paulagalvin
member
Reged: 20/07/2007
Posts: 170
Loc: leixlip
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I have only recently re-joined this forum but it used be a fantastic place to actually discuss books you had read,get feedback from other readers,get suggestions as to "if you like this,you might also like...." 
Now it just seems to consist of setting up book clubs....  
I am not complaining,simply making an observation...and whatever happened to Sealover,she was fantastic with her suggestions and "Eyes down"Has that disappeared too?? 
Anyone out there like to talk about books they have read??? 
Kind regards
Paula
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Tina2836
member
Reged: 03/11/2006
Posts: 76
Loc: Derbyshire
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Hello paulagalvin
I love reading, cant be without a book!! Am reading "Call the Midwife" at the moment by Jennifer Worth, but the last fiction book I read was Folly by Alan Titchmarsh so I like to read a variety of books.
I also like Lesley Pearse, Mary Higgins Clark, James Patterson, Penny Vincenzi, etc etc etc.......
What do you like to read?
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Tina
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Ginnie
member
Reged: 24/06/2008
Posts: 1065
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Hi Paula and Tina
Eyes Down hasn't disappeared (I hope) but is very quiet this month. I'm hoping that lots of ladies are like me and have been busy and will get back to their reading.
I have just finished The Return by Victoria Hislop. It has taken me much longer than normal but I've had other things to do. I thought it was excellant. I have to admit I was put off by negatives comments but as I had enjoyed The Island so much I decided to give it a go. At first I was quite puzzled as it seemed to be a 'chic lit' and not what I had expected but then it unfolded into a tale about The Spanish Civil War and I found it well written and well researched. I had previously read Winter in Madrid for Eyes Down so these two novels have given me an insight into something I knew very little about.
I love reading and enjoy participating in Eyes Down.
Ginnie
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paulagalvin
member
Reged: 20/07/2007
Posts: 170
Loc: leixlip
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Hi Tina ,Ginnie and Debbie
Great to hear Eyes Down has not disappeared.
I too loved Winter in Madrid,a very moving novel ,about a period in history which I am hazy about(to say the least!!)
We have the Dublin Writer`s Festival on here next week.I cannot wait.Have tickets bought for Seamus Heaney,Zoe Heller,Melvyn Bragg,Sarah Waters and Colm Toibin.
Am curious to hear your views on any of these...
Has anyone read Toibins latest,"Brooklyn"?I have read some of his others,"The heather blazing"(beautiful) and "The Master" about Henry James,also very good.
Happy reading,ladies and maybe we could get some Eyes Down suggestions for June/July???
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scottishmags
member
Reged: 24/04/2009
Posts: 1331
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Hi Paula
I would be very interested in exchanging ideas about books to read; nothing I like better! I'm quite new so could someone explain what Eyes Down is please?
I'll also be looking for a book club in London when I move there in the summer.
Off to make dinner now but will be back!
Mags
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paulagalvin
member
Reged: 20/07/2007
Posts: 170
Loc: leixlip
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Hi Mags
How are you?
Eyes Down is basically like an on-line book Club where someone decides on a book for say June/July and people post up their views so I reckon if anyone has a suggestion,just go for it...!!!!!!!
I am newly returned to this Forum,used be on it two years ago and loved it...
So any suggestions anyone...
Paula
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scottishmags
member
Reged: 24/04/2009
Posts: 1331
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Hi everyone
Ginnie, I've just read "The Return" too, enjoyed learning about the Spanish Civil War but would still say I liked "The Island" better; I thought it was such a unique choice of subject. Have you read "The Rose of Sebastopol" by Katharine McMahon? It's set in the Crimean War when a young girl's fiance, an army surgeon, goes missing and she travels out to the Crimea with just her maid to search for him...such a brave undertaking in those days. The historical details as well as the relationships explored made this really absorbing - a great holiday read.
Paula, thanks for explaining Eyes Down, what a good idea. Two books I've enjoyed recently, which weren't too heavy, were "The Death and Life of Charlie St Cloud" by Ben Sherman - for people who liked "The Time Traveller's Wife" and "Lovely Bones", and "Digging to America" by Anne Tyler, dealing with the theme of inter-racial adoption and the issue of how to feel you belong in a country you weren't born in. But I would love to hear some other suggestions.
Have a great time in Dublin! I enjoyed Zoe Heller's "Notes on a Scandal" and meant to try and see the film too. I like Melvyn Bragg on TV but can't get on with his novels at all so I'd be interested to hear what you think, and I am a great fan of Sarah Waters especially "Tipping the Velvet" and "Fingerpost" set in Victorian times. My son gave me "Mothers and Sons" by Colm Toibin and that's all I've read of him. Will you let us know how you get on there?
I've been to Hay-on-Wye festival a few times and been lucky enough to see Ian MacEwan and Sebastian Faulkes who were both excellent. And Sheila Hancock and Joanna Trollope were interesting too. Can't make it this year as I'm hanging around at home this week to keep an eye on my son's A-Level revision!
Love talking books and have lots more suggestions but maybe that's enough for now.....
Speak soon
Mags
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nannyconnie
member
Reged: 05/03/2008
Posts: 673
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Hello all of you ,Eyes Down has certainly not folded but as Ginnie says,is a little quiet this month(maybe the book choice!!!!).I also remember Sealover,who was great,but unfortunately she left for some reason about twelve months ago. I think we do have a list of books for the next few months,tho right now I cant tell you what the next one is.At the moment we are "discussing" Mothers Boys"by Margaret Forster and the June selection is " Things I want My Daughters To Know"
Any contributions would be welcome by us all as I do think a few ladies felt the same that it has been all the setting up of book clubs in various areas. Welcome Back Paula.
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scottishmags
member
Reged: 24/04/2009
Posts: 1331
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Brilliant! I'll get hold of the two books you mention and get reading. Thanks for the update nannieconnie
Mags
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paulagalvin
member
Reged: 20/07/2007
Posts: 170
Loc: leixlip
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Thank you nannyconnie and Mags
I love those three books you mention ,Mags so will definitely try that one by Ben Sherman.
That Hay on Wye festival sounds great,I am a huge fan of Sebastian Faulkes,not so Ian mc Ewan.
Who wrote "Things I want my daughter to know"?
I will have to buy it and add it to the ever-increasing list of books to read,
Kind regards to you all
Paula
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Ginnie
member
Reged: 24/06/2008
Posts: 1065
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Hi Ladies
Just a quick note to let you know that the next Eyes Down list is now on page 2. Snoopy is co-ordinating for us. Happy reading.
Ginnie
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marieoh
member
Reged: 26/10/2008
Posts: 27
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Hi Paula,
Yes, I've read "Brooklyn". Good story, but spoiled for me by descriptions of parts of the anatomy! I'm probably old-fashioned but I prefer these things to remain in the imagination....
Best regards, Marie
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billie
member
Reged: 21/11/2007
Posts: 149
Loc: Derbyshire
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Hi Girls
It's great to see people discussing books again and I agree it seems all that 's on the book forum at the moment is questions about wanting to join a book club in a certain area! but Hey all you people please join us all at Eyes-Down and discuss this months book starting tomorrow if you can with "Things I want my Daughters to Know " by Elizabeth Noble and next months book is "The Thirteenth Tale " by Diane Setterfield.
Tina2836
I've read quite a few of Mary Higgins Clark and always enjoy them, I've also read some of Lesley Pearse and really enjoyed those too.
Hi Nannieconnie
I just want to say how lovely it was to meet you and for you girls to know we spent a whole day chatting over coffee and discussing books etc.
Hi paula and scottishmags
You've both mentioned books I've not heard of before so I'm going to add them to my list as they sound like good reads.
Anyway better sign off now as need to get organised for work tomorrow as I've just come back from my hols. Billie P.S. Sorry I forgot to say hi to you Ginnie
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bevvywevvy
member
Reged: 20/10/2008
Posts: 540
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Hello all,
I love to read. Usually have more than one book on the go at a time.
I'm reading a couple of non-fiction books:
Menopause without Medicine....
and
Beyond Coincidence...
aswell as :
The Amulet of Samarkand by Jonathon Stroud.
It is actually a children's fiction book but don't knock it. I am really enjoying it. In fact the fiction book I read before that was also a children's book called Vampirates,...really good read. I have turned to this genre because I am attempting to write a children's book worthy of publishing and look to other styles to see how they do it.
I enjoyed Vampirates so much that I bought the next three books in the series and can't wait to read them.
Couldn't get on with The Time Traveller's Wife, tried a couple of times but it didn't hook me.
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Constant
member
Reged: 02/02/2009
Posts: 262
Loc: Northampton
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Hello there, like ginnie I loved Winter In Madrid. Has anyone read The Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafon ? His latest is The Angels Game, both are about Spain. With all this reading nothing is going to get done! Who cares!!
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paulagalvin
member
Reged: 20/07/2007
Posts: 170
Loc: leixlip
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Hi Constant
Loved "Winter in Madrid" could not take to "The Shadow of the wind" at all,thought it very slow moving,almost tortuous,did not like the style at all,whereas "Winter in Madrid" is fast paced,with lots of twists and turns and a bit of romance as well(which always helps!!!!!!!!!!)
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paulagalvin
member
Reged: 20/07/2007
Posts: 170
Loc: leixlip
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Hi Marieoh
D`you mean the parts about vomiting or what?I actually think he is a very restrained writer!!!!!!!!!!
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paulagalvin
member
Reged: 20/07/2007
Posts: 170
Loc: leixlip
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Oh it is so lovely to have all you ladies talking about books again,for a while I thought that whole notion of reading books was going to disappear and we were going to read virtual texts
or what is the latest,i-pod books or playstation books,I am such a Luddite i don`t know.
And you ladies who are such voracious readers,why dont you enter the "Win all the books on the page" competition.I won it way back in 2007 and got loads of books,some of them the proof copies of the originals,which I treasure.
Happy reading
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scottishmags
member
Reged: 24/04/2009
Posts: 1331
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Hi Paula
Well done, you started everyone off! I love discussing books and as we go to a lot of dinners with my husband's job I usually have a go at talking about books with whoever's sitting next to me. Sometimes I'm lucky and get lots of ideas about good authors to try next.
I agree with you about Winter in Madrid versus Shadow in the Wind by the way. A really well-written book and it was good to pick up some history along the way because I'd always been a bit confused about the Spanish Civil War...
It was the same for me reading about the English Civil War in Philippa Gregory's Tradescant novels.
It would be great to "win all the books" ... I should give it a go definitely
I've just finished Patchwork Planet, as we were talking about Anne Tyler on another thread, and really enjoyed it.It reminded me a little of The Outcast by Sadie Jones, although The Outcast was much sadder and darker. Has anyone read that?
Mags
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Ginnie
member
Reged: 24/06/2008
Posts: 1065
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Hi Paula
Interesting that you have mentiioned 'Win all the books'. I have been looking for the last few months and there hasn't been a winner and I can't believe that it's because there haven't been any good reviews because there have.
Hi Mags
I thought Patchwork Planet was really good and have read other Anne Tyler books that I have enjoyed including
Dinner at the Homesick Restauraant
Digging to America
Ladder of Years
Ginnie
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