This is my first time taking part in It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? hosted by The Book Date, a popular meme that many bloggers I follow participate in. Kathryn of TBD is my partner for the July Comment Challenge, which inspired me to finally join in the fun.
Three Men in a Boat is a comic classic that I put on my Classics Club list. I’m enjoying the misadventures of Jerome and his two companions on the river Thames — they haven’t gotten very far yet, as the author tends to digress about various topics, which are also very funny. Perfect if you need a light summer read.
The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing is a historical novel about the Revolutionary War that I picked up for the Reading New England challenge, and it’s fantastic. I’m sure I’ll be writing more about it soon, so I won’t go into details here.
I actually became interested in The Life of Elves because I loved the novel the translator, Alison Anderson, recently published (The Summer Guest). I’m enjoying it but I can see how it might not be to all tastes — the language is very elaborate and the plot fairly non-existent. I’ll be writing more about this too, for the Paris in July event.
So that’s what I have going — all on my e-reader at the moment, as I loaded it up for traveling. What’s on your currently-reading shelf right now?
The Emerald City Book Review Archive 
Octavian Nothing looks interesting, as does The Life of Elves. What’s on my currently-reading shelf right now? Neil Gaiman’s American Gods, which I’m halfway through. Really don’t know why it’s taken me so long to get round to reading this — it’s been on my shelves for, ooh, four or five years — but it’s certainly been worth the wait. Can’t wait to finish it and share my thoughts on it, even though I daren’t second-guess how it’s going to turn out.
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I have my eye on American Gods, as I’m planning to feature it for Witch Week this year but have never read it. I’m glad to hear your reading experience is good so far!
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I have read and enjoyed Three Men…
The other two books look interesting to me too. I do love books about nothing and everything, with beautiful and elaborated language.
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I think you might like The Life of Elves then! From Goodreads reviews I see that many readers find it very different from The Elegance of the Hedgehog, so just be prepared fro that.
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Glad you’re enjoying Jerome’s book. Octavio Nothing is on my list for the near future, as is American Gods. Right now, I’m alternating between Michael Frayn’s Headlong, and History of New York by Diedrich Knickerbocker (aka Washington Irving).
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An interesting duo there. I love having contrasting books on my reading shelf.
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No wonder the author was familiar. I loved her La elegancia del erizo!
Have a wonderful trip.
I’m reading The Life Giving Home, but I am at that sweet time of contemplating what to read next. Probably a C.S.Lewis book, maybe a Sayers mystery too. I will see.
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Lewis and Sayers sound good!
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I’m glad you are enjoying Three Men In A Boat. Octavian Nothing sounds interesting. I hadn’t ever heard of it. I will be interested to read your more detailed post about it when you are done. Enjoy your trip.
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I had seen it around, but I’m not sure I would have picked it up if it weren’t for Reading New England. I’m looking forward to volume 2 now.
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Interesting assortment of books. Laurie Halse Anderson is an author that I keep meaning to read but somehow never do. Come see my reading week here. Happy reading!
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Laurie Halse Anderson is actually a different author, no relation to M.T. — I read her Fever 1789, another YA historical novel, but was not a huge fan (I know many people are though).
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Glad you joined up! I love Mondays…just seeing quick hits of what everyone is reading. I almost like it better than the reviews!
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They are fun posts to read. I am not good at keeping up to date, but I will try to do it occasionally at least.
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I’ve heard of Octavian Nothing, and actually Three Men in a Boat as well. I look forward to your reviews!
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It would be hard to find two books that are more different, yet they were both so good!
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Just wanted to let you (and your readers) know: Three Men in a Boat is free today, July 20, on Amazon and elsewhere, from Open Road Media (Kindle and epub.) Here’s the Amazon link: https://www.amazon.com/Three-Men-Boat-Jerome-K-ebook/dp/B00NG5PH40#navbar
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I saw that – serendipity indeed. Thanks for the link.
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Good to hear your New England book Octavian Nothing is so good. Great having you join in the meme. When I first starting blogging it is how I got to find various readers and their blogs. I never dreamed I would be asked to host it one day!
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I’m very glad you took it on. 🙂
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I’m trying to sort out a massive shit-ton of library books to figure out which ones I want to focus my energy on. So many books, so little time — the usual problem!
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And I keep checking out library books and ignoring the books sitting on my shelves. I have to conquer that pile some time.
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Three Men in a Boat looks like an interesting book, I’ll have to look into it. Have a great week!
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It’s quite fun, sort of a nineteenth century Bill Bryson.
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I’m reading Trouble at the Little Village School by Gervase Phinn, a light read for summer, and Journey to the Centre of the Earth by Jules Verne, my result from the last Classic Club spin. Happy reading the rest of the week 🙂
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I love Gervase Phinn! I have not read Verne since I was a kid but his books must be good summer reading too.
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I really enjoyed The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing and then never read the sequel. I really need to get to that and likely reread book 1 first!
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I’m moving on to Book II now. I can’t wait to find out what happens.
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Ooo, these all look interesting! I love this meme. 🙂
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Yes, so much lovely temptation to be found in everyone’s lists.
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Absolutely! 😉
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