>lurking quietly for a while, I've been checking in periodically though, thanks B-Two!

poettesse, may I call you "tess"?
I am appreciating Joyce's writing a bit more as I read more of "Dubliners". The best-written story so far is, in my opinion, "Counterparts"; though it's the most disturbing. More psychological/emotional than character studies, these all seem to be one day (or a few hours) in the life of each main character and, in the aggregate, present a rather grim impression of life in Dublin.
Still, I must say Bradbury does it better with fewer words.

By the way, anyone who's read "Little Dorrit" should notice a descriptive phrase Joyce repeats several times in "Clay" that is borrowed from Dickens...

quote:

Originally posted by rocket:
>Still, I must say Bradbury does it better with fewer words.

I certainly agree! Few have Bradbury's gift.

Well, yesterday I finished both "Cult Of The Amateur" and "Dubliners".

"Cult..." is pretty disturbing regarding how we're becoming a culture accepting mediocrity.

I did like "Dubliners" quite a lot after all. It is mostly pretty grim, though, with the exception of "Ivy Day In the Committee Room" which has some quaint "Irish-isms" I enjoyed.
The last story, "The Dead" is excellent writing. Interesting characters, humour, tenderness; but it ends on a fairly sad note.

I had to read "Green Shadows, White Whale" again after that.

Just finished Eyes of the Dragon by Stephen King. At first I found it to be utter rubbish and I actually threw it in my kitchen garbage can when I was about fifty pages in but then reconsidered and went ahead and finished the damn thing. It did get better but I have to say it was mediocre at best. I started Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card. So far, pretty good.

I've been thinking of reading 'Eyes of the Dragon' but hesitated because I was afraid it would be mediocre! I guess it can wait a bit longer....
I just finished 'Dances with Wolves.' I loved the simple descriptiveness of the writing. I loved it....right up until the near-end. When Dances with Wolves was talked into staying with the Comanche it was just so.....blah. I expected a better, more eloquent ending. For that reason alone I have to say the book--taken as a whole--was a bit of a disappointment!
I'm going to re-read 'The Dubliners.'

Having just begun rehearsals for the Christmas Concert, my reading has taken a lighter turn, viz, "Puss In Cahoots", the latest Rita Mae/Sneaky Pie Brown, which was actually pretty darn good - lots of info about horses and Horse People; and "Winnie The Pooh" and "The House at Pooh Corner" - old favourites to which I return often to get things back into proper perspective. Besides, I have to get back in form for reading aloud to my youngest grand daughter who, at 16 months, is beginning to enjoy being read to.

quote:

Originally posted by rocket:
Just finished Eyes of the Dragon by Stephen King. At first I found it to be utter rubbish and I actually threw it in my kitchen garbage can when I was about fifty pages in but then reconsidered and went ahead and finished the damn thing.

Dust bin, eh?

The only SK book which I have not been able to get into is The Dark Half - tried to read it a couple of times, but just didn't care much for it. It's still safely on my bookcase, though.

I'm a compleatist.

ENDER'S GAME had me in tears at the end. I was reading it aloud to the kids and doing my best to make it through without breaking down. Luckily, we were in the car, with me riding shotgun and the kids in the back. I don't think they knew how hard the ending hit me.

Lot of violence in that book. Some of that violence results in death, and I am concerned with the effect it might have had on my ADHD/possibly bi-polar little one. He fights way too much, sometimes in a protective roll, other times as the bully.

Hey Doug, don't get me wrong, I'm a S.K. fan from way back. Eyes reminded me of something else done far better, maybe Man In The Iron Mask, not sure. grass, so far, I am liking Ender. Violence never bothers me if it's in a realistic context and there is a valid reason for it in the plot and hopefully showing a moral right or wrong within that context. If it has those elements, then I can share it with the kids, I think mine are old enough now. I have one, my youngest, that has been diagnosed with adhd and it is a constant struggle. Sometimes I believe in the meds, sometimes I do not, I'm torn.

I received a copy of Ender's Game through the Masters of SF Book club bound in leather etc, read it and really thought it to be a well done story. I would not have normally read this, as I don't buy a lot of fiction, so that was a good surprise. I am now reading The Scar by China Mieveille. If you like made up worlds with lots of made up creatures and places this is your book. Extremely intricate story lines. Not necessarily my cup of tea. I like Asimov's The Foundation Trilogy and that genre better. But I must explore new authors and keep moving on. That is the nice thing about a book club, you get things you never would have read and then find out you might have missed some great reading.

http://www.infinityplus.co.uk/nonfiction/reviews.htm#raybradbury

Several reviews of RB: scroll down a bit and then select with a click!

Click is a good word.

Funny you say that DS. I was thinking the same when I finished "clicking" out the post.

So too, "scroll!" (scroll-click-scroll-click-scroll...). Hmm! Where is BrII hiding?

This message has been edited. Last edited by: fjp451,

Right here, Butch! After my last (and recent, I thought) entry in this thread, I didn't deign to participate, as the conversation became Stephen-King-o-centric; an author I tend to eschew.