tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5392290704681873070.post3151110045844919538..comments2023-10-26T06:41:42.181-05:00Comments on All the parts of my life: An attempt to plan my reading yearHeathMochaFrosthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09171967251746524692noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5392290704681873070.post-62661543529355652392009-01-02T12:34:00.000-06:002009-01-02T12:34:00.000-06:00Marie - Great to hear from you! Thanks for your c...Marie - Great to hear from you! Thanks for your comments!<BR/><BR/><I>The History of Love</I> was hard to follow because Krauss' plotting was (as you know) <B>not linear</B>, and I could see where many readers would be frustrated by that. But, I liked those two main voices (Leo and Alma, am I remembering their names right? - the old man, and the girl), SO MUCH, I wanted to keep reading. Their voices were both really distinctive, and I admire authors who can do that, especially within one book. Once I was into the second half, I didn't want to put it down, and got through it as fast as I could! Yeah, I REALLY liked it. :-) Just a week or two after finishing it, I found a copy of Krauss' <I>Man Walks into a Room</I> and bought it IMMEDIATELY.<BR/><BR/>Thanks for the tip on <I>The Time Traveler's Wife</I>, I'll keep that in mind. I'd seen it recommended highly on LibraryThing, so that piqued my interest, but when I get to it, if I find it's not for me, I can always donate it to the annual library sale. :-)<BR/><BR/>As for not finishing books, there were a few this year that I didn't finish, either because of time constraints (usually those are library books) or because I just didn't get into it. I've heard that not finishing books can be a good thing, though, because you're "sampling" more of them, and also not "forcing" yourself to read something that you're just not enjoying. There are too many excellent books out there to finish ones we don't like!<BR/><BR/>Oh - Lydia Davis - I read her story collection <I>Break It Down</I> in October, and while I didn't love every story, I liked most of them, and her writing style is really unusual, and I found it exciting and wished I could write like that. I haven't seen the novel, not sure if the same style would work as well there as it does in the short works.<BR/><BR/>I must get back to work - sigh. Stay warm and well!HeathMochaFrosthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09171967251746524692noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5392290704681873070.post-73112097694222033122008-12-27T20:10:00.000-06:002008-12-27T20:10:00.000-06:00Wow! 47 books in 2008 is VERY impressive. Congra...Wow! 47 books in 2008 is VERY impressive. Congratulations! I'm ashamed to admit how many books I've read this year. The number is actually an all-time high for me when it comes to getting some "leisurely reading" done - so that is a positive. But the amount is not nearly as close to what you have completed!<BR/><BR/>I see you just read <I>The History of Love</I> - what did you think? That was the last book I finished a month or so ago. I thought it was fine - not fantastic, but good. I love the way Krauss uses language - she is obviously a poet. And yet, I had some problems with the story itself.<BR/><BR/>As for your to-read list: <I>The Time Traveler's Wife</I> is just so-so. That was one of my completed books this year. I was actually pretty disappointed by it given how LONG it is! It felt like the author just wanted to see every single word she had written in print and did not allow for proper editing. It was too much. The ending was just lackluster, but man, I was glad it was over! Just my two cents...<BR/><BR/>I hear Lydia Davis is good. I have been trying to finish her novel <I>The End of the Story</I> since I got it in 2005... Not that it's bad... I just have a really bad record when it comes to finishing books! :-p I'd be interested in knowing what you think of her short stories.<BR/><BR/>Anyhoo - I hope you are doing well, overall. Keep reading!!Mariehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18362311243802816203noreply@blogger.com