After the Race by James Joyce

by Carol7 Comments
"After the Race" by James Joyce I have never read anything by Joyce that I remember. It seems unlikely that I didn't read at least an excerpt from something when I was in college, but if I did it didn't stick with me. "After the Race" is from Dubliners, first published in 1914. The story begins with a car race through Dublin and tells the story of Jimmy Doyle, a young Irishman who is riding with a Frenchman, Segouin, the rich owner of the car who is starting motor business. Jimmy is the son of a wealthy merchant, well-educated and well-provided for. He is aware of how much work it was for his father to attain his success and considers his investment with Segouin to be serious, although it did meet with his father's approval. Jimmy and his father want to associate with the higher social classes and Jimmy, after the race, joins the Frenchman and several friends for dinner. It's a delight,...
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The Inimitable Jeeves by P. G. Wodehouse

by Carol11 Comments
The Inimitable Jeeves by P. G. Wodehouse This was my first meeting with Jeeves, and I must admit that I enjoyed the audiobook immensely. The book is a series of very loosely linked stories. In most of them, young, wealthy Wooster or his pal Bingo Little get in some sticky situation often involving a woman or gambling, and it is up to Wooster's genius butler Jeeves to solve the problem. Sometimes Wooster asks Jeeves for help and sometimes Jeeves takes care of the situation before Wooster even realizes there is cause for concern. I have to say that some of the situations Wooster found himself were just hilarious. My personal favorite, though, is when he goes to the country and bets on the which of the local parsons will deliver the longest sermon. The narrator's accent and the British slang were a treat for me and just added to the fun. I will definitely be reading more of the Jeeves books. First published in 1923 6...
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The Touchstone by Edith Wharton

by Carol7 Comments
The Touchstone by Edith Wharton This is the only work by Edith Wharton that I've read. It was published in 1900 and was her first published novella. I probably should have started with one of her better known works, like The House of Mirth or The Age of Innocence.  The Touchstone was just not remarkable for me, not one I'll remember. Stephen Glennard is too poor to propose to the woman he wants to marry, the beautiful Alexa Trent. An advertisement in the Spectator, expressing interest in information about the famous novelist Mrs. Aubyn, catches his eye.  He actually has letters written to him by her.  Mrs. Aubyn had been in love with Glennard and the letters, although wonderfully written, were very personal and private, not meant for anyone else to see. Glennard, who had never loved her, makes the morally dubious choice of selling them for puplication, keeping his own name out of it. Now, Glennard is financially secure, but at what...
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Teaser Tuesday

by Carol7 Comments
Grab your current read. Let the book fall open to a random page. Share with us two (2) "teaser" sentences from somewhere on that page. You also need to share the title of the book that you're getting your "teaser" from...that way people can have some great book recommendations if they like the teaser you've given. Please avoid spoilers! My teaser: A throb of anger rose in him, but suddenly it fell, and he felt, with a curious sense of relief, that at bottom he no longer cared whether Flamel had told his wife or not. The assumption that Flamel knew about the letters had become a fact to Glennard; and it now seemed to him better that Alexa should know too. -pg. 61, The Touchstone by Edith Wharton Teaser Tuesdays is hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Play along. My copy was borrowed from the library. I am an Amazon associate....
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Teaser Tuesday

by Carol13 Comments
Grab your current read. Let the book fall open to a random page. Share with us two (2) "teaser" sentences from somewhere on that page. You also need to share the title of the book that you're getting your "teaser" from...that way people can have some great book recommendations if they like the teaser you've given. Please avoid spoilers! My teaser: With that relief, I began to fetch my breath again, and to see things about me, as things really were. Looking toward the sand-hills, I saw the men-servants from out-of-doors, and the fisherman, named Yolland, all running down to us together; and all, having taken the alarm, calling out to know if the girl had been found. -pg. 174, The Moonstone by Wilkie Collins Teaser Tuesdays is hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Play along. My copy was purchased. I am an Amazon Associate....
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P is for Persuasion

by Carol13 Comments
Vicki of Reading At The Beach hosts A-Z Wednesday. Today's letter is P. I'm going with a classic this week. I read Persuasion in November of 2007 and rated it 5 out of 5 stars. At the time, I said that one reason I really enjoyed this book was that the main characters  had some life experience that they were bringing with them. Anne was almost too perfect, but I still liked her and was rooting for her. This is not the edition I read, but I really like this cover. Persuasion by Jane Austen Anne Elliot, heroine of Austen's last novel, did something we can all relate to: Long ago, she let the love of her life get away. In this case, she had allowed herself to be persuaded by a trusted family friend that the young man she loved wasn't an adequate match, social stationwise, and that Anne could do better. The novel opens some seven years after Anne sent her...
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