What are you reading now?

[Jonathan]

Started reading the 3rd Rivers of London book, Whispers Underground while on holiday.Very good indeed, like the previous two.

[french frank]

Just heard from someone who's intending to go to the production of Die tote Stadt (or The Dead City as they term it at the Coliseum) - opening this week. Seemed the moment to reread G Rodenbach's Bruges-la-Morte. My paperback edition has all the original photos of Bruges from the 1892 edition.

Finally got through (the shortish) Bruges-la-Morte. It was 'interesting' from an academic point of view (deemed to be the first 'Symbolist' novel, as a counterpart to the symbolist poets of the late 19th century). However, refreshing my memory as to the plot of Die tote Stadt, I'd say the Korngolds made a good job of the libretto, making the opera a good deal more interesting than the novel (not to mention choosing the name 'Marietta' instead of Rodenbach's rather prosaic 'Jane Scott'). Rodenbach got a bit enmeshed with his symbolism. The 200-odd pages of the novel basically present a single situation and move at a gloomily symbolistic snail's pace largely within the main character's mind, from obsession to rage and hatred - and an actual violent end rather than an hallucination. If that appeals, go ahead: I shall now start Angel Pavement with some relief.

[smittims]

I admire your dedication, ff. I'm afraid I've given up reading novels which I find hard work; 'Doktor Faustus' I think was the last. And many years ago a (very) close friend urged me to read a particular novel* she assured me I'd 'love'. I felt obliged to plough through it although I found it badly-written, and was in a dilemma about what to say on handing it back.


----------------------------------------------

* details withheld in case a fan of that writer sees this. I don't like to impugn someone's taste.

[Mal]

American Prometheus: The Triumph and Tragedy of J. Robert Oppenheimer by Kai Bird - Pulitzer prize winner, very detailed, 700 pages long, but reads like an extreme thriller. Several draw jopping moments of disbelief - like Oppenheimer had a breakdown in his early 20s when trying to be an experimental physicist (couldn't solder two wires together...) ... he ended up trying to poison his supervisor... he also failed at that experiment... Cambridge let him carry on, after a little counselling (!) Then he bounced over to Germany and turned into a top theoretical physicist in short order... Stranger than fiction indeed! And as for Oppenheimer vs. Hoover, the FBI et. al. in the 1950s... well read the book...

[french frank]

I admire your dedication, ff. I'm afraid I've given up reading novels which I find hard work; 'Doktor Faustus' I think was the last.

Old habits die hard! I used to do it for a living and now very seldom read anything for 'pure enjoyment'. There always has to be an element of work about it, something 'improving'. Probably a bit sad

[Maclintick]

I am on a Vonnegut binge. Currently re reading Breakfast of Champions

I devoured Vonnegut as a student in the early 70s, whilst largely eschewing improving "literature" recommended by one's elders and betters, so I'm interested to hear how it stands up 50 years later, RFG, but would imagine that his unique admixture of sci-fi flights of lunacy and coruscating satire -- the madness of imaginary worlds always logically consistent, à la Lewis Carroll -- are just as relevant today ? Hugely influential on Douglas Adams, of course. So it goes...

[smittims]

Ah, I see, ff. You're the opposite of Desmond MacCarthy, who said that when he was obliged to do something he immediately didn't want to do it.

I wonder if professional musicians have the same problem listening to music, that they cannot simply listen as a mere listener; they cannot stop themselves from listening to it critically.

Someone asked Harry Birtwistle why he didn't go to concerts. He said 'Well, I know it'.

[vinteuil]

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... a non-Maigret Simenon, la Veuve Couderc [1942]. It has a theme and central character very similar to Camus's l'Étranger, and came out at about the same time. Simenon was miffed that the Camus went on to acquire greater acclaim : Gide thought that la Veuve Couderc went further and deeper than the Camus. I'm enjoying it a lot ; apparently there is a good film [1971] with Simone Signoret and Alain Delon, which I must keep an eye out for...
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[Petrushka]

Someone asked Harry Birtwistle why he didn't go to concerts. He said 'Well, I know it'.

Well, he must have broken this rule one Sunday afternoon in May 1995 for a BPO/Abbado Mahler 5 in the RFH because I saw him there and at very close quarters too so there was no mistake!

[Pulcinella]

The Librarian, by Salley Vickers
Borrowed from our neighbourhood book exchange.

Delightful (The Times)
A rare writer (Philip Pullman)
Excellent (Daily Mail)

Tiresome and tedious (This reader)

At least I didn't spend any ready money on it, and it just goes back in the box.
I should have guessed: I didn't like Miss Garnet's Angel either!

[smittims]

Hi, Pulcinella, I was interested to see someone else has read Salley Vickers' 'The Librarian'.

I was puzzled by a remark she made in the 'afterword' or whatever it's called , the bit after the story finishes where the writer comments.

'Books should not be about anything'.

I wondered if you or anyone could tell me what she might have meant by this curious remark. Surely every book must be 'about' something. Hers certainly is.

My own short review of 'The Librarian' ( a birthday present from a well-meaning relative) : 'Naive and pretentious'.

[Pulcinella]

Hi, Pulcinella, I was interested to see someone else has read Salley Vickers' 'The Librarian'.

I was puzzled by a remark she made in the 'afterword' or whatever it's called , the bit after the story finishes where the writer comments.

'Books should not be about anything'.

I wondered if you or anyone could tell me what she might have meant by this curious remark. Surely every book must be 'about' something. Hers certainly is.

My own short review of 'The Librarian' ( a birthday present from a well-meaning relative) : 'Naive and pretentious'.

Haven't got there yet, but I like your summary!
She treats her readers as though they are equally poorly educated as the children she's seeking to enlighten!

[french frank]

American Prometheus: The Triumph and Tragedy of J. Robert Oppenheimer by Kai Bird - Pulitzer prize winner, very detailed, 700 pages long, but reads like an extreme thriller. Several draw jopping moments of disbelief - like Oppenheimer had a breakdown in his early 20s when trying to be an experimental physicist (couldn't solder two wires together...) ... he ended up trying to poison his supervisor... he also failed at that experiment... Cambridge let him carry on, after a little counselling (!) Then he bounced over to Germany and turned into a top theoretical physicist in short order... Stranger than fiction indeed! And as for Oppenheimer vs. Hoover, the FBI et. al. in the 1950s... well read the book...

Meant to answer this earlier but was whisked off for lunch. This reminded me that Oppenheimer figured quite prominently in Graham Farmilo's biography of the quantum physicist and Nobel prizewinner Paul Dirac. Farmilo called the biography The Strangest Man. He was - and fascinating to read about him.

[vinteuil]

.

... Henry James : The Aspern Papers. Years since I last read it : I had forgotten how funny it is.

.

[CallMePaul]

The First Ghosts by Irving Finkel. This is a fascinating, but far from easy, read about attitudes to death, interment and the afterlife in ancient Mesopotamia, covering both Sumerian and Akkadian attitudes. The Sumerian (carried over to later periods) view was that the spirit of the deceased could appear as what we would call a ghost. Recommended!