What are you reading now?

[Anna]

So what's wrong with this thread?

Dunno, bit long and wordy? I am reading, unusually for me, some pulp fiction. Ian Rankin detective stories. I know I should say I am reading something instructive like Cosima Wagner's diarires or the unread biography of Bruce Chatwin in my bookcase .... But, I am not.

[Karafan]

Never spotted it, EA! No implied criticism!

[french frank]

Never spotted it, EA! No implied criticism!

Actually, I did think there was a case for having books about music or musicians on Talking About Music. But it diverted on to other topics

[Petrushka]

Singapore Burning by Colin Smith.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Singapore-Burning-Heroism-Surrender-World/dp/0141010363/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1358553478&sr=1-1

[verismissimo]

... bit long and wordy?...

Is that the books or the posts or both, Anna?

As the father/mother of this thread, I enjoy its diversity. Would not really like to lose books on music, but can see a case for a separate thread for them.

[Mahler's3rd]

Wagner & Philosophy By Bryan Magee, really interesting

[amateur51]

Is that the books or the posts or both, Anna?

As the father/mother of this thread, I enjoy its diversity. Would not really like to lose books on music, but can see a case for a separate thread for them.

I agree verismissimo - keep it all together

[french frank]

Rolling back the decades I'm revisiting The Conscience of the Rich, by CP Snow. I never saw Strangers and Brothers on TV but I seem to remember it lost out to ITV's what? Something about the Raj by the man who wrote Staying On?

[Beef Oven]

Britten's Children - John Bridcut.

Bought it four years ago and it has remained on the shelf.

The 'other' Britten thread made me pick it up.

P.S. I haven't seen the TV version.

[Richard Tarleton]

Wagner & Philosophy By Bryan Magee, really interesting

Great book. I followed it up with Magee's The Philosophy of Schopenhauer, essential reading for Wagnerians.

[Mandryka]

Rolling back the decades I'm revisiting The Conscience of the Rich, by CP Snow. I never saw Strangers and Brothers on TV but I seem to remember it lost out to ITV's what? Something about the Raj by the man who wrote Staying On?

Paul Scott is the name you're looking for.

I've never read anything by CP Snow. He has acquired a reputation for dullness...is it justified?

[amateur51]

Paul Scott is the name you're looking for.

I've never read anything by CP Snow. He has acquired a reputation for dullness...is it justified?

I'd recommend his solitary mystery story, Death Under Sail

[Mandryka]

I'd recommend his solitary mystery story, Death Under Sail

Cheers, will check it out.

For reasons unknown to myself, I listened to his DID last year. Interesting man, who seemed to come off worst in his little tiff with FR Leavis: personally, I think Snow had the better argument.

[umslopogaas]

I read a novel by CP Snow once, a long time ago and all I can say is that firstly I cant remember a word of it, or even the title, and secondly, I never read another one. So for me at least, he was dull.

Back to Proust: I have just started on the new translation. Proust does require a large committment of one's time. I read the original Scott Moncrieff translation, which was a heroic undertaking but apparently left the rude bits out. Then I read the Kilmartin revision, which put the rude bits back in. Now here we go again. If there is ever another translation I'll have to give it a miss, I havent got enough time left.

[Mandryka]

I read a novel by CP Snow once, a long time ago and all I can say is that firstly I cant remember a word of it, or even the title, and secondly, I never read another one. So for me at least, he was dull.

Back to Proust: I have just started on the new translation. Proust does require a large committment of one's time. I read the original Scott Moncrieff translation, which was a heroic undertaking but apparently left the rude bits out. Then I read the Kilmartin revision, which put the rude bits back in. Now here we go again. If there is ever another translation I'll have to give it a miss, I havent got enough time left.

Are you reading the new Penguin translation (by several hands, which I believe is still ongoing...?)?

I don't think S-M can be blamed for the 'bowdlerisation' of his version, as he - I understand - was working from an unreliable edition of the source. Kilmartin, in his revision, worked from a corrected text.