As I searched all the bookcases and bookshelves throughout the entire house, the only book that demanded to be picked up was Stieg Larsson's The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest, the third book in the trilogy. Because it was about eight years ago that I read the second book, The Girl Who Played with Fire, I decided it would be helpful to read a synopsis of that one before conquering the third, just to get the characters and storyline straight. Wikipedia had a fine synopsis available, so I'm all set reading the third chapter of Hornet's Nest. It's a very hefty read, at about 537 pages, and I've got Margaret Drabble's latest to read, which must be returned on the 16th of March. So it looks as though I'll need to devote time to both.
But not all day! There was something about reading all day long that made me feel as though I didn't have a life. And that's really very, very strange, because it has never bothered me before when I've had personal read-on-and-on-and-on-athons. I'm wondering just perhaps if the aura of Barbara Pym's characters in Quartet in Autumn have been casting a spell upon me? I do think so. And yes, the review for this book is coming. I've been working on it, but am finding it hard to do it justice.
Today I was able to purchase another of my Classics Club books for a mere $2.99. It's Greengage Summer by the English novelist Rumer Godden. I hope to get going on this one soon as well. My original intention for the Classics Club was to buy paperback or hardcover copies of all my classic books read, but this Nook Edition was such a good price, I have made an exception.
That's a Godden novel I've not read, but I've revisited some of her children's books in recent years and would love to give this one a try. Good luck with the library loans!
ReplyDeleteDid you happen to read "Two under the Indian Sun" by Jon (Rumer's sister) and Rumer Godden, about their childhood residence in India in late 1914, when their parents felt it was too dangerous for their children to remain in their London boarding school. It was a wonderful book--to be immersed in the India of young children.
DeleteGreengage Summer is set in France, and is about two sisters (guess who?) and their adventures, exploring the natural world on their own and trying to understand and navigate the complicated world of the adults in their lives. Tremendous fun, really.
I seem to be doing very, very well at the library lately, thank you for the thought. It has been fun as well.
I'm reading The Greengage Summer in English and Dutch at the same time in an attempt to help me learn the language. I haven't got very far though!
ReplyDeleteThat's a great idea. Dutch is a fascinating language and there are so many excellent Dutch writers that it would be interesting to read them in the original.
DeleteI had a Dutch roommate when a bunch of us were living in Harvard Square back in the mid-70s. She had marathon phone conversations with her sister who lived in the suburbs and I had a fun time paying attention to the rhythms and cadence of Dutch. I wish you good luck with it!