What are you reading at the moment

Cormac McCarthy's 'The Border Trilogy'
- I've just started it.
I am finding my way with the lack of chapters and quotation marks for speech - but already loving it.
I adored his book 'The Road' - so am already a convert of his writing.

I'm reading Chavs (can't remember the author). And I have treated myself to a Caitlin Moran for the New Year. Chavs is a good read if you are anti-Thatcher as he pretty much blames her for everything!!

I also think that reading a book you know in a foreign language or really want to read will get you motivated so I bought the 3rd "Dragon Tattoo" book in German while in Berlin the other year - managed about 3/4 before my impatience got the better of me!

Something like 'arry potter et la piedre philosiphal might have been more the thing. I have got the spanish version and can struggle along as i already know the story. which helps. Spanish ground to an halt since did GCSE and sister sold her spanish flat.

I did buy the first volume - in French - after I finished the OU French courses, but... good intentions!

nice one mamie

No, never read Proust though have been to the hotel in Cabourg where he used to have tea. My favourite bit of the Hare with Amber Eyes is in Hall's bookshop in Tunbridge Wells which is still one of my favourite places.
On the subject of Proust - we went to the Tour de France near our house this year and one of the publicity vans was throwing out madeleine cakes. DH got hit on the head by one, but didn't remember any of his past as a result.....

Well done!
Ah well Uncle Charles the art collector was one of the two people Swann was based on apparently. So you might enjoy this one.

I have read Swanns Way, the first book and now only have 4 more volumes to go! I enjoyed it but it does need a good deal of time to adjust to the slow pace and I seem to have less and less of that now, so maybe the others will never get read!

graces mum I totally agree with you about Proust, especially the Monty Python version! I did plough through half of the first book (where he "wrote about, wrote about") during my first year, because: we were looking at European literature and, also, I was sure everyone else had read it. My first degree is English and I felt, as I was supposedly literary, that there was something wrong with me when I found it too tedious for words. Oh, the under confidence of youth! I am quite happy now to say what I think, about anything, not just books.
I have just re read "What Katy Did" on my Kindle app.

It used to be a sign of intellectual pretentiousness in my youth. Reading Proust. Or pretending to. I don't think I ever tried.
I don't think it (hare with amber eyes) was really confusing at all elegran . I think it was clearly and beautifully written. One or two names recur in subsequent generations.
Big Jewish banking family, one non-mathematical but v rich son hangs out in paris with Renoir, Proust etc - a "collector' of art. One of the things he collects are the Japanese netsuke. He eventually passes them as a wedding present to a niece in Vienna. Cut to early 20th century Vienna, 2 wars. I expect you can guess that the family had a rough time.
Favourite character Uncle Iggy, who seems to live several interesting lives...before settling down as a gay businessman in Japan. Makes you realise just how much change was experienced by some people as a result of WW2.

To be honest jessM - has anybody actually read Proust? It was a set book at university (or part of it) but no-one seemed to have ploughed through it - even in translation! I always feel it is one of those books people claim they will take on their desert island etc (presumably they would be so desperate)You could eat the pages I suppose.......
Would they take my Hons M.A French and German away from me if I admitted that I personally subscribe to the Monty Python version "Summarising Proust in (was it?) 30 seconds"

Sorry, two "book"s there. The second should have been "by"

carboncareful I have not read this book but book other posters' descriptions it sounds as though it is not "tracing family history" that is needed but a route map showing just who the hair-oil they are talking about.

Well, I am interested in Art but tracing family history leaves me cold.

About to start Louis de Bernières Birds Without Wings.

Oh, I managed on kindle, but family tree would have been nice.
Agree carbon why feel inadequate. I think an interest in art is probably needed in order to get hooked.
Have to admit though I have never read Proust, so the bit where great uncle Charles was inspiration was wasted on me.
It is a bit like a rather special edition of "who do you think you are" , with brass knobs on. Sorry gold ones.

No need to feel inadequate, not everyone likes the same things; life would be very dull if they did. I do think that it is so unlike most other books that it takes a while to get into it. I think I found the first bit in Japan a bit hard, but when it got onto Paris and the Impressionist paintings I was hooked. Much as I love my Kindle, I think you need a physical copy of this one; the illustrations and the family tree are essential and I had to keep going to the end pages to clarify who the people were. Will be interested to hear what your book club thinks.

My book group is going to read it too. I downloaded a sample for the Kindle and thought it looked interesting.

Oh well, thats made me feel totally inadequate. I'll let you know what the book group think in a couple of weeks time.

I am with Mamie on this. Fascinating combination of European history, family history and art history.

No, I found the Hare with Amber Eyes utterly brilliant. I thought it was a fascinating story and I have read it twice already. Sorry!

Does anyone else find "The hare with the amber eyes" utterly boring.......?

have just finished Death Comes to Pemberley on my Christmas present Kindle and am starting "Lady Almina and the Real Downton Abbey" The PD James was not vintage, but a pleasant read and quite amusing at times as James put in some of her own ideas, e.g. about the British judicial system - tongue in cheek I thought.

My son bought me a Kindle for my birthday last October, and at first I was disapointed that many of the recent free books were not very well written.

However, I've just read 2 books by Isabel Ashdown, Glasshopper (Observer 'Best Debut Novels of the Year', London Evening Standard 'Best Books of the Year') and Hurry Up and Wait. They were only about £1 each and I really enjoyed them. Have a look at the Amazon reviews.

" From the suburban disorder of 1980s southern England, 13-year-old Jake watches his world unravel as his father and older brother leave the family home and his mother increasingly finds solace in drink. Even as Jake outwardly shrugs off doubts about his paternity, the question hangs over him like an invisible spectre. A brilliantly structured novel, Glasshopper recreates the time and place of two childhoods and two marriages, evoking a poignant sense of home and family. "

I'd never heard of her before, and came across her name in a forum, but would certainly read more of her book, I feel quite lost now I've finished them.