What is the Sunday Salon? The Sunday Salon is a place to link up and share what we have been doing during the week. It's also a great opportunity to visit other blogs and join in the conversations going on there.
I feel like I should give myself a trophy...Yes, I did it---I finished A Tale of Two Cities. I didn't read it thoroughly and completely, like I have done with other classics in the past, and I didn't like it and I didn't like most of the characters, but I admired the circuitous way the book was written and I admired the themes of the book. So---Done!
What I Read Last Week
(Links will take you to my review):
A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens
A Bakery in Paris by Aimie K. Runyan
Claudine: A Fairy Tale for Exceptional Grownups by Marian Grudko and T. A. Young
A Little History of the World by E. H. Gombrich
What I'm Reading Now:
Lonesome Dove by Larry McMurtry (Chapter-a-Day; 58%)
Thérèse Raquin by Émile Zola (Paris in July)
Le Road Trip: A Traveler's Journal of Love and France by Vivian Swift (Paris in July)
The French Art of Living Well: Finding Joie de Vivre in the Everyday World by Cathy Yandell (Paris in July)
What I Posted Last Week Here at Readerbuzz:
Paris in July has begun. I'm celebrating being in Paris this July by:
(1) Reading some books set in Paris...
Remembering Paris by Denis Tillinac
A Bakery in Paris by Aimee Runyon
A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens
(2) Watching...
Maigret (1992) on BritBox.
Maigret (2018) on BritBox.
(3) Practicing my French on Duolingo.
I began to list 3 Good Things every day during the pandemic. Now I've established a regular routine of writing down my 3 Good Things. Here are 3 Good Things from last week:
Good Thing #1:
Good Thing #2:
Guitar lessons are going well.
Good Thing #3:
Our last meeting of my writing class
for the summer.
How was your week?
I hope you will link up with a post or two,
and share what you have been up to.
Yay. You finished A Tale of Two Cities. I felt the way you felt about that book about The Name of the Rose. I hated it and had to force myself to read it. Now that I'm not reading it, I kinda like it and have fond-ish memories of the plot. I hope your book grows on you, too, so you can recover from your experience.
ReplyDeleteGood job on Tale of Two Cities! I had to read it for English Lit in high school. I honestly don’t think I’d have read it had I not been forced to, but ultimately, I did come to appreciate it. Enjoy your Paris themed books!
ReplyDeleteWell done on getting through A Tale of Two Cities! That's some determination.
ReplyDeleteI give you kudos for finishing A Tale of Two Cities. It is hard to finish a book that you’re not completely enjoying. Have a great weekend Deb!
ReplyDeleteI have entered two posts for today because they are closely related — one post documents the Acropolis Museum in Athens, the other documents our visit to the Acropolis itself. We are spending t he weekend in Athens, and then will visit other Mediterranean locations. Wonderful!
ReplyDeleteThanks for hosting, congrats on finishing the challenging book, and have a great week… mae at maefood.blogspot.com
I added that A Bakery in Paris book for my to-read list. Hope I can get it to add to the Paris in July event. Good for you finishing A Tale og Two Cities! Makes me reluctant to try that one for my next round of classics, maybe after I finish my current list of 50. I will be interested to read yur thoughts on the book by Zola.
ReplyDeleteCongratulations! I haven't read that since 11th grade, but I loved it then! I still think of Mme. Defarge every time I see someone knitting!
ReplyDeleteCongrats on completing it.
ReplyDeleteWhoohoo! You did it! I'll bet it feels good to have that book under your belt. I read it in high school and can't remember if I like it or not, but I have no inclination to read it again.
ReplyDeleteCongratulations to you for finishing it!
ReplyDeleteAnother congrats on Tale of Two Cities. I read that in high school and then for the longest time I thought I didn't like Dickens. I keep wondering if I should give it another try, but maybe not! (I just read your Goodreads review.) So much of Dickens is funny, and I don't remember that one being funny at all.
ReplyDeleteSo impressed by how many books you read. I could only manage two books per month now since I started moving and am still settling down in my own place.
ReplyDeleteYou definitely deserve a trophy for finishing A Tale of Two Cities. I read it in high school -- mostly for the satisfaction of saying that I read it. I don't remember how much I liked it, except for being impressed by how it all came together in the end. Since then, I've been happy that I understand the context of the famous quotes -- the one that started the book and this one: "It is a far, far better thing that I do, than I have ever done; it is a far, far better rest that I go to, than I have ever known."
ReplyDeleteCongratulations on finishing the book and on all your accomplishments this week.
ReplyDeleteCongratulations on finishing A Tale of Two Cities! I appreciate reading your thoughts on it. Have a great weekend! :)
ReplyDeleteCongrats on finishing A Tale... I see that it is a chunkster. I still haven't read any Dickens so can't say if I like him or not.
ReplyDeleteCongratulations on conquering the mountain! I always enjoy your good things.
ReplyDeleteSounds like a great week with guitar, writing class, and good books. What more could we want?!
ReplyDeleteSo many great books on your list. I love the Paris theme. Have a great week!
ReplyDeleteCongratulations! I was tortured reading that book in high school and have no desire to ever read it again.
ReplyDeleteI hope you have fun reading this week. You deserve it.😀
Congratulations! I was tortured reading that book in high school and have no desire to ever read it again.
ReplyDeleteI hope you have fun reading this week. You deserve it.😀
I've only read A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens. I started Great Expectations years ago but never finished it. Your French themed July sounds good. I've recently finished a book set mainly in France so I can tick that off. I am so far behind on my 20 Books of Summer Challenge though that I need to focus more on that.
ReplyDeleteHave a great week ahead!
I can't believe you're already having 'last's of summer! This summer is really flying by!
ReplyDeleteIt's hard for me to make myself slog through a book when I don't like it or the characters. Nice work getting through that classic! Love the Paris in July theme! Have a wonderful week, Deb!
ReplyDeleteI am so impressed at your perseverence! I find Dickens to be a bit of a Marmite author - I either love or loathe his books - there's no halfway house. And I'd be interested to hear which of the Maigret versions you prefer. I recall watching both of them when they first came out... I hope you have a lovely week, Deb:).
ReplyDeleteI hope you get a chance to watch the movie, the original with Dirk Bogarde. You will love the book and the story then!
ReplyDeletecongratulations!
ReplyDeleteFunny, I don't remember it being so bad, I actually listened to it, a few years ago, and enjoyed it. Maybe it would be easier in audio?
Very French week, lovely!
Isn't Le Road Trip so so beautiful?
I tried to add a Like to your goodreads review of Claudine, and it gave me an error code. and an insanely long error code when I tried to add a comment.
ReplyDeleteI meant to add that indeed Claudine is such a wonderful book!
Well, now that I'm back here, might as well encourage you to read the 2nd book: https://wordsandpeace.com/2024/12/16/book-review-claudine-and-the-bridge-of-two-hearts/
I have missed seeing your 3 good things every week. I love that you've been taking guitar lessons!!
ReplyDeleteGood job finishing A Tale of Two Cities. I'm not sure I could have done it. I put books down when I don't like them.
ReplyDeletehttps://stuckinbooks.com/2025/07/12/stacking-the-shelves-7-12-25/
Yay for finishing A Tale of Two Cities! I am sorry you did not enjoy it more. I am also glad your guitar lessons are going well! Have a great rest of your weekend!
ReplyDeletePerseverance pays off with the feeling of accomplishment. :-)
ReplyDeleteGod bless you for getting through A Tale of Two Cities. I could never do it, but I might try again one day. I might do the same thing you did for Mansfield Park. I don't like it but I have this strong desire to actually finish it to say I did it!
ReplyDeleteThe Baker in Paris looks very good. I'll have to go read your review of it.
I hope you have a great reading week!
Whoosh! You conquered Tale of Two Cities, great job!! I have not read that Dickens novel yet. But I guess you think it's low on his list of good reads. That's nice you get BritBox too. We might have to splurge on that sometime. Enjoy your Paris travels. lol.
ReplyDeleteI love your three good things practice so much.
ReplyDelete