The Book Pile

dave / August 22, 2007 3:21 AM

Well, the pile's too big to list here, but Kevin Huizenga's Curses is currently at the top.

Veronica / August 22, 2007 12:26 PM

I just sped through Julie and Julia, even though I'm supposed to be reading other books for reviewing purposes, but the thought of reading a book about a cooking blog was far too enticing. If my to-be-read pile didn't contain the books for school that I will soon actually be reading, it would have Kazuo Ishiguro's Never Let Me Go. I like Ishiguro anyway, but ever since Kevin mentioned this book at our meeting I've really wanted to read it. Alas, it's occupied a nice little space on my bought-but-have-not-read shelf for most of the year. Also, a massive collection of Carol Shields's short stories glares at me every time I get in bed.

Alice / August 22, 2007 8:31 PM

Okay, should I admit what's on my pile?

I'm currently reading "The Road Within," a collection of travel essays, because I am an absolute sucker for travel writing. Then I've got "Peel My Love Like an Onion" on my to-read pile, of course, but I also just started Ana Castillo's new novel, "The Guardians," for review. I also recently started "Reading Like a Writer" by Francine Prose, because I'm also a sucker for books about books.

Christi / August 24, 2007 7:53 AM

I'm also dying to read the Francine Prose book in lieu of actually being able to enroll in her classes. I have a stack of Granta back issues I'm making my way through, I'm going through "Apartment Therapy" in prep for the Sept. 6th Fall Therapy session, and I'm reading these comments trying my hardest to move forward and not re-read Flannery O'Connor's collected works or "The Devil In White City" for the third time.

Val / August 27, 2007 2:37 PM

Two books are currently on my list:

The Stand by Stephen King
(Complete & Uncut version)
I always told myself I'd never read any King because he's scary. I think I saw the made for TV movie of IT and was traumatized. Now, I'm realize he writes so much more - The Green Mile, Shawshank Redemption... etc. If you like adventure and action this is a great book. It's also real look at the human condition through a national disaster... fictionalized yes, but reminds you that something like this could happen now.

The Time Travelers Wife by Audrey Niffenegger
I've heard nothing but good things about this book, and I love Sci-Fi/ fantasy a lot... thoughts?

Kari / August 30, 2007 10:52 AM

The Stand is my favourite Stephen King novel, and I've read almost all of his stuff! So good.

The Time Traveler's Wife is probably the best book I've read in the last year. I have a hard time considering it to be a sci-fi/fantasy (although I know it is). It's just so beautifully written, and it's set in a real world, our world... there are no heroes or villains in the book, just raw emotions coming from people who could be your next door neighbour. By the end, I totally believed that time travel was possible, intentional or not!

My to-read list... first up- Consolation by Michael Redhill (just nominated for the Man Booker prize); it's our next book club pick. It's set in Toronto (where I live), and I'm really looking forward to it. I've heard from numerous people that it's an excellent read.