Confess your literary ignorance
- Thread starter Orang Utan
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krtek a houby
Anger is Hi-NRG
To Kill a Mockingbird is worth reading. At the very least; the film version is reliable.
littlebabyjesus
one of Maxwell's demons
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 Dickens. Reckon I never will.
Spymaster
Plastic Paddy
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.
littlebabyjesus
one of Maxwell's demons
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....
That's really good and a really easy read. It's part of a trilogy. I recommend diving in. If you like Bukowski, you'll like Fante.
Pickman's model
Starry Wisdom
read 'the forgotten soldier' 26 years ago; found out later it was a great favourite of alan clark.
Pickman's model
Starry Wisdom
try 'the signalman'
Spymaster
Plastic Paddy
When I saw you quoted that I thought you were going to give me stick about Ashdown.
littlebabyjesus
one of Maxwell's demons
There have been certain authors I thought I should read. I have started four Celine novels, and not finished any of them. 
Pickman's model
Starry Wisdom
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.
Don't let the sugary adaptations put you off. Start at the sharp, cynical end with Our Mutual Friend.
littlebabyjesus
one of Maxwell's demons
Ta.
And you should start with Crime and Punishment.
Go on, dive in. Dostoyevsky is a great writer.
spanglechick
High Empress of Dressing Up
I bbarely read at all any more. basically only when i have no phone or wifi signal.
DotCommunist
So many particulars. So many questions.
we need to find out who reads all those old westerns and stop them.
ska invita
back on the other side
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.
Only Dickens I really enjoyed were Hard Times and The Signalman.
Jane Austen is beyond words for me, and yes I have tried her books.
Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte is perhaps one of the best ghost stories ever written.
Conan-Doyle is best read in short bursts as it was first published.
Eric Ambler is often overlooked as the creator of the modern spy novel.
Try The Mask of Dimitrios.
John Steinbeck, some incredible work, Cannery Row being a personal favourite.
Jane Austen is beyond words for me, and yes I have tried her books.
Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte is perhaps one of the best ghost stories ever written.
Conan-Doyle is best read in short bursts as it was first published.
Eric Ambler is often overlooked as the creator of the modern spy novel.
Try The Mask of Dimitrios.
John Steinbeck, some incredible work, Cannery Row being a personal favourite.
krtek a houby
Anger is Hi-NRG
Anna Karenina is one of the best novels I've ever read. Also enjoyed Middlemarch, but I should add that I only read them because I was studying the 19th century novel at the time. Glad I did though. Don't like Jane Austen, they're all so mimsy, wrapping themselves in shawls to go a walk round the garden. Wuthering Heights is great but that's as far as I've got with the Brontes. Dracula is good too.
jakethesnake
In bed for Britain
Pickman's model
Starry Wisdom
Great covers, mind
Pickman's model
Starry Wisdom
Great covers, mind
Sea Star
have you ever explored your dark side?
I started reading all my Dad's books when I was about 8 - my mum's books were mostly properly literate classics which i did enough of at school, but my Dad bought film adaptations and exciting adventure books, and books with lots of swearing and sex :-p
Then I discovered Sci Fi and stayed there for about 20 years!
since then I've been ploughing my way through Dickens, I love biographical books, and modern history books, and topical subject matter books, but haven't really dealt with modern novel.
The novels i do read tend to be classics that i read after getting a recommendation or because i know that the author is enough of a heavy weight that I think the book will be worthwhile. so I've read a lot of classics, I still have many to read, but my knowledge of fiction post about 1985 is very poor.
Also I've read quite a few philosophy books because I did a philosphy A Level once and i read way more than the required reading. but I haven't read one since, they just sit on my shelves now and make me look clever.
Then I discovered Sci Fi and stayed there for about 20 years!
since then I've been ploughing my way through Dickens, I love biographical books, and modern history books, and topical subject matter books, but haven't really dealt with modern novel.
The novels i do read tend to be classics that i read after getting a recommendation or because i know that the author is enough of a heavy weight that I think the book will be worthwhile. so I've read a lot of classics, I still have many to read, but my knowledge of fiction post about 1985 is very poor.
Also I've read quite a few philosophy books because I did a philosphy A Level once and i read way more than the required reading. but I haven't read one since, they just sit on my shelves now and make me look clever.
Pickman's model
Starry Wisdom
Great covers, mind
DotCommunist
So many particulars. So many questions.
Pickman's model
Starry Wisdom
Great covers, mind
SpookyFrank
A cheap source of teeth for aquarium gravel
I refuse to read anything that wins the booker prize.
BigMoaner
What A Load of Old Bollocks
christ that was a bore, i think i gave up.
his journalism and shorter stuff is brilliant though.
Pickman's model
Starry Wisdom
wouldn't take you long to do "the loneliness of the long distance runner" or "this sporting life" - or "fever pitch" - then
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