What are you reading now?

[Petrushka]

On the basis of his wonderful 'Fatherland', ordered very latest pbk from Robert Harris ' V2'
Total yawn.

Rarely has an author fallen as badly as Robert Harris. His early books were full of promise and he looked like one to follow but something went wrong somewhere. I stopped reading after 'Ghost' and various reviews haven't tempted me back. William Boyd is another. His 'Waiting for Sunrise' was so appallingly awful I vowed never to waste my money or time on any more of his books. Some 'best selling' authors feel the need to produce books conveyor belt fashion to fulfill contractual obligations but too many fail to sustain the necessary level of inspiration and end up taking their readership for fools.

[Padraig]

A new name to me is American writer George Saunders. After finishing his Lincoln in the Bardo, a strange experimental novel set in a cemetery where President Lincoln's young son Willie lies in his coffin awaiting. . . ? Has anyone read it? I have been intrigued enough to seek out more of his books and have selected two for further reading: Congratulations, by the way; and, A swim in a Pond in the Rain.

[Stanfordian]

On the basis of his wonderful 'Fatherland', ordered very latest pbk from Robert Harris ' V2'
Total yawn.

Hiya DracoM,

I'm just finishing off 'Dresden: The Fire and the Darkness' by Sinclair McKay. Next in the new stack of new books is Robert Harris ' V2'. I'm sure I will enjoy it.

[HighlandDougie]

William Boyd is another. His 'Waiting for Sunrise' was so appallingly awful I vowed never to waste my money or time on any more of his books. Some 'best selling' authors feel the need to produce books conveyor belt fashion to fulfill contractual obligations but too many fail to sustain the necessary level of inspiration and end up taking their readership for fools.

I would have been inclined to agree with you - and certainly do about 'Waiting for Sunrise' - but I think that some of his more recent output shows something of a return to earlier form. I thoroughly enjoyed 'Love is Blind' and, more recently, much liked 'Trio'. Neither are exactly "great novels" but they were a good read.

[LMcD]

I would have been inclined to agree with you - and certainly do about 'Waiting for Sunrise' - but I think that some of his more recent output shows something of a return to earlier form. I thoroughly enjoyed 'Love is Blind' and, more recently, much liked 'Trio'. Neither are exactly "great novels" but they were a good read.

'V2' is certainly not Harris at his most compelling. I recently picked up 'Pompeii' in a charity shop and will get round to it at some point.

[french frank]

A Month in the Country, by JL Carr. It has the same quiet charm as Travels with a Donkey.

[Petrushka]

Agent Sonya by Ben Macintyre. It's a terrific read, meticulously researched as one has come to expect from Macintyre. However, extraordinary as is the story of 'Sonya' I have to say that, in my case at least, sympathy for her is severely limited. Despite his dubious character I felt quite a strong bond with Eddie Chapman in Agent Zig-Zag and was cheering him on. 'Sonya' not so much.

Great read, though, and strongly recommended.

[Historian]

Agent Sonya by Ben Macintyre. It's a terrific read, meticulously researched as one has come to expect from Macintyre.

Thank you for the recommendation: one of my students gave me this as an end of year present so I will get cracking with it soon. They also gave me James Holland's 'Sicily '43: the first assault on fortress Europe' which showed an excellent variation on the usual boxes of Ferrero Rocher.

[DracoM]

'Adam Bede' / GE *******

[johncorrigan]

I don't read as much as I would like, but on holiday I followed a recommendation and read 'All the Lovely Horses' by Cormac McCarthy. Took me a wee bit to get it started because of the way he wrote the dialogue, but the book was wonderful, and the dialogue sparkling; though since lots of it was set in Mexico there are sections of speech in Spanish and I kept wondering if I was missing something important. It didn't really matter - I loved it. Apparently it's the first in a trilogy - think I'll have to decide whether to read the other two books, but will definitely read something else by him.

[Belgrove]

… I followed a recommendation and read 'All the Lovely Horses' by Cormac McCarthy…

The entire Border Trilogy is hauntingly beautiful john, so do persevere with the others. The Crossing introduces a new character Billy Parham, and he and John Grady Cole meet in the final book. McCarthy’s gift for writing dialogue is uncanny, but his descriptions of nature and the terrain of the Border Country is simply breathtaking.

McCarthy’s terse style is distilled into adamantine biblical authority in Blood Meridian, which follows a filibustering gang of renegades as they maraud through the same border territory in the 1850’s. It is the most savage and stunning book I’ve ever read, or am likely to read. It contains one of the greatest creations in literature in the monstrous shape of Judge Holden. It is not for the faint hearted (lovers of Jane Austin and her ilk should best keep a wide berth for fear of using up their smelling salts), but is nevertheless literature of the highest quality.

[johncorrigan]

The entire Border Trilogy is hauntingly beautiful john, so do persevere with the others. The Crossing introduces a new character Billy Parham, and he and John Grady Cole meet in the final book. McCarthy’s gift for writing dialogue is uncanny, but his descriptions of nature and the terrain of the Border Country is simply breathtaking.

McCarthy’s terse style is distilled into adamantine biblical authority in Blood Meridian, which follows a filibustering gang of renegades as they maraud through the same border territory in the 1850’s. It is the most savage and stunning book I’ve ever read, or am likely to read. It contains one of the greatest creations in literature in the monstrous shape of Judge Holden. It is not for the faint hearted (lovers of Jane Austin and her ilk should best keep a wide berth for fear of using up their smelling salts), but is nevertheless literature of the highest quality.

Thank you for that, Belgrove...I was worried that John Grady Cole might not develop further in a future book. Mind you, reading 'All the Lovely Horses', there was a bit where I thought that the book would just drift to a finish...how wrong I was. Magnificent story, wonderfully told. And you are absolutely right; the description of that border country was sparkling, and the horses magnificent. I will head for the next in the trilogy, as you recommend.

[french frank]

A Time of Gifts by Patrick Leigh Fermor, the first of a projected 3-volume account of his journey on foot from the Hook of Holland to 'Constantinople' in 1933. I don't think the third was ever written. The first takes him down to the Danube, but not as far as Budapest. It's a journey I've done several times (not on foot) so I'm looking forward to his account of places I know.

[Sir Velo]

A Time of Gifts by Patrick Leigh Fermor, the first of a projected 3-volume account of his journey on foot from the Hook of Holland to 'Constantinople' in 1933. I don't think the third was ever written.

Completed by his biographer, Artemis Cooper in collaboration with Colin Thubron: "Broken Road"; compiled from a manuscript which PLF was working on at his death.

[french frank]

Completed by his biographer, Artemis Cooper in collaboration with Colin Thubron: "Broken Road"; compiled from a manuscript which PLF was working on at his death.

I must look that up, though I shall have the 2nd one to get through too. Interesting character, PLF.