Never read Hemingway, or To Kill a Mockingbird. Couldn't finish Naked Lunch (the only book ever to defeat me). Had to really fucking slog through Canetti's 'Auto da fe', because I hate not finishing books on the whole.
Yeah, it is tricky. I skim over the long patronymics and kind of make up my own way of saying them. Find that helps. But switching from surnames to patronymics back to surnames and then the familiar diminutive is annoying.I've never read any big fat Russian novel. Too hard to keep track when there are three times as many names as characters, I've heard.
Really?(the only book ever to defeat me)
I only have one more tip from my literary ignorance:
I have this on the shelf but not tried it yet - from the 30s USA - Bukowski rates it very very highly as an early US classic written with the modern tightness and seeming simplicity, or something....I havent read it so dont know... I like Bukowskis attitude to writing and language so it appeals to me ... hard times in depression era LA....
read 'the forgotten soldier' 26 years ago; found out later it was a great favourite of alan clark.Really?
I reckon I abandon about 25% of the books that I start, usually the ones that have been recommended to me on subjects that I wouldn't normally read. I'm also quite chaotic in my reading so at any one time I'll have at least 3 books on the go and often drop the least interesting for something else, then return to it a year or more later.
Now is the first time for ages that I'm on 3 books that are all absorbing: A Fortunate Life/Paddy Ashdown; The Forgotten Soldier/Guy Sajer; Defending Jacob/William Landay.
try 'the signalman'I need tightness in writing...Dickens is so long winded
When I saw you quoted that I thought you were going to give me stick about Ashdown.read 'the forgotten soldier' 26 years ago; found out later it was a great favourite of alan clark.
i'm sure you get it from a lot of other peopleWhen I saw you quoted that I thought you were going to give me stick about Ashdown.
I've never read Dickens. Reckon I never will.
Ta.Don't let the sugary adaptations put you off. Start at the sharp, cynical end with Our Mutual Friend.
and even then thats the back of cereal packets and shampoo bottlesI bbarely read at all any more. basically only when i have no phone or wifi signal.
we need to find out who reads all those old westerns and stop them.
Great covers, mind
wheatelys racist satanism pulp thrillers had some fucked up covers:
Great covers, mind
christ that was a bore, i think i gave up.I confess I skipped all the bits in Infinite Jest that had anything to do with sport. Actually I always skip those bits, whatever I'm reading.
wouldn't take you long to do "the loneliness of the long distance runner" or "this sporting life" - or "fever pitch" - thenI confess I skipped all the bits in Infinite Jest that had anything to do with sport. Actually I always skip those bits, whatever I'm reading.