FF: Something Old, Something New(er)
Roary in the Surreal WorldA lot of waiting room time this week meant I had more time to read, but not as much time to listen. Good to be immersing myself into reading more.
For those of you unfamiliar with this column, the Friday Fragments lists what I’ve read over the past week. Most of the time I don’t include details of either short fiction (unless part of a book-length collection) or magazines. The Fragments are not meant to be a recommendation list. If you’re interested in a not-at-all-inclusive recommendation list, you can look on my website under Neat Stuff.
Once again, this is not a book review column. It’s just a list with, maybe, a bit of description or a few opinions tossed in. And it’s also a great place to tell me what you’re reading.
Completed:
Tales of Hoffman, translated by R.J. Hollingdale and others. Hoffman (1776-1822) is one of those writers often referenced as influential on Fantasy, Horror, and even Mystery fiction. This translation does a good job of showing his skill at “nesting” stories within stories as the author (who often breaks the fourth wall) delves into the roots of some occurrence. My favorite was probably “The Choosing of the Bride,” which had a touch of ironic humor.
In Progress:
The Grace of Kings by Ken Liu. Audiobook. The opening several chapters were a bit too grimdark for me, but because of recommendations, I forged on. I’m definitely liking several characters, but am trying to figure out how this can be expanded to four books. The author keeps adding characters, so maybe that’s how?
Maigret Rents a Room, by Georges Simeon, translated by Richard Brain. French detective/police procedural from the 1950’s. A window into another world.
Also:
Current Smithsonian. Articles on Sam Adams and J.R.R. Tolkien have been of particular interest.
