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jaffacake
Talker
Joined: June 09, 2006
Posts: 82
Status: Offline
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June 20, 2006 - 05:07 PM |
 
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just finished Mao's Last Dancer by Li Cunxin... a very quick read about a peasant boy turned ballerina - nothing about the Cultural Revolution that hasn't been covered elsewhere & a bit boring if you're not into ballet. Funny in parts. |
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sarahs
Raver
Joined: July 19, 2005
Posts: 445
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June 26, 2006 - 11:09 AM |
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One Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel Garcia Marquez.
1/3 of the way through. Excellent reading so far. |
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"The apparition of these faces in the crowd; Petals on a wet, black bough." |
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tijihba
Barker
Joined: Oct 03, 2005
Posts: 162
Location: Searching... :-)
Status: Offline
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June 26, 2006 - 11:23 AM |
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My collection of books is waiting to be shipped - so I had to be content with "Harry potter and Half Blood Prince" - that my daughter is so fond of. But for my surprise, it turned out be a great read.
I would love to find some PGW enthusiast (who would, at the same time, be smart enough to understand plight of someone deprived of his daily PGW and kind enough to lend his collection for some time).
Anyone out there? |
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If you refuse to accept anything but the best, most often you get it ! http://atongaonkar.blogspot.com |
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benkloepfer
PopStar
Joined: Sep 02, 2004
Posts: 1041
Status: Offline
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June 26, 2006 - 12:07 PM |
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| sarahs wrote: |
One Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel Garcia Marquez.
1/3 of the way through. Excellent reading so far. |
Hi Sarah,
I read a little more than 1/2 of "One Hundred Years of Solitude" a couple months ago during my vacation. While Marquez does a great job of painting mental images with his words, I just couldn't every really get interested in the book. None of the characters were sympathetic enough for me to care about what happened to them next.
It reminded my of Faulkner's "The Sound of the Fury" sort-of stream of consciencenous style writing. Fancinating yet in-decipherable.
I hope you enjoy the rest of the book. Write back and tell me how it ends. |
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Quack
Barker
Joined: Dec 20, 2005
Posts: 157
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June 26, 2006 - 04:02 PM |
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| drummissimo wrote: |
| by the way: where can i find a large selection of english books in shanghai - similar to US prices, and new!!! (i usually order from amazon.com) |
I just found this site: http://www.gardenbooks.cn/
Seems nice...
But for me, the price is bit expensive... i usually bought the copied ones, cheap but the quality is really not good, many misspellings, word missing....
Is there any store where the english books is a little cheaper and with good quality??? you know for a local..... |
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treespirit
Post Boaster
Joined: Jan 02, 2006
Posts: 4704
Location: on an island
Status: Offline
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June 28, 2006 - 06:54 PM |
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I'm currently reading "Such a Long Journey" by Rohinton Mistry
From Amazon: Short-listed for the Booker Prize, this intelligent fictional portrait of the corrupt aspects of Indira Gandhi's regime focuses on a bank clerk who becomes a secret operative as an Indian-Pakistan war threatens in 1971. |
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treespirit
Post Boaster
Joined: Jan 02, 2006
Posts: 4704
Location: on an island
Status: Offline
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June 28, 2006 - 06:57 PM |
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| bellabella wrote: |
| I've just started reading the Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini, it's about a boy growing up in afghanistan,pretty good so far and well written |
I loved that book, Bella. It is beautifully written. |
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bellabella
Gypsy Queen
Joined: Aug 03, 2004
Posts: 14993
Location: London
Status: Offline
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June 28, 2006 - 09:31 PM |
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^Yes I really enjoyed it! |
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soysauce
Squeeker
Joined: June 29, 2006
Posts: 14
Status: Offline
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June 29, 2006 - 02:54 PM |
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The Godfather by Mark Puzo.....found it when i was moving apartments ,still a good read though |
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dreamscream
Barker
Joined: Feb 08, 2006
Posts: 143
Location: SF -> DC -> Shanghai
Status: Offline
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July 10, 2006 - 05:24 AM |
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| sarahs wrote: |
One Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel Garcia Marquez.
1/3 of the way through. Excellent reading so far. |
awesome sarah... love in the time of cholera is one of my favorites...let me know how you like the book when you are all done...
i am currently reading jackie under my skin... |
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life lesson #72: Merlot and E-mail don't mix |
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ameatp
Seeker
Joined: May 13, 2006
Posts: 48
Status: Offline
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July 10, 2006 - 09:52 AM |
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Just started Deception Point by Dan Brown. I also enjoyed Da Vinci Code and Angels & Demons, by him. |
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Calpeg
Seeker
Joined: June 30, 2006
Posts: 48
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July 10, 2006 - 12:55 PM |
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I'm on to Part II for East of Eden by Steinbeck. It's been a really good read so far which was surprising since I did not enjoy the Grapes of Wrath and could not get into it for the life of me.
For Eden, the character development has been very thorough without feeling tedious, and I am anxious to find out what will happen to Cathy. She's the antagonist so far in the book, and it's fun to despising her. |
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bluebutterfly620
Newbie
Joined: July 06, 2006
Posts: 8
Status: Offline
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July 10, 2006 - 04:44 PM |
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Recently I am reading some old books of Sidney sheldon.
Such as Tell Me Your Dream, the Other Side of Midnight, A Stranger in the Mirror, Bloodline, Rage of Angels, If Tomorrow Comes, the Doomsday Conspiracy, Nothing Lasts Forever...
It's really page-turnning and queit time-killing.
Does anyone read Her Mother's Daughter? |
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It ain't easy being BLUE! |
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aquagirl
Veejay
Joined: May 02, 2005
Posts: 2094
Location: in a gumdrop house on lollipop lane
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July 12, 2006 - 01:08 PM |
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calpeg, ugh, grapes of wrath!! oh the horror!! i couldn't even get through the clif notes on that one. there was a whole freaking chapter about a turtle crossing the road, wasn't there?! oh, such agony. though, i loved 'the pearl' and 'of mice and men'. i think about lenny every time i pet a small creature...
east of eden -- i liked the movie. i never got around to the book. keep us posted...
just finished 'jesus' son' by denis johnson. was a lot more cohesive than others had led me to believe. stark writing, but here and there he makes this magical combination of words in which suddenly everything in life becomes clear. interesting read, but not for people who like a plot. the movie is also worth a watch. |
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deliciousness and exciting life go hand in hand |
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Calpeg
Seeker
Joined: June 30, 2006
Posts: 48
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July 12, 2006 - 06:00 PM |
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Aguagirl, that's right! There was that whole long chapter on the turtle. I stopped reading at that point. I really tried, picking it up several times after giving myself a few days break in between, but I could not do it! I'm glad you feel the same way about Grapes because for a while, I was questioning my intellectual ability since it's suppose to be this great classic and all.
Will definitely keep you posted about East of Eden. I think I'll also re-read Of Mice and Men when I have the time. |
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aquagirl
Veejay
Joined: May 02, 2005
Posts: 2094
Location: in a gumdrop house on lollipop lane
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July 12, 2006 - 06:10 PM |
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calpeg, i am sure your intellect is fine. i question these things as well. i have read so many disgusting 'classics.' or at least started to read them... i had to read 'grapes' for school. i gave up. i read the first chapter and the last chapter and then winged it. apparenty i am wicked smart, or steinbeck is awful predictable.
ugh! you have brought back so much pain. like 'the scarlet letter' and 'dracula'.
i really should hit the classics more tho. maybe that is a new thread, 'classics that don't suck.' |
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deliciousness and exciting life go hand in hand |
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sarahs
Raver
Joined: July 19, 2005
Posts: 445
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July 12, 2006 - 06:38 PM |
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I couldn't stand Grapes of Wrath either! My first attempt at reading it was in the fourth grade. I was a diligent little girl and got halfway through before giving up. Then gave it at a second try in high school but to no avail. It's just plain boring as hell. |
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"The apparition of these faces in the crowd; Petals on a wet, black bough." |
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aquagirl
Veejay
Joined: May 02, 2005
Posts: 2094
Location: in a gumdrop house on lollipop lane
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July 12, 2006 - 08:25 PM |
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wow, diligent indeed. i think i was about 16 when i had to read it. can't imagine trying to read it at age 10. probably just as difficult to get through though. and i salute you for getting half way through it! |
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deliciousness and exciting life go hand in hand |
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Sassy
LoopKicker
Joined: Apr 05, 2006
Posts: 904
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July 12, 2006 - 08:34 PM |
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for those about to rock, we salute you! |
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PhAt
Reacher
Joined: Apr 14, 2002
Posts: 260
Location: Utopia
Status: Offline
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July 23, 2006 - 11:44 PM |
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The Sum of All Fears was a great movie, you should watch it if you haven't already.
Paradise Lost is always a good classic literature to read... look into it. |
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jaffacake
Talker
Joined: June 09, 2006
Posts: 82
Status: Offline
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July 23, 2006 - 11:58 PM |
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Picked up Prep by Curtis something in the Jinqiao bookshop....stayed up til 4AM to finish it & I'm not sure why. Wasn't great. A boarding school narrative - parts rang true to this expat brat. |
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Magnolia
Board Biatch
Joined: June 01, 2004
Posts: 31672
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July 24, 2006 - 12:06 AM |
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I agree with you about Prep... wasn't that great of a read. But was interesting as the author was the opposite gender of the character (sorry... can't remember names right now and my copy is god-knows-where) but managed to somehow get into the mind of the character very well. |
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jaffacake
Talker
Joined: June 09, 2006
Posts: 82
Status: Offline
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July 24, 2006 - 12:18 AM |
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xat
Barker
Joined: Mar 30, 2006
Posts: 152
Status: Offline
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July 25, 2006 - 05:37 PM |
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just finished 2/3 of "Cold Fire" by Dean Koontz. Really good reading so far. |
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bellabella
Gypsy Queen
Joined: Aug 03, 2004
Posts: 14993
Location: London
Status: Offline
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Aug 26, 2006 - 05:12 PM |
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Thought i'd bump this thread.
I just finished reading The Devil Wears Prada which is being made into a film, I wouldn't bother reading it - it was a bit crap really. Nothing really happened and i just kept reading it in the hope that something would happen! And after only finishing it a few days ago i'm struggling to remember the end!!!
anyone got any better books to recommend?? |
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