What are you reading now?

[umslopogaas]

M71 verissimo

I read 'Zuleika Dobson', albeit a long time ago. I recall it was a style that demanded you think positively: if you do, its a period piece and very funny; if not, it will appear faded, stuffy and dated.

[umslopogaas]

In response to no particular post, but just to see if there's any interest in a couple of titles no-one seems to have mentioned yet.

First is one I strongly recommend, despite its rather forbidding appearance: 'The Man Without Qualities' by Robert Musil. OK, a massive three volumes of twentieth century german high art, in english translation of course. If this doesnt look very inviting, don t be put off. I thought it was a bit like Proust: not at all the same style, but as in 'A La Recherche' the plot is almost irrelevant, its just a convenient device to display wide-ranging comments on life, art and just about everything. Like so many massive masterpieces, he didnt quite finish by the time he died ... but he nearly did.

Second is one that completely defeated me: 'An American Tragedy' by Theodore Dreiser. I got about fifty pages in and realised I simply didnt care if the hero lived or died, or how he did either. And it was going to take a very long time for him to do either. That was forty years ago and he's still on the shelf. I suspect he's going to stay there until one of us is carried out feet first.

[DoNothing]

eucaluptus44, thanks for the Neville Jason audiobook recommendations, I'll seek them out.

[kernelbogey]

I've just finished my Nth Wallander novel by Henning Mankell. They frequently end with a breathless chase by the hero to catch the villain before something else dreadful happens; but I like the portrayal of the protagonist with his existential angst and difficult relationships that are at least as prominent as the development of the investigation. For similar reasons I enjoy Andrea Camilleri's hero Inspector Montalbano, a dedicated foodie, also with relationship issues, and Donna Leon's Venetian Commissario Brunetti, with his cosy family life. Anyone recommend other Crimis with a similarly interesting protagonist?

[BetweenTheStaves]

I've just finished my Nth Wallander novel by Henning Mankell. They frequently end with a breathless chase by the hero to catch the villain before something else dreadful happens; but I like the portrayal of the protagonist with his existential angst and difficult relationships that are at least as prominent as the development of the investigation. For similar reasons I enjoy Andrea Camilleri's hero Inspector Montalbano, a dedicated foodie, also with relationship issues, and Donna Leon's Venetian Commissario Brunetti, with his cosy family life. Anyone recommend other Crimis with a similarly interesting protagonist?

I quite like the Inspector Banks series by Peter Robinson as Banks is always playing music and I've been introduced to quite a few singers of different genre that I'd hitherto been unaware of. Cesare Evora and Soile Isolski, for example, although I am a tad embarassed by the latter.

I have just finished reading 'Empire of the Clouds' by James Hamilton-Patterson. "When Britain's Aircraft Ruled the World". At my age, quite nostalgic. At times, humorous....but towards the end, very sad when you realise the sheer engineering expertise that was destroyed by poor management, indifferent Governments (if not verging on the wilful dismantling of the industry) and bad unions.

I miss Rebus now that he has retired and also enjoy Iain Banks/Iain M Banks and am embarking on a re-read of his work - all in hardback I'm delighted to say...I have his entire oevre.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

The way in to War and Peace might be listening to it rather than reading it - unless you think that's cheating. Is it just me or have others noticed a diminution in their reading stamina as one ages? I could tackle practically anything when younger in a life where there weren't so many shiny and bewitching distractions. My great joy now is the ipod and a steady diet of unabridged books to which I listen early in the morning when the mind is as fresh and clear as it's ever going to get. Neville Jason's reading of War and Peace (Naxos) is subtle, sympathetic and keeps one fully engaged throughout its 70+ hours. He also cracked A La Recherche for me too (abridged, but 39 CDs is enough to keep one going) His interpretation of M de Charlus is wonderful. The scenes just seem to hang in the mind long after one's finished listening.

Just think Alpen, you could do two hours on Listz in preparation for the Sparky recital and then have a guilt-free hour listening to War and Peace!

I think listening to it might be the answer, even if just to get into the first few chapters. So thank you for this suggestion. People do use devious methods from time to time, such as Shakespeare in comic form, but retaining the original text.

As for Sparky, the Liszt is going well, and I received "Le Secret" from Music Forte in the USA in today's post. It's been difficult to find!

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

Hello Eine Alpensinfonie,

Also my father explained to me the system of using patronymics and nicknames in Russia.
marthe

Getting round this has been the barrier for me. It was bad enough with Doctor Zhivago, even though I'd seen the film. Incidentally, the ITV adaptation of the latter followed the book much more closely, but lacked any real atmosphere.

[marthe]

I agree about the ITV adaptation of Zhivago. We saw it here as part of the PBS Masterpiece Theatre series. It may have been closer to the book but it was dull as dishwater. I still love the David Lean Zhivago even with the fake snow, fake accents, '60s-style period costumes (of the early 20thc.), Lara theme and all. We saw this at a drive-in theater when it first came out. I was 15 and very impressionable.

[gradus]

Its 1745 and I'm with Waverley in Edinburgh. Flora's playing hard to get and the wretched sassenachs are everywhere.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

I agree about the ITV adaptation of Zhivago. We saw it here as part of the PBS Masterpiece Theatre series. It may have been closer to the book but it was dull as dishwater. I still love the David Lean Zhivago even with the fake snow, fake accents, '60s-style period costumes (of the early 20thc.), Lara theme and all. We saw this at a drive-in theater when it first came out. I was 15 and very impressionable.

After watching the film for the first time in 1967, I was so taken with Lara's Theme (a direct crib of "Over the Waves") that I searched the Manchester music shops until I found a balalaika, which I taught myself to play. The trouble is, its tuning means the only realistic keys are A major/minor.

[marthe]

Alpen, if I may,

I too was quite taken with Lara's Theme but never tried it on a balalaika. I loved the opening scene of the burial of Zhivago's mother in a remote and cold place. IIRC Zhivago receives his mother's balalaika from his aunt and uncle after the burial scene.The film ends with Lara's daughter slinging a balalaika over her shoulder. One of my brothers brought a toy balalaika home from Russia and gave it to my daughter. We tried playing it but couldn't make it sing.

marthe

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

Alpen, if I may,

I too was quite taken with Lara's Theme but never tried it on a balalaika. I loved the opening scene of the burial of Zhivago's mother in a remote and cold place. IIRC Zhivago receives his mother's balalaika from his aunt and uncle after the burial scene.The film ends with Lara's daughter slinging a balalaika over her shoulder. One of my brothers brought a toy balalaika home from Russia and gave it to my daughter. We tried playing it but couldn't make it sing.

marthe

It isn't easy to make a balalaika sing, because of the restrictions of a trianglar soundbox. They need to be played in an ensemble. I liked to play along with the film soundtrack, particular in the title sequence. In fact I think I'll go and try it now.

[Petrushka]

I met John le Carre at a book signing last September and vowed to read all of them again in order. Currently reading The Naive and Sentimental Lover which is wonderfully inventive but still, for me, his only failure.

Also still working my leisurely way through Gustav Mahler: A New Life Cut Short by Henry-Louis de la Grange.

[Sparafucile]

Hi all,
I'm about 200 pages into an extraordinary novel called Alone in Berlin by Hans Fallada, first published in 1947 and based in part on true events. It's been republished by Penguin in new translation and gained a lot of admirers. At times it reminds me of Bulgakov's Master and Margarita, and is full of a wry and indomitable humour. A novel I fully expect to return to at some point.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/014118938X/ref=pd_lpo_k2_dp_sr_1?pf_rd_p=103612307&pf_rd_s=lpo-top-stripe&pf_rd_t=201&pf_rd_i=184614082X&pf_rd_m=A3P5ROKL5A1OLE&pf_rd_r=1ARCDGDBB5Z39JFBW4HG

Best wishes,
Sparafucile

Information is not knowledge. Knowledge is not wisdom. Wisdom is not truth. Truth is not beauty. Beauty is not love. Love is not music. Music is the best...

[charles t]

Just finished reading David Foster Wallace's short stories '12 Interviews with Hideous Men'. Disturbing and truthful. I am also reading his mammoth novel 'Infinite Jest'. My son assures me I will grow to love it. I am 200 pages in and struggling.

Pete: Perhaps your son will dig this recent foray into Wallace by Newsweek magazone. Yes, I too have that mammoth novel sitting on my shelf...maybe 50 pages read. Wallace was totally into Wallace...little to say to me. Just his inconsideration of leaving his hanged self for his spouse to discover, is a definite turn-off.

http://www.newsweek.com/2010/11/19/david-foster-wallace-s-personal-files.html