tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5936402483709284852.post8539395709395944820..comments2023-06-30T14:35:38.366+01:00Comments on Burrowers, Books & Balderdash: Summer ReadsHart Johnsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17599570189253229318noreply@blogger.comBlogger20125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5936402483709284852.post-20147611784038631002010-07-13T22:16:02.632+01:002010-07-13T22:16:02.632+01:00Ana - I am no fan of the concept "other Steph...Ana - I am no fan of the concept "other Stephenie Meyer books" either (actually I am no fan of the concept "Stephenie Meyer books" at all), but yes - she does have some. One that is totally Twilight-unrelated, a few that are related but not actually a part of the series. <br /><br />Natasha - beach books would be fried books, maybe? Though if that is the case, it is not so much a cultural difference as a climate one ;)<br /><br />Chary - Larsson was Swedish, actually, but he is so widely read in Norway that we would love to pretend he was Norwegian... ;)Cruella Colletthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11422848273167338884noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5936402483709284852.post-36508515042300632442010-07-13T19:00:45.554+01:002010-07-13T19:00:45.554+01:00Mari,
Thanks for exposing me to Norwegian authors...Mari,<br /><br />Thanks for exposing me to Norwegian authors. The only person I've read (and I am not sure if he is Norwegian) is Steig Larsson's The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. I really enjoyed it and look forward to reading some of the books you listed.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05994415353101258592noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5936402483709284852.post-74153848162500227572010-07-13T15:23:10.513+01:002010-07-13T15:23:10.513+01:00CaH--My copy of War and Peace actually has a list ...CaH--My copy of War and Peace actually has a list at the front of each family with all he names everybody goes by, or I never could have done it (read it on maternity leave with my first, so I was home instead of working, and had a fair amount of time I was sitting (nursing or rocking my new baby)Hart Johnsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17599570189253229318noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5936402483709284852.post-35766838344133358542010-07-13T09:01:42.451+01:002010-07-13T09:01:42.451+01:00I agree that Dostoyevsky is not associated with li...I agree that Dostoyevsky is not associated with light, normally. But the The Gambler is, in the sense that it's only about 200 pages. The book becomes even more interesting if you read a little bit of Dostoyevsky biography, and about the circumstances around the writing of The Gambler. I'm not saying any more ... >:)<br /><br />Tosltoy is also among my favorites (check out the Sebastopol Stories). I found that War and Peace required a special approach; I locked myself in for 5 days during Christmas holidays and did nothing but read. The main challenge is to keep track of all the characters (with three different names each, as is usual in Russian books). I found it very useful to make a map of the characters and their relationships.<br /><br /><a href="http://cold-as-heaven.blogspot.com/" rel="nofollow"> Cold As Heaven </a>CA Heavenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07558100567878233142noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5936402483709284852.post-13740930712396946372010-07-13T04:27:28.077+01:002010-07-13T04:27:28.077+01:00I am giggling at the cultural differences here. Fo...I am giggling at the cultural differences here. For me the words beach and read just don't go together. A beach is a place you to do to play in the surf, swim a little maybe, and then disappear back into the shade. No place for books, I'm afraid.<br /><br />But on a vacation I would take a book I can easily put down when I need to and pick up again without losing the tempo. War and Peace may well be a good book, because you can easily take a break between chapters!Natashahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00481081735923606868noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5936402483709284852.post-45839435533203606502010-07-13T00:56:25.704+01:002010-07-13T00:56:25.704+01:00Mari-I don't see Dostoyevsky as light either, ...Mari-I don't see Dostoyevsky as light either, but I will have to look into The Gambler--I really LIKE The Brother's Karamazov and totally detest Crime & Punishment, so I am curious whether I'd like others of his. <br /><br />and Rosie--War & Peace is the favorite of both Rayna and I, so you are in good company!Hart Johnsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17599570189253229318noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5936402483709284852.post-20244363902405829602010-07-13T00:35:16.039+01:002010-07-13T00:35:16.039+01:00Wait ... Stephanie Meyers has others books aside f...Wait ... Stephanie Meyers has others books aside from Twilight ... seriously? why? <br /><br />...Anyway, since we have summer all day then anything I read is "summer read" :)Smackenicioushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15131849513063873883noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5936402483709284852.post-40006950851007880892010-07-12T23:37:01.286+01:002010-07-12T23:37:01.286+01:00I'm a very picky reader so if I ever come into...I'm a very picky reader so if I ever come into a store and ask for a recommendation, hide behind a counter. Although, usually, I know exactly what book I'm getting before I walk into the store.<br /><br />CDAnonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12160669603997465454noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5936402483709284852.post-92106768485681841982010-07-12T23:28:02.255+01:002010-07-12T23:28:02.255+01:00Oh, well, absolutely NOT a "light" summe...Oh, well, absolutely NOT a "light" summer read, but War & Peace is my favorite novel of all time. It's a huge investment, but it's totally worth it (even the war parts, much to my surprise).RosieChttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07911305246379355484noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5936402483709284852.post-23452618735203333202010-07-12T23:09:35.241+01:002010-07-12T23:09:35.241+01:00You guys are proving my point - who would have tho...You guys are proving my point - who would have thought Dostoyevsky made it to a "light/summer reads" list, huh? But I may have to check it out - I've done an abysmal job in getting through Russian classics, and my Goodreads page is definitely in need of some "serious literature" love after my wild Percy Jackson rumpus...<br /><br />I love hearing what everyone is reading! :)Cruella Colletthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11422848273167338884noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5936402483709284852.post-1289760558571081942010-07-12T21:07:34.004+01:002010-07-12T21:07:34.004+01:00First, I want to second Cold As Heaven's senti...First, I want to second Cold As Heaven's sentiments on The Gambler! An excellent read.<br /><br />My "light reading" for the summer is anything and everything that doesn't have anything to do with my studies. Reading blogs is on my "light" reading list! haha. I don't usually have time to read for myself during the academic year, so when I can get my hands on ANYTHING else, I am borderline euphoric, and honestly it doesn't matter what it is.<br /><br />Thanks for the recommendations. I'll have to see what I can find around here.RosieChttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07911305246379355484noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5936402483709284852.post-57161444731805609922010-07-12T20:04:01.471+01:002010-07-12T20:04:01.471+01:00The only genre I would consider as a summer read w...The only genre I would consider as a summer read would be romance, since that seems to be the only time I read them, and only the skinny little paperback ones that can be finished in an afternoon. Other than that, I will read any thing else at any time of the year.H.B.Markorhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02751157714524433599noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5936402483709284852.post-6036832372785609642010-07-12T17:39:58.152+01:002010-07-12T17:39:58.152+01:00Well, it's half past noon and I've already...Well, it's half past noon and I've already read two books today... :-P I guess summer is when I read the thrillers I've been saving up, the ones that I definitely want to read in one go because they're so fast-paced that putting them down in the middle kinda sucks - things like Kathy Reichs, Jeffery Deaver, maybe Michael Connelly... I read wicked fast though, so almost anything is an almost anytime book. My one rule is that I'll only take mass market paperbacks to the beach though - even with my bookseller discount, anything else is too expensive to risk having a seagull poop on it. :-PViolaNuthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07896411685523236241noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5936402483709284852.post-54455558865182225272010-07-12T16:43:48.297+01:002010-07-12T16:43:48.297+01:00Light reading means something different to differe...Light reading means something different to different people. I usually think of it as having a romance, a mystery or a chick lit theme. At least, most days :)Jemi Fraserhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02214408467456320167noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5936402483709284852.post-2196802504848036402010-07-12T13:15:39.437+01:002010-07-12T13:15:39.437+01:00To me a 'summer read' is a book of less th...To me a 'summer read' is a book of less than 300 pages, something that can be read in a short period of time. I want a light weight book I can carry with me anywhere and read every chance I get.<br /><br />Mason<br /><a href="http://www.masoncanyon.blogspot.com" rel="nofollow">Thoughts in Progress</a>Mason Canyonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10935307400882363560noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5936402483709284852.post-18913856431794178972010-07-12T13:07:07.659+01:002010-07-12T13:07:07.659+01:00I got some books for my birthday that include a Jo...I got some books for my birthday that include a Jo Nesbø (and the 2nd Steig Larsson, plus another Swede I can't remember at the moment)--I am excited to read them, though have been reading a stack from the library. I think of 'summer reads' as quick paced and not super complicated to keep track of because I am likely to get distracted, so may only read a few lines at a time. Often I turn to YA for that reason.Hart Johnsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17599570189253229318noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5936402483709284852.post-56843273117506536762010-07-12T12:48:37.284+01:002010-07-12T12:48:37.284+01:00I'm reading Johan Theorin right now, and my ol...I'm reading Johan Theorin right now, and my old lady has been through everything by Cecilia Samartin since Christmas. <br /><br />On top of my reading list now, as soon as our vacation starts, is my "beach book" that I re-read every summer; The Gambler by Dostoyevsky, guess I've read it 10 times already, but it's a Hell of a cool book >:)<br /><br /><a href="http://cold-as-heaven.blogspot.com/" rel="nofollow"> Cold As Heaven </a>CA Heavenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07558100567878233142noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5936402483709284852.post-61462855854967249182010-07-12T12:29:02.514+01:002010-07-12T12:29:02.514+01:00Elizabeth - see, it never occurred to me to consid...Elizabeth - see, it never occurred to me to consider books set on a beach as "beach books"! I agree with you on the change-of-life issues, though - those are always popular. <br /><br />Alex - I think that is a very good definition, actually. Like you I value that the writing isn't too simple, but I guess a simple story often is what one needs to be able to finish a book within a few days.Cruella Colletthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11422848273167338884noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5936402483709284852.post-26460055324446152262010-07-12T12:11:35.915+01:002010-07-12T12:11:35.915+01:00I guess everyone does have their own definition. I...I guess everyone does have their own definition. I think of a light read as something I can dive into and read with ease in just a couple days. Not simple in writing as much as a simple, captivating story.Alex J. Cavanaughhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09770065693345181702noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5936402483709284852.post-86958839778603953562010-07-12T12:09:29.748+01:002010-07-12T12:09:29.748+01:00That's a hard one! I think you're right--i...That's a hard one! I think you're right--it's highly subjective. For me, it's a quick read that isn't taxing, but isn't a waste of time. In my experience, folks here in the Amer. South look for "beach books"--and those are frequently books *set* at the beach that are fast-paced reads and focus on change-of-life issues for women (kids leaving the nest, a woman deciding to leave her office job to do something artsy,a woman who moved to a beach location from someplace icy, etc.)Elizabeth Spann Craighttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15625595247828274405noreply@blogger.com