White Fang by Jack London

After finishing Pride and Prejudice on the Aldiko e-reader I decided to just read one book at a time, that book being The Hunger Games, however, once I was sat with my son fast asleep on me I only had my phone with me so I decided to read the only other book that was already on the e-reader, that of White Fang. Those that read the blog will know I fell in love with Call of the Wild by Jack London so I was really excited to start reading.

I was not impressed. From the start I couldn't connect with any of the characters (I know, they are animals, but they each have their own personality, something that shone in Call of the Wild). I really couldn't care less about any of the wolves, the people or, as was described so well in Call of the Wild, the landscape.

It was written as a mirror image companion piece for Call of the Wild, with that book going from the safe, mundane, tame environment of a house, through to gradually being pulled to the wild. White Fang reversed this with the vicious wolf going from the wild, through to ownership, through to a house pet. There were a few good moments in, my favourite being the snivelling dog-napper Beaty Smith and his fighting dogs, but for the majority is was a chore to read.

It's given a pretty harsh 5 cushions.

I've started The Great Gatsby now on the Aldiko and I'm half way through.

Let me know if you agree.

Michael
@bigcomfybooks

Getting sidetracked by a classic

I finished The Help by Kathryn Stockett last week and my aim was to start and finish The Time Travellers Wife by Audrey Niffenegger in a week. Well, I didn't. My 7 days expired and I was only half way through. I feel a little annoyed at myself as this is something I really want to, and need to do. There are several reasons for this. I have a 1 year old who takes up 75% of my time, 20 % of my time I spend on cataloguing books for the shop. This leaves 5% for me. I'd say 2% is spent reading and the rest flabbing out in front of the TV watching Cougar Town (My God this is underrated). Anyway when my son falls asleep in the day he tends to sleep on me or my wife for a good hour, leaving either of us unable to move. I don't mind, in fact I really like it. This weekend he fell asleep and I had in my hand just my phone. I browsed the net (for the n'th time that day) then viewed the app store. I saw the Kindle-like ebook download reader thing (not official name) and decided to investigate. It was free and came with a few classics that I'd never read.

I started to read Call of the Wild by Jack London and was absolutely gripped. I am a pretty slow reader (another excuse why I'm only halfway through Time Travellers Wife) but by the time my little one had woken I had read half the book!
You may scoff and say why is a bookshop owner getting free downloads from an e-reader? Well, I already own a Kindle (GASP!) and love it. Books are to be read whatever form they come in. Sure I'm championing the real deal (and attempting to make a living from it) but to ignore the 'competition' would be foolish, plus, shut up, I'll do what I want. (Argument won, I think)

With two books half finished I need to concentrate on one book and that may be Call of the Wild as it seems to be such an easier read. I can see me easily fitting in a few other classics from the e-reader once my son falls asleep on me once more leaving me time to finish Call of the Wild and browse the dozens (hundreds maybe) of free classics and delving in. I am enjoying TTTW but it does seem to be getting a bit drawn out. I'll be adding all the books I read (from now on) to the Comfometer. So far just The Help occupies the list at 6.5 cushions out of 10. A good solid start.

If there are book's you'd like to recommend to me then just Tweet or Facebook me or leave a comment below.

Michael