What are you reading right now?

[Jen]

I love reading, but sometimes I don't have much time to read what I want. I thought it would be nice to hear what others are currently reading, though, and maybe get some tips on what to read next. It would also be fun to hear which books you consider being your favourite ones and why.

I can start by saying that I'm reading Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice. It is almost finished, but still a few more exciting chapters to read before that. I started it like a month ago or something but was reading Vladimir Nabokov's Lolita at the same time. Well, I finished that before Christmas and was able to concentrate on this one since then. I must say I love it. I had no idea Jane Austen was so witty! She gets more points from me also for all the sarcasm in her descriptions of the vanities of some characters.

[Sophy]

How is the language in Pride and prejudice? is it hard to understand? Does she use many complicated poetic-like or old fashioned words?

I'm not reading anything international right now. I'm reading a Swedish book by a Swedish author about being a good fellow human being.... hmm.. wonder if that't the correct words to use to translate the title. Oh well... Gives you many things to think about. The author is Stefan Einhorn.

[Jen]

I remember you mentioning that book a while ago. It was even discussed in one of our talk shows some time ago. Must be a good read.

You know, I think one reason I hadn't started reading Pride and Prejudice earlier was because I had this idea of Jane Austen's language being really really difficult for me to understand. But actually, I was surprised to find out that I didn't have trouble following it at all. Of course it sounds a bit oldish sometimes, and there are some words I have never heard anywhere else, but I can almost always guess what they mean. So I would say it's pretty straight-forward to read once you have got used to the writing style. I can say that I had MUCH more trouble trying to understand Virginia Woolf's language than Jane Austen's.

[Sophy]

OK, because that's what has kept me from reading it too I guess, but I really want to read it.

[Lizzie]

Originally Posted by Jen

Of course it sounds a bit oldish sometimes, and there are some words I have never heard anywhere else, but I can almost always guess what they mean. So I would say it's pretty straight-forward to read once you have got used to the writing style.

The one example I know of is, ahem, "they had intercourse". When it was written, that just meant 'they had a conversation', but in English today it means something else entirely! Anyway...

I'm currently reading non-fiction (is that allowed here too?), a book called 'How to Fossilise Your Hamster'. It's about everyday science around the home, including experiments you can do with household items, food and drink. LOL

[Jen]

Originally Posted by Lizzie

The one example I know of is, ahem, "they had intercourse". When it was written, that just meant 'they had a conversation', but in English today it means something else entirely! Anyway...

Haha oh yeah. I had a minor laughing fit with that one...

Eeek I hope you aren't going to do any experiments with hamsters, Lizzie. Sounds interesting. Though I'm sure I would just explode my house or something if I started to experiment with things!

[Lizzie]

of course not! I haven't tried any of the experiments, but I find it interesting to read about the theory behind various things described.

[Sophy]

I just went ahead and ordered Pride and prejudice and The French Lieutanant's Woman!! Both in English

[Jen]

lol I was just kidding, Lizzie. I think it's a funny name for a book, though!

Good for you, Sophy! The French Lieutenant's Woman is really good too. It took me quite a while to finish it, because I was reading lots of stuff for Uni at the same time, but I did like the way the narrator is so visible in that book. Really interesting. It was also interesting to see how they had to change it in order to try to create the same kind of "story within a story" effect in the film. Have fun reading!

[Barbie]

Right now I am reading, "Pillars of the Earth" - it was the latest featured "Oprah" Book Club book...It's not a "new" book, it was first published about 20 years ago!

Anyway...Oprah really played it up on her show, said she just couldn't put it down, so it sounded interesting to me. I really enjoy historic fiction, so I asked for it for Christmas. It's around 1,000 pages long and I'm exactly halfway through...trouble is, I think it's kind of boring! Has anyone else read this one?

I've tried to join the online Oprah book club discussion and it seems that either people LOVE it or HATE it. I guess I'll have to finish it before I decide either way, but even at this point (page 458!), I am not totally impressed with it, which is a disappointment, since I had looked forward to getting it for weeks! AND because it's such a long book, it's a big time commitment!!! I hate putting all that time into something I'm not totally IN to. Oh well. I'm curious to know if anyone else here has read it.

[Ella]

Oh, I have Pillars Of The Earth here. In our bookshelf. Unread.

[Barbie]

No one has read in your home? Perhaps you should take a peek at it for me...I'd love to know your opinion of the book!

[Jen]

A thousand pages?? Wow, that IS a long one! I'm afraid I haven't heard of that book, but sometimes I've been reading a book like that too - either boring or not meeting my expectations. I think Nabokov's Lolita was like that for me. Everybody was praising it so much, but I just found it quite disturbing. Amazingly written but euww. I hope your book gets more exciting soon!

I finished Pride and Prejudice the other day. I loved it!!! Now I have started to read A Memoir of Jane Austen written by one of her nephews (I think) for a literature course. So far it's not so exciting, but fingers crossed that it will get better soon as well...

[Barbie]

Yep, over 900 pages... And it's not written all that well either...some of it is very tedious and way too much detail, so I feel like this I have actually skipped whole pages of descriptions...the author goes in to great detail of cathedral building...I understand he needs to include detail, but this is just overkill. It could have been edited, like 300 pages and it would have been a better story!!!

[Jen]

lol oh dear!!!!! A bit frustrating then. Yesterday I managed to finish the introduction for this memoir I'm reading now, and it was honestly something like 40 pages. And all those pages were filled with information on everything that is wrong or inaccurate in the actual memoir. Yikes, so the introduction made me wonder why we have to read this book in the first place. lol