Books!

[stoney321]

I finished The Remains of the Day by Kazuo Ishiguro last night and siiiiiiiiiiighed. Oh, what a beautifully written and subtle book. This is one of those authors that I'm ashamed to not have read sooner. entrenous88? You mentioned one of his books a few weeks ago, and I picked up this one, as I couldn't find the book you were currently reading. I'll confess that it took a while to find the writer's rhythm, but once I understood what he was doing (say, page 20?) I fell in. So wonderfully painful and I found myself embarrassed on behalf of the protagonist and worrying about him like a mother hen at his narrow-mindedness. The way a larger story is told through something as simple as a butler's life is just brilliant. And how we don't know that the steely reserve Mr Stevens believes he is in control of has crumbled until we read the reaction of people around him... Fantastic. I've added the movie to my Netflix queue - again, a bit ashamed that I haven't seen it yet, but there's only so much time in the world, you know?

Next up for my reading is Under the Feet of Jesus, by Helena Maria Viramontes, about first love, migrant workers, and poverty. Oooh, and The Hippopotamus by Stephen Fry, yay!!

What are you reading? And why do I want a donut? I have no donuts, and no prospect for GETTING any donuts. *scowls at oatmeal* Oooh, wait! I have Tupelo honey I can add to that, and some dried cranberries! that's no donut, but it's all I have! [/woe]

PS: I am in the mood for new icons. Where are your favorite comms for icons? I have recognized that I do not use LJ to its full potential. I am woefully uninformed as to various comms around here.

Comments

[entrenous88.livejournal.com]

Oh, very cool! I actually have not read Remains -- the one I read and adored was Never Let Me Go. If you can't find that one, let me know, and I'll get you a copy (I've seen it a few times at used bookstores in the area).

That is exactly the problem with oatmeal, that it is not a donut. *joins you in scowling at bowl*

I'm about to re-read some Richard Russo, and I think I'm going to go for Straight Man, which is freaking fantastic (better than his book that won the Pulitzer -- Empire Falls -- imo).

[stoney321.livejournal.com]

Never Let Me Go!! Oh, I'm glad you commented with that title. I'm really looking forward to reading more of his books - if I can't find it, I'll give you a shout. *rubs hands*

And... I figured you've already seen this, but it bears a re-looksee. Cat stealing a sammich. Heeeeee!!

Maybe if I make a hole in the center of my oatmeal, I can pretend... Nope, not working. *slaps spoon into oats*

I've not read either of those Russo books. So, skip Empire Falls and head straight to Straight Man? :) *adds to list*

[thepiratequeen.livejournal.com]

I was just coming to comment and say that if Never Let Me Go wasn't the book she was talking about then she needs to read that one too. So I'll just second your rec and say I'm so glad someone else has read that book. I read it while on vacation last summer and my mind is still blown away by it.

[wickedgrdn.livejournal.com]

Best comms I know of for icons:

icons_r_us
icon_aholic
iconaddicts

They are not much with the organization in terms of fandoms and whatnot, but you can usually find a good variety there. Happy hunting!

[stoney321.livejournal.com]

Oh, thanks!! And I don't care about fandom specific icons - I just enjoy well made ones. There are SO MANY TALENTED icon makers, but I never know where to go find them. THANKS!!!

[a2zmom.livejournal.com]

"The Remains of the Day" movie was excellent on every level. And I am ashamned to admit, lately I haven't been reading due to lack of time. Although I have been reading selections from "Best Short Stories of 2006".

[stoney321.livejournal.com]

I mean, how can you go wrong with Hopkins AND Watson? I can't imagine that movie being anything but wonderful, so I'm very excited to get that later this week.

I go through periods where I just don't have time to read (I mean, kids, house, my interests, uh... LIFE. *g*) and I like to pull out short stories, too. Is that anthology by a particular group? I like McSweeny's Best Author anthologies, and there's a "Best Southern Author" yearly series I've enjoyed, too.

[petzipellepingo.livejournal.com]

Besides the icon communities already mentioned I offer : Book Icons (http://community.livejournal.com/book_icons/profile), Retro Icons (http://community.livejournal.com/retro_icons/profile), Historic Icons (http://community.livejournal.com/historicons/profile) and lastly, the icon website (http://www.sand-in-my-shoes.com/capturedmemories/icons.html) of eyesthatslay.

[stoney321.livejournal.com]

THANK YOU! Look at this wealth of icons you've given me! Well... where to find them, at least. *g* Thanks so very much!

[ladycat777.livejournal.com]

Join this comm -- http://community.livejournal.com/khushi_icons/profile?style=mine

It's worth it. It's a collection of like five or six icon artists, all approved and vetted by the comm head, and they make beautiful icons. Just gorgeous. Some are labeled, most are blank, non-fannish, with deep, vibrant colors -- I hate the washed out kind -- in tons of different types.

And oooo; I've been wanting to read The Hippopotamus. I love Fry. I just finished Magical Thinking by Augusten Boroughs (Running with Scissors guy) and it was hysterical. I recommend that. He's biting and upfront about how fucked up he is, which is nice.

[stoney321.livejournal.com]

Oooh, I'll join ASAP, thanks, Andrea! I love vibrant colors, too.

I LOOOOOVE Fry. I bought every book of his I could after reading "The Liar" and laughing my ass off. You know, I have to say that "Running With Scissors" got old for me after a while. Like, okay. I get it. I'm glad you made it through, but GAAAAAAAH. But you're not the first person to recommend that one by Burroughs, so maybe I need to get over myself and read it! :D

[fiveandfour.livejournal.com]

I'm reading Lover Revealed (http://www.amazon.com/Lover-Revealed-Novel-Dagger-Brotherhood/dp/0451412354/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1/104-2171964-1311961?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1173199120&sr=8-1). Because the BDB series is crack in book form. And the slash fic practically writes itself (which is perhaps why I can't find anyone out there who's actually writing it - grrr! - what is wrong with people? I need me some slash fic!) Anyway, it's so bad for me but I. CAN'T. STOP. MYSELF.

Oh, I'm finally also on the Atonement bandwagon. Just getting into that one, but I think I'm going to like it.

And I need to get it in gear and finish The Fabric of the Cosmos (http://www.amazon.com/Fabric-Cosmos-Space-Texture-Reality/dp/0375727205/ref=pd_bbs_2/104-2171964-1311961?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1173199249&sr=1-2) because I'm planning to use it as inspiration for a speech for Toastmasters, but I seem to be stuck for some reason even though it's utterly fascinating to me.

[stoney321.livejournal.com]

Okay, someone below mentioned the Atonement book, and I've just not heard anything about it! (But then, I've been in isolation from new books/series for a bit now, as I've been slogging through my list of "things I should have read by now.") Is this like, the next big thing? I'm going to have to spend a day in the bookstore pouring over book jackets, aren't I?

"The Fabric of the Cosmos" is TOTALLY up my alley for interests. I've been sucking down NF books, so it might take me a bit to get to it, as I'm on a fiction kick, but that's definitely going on the list! THANK YOU!

[mefnord.livejournal.com]

Totally stumbled upon this entry, but I can never resist the book!talk...

I'm reading "Atonement" by Ian McEwan which is excellent on so many levels...

And you really should read "Never let me go" by Ishiguro as well as "A Pale View of Hills" (I hope that'S the title), which is also very lyric and beautiful.

For funsies: Haddon's "The Curious Incident of the Dog at Nighttime"

*slinks away*

[stoney321.livejournal.com]

*drags you back* There is no slinking! There is book love and sharing! :D

I'm glad you mentioned the author for "Atonement." Someone else mentioned the title, but I had no idea what is was about/the author, so thanks for that! I've ordered a copy of both books by Ishiguro you mentioned - I was just so impressed by Remains of the Day, that I can't imagine him steering me wrong!

I don't think I've heard of Haddon's book, either, but that's because I rely on the kindness of strangers (hee!) to point me to the good stuff. I'm so glad you stumbled across this post! Thank you for the recs!

[anelith.livejournal.com]

Hi! I'm browsing through a collection of Pogo comics. Ten Ever Loving Blue Eyed Year With Pogo, to be exact. I found out that Ron's group leader has an amazing collection of old Pogo books and she let me borrow that one. I keep giggling and snorting and the rest of the family wants to know what's so funny. They don't find Pogo quite as amusing as I do.

Also rereading some old SF short stories, because I wanted to reread "All Mimsy Were the Borogroves," by Lewis Padgett (pseudonym for Henry Kuttner and C.L. Moore), which is the short story behind the new movie The Last Mimsy. I'm so excited about seeing that movie!

[stoney321.livejournal.com]

Hi, Anne!! Oh, off topic, but I've been crap about replying to older posts: I'm looking at possibly coming for an overnight with the kids when we're up there, so if it's not a burden, we'd LOVE to stay with you!! I'll find out what's the what as we get closer and touch base.

And I'm completely out of the loop - I know nothing about this The Last Mimsy movie/book! I'll have to check this out. I'm a fan of tight short stories, and you've yet to steer me wrong on any fiction. Cool!

[cityphonelines.livejournal.com]

Oooh, I just started 'The City of Falling Angels' by John Berendt (author of 'Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil'). So far? Berry good. I also just read Cathy's Book (http://www.cathysbook.com/) which is teen level, easy reading, takes-up-only-one-afternoon-of-your-life crack. Seriously, the evidence packet is SO fun and the phone numbers work.

[stoney321.livejournal.com]

Oooh! I liked Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil - I'll check out that book! And seriously on this teen-book you mentioned? The phone numbers and clues? I AM SO THERE. I'm completely unabashed in my love for YA. EEEEE!

[fireflykiwi.livejournal.com]

Since you asked. I'm currently reading "American Gods" by Neil Gaiman. I've just picked up Christopher Moores "You Suck" which is a sequal to "Bloodsucking Fiends". If you haven't read any of his books you really should pick one up. Very funny reads.

As for communities for icons I look at firefly/serenity, SG-1, and kitty (as in animal). A really good place for icons that I have recently found is foxglove_icons's LJ.

[stoney321.livejournal.com]

Oh, you can't go wrong with Neil Gaiman, can you? "YOU SUCK!" Heeeeeeee!! I don't think I've read Bloodsucking Fiends, though, which... *cratching my head* how can that be? I'll have to rememdy that ASAP.

THANK YOU!

[http://users.livejournal.com/_tayler/]

Just finished The Thirteenth Tale (http://www.amazon.com/Thirteenth-Tale-Novel-Diane-Setterfield/dp/0743298020/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1/002-8630593-7215233?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1173220536&sr=8-1) by Diane Setterfield this morning...lovely read!
Next up...either Tom Wolfe's The Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test (http://www.amazon.com/Electric-Kool-Aid-Acid-Test/dp/0553380648/ref=pd_bbs_sr_2/002-8630593-7215233?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1173220617&sr=1-2) or Thomas Harris's Hannabal Rising (http://www.amazon.com/Hannibal-Rising-Thomas-Harris/dp/0385339410/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1/002-8630593-7215233?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1173220688&sr=1-1)...haven't decided yet.

Also...you know I'll happily offer to make you anything specific icon wise Honey...but for general icon fun and frivolity iconaddicts and retro_icons are good comms for non-fandom stuff!
Have fun!!
:)

[stoney321.livejournal.com]

you know I'm a HUGE fan of your work! (Is one of those comms yours? At any rate, I'm glad to have two places you think are good - that's high praise in my eyes!)

Oh, I hope you post about Hannibal Rising when you're done - I liked Red Dragon and Silence of the Lambs (no, really?) but Hannibal was... hard for me to fall in to. I hope this one is good!!

[essene.livejournal.com]

I'm listening to The Audacity of Hope on my way to and from work. It's very...thinky. Actually, Obama would have made my english methods professor cream his jeans--he's very detailed in explaining the whys and wherefores and history and how this connects to that. I admit, I occasionally drift, but I come back for the pretty voice. And somewhere in there does lie a platform, but it's not all I believe this, this and this should be done.

I'm reading Truckers by Terry Pratchett at work. I finished The Westing Game (good lord, how did that book ever win an ALA award?) and it was a convenient grab off the shelf in class. (I read while my students are reading.) Odd little book, but I'm enjoying it's quirkyness.

At home? Um, I just finished Little Earthquakes by Jennifer Weiner. I'm not big on chick lit, but this one was very good--it helped that dancetomato's sister was just about ready to pop with her 2nd kid, so my brain was already in that place anyway.

Icon communities:(I'm being a bad commenter and just commenting without having read what other people have already recommended, so forgive me if there's repetition here)

good_fanicons
seasonal_icons
takenote_icons
wordy_icons

[stoney321.livejournal.com]

you know what's great is how everyone has given me completely different places for icons. (Oh, and I love your icons, too, btw.)

Did I tell you that my husband met Obama a few times, and has flown with him on various flights and that he's kind of crushing on Barak right now? Because he's AWESOME. One of the most clever and fascinating men my husband's ever met, in his words. I need to catch his book/tape, fo SHO.

I'm not familiar wtih the last two books you mentioned, so I'm glad you put them up there! I need to broaden my horizons. I get to the bookstore and I'm like a deer in the headlights. If I don't have a list, I'm unable to make a decision. Too many bad choices, I think, so I rely on the kindness of mah friends. *smooches your neck*

[beadbeauty.livejournal.com]

Just finished "The Kitchen Boy" about the russian Tsar Nikolai Romanov and his family in the last days before their brutal murder. It's a historical fiction. Basically the 'kitchen boy' was in the house when the Romanovs were held captive and he smuggled the notes back and forth for their rescue. There's a great twist at the end!
On the list for reading: Case Histories by Kate Atkinson...
Midnight's Children by Rushdie...
Then Snowflower (not sure of the author)

Before Kitchen boy, I read The Glass Castle - Wonderful read. I highly recommend this book! I'd still like to read the Life of Pi and Kiterunner as well. Much to read this summer on the houseboat....

[stoney321.livejournal.com]

Did you like Midnight's Children? Or has your group not started that one yet? I honestly don't know if you'll like Remains of the Day or not, Tiff. It might not be your thing. Maybe it is, I'm not sure. I never know what books will hit with you or not.

(#2 just finished The Phantom Tollbooth - maybe Makena would like it? My kid sucked it down like ice cream!)

HI! And if your icon is a recent picture, I have to say, you've let yourself go. Hahahaha.

[midnightsjane.livejournal.com]

I am currently reading the Dresden Files series by Jim Butcher. I'm on book two,Fool Moon.
Also rereading the Elemental Mages series by Mercedes Lackey.
I have two recs that I think will appeal to your inner gardener; Blackberry Wine by Joanne Harris, and The Lost Garden by Helen Humphreys. I loved both. The Lost Garden is about a woman who finds herself transformed from a lonely, isolated person to someone who is connected to the world through her work as a gardener in WW2 England.

[stoney321.livejournal.com]

I love it when I put a call out for what people are reading, because I get recs for stuff that I heard earlier, but didn't get the author, or I couldn't remember the title... YAY.

I will definitely be checking out those gardening themed books, how thoughtful of you!! *beams*

[viciouswishes.livejournal.com]

I recently finished the first 3 volumes of the "graphic novel" Fables, which takes characters from fairy tales and puts them in our world. I love it.

I'm working my way through Superman: Red Son, which appeals to me as a concept, but I forget that I don't like Millar, the writer.

I'm also trying to read Richard Dawkin's book, though he always pisses me off with comparing the struggles of atheists with gay people. Yeah, no.

And I've forever been reading Octavia Butler's Parable of the Talents, which is good, but not super gripping like I want a post-apocalyptic book.

Damn fanfic.

[stoney321.livejournal.com]

"Damn fanfic"

Isn't that the truth? I'll go long stretches of not reading actual books because there's so much to read HERE. And you know... free.

Atheists = gay, huh? What an idiot. (I don't think I've read him before. Apparently I'm not missing much.) That graphic novel sounds like something I'd go NUTS for, thanks!

[floweringjudas.livejournal.com]

Dude, okay, before you go to the bookstore - Jasper Fforde's "Thursday Next" series. IT IS GREAT. It has a strong, intelligent female lead and it's set in this weird sideways universe of our own (the Crimean War has been going on for decades, people have figured out how to replicate clones so a lot of people have dodos for pets), and...yes. It starts with "The Eyre Affair" and it's got all these sly references to different book plots and characters and it's pretty great.