Books - What are you reading?
Discussion
TheJimi said:
Birdsong, by Sebastian Faulks has been on my list for a long time. I've finally gotten around to it, and although I'm only at the very beginning, I'm really enjoying it already.
It's brilliant, but you'll feel like you've really been through the mill by the time you finish it.paulguitar said:
TheJimi said:
Birdsong, by Sebastian Faulks has been on my list for a long time. I've finally gotten around to it, and although I'm only at the very beginning, I'm really enjoying it already.
It's brilliant, but you'll feel like you've really been through the mill by the time you finish it.TheJimi said:
Birdsong, by Sebastian Faulks has been on my list for a long time. I've finally gotten around to it, and although I'm only at the very beginning, I'm really enjoying it already.
Tremendous book, but don’t get fooled. Charlotte Gray was also excellent, but could have done toning down the florid prose. By the time of “On Green Dolphin Street” no page was complete without 200 descriptive words of waffle.Just my view and my books are non existent, so what do I know about how to write literature.
Stuart70 said:
TheJimi said:
Birdsong, by Sebastian Faulks has been on my list for a long time. I've finally gotten around to it, and although I'm only at the very beginning, I'm really enjoying it already.
Tremendous book, but don’t get fooled. Charlotte Gray was also excellent, but could have done toning down the florid prose. By the time of “On Green Dolphin Street” no page was complete without 200 descriptive words of waffle.Just my view and my books are non existent, so what do I know about how to write literature.
coppice said:
No need to be modest , you are bang on the money with that appraisal . Some of his later books show a return to form, while others suggest a continuing decline . He is a decent author ,and sometimes excellent , but of his peers he ain't even in the same postcode as Ian Mcewan or Martin Amis. And Donna Tartt and Richard Ford are in a different universe .
I like Donna Tartt - Secret History in particular was a joy. I got bogged down in The Goldfinch, really because I read if over two different periods, I should have restarted it. Ian McEwen, I was never sure between William Boyd, Martin Amis and even a bit of non sci fi Iain Banks at his best (but I am Scottish and so biased!).Richard Ford is a name that keeps coming up - anything you would recommend?
The trilogy of The Sportswriter, Independence Day and Lay of the Land. in that order . Wonderful , wonderful books, exquisitely written. But I value style over plot to a very high degree and these are not racy , thrill a minute novels - not that I am suggesting that is your preferred diet , but things often happen very slowly in Ford;s prose - Independence Day is 120k words (450 +pages ) and describes events of one weekend .
Re Tartt , I somehow never quite clicked with Secret History , but I adored The Goldfinch and didn't want it ever to end - and it is over 850 pages .
In absolute terms though the two books I have enjoyed the most in the last five years are the Jonathan Meades anthology - Pedro and Ricky Come Again and the sublime, dazzling Inside Story by Martin Amis . The smartarse's smartarse can infuriate or enchant - and I am in the second camp !
Re Tartt , I somehow never quite clicked with Secret History , but I adored The Goldfinch and didn't want it ever to end - and it is over 850 pages .
In absolute terms though the two books I have enjoyed the most in the last five years are the Jonathan Meades anthology - Pedro and Ricky Come Again and the sublime, dazzling Inside Story by Martin Amis . The smartarse's smartarse can infuriate or enchant - and I am in the second camp !
I've just finished "Grief Encounters" by Stuart Pawson. Detective Charlie Priest has to solve a murder enquiry, but at the same time it looks as if a group are blackmailing locals for fun, leading to dismissal and suicide. A good book, gentle rather than hard-hitting, another author I always enjoy.
coppice said:
The trilogy of The Sportswriter, Independence Day and Lay of the Land. in that order . Wonderful , wonderful books, exquisitely written. But I value style over plot to a very high degree and these are not racy , thrill a minute novels - not that I am suggesting that is your preferred diet , but things often happen very slowly in Ford;s prose - Independence Day is 120k words (450 +pages ) and describes events of one weekend .
Re Tartt , I somehow never quite clicked with Secret History , but I adored The Goldfinch and didn't want it ever to end - and it is over 850 pages .
In absolute terms though the two books I have enjoyed the most in the last five years are the Jonathan Meades anthology - Pedro and Ricky Come Again and the sublime, dazzling Inside Story by Martin Amis . The smartarse's smartarse can infuriate or enchant - and I am in the second camp !
Thank you for that, I will order and start on Ford. I have been round and back again on Amis - one of the voices of my life - along with the Americans (Updike, Roth, DeLillo as well as John Irving). I have no problem with length, but weary quickly of overblown prose.Re Tartt , I somehow never quite clicked with Secret History , but I adored The Goldfinch and didn't want it ever to end - and it is over 850 pages .
In absolute terms though the two books I have enjoyed the most in the last five years are the Jonathan Meades anthology - Pedro and Ricky Come Again and the sublime, dazzling Inside Story by Martin Amis . The smartarse's smartarse can infuriate or enchant - and I am in the second camp !
On Meades, I have read Museum without Walls and love his narrative style in documentaries; taking a lateral viewpoint on the world.
coppice said:
The trilogy of The Sportswriter, Independence Day and Lay of the Land. in that order . Wonderful , wonderful books, exquisitely written. But I value style over plot to a very high degree and these are not racy , thrill a minute novels - not that I am suggesting that is your preferred diet , but things often happen very slowly in Ford;s prose - Independence Day is 120k words (450 +pages ) and describes events of one weekend .
Re Tartt , I somehow never quite clicked with Secret History , but I adored The Goldfinch and didn't want it ever to end - and it is over 850 pages .
In absolute terms though the two books I have enjoyed the most in the last five years are the Jonathan Meades anthology - Pedro and Ricky Come Again and the sublime, dazzling Inside Story by Martin Amis . The smartarse's smartarse can infuriate or enchant - and I am in the second camp !
Bought the triology today. Re Tartt , I somehow never quite clicked with Secret History , but I adored The Goldfinch and didn't want it ever to end - and it is over 850 pages .
In absolute terms though the two books I have enjoyed the most in the last five years are the Jonathan Meades anthology - Pedro and Ricky Come Again and the sublime, dazzling Inside Story by Martin Amis . The smartarse's smartarse can infuriate or enchant - and I am in the second camp !
Thanks for the recommendation
Currently reading 'Wild Swans' by Jung Chang.
First published; 1991
Pages: 666 in the second edition. (524 first edition)
I finally got around to reading this.
A biography of the Chang women; grandmother, mother and finally Jung (and siblings), but much more.
Beginning in pre-war China through describing in great detail the defeat of the kuomintang, Chinese Nationalists under Chiang Kai-shek, and rise to power of the CCP; The Great Leap Forward and The Cultural Revolution very much from the personal perspective of the Author's family's experiences but including much of the broader history of those times and events.
One must never forget in the reading of history that it is not just the actions of leaders that should be remembered, but also the ordinary people and how events affect them. In the end, it is what happens to the people that matters most, not the leaders.
In combination with 'Mao: The Unknown Story' by the same author (read previously) one is left with no illusions of the pure evil of Mao Zedong and his efforts towards personal power in China and the enormous price paid by the people and the country.
First published; 1991
Pages: 666 in the second edition. (524 first edition)
I finally got around to reading this.
A biography of the Chang women; grandmother, mother and finally Jung (and siblings), but much more.
Beginning in pre-war China through describing in great detail the defeat of the kuomintang, Chinese Nationalists under Chiang Kai-shek, and rise to power of the CCP; The Great Leap Forward and The Cultural Revolution very much from the personal perspective of the Author's family's experiences but including much of the broader history of those times and events.
One must never forget in the reading of history that it is not just the actions of leaders that should be remembered, but also the ordinary people and how events affect them. In the end, it is what happens to the people that matters most, not the leaders.
In combination with 'Mao: The Unknown Story' by the same author (read previously) one is left with no illusions of the pure evil of Mao Zedong and his efforts towards personal power in China and the enormous price paid by the people and the country.
I'm on the second book of Philip Kerr's original Berlin Noir trilogy.
Really enjoying them so far. If you like your detective fiction in a pre (just) WW2 Germany then these may be the books for you.
It may go without saying, but those of a sensitive nature regarding language/dialogue around women, LGBT and minorities should maybe avoid.
Really enjoying them so far. If you like your detective fiction in a pre (just) WW2 Germany then these may be the books for you.
It may go without saying, but those of a sensitive nature regarding language/dialogue around women, LGBT and minorities should maybe avoid.
Just finished this:
An absolutely fascinating insight into the domestic German psyche across WW1 to WW2 and living through the rise of Nazism - through the eyes of a relatively sleepy village. The author really drops you Streetview-esque into the frosty crunch of the village and you have genuine sympathy for many of the main-players.
One doesn't often read this era from the viewpoint of the "aggressors" but it's easily forgotten that German civilians suffered significantly under the NSDAP.
Highly recommended.
An absolutely fascinating insight into the domestic German psyche across WW1 to WW2 and living through the rise of Nazism - through the eyes of a relatively sleepy village. The author really drops you Streetview-esque into the frosty crunch of the village and you have genuine sympathy for many of the main-players.
One doesn't often read this era from the viewpoint of the "aggressors" but it's easily forgotten that German civilians suffered significantly under the NSDAP.
Highly recommended.
The latest two reads for me have been The Book of Margery Kempe and The Witch of Edmonton
Margery Kempe's book zero for the autobiography was hard going. That hard going I DNF'd just shy of the end. If you seriously enjoy theology and the history of Christianity, this really is the read for you. One thing that I felt worked in it's favour was Kempe's insight into daily life as a wife and being a woman of great piousness (To put it lightly). It gave it a great sense of reality, even in the more 'spiritual' chapters. Being a sucker for historical travel books (i.e Arabian Sands) I had felt a touch let down as I was hoping her pilgrimages to Israel and Santiago would be covered in far more detail. Instead it was all about her near constant crying...
I don't recollect Santiago even being covered. It's a very niche book in all honesty, it's great to see a largely 14th Century book being dictated (she was illiterate) by a woman. It must've been nigh on impossible for a woman to get a book written for hundreds for years even by then. So the fact that priests saw something in her life story to write it all down is quite something.
The Witch of Edmonton was far more likeable. I was reading a play, but enjoyed the plot. It gave an interesting insight into father's almost auctioning off their daughters and how they saw themselves as subjects of their husbands. When one wife to be seemed grateful that her husband murdered her as he was already married to the mother of his supposed child, it certainly was was the case. I can't say I know much about witchcraft and the subsequent trials, but seeing Sawyer being portrayed as an actual witch added the depth the storyline needed otherwise it would've been pretty dull.
Michael
Margery Kempe's book zero for the autobiography was hard going. That hard going I DNF'd just shy of the end. If you seriously enjoy theology and the history of Christianity, this really is the read for you. One thing that I felt worked in it's favour was Kempe's insight into daily life as a wife and being a woman of great piousness (To put it lightly). It gave it a great sense of reality, even in the more 'spiritual' chapters. Being a sucker for historical travel books (i.e Arabian Sands) I had felt a touch let down as I was hoping her pilgrimages to Israel and Santiago would be covered in far more detail. Instead it was all about her near constant crying...
I don't recollect Santiago even being covered. It's a very niche book in all honesty, it's great to see a largely 14th Century book being dictated (she was illiterate) by a woman. It must've been nigh on impossible for a woman to get a book written for hundreds for years even by then. So the fact that priests saw something in her life story to write it all down is quite something. The Witch of Edmonton was far more likeable. I was reading a play, but enjoyed the plot. It gave an interesting insight into father's almost auctioning off their daughters and how they saw themselves as subjects of their husbands. When one wife to be seemed grateful that her husband murdered her as he was already married to the mother of his supposed child, it certainly was was the case. I can't say I know much about witchcraft and the subsequent trials, but seeing Sawyer being portrayed as an actual witch added the depth the storyline needed otherwise it would've been pretty dull.
Michael
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