Nov. 15 - Minthe needs a nudge
KeskusteluBook Nudgers
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1Minthe
I would appreciate a nudge for one or a few of this small part of my mount TBR:
The Son of Circus by John Irving
Last Exit to Brooklyn by Hubert Selby
On Beauty by Zadie Smith
Midnight's Children by Salman Rushdie
Ship of Fools by Katherine Anne Porter
In the Skin of a Lion by Michael Ondaatje
The Informer by Liam O'Flaherty
Oldest Living Confederate Widow Tells All by Allan Gurganus
Small Ceremonies by Carol Shields
The Voyage Out by Virginia Woolf
Ethan Frome by Edith Wharton
Brief Interviews with Hideous Men by David Foster Wallace
Phineas Finn by Anthony Trollope
Don't be irritated by the well-read appearance of most of the books, I buy used books mainly. Most of the books shown here have been sitting on my shelves for a while, because I am somehow intimidated by them.
Thanks!
The Son of Circus by John Irving
Last Exit to Brooklyn by Hubert Selby
On Beauty by Zadie Smith
Midnight's Children by Salman Rushdie
Ship of Fools by Katherine Anne Porter
In the Skin of a Lion by Michael Ondaatje
The Informer by Liam O'Flaherty
Oldest Living Confederate Widow Tells All by Allan Gurganus
Small Ceremonies by Carol Shields
The Voyage Out by Virginia Woolf
Ethan Frome by Edith Wharton
Brief Interviews with Hideous Men by David Foster Wallace
Phineas Finn by Anthony Trollope
Don't be irritated by the well-read appearance of most of the books, I buy used books mainly. Most of the books shown here have been sitting on my shelves for a while, because I am somehow intimidated by them.
Thanks!
2rachbxl
I was intimidated by The Voyage Out too, and it sat on my shelves for several years, and then the first time I started it I didn't get on with it. Really enjoyed it when I tried a second time, so that's my nudge.
And a nudgoid for On Beauty - not particularly memorable, but an enjoyable read, I seem to remember.
And a nudgoid for On Beauty - not particularly memorable, but an enjoyable read, I seem to remember.
3HelloAnnie
I really loved On Beauty and others Zadie Smith has written. She seems to be one of those polarizing figures- equal numbers love or loathe her works. I would also nudge you to Midnight's Children because I've been looking into it and planning on buying it soon.
4deebee1
I'm going to nudge Midnight's Children because i've started to read it and enjoying it very much.
5dylanwolf
I love Virginia Woolf and Michael Ondaatje but if I nudged them they would be nudgoids! (refer to the glossary).
So, Midnight's Children appeared on my tbr and I hope to tackle it soon.
On Beauty I really liked despite the general criticism it received so I'm going to nudge that.
Although... were it my tbr pile, I would be keen to grit my teeth and have a stab at Last Exit To Brooklyn. After all you don't always have to read pretty, pretty novels.
I'm not an Irving fan so I'd denudge him.
So, Midnight's Children appeared on my tbr and I hope to tackle it soon.
On Beauty I really liked despite the general criticism it received so I'm going to nudge that.
Although... were it my tbr pile, I would be keen to grit my teeth and have a stab at Last Exit To Brooklyn. After all you don't always have to read pretty, pretty novels.
I'm not an Irving fan so I'd denudge him.
6christiguc
A nudge for Ethan Frome. Edith Wharton is wonderful and that small book shouldn't intimidate you!!
7muddy21
Another nudge for Ethan Frome. It's a small book with a lot packed into it. The human condition and all. But better to read in the depths of winter, perhaps.
8urania1
Phineas Finn!!!!!
9kiwidoc
Wonderful stack.
I have to admit that, apart from Phineas Finn, I have not read these.
Sp a very uninformed nudge for the only one I have read. Most are in my TBR room also, except the John Irving, who I do not like at all.
I have to admit that, apart from Phineas Finn, I have not read these.
Sp a very uninformed nudge for the only one I have read. Most are in my TBR room also, except the John Irving, who I do not like at all.
10billiejean
I recently read Midnight's Children. I found the beginning of it difficult. However, as I read along, I found it much easier to follow. Overall, I think that this is a great book to read but in small chunks. I am not sure that this sounds like a recommendation but it is. I am really glad that I read the book. It is worth the effort and don't give up if the first 15 pages are confusing.
--BJ
--BJ
11cushlareads
Ooh, some great books in your pile that I haven't read!
A de-nudge from me for On Beauty. It was ok, and I liked it enough to finish it, but 18 months after I've read it I can't remember it at all. I usually like books with academic settings but this one just didn't do it for me.
A de-nudge from me for On Beauty. It was ok, and I liked it enough to finish it, but 18 months after I've read it I can't remember it at all. I usually like books with academic settings but this one just didn't do it for me.
12polutropos
Wonderful list, I have read almost all.
My first impulse is to nudge On Beauty which I loved BUT then when I went back and started rereading Howards End I got quite upset. Of course Zadie Smith acknowledges the obvious debt. But there is just so much Howards End in On Beauty that some of my enjoyment has been spoiled. I DO remember it very well, so it did make an impression I am just struggling with the originality issue.
Phineas Finn and the whole Trollope saga I enjoyed in my late teens and early twenties. Fast read and I seem to recall quite political.
Ethan Frome terrific. Midnight's Children a challenging book you have to devote yourself to, in the same way you'd read the Russians.
Denudge Ship of Fools which I found ponderous.
The Irving is the lightest, most popular book on your list. I think he would like to be thought of as writing "Literature" but he is a lowbrow really. I got sick of him eventually.
In order not to be accused of fudging, I will say go for the Rushdie.
My first impulse is to nudge On Beauty which I loved BUT then when I went back and started rereading Howards End I got quite upset. Of course Zadie Smith acknowledges the obvious debt. But there is just so much Howards End in On Beauty that some of my enjoyment has been spoiled. I DO remember it very well, so it did make an impression I am just struggling with the originality issue.
Phineas Finn and the whole Trollope saga I enjoyed in my late teens and early twenties. Fast read and I seem to recall quite political.
Ethan Frome terrific. Midnight's Children a challenging book you have to devote yourself to, in the same way you'd read the Russians.
Denudge Ship of Fools which I found ponderous.
The Irving is the lightest, most popular book on your list. I think he would like to be thought of as writing "Literature" but he is a lowbrow really. I got sick of him eventually.
In order not to be accused of fudging, I will say go for the Rushdie.
13FlossieT
The only one of these I've read is On Beauty. I can't in all good conscience nudge it - it wasn't bad per se, but it wasn't really anything particularly special either (and then my boss's boss picked on it at the Edinburgh Book Festival for sloppy writing....). Just a three-star book.
Admittedly, I have never read Howards End - maybe it's better if you get the references/hommage.
Is that a fudge?
Admittedly, I have never read Howards End - maybe it's better if you get the references/hommage.
Is that a fudge?
14Nickelini
The only one I've read is Midnight's Children. It's challenging, but worthwhile. Not my favourite Rushdie though.
I've read half-way through The Voyage Out. Not the most interesting of Woolf's books. But I plan to give it another try one day because I do love her so.
I've read half-way through The Voyage Out. Not the most interesting of Woolf's books. But I plan to give it another try one day because I do love her so.
15dreamlikecheese
I'll nudge Midnight's Children as I started reading it a couple of weeks ago and I'm enjoying it so far. What do we call nudging a book that we're reading but haven't read? It's somewhere between a nudge and a nudgoid...
16tomcatMurr
A nudge for The voyage Out here. VW's prose is so fabulous. A slow luxuriant read, perhaps.
17mrspenny
A nudge for Ethan Frome - it's brilliantly written and it's Edith Wharton. I'll also nudge The Informer by Liam O'Flaherty. The book really captures the dark mood of Ireland in the early part of the 20th century.
18cocoafiend
I'll nudge Michael Ondaatje's In the Skin of a Lion. It's been a while since I read this book, but I did love it. In fact, I love Michael Ondaatje generally. If you haven't read his Coming Through Slaughter and The Collected Works of Billy the Kid, you might consider giving them a go sometime. They're excellent.
A nudgoid for Ethan Frome - not my favourite Wharton, but she's such a beautiful stylist and great observer, it's hard to go wrong.
A nudgoid for Ethan Frome - not my favourite Wharton, but she's such a beautiful stylist and great observer, it's hard to go wrong.
19amandameale
I'm nudging On Beauty which I thought was very good. This book really divided LThing - some loved it, some hated it.
20aluvalibri
I am going to nudge The Voyage Out, the first Woolf's I read, and really loved.
21Booksloth
Has to be Son of the Circus. If you're already an Irving fan you can't fail to love this one, and if you're new to his work it'll be the first step into a world of wonderful books.
22timjones
I've read only Ethan Frome from this list, and I give it a sizeable nudge. Unlike #7, however, I think I'd rather read it in summer, on the beach, with a sun umbrella overhead and a daiquiri close at hand.
23staffordcastle
Another vote for Phineas Finn - I read the whole Phineas sequence, after The Pallisers was aired on PBS, and enjoyed them very much. (The Pallisers actually covers a lot more ground than the Phineas sequence - they are a sub-set of the Pallisers series.)
24Teresa40
I recently read The Voyage Out and really enjoyed it, despite it being my first Virginia Woolf novel. Maybe not to everyone's taste but I'm going to nudge it anyway.
25Nickelini
I'm encouraged to see all the positive comments for The Voyage Out. I'll have to give it another try. I think the other time I tried to read it I had a lot of other stresses going on.
26Minthe
To summarize your nudges:
Midnight's Children has 'won' and I have started reading it yesterday. It is a bit early to comment on it, but I am impressed so far, although it needs more than the usual focus on the text.
Runners-up were The Voyage Out, Ethan Frome and Phineas Finn. All of them are now on my soon-to-be-read list.
Midnight's Children has 'won' and I have started reading it yesterday. It is a bit early to comment on it, but I am impressed so far, although it needs more than the usual focus on the text.
Runners-up were The Voyage Out, Ethan Frome and Phineas Finn. All of them are now on my soon-to-be-read list.
27mensheviklibrarian
Brief Interviews with Hideous Men is excellent; I'm working my way through it now. (Depressed Person) is one of the most insightful stories I have ever read about depression.
28Minthe
I have finished Midnight's Children a few days ago. It was probably the most challenging read for me for years, because English is a foreign language to me, and because I don't know very much of India's/Pakistan's history, religions, and mythology. Anyway, I enjoyed the novel, and I may at least to some extent have been cured by it from my problems with Magical Realism.
So, thanks to everybody for having nudged Midnight's Children.
So, thanks to everybody for having nudged Midnight's Children.