Hello!

[alcesverdes]

New member here. My name is Angie and I've loved to read for many years. It all started because my dad had a series of abridged classics with illustrations. Those were great, and I re-read them many times. Afterwards, the first full novel I read was Little Women, followed by The Call of the Wild by Jack London--whom I actually blame for my love of dogs.

I read those in translations to Spanish, my native tongue. I've actually started to read books in English too recently since until recently it was harder to come by them over here, and I don't like to buy them online. Not sure why, just a preference.

Well, since I've been sort of convalescing the past couple of weeks, I read All Creatures Great and Small by James Herriot. I finished it two nights ago. It's so endearing! I really loved it! Even with the detailed veterinarian procedures, which I found so seamlessly integrated in the narration that it doesn't feel too heavy to read. Then again, I have a strong stomach; I'm curious about what others may think of that.

Currently, I'm debating between Slaughterhouse-Five by Kurt Vonnegut and The Acts of King Arthur by John Steinbeck for my next reading. I'd love to hear any thoughts you may have about it to help me decide.

Thank you!

Comments

[sweet_sparrow]

Not having read either (and only heard of the first), I can't help you decide which to read first, but I did want to say 'hi'. So...

Hi! *waves* Nice to meet you. ^-^

[alcesverdes]

Hello! Nice to meet you too :D

[dame_grise]

All Creatures Great and Small and its sequels have always been some of my favorite books. When I visited the United Kingdom for my junior year of college, I went to Herriot's hometown to see the real Skeldale House and the church where he married. I wasn't there on a day he was doing signings at the local bookstore, and he died shortly afterward, so I never got to tell him what great pleasure his books gave me.

As for the choices of your next book, I don't know the Steinbeck book, but Slaughterhouse-Five is supposed to be a very fine book, but I found it confusing. And a bit to visceral for me.

[alcesverdes]

Aw, that's a shame. ;_; But at least his books remain with us. I'm going to ask the bookstore for the sequels.

Slaughterhouse-Five is supposed to be a very fine book
Yes, that's what I've been told and why I bought it. I'll give it a try later.

[kaethe]

I haven't read the other two, but I loved James Herriot's books when I read them. Now I want to go find copies and reread :-).

[alcesverdes]

And I really loved this one. I must definitely get the sequels.

[eagle]

Like everyone else commenting so far, I can't help too much with your actual question. But I did want to mention, given the books that you've listed as liking, that Bambi is spectacularly good if you can find the original novel and not something based on the Disney movie. There are more details in my review.

[alcesverdes]

Your review made me feel very nostalgic. I read Bambi when I was in junior-high; there was a copy in the school library. I'm fuzzy on the details, but I do remember it made me cry on several points.

I should get a copy of my own.

Thank you!

Everything was beautiful, and nothing hurt.

[jaebility]

Welcome to the community!

Slaughterhouse-Five is one of my favorite books. It's a dark, dismal, and chaotic novel, but in my opinion, that's the way a book about war should be.

[alcesverdes]

Thank you!

It does like something I would like. I already finished the other one, so my guess is that I'll be starting Slaughterhouse-Five later today this week.

[jaebility]

Hope you enjoy it!