General Chat

Which have you read...and which are you intending to read.? Any that you recommend?

My target this year is to read a Classic novel a month.

This months was Catcher In The Rye...by J D Salinger...which though dark, I thoroughly enjoyed.

My next will be Of Mice And Men by John Steinbeck.x

I've read all of Jane Austen, most of Dickens, and some more modern classics. I have to say '1984' is my all-time favourite. Do not expect to be uplifted, it's very depressing :-D I also enjoyed Mary Shelley's 'Frankenstein' which is not a 'horror' story, but a very human one.

I know exactly what you mean about 1984 Sheila..I once read that for a book group I was in and literally had to push myself through it..though it IS a fantastic book ...just hard going at times !!..

Have read most of Jane Austen too...and not enough Dickens lol.

I've never fancied Frankenstein..but I may have a rethink now x

I remember studying 'Of Mice and Men' at school and enjoyed it. Would also suggest another book by John Steinbeck - 'The Grapes of Wrath'.

Hope you enjoy 'Of Mice and Men', Muffy

:-)

Hi Muffy,

For the first time over Christmas, I read 'A Christmas Carol' by Dickens - you think you know the story but its great to read the original text.

Like Piers, I did 'Of Mice and Men' at school, I suppose it was OK really but being at school I was hard-wired to dislike it lol :-D

Matthew

Morning:)

Cider with Rosie...by Laurie Lee
Hamlet.........................Shakespeare...did it for an A level:))
Canterbury Tales.......G Chaucer........ " " " "
Great Expectations is on my pc kindle.
The Hobbit (twice).......Tolkein
Lord of the rings.......... " "
Other Dickens but think of the names.....dohhh

have to have a think for others:)

jude :-)

The plan is to finish reading Barnaby Rudge by Charles Dickens, being one I know nothing about. I read several of his from choice once I'd left school, although I've forgotten most of the details. This one at least gets into the story fairly quickly, instead of 100 pages of description before you get anywhere!

The Steinbeck books are good, and easy to read. Cannery Row is based on Monterrey in California; they've got a sea-life aquarium there now in one to the old Canneries.

Like a number of people, I've read Of Mice and Men, although not at school. When I was working in one, a student had missed the lesson where they finished it, and had to read it to himself. Every one laughed when he exclaimed at the ending! :-)

Not really into the Austens or Brontes.

I have never really read fiction very much but have read most of Steinbeck.Never did get into The Pearl or When the Moon is Down.

Did 1984 for A level and hated it but also did Cold Comfort Farm which I had alreary read several times as I love it and am, in fact,the daughter of Adam Lamsbreath I now realize.

Quite recently read Lorna Doone and realized just how political it is, as are Dickens novels (Stephen Blackpool's marriage for instance).

Dickens and Jane Austen can give a good insight into how your ancestors lived as can Flora Thompson.


Read Cranford, don't rely on the TV,and Lark Rise.They are better than screen adaptations.

Sharron...I downloaded Cranford for free onto my Kindle..and I never did get round to watching the TV series ...so that's def on my list ! Thanks.

I've never read A Christmas Carol either so that's one I'll add too !!!! I guess it's easy to dismiss ones we think we know all about..but there's always more to every story in print.

I'm noting all suggestions down...and thanks to all...I'll let you know how I get on with Of Mice and Men in a couple of weeks lol x

I read most of the Dickens books as a child, there wasn't much else around in those days. Also Jane Austen and the Brontes.
I have done, Hamlet, Macbeth, Much Ado About Nothing The Crucibal, Canterbury Tales, and Streetcar Named Desire (Tennessee Williams) my favourite, for 'A' levels when I was in my early 50's
I've always got a D.H. Lawrence on the go. Well he is our local lad made good. Alot of what is in his books is still relavent around here, today.
I'd like to go through the Dickens books again.
Never did the Classics, eg Greek and Roman Gods, which is abit of a b****er when I am doing me crosswords.

Julia in Derbyshire

I remember reading a book about Norse mythology in primary and that sometimes comes in useful at quizzes.

If you like Cranford there are several others by Mrs Gaskell too. They are particularly relevant too the industrial north.

DH Lawrence did himself a bit of a disservice with Lady Chatterley, People think of the dirty bits and never get to read his beautiful descriptive narratives.

I can't really recommend it to anybody else but I like to dip into William Shirer, The Rise and Fall of the Thir Reich. Heavy,horrible. I have read Meine Kampf and had I not kown what devastation came from it I would have rated it along with Monty Python

I have never understood, Sharron, just who D.H. was writing for. Certainly not for the people that he lived amongst, h'ed rather write about them.
At the time he lived, almost every man in the town he came from, was an uneducated miner. Women were not educated, or had jobs, they just stayed at home bearing children, and keeping house for 'me man'. In fact, I once looked at a particular street,on the 1881 census, and every man on there worked at the local pit. Nobody was educated, though children did go to school, so they would never been able to read his books, let alone understand them. Only the two owners of the local pit were educated, and had travelled.
But alot of that town, is just like it was, in his day. Even the house he lived in, is kept, and furnished, as it was then. I was there just before Christmas, and when you get passed the main shopping area, very little has changed, and it could still be in those days as you stand and look at the houses and buildings.
No, he has always been abit of a mystery to me, but I do like to read him, and pick out the landmarks he mentions.

Julia in Derbyshire

Of course he wasn't writing for the local people.They could not afford to pay for his books.

He was writing for those who could buy them.Had he not done so he would probably have been down the pit too.

He was just exploiting the locals as much as the pit owners. After all, the people who read the books would probably not want to actually visit.

I've just started reading Great Expectations

for any of you that has read The Mystery of Edwin Drood bbc2 9pm next tues.is a version with the ending . someone has written the end,Dickens didnt finish the book and you had to guess the ending,i couldnt guess the murderer so am looking forward to see who it might have been.

wendy (Lincs)

May I recommend ..A simples Life by Alexandr Orlov this will be simply a Russian classic in years to come I am the very proud owner of a hard back copy :-D

Hayley...I'll look about for that and let you know !!!

I've just finished of Mice And Men...what a brilliantly written book !!! Enjoyed that one too...now I'm trying decide what number 3 will be...One a month was the aim and I've done two in a month so far..if I carry on like this my literary knowledge will be awesome lol x

i like of mice and men,

oh a classic boook ,now let me think, what about the bible??

"ill get my coat"

pfffffft lolx

;-) lol, i downloaded it on my phone just for the laugh, but it stalled my phone, i thought must be a sign and deleted it haha x