*What book are you reading ?

[jeff_leigh]

Who he?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anthony_Zinni

 

[Dirty Martini]

Rates of Exchange by Malcolm Bradbury. I think.

 

[mrkikiet]

jose saramago: seeing

 

[themonkeyman]

A spot of Bother by Mark Haddon

 

[Dirty Martini]

I think I've dropped the Bradbury and am now reading Memphis Underground by Stewart Home, which was helpfully squirrelled away in the 'music' section of the local bookshop.

 

[5t3IIa]

I'm reading Stoned - Andrew Loog Oldham's autobiography.

I also have 3/4 done Experience by Martin Amis that I seemed to've forgotten about. 3rd reading though so it can wait.

 

[chooch]

I think I've dropped the Bradbury and am now reading Memphis Underground by Stewart Home, which was helpfully squirrelled away in the 'music' section of the local bookshop.

Sounds good. I'm going to drift down the bookshop in a while. Such as it is.

Want to read something that doesn't make my skin crawl. Current filler book- George Saunders In Persuasion Nation. Liking it more second time round. There are, as always, some perfectly voiced bits.

 

[Thimble Queen]

colonialism/postcolonialism - anita loomba.... its for uni. Its interesting but hard... i have to write an essay on postcolonial epistemology and how it affects sociology, yukky yuk yuk

 

[electric.avenue]

A spot of Bother by Mark Haddon

Not as innovative as his first novel. Bit of a "Woman's Own" type of story.

 

[phildwyer]

Just finished Kitty Kelley's bio of Frank Sinatra. What a complete and utter bastard he was.

 

[Donna Ferentes]

Not that Kitty tends to dwell on her subjects' good points.

 

[Donna Ferentes]

Hugh Thomas - The Spanish Civil War.

What a complete and utter bastard Franco was.

 

[phildwyer]

Not that Kitty tends to dwell on her subjects' good points.

Or maybe she just always writes about complete and utter bastards.

 

[Donna Ferentes]

Has she done Franco?

Actually Mola was even worse.

 

[phildwyer]

Has she done Franco?

No, but she did the Bushes and the Royals. Complete and utter bastards the lot of them.

 

[Dirty Martini]

I've just finished Memphis Underground by Stewart Home. It's the first book I've read by the East London-based provocateur and apart from large bits of it being thoroughly shit, it's also funny and inventive by turns, and satisfies this poster's enthuasisme for gossip and anecdote.

 

[Dubversion]

I've just finished Memphis Underground by Stewart Home. It's the first book I've read by the East London-based provocateur and apart from large bits of it being thoroughly shit, it's also funny and inventive by turns, and satisfies this poster's enthuasisme for gossip and anecdote.

that's Home for ya. Totally wonderful trash

The book about his mum - the name escapes me - is of a different calibre, apparently, but all the "skinhead runs riot through London art-wank community" books are genius

 

[Dubversion]

Now onto You Don't Love Me Yet, the latest Jonathan Lethem. Suspect it's going to be a lighter, frothier effort than stuff like Fortress of Solitude but still totally looking forward to ti.

finished - thoroughly enjoyed this. Very Douglas Coupland in a way, but better written. Brilliantly written, actually. Funny and touching.

Just started The Gospel Singer by Harry Crews, his first novel. Brilliant so far...

 

[Dirty Martini]

that's Home for ya. Totally wonderful trash

The book about his mum - the name escapes me - is of a different calibre, apparently, but all the "skinhead runs riot through London art-wank community" books are genius

Would that be Tainted Love? I'd like to read that, and some others. I've spent a quite interesting weekend going through his website. Some good pointers towards other writers, too.

I do like the way he sets up whole paragraphs just to have a go at some tosser he's taken a dislike to

I'm not sure I got the joke with the narrative bit of Memphis Underground. Shit writing is shit writing, no? And some of the metafictional tricks are showing their age. But it still came out feeling fresh. Or retro-fresh, or something.

Any standout recommendations, either of his stuff or similar?

 

[cyberfairy]

Nearly finished and thoroughly enjoying The Testament Of Gideon Mack by James Robertson

 

[Dubversion]

Would that be Tainted Love? I'd like to read that, and some others. I've spent a quite interesting weekend going through his website. Some good pointers towards other writers, too.

I do like the way he sets up whole paragraphs just to have a go at some tosser he's taken a dislike to

I'm not sure I got the joke with the narrative bit of Memphis Underground. Shit writing is shit writing, no? And some of the metafictional tricks are showing their age. But it still came out feeling fresh. Or retro-fresh, or something.

Any standout recommendations, either of his stuff or similar?

i've pretty much only read the pulp stuff - Red London, Blowjob, Slow Death, stuff like that. All basically blends of his own art / political obsessions, Richard Allen-style Skinhead pulp stuff, eternal characters (Luther Blissett, Karen Eliot etc), repeating themes (even repeating paragraphs). All a bit of a giggle, really, but with semi-serious intent..

You know those holiday villas where people leave their holiday books and pick up other peoples? I once took great pleasure in leaving a copy of Home's 69 Things To Do With A Dead Princess on the shelf between Len Deighton and Jeffrey Archer.


eta: worth asking our very own Larry O'Hara about Home. They're very close

 

[Orang Utan]

Not as innovative as his first novel. Bit of a "Woman's Own" type of story.

Yeah, it is a bit shit - an novel version of an ITV drama featuring David Jason

 

[Dirty Martini]

You know those holiday villas where people leave their holiday books and pick up other peoples? I once took great pleasure in leaving a copy of Home's 69 Things To Do With A Dead Princess on the shelf between Len Deighton and Jeffrey Archer.

Nice work!

Ta for the recommendations

 

[lynne8]

Harry Potter..

 

[marty21]

just been away for a week and read 3 novels

girlfriend in a coma - douglas coupland
the intruders - michael marshal
thank you for smoking - christopher buckley

enjoyed them all

 

[Dirty Martini]

The Shadow of the Sun by Ryszard Kapuscinski. Of his stuff, I've only read The Emperor, which was brilliant.

 

[chooch]

The Shadow of the Sun by Ryszard Kapuscinski.

I skimmed his last one in a bookshop last time I was in England. Looked really good. You got The Emperor?

Reading Brian Keenan's account of his hostage experience, An Evil Cradling. Finding him thoroughly unlikeable so far. That may be because Sebastian Faulks and John Simpson are quoted on the back cover. Wish I wasn't such a tedious kneekerk twat.

 

[chooch]

IStewart Home.

British experimental novelist and cultural critic Home (Cunt) makes his American debut with his trademark fusion of highbrow theory

Bit harsh

Might have one or two of those. Abebooks will provide.

 

[Orang Utan]

Shadow Of The Sun is a fantastic book

 

[Dirty Martini]

I skimmed his last one in a bookshop last time I was in England. Looked really good. You got The Emperor?

Nah, it was a borrowed copy. It's a stunning achievement, reads like a Shakespeare tragedy.

Shadow Of The Sun is a fantastic book

Great so far ...