Good fiction anyone?

25 August 2019, 06:41 PM

Beartown

Not the cliche you expect.

"complex characters and a tight narrative."

The first third of the book was setting up for the remainder and little else. Almost put it down.

25 August 2019, 07:01 PM

Nina

Yes! I read it last year and loved it.

Right now, I'm enjoying "The Overstory," a series of short stories that all feature trees as a cohesive thread. To be clear, it is a series of distinct stories that don't connect, but all feature trees in some way. Sounds weird, but it isn't. Beautiful writing, won the Pulitzer and short-listed for the Man Booker prize. Totally recommended.

26 August 2019, 01:32 AM

piqué

Wish I'd seen this recommendation a week ago. Just got back from a week in a cabin on a lake. We mined the local used book store. Just finished reading "An Equal Music" by Vikram Seth. About a second violinist in a string quartet and his ill fated romance with a pianist. Lots of obscure musical references and very well written.

26 August 2019, 04:19 PM

RealPlayer

Somehow I never read fiction and spend too much time on the Times and New Yorker.

But this past week, while in Europe for rehearsals and concerts, I underwent an involuntary media blackout. The entertainment system was kaput on the flights in both directions. The hotel TV had no English-language channels that were working. I had no smartphone or laptop with me.

But I'd brought a paperback copy of Moby-Dick from the library, and actually started reading it. Somehow I'd never read it in my youth. So I'm now 120 pages or so into it, about a fifth of the way, and I'm getting into it.

In honor of Melville's 200th birthday!

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“It's hard to win an argument with a smart person. It's damn near impossible to win an argument with a stupid person." -- Bill Murray

26 August 2019, 06:47 PM

Nina

I love Vikram Seth--haven't read anything of his I didn't enjoy thoroughly.

26 August 2019, 09:35 PM

AdagioM

Highly recommended to me: A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles. I have it reserved from the library (for Kindle). I also reserved his Rules of Civility, which will come to me quicker, since it’s older and not in demand. Have you read these?

26 August 2019, 09:49 PM

Daniel

Y'all are voracious readers.

Daniel, expecting my new glasses any day

26 August 2019, 11:33 PM

Dan

Chas, Fredrik Backman is a fantastic author. Read his other stuff if you haven't already.

I've added Beartown to my reading list!

31 August 2019, 02:30 PM

CHAS

quote:
Originally posted by AdagioM:
Highly recommended to me: A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles. I have it reserved from the library (for Kindle). I also reserved his Rules of Civility, which will come to me quicker, since it’s older and not in demand. Have you read these?

A friend recommended A Gentleman in Moscow. She loved it. Could not get interested.

31 August 2019, 02:31 PM

CHAS

quote:
Originally posted by Dan:
Chas, Fredrik Backman is a fantastic author. Read his other stuff if you haven't already.

I've added Beartown to my reading list!

Will be looking at more of Backman's work.

31 August 2019, 02:40 PM

QuirtEvans

I recently read a book called Catacombs. It was so good, I re-read it several times.

31 August 2019, 03:50 PM

CHAS

quote:
Originally posted by QuirtEvans:
I recently read a book called Catacombs. It was so good, I re-read it several times.

Have it. Must read Burials first. That will be my next book.
Somehow I had not read Artifacts until recently. It is super.

01 September 2019, 09:49 PM

Nina

Correction: The stories in "The Overstory" CONNECT! That's all I'm going to say, but it is totally incredible writing.

01 September 2019, 11:16 PM

pianojuggler

I just finished Relics. It was in my travel bag, so I only read it on airplanes and in hotels. It took me about three years.

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pj, citizen-poster, unless specifically noted otherwise.

mod-in-training.

pj@ermosworld∙com

All types of erorrs fixed while you wait.

01 September 2019, 11:45 PM

QuirtEvans

quote:
Originally posted by pianojuggler:
I just finished Relics. It was in my travel bag, so I only read it on airplanes and in hotels. It took me about three years.

I'd be so lost. I can't remember what I read last week.