A roundup of last week's conversation and your verdict on the books you have recently read:
[Javier] Marias is a funny one. I find the stories interesting and engaging, but also quite cold and clinical in tone. I've yet to read one that has really drawn me in. Rather, I finish the story and think 'oh, that was clever', or 'how intriguing'. This isn't the worst criticism in the world, but there's nothing here that moves me. Writers in the short story form that have done so recently for me- Saroyan, DW Wilson, Richard Yates, have all been more interested in emotions. I have Marias a bit more like Donald Barthelme - almost intellectual in his approach, a bit distant.
I finished Nights at the Circus by Angela Carter at the weekend, a wonderful book, the prose and plot are magical - who isn't at least a tiny bit in love with fevvers after reading it?- and I love the way Carter plays games with narrative voices and questions of reliablity.
I've recently finished A Farewell to Arms and it has gone straight up there as one of my favourite books I've read this year.
I had been put off this book for ages as I am not a fan of War stories. The fact I enjoyed this book so much shows that I don't think there is a subject that Hemingway could write about that I do not want to read.
It starts off quite slow as a thought provoking book based on his war experiences, and it felt like as the book went on it gathered pace and turned into an adventure story. I was completely gripped!
Oh, the ending...When reading Hemingway's short stories in the Reading Group there was much made of his machoism, at the time I wasn't completely convinced by it but I see it completelty here. I will now defintely have to re-visit those Reading Group articles.
I would welcome any suggestions for another Hemmingway novel that people have enjoyed.
Currently reading the ever reliable Jane Gardam's "The Man in the Wooden Hat", sequel to the memorable "Old Filth"
An enjoyable read, giving much pause for thought, with her trademark humour, empathy and insights. But is it as good as "Old Filth"? Reserving judgement.
Our review list - some of the books we'll be writing about this week:
Non-fiction:
• The Beau Monde by Hannah Greig
• Britain Against Napoleon by Roger Knight
• Why Can the Dead do such Great Things by Robert Bartlett
• The True History of Merlin the Magician by Anne Lawrence-Mather
• Stephen Ward is Innocent by Geoffrey Robertson
• The Ministry of Guidance invites you Not to Stay by Hooman Majd
• At Speed by Mark Cavendish
• Wheelmen by Reed Albergotti and Vanessa O'Connell
• Belomor by Nicholas Rothwell
If you would like to share a photo of the book you are reading, rather than talking about it in the thread below, please do. Click the blue button on this page to share your image. I'll include some of your snaps in next week's blog.
