'No More Buying Books Until I've Read the Ones I've Already Bought' Thread

InaPickle

I've just finished 'Frankenstein' by Mary Shelley.

It's brilliant! Not at all what I was expecting after seeing all those scenes from films with mad scientists electrocuting the Monster to life. And who is the greater monster: the Monster himself of Frankenstein? And the lead character, Frankenstein, needs a bit of a slap as he's always fainting and whinging about how he is the most miserable person that ever was, but it's brilliant overall! (And at only 172 pages long, can be read quite quickly).

:T :T :T :T :T

blindtoast

InaPickle wrote: »

I've just finished 'Frankenstein' by Mary Shelley.

It's brilliant! Not at all what I was expecting after seeing all those scenes from films with mad scientists electrocuting the Monster to life. And who is the greater monster: the Monster himself of Frankenstein? And the lead character, Frankenstein, needs a bit of a slap as he's always fainting and whinging about how he is the most miserable person that ever was, but it's brilliant overall! (And at only 172 pages long, can be read quite quickly).

:T :T :T :T :T

I remember reading Dracula and thinking that it wasn't really what I was expecting - same sort of thing - seen and heard so much about something that its a surprise when you read the original.

Finished "The Replacement" which was good - very different from what I've read before - even in the same sort of subject.

Started "Jumpstart the World" by Catherine Ryan Hyde now. Quite a think book so shouldn't take me too long to read. Going through my pile quite nicely, though I did find two more that I'd forgotton about to add to my to read list! oops!:o

mrs-moneypenny

blindtoast wrote: »

I think I have a Lynn Andrews book in my unread rile - think my Mum gave it to me after she'd read it. No idea which one it is. What is she like?

How was the talk with Matthew Syed? I've not heard of his book - any good?

Re Matthew Syed
the talk was inspiring, hes a writer now (he does a column in the times i believe and ive seen him on the news relating to the olympics. before the talk i was in the car park and a news crew had come to interview him about the no racisim in english sports gaffe that had occured that day it was on newsnight that night, after the talk he was rushing up to london for a sports awards dinner. the book and the talk were basically empasising the importance of good practice he says noone is born good at anything and you need an 'open mindset' rather than a closed one to succeed. he said we should praise our childrens efforts more than their actual acchievments as if you empasise how clever they are rather than how hard they try they will become closed and only want to do things they find easy so they can keep looking clever in your eyesand end up staying in thier comfort zone rather than trying more challenging things for fear of failure whereas open mindset people thrive on the challenge and want to try failure doesnt set them back it just makes them try harder.

Re Lynn Andrews
All the lynn Andrews ive read are set in Liverpool (some do have people travelling across the water to ireland for a part of the story) in or around wartime, she is from liverpool so has a real insight to the place and the books are full of descriptions of the area and the peoples way of life. they are usually poor working class families that have hardship and heartache but things work out in the end. Usually after a great deal of tragedy.

Finished my latest Lynn Andrews thet can go back to the library shelf at the doctors,and am now going for Queen of Subtleties by Suzannah Dunn given to me by a neighbour

happy reading all:)

cactuspotty

Quick update from me. After failing miserably a few weeks ago when I made the mistake of going into a second-hand bookshop, I have been really good and have only bought one book. And I had a good reason for this - I used to work with the person who wrote the book and it was his first novel! Just finished reading it and it was excellent.
I've been ploughing through my to-read pile too and have got about 30 left. And over the weekend I ruthlessly sorted through my books and have dontated 35 to my niece's Christmas fayre.

lynseydee

Have just read the first few pages of this thread and decided to join a couple of the swap sites. Have managed to join bookhopper with no problem but having trouble when it comes to setting up a password on readitswapit in that when I come to confirm my password it doesn't let me put the whole password in. Anyone else had any trouble registering with them at all?

InaPickle

blindtoast wrote: »

I remember reading Dracula and thinking that it wasn't really what I was expecting - same sort of thing - seen and heard so much about something that its a surprise when you read the original.

Exactly! That's what I thought! I've seen so many images over the years of mad scientists with cackles and flailing arms conducting electricity to a big green monster lay motionless on a board that I was surprised that there was't a single scene like that in the books: in fact, the creation of the monster is a tiny part of the story. And I found him more human than his creator, to be honest.

blindtoast wrote: »

Going through my pile quite nicely, though I did find two more that I'd forgotton about to add to my to read list! oops!:o

I know that feeling, as well.

lynseydee wrote: »

Have just read the first few pages of this thread and decided to join a couple of the swap sites. Have managed to join bookhopper with no problem but having trouble when it comes to setting up a password on readitswapit in that when I come to confirm my password it doesn't let me put the whole password in. Anyone else had any trouble registering with them at all?

I'm not registered, hon. Anyone else?

blindtoast

InaPickle wrote: »

Exactly! That's what I thought! I've seen so many images over the years of mad scientists with cackles and flailing arms conducting electricity to a big green monster lay motionless on a board that I was surprised that there was't a single scene like that in the books: in fact, the creation of the monster is a tiny part of the story. And I found him more human than his creator, to be honest.

I'm a little disappointed with that! Surely mad scientists and scary monsters is what Frankinstein is all about!! I wonder if the film makers ever read the book?! :rotfl:

This is making me want to read the book and watch the film - just to compare!

InaPickle wrote: »

I'm not registered, hon. Anyone else?

I'm not registered either I'm afraid - sorry to be no help at all!

blindtoast

mrs-moneypenny wrote: »

Re Matthew Syed
the talk was inspiring, hes a writer now (he does a column in the times i believe and ive seen him on the news relating to the olympics. before the talk i was in the car park and a news crew had come to interview him about the no racisim in english sports gaffe that had occured that day it was on newsnight that night, after the talk he was rushing up to london for a sports awards dinner. the book and the talk were basically empasising the importance of good practice he says noone is born good at anything and you need an 'open mindset' rather than a closed one to succeed. he said we should praise our childrens efforts more than their actual acchievments as if you empasise how clever they are rather than how hard they try they will become closed and only want to do things they find easy so they can keep looking clever in your eyesand end up staying in thier comfort zone rather than trying more challenging things for fear of failure whereas open mindset people thrive on the challenge and want to try failure doesnt set them back it just makes them try harder.

Re Lynn Andrews
All the lynn Andrews ive read are set in Liverpool (some do have people travelling across the water to ireland for a part of the story) in or around wartime, she is from liverpool so has a real insight to the place and the books are full of descriptions of the area and the peoples way of life. they are usually poor working class families that have hardship and heartache but things work out in the end. Usually after a great deal of tragedy.

Finished my latest Lynn Andrews thet can go back to the library shelf at the doctors,and am now going for Queen of Subtleties by Suzannah Dunn given to me by a neighbour

happy reading all:)

The talk with Matthew Syed sounds facinating - I don't usually read non fiction but he sounds like he's got very interesting material.

The Lyn Andrews plot does ring a bell - think i must have one somewhere!

lynseydee

lynseydee wrote: »

Have just read the first few pages of this thread and decided to join a couple of the swap sites. Have managed to join bookhopper with no problem but having trouble when it comes to setting up a password on readitswapit in that when I come to confirm my password it doesn't let me put the whole password in. Anyone else had any trouble registering with them at all?

It's ok, I've sorted it out. It would help if I read it properly and didn't try putting in a password longer than stated

Itsadogslife_2

I really try to be good honestly, but I think it is a little bit like an addiction Books from charity shops, table top sales etc.

I have now finished Wasted by Nicola Morgan, and am currenty working through To Kill a Mocking Bird.

Have added too many to mention though