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Lily Fairbairn
Gondolin
Nov 27 2012, 2:33pm
Post #1 of 17
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The Hobbit premiere week reading thread!
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The Kiwis will be dancing springle-rings in Wellington instead of reading, I suppose---although we do expect a bit of writing from y'all who've seen the movie, right?
As for the rest of us....
I'm skimming through John Mortimer's Where There's A Will again, since I've agreed to write an article about how his Rumpole of the Bailey stories reflect his own life (which sadly ended in 2009). This means I also need to re-read some of the stories, which will be a pleasure. If I read ALL of the stories, though, I'd be reading well past my deadline, so will have to content myself to just a few. They're like popcorn or chocolates, you just keep going on to the next one because each one tastes so good. No stomach ache afterwards, though.
Has anyone ever noticed how much John Mortimer looked like Alexander McCall Smith, and how similar the Rumpole and the Ramotswe stories are? Light, charming, and so beautifully written you never notice how little plot is involved.
What have you been reading?
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Annael
Elvenhome
Nov 27 2012, 4:09pm
Post #2 of 17
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just started Jim Butcher's "Cold Days"
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the latest Harry Dresden book, and if I didn't have work to do I'd be reading it all day. Butcher is a superb writer who has created a truly iconic character. And despite having written multiple volumes set in Dresden's 'verse, he has yet to go stale or run out of new ideas. He rebooted the series in a masterful way in the last two books so I have no idea what will or could happen next - and how fun is that?
Plus I have a serious crush on Harry. He's got a major streak of Atticus Finch do-the-right-thing morality in him.
The way we imagine our lives is the way we are going to go on living our lives.
- James Hillman, Healing Fiction
* * * * * * * * * *
NARF and member of Deplorable Cultus since 1967
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Lily Fairbairn
Gondolin
Nov 27 2012, 4:42pm
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I've heard a lot of good things about Butcher
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The Gaffer just finished reading one of the books in the series, but I couldn't tell you which one. Isn't it fun to discover a series that you like---you know you've always got something good to read!
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Faenoriel
Dor-Lomin
Nov 27 2012, 5:13pm
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although we do expect a bit of writing from y'all who've seen the movie, right?
Are they allowed to? Then that's gonna be my reading this week.
But every word you say today
Gets twisted 'round some other way
And they'll hurt you if they think you've lied
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Lily Fairbairn
Gondolin
Nov 27 2012, 5:42pm
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...that once the movie has been officially released, then anything goes. This will make it much harder for those of us still waiting for it to open to avoid spoilers, of course.
Although a thread over on The Hobbit board says that critics can't post reviews until December 3---why, I have no idea.
(This post was edited by Lily Fairbairn on Nov 27 2012, 5:44pm)
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Tintallė
Mithlond
Nov 27 2012, 7:15pm
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The 100-Year-Old Man Who Climbed Out the Window and Disappeared
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by Jonas Jonasson.
My daughter recommended this delightful book. I'm not sure it's terribly complex, having only completed 4 chapters, but it's full of dry humor and that's right up my alley.
Finished The Horse Whisperer and was a bit shocked by the ending. I'd seen the movie and the book seemed to be the same unfolding story until it ended. Suddenly. Well. Still not sure I liked the book at all, really. This may be one time (this may be the only time!) when I think the film surpasses the book, not only because it has a better finish, but also because the casting is superb. Thank you Robert Redford, for taking an absorbing story and making it more real and more beautiful than the original book.
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Elberbeth
Dor-Lomin
Nov 27 2012, 8:42pm
Post #7 of 17
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Throne of Jade, the second book in the Temeraire series
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I really enjoyed it. These books are like Sharpe with dragons. Looking for the next one. Also reading the second book of Simon Scarrow's Eage series, The Eagle Conquers, about the invasion of Britain by the Romans. Again, it is similar to the Sharpe books in the scope and the writing.
"There are some things that it is better to begin than to refuse, even though the end may be dark."
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Annael
Elvenhome
Nov 27 2012, 9:58pm
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The book's ending just did not make sense to me. I was glad that Redford changed it to one that did make sense.
The way we imagine our lives is the way we are going to go on living our lives.
- James Hillman, Healing Fiction
* * * * * * * * * *
NARF and member of Deplorable Cultus since 1967
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Lily Fairbairn
Gondolin
Nov 27 2012, 10:00pm
Post #9 of 17
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Now that's an intriguing title!
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I love dry humor---I'll have to look for this.
I haven't seen The Horse Whisperer movie nor read the book, but I'll bear your warning in mind about the latter. Another instance of the movie being better than the book is The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel. The movie was delightful, the book was grim, ugly, and miserable.
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Lily Fairbairn
Gondolin
Nov 27 2012, 10:02pm
Post #10 of 17
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You're on a roll, it sounds like
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My husband's read all the Temeraire books and likes the first two-three best. Novik had a great idea with those. Now if PJ ever actually makes a movie of them.... I love books set in Roman Britain but am not familiar with Scarrow. I'll check him out.
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NottaSackville
Doriath
Nov 28 2012, 3:32am
Post #11 of 17
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I am soooo jealous! Can't wait to get my hands on it. //
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 Happiness: money matters, but less than we think and not in the way that we think. Family is important and so are friends, while envy is toxic -- and so is excessive thinking. Beaches are optional. Trust is not. Neither is gratitude. - The Geography of Bliss by Eric Weiner as summarized by Lily Fairbairn. And a bit of the Hobbit reading thrown in never hurts. - NottaSackville
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NottaSackville
Doriath
Nov 28 2012, 3:34am
Post #12 of 17
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Yeah, OK. I just broke down and bought it. Woohoo! //
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Happiness: money matters, but less than we think and not in the way that we think. Family is important and so are friends, while envy is toxic -- and so is excessive thinking. Beaches are optional. Trust is not. Neither is gratitude. - The Geography of Bliss by Eric Weiner as summarized by Lily Fairbairn. And a bit of the Hobbit reading thrown in never hurts. - NottaSackville
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wendy woo
Ossiriand
Nov 28 2012, 9:49pm
Post #13 of 17
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Christmas reading: The Dead by Joyce and A Christmas Carol by Dickens
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I read them every year 
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Otaku-sempai
Elvenhome
Nov 29 2012, 12:12am
Post #14 of 17
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My wife has dibs on the new 'Dresden' book.
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I'll start on Cold Days when she is through with it. Until then I have The Hobbit special edition magazines from Empire and Rolling Stone to keep me occupied.
'There are older and fouler things than Orcs in the deep places of the world.' - Gandalf the Grey, The Fellowship of the Ring
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Aunt Dora Baggins
Elvenhome
Nov 29 2012, 5:03pm
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Finally finished "The Stand" ( a vew vague spoilers)
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(the extra-long version). I think the extra-long ending was a bit too long, though I did enjoy all the scenery as they made their way back through the mountains of Colorado. It was fun to see all those familiar places. I kept getting drawn on and on, and then it got to be too much, after the final small climax about the baby, when there was yet more.
The actual showdown was pretty dramatic, but the idea that God demanded a sacrifice and that's why some of the characters had gone on a pointless quest to die just left me totally unsatisfied. As did the idea that the Hand of God would kill thousands more people after 99.4% of the earth's population had already died. Bleah. I think I would have enjoyed the story a lot more without all the supernatural stuff. The beginning, with the plague, was a lot more gripping and interesting for me than all the Antichrist stuff.
On the other hand, the meeting up of two characters in the wilderness after the showdown brought tears to my eyes. The characters were great, and I loved the writing all the way through.
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"For DORA BAGGINS in memory of a LONG correspondence, with love from Bilbo; on a large wastebasket. Dora was Drogo's sister, and the eldest surviving female relative of Bilbo and Frodo; she was ninety-nine, and had written reams of good advice for more than half a century."
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"A Chance Meeting at Rivendell" and other stories
leleni at hotmail dot com
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(This post was edited by Aunt Dora Baggins on Nov 29 2012, 5:04pm)
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Lily Fairbairn
Gondolin
Nov 29 2012, 8:38pm
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Every time I think there have been quite enough dramatizations, musicals, cartoons, etc., based on it, I remind myself that the message is a very valuable one and bears repeating.
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Lily Fairbairn
Gondolin
Nov 29 2012, 8:41pm
Post #17 of 17
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Good for you, getting all the way to the end, then
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But yes, if you find things in a book you really like, you'll often overlook parts you don't like. Well done!
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