Last Book You Bought and Why

Another shopping spree on second hand books. And I know I'm forgetting to mention one...but for the life of me I cannot remember which I am forgetting:

Blind Assassin - Margaret Atwood
Because people on litnet keep mentioning Atwood. And the synopsis sounded interesting.

Fathers and Sons - Turgenev
I've read it before and loved it. Saw it last time I was there and didn't pick it up. So I regretted it all week, and luckily it was still there!

The Bookseller of Kabul -
Biography from the Middle East. Took a history class of the Middle East and this book sounded interesting.

Invisible Man - Ralph Ellison
Every time I go to the bookstore I see it. Read the synopsis and discovered it dealt with racism from both perspectives and I took a racism course that I thought might add to making this a good read.

Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man - Joyce
When I was much younger I tried reading it and didn't get through it. It was miserable. So, seeing as I have a few more years on me, and that it was fifty cents...it's definitely worth another try.

Cliff's Notes Paradise Lost
Every year or so I read some sort of commentary for Paradise Lost in conjunction with the work itself. There's just so much to it to understand and enjoy.

And there's another nameless book...and it still hasn't come to me. When I see it at home I'll put it down here.

I traded some books at a used bookstore and got the Penguin Classics edition of The Odyssey and The Iliad with the credit I received. I had read the Odyssey years ago and already had a beat up copy of it but I like the Penguin Classic books. I've never read the Iliad but plan on reading it soon.

I also picked up a copy of The Dead Zone by Stephen King. I'd like to build up a small collection of his books. So far I only own two or three, but I've read a few of his books. He's a good writer and I enjoy his stuff when I want to read something just for fun.

I still have a few dollars worth of credit. I love used bookstores!

Tess of the D'Urbervilles. I had read the Mayor of Casterbridge and wanted something else by Thomas Hardy. Plus, I wanted to read more from the top 100 list.

I have both, beautifully illustrated with woodcuts. My favorite Hardy theou is Far from the Madding Crowd. Although I did like Return of the Native.

I have both, beautifully illustrated with woodcuts. My favorite Hardy though is Far from the Madding Crowd. Although I did like Return of the Native.

I bought the Epic of Gilgamesh because it is the first book in the Western Canon, into which I intend to plunge and wade through for the rest of my life. I could use some coffee.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by grace86

Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man - Joyce
When I was much younger I tried reading it and didn't get through it. It was miserable. So, seeing as I have a few more years on me, and that it was fifty cents...it's definitely worth another try.

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I read it recently, having a version with a *lot* of notes *really* helped - so if you get stuck try "Wordsworth classics" version - only £1.99 new (about $3?)

Last two books:

(1) Ulysses (Wordsworth Classics)

No Notes! :(

(2) Ulysses (Oxford Classics)

Notes! :)

Hope they are sufficient :?

Cyrano de Bergerac by Edmond Rostand - I was talking to my dad the other day, and this play somehow came up, and I remember that dad was so surprised and maybe even a little offended that his son wasn't familiar with it. Naturally I humoured him.

Ulysses by James Joyce - Do I even need to say why?

Fantastic Tales edited by Italo Calvino - It had quite a number of lesser works by authors I am interested in.

Waverly-Sir Walter Scott
Nicolas Nickolby-Dickens

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Jamesian

I've rather enjoyed what I've heretofore read of the unfortunately-named Trollope

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I've never read a novel by Anthony Trollope. And, to be honest, the reason is simply his name.

People tell me he was one of the greatest and most popular of Victorian novelists. People tell me his novels are wonderful. I percieve that they must be wonderful if so many people like them. My mind suggests that he is worth the read. Yet, my emotion revolts gainst reading him simply because it seems hard to believe that anything good could come from a man whose name was Anthony Trollope. It's ridiculous, I know.
:frown5:

Poems of John Donne (Wordsworth Classics)
"Walden" by Thoreau
"Fortunes of War" by Olivia Manning (I may not even get to reading it, since I've got so many genuine classics to do. But I'd just watched the mini-series with Emma Thompson and Kenneth Branagh, so was rather interested.)

A portable collection of Emerson's poetry, which is great as it easily fits in my pockets so I can read it anywhere. I bought it as, well the cover looked pretty...

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Il Dante

I've never read a novel by Anthony Trollope. And, to be honest, the reason is simply his name.

People tell me he was one of the greatest and most popular of Victorian novelists. People tell me his novels are wonderful. I percieve that they must be wonderful if so many people like them. My mind suggests that he is worth the read. Yet, my emotion revolts gainst reading him simply because it seems hard to believe that anything good could come from a man whose name was Anthony Trollope. It's ridiculous, I know.
:frown5:

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I read his book The Warden, and I wasn't really thrilled with it. Kind of dull and boring. I wouldn't recommend reading that one.

The last book I bought was Great Expectations. I'm on the fence about whether I should read this or A Farewell to Arms after I finish my current novel.

I was also eyeing Philip Roth's American Pastoral in the bookstore today... it looks very good, and I haven't read anything by Philip Roth.

The Warden and its sequel, Barchester Towers, are excellent introductions into the personalities of those who live in a cathedral town. If you want a thriller, don't read them, but Trollope in these two comes off very well. If you don't want to take the time to read them, watch the excelent Masterpiece Theatre production. Only the English can portray the English so admirably.

The last book purchased was Lincoln's Literary Works, ably illustrated by John Steurt Curry. The most important speeches, letters, and other writings of the great American president published in 1942 by the Limited editions Club