pansy

At present The kite runner for my book club, then it will be cider with rosie, plus in between Ladies of Letters.

indiebird

I want to read Wide Sargasso Sea which is the prequel to Jane Eyre but written by a different author... it deals with the first Mrs Rochester. Between us I was always suspicious that Mr Rochester was such a git to her that he sent her mad! but I've never gotten around to reading it.

Also need to add The Kite Runner to my long list of saved items at The Book Depository as I really want to read that. Hows the Book Club going Pansy?? I am v. v. envious.... 37100 scouted out an English book group in Torino but I haven't plucked up the courage to go yet. I'm scared it will be full of Rich Americans who will undoubtedly annoy me.

Angeli, I remember the Moomins. I loved them. The original series on Uk telly that I saw back in the 1980s was so surreal and beautiful it just appealed to me. I find the idea of all of that Swedish/ Finnish/ Norweigan stuff totally beautiful and fascinating. I loved the stories of Pippi Longstocking and a lot of Italians read those books to their kids by Astrid Lungren and my all time fave books were The Mrs Pepperpot stories by Alf Prosen which my gran used to read to me when I was small. I brought a book of Mrs Pepperpot for my own kids and I think I enjoyed them more than the kids.... nothing new there though!

Testa, boo to The Times online! Bloody Tory rag anyway!!

pansy

We are meeting up on monday,Girl with the dragon tattoo is the book for discussion. steig larson. (mikael blomkist was was a grown up version of Kalle blomkvist one of Astrid Lindgrans characters. must say its nice to be home. just signed up for breadsall priory local golf and country club mainly for swimming and spa.

TestaRossa

Wide Sargasso sea is shite, don't bother! I did it for the OU humanities course. Complete drivel, well I thought so anyway...Jean someone wrote it, she'd written successful kids books - I think - then wrote this. I can't remember if it was this book or a subsequent one, but it got such bad reviews she never wrote again!! My chronology might be off, but there you go!!

The Kite Runners I enjoyed, but it's not what you think or wasn't for me and got really silly in the last few chapters....Pansy hasn't finished it so I don't want to go into detail!! But it was very bizarre...

Oh go you daft bat!! They might like you.... You know how many of my friends here now are from the other side of the pond!! Tbh, unless you marry an Italian it is really difficult to come over from the US and not have a bob or two...Seriously, you might be pleasantly surprised...They might even be rich Brits who read The Times!!!!!!! Just switched to The Telegraph... It just got better didn't it?!

I kind of remember the Moomins. I think they are on late night childrens tv now in the UK!!

angeli

Havn't read The Kite Runner, but have the dvd and agree with TR an odd ending...have read A Thousand Splendid Suns sequel to Kite Runner, a good insight into how badly women are treated by the Taliban, well written, cried alot when reading it though

dina1965

I haven't read it yet, but my son has to read The Kite Runner during the summer holidays for Italian homework. he's not "into" reading at the moment and generally hates being told which book to read. to add to this the story has a "strange/silly" ending.
I'd better get hold of the dvd

TestaRossa

Dina - that's the thing! He'd love the ending!! It's in such contrast to the rest of the book!! It's when the guy returns to Afghanistan as an adult!! It's almost a different story!

I have to say though the heart of the story *spoiler*





is a male rape scene and for a 13 year old boy to have to read about that - well I hope he was already reasonably well informed about such things!!! Thought you should be warned!! 0

Anderson Council

The Kite Runner is great. Every bit as good as A Thousand Splendid Suns. The film, perhaps unsuprisingly, is rubbish though. I've just finished The Book Thief by Markus Zusack. Very, very beautiful and moving.

Anderson Council

Ever noticed how Italians (who generally don't read much cos their stupid schools teach them to equate reading with "study" rather than "pleasure") tend to love the same books. A Thousand Splendid Suns, The Da Vinci Code, Siddhathra, One Hundred Years Of Solitude and The Picture Of Dorian Gray seem to be the national favourites.

angeli

Will they let us read in the Buddist Nunnery..The Book Thief is one I will look for in charity shops when back uk.....

angeli

Each to their own.....read them all and have no regrets.......

Anderson Council

No! I'm already there waiting for you and Indie! All you're allowed to do is sit in the corner of a cold, dark, empty room and drool a little. It's well boring.

Lorna at Vicenza

"Il Ritratto di Dorian Gray" is not a book I'd like to read in Italian.
There are some books that if I wanted to be more Italian scholar rather than English scholar I shoud read in Italian ............ I Promessi Sposi - Dante etc. but I've read so many thesis on these kind of books that I really can't be bothered to read the whole thing.

indiebird

One of my students at the moment was totally put off reading by I Promesi Sposi at Scuola Media. So much so that he wanted to see H's list to see if he had to buy a copy of that!! .... he doesn't so far.

By the way, anyone got any good tips on reading in Italian? I have real trouble as it is quite different lang to spoken Italian. Some lovely friend (37100) brought me a copy of Se questo é un uomo by Primo Levi and I'm struggling.... it's quite like work isn't it.... but I would love to be able to read in Italian.

p.s Angeli if AC is already waiting at the Buddhist Retreat.... I'm wondering how you feel about Scientology??!!

Patty

Oh lordy - I'd forgotten The Book Thief - that has to be one of my favourite books ever - it was just wonderful. I loved the Kite Runner too.
I also really liked The Curious incident of the dog in the night - even if that was a couple of years ago.

I do agree though - italians just dont read that much - its a shame but maybe now theres more available on the market it might just pick up ?

One of my students has been given the publishing rights to translate the books of an american author who writes horror/sci-fi books. We spent the last 20 lessons proof reading his translation and I kind of got hooked on the story and luckily the last lesson we managed to finish the book - I was worried I wouldnt know the ending !!