flight paths discussion

Please share and discuss the books you read/are reading the week of July 24-30.

hope to pick up Ice when it becomes free. For the next few weeks stubbornly ploughing my way through The Idiot.
And closer to the technical reading Economic Facts and Fallacies.

Low 20's for me (that is celsius) and only small chance of rain so may get to read outside in the evenings.

For some reason, Brighton Rock is one of my favorite Graham Greene - do you know he considered it one of his "entertainments"?

Which short story of Graham Greene should I read first? I have 2 collections staring at me and I literally can't start! Any suggestion would be greatly appreciated (so I can get unstuck!).

And I am finally in finishing distance of The Master and Margarita. I'm not sure why I had so much trouble-probably because it needs more sustained attention than I gave it but I'm really enjoying it right now.

How do you achieve that nice underlining beneath the title?
One more chapter to read of Sacred Roads.
Shrady is fond of understatement and I would love to see his unedited version.
I have put the Seeds of Time, short stories by John Wyndham, into to the occassional catagorie and am racing through the Sheltering Sky which I read over 30 yrs ago. That thought alone is rather mind boggling for someone who once passionately believed, never trust anyone over 30. What is really disconcerting is that all I remembered about the book was that I loved it.

HRO I have been enjoying following your French reading progress. Cant remember if Francois Sagan is on your list, but I dont think I noticed Nancy Huston, a Canadian who has taken up residence in Paris and writes odd and insightful novels.

The Idiot was my favorite Dostoevsky. Ice, aren't you loving it yet?

I can compare one aspect of my reading of the Idiot and M&M, both favorites. The Idiot I read after reading 4 or 5 books that I loved by the same author. I was enthralled from the first paragraph.
M & M was discovered by serendipity a few years later. I had no idea until I was halfway through that wow this is brilliant. First, B had to win me over, and I remember floundering a bit at the beginning.

@Ice - Who's the translator on your edition of The Idiot? Richard Pevear is the best translator for Russian, imo. That can make a BIG difference in whether or not you like a book!

@Kink - Did you get a study guide companion for Ulysses? That can be enormously helpful on a first read. I'm debating about doing a Ulysses re-read next year. I always say it's one of my fav books, but honestly it's been almost 20 years since I read it, and my opinion may have changed.

@M - By "underlining" do you mean the links to books/authors? To do that, you click on the "Add book/author" above where you're typing your message, and input the book/author you want to link to. And I have Bonjour Tristesse and Fault Lines on my TBR list, but I won't be reading them for Paris In July. Maybe next year!

Kinkajou wrote: "Btw, I think you should re-read it this year. Right about the time Ellie and I are (re)reading it :) "

Ah, that would be fun...but I've already got my reading list and calendar planned through the end of the year. Er, February, actually. (Yes, I really am that ridiculously organized. Wanna know what I'll be reading on December 9? I can tell you! lol)

Kinkajou wrote: "Actually, I admire that, especially if you stick to that plan. So what ARE you reading on December 9? :)"

I allow myself a little wiggle room, but for the most part, I plan and I stick to the plan. On December 9 (which was just an arbitrarily chosen date) I plan to be reading The Seamstress

A date you are probably more interested in, Kink, is October 5, which is when I plan to begin The Power and the Glory! :)

Her Royal Orangeness wrote: "@Ice - Who's the translator on your edition of The Idiot? Richard Pevear is the best translator for Russian, imo. That can make a BIG difference in whether or not you like a book!"

Good point RO.
And I'm glad you allow yourself some wiggle room because how can you acurately estimate how long a book will take to read? Size is deceptive. Maybe you just have an order, but them how could you predict?

I finished sheltering sky just now and I am devestated.The Sheltering Sky

Magdelanye wrote: "I finished sheltering sky just now and I am devestated."

From the summary, I wouldn't have given the book a second thought. But the reviews about it are amazing and intriguing. What did you like about it, M?

Magdelanye wrote: "How can you acurately estimate how long a book will take to read? Size is deceptive. Maybe you just have an order, but them how could you predict?"

I plan on 150 pages a day, which is 2 to 3 hours of reading, depending on the writing style, size of print, size of pages, etc. So, I determine what I would like to read for the month, add up the pages, and divide by 150 to determine if it is less than the number of days in the month. I then create a calendar allotting the necessary number of days for each book in order to stay on schedule. (1 day for a 150 page book, 2 days for a 300 page book, 3 days for a 450 page book, etc.) "Wiggle room" means I (1) leave a few days of the month blank in case a book takes longer than planned and/or (2) switch around a few books on the monthly schedule, like reading Book X which has 350 pages instead of Book C which also has 350 pages. (It's really not as complicated as it sounds. :))

Her Royal Orangeness wrote: "@Ice - Who's the translator on your edition of The Idiot? Richard Pevear is the best translator for Russian, imo. That can make a BIG difference in whether or not you like a book!

I would expect that my Avatar can read Russian, but for me ..... Alan Meyers is the translator.

Polar bears can READ?!? :0

Never heard of Alan Meyers, only Pevear and Constance Garnett.

Her Royal Orangeness wrote: "Magdelanye wrote: "I finished sheltering sky just now and I am devestated."

From the summary, I wouldn't have given the book a second thought. But the reviews about it are amazing and intriguing. ..."
Its an amazing and disturbing book, and I will post a full reveiw of it when I have processed it more.

The Sheltering Sky was one of the most brilliant and profoundly disturbing books I've ever read. I would put it up with my favorites, even though it was deeply upsetting. But the imagery was so powerful-when I think about the book, I remember images, I see the book.

Ellie wrote: "The Sheltering Sky was one of the most brilliant and profoundly disturbing books I've ever read. I would put it up with my favorites, even though it was deeply upsetting. ..."

I so agree, and of course this is reenforced by the movie, which was almost as good as the book. In fact, its one of my most favorite movies.
It could be that its appropriate to start a thread for this in the authors section.

Her Royal Orangeness wrote: "Please share and discuss the books you read/are reading the week of July 24-30."
I just finished Sacred Roads which was wonderful.
Have started
A Short Walk in the Hindu Kush