Reading the 20th Century discussion
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What books are you reading now? (2020)
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I have decided to set aside Elizabeth Bowen, an Estimation. It is not the biography I expected and I do not have the interest and motivation to read about the politics of the Anglo Irish. Maybe there is more in the volume than I attempted, but I just need to move onto something that is likely to be of more interest to me.
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I'm pretty sure I will not quit reading Elizabeth Bowen, just that the Hermione Lee wasn't what I was up for. I also have her The House in Paris on my wish list. Perhaps the most important thing I learned from the "biography" is that Bowen published as many as 80 short stories. I'll probably nose around and choose a collection too.
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Roman Clodia wrote: "The only edition I could find is Collected Stories. I've read a few when they've turned up in anthologies and have been intending to suggest her Hand-in-Glove for one of our short sto..."I was hoping to find one of her original collections, but I may have to give that one a longer look.
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I did come across something out next year, which looks interesting: The Shadowy Third by Julia Parry. It isn't on Goodreads yet and I can't be bothered to add it at the moment.
A sudden death in the family delivers Julia a box of love letters. Dusty with age, they tell the story of an illicit affair between the brilliant twentieth-century novelist, Elizabeth Bowen, and a young academic called Humphry House - Julia's grandfather.
Using fascinating unpublished correspondence, The Shadowy Third exposes the affair and its impact by following the overlapping lives of three very different characters through some of the most dramatic decades of the twentieth century; from the rarefied air of Oxford in the 1930s, to the Anglo-Irish Big House, to the last days of Empire in India and on into the Second World War. The story is spiced with social history and a celebrated supporting cast that includes Isaiah Berlin and Virginia Woolf.
In the style of Bowen, a novelist obsessed by sense of place, Julia travels to all the locations written about in the letters, retracing the physical and emotional songlines from Kolkata to Cambridge, Ireland to Texas. With present day story telling as a colourful counterpoint to the historical narrative, this is a debut work of unparalleled personal and familial investigation.
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Humphry House was quite elusive in the biog I read. It's so interesting when people live through a large part of the century: Bowen was born in 1899 and didn't die till the 1970s (1973?) - witnessing so much change is incredible.
My review of The Jade Peony by Wayson Choy:https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
I have begun Eve's Ransom by George Gissing.
Elizabeth (Alaska) wrote: "I have decided to set aside Elizabeth Bowen, an Estimation. It is not the biography I expected and I do not have the interest and motivation to read about the politics of the Anglo Ir..."Both Anglo/Irish and Anglo-Irish politics are complex and extremely frustrating, so I think you have made a wise decision. I also think it is quite enough to know that there is a political undercurrent to Elizabeth Bowen's books to enjoy them.
I am going to bed happy--I just finished a wonderful book--Eve's Ransom by George GissingMy review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
I will start tomorrow morning Here We Are by Graham Swift. So far, I have given all the books I have read by him four stars.
I started Say Nothing: A True Story of Murder and Memory in Northern Ireland the other day. Having difficulty putting it down.
Jan C, wow, two really good books you've got there. Bulgakov's book can be read on so many different levels. Does the Kindle provide extensive notes? To get the most out o f the book they are great to have.
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Great news. I can't wait to read it
I'm also a fan of The Master and Margarita - I hope you enjoy it
Set in 1979, a dysfunctional Iowa farming family falls apart when the patriarch decides to leave his thousand-acre property to two of his three daughters. His mental state deteriorates and family infighting ensues. The writing is eloquent. It is character driven and none of the characters is particularly likeable. This book is a retelling of King Lear. If I had figured it out sooner, some of the plot transitions, which seem to come out of the blue, would have made more sense. This book won the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction in 1992. If we were able to give half stars, I'd give it 3.5.A Thousand Acres by Jane Smiley - 3 stars - My Review
Here is another very good book by Graham Swift--Here We Are. I will read anything he writes.My review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
I am working though the books by John Steinbeck that I have not yet read. I thought The Red Pony was for kids, but according to my son it isn't. A well written book can be equally good for both child and adult. I am liking this from the start. I'm a dog person. Horses kind of scare me. This book is on the way to changing my mind about them.
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The Young Team (2020) by Graeme Armstrong shares a lot in common with Who They Was. Both authors grew up on estates with high levels of crime and violence, and limited opportunities for the people that live there. Both tales are highly autobiographical and terrifying. Both are, ultimately, tales of redemption.
Click here to read my five star review of The Young Team
Interesting difference in word usage. An estate in the United States is where rich people live.
John Steinbeck is such a strong writer. The Red Pony I have given four stars.My review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Although this is about a child, I would not classify it as a child's book. It is for both adults and adolescents. Parts are grim.
I have begun and am enjoying Irène Némirovsky's Fire in the Blood. It is short--maybe I will like it all the way through to the end.
Elizabeth (Alaska) wrote: "Interesting difference in word usage. An estate in the United States is where rich people live."It's the same here, in some cases. I guess it comes about from the estates selling off vast tracts of land to build houses on after the War(s). We have Estates, housing estates; privately owned houses all grouped together, and council estates; built by the local councils to help with housing shortages following the war. Council estates would offer cheaper rent for the working classes. It's all in the context and a British person should recognise immediately what is being referred to. Very confusing without that background knowledge, but I admit I would expect someone to understand my meaning if I talked of any of the above without the clarification. Just goes to show, we shouldn't take it for granted.
Nice clarification, Tania. I did understand that the people in the book Nigeyb was referring to, weren't in the wealthy class.
I realised that you had that covered, : ).What you call realtors (Not sure of spelling, spellcheck says I have it wrong) we call estate agents. So about houses rather than land.
Realtors is correct. Yes, I had understood estate agents in other reading. It was the phrase "Both authors grew up on estates with high levels of crime and violence" that had me noticing the cultural differences as there wouldn't be much crime anad violence on rich people's estates.
Depends on your outlook, maybe they're just less likely to be caught (or at least prosecuted)
But in this case, yes different sort of crimes.
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Click here to read my five star review of The Young Team"
Elizabeth (Alaska) wrote: "Interesting difference in word usage. An estate in the United States is where rich people live."
It is interesting isn't it?
As Tania mentions, and as I know you know, an estate could be either for rich or for poor. A council estate (or scheme, in Scotland) is equivalent to the Projects in US cities. Public housing schemes where poorer people tend to live - although Margaret Thatcher initiated a scheme for people to own their own council houses so much of the housing is now privately owned (which helped fuel a massive increase in the cost of property but that's another story for anothe day).
Great book by the way
Tania wrote: "Depends on your outlook, maybe they're just less likely to be caught (or at least prosecuted)"Or not crimes. There is no reason to believe that it is automatic that people in any economic group are criminals.
Elizabeth (Alaska) wrote: "Tania wrote: "Depends on your outlook, maybe they're just less likely to be caught (or at least prosecuted)"Or not crimes. There is no reason to believe that it is automatic that people in any ec..."
Maybe, but I know several people who own big estates, and not so big ones, who I've actually seen get away with crimes because they can get in an expensive lawyer and get away with it, and then laugh about it in the pub.
Krauze is not really a product of council estates - he chose to move to South Kilburn to distance himself from his middle class parents, and if we accept that what he wrote is true he is profiting further from some pretty unpleasant crimes by writing about them.
Well, on a different note, I've started Village Story which so far has been really good. Planning on reading more of these Furrowed Middlebrow 'village stories' soon.
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Is that your interpretation of Who They Was Hugh? Or did you come across it elsewhere?
My recollection of the book is that he chose to move in with his uncle to be part of estate life. I hadn't picked up that his parents were middle class though. Clearly they were worried about him though - understandably so.
I agree that he is profiting from his crimes but, then again, what is he supposed to write about? They always say write about what you know.
It is all in the book - he went to a private school and had regular holidays in Tuscany.
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Didn't he get a scholarship to the private school before he was kicked out? My understanding was that his parents were 1st generation Polish immigrants who wanted their children to benefit from educational opportunities. They were clearly cultured and intelligent but I didn't get the impression of 'middle class'.
I have to say I'm surprised at how judgmental some readers have been about this book because of their response to the author. He's made it clear in interviews that his view now of his crimes is not the same as his view then, but that he didn't want to impose that level of maturity on the character/narrator who is still only 21-22 by the end. Krauze felt that would have been untruthful and turn the book into a neat morality tale.
It's hardly the first time someone has profited from a book based on their criminal activities - and they don't all necessarily have the level of intelligence and sheer blazing writerly talent of Krause.
Can you tell I loved this book? ;)
Yes, they were first generation immigrants. I am using middle class in the looser sense that includes most professionals - these days that does not necessarily imply comfort.
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Krauze has talked about how he's suffered from PTSD as a result of his earlier life and the toll that this form of toxic masculinity takes on the mental health of young men. We're supposed to find the book terrifying, I think. I'm not sure I've read anything like it before.
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It's not an easy read, and nor should it be. It is however brilliantly written, and it shines a light on a world that is generally ignored by literature and literary prizes.
I can well believe he's suffered from PTSD. Still, he's out now and seemingly having turned his life around. Good luck to him.
Chrissie wrote: "Jan C, wow, two really good books you've got there. Bulgakov's book can be read on so many different levels. Does the Kindle provide extensive notes? To get the most out o f the book they are gre..."
I haven't even looked at Bulgakov yet. I've been reading Say Nothing for the past couple of days.
Jan C wrote: "Chrissie wrote: "Jan C, wow, two really good books you've got there. Bulgakov's book can be read on so many different levels. Does the Kindle provide extensive notes? To get the most out o f the ..."
If the Kindle version doesn't have extensive motes, I recommend borrowing from the library an edition that does.
I can understand why it is hard to put the other book down.
Published in 1983.At age twenty, Gus Orviston tells of his life growing up in rural Oregon in a fishing family. He becomes obsessed with fishing. He eventually figures out that there needs to be more to his life than a single-minded pursuit, and he branches out. This book is about finding one’s place in the world. It contains musings about love, spirituality, and life. The author weaves together beautiful descriptions of nature, a number of mini-stories, and a great deal of humor. Though I am far from a fisherman, I very much enjoyed this uplifting story.
The River Why by David James Duncan - 4 stars - My Full Review
Fire in the Blood by Irène Némirovsky (the author of Suite Française) is the first book by the author that I really like.My review; https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
I have begun The Good Apprentice by Iris Murdoch. I've been yearning for a long book. I'm wondering what strange relationships I will read about here.
Elizabeth (Alaska) wrote: "Interesting difference in word usage. An estate in the United States is where rich people live."I thought you might notice that, Elizabeth.
In the UK it means two different, but specific, things:
1) A place where 'poor people' live - (e.g. 'council estate').
2) A place rich people own, but do not live (they may only spend a few weeks a year there) - (e.g. 'shooting estate').
One thing and another the past few days has gotten me a bit behind my intended reading schedule. But I have finally started The Portrait, a buddy read this month.
Val wrote: "Elizabeth (Alaska) wrote: "Interesting difference in word usage. An estate in the United States is where rich people live."I thought you might notice that, Elizabeth.
In the UK it means two diff..."
I noticed it too! The only estate near me is Biltmore.
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I have never worked out emojis, Val, but I would like everyone to feel c..."
..and we made you feel uncomfortable, for which I apologise.
It was only personal in that I have been trying to work out Elizabeth's sense of humour for some time (I wondered why she kept telling me). Since then she has been throwing heavier and heavier metaphorical bricks through my windows, until I finally got it. (This bit is a joke: Her arm must be really sore by now!)
Elizabeth, I apologise for wasting so much of your time. If any of the above is incorrect and I have jumped to the wrong conclusion as a result, I also apologise for that.