Books - What are you reading?
Discussion
'Breakfast at Tiffany's' was an interesting first foray into Capote. I'm now very interested in reading 'In Cold Blood', which seems to be his finest work. Capote's views were surprisingly progressive for a book published in the 1950s; I don't deny that even a modern reader on the hunt for something to be offended by would still find the book a bountiful source of outrage thanks to the word 'dyke', or the racial mixture of Ybarra-Jaeger, but it struck me as relatively forward-thinking.
Since I mentioned the short stories included with the Penguin Modern Classics edition, I read those also. None of the stories are especially long but they give some extra room for Capote's writing to shine through. 'A Diamond Guitar' was my favourite of the bunch but 'A Christmas Memory' is rather melancholic. If you like down-tempo Christmas songs, you might also enjoy it.
Not an especially long book, but I started and finished Irvine Welsh's 'The Blade Artist' today. I had been meaning to read it ever since it was first available. It's another tale with one of the characters of the 'Trainspotting' universe, Francis Begbie, now living in California as a successful artist under the name of Jim Francis. As with everything Welsh has written, quite a lot if it is in the Scots dialect.
Alas, it was decent but a strange character development for Begbie, the psycho ably played by Robert Carlyle in the films. To hear Begbie moralising rather than just battering people is a strange tonal shift. Of course it's not long until he's back in Leith, oftentimes killing his way through its criminal underworld. For anyone unaware, the timeline between the films and the novels is completely different, meaning TBA links with 'Skagboys', 'Trainspotting' and 'Porno', as opposed to 'T2', the film sequel. There's an Amazon review claiming TBA might be used as a basis for a third film... not sure how that'll work out giving the second film's ending.
Begbie has been returned to prison by way of having been locked in the boot of an E36 parked outside.
The next book on my reading list is 'The Radetzky March', by Joseph Roth. Originally published as Radetzkymarsch in German, in 1933, it chronicles the decline of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. There is a 1938 sequel that takes the story right up to the Anschluss under Hitler; if the first book is any good I fully intend to follow it up. Like Hans Fallada's 'Alone in Berlin' (which I read), translation has fallen to the excellent Michael Hofmann.
Goaty Bill 2 said:
The subject of the film is a bit 'racy' for its time.
Audrey Hepburn was, as always, glorious.
Edit for clarification.
One could watch the film quite happily, ignoring the subtle undertones.
I may watch the film at some stage in the future. As I understand it Capote favoured someone like Marilyn Monroe for the role of Holly Golightly, but we all recognise that picture of Hepburn with the cigarette holder, don't we?Audrey Hepburn was, as always, glorious.
Edit for clarification.
One could watch the film quite happily, ignoring the subtle undertones.
Edited by Goaty Bill 2 on Tuesday 21st November 08:59
Ragsto said:
Thank you for reminding me about "Breakfast at Tiffany's". I remember it as a wonderful book that must have been a shocker when it was published. Enjoy it!
I did!Since I mentioned the short stories included with the Penguin Modern Classics edition, I read those also. None of the stories are especially long but they give some extra room for Capote's writing to shine through. 'A Diamond Guitar' was my favourite of the bunch but 'A Christmas Memory' is rather melancholic. If you like down-tempo Christmas songs, you might also enjoy it.
Not an especially long book, but I started and finished Irvine Welsh's 'The Blade Artist' today. I had been meaning to read it ever since it was first available. It's another tale with one of the characters of the 'Trainspotting' universe, Francis Begbie, now living in California as a successful artist under the name of Jim Francis. As with everything Welsh has written, quite a lot if it is in the Scots dialect.
Alas, it was decent but a strange character development for Begbie, the psycho ably played by Robert Carlyle in the films. To hear Begbie moralising rather than just battering people is a strange tonal shift. Of course it's not long until he's back in Leith, oftentimes killing his way through its criminal underworld. For anyone unaware, the timeline between the films and the novels is completely different, meaning TBA links with 'Skagboys', 'Trainspotting' and 'Porno', as opposed to 'T2', the film sequel. There's an Amazon review claiming TBA might be used as a basis for a third film... not sure how that'll work out giving the second film's ending.
Begbie has been returned to prison by way of having been locked in the boot of an E36 parked outside.
The next book on my reading list is 'The Radetzky March', by Joseph Roth. Originally published as Radetzkymarsch in German, in 1933, it chronicles the decline of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. There is a 1938 sequel that takes the story right up to the Anschluss under Hitler; if the first book is any good I fully intend to follow it up. Like Hans Fallada's 'Alone in Berlin' (which I read), translation has fallen to the excellent Michael Hofmann.
Edited by Levin on Wednesday 22 November 21:58
Levin said:
Alas, it was decent but a strange character development for Begbie, the psycho ably played by Robert Carlyle in the films. To hear Begbie moralising rather than just battering people is a strange tonal shift. Of course it's not long until he's back in Leith, oftentimes killing his way through its criminal underworld. For anyone unaware, the timeline between the films and the novels is completely different, meaning TBA links with 'Skagboys', 'Trainspotting' and 'Porno', as opposed to 'T2', the film sequel. There's an Amazon review claiming TBA might be used as a basis for a third film... not sure how that'll work out giving the second film's ending.
Welsh was obviously using Jimmy Boyle for inspiration:https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jimmy_Boyle_(artist)
lowdrag said:
I can't compete with the highbrow Russian literature above but I have just finished "!The Hard Way" by Lee Child. Another of the Jack Reacher books which are so easy to read and enjoyable. How on earth Tom Cruise got the film role as a 6' 5" ex-marine beats me though.
Gospodin Orlov will no doubt be pleased at your high opinion of his literary efforts. 
ElectricSoup said:
Looks preferable to Crime and Punishment.
Which is on my list of 'must read again'Recently received an 1895 (possibly first?) edition of Tugenev's 'Father's and Children' - Constance Garnet translation.
I wasn't keen on the translation I read and quite like the Garnet translations in other works, so we'll see.
Also on its way is 'Liza', 'A Sportsmans Notebook', 'Smoke' and 'Virgin Soil'.
Mikhail Afanasyevich has of course not been ignored 'The White Guard', 'A Country Doctor's Notebook', 'Black Snow' and 'The Life of Monsieur De Moliere'.
I thought the blade artist was pretty good as begbie has finally grown up and started anew unlike a lot of characters in the book
just started ready player one by ernest cline-pretty good
just finished merlin's wood by Robert holdstock-good ending but obviously not as good as mythago wood
just started ready player one by ernest cline-pretty good
just finished merlin's wood by Robert holdstock-good ending but obviously not as good as mythago wood
This thing of Darkeness by Harry Thompson, which I will be amazed at if it has'nt been mentioned on here before.
Story of the 23 year old Captain of HMS Beagle, and his friendship
with a young Charles Darwin and the very different obsessions each had,and, again, the very different outcomes each experienced.
Sadly, this was to be the Authors only novel as he, Thompson died of cancer
the same year the book was published. What an absolute stunning first novel this is.
gooner1 said:
This thing of Darkeness by Harry Thompson, which I will be amazed at if it has'nt been mentioned on here before.
Story of the 23 year old Captain of HMS Beagle, and his friendship
with a young Charles Darwin and the very different obsessions each had,and, again, the very different outcomes each experienced.
Sadly, this was to be the Authors only novel as he, Thompson died of cancer
the same year the book was published. What an absolute stunning first novel this is.
Just bought it on kindle Story of the 23 year old Captain of HMS Beagle, and his friendship
with a young Charles Darwin and the very different obsessions each had,and, again, the very different outcomes each experienced.
Sadly, this was to be the Authors only novel as he, Thompson died of cancer
the same year the book was published. What an absolute stunning first novel this is.
Slow Horses by Mick Herron.
Nothing heavy, just a very entertaining novel based on a group
of misfits and f
kups from M16.
Dumped and abandoned to a non description building and
department,with the intent that they will rot away in silence while sitting
out the rest of their careers, or resign.
However.......
Nothing heavy, just a very entertaining novel based on a group
of misfits and f
kups from M16.Dumped and abandoned to a non description building and
department,with the intent that they will rot away in silence while sitting
out the rest of their careers, or resign.
However.......
Levin said:
Like Hans Fallada's 'Alone in Berlin' (which I read), translation has fallen to the excellent Michael Hofmann.
Just as a follow up to this closing line of my previous post, I was in the Belfast branch of Waterstones a few days ago and noticed a range of Fallada titles I haven't yet read. I didn't check the translator but it would appear there is new interest in his works! If Hofmann happens to be handling these translations, I have a notion what stocking fillers I'll want this Christmas.Halmyre said:
Welsh was obviously using Jimmy Boyle for inspiration:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jimmy_Boyle_(artist)
I didn't realise there was such a close real-world parallel, but it would be miraculous if Welsh hadn't been inspired by Boyle's story. Thanks for sharing the knowledge.https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jimmy_Boyle_(artist)
p1doc said:
I thought the blade artist was pretty good as begbie has finally grown up and started anew unlike a lot of characters in the book
just started ready player one by ernest cline-pretty good
just finished merlin's wood by Robert holdstock-good ending but obviously not as good as mythago wood
What did you make of the ending? It seemed to me like an opening for a sequel, which may well be Welsh's intent. I think what most displeased me about the book was the loose end left untied (although that too could be grounds for a sequel).just started ready player one by ernest cline-pretty good
just finished merlin's wood by Robert holdstock-good ending but obviously not as good as mythago wood
gooner1 said:
This thing of Darkeness by Harry Thompson, which I will be amazed at if it has'nt been mentioned on here before.
Story of the 23 year old Captain of HMS Beagle, and his friendship
with a young Charles Darwin and the very different obsessions each had,and, again, the very different outcomes each experienced.
Sadly, this was to be the Authors only novel as he, Thompson died of cancer
the same year the book was published. What an absolute stunning first novel this is.
This book is amazing.Story of the 23 year old Captain of HMS Beagle, and his friendship
with a young Charles Darwin and the very different obsessions each had,and, again, the very different outcomes each experienced.
Sadly, this was to be the Authors only novel as he, Thompson died of cancer
the same year the book was published. What an absolute stunning first novel this is.
You may also enjoy:
Aubrey and maturin novels by Patrick obrien and the same author's biography of Joseph banks.
gooner1 said:
Slow Horses by Mick Herron.
Nothing heavy, just a very entertaining novel based on a group
of misfits and fkups from M16.
Dumped and abandoned to a non description building and
department,with the intent that they will rot away in silence while sitting
out the rest of their careers, or resign.
However.......
Have read all of these. Gets better and betterNothing heavy, just a very entertaining novel based on a group
of misfits and f
kups from M16.Dumped and abandoned to a non description building and
department,with the intent that they will rot away in silence while sitting
out the rest of their careers, or resign.
However.......
gooner1 said:
This thing of Darkeness by Harry Thompson, which I will be amazed at if it has'nt been mentioned on here before.
Story of the 23 year old Captain of HMS Beagle, and his friendship
with a young Charles Darwin and the very different obsessions each had,and, again, the very different outcomes each experienced.
Sadly, this was to be the Authors only novel as he, Thompson died of cancer
the same year the book was published. What an absolute stunning first novel this is.
Excellent read and a really good insight to a subject with which I was not familiar. It has been covered on here before, but certainly deserves a second mention Story of the 23 year old Captain of HMS Beagle, and his friendship
with a young Charles Darwin and the very different obsessions each had,and, again, the very different outcomes each experienced.
Sadly, this was to be the Authors only novel as he, Thompson died of cancer
the same year the book was published. What an absolute stunning first novel this is.
Just finished Double Cross by Ben Macintyre - a biopic of Operation Fortitude and the spies behind it. I'll be honest, I was disappointed with myself for not knowing much about this and this book was a fantastic read into a quite unbelievable true tale.
What amazed me was how much apathy and corruption there was within the German espionage ranks (and High Command to an extent) and how many were resigned to defeat so early under Hitler.
Highly recommended.
Now onto something very different - Bonfire of the Vanities by Tom Wolfe.
What amazed me was how much apathy and corruption there was within the German espionage ranks (and High Command to an extent) and how many were resigned to defeat so early under Hitler.
Highly recommended.
Now onto something very different - Bonfire of the Vanities by Tom Wolfe.
Levin said:
What did you make of the ending? It seemed to me like an opening for a sequel, which may well be Welsh's intent. I think what most displeased me about the book was the loose end left untied (although that too could be grounds for a sequel).
thought that was the reason for that ending but would be hard to do as film now after T2 I reckon so may only be a book sequeljust finished reading ragthorn by Robert holdstock very good now onto keith Floyd autobiography
Iain Banks' The Quarry was recommended to me by a friend.
It is character driven, and in a big way. There's 8 or so in the dramatis personae with the 'hero', Kit, being a special needs savant, a sort of higher functioning Rain Man. I read it in two days, all 325 pages.
Any explanation of the story would be difficult as it would give a bit away. Enough to say the location is an old house, a small mansion overlooking the titular quary, where Kit and his father live. A group of visitors arrive for an annual get-together. This seems a bit clichéd but far from it.
Well written, with well developed characters, almost to a fault with Kit. Great fun. It dragged me in.
Recommended.
It is character driven, and in a big way. There's 8 or so in the dramatis personae with the 'hero', Kit, being a special needs savant, a sort of higher functioning Rain Man. I read it in two days, all 325 pages.
Any explanation of the story would be difficult as it would give a bit away. Enough to say the location is an old house, a small mansion overlooking the titular quary, where Kit and his father live. A group of visitors arrive for an annual get-together. This seems a bit clichéd but far from it.
Well written, with well developed characters, almost to a fault with Kit. Great fun. It dragged me in.
Recommended.
Derek Smith said:
Iain Banks' The Quarry was recommended to me by a friend.
It is character driven, and in a big way. There's 8 or so in the dramatis personae with the 'hero', Kit, being a special needs savant, a sort of higher functioning Rain Man. I read it in two days, all 325 pages.
Any explanation of the story would be difficult as it would give a bit away. Enough to say the location is an old house, a small mansion overlooking the titular quary, where Kit and his father live. A group of visitors arrive for an annual get-together. This seems a bit clichéd but far from it.
Well written, with well developed characters, almost to a fault with Kit. Great fun. It dragged me in.
Recommended.
Permit me, do, to add my recommendation tooIt is character driven, and in a big way. There's 8 or so in the dramatis personae with the 'hero', Kit, being a special needs savant, a sort of higher functioning Rain Man. I read it in two days, all 325 pages.
Any explanation of the story would be difficult as it would give a bit away. Enough to say the location is an old house, a small mansion overlooking the titular quary, where Kit and his father live. A group of visitors arrive for an annual get-together. This seems a bit clichéd but far from it.
Well written, with well developed characters, almost to a fault with Kit. Great fun. It dragged me in.
Recommended.
I am not a hugely committed Banks fan but this one I really got into
good tip Derek
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