Comments for A Common Reader

Comment on Review: The Foundling – Agnès Desarthe by Tom

Tom — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 07:41:41 +0000

Sue – I think this is a really good book actually – although I was sent it on review rather than self-selecting it , it turned out to be a bit of a gem

Comment on Review: The Foundling – Agnès Desarthe by whisperinggums

whisperinggums — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 00:39:35 +0000

I’ve never heard of this writer but I’m not really up on French writers in general. I love this – “Making them, yes, fine, it’s all fireworks, pride and superpowers, but after that you feel knocked back, slowed down by all those endless, boring, repetitive tasks.” Fireworks, pride and superpowers … great stuff.

Comment on Review (audio recording): Swann’s Way – Marcel Proust by whisperinggums

whisperinggums — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 00:33:10 +0000

This does sound like a great option … but I wish I were commuting a lot to make it easily manageable as I’m not much one for sticking earbuds in my ears. I’ve bought one Naxos classic a little while ago for my ma-in-law and was pleased to see that they are getting into this business.

Comment on Review (audio recording): Swann’s Way – Marcel Proust by Lisa Hill

Lisa Hill — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 09:37:55 +0000

Now this looks very tempting. I have read Proust, the whole thing, but I feel it’s a work that needs to be read again and again, and of course that’s a bit daunting especially when there are so many other books I want to read too. An audio version sounds like the ideal solution: Proust while I do the dusting, Proust while I do the ironing: Proust while I walk the dogs etc!

Comment on Review: The Foundling – Agnès Desarthe by Tom

Tom — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 08:14:24 +0000

Parrish – thanks for visiting. I suppose its just one of those hundreds of books which needs to get a publicity break to make it to the higher sellers lists. The quality is certainly good enough in this case

Comment on Review: Such Stuff as Dreams – Keith Oatley by Tom

Tom — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 08:13:26 +0000

Qurina – thanks for visiting. I think the book has attracted the attention of many readers who are pleased that it makes some positive remarks about reading and its effects.

Comment on Review: Such Stuff as Dreams – Keith Oatley by Quirina

Quirina — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 07:02:06 +0000

This is very interesting, Tom, and certainly when I read a book that engages me (I don’t read books that don’t engage me), it definitely alters my lens to the world for a while. I experience a book intensely. I therefore need to be very selective about what I read. This is the reason I had to abandon Kafka’s book “The Trial”, because it made me feel hopeless and stuck in an absurd bureaucratic nightmare.

Comment on Review: The Foundling – Agnès Desarthe by Parrish

Parrish — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 20:29:01 +0000

This does sound as though it could be interesting & I quite like a bit of Gallic intensity every now & then.

Comment on Review: Such Stuff as Dreams – Keith Oatley by Tom

Tom — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 08:27:19 +0000

Tony – at least its a counter to the usual accusations of readers being introverted loners

Comment on Review: The Foundling – Agnès Desarthe by Tom

Tom — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 08:26:46 +0000

Litlove – Well, I think Portobello Books usually have a good eye for a quality read. Whether it goes anywhere in sales terms doesn’t seem to bother them all that much. Its a great addition to the canon of Literary French books translated into English though!