Café Quito: 'pub' thread for general discussions Showing 901-950 of 1,427

[Hugh, Active moderator]

I agree - Angela Carter was much more interesting and versatile, but she probably lost a lot of supporters because she was never scared to say what she thought, and because she died too young to become a national treasure. I don't hate McEwan, but there are definitely things he likes to do that I find annoying as a reader. As for Amis, I have only read one early work, and I have always been rather deterred by his public persona.

[Gumble's Yard - Golden Reviewer]

Great summary Hugh

[Robert]

Hugh wrote: "I agree - Angela Carter was much more interesting and versatile, but she probably lost a lot of supporters because she was never scared to say what she thought, and because she died too young to be..."

Yes - I've seen some videos of her speaking her mind but I saw it more camp. Saying that her last novel Wise Children is wickedly funny and bawdy novel.

[Tracy]

Robert wrote: "Hugh wrote: "I agree - Angela Carter was much more interesting and versatile, but she probably lost a lot of supporters because she was never scared to say what she thought, and because she died to..."

Wise Children is my favorite by her. I’ve often wondered what her mind could still be creating if she was still alive.

[Robert]

Tracy wrote: "Robert wrote: "Hugh wrote: "I agree - Angela Carter was much more interesting and versatile, but she probably lost a lot of supporters because she was never scared to say what she thought, and beca..."

Probably ruder novels ( I like her particular sense of vulgarity)

[Tommi]

Only chiming in to express my excitement at live literary events after two years. Attended talks by Douglas Stuart, Maaza Mengiste and others last night, and I’m soon heading out to hear e.g. Colson Whitehead and Bernardine Evaristo – in Helsinki of all places!

[Stephen]

Agreed Tommi. I too was at a couple of book events last night in Glasgow at Aye write festival. Great buzz.

[WndyJW]

How exciting! Cleveland isn’t a huge hub for literature, sadly.

[WndyJW]

I avoid the news and only keep up enough to be informed because the news is too upsetting. Today’s news is beyond upsetting. Yet another slaughter of innocents, 19 children, none older than 10 massacred in their school. Again.

[Alwynne]

WndyJW wrote: "I avoid the news and only keep up enough to be informed because the news is too upsetting. Today’s news is beyond upsetting. Yet another slaughter of innocents, 19 children, none older than 10 mass..."

It's been widely reported here too Wndy, very depressing news, and all those poor families. But I imagine the likelihood of Texas revising its gun laws is slim to none. Didn't they recently review their "open carry" policies to make them even more liberal?

[Henk]

Saw a post circulating that there were 288 school shootings in 2022 in the US, with Mexico being second with 8 and South Africa at 6. Totally insane and very sad that no change is imminent 😞

[Cindy]

It is horrible and shameful.

[WndyJW]

I saw yesterday that by the 144th day of 2022 there had already been 212 mass shootings in the US.

Texas will not tighten gun laws, they have no gun laws, their heartless governor (the same monster who wrote a law that any professional with a “duty to report” child abuse must report parents who seek any kind of medical services for their trans kids, including counseling, for child abuse) recently lowered the legal age to purchase an AR-15 type gun to 18; the shooter turned 18 last week, bought an AR-15, shot his grandmother and massacred a school for kids under age 10.

The greedy, power hungry sociopaths in the Republican Party don’t just block all legislation meant to stop the daily slaughters, they glorify guns, they pose for photos with their spouses and children around a Christmas tree, family in matching pajamas, all holding military grade weapons, even their very young kids, their election ads feature them shooting and proudly standing next to a dead animal or just shooting at nothing. They fetishize guns and our children pay the price.

The victims aren’t only the 19 children who were murdered and their families, it’s an entire school of kids who carry the trauma of seeing school mates, friends, maybe siblings with heads and limbs blown off and their little bodies blown open, the “survivors” have to walk around pools of blood to get out of the classroom, after hearing gunfire and screams. We’re creating an entire generation of young people with PTSD who were hoping to finish school and have a happy, productive life.

How does this happen? The unquenchable lust for money and power renders Republicans inhumane and bereft of any sense of shame.

Just so people in other countries are clear, the very political party that refuses to stop this bloodbath is the same party calling itself pro-life as it’s excuse to deny women agency over their own bodies.

[Alwynne]

Paul: To bring this back on the monarchy and away from talk of 'that book', but still with a literary angle, here is former Booker judge on the Jubilee:

Thanks for the article Paul, I liked Afua Hirsch's Brit(ish): On Race, Identity and Belonging and find her articles easy to identify with. A lot of my friends/people of colour are not on board for the Jubilee including me, although personally too cowardly to confront my majority-white neighbours on why it's not something I want to get involved in, so had to invent various excuses for not attending the street party!

[David]

Alwynne wrote: "I liked Afua Hirsch's Brit(ish): On Race, Identity and Belonging and find her articles easy to identify with."

I would be interested in this too. One of the things I struggle with when reading European fiction in general is understanding the role of race and ethnic identity - and how those relate to national identity.

[Alwynne]

In that case David maybe look at Afropean: Notes from Black Europe there's also Natives: Race and Class in the Ruins of Empire, Black, Listed: Black British Culture Explored, or history by writers like David Olusoga Black and British: A Forgotten History

[Alwynne]

David wrote: "Alwynne wrote: "I liked Afua Hirsch's Brit(ish): On Race, Identity and Belonging and find her articles easy to identify with."

I would be interested in this too. One of the things I struggle with ..."

Also this article may help, Gilroy's work's been highly significant here, he also taught in the US for a while and mentions the differences between how race/identity conceptualised in the US versus UK
https://www.theguardian.com/news/2021...

But I'd also recommend 'Afropean' as the way in which these issues play out varies across European countries, different histories, different responses.

[David]

Thanks, Alwynne - those all look excellent. I'll check out Afropean to start.

[WndyJW]

Thanks for the articles. Alwynne.

[Alwynne]

Thought others might be interested in Jessi Jezewska Stevens's essay on recent trends in literary fiction in particular a move towards the fable and away from autofiction:

https://jjezewskastevens.substack.com...?

[David]

That's a really interesting essay. There may be something to that, at least with Moshfegh and others.

[Paul]

Yes that is interesting.

Though citing Rachel Cusk’s 2nd place as a move to fabulism (fair) but using as an example the remote cottage on the marsh. That actually exists and is Normal For Norfolk.

[Lee]

Interesting. The wide acclaim that a novel like Piranesi (Sept 2020) met with might be further evidence for the theory.

[Cindy]

I feel compelled to share this excerpt from the weekly book blog written by Ron Charles, the chief book critic for the Washington Post, which takes on James Patterson's horrible interview with the Sunday Times about his new memoir:

This week, James Patterson, America’s wealthiest writer, came to the defense of oppressed White men, who, as you know, have been suffering grievously under the Black matriarchy that rules planet Givemeabreak. While promoting his new memoir in London with the Sunday Times, Patterson lamented that White men have such trouble getting work in publishing and the entertainment industry. It’s “just another form of racism,” he reportedly said. “It’s even harder for older writers,” he prattled on, while his publicist leapt from a window. “You don’t meet many 52-year-old white males.” So true, muttered tens of thousands of 52-year-old White male CEOs.

I'm laughing too hard to be as angry as I ought to be.

[Lark]

Cindy wrote: "I'm laughing too hard to be as angry as I ought to be. ..."

Thanks for sharing, Cindy. It's mind-boggling how the most privileged people in the world can still find a way to claim (and feel) that they're oppressed. It's good to be reminded of that dynamic, because it keeps taking me by surprise how powerful a lever it is in today's politics, world-wide. On the upside I've never heard of James Patterson. His book covers must have that font that I automatically don't see when I'm looking for a new book to read.

[Alwynne]

He writes crime novels Lark, and he's been phenomenally successful, including many adaptations as blockbuster movies. How he could possibly feel oppressed given that is, as you say, mind-boggling. He's not quite on the Stephen King level for horror but as far as crime fiction goes must be pretty close.

[Lee]

He also shares co-author credit on novels with Bill Clinton and, more impressively, Dolly Parton.

[Paul]

Has sold over 400 million books and made not far short of a billion dollars. Imagine what we might have achieved were he not from an oppressed minority!

[Alwynne]

Paul wrote: "Has sold over 400 million books and made not far short of a billion dollars. Imagine what we might have achieved were he not from an oppressed minority!"

Yes the poor dear! I recognise him from various airport and overseas English-language bookshops. I've even read a couple when desperate for reading materials on trips, he's not bad, not really my thing but quite well-researched/plotted. Although a bit dated I think, maybe that's the problem he's experiencing now?

[Paul]

Not even that. Still sells by the shed load. Top of US non fiction charts this week for example and in the top 10 (for 14 consecutive weeks) on fiction.

But some here haven’t bought his books. Which suggests they must be prejudiced against him. Apparently.

[WndyJW]

I’m not prejudiced, some of my best friends are wealthy white males, I just don’t want to have to work with them.

[LindaJ^]

I quit reading books by James Patterson about 20 years ago.

[Tracy]

LindaJ^ wrote: "I quit reading books by James Patterson about 20 years ago."

Me, too. When my kids were little, the short chapters were a bonus.

Now they’re grown, and I can read more challenging books. Sometimes even books recommended by my kids.

[Paul]

I didn't ever start thankfully.

One of my real-life as well as Goodreads friends ranks bad books on the Patterson scale. Where 100 Pattersons is reserved for the most dire books (including of course his own).

[LindaJ^]

Interesting thought - ranking books as compared to an author who writes particularly bad but very popular books. I think Danielle Steel would be my choice for that honor.

[WndyJW]

How do others feel about Stephen King? He has great story ideas. I might have said this here before, but I heard him say in an interview, when asked where he gets his ideas, “I have the mind of a small boy; I keep it in a jar on my desk.”

I’ve never read him, but if I do I think it will be Gerald's Game

[Debra]

I read a few of his books in high school (The Shining, Salem's Lot, Carrie) and have watched several of his movies. However, my favorite is the movie Stand By Me, which is based on his book, The Body. It's more of a coming-of-age story than a horror story, although it does involve a dead body.

My husband and I once stayed in the Stephen King suite at the Stanley Hotel in Estes Park, Co. (Rocky Mountain National Park). It was in this room Stephen King was inspired to write The Shining.

[Tracy]

I read every Stephen King book I could find in high school- but haven’t read many since. I liked most of them, but Misery and The Stand were my favorites.

The first romance I read was Palomino by Danielle Steel- in junior high. I think that’s the only book by her I’ve read.

Nora Roberts puts out a large number of books, but I can’t really speak to the quality of her writing.

[Alwynne]

WndyJW wrote: "How do others feel about Stephen King? He has great story ideas. I might have said this here before, but I heard him say in an interview, when asked where he gets his ideas, “I have the mind of a s..."

I've enjoyed some early King, after 'The Stand' he became so phenomenally successful and was able to get his work published without much/if any developmental editing and the later work seems quite bloated and self-indulgent as a result. A friend's a big fan and has a whole collection in her holiday cottage. Of the ones I've sampled thought 'Carrie', 'The Shining' and possibly 'Misery' worked best. But he also has this annoying tic, he includes references that consist of weirdly euphemistic vulgarity, the equivalent of the vomit jokes in a certain type of American movie, his seem to run from Carrie's mother referring to breasts as 'dirty pillows' onwards and I find these incredibly annoying/off-putting. Also thought the use of the Sara Tidwell character in 'Bag of Bones' was exploitative/bordering on offensive.

Some decent film adaptations though, the ones directed by Frank Darabont, Kubrick's version of 'The Shining' - the uncut version.

[Robert]

WndyJW wrote: "How do others feel about Stephen King? He has great story ideas. I might have said this here before, but I heard him say in an interview, when asked where he gets his ideas, “I have the mind of a s..."

I've only read the shining - I thought the style was humdrum but the plot kept me going,

From the film adaptations I like Kubrick's version of The Shining and Reiner's adaptation of Stand by me, I also like IT part 1 (the recent remake). I've heard Misery is very good.

[Roman Clodia]

I read King as a teenager too - loved Carrie, was freaked out by The Shining, and remember another where vampires take over a small town.

But tried his Pet Sematary a few years back on holiday and found it just ludicrously bad!

[Emmeline]

I read the novella that The Shawshank Redemption is based on and it was one of those books that is just impeccably put together. You know how writing advice will say things like "every sentence should build from the sentence before"? It was that in action.

But I haven't read anything else. I'm too wimpy for the horror and most of the plots don't appeal. Everyone says his writing book is great though.

[Alwynne]

Emily wrote: "I read the novella that The Shawshank Redemption is based on and it was one of those books that is just impeccably put together. You know how writing advice will say things like "every sentence sho..."

From what I've read his shorter pieces seem to work well, it's the long novels where he seems to go off-track.

[Alwynne]

Robert wrote: "WndyJW wrote: "How do others feel about Stephen King? He has great story ideas. I might have said this here before, but I heard him say in an interview, when asked where he gets his ideas, “I have ..."

I thought 'Misery' was a fascinating take on obsessive fandom but I wasn't entirely comfortable with the portrayal of Annie Wilkes, the isolated, middle-aged, single, overweight woman seemed too obvious a target/stereotype, I'm not sure he's that great on women in general though.

[Alwynne]

The new Mariana Enriquez is reminding me a lot of early Stephen King at the moment.

[LindaJ^]

My sister and her daughter have read every Stephen King book ever written. I skipped all the early ones, thinking I did not like horror. The first one I read was Hearts in Atlantis, which I loved and would not classify as horror. King taught English at the University of Maine even as his books became more popular. My sister remembers leaving four or five books on his porch in Orono for signatures and going back the next day to pick them up signed.

[Cindy]

The only Stephen King novel I have read is 11/22/63, which I absolutely loved and recommended widely. I have the feeling it is somewhat different from his typical stuff.

[Emmeline]

Alwynne wrote: "The new Mariana Enriquez is reminding me a lot of early Stephen King at the moment."

Hopefully not in a "bloated longer novel" way. I'm looking forward to this one!

[Alwynne]

Emily wrote: "Alwynne wrote: "The new Mariana Enriquez is reminding me a lot of early Stephen King at the moment."

Hopefully not in a "bloated longer novel" way. I'm looking forward to this one!"

It's over 700 pages so not yet sure, so far loving the use of mythology and the occult to comment on Argentina's history but some of the scenes are very stilted in that commercial novel/contemporary horror genre way. More story led than exciting prose. I don't personally mind that but think anyone expecting something more consciously literary might be disappointed.

[Marc]

WndyJW wrote: "I’ve never read him, but if I do I think it will be Gerald's Game"

That's my least favorite by far of his books (I've read ~10 and I think my wife has read almost all of them). 11/22/63, Duma Key, Shawshank, and The Apt Pupil (a novella?) are my favorites so far.