*What book are you reading? (part 2)
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Currently attempting to plough through Little Sister Death by William Gay, but by god he makes it difficult. He pretty much smashes every single one of Elmore Leonard's 10 rules of writing. I might have to give up on it. Sick of wading through turgid fucking landscape and sensory descriptions.
Orang Utan
Psychick Worrier Ov Geyoor
Sounds dreadful but there are many amazing writers out there who hold no truck with such rules.
True, but as a rule of thumb, it generally works.
Orang Utan
Psychick Worrier Ov Geyoor
For certain kinds of writing, for sure, especially crime thrillers and westerns like wot Leonard wrote. But a lot of 'literary' writing doesn't follow many of those rules.
Have you read any WG Sebald? He's my mum's favourite writer. Don't get on with him myself, partly because HE DOESN'T DO PARAGRAPHS! but he's a very well regarded writer all the same.
We shall agree to disagree on this. No paragraphs? I've read books like that before. All well and good experimenting but don't make your book unreadable.
Orang Utan
Psychick Worrier Ov Geyoor
Sometimes it pays off - the effort. For exemple, Russell Hoban's Riddley Walker and Will Self's The Book Of Dave.
Book of Dave was so incredibly good that I let him off, just the once. I'm with Doris on this, life is wayyyy too fucking short to waste on books you're not enjoying.
Orang Utan
Psychick Worrier Ov Geyoor
Totally! Which Doris? Doris Lessing?
Indeedy!
Orang Utan
Psychick Worrier Ov Geyoor
She swears like a docker!
Anyhoo, in complete contrast, having lobbed the William Gay back ont shelf, I razzed through 3/4 of Slade House by David Mitchell last night, and it is a fucking STORMINGLY good read!!
DotCommunist
So many particulars. So many questions.
speeches and elvish poems in sindarin as well. Occaisonal lapses into hobbit homeliness.
weltweit
Well-Known Member
I have finally just about come to the end of Catch 22, by Joseph Heller, for the second time. But this time I have been reading slowly and thoroughly which means I am enjoying it a whole lot more than the first quick scan read which I did a couple of years ago.
I mainly read at night just before sleep, and sometimes have only managed a few pages before nodding off. I should finish it by the end of the weekend and then have an Ian Rankin book next.
I mainly read at night just before sleep, and sometimes have only managed a few pages before nodding off. I should finish it by the end of the weekend and then have an Ian Rankin book next.
BoatieBird
Well-Known Member
I only popped my David Mitchell cherry a couple of months ago (with The Bone Clocks). Looking forward to working my way through everything else he's ever written!
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You know what, I kept wondering if it was the Peep Show David Mitchell, and didn't dare look it up in case I accidentally came across a spoiler. Finished it and there on the inside back cover was a photo of...the real David Mitchell
He's amazing eh? Yeh I might even treat meself and buy some for a change - there's no more of him in the library!
Finished Horace Panter's book 'Ska'd for Life.' It's a very frank account of gigging and how The Specials fell apart but I was a little disappointed - he seems like a distant person and a bit of a square (albeit brilliant bass player), even a bit boring but he admits this candidly and I quite liked him by the end of the book. I had to read this cos they are my favourite band, and I think Jerry Dammers is one of the greatest songwriters of all time (up there with Prince and Gershwin). I am a little in love with Jerry - not just his music but his fiercely anti racist stance and persona and mystique - wish he would write a book (so does Horace - of course he never will!!).
To give Horace credit, he is extremely honest and can be very funny at times. He admits his own shortcomings and is a very humble man, deserved of the sobriquet 'Horace Gentleman.' I look forward to also reading Neville Staples autobiography, which i imagine will be much more insightful, colourful and cheeky.
To give Horace credit, he is extremely honest and can be very funny at times. He admits his own shortcomings and is a very humble man, deserved of the sobriquet 'Horace Gentleman.' I look forward to also reading Neville Staples autobiography, which i imagine will be much more insightful, colourful and cheeky.
I am now around 100 pages into 'The Secret History' - its amazing of course. Donna Tartt is a treasure. Will post more when im finished.
ViolentPanda
Hardly getting over it.
Recently finished "The Oversight" by Charlie Fletcher - a historical fantasy novel for "young adults". Very good, and uses some of the tropes from their previous "Stoneheart" trilogy.
Currently reading "The Deluge" by Adam Tooze.
Currently reading "The Deluge" by Adam Tooze.
bimble
floofy
You're putting those two books on equal footings? Really truly?
DotCommunist
So many particulars. So many questions.
Its the only thing I've read by her but its a corker of a book. Stayed with me for ages
I'm reading Truecrime by Jake Arnott. Its a cerebral take on the crime fic stories. I'm always impressed when people can dovetail multiple 1st person narrators witout tripping the plot up
Orang Utan
Psychick Worrier Ov Geyoor
For sure!
bimble
floofy
But.. really ?
Riddley Walker is an example of why it's worth your time time to read something that isn't like totally easy from page one. Hoban is/was a writer full of humanity and humour and wisdom and that particular book is the essence of all of those things.
The dave book on the other hand, whilst on the surface a passable copy of the above, is just another cynical throwaway I'm so clever airport paperback.
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