Wednesday 27 April 2011

Wednesday morning book thoughts...

I'm sitting on the couch with a book and a cup of chai tea (what could be better!), and I feel the sudden urge to share my thoughts on what I'm reading and my favourite books with you.  (I wonder if I'm becoming addicted to blogging?!)

I started reading Valerie Martin's The Confessions of Edward Day last night and, at a third of the way in, I'm not enjoying it as much as Property, but it's still strangely compelling and I want to read more.  It's about struggling actors in New York,  their relationships with each other, the fierce competition they face, and the ways in which they learn to deal with these and other life situations.  Just a few moments ago, I was reminded of another book that I read many, many years ago called Boys and Girls Together, by William Goldman.  While it's been many years since I've read that one, I think Edward Day reminds me of Boys and Girls Together for a couple of reasons: 1.  the writing style may be similar, and 2.  the storylines may be similar.  Remember, it's been years since I've read the Goldman book, but I have an old, tattered paperback copy on my bookshelf and may just have to reread it (it's over 600 pages of very very tiny type, so I may need to be in the right mood, and have lots of free time, before I undertake that!)

Remember William Goldman?  He was popular in maybe the '80s with his titles, Magic, The Princess Bride, and Marathon Man.  He may be best known as a screenwriter, both for the films based on the aforementioned novels of his own and for other novels made into films, such as The Stepford Wives and Misery.

But enough about William Goldman.  I just found out that Martin's title, Property, won the Orange Prize in 2003.  This is interesting, since We Need to Talk about Kevin, by Lionel Shriver, also won the Orange Prize, and that is a title that I would definitely include on my "Top 5 Desert Island Books" list.  So I guess I should check out the Orange Prize past winners list, since I seem to really like the novels that have been winners that I've read so far.

On another topic,  I think my all-time favourite, pick-up-and-reread-anytime novel is John Steinbeck's The Winter of our Discontent.  In fact, I reread it almost annually, and these readings often coincide with Easter, so I'm overdue for this year's reading.  I remember that it usually coincides with Easter because the novel begins on Good Friday, and I often think to myself that it's fitting to be reading this at the time, that I must be drawn to read it at this time of year. 

I'll end this now so I'll have something to write about next time.

Bye for now!
Julie

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