I'm vowing to continue...

I need to get back on track with Trollop and posting!

Other Books

Two novels I forgot to list - The Stolen Child by Keith Donohue. A modern update of the changleing stories, that I think would appeal to both readers of literary fiction and readers of genre fiction.

The Eyre Affair by Jasper Fforde. Aside from the author's precious name, the book was hilarious. Kind of Philip Marlowe meets the Hitchiker's Guide. Very funny if you are a reader of classic literature - Shakespeare, Bronte, etc.

Other titles

Just finished Behind the Curtain by Peter Abrahams, a juvenile mystery set in the imaginary Echo Falls. I read the first of this series, Down the Rabbit Hole and really enjoyed it. His heroine is refreshing and interesting - Ingrid, soccer player and sometime theatrical player with a passion for Sherlock Holmes. I love it! (sounds an awful lot like me!)

I also read The Train Now Departing by Martha Grimes - her web site is www.marthagrimes.com. I really enjoyed it. It was a nice departure from her Richard Jury detective novels. The Train Now Departing is 2 novellas linked thematically. Each has a desperately lonely woman ("of a certain age" as they used to say) as the main character. Each novella is finely focused and relentless in its pursuit of the source of each woman's desperation. Well worth reading and a good example of a novella.

A Crazy Fall

The fall has been crazy, but I have been doing some reading. Actually, I feel like I've been reading a lot, but the number of volumes is not great. I have read Ilium and Olympos by Dan Simmons, and honestly, I really felt like I accomplished something and learned something.

Dan Simmons is a visionary with the most incredible imagination I have ever come across. If I were a writer, and I do admit, I do aspire to be a writer, I would like to be like Dan Simmons. Perhaps not stylistically or thematically, but I would like to emulate him in his fullness of vision. Every Dan Simmons book I have read is fully realized and complete. From the realistic novels to the futuristic sci-fi, it all rings true and feels real.

The other books I read this fall are So Big by Edna Ferber and The Alchemist by Paolo Coelho. So Big was a fabulous American portrait that reminded me of Willa Cather. I will have to read more Ferber. The Alchemist I have to admit, I did not care for (sorry, Julie). It was a very new agey tale with lots of solopsistic philosophy going on. Not really my thing.

I am trying to find a lighter tale to get me through the holidays - tried a Preston-Child novel but got bogged down with the overwhelming number of characters that everyone but me was obviously already familiar with.

Ilium Finished

I have finished Ilium by Dan Simmons. I think he is an amazing author with the most extraordinary imagination. He has the most complicated visions of fantastical futuristic societies. It was a very good idea for me to read The Iliad first. That way I did not have to worry about the plot of the Trojan War as it is played in Ilium - I had it fresh in my memory and could easily see where the book deviated from the epic.

Barchester Towers Done!

Barchester Towers is now off my "to read" list and on the "read" list. Trollope did have a surprise for me - the selfish woman opens the way for the lovers who cannot reveal themselves. Trollope's rather interesting in this book. I don't think any character changes, really - the lovers realize their love, but no one undergoes a sea change. Everyone stays true to their nature throughout, and I don't think any of the characters outside of the lovers have any self-realization. Very interesting.

So I am reading Ilium and I have also started So Big by Edna Ferber, recommended by my friend Sharlene. Both Sharlene and my good friend Julie have been on an American female novelist kick - Sharlene on Ferber, Julie on Edith Wharton. I need to join the fun!

Barchester Towers Continued

I am about halfway through Barchester Towers, and enjoying it thoroughly. I have read past my previous stoppage point, so I feel a bit proud of myself. Honestly, I don't know why it is so difficult to start these books, once I get going they are absorbing and so interesting.

I find that they have a contemporary resonance. Everyone is talking, blogging, reporting (!), plain old GOSSIPING about Britney Spears and her latest televised screw up. Poor girl. In Barchester Towers, everyone talks and gossips about Signora Neroni and her affliction. She entraps the men!!! She monopolized a sofa!! She makes unreasonable requests of her hosts and companions!! All I can say is, please, everyone, have a little understanding for the overexposed pop star and please, let's condemn the selfish spoiled woman as Trollope directs us to. But there is nothing new under the sun...

But maybe Trollope has a surprise for me, we'll see.

I am also reading Ilium by Dan Simmons, a writer of extraordinary powers and depth. I started this book about a year ago, realized I was out of my depth and that I needed to read the Iliad to truly do this book justice. So I have read the Iliad, and with it fresh in my mind, I have restarted Ilium and I am so glad I did so. Everything Simmons discusses through his characters is so much richer after reading the Iliad.

Reading Simmons makes me realize where my education is lacking. I wish I had a classical education and had learned Latin and Greek. I am not sure how to remedy this at this late date!