What are we reading? 19th January 2022

[AB76]

scarletnoir wrote: "AB76 wrote: "yes, the DINA were basically a part of the Chilean military, so while it stood alone for 3 years, it was active within the military hierarchy from the late 60s where Pinochet was one o..."

i read "distant star" about a decade ago and liked it, though most Bolano i find over rated

The "land of the free" has an appalling record in latin america, all the way back to Cuba in the late 19thc

[AB76]

FrancesBurgundy wrote: "AlbyBeliever wrote: "I've got a 50% off voucher for And Other Stories burning a hole in my pocket (as a result of a mix-up that means I'm the proud owner of three copies of Paulo Scott's new book)...."

Murnane is an acquired taste, i love him but am aware he can leave people cold, sometimes i think readers who worship authors forget how polarising they can be.

His 1982 classic "The Plains" is quite simply a pleasure to read but that doesnt mean it wont be an awkward one for some. Its like a slow study of "somewhere" which is vaguely a region of Victoria in Australia, with colonial undertones. It is a deliberate novel, quite fussy with wonderful imagery.

His fussiness and particularity is stringent and can grate even in small doses but i find him fascinating. He barely travels outside Victoria and doesnt fly. In his late 80s now

[MK]

giveusaclue wrote: "MK wrote: ""I hope @giveusaclue scrolls down to see Andrew Martin's forthcoming book.

Can you give me a clue?"

Clarity! At the bottom of the Observer link there is the note that Andrew Martin has a book (memoir?) coming out this spring (May, I think) with Yorkshire in the title. Isn't that your homeground?

[MK]

AB76 wrote: "MK wrote: "AB76 wrote: "Reading the FT Weekend "Arts" section, has reminded me how much i loved reading the FT over Saturday and Sunday for a good 5-6 years, until covid hit and i stopped buying it..."

No - 3 months introductory offer which automatically renews at a higher rate if one doesn't stop it in time.

I think it probably is an old person thing to prefer reading from paper - especially several page long items. After all, I still use $$$ when I go shopping which I am told is so retro by those using debit cards everywhere. I'd hate to think how easy it would be for me to run amuck with a debit card in constant use.

[Andy]

MK wrote: "Here is a list of Ukraine books from a Yale University Press email received yesterday. I expect some may be rather pricey but a place to start looking.

In the meantime, I'm heading to the library..."

Thanks MK.
I found The Orphanage a fascinating read. Must get on with more Zhadan.

[MK]

Russell wrote: "AB - French-Canadian papers - Maybe right up near the border, but I don't remember seeing any, even in Burlington, which is a sizable (and rather magnificent) city. Of course, there is a huge Frenc..."

Lots of mill towns in Maine, as well. May I recommend - Mill Town: Reckoning with What Remains?

The grade school associated with St. Augustine's Catholic Church (located on Sand Hill - the French-Canadian neighborhood) in Augusta, Maine once taught its classes in French.

[Andy]

AlbyBeliever wrote: "I've got a 50% off voucher for And Other Stories burning a hole in my pocket (as a result of a mix-up that means I'm the proud owner of three copies of Paulo Scott's new book). Does anyone have any..."

Just read Oldladyvoice - review below, not sure I'd recommend it... it may be more up your street though Alby.
I'm keen on Phenotypes, soon..
I would recommend César Aira or Oleg Pavlov. They publish some really interesting stuff.

[AB76]

MK wrote: "Russell wrote: "AB - French-Canadian papers - Maybe right up near the border, but I don't remember seeing any, even in Burlington, which is a sizable (and rather magnificent) city. Of course, there..."

thanks MK

[Andy]

Oldladyvoice by Elisa Victoria, translated from Spanish by Charlotte Griffiths.

This unconventional coming of age novel puts me in mind of the wonderful Zazie in the Metro in that its protagonist is a rather naughty 9 year old girl. For all her mischief however, Zazie came over as innocent, though I suppose it was 1959..
Here, Victoria's protagonist and narrator in Marina, and it is the late 1990s, and Seville rather than Paris. Marina comes over as anything but innocent. She is extremely foul-mouthed, and swings between bawdy sexual curiosity (for example, in humping her Barbie dolls) to a frustrated timidity when stood up on a playdate. There are other concerns as Marina approaches adolescence, her mother is dying, and her home situation is to say the least, unstable. Both novels have at their heart the innocence of childhood though, and are fascinating to compare 40 years on.
I found this an uncomfortable read, despite Victoria's attempts to lighten it. I much prefer Queneau.

[Andy]

AB76 wrote: "AlbyBeliever wrote: "I've got a 50% off voucher for And Other Stories burning a hole in my pocket (as a result of a mix-up that means I'm the proud owner of three copies of Paulo Scott's new book)...."

Got that coming up soon also AB...

[Andy]

FrancesBurgundy wrote: "AlbyBeliever wrote: "I've got a 50% off voucher for And Other Stories burning a hole in my pocket (as a result of a mix-up that means I'm the proud owner of three copies of Paulo Scott's new book)...."

Feed back on Scott when you get chance please FB...

[AB76]

Andy wrote: "AB76 wrote: "AlbyBeliever wrote: "I've got a 50% off voucher for And Other Stories burning a hole in my pocket (as a result of a mix-up that means I'm the proud owner of three copies of Paulo Scott..."

will be interesting who reads it first, you mean the Murnane "Collected Short Fiction" or the Chilean novel?

[Andy]

AB76 wrote: "Andy wrote: "AB76 wrote: "AlbyBeliever wrote: "I've got a 50% off voucher for And Other Stories burning a hole in my pocket (as a result of a mix-up that means I'm the proud owner of three copies o..."

Remainder.
Just been looking at what a few may think might make the International Booker Longlist (announced 10 March). This interests me more than the Booker.
Of particular interest to me is..
The Colony of Good Hope
Island
Oxygen
More Than I Love My Life
Call Me Cassandra
The Forests

[[deleted user]]

Machenbach wrote: "Russell wrote: "Burlington, which is a sizable (and rather magnificent) city." Wow, that's a small 'sizable' city isn't it? (Not dissing it; it looks nice)."

MB - Yes, a population of 45,000 per Wiki does sound a bit pathetic for a city. I was thinking more of the conurbation. With all the adjoining towns the population must be well over 100,000 (out of 168,000 in the not so large county) which is pretty big for round here.

MK – Interesting, thanks.

[giveusaclue]

MK wrote: "Clarity! At the bottom of the Observer link there is the note that Andrew Martin has a book (memoir?) coming out this spring (May, I think) with Yorkshire in the title. Isn't that your homeground?"

As a Lancastrian born exile........! I have lived in South Derbyshire nearly all my life.

Thanks for the clarification, and I will forgive yo😀u for the faux pas.

[MK]

giveusaclue wrote: "MK wrote: "Clarity! At the bottom of the Observer link there is the note that Andrew Martin has a book (memoir?) coming out this spring (May, I think) with Yorkshire in the title. Isn't that your h..."

Oops! My bad.

I suppose that Cromford is not in South Derbyshire. There's a really great bookshop there - Scarthins.

[[deleted user]]

Hello, everyone. I will put up a new thread tomorrow.

[Georg]

Lass wrote: "@georg. So sad to hear that Norma Waterson has died."

I've just listened to some of my favourite songs of hers. And used up a hanky or two.
And then I thought: she has made me happy. She has made so many people happy.
She is immortal.
And she can teach the angels a thing or two.

[AB76]

Georg wrote: "Lass wrote: "@georg. So sad to hear that Norma Waterson has died."

I've just listened to some of my favourite songs of hers. And used up a hanky or two.
And then I thought: she has made me happy. ..."

one of the great female folk singers and we have lost many since the 60s

[giveusaclue]

MK wrote: "giveusaclue wrote: "MK wrote: "Clarity! At the bottom of the Observer link there is the note that Andrew Martin has a book (memoir?) coming out this spring (May, I think) with Yorkshire in the titl..."

No it isn't but I will bear that in mind thanks.

[Lass]

@georg, and others, re Norma Waterson. Was lucky to see her, along with Mike and Lal, some years ago. Happy to reminisce about the Folk Union One days at the Old Bluebell Inn. Have not been playing much music of late, but it’s time to explore the albums we have, The Watersons, Waterson Carthy, The Norma’s solo albums, and Gift, with Eliza is lovely. Of course folk songs are ballads, and after all a ballad tells a story.

[scarletnoir]

MK wrote: "I think it probably is an old person thing to prefer reading from paper - especially several page long items. After all, I still use $$$ when I go shopping which I am told is so retro by those using debit cards everywhere. I'd hate to think how easy it would be for me to run amuck with a debit card in constant use."

Haha! Well, you have a point - my mother (99) is wedded to cash, and much prefers to pay for services or to give presents in that way... I have explained that it is much easier and less Covid-risky to pay either by direct bank transfer or by card... every so often, though, it's still "Bring me £300!".

I still get £20 'pocket money' in cash for helping her, every week.

[scarletnoir]

CCCubbon wrote: "snowdrop update

Yes, there are many in bud now here sprinkling the verges like stars, mostly still in bud form, but there do seem slightly fewer than last year."

Doing well here so far in the local park and along one of the main roads into town.

We may get some in the garden this year, for the first time - my wife (aka 'the gardener') has had no luck with these before, but there are definitely shoots showing, so maybe we'll get the flowers in our north-facing garden later on. Here's hoping.

[scarletnoir]

Hushpuppy wrote: "It's nowhere to be seen in the Books section, and should be in the Regulars, but is not there either."

All a bit baffling - is this mere incompetence? Or an example of bad faith - are they setting up the column to fail, so they can drop it for good? In fact although the number of 'comments' is listed as 374 ATM, I am pretty sure that is a count of 'primary' comments - I suspect that if replies are counted, the number is far higher - is that right?

Not connected to that question, exactly, but I tried to post a review of Désérable's 'Tu montreras ma tête au peuple' a few hours ago, only for it to be 'disappeared' by the moderators... I meant to ask if reviews of books in languages other than English are banned, but I now see that the first part of the (very long) review has been resurrected by the mods... so I have posted part 2 (the whole thing exceeded 5000 characters) in the time-honoured fashion of AuroraBoreale... I hope it survives!

[MK]

I know some here are movie buffs, but how about James Bond fans?

Here's a new book -Fashioning James Bond: Costume, Gender and Identity in the World of 007

and an upcoming talk by the author -
https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/dresse...

[MK]

I couldn't resist sharing this story - https://www.seattletimes.com/nation-w...

The library put a barcode on an eight-year-old's book and now the book has 55 holds!

[AB76]

John Gray in the NS argues about the death of western liberalism

I disagree, in that the influence of western soft power, in consumerism, advertising, entertainment, sport and culture dominates the planet and probably always will. These things are easily maintained and offer free opinions and thought, without correction, something China or India could not offer or expect to expand to the same levels in any future era.

Of course these "western" soft power tools have been embraced by millions of non-western people, POC, LGBT etc. Its not a "west" that a racist, right wing American could celebrate but thats why its so strong, its the ideas of culture embraced by so many, who would have been excluded from it barely 50-60 years ago

[AB76]

MK wrote: "I know some here are movie buffs, but how about James Bond fans?

Here's a new book -Fashioning James Bond: Costume, Gender and Identity in the World of 007

and an upcoming talk by..."

some great novels by Fleming and some duds...worth reading though, especially "Casino Royale"

[scarletnoir]

Machenbach wrote: "There's often a delay if you write anything in forrin or if you include a link - presumably while the mods check for disallowables."

No links, and the only French words used were the book title... anyway, it got passed and reappeared, though no responses yet... maybe reviews which exceed 5000 characters is not the way to go!

[[deleted user]]

scarletnoir wrote: "Hushpuppy wrote: "It's nowhere to be seen in the Books section, and should be in the Regulars, but is not there either."

All a bit baffling - is this mere incompetence? Or an example of bad faith ..."

WWAR also says on page 1 at the moment "Displaying 100 of 118 threads", so I think the 374 must include all the follow-on comments.

[Bill]

Unexpected reading from Alban Berg:

The Private Life of Helen of Troy is a delightful book: the only possible interpretation of Helen as Lulu. (17 June 1928)

- Letters to His Wife

(For a bit on the author of this novel, see my review of The Making of Middlebrow Culture.)

[[deleted user]]

There will be a new thread up later this evening, honest! Hopefully within the next two hours.

[Berkley]

Bill wrote: "Unexpected reading from Alban Berg: The Private Life of Helen of Troy is a delightful book: the only possible interpretation of Helen as Lulu. (17 June 1928) - [book:..."

I thought I had a copy of this but wasn't able to find it when I looked through what should have been the right shelf just now. Haven't read it yet, either way.

[Andy]

Andrey Kurkov on Front Row tomorrow night, for anyone interested. BBC Radio 4 at 7 pm, and afterwards as a podcast.

[[deleted user]]

I'm going to close this thread within the next hour.