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I never fancied 'Cider With Rosie' - I always got the feeling it was one I SHOULD read rather than one I WANTED to read, so I've never bothered. No point reading a book if it doesn't grab you by the throat and start pulling you in, I reckon.
Now, the book I'm reading at the moment was one I thought, I really want to read this, I really must read this, etc., blah, all the feelings you get when a book jumps out at you from the shelf at Waterstone's. 'Big Breasts and Wide Hips' by Mo Yan is not, as the title may suggest, something to do with either of these parts of the female anatomy, but is a dedication to the author's mother, for whom he has a particular reverence (like all good Chinese, like most of us, really), and the protagonist is a woman who has seven girls and her mother-in-law beats her because she can't produce a boy. The fact her husband can't get it up doesn't help so she 'gets pregnant' elsewhere, and on the last attempt she has twins - first to be born is a girl - shock, horror - and second, a boy, our humble narrator, who tells his mother's story from when she was born, when she had her feet bound (just before the Republic banned the practice), when she got married, the Japanese occupation and his own birth - and that's just the start. I look forward to the rest. You know when you think a book is going to be quite a hard read? I did. It isn't.
At the mo, I've just started reading Jpod by Douglas Coupland and I'm finishing off Whatever Love Means by David Baddiel. Just finished To have and have not by Hemingway as well.
Enjoyed them. All quite different but all pretty good. Not the best by EH but when it was good it was brilliant.
I'm reading "The Secret Diary of a Demented Housewife" - it's both funny and ridiculous. Today I also read "Mr Happy" to a group of four year olds. I really must read a proper book one day. Any suggestions?
Way back (in the 60s or 70s) there was a best seller called Diary of a Mad Housewife. Can't recall the author's name, but it was made into a movie. I can still see the face of the actor who played the husband, but the woman's face has vanished forever. Further proof, if it were needed, that titles can reappear again and again in similar or identical shape.
I've just finished reading The Mysteries by Lisa Tuttle an unusual detective/fantasy novel about missing people. Only discovered it after seeing a how-to book by this author recommended on TB. A really good read I will definately look out for her other books now.
Just started Bitten by Kelley Armstrong a werewolf horror/fantasy following rave recommendation by my youngest daughter. I'm not sure if I like it or not yet.
I haven't read any Artemis Fowl books, D, but they look fun. Would appeal to a lot of children, I think.
The appeal of a book written as a diary is that there are frequent convenient stopping places. I find it quite hard to concentrate on lengthy more in-depth books at the moment.
"This Thing Called Darkness" by Harry Thompson, the fictionalised life of Fitzroy, Captain of the Beagle, and his friendship with Darwin. Deeply researched, very well done (he visited virtually all the locations himself, including the Falklands) and managed a lively and entertaining book that is about 3 inches thick and worth every page. Magical read. It was long listed for the Booker Prize two years back.
I've just finished 'A Piano in the Pyrenees' by Tony Hawks. He's really funny, and I needed the laugh. Now I'm reading 'Embracing Eternity' by Tony Stockwell (no relation) - the actual writing could have been improved, but he's such a lovely person I just had to read it.
Someone gave me 'Heaven Sent' by Christina Jones for my birthday. Quite funny so far. Today I also read Matthew Johnstone's 'I have a Black Dog' which is about depression. It's one of the most amazingly humorous yet insightful books I've read.
I read Digging To America recently and really enjoyed it - would love to know how Jin-ho and Susan's lives continued. Have also just finished reading Only Strange People Go To Church by Laura Marney - have never read anything by her before but found this book hilarious, yet sad, dark but light-hearted - if this makes any sense!
Just about finished the third volume of H.E.Bates autobiography. A wee bit dissapointed in the three volumes.There are snatches of where great short stories such as "Alexander" came from. His more well known novels such as "Fair stood the wind for France" and "Purple Plain" have their origin revealed. However other than that sadly he never really opens up.
I took Julian Clary's autobiography out of the library and have just finished it.
He's very outspoken, which probably comes as no surprise, especially as the title is A Young Man's .... (look on Google - I don't want to get banned from Talkback!).
I'm sure it would be ok, Jenny. If it's the word I think it is, it's what my grandparents used to call the area between the sitting room and the front door.
reading The Autobiography of Henry VIII by Elizabeth George, which came out over 20 years ago. We found it in a second hand book shop. It's bad. It's supposed to be a journal and yet reads like an academic history book. When I picked it up, His Majesty said 'get it, Catherine, it's rubbish but will tell you how not to do it' because his book is next and it will be a true tale of Tudor times 'not like that rubbish on TV!' Well, if Himself does the telling, it will be!
I liked Julian Clary a lot before I read his book and when Id finished it, I liked him even more.
We used to keep our bikes in our passage when I was a kid I wonder what Julian would make of that!
I also read Heart Shaped Box very good book (and an extremely good jacket design)! Must run in the family!
Dorothy what do you think of Phillipa Gregorys books about the tudors? I know they are fictionalised accounts of the time, but is she close?
I am reading the Hyperion Omnibus by Dan Simmons at the moment. Too soon to decide whether or not I like it.
I ave just finished Atonement, which I thought was good but very wordy. Despite recognising the quality I did find it boring. I am now reading Alan Bennett - FOur Stories and am thoroughly enjoying it. I need to read it before our book group as it is out this month's book. It has queue jumped my reading pile, which mysteriously has grown to 33 books (how did that happen?)
Ooh, how lovely to find this thread once again - it's been around for such a long time and is one of my favourites :)
Current read is "Crusaders" by Richard T Kelly (for which I have to do an Amazon Vine review). It's being touted as THE definitive social commentary novel of the moment. The premise is basically that a young Church of England minister is sent to "plant" a new church in a deprived corner of Newcastle, at about the same time New Labour are starting to rise to power. The vicar who is the central figure is a Durham miner's son and a staunch old-fashioned Labour voter. His sister is a consultant working for one of the slimiest examples of New Labour politics.
I'm half-way through and I'm enjoying it so far, although Kelly does seem to break just about every rule in the canon of "Things a New Writer Mustn't Do in their First Novel" (e.g. lots of telling not showing, viewpoints jumping, whole chapters changing their narrative style, and using pompous tautologies like "from whence" (show me anyone from Durham who'd say "from whence"...)). But the setting and situation are really engaging, and the characters are very well drawn. It's also interesting to read a book by an atheist who is trying to write sympathetically and honestly about Christians. His lack of direct experience of Christian circles does show through occasionally (there were several examples in the first chapter, which nearly put me off reading any further) but on the whole he's doing an impressive job. And he gets the atmosphere of 90s Tyneside/Wearside just right, or at least just right as I remember it from living there about that time...
Just picked up Casino Royale, Ian Fleming, from a charity shop - it's in the queue after my next Pratchett.
I haven't read Fleming's Bond books since I was at school. (Moonraker was the last, I think)
Just finished the Bridport Prize 2007 collection. Can't say I liked any of the poetry at all. Most of the stories I thought OK, one or two dreadful and one (Peas and Pictures by D A McIlroy) really beautiful. Can see why there's no point me entering this year's comp though - I'm nowhere near obscure enough!
Mother London by Michael Moorcock. Very strange, jumps around, each character has chapters of their own and it flits between times, but the premise is that they're all seeing London from the eyes of madness - they can all hear voices either of people they assume are outside or near them somewhere, or voices from the past. Weird, yes, but so beautifully written.
I'm reading Erich Fromm's Fear of Freedom which was written during the last world war and attempts to explain man's alienation from his true nature through the development of society and explains how this phenomenon led to rise of Nazism. It's very readable and hasn't dated at all - everything he says is applicable today. Why do we happily give up our freedoms to the powers that be? I'm so impressed I've bought his other magnum opus, The Sane Society. I've suspected for a long time they lock up the wrong people, Fromm is convincing me I was right.
Mutley - I didn't particularly like "Atonement" either though my sister raved about it when she gave me it. Recently finished "On Chesil Beach" which I preferred - might have had something to do with the fact it was much shorter, barely a novella!
CC - Have you read Cormac McCarthy (might have spelt his name wrong) - THe Road? I am listening to it on audio cd and it is the most poetic book I've ever heard. His phrases are quite beautiful. I have been trying to get behind what it is about Atonement that didn't work for me, but I think it is more a stylistic thing than about the story itself. I had the same problem with some of the less well known Daphne Du Maurier books too.
I've always liked Jamaica Inn and others of hers. I must read it again now I know that I had an ancestor in Cornwall who was a Customs Officer in the 18th century and was from that area! :-)
Am currently reading a biography of Elizabeth & Leicester, a Penny Vincenzi and the latest John Grisham.
Have to admit I've liked all the Daphne Du Maurier I have read though it was many years ago.
Haven't read Cormac McCarthy - will add it to the list of my list, which follows on from the bundles...I don't know how I accumulate so many unread books when I spend so much time reading! :)
I expect so Carol. His son, my g-g-g-grandfather, became a Master Mariner and eventually died at sea when he was only 54 - also a fairly dangerous life I reckon!
Read Bad News and Trouble by Lee Child, usual read-without-taking-a-breath prose, brilliant stuff. I love Jack Reacher, his hero. Moved on to Fallen Angels by Richard ??? Mancaniano? No, definitely wrong, but sort of Italian anyway! Writes blood and guts thrillers. The difference between the two is amazing, in syntax, spelling, etc. even though Lee Child now lives in the USA a lot, it shows that he is English in his writing. After this, back to Philippa Gregory, I think, and her two book set on the Tradescant family.
Comments
I don't always agree with his opinions, but he's very funny. Some of his sentences are worth reading two or three times!
Enjoyed them. All quite different but all pretty good. Not the best by EH but when it was good it was brilliant.
Richard
Just started Bitten by Kelley Armstrong a werewolf horror/fantasy following rave recommendation by my youngest daughter. I'm not sure if I like it or not yet.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0065636/
The appeal of a book written as a diary is that there are frequent convenient stopping places. I find it quite hard to concentrate on lengthy more in-depth books at the moment.
Also reading a book about China for my research.
He's very outspoken, which probably comes as no surprise, especially as the title is A Young Man's .... (look on Google - I don't want to get banned from Talkback!).
I'm halfway through The Elephanta Suite by Paul Theroux. Brilliantly written, perceptive and disturbing.
We used to keep our bikes in our passage when I was a kid I wonder what Julian would make of that!
I also read Heart Shaped Box very good book (and an extremely good jacket design)! Must run in the family!
Dorothy what do you think of Phillipa Gregorys books about the tudors? I know they are fictionalised accounts of the time, but is she close?
I am reading the Hyperion Omnibus by Dan Simmons at the moment. Too soon to decide whether or not I like it.
His mum sounds like a great character, judging by the things she's said and written to him!
Current read is "Crusaders" by Richard T Kelly (for which I have to do an Amazon Vine review). It's being touted as THE definitive social commentary novel of the moment. The premise is basically that a young Church of England minister is sent to "plant" a new church in a deprived corner of Newcastle, at about the same time New Labour are starting to rise to power. The vicar who is the central figure is a Durham miner's son and a staunch old-fashioned Labour voter. His sister is a consultant working for one of the slimiest examples of New Labour politics.
I'm half-way through and I'm enjoying it so far, although Kelly does seem to break just about every rule in the canon of "Things a New Writer Mustn't Do in their First Novel" (e.g. lots of telling not showing, viewpoints jumping, whole chapters changing their narrative style, and using pompous tautologies like "from whence" (show me anyone from Durham who'd say "from whence"...)). But the setting and situation are really engaging, and the characters are very well drawn. It's also interesting to read a book by an atheist who is trying to write sympathetically and honestly about Christians. His lack of direct experience of Christian circles does show through occasionally (there were several examples in the first chapter, which nearly put me off reading any further) but on the whole he's doing an impressive job. And he gets the atmosphere of 90s Tyneside/Wearside just right, or at least just right as I remember it from living there about that time...
I haven't read Fleming's Bond books since I was at school. (Moonraker was the last, I think)
Am currently reading a biography of Elizabeth & Leicester, a Penny Vincenzi and the latest John Grisham.
Haven't read Cormac McCarthy - will add it to the list of my list, which follows on from the bundles...I don't know how I accumulate so many unread books when I spend so much time reading! :)
Brandy for the parson, baccy for the clerk ...