What books are you reading right now?

Caroline Alexander is no Laura Hillenbrand. The Bounty is thorough, and presents plenty of information, but CA goes way too far into the family history of some of the subjects. This is a good read for anyone who enjoys the movies and books about the Bounty mutiny. It shows William Bligh to be an imperfect and temperamental man, quick to criticize when under pressure, but certainly not the complete tyrant as he is most times portrayed. One of the biggest drawbacks is there are no comments that came directly from Fletcher Christian in the way of his journal and testimony; there is no record of what he was thinking.

 

Someone mentioned the beginning of The Princess Bride this morning, so I went back to read the first chapter. And now I'm reading the entire thing again.

Oh--last week, I read the first two books in The Rewind Agency series, 15 Minutes and Plugged. YA, quick reads, and an interesting take on time travel.

AND I seem to have hit my "read all your junior high favorites" time of year, as well... finished all three books in The Forbidden Game trilogy, and started the first book in The Secret Circle trilogy last night (both LJ Smith.) Probably the Enchanted Forest Chronicles next.

 

I am currently reading “Humanity; a Moral History of the Twentieth Century” by Jonathan Glover.
But that is not what I want to talk about. I just went through all 94 posts in this thread, and only once, was ‘The Story of Edgar Sawtell” by David Wroblewski mentioned, the person just said they were reading it, with an update a few posts later, stating it was not too good so far. Which surprised me, but, I am so passionate about this book, I am always taken aback when someone says they did not like it after reading it. I read approximately 2 to 3 books a week, and have been doing so since I was 16. I am now 67 years old, so, therefore when I say, this is the best book I have ever read, it should hold more water than just your once a year book reader, or at least I would think it should. I went through a time period of not reading fiction. But found, I was missing out, especially after reading some of the classics. When I read “The story of Edgar Sawtell” I fell in love with the book. I have read it 5 times now, even went to the library and checked out the audio, and listened to it a few times.
In the reviews for the book, they compared it to “Hamlet” by Shakespeare. I understood where they were coming from, because of reading Hamlet myself, I think Stephen King said it best in his critic of the book, which I am going to post at the end of this.
I noticed there were quite a few posts, of people reading books written by Stephen King, which is also one of my personal favorite authors. I am wondering, if, after people read what he has to say about “Edgar Sawtell,” they may decide to give it a try. The following is his review of “The Story of Edgar Sawtell”

"I flat-out loved The Story of Edgar Sawtelle. Dog-lovers in particular will be riveted by this story, because the canine world has never been explored with such imagination or emotional resonance. Yet in the end, this isn't a novel about dogs or heartland America — although it is a deeply American work of literature. It's a novel about the human heart, and the mysteries that live there, understood but impossible to articulate. Yet in the person of Edgar Sawtelle, a mute boy who takes three of his dogs on a brave and dangerous odyssey, Wroblewski does articulate them, and splendidly. I closed the book with that regret readers feel only after experiencing the best stories: It's over, you think, and I won't read another one this good for a long, long time.
In truth, there has never been a book quite like The Story of Edgar Sawtelle. I thought of Hamlet when I was reading it (of course... and in this version, Ophelia turns out to be a dog named Almondine), and Watership Down, and The Night of the Hunter, and The Life of Pi — but halfway through, I put all comparisons aside and let it just be itself.
I'm pretty sure this book is going to be a bestseller, but unlike some, it deserves to be. It's also going to be the subject of a great many reading groups, and when the members take up Edgar, I think they will be apt to stick to the book and forget the neighborhood gossip.
Wonderful, mysterious, long and satisfying: readers who pick up this novel are going to enter a richer world. I envy them the trip. I don't reread many books, because life is too short. I will be rereading this one."


— Stephen King, author of Duma Key

a link to more reviews
The Story of Edgar Sawtelle: Reviews

 

People react differently to certain books. I'm also sure that the posts made here don't accurately reflect how many books TFPers read. I frequently run across copies of The Story Of Edgar Sawtelle, and one of these days I'm going to read it. The info about the dogs will to motivate me......we own five dogs.

 

@iktknow I have to agree with Chris Noyb, as I often only mention some of the books that I have on the go. But your post is compelling and I have just obtained the epub file of this book and it is now open on my iPad. I will try it (pausing 'The Twelve" for now) and let you know how I find it. I do have a little schnauzer, and have had dogs in the past so I may relate to it.

 

Leto, that was sort of my goal, as far as writing the post, was to have even one person, find what I wrote, compelling enough to at least give the book a try. And although dogs are a big part of the book, its like King said “it is a novel about the human heart, and the mysteries that live there”
I understand totally that people react differently to books, and not everyone is going to find “Sawtell” to be as good as my opinion.
When I was a lot younger, and felt so passionately about a book, it used to floor me, when I would read all the bad reviews the book received. I would think, “What is wrong with these peoples brains?” But, now that I have some years behind me, I know its impossible for us all to like the same things. Which in the long run, is a good thing. Oh, the fights we would be having, were that true!

 

Read some of the book series that my daughter has been reading. Read the Hunger Games and Maze Runner series. Not great literature, but decent summertime fare

 

Just started reading "Your Republic Is Calling You" it's about a North Korean spy living in South korea for decades and gets an order to return to Pyongyang from an unknown source. I went to high school in South Korea, so this tickles my fancy.

 

I found the THG triology to be good reading, which I didn't expect given my age.

 

that sounds fascinating. Another one to add to my list.

edit: Okay, I just got the epub and it is queued up.

 

Based on the clips I had seen of the movies, I wasn't expecting it to be as graphic and depressing as it was. They definitely took R-Rated books and made them into PG-13 movies

 

I'm almost finished the first book in the PieRats series (Pie Rats Home). Kids books, but well worth keeping an eye on what you children are reading. Pretty easy reading, but I'm enjoying it.

 

I never thought of The Hunger Games trilogy novels as R rated. Nudity was mentioned, but not in the prurient interest sense, and the violence wasn't especially graphic. @Derwood, out of curosity, what struck you as being R rated?

I've only seen the the first movie, The Hunger Games, and enjoyed it. I'm a bit leary of the next two movies (assuming Mockingjay part II hasn't yet been released) because of the use/over use of CGI.

 

I watched the second movie (Mockingjay Part 1 ?) and kept falling asleep. Not sure if is the movie or the fact that I always fall asleep about 40 mins into a movie...

 

Currently reading ebooks exclusively. Right now: Cold Sassy Tree by Olive Ann Burns, Midnight's Children by Salman Rushdie and Instruments of Night by Thomas H. Cook. Recently read a five star (IMHO) book The Art of Racing in the Rain by Garth Stein. I highly recommend the latter. I also recommend you buy a 8 inch tablet (Not KINDLE) and read free ebooks through your library if they have OVERDRIVE. I have read at least one book a week on my NEXUS 7 which I bought for less than a hundred bucks. It's a great way to read and there are so many sources for free ebooks there is no reason to buy any nor go to the library. If you would like tips on how I do it, let me know.

 

Just read The Martian. Excellent story, I will definitely be watching the film when it hits theatres.

 

One of these days I'm going to have to delve further into 21st century technology and get an e-reader/tablet, for now I browse thrift & resale shops. The downside is I have many stacks and boxes of books all over the house. The upside is many of them are HBwDJ 1st editions and/or unique & rare books. My wife has an I-Pad, but getting it away from her for any length of time would require way too much effort .

Edit--I have box of books at one of my sister's, a birthday gift which no one mentioned when I was there on Sunday. It'll be interesting to go through them.

 

I thought I wouldn't be on board with the technology - I am a die hard ereader/tablet user now. I don't think I could go back.