John > Recent Status Updates

Putting this one on hold for a while, but will definitely return.

I don't usually give progress updates, but at one hour into the audio, this one is a really sad story, and I'm not usually all that sentimental. Knowing that she triumphed over it helps a lot, but I don't think I'll be able to tackle this one in large doses.

" I didn't like my own secrets. I liked other people even less." Wow!

How terrific is this book? I'm totally hooked and have only finished the prologue!

"It sounded mind-boggling yet somehow inevitable: a book group where you didn't have to read the book. Wherever she lies, Virginia Woolf must be punching herself in the face."

I stared at the hole in the ceiling that I had stuffed with Kleenex to keep the cobra out and I longed for suburbia.

So far, this reads best as satire, rather than an actual novel.

Truly conflicted on this one. I get why some folks may have disliked the book, but it has significant value regarding Russian society.

A bit better now that's she's moved onto more about Russian society in general, and less about her uber-rich circle.

At this point, she sounds as though she's bragging about her hot husband and huge bank balance. Hopefully, it gets away from her personal life, and more towards life in Russia in general.

TOTALLY loving this one! This copy was 99 cents, but I'm willing to pay full retail for the second half.

He does a good job reading his own material as though he's telling a story, not repeating text. Also, I don't find he's "mean" at all, but seems to really care about most of the folks mentioned so far.

I'm finding myself skimming as I'm not THAT into colonial American history, but at least now I know the origin of the term "at loggerheads" (nothing to do with felling trees).

Somewhat slow going as after two audio hours he's barely gotten out of Florida - great narration though, and I wasn't planning on finishing it quickly.

I would've thought swan meat would taste similar to duck, but Clarissa declares that it doesn't taste very good at all!

I would've thought swan meat would taste similar to duck, but Clarissa declares that it doesn't taste very good at all!

Now I know why women need to wear "slippery underpants"!

I just finished the section on China, which actually exceeded my expectations!

Good read, but I think it helps to have read her previous book already.

I read the first few essays today at lunch - what a hoot!

In a word: dated.
Still, it's Wharton, and she could certainly write!

The current expression "rich peoples' problems" applies here. Poor, poor pitiful them ...

Flo's making verbs from nouns would have driven many bonkers by now, but I've learned to live with it. I'm really hoping the ending resolves all of my Gothic Mystery generated questions.

What an odd book! Florence's use if language is, indeed, a bit much at times, but I do want to know how the Gothic mystery angle will resolve.

Never once bored, wishing Callow would move on to something else.

Still moving along. I had no idea he and Wilkie Collins were pals.

Pretty interesting for history and food buffs, although he did spend a long time on favas.