What are you reading now?

[johnb]

i recall being enthralled by the Alexandria Quartet by L Durrell when in my late teens .... but have never returned to it; has any one read it at all recently ...

Same here!

I wonder how it would seem now. I'm almost too afraid to see.

[verismissimo]

Just read Borges's "The Garden of Forking Paths" from Labyrinths...

[umslopogaas]

M37 verismissimo

Ah, 'Labyrinths', that set of short stories is great stuff! Borges is a real virtuoso with words. He's another author, like Proust, who is so good even in translation that the thought of how he must sound in the original language is overwhelming. Have you got to 'The library of Babel' yet? Even the thought of it makes me feel slightly dizzy.

[umslopogaas]

M138

Woops, that last message should have been M137, not 37.

[verismissimo]

Concentrated on The Garden of Forking Paths yesterday, um, and wrote a piece on it for my blog which I hope is not too stupid. It's a densely complex story.

May tackle The Tower of Babel today...

At the moment, I have to prepare readings for this morning's Mass. The stonings of Zechariah and Stephen. Bit of a reversal after the joy of Christmas. Presumably scheduled by the church fathers not wishing us to be unnecessarily joyful.

[french frank]

Labyrinths is wonderful. Perhaps we should have a special Borges thread for the discussion of the various stories?

Next on the list to read, though, is The Butterfly Isles by Patrick Barkham - a Christmas present (hardback!) from my nephew with a chokingly grateful message from him for all the various things (listed) that 'you've done for me this year'. That makes it my favourite present ...

The author travels up and down the country to track down every one of the 59 species of butterfly to be found in the British Isles, so it's a travelogue, a nature book, about the environment and his own life, and with lovely photographs.

[Richard Tarleton]

M109 Angle

I mentioned this earlier, but am delighted to be given an excuse to plug it again. Something funny? Stella Gibbons 'Cold Comfort Farm'. Available in Penguin Classics. Unlikely as it may seem to find humour in those black covers, its an absolute hoot.

I'll second that - first read over 40 years ago, re-read countless times (whenever I need cheering up), my first copy fell to pieces long ago and I now have a sturdy hardback which should see me out. Sheer perfection.

Dramatisations are always likely to be a bit of a let-down for a work depending so much on written observation, subtle word play and descriptive writing - it was televised (disappointingly) a few years ago on BBC, but brilliantly about, er, 40 years ago also on BBC with Sarah Badel, Alistair Sim and Brian Blessed note-perfect as Flora Poste , Amos and Reuben.

[Pianorak]

. . . on BBC with Sarah Badel, Alistair Sim and Brian Blessed note-perfect as Flora Poste , Amos and Reuben.

Yes, I remember that one! Not forgetting Fay Compton.

[Richard Tarleton]

I've been working on family history/family tree, and discovered that my great great great great grandfather's first name was Reuben. Sadly no Seths.

[charles t]

deleted - wrong place

Speaking of 'place', this might be the place to ask if anyone has read British author David Lodge?

In particular his earlier novels parodying the angst of living according to Roman Catholic mores:
The British Museum Is Falling Down - and - How Far Can We Go?

Trying to get through the 2001 - Thinks... - narrated in two voices, M/F. Both are academics; M is married, natch. And having to observe the plot 'thicken' as to whether they will copulate - or - not. Dreary stuff.

[umslopogaas]

M145 charles t

I once read 'How Far Can You Go?' and still have a copy. Cant remember much about it, but I know I enjoyed it. I once had 'Changing Places' as well and enjoyed that too, but my copy seems to have disappeared. Cant really remember if I read 'The British Museum Is Falling Down' and I no longer have that either, but I think I did. I liked the comic style of his earlier books.

I've also got 'Nice Work', but I didnt enjoy that so much.

[Richard Tarleton]

Speaking of 'place', this might be the place to ask if anyone has read British author David Lodge?

In particular his earlier novels parodying the angst of living according to Roman Catholic mores:
The British Museum Is Falling Down - and - How Far Can We Go?

Trying to get through the 2001 - Thinks... - narrated in two voices, M/F. Both are academics; M is married, natch. And having to observe the plot 'thicken' as to whether they will copulate - or - not. Dreary stuff.

His best ones are Changing Places, Small World and Nice Work - hilarious tales set in academia. I think he really hit his stride with these - I think his earlier stuff has not stood the test of time. Paradise News and Therapy are entertaining if not quite as good, and his most recent, Deaf Sentence, a mixed bag and very personal. He also wrote a novel about Henry James (Author Author). But those three his best by far.

[Sparafucile]

Hi,
The first 3 Rummidge novels - Changing Places, Small World and Nice Work, are available in one volume.

Over the festering season, I've read a splendid ghost story by Susan Hill called The Small Hand, her fourth in the genre, in the best traditions of M.R. James, et al. Her first, The Woman in Black, also a success on the stage, is in the process of being filmed by the reanimated Hammer Films, and has Daniel Radcliffe as the visited-upon individual. I've just finished her latest crime novel, featuring her detective Simon Serrailler, The Shadows in the Street. Very good it was too, keeping me up until after 3.00 last night.

After a bit of a fiction splurge over the last month or so, I'm turning back to history, and a volume on the Wars of the Roses by Desmond Seward.

By the way, anyone interested in exploring the quatercentenary of the King James Bible, may wish to listen to Radio 4, or IPlayer, for 'The Story of the King James Bible', with James Naughtie, presumably without the celebrated Spoonerism, at 9.00am this week until Wednesday, repeated in a shortened version at 9.30pm. A friend and colleague of mine is in it, and has written a book on the subject. I expect there'll be quite a bit more celebrating the tome over the next 12 months. Looking forward to it. (One assumes it's ok for non-religionists like myself to have have a keen interest in ecclesiastical history; only one never knows how propriatorial some might be about these things.....).

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00x3qy7

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Bible-Story-James-Version-1611-2011/dp/0199557594/ref=sr_1_6?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1294057426&sr=1-6

Happy New Year to all, and happy reading!

[verismissimo]

Diverted into James Shapiro's "Contested Will: Who wrote Shakespeare?" which I'm enjoying greatly.

Luckily he is clear that Shakespeare wrote Shakespeare. Quite rare in a book these days. Most of the other attributions spring from snobbery IMO.

[gurnemanz]

My Father's Fortune: A Life, by Michael Frayn

Just started this. Especially resonant since my father died last year, aged 95, and it was a Christmas present from my daughter.