What swanky things are you reading?

[Not Afraid]

Which Murakami did you decide on?

And, reading Murakami is much more interesting than grading papers - and I bet the writing is better too.

[Matterhorn Fan]

Obviously, but reading Murakami doesn't get the papers off my desk.

I got Kafka on the Shore, which was the one recommended to me.

[Eliza Hodgkins 1812]

The Remains of the Day by Kazuo Ishiguro. I'm now in love with Kazuo.

[€uroMeinke]

I just started Neil Gaiman's Neverwhere, but I'm still coming off a Murakami high after reading his Dance Dance Dance which still has me thinking, pondering, and imagining - so I think I need to take Neverwhere a bit slowly at first so I can devote myself to it more fully in a day or so...

[lindyhop]

I'm reading On Beauty by Zadie Smith. Great characters, lovely writing.

[Prudence]

I finally finished both Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell and Son of a Witch (the Wicked sequel.) The first was odd. It seems like it was written to mimic the style of the period, not just describe it. It unfolded very slowly, more so than more contemporary popular fiction - at least the ones that I read. The second was better that I expected. Not as good as Wicked, of course, which was absolutely amazing, but better than some of his others.

[lindyhop]

Originally Posted by Prudence

I finally finished both Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell and Son of a Witch (the Wicked sequel.) The first was odd. It seems like it was written to mimic the style of the period, not just describe it. It unfolded very slowly, more so than more contemporary popular fiction - at least the ones that I read.

It took me ages to drag myself through that book. I really wanted to like it but I just couldn't. I thought it ended up making magic boring.

[Eliza Hodgkins 1812]

Originally Posted by Prudence

I finally finished both Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell and Son of a Witch (the Wicked sequel.) The first was odd. It seems like it was written to mimic the style of the period, not just describe it. It unfolded very slowly, more so than more contemporary popular fiction - at least the ones that I read. The second was better that I expected. Not as good as Wicked, of course, which was absolutely amazing, but better than some of his others.

I LOVED Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell. It's probably one of my favorite books. I really enjoyed the slow unravelling of the first 600 pages, and the crazy non-stop action of the last 300. Dickens and Austen meet fantasy. Just loved it. And she writes just about the scariest traditional vision of faery folk I've ever read. The footnotes were, for me, captivating. And I positively crushed all over Childermass.

[Not Afraid]

Have you read Mirror Mirror? I bought that at one time and it's been taking up space at the bedside for ever, but I can't bring myself to read it for some reason. (Murakami)

[Prudence]

Yup, read the almost whole "fairytale" series - Confessions of an Ugly Stepsister, Lost, Mirror Mirror... but now I see I missed Dream Stealer - and it's a Baba Yaga-esque tale. How could I have missed that?