Diane D.'s comments (member since Aug 28, 2007)

Diane D.'s comments from the What can you tell me about....? group.

Hi there Steve,
No I did not read "The Grotesque". Going by memory (!) I think he also has one called Spider (?). I had thought I had all of his novels, but when looking at Trauma I realized a few of them sneaked by me. Port Mungo touches on some very "touchy" subject matter.

I picked up his latest "Trauma" at the Book Festival which he autographed for me. Haven't read it yet, though. I am glad you enjoyed his writing. I agree, you can't read back-to-back McGraths! BTW, Asylum was made into a movie a few years back.

Hi Steve-O

I met Patrick McGrath last month at the LA Times Festival of Books at UCLA. I was thrilled when I saw he was going to be there. He was so nice, charming and jovial. I told him it wasn't what I expected after having read his work. He got a laugh out of that! Did you finish Asylum?

Ditto to Carol's comment. You may want to start with this one; it is a very short book, which is good if you've not read him before. It may also be his most popular. It delivers a very good message, I thought.

hi Mark - glad to have you on the thread. And that you just read Atonement. I don't think I will ever forget that book. I'll have to look for Comfort of Strangers. I can't imagine McEwan doing a creepy read. The next time I read McEwan, I think I will reach for Saturday. I've heard it was really memorable; i'll have to see how it compares to Atonement!

Ok folks. I did read Atonement on my trip to Boston. What a read. Steve-O, I can see how you would be "underwhelmed" if you read Amsterdam after reading Atonement. Atonement is such a layered book, so rich, captivating...while I liked Amsterdam, it can't touch Atonement. The ending Chapter "1999" blew me away. Atonement is on my Favorites shelf.

Hey Carol - you're like me. I see I bought Atonement in mid-January and haven't cracked it open yet! I have a trip to Boston planned end of March, and am thinking it may make for a perfect plane ride read :)

Ooooh Steve - I am a big Patrick McGrath fan; but his writing can be very dark. I loved Asylum, I read it long ago, and it is one of my favorites.
I also read Port Mungo (that one blew me away without saying too much more about it); and I read his book of short stories, Ghost Town.
Would recommend both, although Port Mungo touches on some sensitive subject matter. I think with McGrath you either really like him, or he's just not one's cup of tea, nothing in the middle.
Do post back after you've finished Asylum.

Owen Meany was given to me by a friend years ago, because it is (was) her favorite book of all time; i am embarrassed to say I have not read it!
Garp - brilliant; Son of A Circus - I could not get into it and gave up pretty early on. As far as the later ones go, I loved "A Widow For One Year"

Carol - did you pick up Saturday yet? I finally bought Atonement, but have not yet started it.

Carol - don't be afraid to read Saturday. I see that Sassy recommended it here, and another friend in my book club also highly recommended it (and she too had read Atonement). I'm lucky because I started with Amsterdamn, which I liked so I won't be "underwhelmed" when I read Atonement and Saturday. (i like that word, "underwhelmed", Steve-O)

The World According to Garp is the first of his that I read; I read it when it first came out along with most of my friends. We all thought it was amazing. I share Stephanie's view and would have to say that Widow For One Year is my very favorite Irving book. Everything Irving writes has some wierd quirks....he keeps his readers entertained for sure. I've not read his most recent The Fourth Hand or Until I Find You (someone on goodreads said I should make a point of reading that one) but one that would not recommend is Son of a Circus. For some reason, I just could not get into it and stopped at Page 20 or so.