Books

[unc.si]

Only just spotted it, and think it's only available for another day, but Slaughterhouse 5 is currently on the BBC iplayer. Not a bad dramatisation, obviously quite abridged at 90 minutes, but well worth a listen. Great intro to a fantastic book. One of the great anti-war books (although what's the point of anti-war books - you may as well write an anti-glacier book )

so it goes

[Knulpuk]

Slaughterhouse 5 .... One of the great anti-war books

Great opening lines too...


All this happened, more or less. The war parts, anyway, are pretty much true.

[unc.si]

Picked up 'Bad Blood' today (it's about cycling - you can probably guess what aspect of cycling )

Paul Kimmage's book on the subject is well worth a read as well (can't remember the title, but I think he only wrote one book). Provokes mixed emotions amongst cyclists but well worth a read if you're interested in the sport or the drugs debate.

[snout]

Most recent read for me has been "A Most Wanted Man" by John Le Carre. An intelligent condemnation of extraordinary rendition but the characters didn't really grab me and - for a 400 page novel - it seemed somehow lightweight. Certainly not in the same class as "The Constant Gardner", which is the last of his I read. The narrative structure is a more straightforward linear one than his usual jump-back-and-forth-in-tine so it's probably more accessible. Plenty of black humour however and the world of Realpolitik it describes is frighteningly believable. Overall, a worthwhile read. 7/10.

[unc.si]

If you think The Road is depressing...

Outer Dark - Cormac McCarthy

Trying to read all of his books. This is his second, published in 1968 and is sooooo bleak and unflinching in it's grimness it makes his new stuff seem jolly.

I've just finished reading Outer Dark.

Didn't spot even the faintest glimmer of hope or redemption, just inexorable, crushing desolation.

Good read though

[Darbyand]

Just finished "And then we came to the end". It's about how people in offices interact with each other, set against the backdrop of the turn of the century recesssion when some of those people are steadily being made redundant...... but scarily accurate about what's going on now. Highly recommended.

[Darbyand]

I'm coming to the end of 'Juliet Naked' by Nick Hornby. Like many people I discovered Hornby through Fever Pitch which i thought was superb and he kept the run going through High Fidelity and About a Boy.

But his recent books (Long Way Down, Slam) have been a bit hit and miss and I didn't hold high hopes for this one. The fact it's being heavily discounted in the shops makes me wonder how well it's doing but I like it and think it's something of a return to form.

It picks up on themes he's covered before: obsessions with the minutiae of popular culture, parenthood, looking back at life in middle age and regretting lost/missed opportunities etc. But there's some nice stuff about internet forums dealing with niche topics, ahem, the characters are well written and you want good things to happen to them. If you see this going for 3 or 4 quid and you've liked his earlier stuff then I'd say give it a go.

[murf]

I'm coming to the end of 'Juliet Naked' by Nick Hornby. Like many people I discovered Hornby through Fever Pitch which i thought was superb and he kept the run going through High Fidelity and About a Boy.

But his recent books (Long Way Down, Slam) have been a bit hit and miss and I didn't hold high hopes for this one. The fact it's being heavily discounted in the shops makes me wonder how well it's doing but I like it and think it's something of a return to form.

It picks up on themes he's covered before: obsessions with the minutiae of popular culture, parenthood, looking back at life in middle age and regretting lost/missed opportunities etc. But there's some nice stuff about internet forums dealing with niche topics, ahem, the characters are well written and you want good things to happen to them. If you see this going for 3 or 4 quid and you've liked his earlier stuff then I'd say give it a go.

I've just finished it and thought it was really good for many of the reasons mentioned above - you really got her feeling of a life wasted. I won't spoil the ending for you but to me it let the book down slightly as it was just a bit weak.

Well worth reading, definitely his best since About A Boy (I didn't read Slam as it was a kids book) if not maybe surpassing that and only being bettered by Fever Pitch.

Think it is on the shelves for sub £4 at Tesco so no excuses.

[Darbyand]

Picked up 'Bad Blood' today (it's about cycling - you can probably guess what aspect of cycling )

Paul Kimmage's book on the subject is well worth a read as well (can't remember the title, but I think he only wrote one book). Provokes mixed emotions amongst cyclists but well worth a read if you're interested in the sport or the drugs debate.

Presumably clean cyclists are ok with it. I remember David Millar vilified Kimmage right up to the point he (Millar) was revealed as a drugs cheat. Anyway, that's for another thread.


I've just read back-to-back books by our old friend David Peace, the first two of a Tokyo trilogy. Where to start? The literary tics are all here and getting more constant with each book - constant repetition and phrasing, obsessive attention to detail [Peace quote: " People say to me it is always raining in your books. But if it is raining on the day I say it was then it certainly was raining on that day, I guarantee."] The first - Tokyo Year Zero - is a murder/detective story set after the Japanese surrender. The second - Occupied City - is a few years later and is about a famous poisoning case and in this one he really goes to town on playing with style/form. Maybe a bit too much. Would be interested to see a post by anyone who's read them, especially the latter.

[tommymooney]

Just read 'the glass room' booker nominated in 2009 by Simon Mawer - a pretty good read, recommended, if slightly pretentious in places being 'literary fiction' and all.

Good story set mainly in the 1930's combing modernist buildings, the 2nd world war build up and aftermath in Czechslovakia and a nice chunk of lesbianism thrown in for those who like that sort of thing.

8/10.

[unc.si]

Reading Joe Simpson's latest book at the moment - 'the beckoning silence'. It's the story of his attempt on the Eigerwand, probably THE all time classic mountaineering route. Not as good as 'touching the void' (but that would be a big ask), but well worth reading, if only for the retelling of some of the tragic and classic Eiger stories like Tony Kurtz's desperate attempt to survive a retreat down the face, just out of reach of his would be rescuers.

On a separate note, has anyone read 'House of Leaves'? Tempted to give it a go, but it's about £20 and I can't seem to track it down in a library.

[tommymooney]

Just had re-read of his dark materials any fans out there?

Didn't seem as good second time around, but still a classic in the fantasy genre in my view.

Anyone see the stage play, I saw it at the national theatre and thought it was brilliant...

[murf]

Just had re-read of his dark materials any fans out there?

Didn't seem as good second time around, but still a classic in the fantasy genre in my view.

Anyone see the stage play, I saw it at the national theatre and thought it was brilliant...

I loved the books (though a tad disappointed in the third which was the one generating most hype).

The film wasn't as bad as the critics said......

(not seen the play)

[johnF]

Just had re-read of his dark materials any fans out there?

Didn't seem as good second time around, but still a classic in the fantasy genre in my view.

Anyone see the stage play, I saw it at the national theatre and thought it was brilliant...

I loved the books (though a tad disappointed in the third which was the one generating most hype).

The film wasn't as bad as the critics said......

(not seen the play)

I really liked the books too including the third.

Thought the film (Golden Compass) was good too. Presumably they didn't make films of the other two books because the first one flopped. Don't really understand why as I thought it was at least on a par with the Harry Potter series which has been a huge success.

Perhaps to do with the Yanks being put off by the supposed anti-religion message (more generated by the media than anything)

[tommymooney]

My view on the 3rd one is that it just needed a good editor, its probably around 50-100 pages too long - there is some extraneous stuff in there. But I really like the whole 'mulefa' world.

[Knulpuk]

Just finished reading Comfort me with Apples by Peter de Vries.

Extremely entertaining book anyone else recommend any other of his books - Tunnel of Love is the only other I have even heard of.

[Englandcollapsed]

I hope no one minds me posting this here.

But my book is out now ~ see below link for more details.

http://www.amazon.com/dp/1456543016" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

EC.

[WilBert]

Congratulations EC, wish you every success with the book.

[murf]

I hope no one minds me posting this here.

But my book is out now ~ see below link for more details.

http://www.amazon.com/dp/1456543016" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

EC.

‘T.S. Eliot meets Joy Division’

Best of luck.

Any of your work on t'web for a taster?

[Surprised]

I hope no one minds me posting this here.

But my book is out now ~ see below link for more details.

http://www.amazon.com/dp/1456543016" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

EC.

Well done and I hope the book sells well for you.

[tommymooney]

Great stuff EC, always thought you were at the more cerebal end of FISO posters

Good luck with it.

[Billy Whiz]

So you're John Denny? Any chance of posting one of your poems on here?

[El Neilio 10]

Nice one

Got to ask: Which came first, the username or the book title?

Good luck with it!

[barry]

I hope no one minds me posting this here.

But my book is out now ~ see below link for more details.

http://www.amazon.com/dp/1456543016" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

EC.

Fantastic mate!
Englandcollapsed, is the debut collection of poems from rising English star, John Denny. Denny conjures a world of penalties, magical cities, of devils and of extraordinary classical beauty, of bruised sky and nightmarish visions, beyond the naked eye. Uniquely, Denny situates his readers, with himself, at the heart of the narrative, with a sense that everything you know, at any point, might collapse. Denny captures these stories, and takes the reader on an epic literary journey into the dark heart of these epiphanies, seen through the luminous lens of film, dreams and colour. It is a dark and brilliant achievement. ‘T.S. Eliot meets Joy Division.’ New Wave Review ‘This book should be banned, it’s that good.’ The Review ‘The most significant poetic voice in a generation.’ New Poetic Review


who got the assists?

[WilBert]

who got the assists?

Key Contribution has more of a poetic ring to it.

[Englandcollapsed]

Thank you all, I posted this yesterday and almost forgot about it. Then came back this morning and found all these great comments.

Your very kind. Its been a labour of love for a year now.

Oddly, the username came first as joke with a friend down the pub about dear old England cricket (the jokes on me now because they actually pretty good at it). If you have read any James Joyce he liked joining words together to make new meanings.

I then found myself adopting it on a few online blogs, from which the book slowly involved this year. It was not until the end of the book, that I considered the title. It made sense to use EC because its such an easy thing to google, so as a new writer I needed something to stand out. The idea was to use this book as a way of attracting some attention, possibly from a big publisher, and then write a big novel. In many ways the poems are snap shots from books I have not written yet.

Here is a link to my Englandcollapsed facebook page, where there is a taster of one of my poems called Eva. Fell free to stop by:

http://www.facebook.com/?ref=logo#!/pag ... 0445559996" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

thanks again guys, I really appreciate it.

[golden bear]

Just finished the excellent "Tommo and Hawk" trilogy by Bryce Courtney. Can get a bit grim but really well researched and easy to read. Takes place over 100 years and in England, NZ and Australia. Good holiday read.

He's a cracking Aussie author. Also liked The Power of One but Four Fires is his best imo.

[Pouzar]

Just prepping for the final exam in a fabulous course on mid-19th century to early 20th century American lit. Emerson, Thoreau, Hawthorne (the Scarlet Letter) Melville (Moby Dick and Bartleby) Poe, Whitman, Emily Dickinson, Twain (Huckleberry Finn) and Hemingway (Big Two-Hearted River), all but the last sometimes referred to as part of the American literary renaissance. Huck Finn and The Scarlet Letter are quintessential American novels but re-reading Moby Dick with great care and intensity was the highlight of the course. It is surely the masterpiece of American literature; an incredibly ambitious and ambiguous book with so much going on in it that it is almost impossible to pin down. I am particularly fascinated by the provocative concept of Landlessness, the idea that humans have a God-like capacity to examine the eternal questions of life, which requires a sweeping aside of our cultural inheritance of beliefs, a process Melville equates with the dangerousness and uncertainty of the whaling voyage, pursuing what he calls the ungraspable phantom of life.
According to Melville the safety and comfort of the solid land of conventional opinion is really a form of slavery. To be fully human one must be perpetually at sea, constantly examining the questions that have obsessed the great thinkers throughout history. In short, to become a lifelong learner. A position somewhat akin to Socrates' claim that the unexamined life is not worth living. The quality of the writing is literally breathtaking and characters like Ahab, Ishmael and the cannibal harpooner Queequeg will stay with you forever. This is a book worth re-reading every 10 or 20 years. Moby Dick doesn't change but we do, so we read it differently and find different things in it, as we do with all great literature we re-visit. I can't think of anything more enjoyable than reading great books and then discussing them in depth with top flight students and an exceptional professor. Unless it is watching great films and doing the same thing. I took an equally challenging and satisfying course the previous term on Irish literature, featuring Joyce, Yeats, Heaney, Synge, O'Shea and many others. Can't beat the student life.
Next term I am taking a course from the same prof, a Welshman, on The HBO series, The Wire, in my view the best television series ever made. I can't wait to close watch all 60 episodes. In fact I plan to slowly go through the first season during the Christmas break so I am totally immersed in it when classes begin on Jan. 9th. I am also looking forward to an in-depth look at Clint Eastwood as a director in another course by a prof who has written a terrific book about Eastwood. It sure beats working, but it is a lot of work.

[Knulpuk]

I think I mentioned in a previous thread that Moby Dick is my favourite book of all time - I find it an astonishing read. the passage where he is in the whaling town and ends up sharing with Queequeg is incredibly atmospheric. I find you can pick up the book and dip into a chapter too, tackiling the whole thing takes a bit of time - but I have managed it 3 times.

[Pouzar]

Yes, that is a wonderful section of the book Knulpuk. My favourite line from it is ''Better sleep with a sober cannibal than a drunken Christian.'' Or ''Queequeg was George Washington cannibalistically developed.''