Parade's End

[aeolium]

I'm saddened that most people will think they have 'done' P'sE by watching the TV and that the novel is likely to remain one of those unloved books slumbering, hidden away, on dusty library shelves.

Well, you can't know that, and as Anna said above, the TV series has prompted many more people (including presumably yourself) to read books by FMF than would otherwise have been the case. Surely that is to be applauded?

[johnb]

Well, you can't know that, and as Anna said above, the TV series has prompted many more people (including presumably yourself) to read books by FMF than would otherwise have been the case. Surely that is to be applauded?

Well, yes, but there is a difference between thinking in general terms about reading a book and actually doing it.

[Edit] That is a little unfair of me. But I am surprised that so few of the voracious readers here have expressed any interest in reading P'sE.

[french frank]

I'm saddened that most people will think they have 'done' P'sE by watching the TV and that the novel is likely to remain one of those unloved books slumbering, hidden away, on dusty library shelves.

Well, 'most people', if you're speaking literally, won't even think of reading the book, even after watching the series, though I daresay the BBC hopes a fair number will buy their new edition.

It's a reflection of an 'old argument': like a Dickens or Jane Eyre classic serial, they're a taste of wonderful literary works which 'most people' won't be interested in exploring any further, but, whether or no, such productions have served a valuable purpose. [Rather like Classic FM, which is enough classical music for most of its listeners.]

[aeolium]

It'll be interesting to see the sales figures for FMF books (and ebooks) over the next year or so. All the copies of Parade's End from the libraries in my county are unavailable with a lengthy waiting list.

I'm currently reading The Good Soldier via the Kindle version kindly recommended by another poster here. The reason for reading this rather than the first book of the Parade's End tetralogy is that I would like to get an idea of FMF's style without plunging into a long multi-volume work.

[mercia]

found a 30-year old TV adaptation of Good Soldier [starring "Poldark" and "Sherlock Holmes"]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0-WsTAC7lnc&feature=my_favorites&list=FLAD8HaY_o5UW3E-GAjBn8uw

[Northender]

May I say that it's only since joining the Forum that I've become aware of the true extent of the treasures available on youtube. Many thanks, mercia!

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

found a 30-year old TV adaptation of Good Soldier [starring ... "Sherlock Holmes"]

Hmm; is there a theme emerging here?

(Thanks for the link, too, mercs! )

[vinteuil]

... yes, I'm enjoying it a lot, for what I had always thought wd be an unfilmable book. There are some stunning visual moments.

I am occasionally perturbed by the lovely Cumberbatch's accent, which can veer wildly - but this is a quibble.

The precarious balance between tragedy and comedy in the book is being well transferred to the screen.

My observation of 1 September remains: I have to say that - while I am still enjoying this tele version a lot, two things struck me during last Friday (14 Sept) 's episode - Ben Cumber's attempt at toff-speak is getting ever more perilous. Roger Allam and Rebecca Hall can do toff with no effort, it comes natural to them; Benedict is consciously "working" at it - which of course is a complete contradiction. His very conscious "peck" "beck" "eccident" are contrived. Pity.

My other dissatisfaction - in the book, the main feeling of the war scenes is the chaos, confusion, mess, uncertainty, awfulness - and on the tele it was all far too "clean", tidy - shiny vintage cars, immaculate hotel scenes. It all ought to be a lot grubbier, improvised, unhappy...

This said - it's the best tele we've had for ages.

The book is a lot better...

[Anna]

It'll be interesting to see the sales figures for FMF books (and ebooks) over the next year or so. All the copies of Parade's End from the libraries in my county are unavailable with a lengthy waiting list.

Checked online today all our County Libraries, same result. All FMF books unavailable and length of wait describred as "indeterminate" Amazon also has the cheapest edition of The Good Soldier marked as "unavailable"

[aeolium]

My other dissatisfaction - in the book, the main feeling of the war scenes is the chaos, confusion, mess, uncertainty, awfulness - and on the tele it was all far too "clean", tidy - shiny vintage cars, immaculate hotel scenes. It all ought to be a lot grubbier, improvised, unhappy...

Yes - I had commented on this in my #117 (though simply on the look of the production, without knowing the book). I think this is simply a characteristic of all period productions on TV, perhaps with an eye to commercial resale or because of the demands of co-production partners. PE is a joint production with HBO, for instance. War scenes in particular are hopeless; you have only to look at one of the films commissioned during the First World War to see how messy everything looks (and those were intended as propaganda films!) compared with the way war scenes are presented on TV.

Incidentally, was Evelyn Waugh influenced by Ford in his writing of his Sword of Honour trilogy - there seem to be resemblances, particularly in the descriptions of pointless bureaucracy and chaos (and perhaps also the central character)?

[Anna]

For those who like comfy-cosy period soapy drama, snuggle up in your PJs on the sofa with cocoa, Downtown Abbey is back tonight .....

[french frank]

Incidentally, was Evelyn Waugh influenced by Ford in his writing of his Sword of Honour trilogy - there seem to be resemblances, particularly in the descriptions of pointless bureaucracy and chaos (and perhaps also the central character)?

And (round about the same time?) Siegfried Sassoon's trilogy - at least the second and third volumes, Memoirs of a Fox-Hunting Man, Memoirs of an Infantry Officer and Sherston's Progress. A bit of mental arithmetic suggests they have been lying on my shelves, never read, for 30 years.

[Hitch]

And (round about the same time?) Siegfried Sassoon's trilogy - at least the second and third volumes, Memoirs of a Fox-Hunting Man, Memoirs of an Infantry Officer and Sherston's Progress. A bit of mental arithmetic suggests they have been lying on my shelves, never read, for 30 years.

Then you have a treat in store. Dig them out when the weather turns nippy.

[Serial_Apologist]

And (round about the same time?) Siegfried Sassoon's trilogy - at least the second and third volumes, Memoirs of a Fox-Hunting Man, Memoirs of an Infantry Officer and Sherston's Progress. A bit of mental arithmetic suggests they have been lying on my shelves, never read, for 30 years.

That's given me an idea for a sequel: Memoirs of a Man-Hunting Fox.

[eighthobstruction]

Glad you reminded me, I always meant to read the second and third Sassoon novels....off to the river people....