of the many many books in my house which I need/want to read - not to mention the library!)

I plan on reading
Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West
Cinder
Politics

Cecilia wrote: "I plan on reading
Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West
Cinder
Politics"

Cecilia - I read Wicked in October & was surprised by how much I liked it. Enjoy!

Leslie, I see your method at work there!

I think I'm going to try and finish all those half read books listed in my "currently reading" list, and a couple more that aren't.

1. As You Wish by Cary Elwes
2. Walking Dead: The Fall of the Govenor by Robert Kirkman
3. Go Set A Watchman by Harper Lee
4.The 100 Year Old Man Who Climbed Out the Window and Disappeared by Jonas Jonasson

I would have posted the links, but my tablet is being moody right now.

Petra wrote: "Chrissie, I'll be interested in your thoughts on Testimony of Youth. I was organizing my books yesterday and held this one in my hand and thought I should read it soon.
I was looking for my copy o..."

Testament of Youth I have wanted to read for ages and now, finally, it is available - on Jan 7th! Happy me. I am really excited about it. that is the one I want to read more than anything else.

I need to finish Close Ranks by Valerie Keogh, and The Lincoln Lawyer by Michael Connelly.
Then for January I plan to read
1. A Man of Some Repute by Elizabeth Edmondson
2. 183 Times a Year by Eva Jordan
3. Recalled to death by Priscilla Masters
4. Whose Body? by Dorothy L. Sayers
5. Killer Run by Lynn Cahoon
6. The Cornish Coast Murder by John Bude
7. The Other Child by Lucy Atkins
That should keep me busy! *:D

I need to get organized, but here's some ideas:

A Window Opens
The Middle of Everywhere: Helping Refugees Enter the American Community
The Flood Girls - done
Finish, finally, Clean- had to return to library before I finished. Ugh!
A Tale of Two Cities - now reading

Marina wrote: "I have some big plans for January - not sure I'll be able to read all those books, though, but I'll try.

I'm planning on reading:

Tess of the D'Urbervilles
Stoner..."

Looking forward to hearing what you think of Poor Folk Marina! It's the book by Dostoevsky that I haven't read yet which I'm most tempted to read.

In January I will continue Les Misérables and I'm sure I won't finish it.

dely, what are thinking of it?

I have lots of books half completed from 2015 and lots of plans. These are the top of my list -

Johnny Got His Gun 3 stars
Tess of the D'Urbervilles
A Brief History of Seven Killings
Pride and Prejudice 3.5 stars
The Virgin and the Gipsy 2.5 stars
Ulysses (to start for AAB group read) currently reading

Chrissie wrote: "dely, what are thinking of it?"

I'm liking it. Hugo is very very wordy but it's not a problem for who likes very detailed descriptions and I like them. What I like the most are the descriptions of the characters; there are a lot of details and Hugo introduces his characters starting from their life many years before the story is set. I don't know if I explained very well: think of Dostoyevsky, when he introduces a character and you read about his childhood or former years, before the real time setting in the book. Hugo is similar.
There is also a lot of history. Till now I've read only the part about the Battle of Waterloo. It wasn't bad, and sometimes there were romantic descriptions of the battle field, but I don't like that much descriptions of battle strategies so I've read it very slowly. The whole book is historical and we have a very good description of life in that period.
Hugo also looks a lot to human condition. Above all poverty and how society doesn't help needy people; on the contrary, sometimes it's society's fault if a person starts to steal or gets lost. The book, till now, is full of accusations to society who doesn't care about the needy, about law and justice, about how it's easy to get lost if a person isn't helped. But Hugo's accusations aren't "lessons" he wants to give to the reader; they are added in a smooth way in the story.
There's really a lot in it: historical facts, a deep look to society of that period, detailed descriptions of the human/psychological part of the characters; justice, evil and goodness....I think there's everything relating to human beings, society, country.

Gill wrote: "What are you planning to read in January?"

A spool of blue thread by Anne Tyler &
All the light we cannot see by Anthony Doerr

dely wrote: "Chrissie wrote: "dely, what are thinking of it?"

I'm liking it. Hugo is very very wordy but it's not a problem for who likes very detailed descriptions and I like them. What I like the most are th..."
I DO understand what you are saying by comparing the writing to D. That made me understand perfectly. I think the battle parts would bore me to death, so I am still doubtful.

dely wrote: "Chrissie wrote: "dely, what are thinking of it?"

I'm liking it. Hugo is very very wordy but it's not a problem for who likes very detailed descriptions and I like them. What I like the most are th..."

dely, that's why Les Misérables has remained the favorite of all my favorites :)

Probably not going to read 1 read a long book this month. The new Stephen King is just too popular to bother trying to get a hold of in time.

So I'm going to continue to nibble away at my tbr list instead.

Reading I Am Malala and just finished rereading The Alchemist, as I do every January.

I think I am unconvinced and will have to read Les Misérables!

Chrissie wrote: "I think I am unconvinced and will have to read Les Misérables!"

Good!

LauraT wrote: "Chrissie wrote: "I think I am unconvinced and will have to read Les Misérables!"

Good!"

I spent last night looking for good LONG audiobooks and never thought of it. Really ridiculous. It was staring me in the face.

Chrissie wrote: "I think I am unconvinced and will have to read Les Misérables!"

I'm only half through but it's really good. Hugo's prose, his descriptions of characters, live in that period (and not only) are wonderful. Some parts are a little bit slower. like the Battle of Waterloo and a shorter part about Paris' toponymy, but all the rest is so good that I quickly forgot how slow (and sometimes boring) these parts were. I like how he introduces the characters and also the political background; I like his considerations about society and the needy of society. Chrissie, there's sometimes also humor and I know you like it.
Hugo also is never repetitive. This is amazing because the book is so long! But he ha a very rich vocabulary and so he never gets repetitive.

dely, it is YOU that has convinced me to read it! It was so stupid of me b/c I was working on trying to pick some books to read. I am reading my last one right now.

You simply must check out Testament of Youth. I am just glad you do not do audiobooks b/c in this case such is the wrong choice. It is really quite an amazing book, yet it sometimes goes goes over my head. I need notes and again they are not available in the audiobook format.I don't know if they are in the written book either....

Chrissie wrote: "dely, it is YOU that has convinced me to read it! It was so stupid of me b/c I was working on trying to pick some books to read. I am reading my last one right now.

You simply must check out [boo..."

Now I'm scared! What if you don't like it?

I've added Testament of Youth to my wishlist. Thanks!

Read Le Miz, years ago. Reminded me a bit of Tale of Two cities. Tone is different but has many of the same type of characters involved.

dely wrote: "Chrissie wrote: "dely, it is YOU that has convinced me to read it! It was so stupid of me b/c I was working on trying to pick some books to read. I am reading my last one right now.

You simply mu..."
dely, I get exactly the same feeling when someone reads a book b/c I loved it...... Don't worry, this is of course my choice! I don't know, I am worried about those slow parts, battles and stuff. The characterizations attract me though. I just wonder if The Hunchback of Notre-Dame would be a better place to start with the author. You know, I do not give up on books so I am hesitant to start. I am also considering Anthony Trollope 's (Can You Forgive Her?) and Sister Carrie by Theodore Dreiser and Père Goriot by Honoré de Balzac and maybe another James A. Michener like this time Chesapeake. I feel like some long books. All of these are kind of iffy for me though.

Chrissie wrote: "dely wrote: "Chrissie wrote: "dely, it is YOU that has convinced me to read it! It was so stupid of me b/c I was working on trying to pick some books to read. I am reading my last one right now.

..."

The slow parts are perhaps slow to read but I think they could be better with the audiobooks because there are so many details, that the reader (listener) is able to imagine everything in a good way. I'm reading it as a group read in another group and a member said that the battle of Waterloo was like a description of many paintings of a battlefield. And this is so true! Despite the cruelty of war, there was something romantic in these descriptions: details about the landscape, nature....It was like walking in front of paintings and a guide that explains you the battle through these paintings and you are able to feel the hope, the fear, the cold, the smell of blood etc.
I think that to pick up Les Misérables you must be in the right mood because it's a very demanding book that needs a full concentration.

I haven't read other books by Hugo or by the authors you mention in your comment so I can't help you.

dely, what you say about Les Misérables makes it sound so very good. NOBODY has been able to convince e as much as you have. I feel I ought to read it, and the way you describe it makes me think I will like it.

Chrissie wrote: "dely, what you say about Les Misérables makes it sound so very good. NOBODY has been able to convince e as much as you have. I feel I ought to read it, and the way you describe it make..."

I hope you will find an edition with a good narrator and of course I'm waiting for your opinions, whenever you decide to read it.

dely wrote: "Chrissie wrote: "dely, what you say about Les Misérables makes it sound so very good. NOBODY has been able to convince e as much as you have. I feel I ought to read it, and the way you..."

I found one with a narrator that should be good - Bill Homewood! I think I have listened to him before......

I have to get some more books, having read all those already planned.

I will start with:
Marilyn, A Biography (read 3 stars) by Norman Mailer

See messages 14 and 50 and 51 for all books read this month.