The Good Books Thread/ATARnotes Book Club!

[prickles]

I actually quite like it. It's certainly different to what I was expecting, however I'm really enjoying Wilde's writing style. Having just read something from Thomas Hardy, whose writing style is rather beautiful and poetic despite a depressing plot, it is a pleasant change. Due to Christmas and New Years, I've been having trouble committing to reading though so I feel like I'm not enjoying it as much as I could. I'd recommend you read it nonetheless.

Ok, thanks. Might have a look!

[elysepopplewell]

Although a little confronting at times, I’d really recommend The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood. Atwood’s writing style is truly astonishing. A very thought provoking read.

I'm about 100 pages into The Power by Naomi Alderman, and it's similar in style to The Handmaid's Tale. Although I'm not finished yet, I think you should look into it if you'd like to keep reading!

[clarke54321]

I'm about 100 pages into The Power by Naomi Alderman, and it's similar in style to The Handmaid's Tale. Although I'm not finished yet, I think you should look into it if you'd like to keep reading!

Ooh....fantastic! It'll be the next on my list

[falalalala]

I love Markus Zusak's The Book thief, he is an exceptional writer and storyteller!
I'm currently reading Sapiens: A history of humankind by Yuval Noah Harari

I was never one for lengthy non fiction science books, but in my opinion this is a must read.

JESUS YES ^^ I just got the second book from a recent Dymocks sale (my credit card is gonna decline from excessive book hoarding haha) Homo Deus: Brief History of Tomorrow. So hyped to gain some insight about how the world is going to end

I don’t know if this has already been said or not, but I would highly recommend reading 1984 and Brave New World. They were both really good though personally I liked the concept of Brave New World better.

I found Brave New World quite dry of a book. It literally took me 5 tries to get through, but the concept is very fascinating. Gave me an existential crisis -and that's always fun! It reminds me of that Black Mirror episode Fifteen Million Merits but that's another story for another forum hahaha

[peterpiper]

'Currently' reading updates:

Finished Proust's Swann's way: golly it was good, but took me longer than I had originally planned. Will definitely get into the next volumes maybe next year hahahah just being realistic

Re-read Between the Acts and that was fun. Just to reiterate how much I identify with Lucy Swithin - I identify with her like as in - I believe I'll be something like her when I'm old and eccentric af

Tried reading The Rainbow, but I found myself getting bored and stopped midway. I'll get back to it, but after I finish what I'm reading.

I've recently gone through Didion's Political Fictions and her memoir on the death of her husband (which sadly is shortly followed up with a memoir/eulogy about the death of her daughter) The Year of Magical Thinking, 'magical thinking' referring to that wishful and superstitious belief that if you do the right things, the right events will follow and disaster will naturally be averted. Throughout the latter book she talks about this experience in her grieving; and it's just great - I cbf talking about it right now, but it's good. When I say it's good, it's good. The book is incredibly incisive like a knife, it cuts you up and the language is just phenomenal (this seems to be something recurring with her works). The former was about american politics or collection of essays about American politics, specifically George HW Bush to George Bush and Al Gore. And uh we know how much of a mess American politics is, so I'll just leave that for you to peruse in your spare time.

I'm currently reading Joan Didion's South and West (I'm going through a phase with her); I've just borrowed Clarice Lispector's Agua Viva, and I'm also trying to finish off Middlemarch WHICH I AM STRUGGLING WITH but will do so in probably five months since I'm always getting distracted with other fucking books hahaha. I keep forgetting characters because I read it and then I forget and have to reread passages I've already read, and I just get bored because I've been reading things I've read five weeks ago and it's starting to get repetitive lol. Been thinking I should take a break and reread it from the start but I'm just going to persist for now...

[bimberfairy]

I committed a crime and watched a movie before reading the book, but I'm currently reading "Call Me By Your Name" by André Aciman and the writing is absolutely beautiful. He describes every feeling, detail and description and it's so raw and vivid. I feel like I'm in Italy with Elio too. The book definitely goes into more detail than the movie does (as expected!) but there's just something about how personal the book is. It's like reading someone's diary and I find myself putting it down sometimes because I feel like an intruder prying into someone's thoughts.

I'm only up to page 100 right now so there's plenty more of the novel to go + the book goes beyond what's covered in the film too (:

[Yertle the Turtle]

Anyone tried "The Picture of Dorian Grey"? Absolute masterpiece, also quite dark, but definitely recommend.

Also recommend "The Mill on the Floss". Similarly a bit dark, but pretty interesting at the same time.

[sweetiepi]

Anyone tried "The Picture of Dorian Grey"? Absolute masterpiece, also quite dark, but definitely recommend.

Funny that you mention this, I went to the State Library yesterday and then went to Readings (bookshop in the library) and bought Dorian Gray!

Also I also borrowed Persuasion (Jane Austen) from the city library this morning!

[abbeyrose]

I have recently been reading Watching Out: Reflections on justice and injustice by Julian Burnside, in which ultimately Burnside discusses our legal system and its ability to achieve justice, and let me be the first on here to say that it is absolutely brilliant. Because I don't think I could write a summary that would do the book justice (that pun was unintentional haha), I figure I'll just include an excerpt from the actual synopsis.

...noted barrister and human-rights advocate Julian Burnside explains the origins of our legal system, looks at the way it operates in practice, and points out ways in which does and doesn't run true to its ultimate purposes.

He examines fundamental legal principles, such as the presumption of innocence, explains why good barristers defend bad people, and sets out legal remedies for wrongs done to individuals and groups...

Considering Burnside's immense knowledge of the law (although he insists that his book isn't to be regarded as a textbook or such), reading his discussions and insights into the subject is incredibly fascinating and provokes one to consider the way in which we (I use this pronoun in reference to the general population and not so much individually) are led to perceive the legal system, particularly through the media and such. Whilst Burnside does touch on this in some parts, I say the latter too from having read the comment sections on newspaper articles regarding law and order and seeing individuals' current views on the legal system and principles which only really reaffirms my belief that everyone could benefit from reading this. I think if you have some interest in the legal system (albeit this definitely doesn't require the same level of interest as, say, someone studying law or anything) then you'd probably find it a good read. I read the preview given on Goodreads whilst I was waiting for my bought copy to arrive and was instantly hooked... it's great and deserving of my 10/10. 

[owidjaja]

Why did I just find out about this post just now?! I am the (self-proclaimed) queen of Classics (only because I have a strong dislike towards YA fiction).

Here are the books that I've read:
Jane Austen- Persuasion, Sense and Sensibility, Emma, Pride and Prejudice, Mansfield Park
Elizabeth Gaskell- North and South
Victor Hugo- Les Miserables
George Orwell- 1984, Animal Farm
Harper Lee- To Kill A Mockingbird (set text for Year 10 English but I loved it!)
F. Scott. Fitzgerald- The Great Gatsby
Mary Wollstonecraft- Frankenstein
Emily Bronte- Wuthering Heights
Anne Bronte- The Tenant of Wildfell Hall
Charlotte Bronte- Jane Eyre
Thomas Hardy- Far From the Madding Crowd
Leo Tolstoy- War and Peace

And this is just a small portion of Classic books that I've read so anyone who wants to chat with me about them or suggest some more books to read (reading four books simultaneously at the moment), I'm up for a discussion!

[sweetiepi]

Jane Austen- Persuasion, Sense and Sensibility, Emma, Pride and Prejudice, Mansfield Park
F. Scott. Fitzgerald- The Great Gatsby

I just finished Persuasion the other day! It wasn't my favourite book in the world, but it was an okay book.
I also read The Great Gatsby ages ago, and I really liked it!

I'm also aiming to a fair few Penguin Classics this year!

[owidjaja]

I just finished Persuasion the other day! It wasn't my favourite book in the world, but it was an okay book.
I also read The Great Gatsby ages ago, and I really liked it!

I'm also aiming to a fair few Penguin Classics this year!

The Great Gatsby was amazing (kinda felt bad for Gatsby because he hosted those extravagant parties for Daisy... who ran away with another man in the end and left him dead ;-;)

I loved Persuasion because I'm Jane Austen biased and I adored Captain Wentworth (not as much as Mr Darcy from Pride and Prejudice and Mr Thornton from North and South)!

[abbeyrose]

(only because I have a strong dislike towards YA fiction).

I'm relieved to know that I'm not alone here haha

Here are the books that I've read:
Thomas Hardy- Far From the Madding Crowd

How did you find this? I read Tess of the D'Urbervilles not too long ago and fell in love with Hardy's writing style, and now I aim to read more of his works. Although, I am torn between The Mayor of Casterbridge or Far From the Madding Crowd when deciding what Hardy novel to read next.

[owidjaja]

I'm relieved to know that I'm not alone here haha
How did you find this? I read Tess of the D'Urbervilles not too long ago and fell in love with Hardy's writing style, and now I aim to read more of his works. Although, I am torn between The Mayor of Casterbridge or Far From the Madding Crowd when deciding what Hardy novel to read next.

When I first read this novel, I was glad that the female protagonist didn't have a flimsy character arc. What I usually find is that female authors tend to do well in fleshing out female characters, vice versa. What amazed me the most was Hardy's ability to flesh out her character. For a woman from her time, I'd think she's an amazing, empowering woman (fun fact: Katniss Everdeen's surname came from this book since the protagonist's name is Bathsheba Everdeen!)- and when I mean empowering, I don't mean your typical YA girl who has her peers claiming she is 'strong' but then becomes annoying. When Bathsheba says she's untameable, she really means it! It's her character arc that I thoroughly enjoyed. Plus, I kinda fangirled over the three men who were pining for her- sounds like your typical YA love triangle on steroids but it's this situation that allowed Bathsheba to learn her mistakes.

I'm probably biased because I haven't read The Mayor of Casterbridge but I really liked Far From the Madding Crowd!

On a side note: Thank god I'm not alone! I get so triggered when I see the 'best-selling' sticker on the front cover of a YA novel.

Hope this helps you decide! (If not, there's no such thing as too many books and buy them all!)

[Aearator]

I also don’t know if this has been mentioned before, but I would recommend reading Politics and the English Language by George Orwell. A very interesting essay