Can you recommend a book?

Nullifidian · Post by **Nullifidian** » February 13th, 2012, 2:40 pm

When I feel down, I always read one of the Jeeves stories by P.G. Wodehouse.

We have two on LibriVox, and I can recommend them both, but I'd start with Right Ho, Jeeves first.

http://librivox.org/right-ho-jeeves-by-p-g-wodehouse/
http://librivox.org/my-man-jeeves-by-p-g-wodehouse/

Mike001 · Post by **Mike001** » February 14th, 2012, 12:42 pm

Kristingj wrote: Ahh... I have to admidt I am sceptical. I tried sense and sensebility, listened to 15 chapters before I just had to leave it.

It's a very clever book by a very clever woman. I sometimes doubt whether many readers are aware of how subtly and acutely Jane Austen sends up the younger sister, Marianne. The film made a few years ago to me really seemed to have missed the point as regards that. A clever book, and a witty book, but not perhaps a very funny book.

Northanger Abbey is likely funnier for most people -- and also a shorter book.

Charming, too:

"You feel, as you always do, what is most to the credit of human nature. ..."

This is the point with feelings, surely. Not that we make big claims for our own -- à la cult of sensibility -- but that it's best when they're just as they should be and just right. But I don't know what either of the Librivox versions of Northanger Abbey are like.

There's a very nice version of The Cricket on the Hearth at Librivox:

http://librivox.org/the-cricket-on-the-hearth-by-charles-dickens-2/

Kristingj · Post by **Kristingj** » February 15th, 2012, 4:17 am

Starlite wrote:A nice feel-good story

The Enchanted Barn

Nice rich guy falls in love with intelligent poor girl and changes her life.

Esther

Ahh! This was so nice! And a little exciting:P

miss stav · Post by **miss stav** » February 15th, 2012, 5:41 am

Hay Mike,
did you like Mensfield Park? It's my favorite Austin novel.
Stav.

Mike001 · Post by **Mike001** » February 15th, 2012, 10:25 am

miss stav wrote:Hay Mike,
did you like Mensfield Park? It's my favorite Austin novel.
Stav.

Yes, I did. It's awhile since I read it, though.

Starlite · Post by **Starlite** » February 15th, 2012, 12:33 pm

Kristingj wrote:
Starlite wrote:A nice feel-good story

The Enchanted Barn

Nice rich guy falls in love with intelligent poor girl and changes her life.

Esther
Ahh! This was so nice! And a little exciting:P

Yes I forgot there was a little mystery in there too. It kept me company while on a 16 hour car trip. (And I didn't even leave the province)

When Driving like this, I prefer books that will NOT put me to sleep.

I love a good mystery.

Esther

RuthieG · Post by **RuthieG** » February 15th, 2012, 3:43 pm

/dreadfully off-topic, sorry

It kept me company while on a 16 hour car trip. (And I didn't even leave the province)

Crumbs. How far was that?

That made me find a picture of the signpost at Land's End (far south-west of England) showing how far it is to John o'Groats at the top right of Scotland (874 miles or 1,407 km), which is the furthest you can go on the British mainland, and the comments below did make me laugh:

Comparing to China, it is very short though.

Yes, I understand that. China is a little bit bigger than UK.

Ruth

Cori · Post by **Cori** » February 15th, 2012, 3:45 pm

RuthieG wrote:/dreadfully off-topic, sorry

It kept me company while on a 16 hour car trip. (And I didn't even leave the province)
Crumbs. How far was that?

I didn't know Canada had a version of the M25 at rush-hour.

Post by **TriciaG** » February 15th, 2012, 5:41 pm

Hey! They're driving on the wrong side of the road!

That's not even the farthest you can go in Ontario. I think a pretty fair "furthest" (through inhabited regions) would be Cornwall to Kenora, which is 2084 km (1295 mi). Looks like they clock it at 28 hours, if their "one day" is 24 hours.

RuthieG · Post by **RuthieG** » February 15th, 2012, 6:18 pm

I promise not to derail this thread ONCE more after this, but this reminded me of an ancient thread:
viewtopic.php?p=319632#p319632 (where, of course, I also derailed the thread...)

Now, I shut up.

Margaret · Post by **Margaret** » February 15th, 2012, 7:21 pm

This is a wonderful and charming story: http://librivox.org/the-enchanted-april-by-elizabeth-von-arnim/
And so is this one: http://librivox.org/queen-lucia-by-edward-frederic-benson/

Post by **MaryAnnSpiegel** » February 16th, 2012, 6:12 pm

Kristin,

Hope things are looking up for you. Your post has sparked a wonderful list of books! I'm going to check out several that I had not heard of before.

Personally, I thought Elizabeth Klett's recording of Pride and Prejudice was terrific at bringing out the biting humor of Austen. But it may not be everyone's cup of tea.

And for light listening - I have enjoyed
The Adventures of Sally - http://librivox.org/the-adventures-of-sally-by-p-g-wodehouse/
The Girl on the Boat - http://librivox.org/the-girl-on-the-boat-by-p-g-wodehouse/
Heidi - http://librivox.org/heidi-by-johanna-spyri-solo/

Oh, that's a little tilted toward KayRay. So for some variety, I would second the Zenda stories read by Andy Minter and add:

Some Experiences of an Irish PM http://librivox.org/some-experiences-of-an-irish-rm-by-edith-oenone-somerville-and-martin-ross/

MaryAnn

Post by **Availle** » February 17th, 2012, 3:31 am

Oh, now that you mention Andy!

http://librivox.org/the-wrong-box-by-robert-louis-stevenson-and-lloyd-osbourne/

No love affairs around. Just old men who refuse to die, sons who think their father is dead and try to cover it up... Missing boxes and thrashed marble statues...

I had lots of fun with this one.

Starlite · Post by **Starlite** » February 17th, 2012, 3:29 pm

1300 kms

Barrie Ontario to Thunder Bay Ontario. I can still go west another 4 hours before hitting the Manitoba border.

I did it in one day. Started at 6am and arrived just before midnight. Thank EVERYONE for LibriVox!

Esther

Kristingj · Post by **Kristingj** » February 18th, 2012, 12:49 am

Okay, I've had a hectic week, so I'm goin to annswer in bulk here:P First, thanks to everyone who has suggested books. I have edited the first post to add all those I have yet to listen to (mostly for my own sake, so I don't have to go through the whole post), and those that I have (mostly for others, so they don't have to go through the whole post)

miss stav wrote: * The Grace Harloey books (lovely, funny, perfect for a distraction.)

I couldn't seem to find this one.

Nullifidian wrote:When I feel down, I always read one of the Jeeves stories by P.G. Wodehouse.

We have two on LibriVox, and I can recommend them both, but I'd start with Right Ho, Jeeves first.

http://librivox.org/right-ho-jeeves-by-p-g-wodehouse/
http://librivox.org/my-man-jeeves-by-p-g-wodehouse/

How are these in librivox? He died in 1975....

Mike001 wrote:
Kristingj wrote: Ahh... I have to admidt I am sceptical. I tried sense and sensebility, listened to 15 chapters before I just had to leave it.
It's a very clever book by a very clever woman. I sometimes doubt whether many readers are aware of how subtly and acutely Jane Austen sends up the younger sister, Marianne. The film made a few years ago to me really seemed to have missed the point as regards that. A clever book, and a witty book, but not perhaps a very funny book.

That might be, I just got so extremely frustrated with some of the characters and their stupidity and meanness. And to be quite honest, in the mood that I am, it just doesn't work.

Thanks again to everyone!!