My favorite page turners - Page 6 - cougarguard.com — unofficial BYU Cougars / LDS sports, football, basketball forum and message board

RockyBalboa · 02-16-2006, 05:50 AM

Snow Falling On Cedars drove me nuts.

I was so bored while visiting my now ex-in laws about 4-5 years ago that I saw the book laying around and read the whole thing.

It was beautifully written,,,but I guess the whole "taking 18 pages to describe the changing color on a leaf" thing drove me nuts after awhile.

Jeff Lebowski · 02-16-2006, 02:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RockyBalboa

Snow Falling On Cedars drove me nuts.

I was so bored while visiting my now ex-in laws about 4-5 years ago that I saw the book laying around and read the whole thing.

It was beautifully written,,,but I guess the whole "taking 18 pages to describe the changing color on a leaf" thing drove me nuts after awhile.

This book tends to get mixed reactions. I really liked it. Part of that is due to the fact that I served a mission in Japan and my father lived a few miles from an internment camp during WW2 and made friends with several of the Japanese-American teenagers. So the context/setting of the story was fascinating to me.

RockyBalboa · 02-16-2006, 06:45 PM

Yeah, I can for sure see that.

Japan is a land I would love to visit one day.

bluegoose · 02-16-2006, 07:46 PM

Homeboy - What was it that you liked about All the Pretty Horses?

I read it after it was highly recommended by a friend as one of his favorites of all time.

I had a very hard time keeping interested in it. The way that the dialogue was presented was very distracting for me. Also, being a non-spanish speaker, it was very irritating to have no translation to much of the spanish dialogue, usually with no future reference to the conversation to help me to fill in the blanks.

Jeff Lebowski · 02-16-2006, 07:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bluegoose

Homeboy - What was it that you liked about All the Pretty Horses?

I read it after it was highly recommended by a friend as one of his favorites of all time.

I had a very hard time keeping interested in it. The way that the dialogue was presented was very distracting for me. Also, being a non-spanish speaker, it was very irritating to have no translation to much of the spanish dialogue, usually with no future reference to the conversation to help me to fill in the blanks.

Well, I read this about a dozen years ago, so don't expect an in-depth analysis. I have read criticism of his writing style, but it didn't bother me. I just thought it McCarthy did an amazing job of presenting a harsh, gritty story with beautiful and moving imagery.

outlier · 02-17-2006, 12:46 AM

I don't love reading, but here are books that have done something for me (and kept me interested, which is saying something):

- Angle of Repose (Stegner)
- Slaughterhouse Five (Vonnegut)
- 1984 (Orwell)
- Post Office (Bukowski)
- Nine Stories (Salinger)

Fine, so Nine Stories is cheating. If you'll give me that one, I also really liked

- Letting Loose the Hounds (Brady Udall)

As a casual aside meant to "accidentally" offend people, I write speculative fiction but mostly can't stand reading it. Yes, including OSC. Most spec fic seems awfully out-of-balance, e.g., too much world-building and not enough plot; too much plot, not enough character; etc.

o

MikeWaters · 02-17-2006, 01:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by homeboy

Quote:

Originally Posted by bluegoose

Homeboy - What was it that you liked about All the Pretty Horses?

I read it after it was highly recommended by a friend as one of his favorites of all time.

I had a very hard time keeping interested in it. The way that the dialogue was presented was very distracting for me. Also, being a non-spanish speaker, it was very irritating to have no translation to much of the spanish dialogue, usually with no future reference to the conversation to help me to fill in the blanks.

Well, I read this about a dozen years ago, so don't expect an in-depth analysis. I have read criticism of his writing style, but it didn't bother me. I just thought it McCarthy did an amazing job of presenting a harsh, gritty story with beautiful and moving imagery.

I really liked All the Pretty Horses, but I couldn't finish the 2nd book. I got bogged down. Probably like you did in the first.

mpfunk · 02-17-2006, 01:35 AM

I agree with those that said Catch-22 is the funniest book ever written.

Also I second Slaughterhouse 5 as a page turner.

Parrot Head · 02-17-2006, 04:38 AM

I know you've all been waiting for me to chime in, but I really don't have much to add beyond some previously listed.

- Angela's Ashes (The technique used really pulled me in and appreciate his writing ability)
- Mother Night (I think I may have liked this more than Slaughterhouse V)
- Les Mis (Abridged -- I couldn't put that down, read it before seeing it performed)
- Harry Potter

I haven't had a lot of time the past couple of years or so to read and when I have it's mostly been non-fiction -- American history, Stephen Ambrose, baseball.

Hemingway doesn't do anything for me -- I can't stand such self-centered characters as those in Sun Also Rises. And, outlier, Angle of Repose? It was all I could do to make it through that for a class at BYU.

mpfunk · 02-17-2006, 05:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Parrot Head

- Mother Night (I think I may have liked this more than Slaughterhouse V)

I like Mother Night, but not as much as Slaughterhouse Five. Actually my favorite Vonnegut book, and I have read several, is Breakfast of Champions.

02-17-2006, 12:46 AM	#56
outlier Junior Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: New York City Posts: 180	I don't love reading, but here are books that have done something for me (and kept me interested, which is saying something): - Angle of Repose (Stegner) - Slaughterhouse Five (Vonnegut) - 1984 (Orwell) - Post Office (Bukowski) - Nine Stories (Salinger) Fine, so Nine Stories is cheating. If you'll give me that one, I also really liked - Letting Loose the Hounds (Brady Udall) As a casual aside meant to "accidentally" offend people, I write speculative fiction but mostly can't stand reading it. Yes, including OSC. Most spec fic seems awfully out-of-balance, e.g., too much world-building and not enough plot; too much plot, not enough character; etc. o __________________ Es irrt der Mensch solang er strebt. -J. W. v. Goethe (OTOH, just because you screw up, that doesn\'t mean you\'re getting somewhere.) The best argument against democracy is a five minute conversation with the average voter. - W. Churchill

02-16-2006, 05:50 AM	#51
RockyBalboa Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Salt Lake City Posts: 7,297	Snow Falling On Cedars drove me nuts. I was so bored while visiting my now ex-in laws about 4-5 years ago that I saw the book laying around and read the whole thing. It was beautifully written,,,but I guess the whole "taking 18 pages to describe the changing color on a leaf" thing drove me nuts after awhile.

02-16-2006, 06:45 PM	#53
RockyBalboa Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Salt Lake City Posts: 7,297	Yeah, I can for sure see that. Japan is a land I would love to visit one day.

02-16-2006, 07:46 PM	#54
bluegoose Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Northern California Posts: 2,919	Homeboy - What was it that you liked about All the Pretty Horses? I read it after it was highly recommended by a friend as one of his favorites of all time. I had a very hard time keeping interested in it. The way that the dialogue was presented was very distracting for me. Also, being a non-spanish speaker, it was very irritating to have no translation to much of the spanish dialogue, usually with no future reference to the conversation to help me to fill in the blanks.

02-17-2006, 01:35 AM	#58
mpfunk Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Portland, OR Posts: 2,619	I agree with those that said Catch-22 is the funniest book ever written. Also I second Slaughterhouse 5 as a page turner.

02-17-2006, 04:38 AM	#59
Parrot Head Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2005 Posts: 763	I know you've all been waiting for me to chime in, but I really don't have much to add beyond some previously listed. - Angela's Ashes (The technique used really pulled me in and appreciate his writing ability) - Mother Night (I think I may have liked this more than Slaughterhouse V) - Les Mis (Abridged -- I couldn't put that down, read it before seeing it performed) - Harry Potter I haven't had a lot of time the past couple of years or so to read and when I have it's mostly been non-fiction -- American history, Stephen Ambrose, baseball. Hemingway doesn't do anything for me -- I can't stand such self-centered characters as those in Sun Also Rises. And, outlier, Angle of Repose? It was all I could do to make it through that for a class at BYU.