What are you reading this week of March 19, 2017?

[hermetic]

I haven't had much reading time this past week due to house issues. So I'm only a few stories in to Time Travelers Pay Cash by Spider Robinson. It's a short book, just under 200 pages, and the little bit I've read so far is terrific. This book is so full of heart and smart.

This coming week I anticipate starting A Gentleman in Moscow which was just delivered Friday. I was so taken by a mention of that book here a few weeks ago, and then looking it up and seeing all the rave reviews, I decided I should splurge a bit and buy it. After much online searching I managed to find a brand new copy from Abe Books for just over $15 and it was sent from England! I sure hope it holds up to my expectations. I will, of course, let you know.

Meanwhile, let me know about your current reading plans.

[northoftheborder]

1. Listening to "We Were the Lucky Ones" by Georgia Hunter

about the experiences of a large family of Polish Jews during WW2 - so far, very sad. (historic novel based on real stories.)

I seem to be obsessed about WW2 period lately. I'm wondering if 50-60 years from now, stories about the current tumult in the middle east, Syria, Iraq, the tragic family situations and prejudicial treatment of Muslims will be written.

I'm also reading a biography of Catherine the Great. Does anyone know of other more current historic fiction about Russia, not necessarily just spy novels, but those more rooted in stories of people and families through WW2 and post war?

[hermetic]

3. You've read the Towles book, right?

I'm thinking it was you who told us about it originally. I'm hoping to start it tomorrow while we are having thunder storms. Just curling up on the couch with a cuppa and a good book.

Ever read Under Western Eyes by Joseph Conrad? A political thriller which takes place in St. Petersburg, Russia. Might fill the bill.

[northoftheborder]

7. Yes - "A Gentleman in Moscow" by Towles

Another one even half as good as that one would be great to know of!

Under Western Eyes - might try that. I like Conrad pretty well, don't think I've read it, tho have read some of his. Thanks - I'll look that one up.

[japple]

2. Hi everyone! Thanks for the thread, hermetic. I started reading

Robert Morgan's book Chasing the North Star.

In his latest historical novel, bestselling author Robert Morgan brings to full and vivid life the story of Jonah Williams, who, in 1850, on his eighteenth birthday, flees the South Carolina plantation on which he was born a slave. He takes with him only a few stolen coins, a knife, and the clothes on his back--no shoes, no map, no clear idea of where to head, except north...

This Robert Morgan is the North Carolina poet and author of Gap Creek and not the Robert J. Morgan who writes on faith and inspiration.

Good reading so far.

[hermetic]

4. That does sound good.

Glad to see ya. Wonder where everybody else is.

[japple]

6. Everyone else is probably late to the party! It's usually me, but I showed up almost on

time this time!

Things are heating up with the congressional hearings and may move quickly in the next couple weeks. I read lots of newspapers and online sources in addition to my current fiction, and I think many DUers do the same.

[hermetic]

9. Yeah, me too

I don't watch TV so I have to do a lot of online reading to try and keep up with all the unravelings.

[Number9Dream]

5. Started "20,000 Leagues Under the Sea" by Jules Verne, 2wks ago...

I'm taking it back to the library with 100 pages yet to go. I was disappointed in this classic. It was mostly like a travel log... Lengthy descriptions of fishes and other denizens of the deep, whose names I don't know. Not much of a plot either.

Thanks Hermetic.

[hermetic]

8. Aw, Man

You missed the best part! Those last 100 pages are just totally awesome. Just kidding. Never read it myself. I did read Journey to the Center of the Earth long ago which I seemed to recall was quite entertaining. I've now learned something interesting, though.

Verne was French and all of his works are in French. Evidently, translations into English have been widely criticized for their extensive omissions, errors, and alterations, and are not considered adequate representations of Verne's actual novels. They continue to be republished, though, due to their public domain status and their easy availability in online sources.

Novelist Michael Crichton observed:

Verne's prose is lean and fast-moving in a peculiarly modern way … [but] Verne has been particularly ill-served by his English translators. At best they have provided us with clunky, choppy, tone-deaf prose.

That's sad because Verne said all he wanted to do was to "depict the earth and at the same time to realize a very high ideal of beauty of style."

[Goblinmonger]

10. Starting American Gods by Neil Gaiman

A reread actually. Given that the comic book series is just starting and the TV show soon, I thought I should go through it again. Will probably bleed into next week.

I slammed through Ellen Hopkins' Glass yesterday as a supplement to a Young Adult Literature class I'm teaching.

[japple]

11. Love this book and Neil Gaiman (with or without Terry Pratchett!). American

Gods is astonishingly good. I'm going to put it on my re-read list.