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bookchica

bookchica

Where is human nature so weak as in the bookstore?
- Henry Ward Beecher

My love for books started at a very young age, thanks to my parents. I grew up surrounded by books, and there was no looking back. My sister and I remember our growing years in terms of books - as we graduated from one genre/author to another - Enid Blyton,... more »
  • Antwerp, Belgium
  • member since March 5 2007

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bookchica’s last login was 2 hours ago. show recent activity »

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Public Notes

  • bookaboo

    bookaboo says

    Yeah..you guessed right :) I wanted something relatively brainless for my flight from Seoul to LA - so the airport bookstore purchase :) It's more sensationalism than real meat I think :) Nothing too out of the ordinary, although the main character is developed really well!

    posted 10 days ago. ( send a note )
  • bookaboo

    bookaboo says

    So far it's typical Atwood prose :) Have just read around 30 pages so far. Will let you know once I finish it!

    posted 10 days ago. ( send a note )
  • amright

    amright says

    Hi Sunita, Hope you recover totally before your trip.South America should be fascinating,given the literary out put from that part of the world.Recently saw a film Carla's Song which is set in Nicaragua.Would love to hear about your experiences.My daughter-in-law was born in Lima and lived there till she was 13.She has absolutely wonderful memories of the warm hearted people of that country.
    I am waiting for our Diwali break.Tomorrow is the last working day for the term :)
    Currently reading Never Let Me Go by Ishiguro and also a book of short stories by Bengali author Sunil Ganguly. The stories are superb.
    Happy Diwali to you and your family and have a wonderful trip.Are you planning to go this island from Argentina to see penguins?

    posted 3 weeks ago. ( send a note )
  • Ben H

    Ben H says

    Hi BC, For some reason, it doesn't seem to have come to LA yet...a bit surprising, as illegal immigration is a huge issue here...I suppose the next on my list is Michael Moore's Capitalism, which I'm sure even Karl Marx would enjoy...And have you seen the new Korean vampire movie?...Regarding print, I'm teaching Mary Gaitskill's Bad Behavior-- have you ever read her? I find her cold and lurid and voyeuristic, but interesting and even funny...She writes about prostitutes & runaways & drug addicts...not my kind of folks, really, but I'm happy to spend an afternoon with them...

    posted 3 weeks ago. ( send a note )
  • amright

    amright says

    Hi Sunita,Leh was beautiful.Must visit.The ruggedness and the stark beauty of the landscape is simply mesmerising. I read My Melancholy Whores long ago when it had just been published.Did not find anything objectionable as so many reviewers had panned it for being explicit.I found it to be a sad story told with great compassion.Just reviewed Chronicle of a Death Foretold.Have you read the book?'Salmon Fishing' is just about average.Read it some time back.Nowadays in India the book stores are packed with books by Indian authors.Have nothing against the species but most are so average..Have you read any of the Booker shortlisted ones for this year? How are you doing now? Hope you are well.Could not make out what had happened to you?take care and happy reading.

    posted 1 month ago. ( send a note )
  • Ben H

    Ben H says

    Abraham Verghese graduated from the same writing program I did (Iowa Writers Workshop) shortly after I was there. I remember how important his first book was in drawing attention to the plight of AIDS in rural America. I also remember his interesting observations about being a doctor of South Asian origin in rural overwhelmingly white areas. More recently I believe he has written about the dire situation with the US health care system. Along with Atul Gawande, he is one of the best known physician authors in the US today.

    posted 2 months ago. ( send a note )
  • Ben H

    Ben H says

    Abraham Verghese graduated from the same writing program I did (Iowa Writers Workshop) shortly after I was there. I remember how important his first book was in drawing attention to the plight of AIDS in rural America. I also remember his interesting observations about being a doctor of South Asian origin in rural overwhelmingly white areas. More recently I believe he has written about the dire situation with the US health care system. Along with Atul Gawande, he is one of the best known physician authors in the US today.

    posted 2 months ago. ( send a note )
  • Ben H

    Ben H says

    Hi Bookchica, It turns out that there's a film entitled Lorna's Silence which just opened in a local theatre. It's about a young Albanian woman living in Belgium and her involvement with gangsters. It won the best screenplay award at Cannes in 2008. Do you know this film? Is it worth seeing?

    posted 3 months ago. ( send a note )
  • Ben H

    Ben H says

    Hi Bookchica, Boy, you read fast! I was hoping to have time to compare notes with you, but unfortunately I've been too busy teaching and writing...I must confess to being somewhat allergic to the Literature of Trauma...these days I'm more interested in more ironic and playful voices...Have you read other East European writers? Kundera? Shvorecky? Hrabal? There's also a Bosnian-American writer named Aleksandr Hemon that people seem to like.
    If you're into literary theory, you might check out the great Marxist critic Lukacs (a Hungarian)...and also the postmodern pop icon Zizek (a Slovenian). I once heard Zizek speak...he's a riot!

    posted 3 months ago. ( send a note )
  • Ben H

    Ben H says

    No, I haven't read Fateless yet, though I have the book. I hadn't heard of Kertesz until I attended a lecture by my dissertation adviser, J. Hillis Miller. He was examining the question of Holocaust literature. Primo Levi (or maybe it was Wiesel?) said that a novel about the Holocaust is an oxymoron-- that if it's a novel, it isn't about the Holocaust. Obviously Fateless contradicts this. In any case, let me know what you think.

    posted 3 months ago. ( send a note )
  • Ben H

    Ben H says

    Have you read any books by Imre Kertesz, the Hungarian author who won the Nobel Prize in 2002?

    posted 4 months ago. ( send a note )
  • Ben H

    Ben H says

    Thanks BookChica. What places/countries will you be visiting this year? If you come to Southern California, please let me know! Are you a fan of Raymond Chandler? Film Noir? There's a special Chandler/noir bus tour which will make you feel like you've just stepped into The Big Sleep!

    posted 4 months ago. ( send a note )
  • amright

    amright says

    Hi,You are most welcome.Those stories have stayed with me.Am about to finish the last part of the Cairo Trilogy.Happy reading and see you.

    posted 4 months ago. ( send a note )
  • ♥Ashley ♥

    ♥Ashley ♥ says

    Hi! Did you like the girl with the pearl earring book? I was thinking of reading that soon...

    posted 4 months ago. ( send a note )
  • amright

    amright says

    Hi Bookchica
    Nice hearing from you.And thanks for the update on these books.I think Saul Bellow is rather weird.I had read Herzog long ago and it was so weird! But then all these really great authors have small little words of wisdom or gems, as you so appropriately call them , tucked away in their works that one goes on reading inspite of getting bored and sometimes downright exasperated by their themes.I am into the second part of Cairo Trilogy by Naguib mahfouz.He is very different and so entertaining.The world of Cairo seems so familiar to us Indians.Carey's Oscar and Lucinda is absolutely marvellous.Enjoy.Do keep in touch.

    posted 5 months ago. ( send a note )
  • Gus McCrae

    Gus McCrae says

    yes, Never Let Me Go gets my highest rating too. Ishiguro is one of my favorite authors. -John

    posted 5 months ago. ( send a note )
  • Mitraa

    Mitraa says

    Dearbookchica, Thank you for joining Travelers' Club! We are now on an imaginary trip to see and know Egypt through friendly discussions. I request you to join the trip and share the fun. There are lots of more discussions (including Europe) where I welcome you to write something! All the best. Mitraa

    posted 5 months ago. ( send a note )
  • amright

    amright says

    hi,Saw that you have read Henderson the Rain King.Have you reviewed it?Would be interested to know about it .How is the Robber Bride?It becomes difficult to get books of choice nowadays.Our stores are full of Indian authors writing in English.See you.Enjoying Palace Walk.It reads like a soap opera at times but the story is fascinating and gives a glimpse into Egyptian society in the 40's.I could almost feel walking along he streets of Cairo,without a wrap of course.

    posted 6 months ago. ( send a note )
  • Jean L

    Jean L says

    Hi,
    Noticed you liked Small Island. I liked it very much as well. Have you read anything else by Levy?
    Jean

    posted 6 months ago. ( send a note )
  • rakesh k.

    rakesh k. says

    Great collection n some common books too. I see that you have read The White Castle and rated it on par with My Name is Red...I hope it turns out to be that..and you struggled with The New life too..heh..i guess i'll blame it on translation..

    posted 6 months ago. ( send a note )


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