What Are We Reading? 28 February 2022

[scarletnoir]

Robert wrote: "He may fear being teased and dumped in the water. You know, the Alberich and Rhinemaidens situation...."

Haha! :-)

Or like Ulysses and the sirens?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CEJUW...

or

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi...

[AB76]

Robert wrote: "A note on the news: Natural disasters, like earthquakes, so often bring out compassion in others. It is the man-made disasters, like war and revolution, that free us to bring misery to strangers."

suprised my update on ukrainian writers got no response but i agree with this robert

[scarletnoir]

AB76 wrote: "surprised my update on ukrainian writers got no response"

I was in bed asleep when you posted it... I don't know most of the authors listed (apart from Kurkov)... the Russians are brave to sign letters of protest, given Putin's history of assassinating, disappearing or imprisoning his opponents.

It's frustrating to feel impotence in the face of this murderous invasion... we can but send help in the form of cash (to DEC and the like) or goods - less easy to get 'over there'.

[Lljones]

Gpfr wrote: " Lives of Houses edited by Kate Kennedy and Hermione Lee
Yesterday I read the "In brief" book reviews and saw that one of them was for this book which I'd bought..."

Oooh, that looks good!

[AB76]

scarletnoir wrote: "AB76 wrote: "surprised my update on ukrainian writers got no response"

I was in bed asleep when you posted it... I don't know most of the authors listed (apart from Kurkov)... the Russians are bra..."

its totally fustrating scarlet, i donated money in the first week and hope to help refugees when they get to the shires

[Robert]

scarletnoir wrote: "Robert wrote: "He may fear being teased and dumped in the water. You know, the Alberich and Rhinemaidens situation...."

Haha! :-)

Or like Ulysses and the sirens?



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=..."

I have seen some footage of this Ulysses film, intercut with images from a live-action mermaid fantasy (I suspect it was Disney's Splash), showing the charmer underwater, and treasures in crevices of a reef-- all with an Enya score! It was actually quite well done....
I recall another embarrassing-- nay, fatal-- playing-with-nymphs moment, which I will post.

[AB76]

French Mandate Syria is my latest non-fiction read:

The Emergence of Minorities in the Middle East: The Politics of Community in French Mandate Syria

The interesting status of minorities is the subject here and the intellectual study of what it meant in the 20 odd years of French occupation of modern Syria and Lebanon.

The various minorities in Syria and Lebanon are much better known due to a decade of war. The Alawi's, Druze,Yezidi and Christian communities among the majority Sunni population, although as White points out in his book, detaching Kurds from the Sunni Muslim majority, leaves a much smaller, less inflential majority in the time period of 1921-1943.

The status of the Shia Muslim Alawi population has totally changed since that period, with the Alawi Assad family changing the way the Alawi influence Syrian politics since the 1970s

[Robert]

AB76 wrote: "French Mandate Syria is my latest non-fiction read:

The Emergence of Minorities in the Middle East: The Politics of Community in French Mandate Syria

The interesting status of min..."

There was a good book of essays, "The Dream Palace of the Arabs" by Fouad Ajami, "an acclaimed author and chronicler of Arab politics, comes a compelling account of how a generation of Arab intellectuals tried to introduce cultural renewals in their homelands through the forces of modernity and secularism." The sections on Syria and Egypt are especially interesting.

[AB76]

Robert wrote: "AB76 wrote: "French Mandate Syria is my latest non-fiction read:

The Emergence of Minorities in the Middle East: The Politics of Community in French Mandate Syria

The interesting ..."

thanks robert....will google that now

[[deleted user]]

Last Friends – Jane Gardam (2013)

Having read the first two a few years ago, I really enjoyed this final part of the Old Filth trilogy. This one is actually more about his rival Veneering and his ascent from very low origins in the North-East to the peak of the Commercial Bar, and about the women Veneering knew, several of them in old age to be found in his village in Dorset, and all marvellously drawn.

The writing has real zip and a lot of sharp humour, amid the sombre realities of old age. There are several brilliant little sketches, for example, the lonely prep school head who is alert, direct, and inspiring, the sort of teacher you never forget.

I know some here can’t stand the snobbery of the legal world. That snobbery was/is a fact, and JG knew what she was writing about. But not all the snobs are rotten all through, and others come to a bad end.

[[deleted user]]

Robert/Scarlet – Bouguereau – That movie clip is great. But I think I’ve worked it out. He’s still feeling very tired from playing with the previous four.

[Andy]

AB76 wrote: "Robert wrote: "A note on the news: Natural disasters, like earthquakes, so often bring out compassion in others. It is the man-made disasters, like war and revolution, that free us to bring misery ..."

We lack the faculty to uptick here of course AB.
Some may say not a bad thing.
You can take it that I would have unticked you… I’m sure you’ll be made up..
I read your post with interest, as I’ve The Orphanage which was a 5 star read for me, and Depeche Mode, just 3 stars. My reviews are at the links.
I’ve also read Death and the Penguin, while I was in Ukraine, (4 stars for me) and meant to get on to more from him. I’m about to purchase Grey Bees..

The other Ukrainian literature I have read is
Daughter from the Dark by the husband and wife team, the Dyachenkos. I intend to read more of their stuff. It’s sort of a weird fiction - fantasy hybrid.
And just a taste of Nikolai Gogol..

[Lass]

@Russel. Good review of Jane Gardam’s Last Friends, a perfect conclusion to the Old Filth trilogy. You may be familiar with some of her other novels? I first came across The Queen of the Tambourine many years ago, and have enjoyed several since, including Faith Fox, and Crusoe’s Daughter. There is quite an extensive back catalogue to be explored which I may well do at some point.

[Andy]

Not sure if anyone heard it but there was an interesting interview on The World This Weekend yesterday about translation.
It followed Zelenskyy’s address to Parliament and was with a translator who did that sort of thing regularly.
She made two points that I particularly interesting. Firstly that any recognised quotes have accepted and much researched translations that must be used. Zelenskyy’s translator, very much on the spot, therefore needs to have this knowledge stored away in case he uses such a quote.
And the other, just how difficult it is to translate a joke, not only so that it is funny, but also that it doesn’t upset because of any lack of sensitivity.

[scarletnoir]

Russell wrote: "I know some here can’t stand the snobbery of the legal world."

I suppose you mean me! I'm afraid all this old school tie privilege got up my nose, rather - couldn't identify with any of the characters, though would have enjoyed giving many of them a hefty kick up the backside...

(The writing style was... bang average.)

[Georg]

Trying to keep out of the "war zone". But I really hope that all UK politicians get their supply of Ukrainians to show off in their homes before the home office unilaterally declares an embargo.

[AB76]

New week...same war...Slava Ukraini!

Currently reading this interesting selection of books:

The Emergence of Minorities in The Middle East (edinburgh university press)
The Stone Angel (1964) by Margaret Laurence (Canada, fiction)
Fever Dream by Samanta Schweblin (Argentina, fiction)
The People and the Power by Miguel Arraes (brazil, non-fiction)
In Search of a Character by Graham Greene (1961) (England, non-fiction)

Plus Banipal 72 "Iraqi Jewish Writers" (Arab literature magazine)

[AB76]

Andy wrote: "AB76 wrote: "Robert wrote: "A note on the news: Natural disasters, like earthquakes, so often bring out compassion in others. It is the man-made disasters, like war and revolution, that free us to ..."

good point andy and i will make a note of those authors i havent heard of.

Zhadan is incredibly brave doing what he is doing in the charnel house that was Kharkov

[AB76]

I regret not getting further into Ukraine on my travels in the 90s, i only got to the edge of Lvov, despite seeing most of Poland, Czech lands, Slovakia, Hungary and bits of Romania.

Of course back then Ukraine was a brave new independent state and i wish i had traversed the roads on spluttering old buses in summer heat like i did in other ex-Eastern bloc lands

I remember a heatblasted trip near Gyor in Hungary,1995 observing the tiny strips of land the peasents had, leading to a small house at the end of every ribbon of land, the crops a mix of failed wheat or something else but falling in love with the old east, its women, its food, its culture, i was reading russian classics and drinking and eating cheaply but well. (of course Hungary and Czech are really central europe, not east)

Fukuyuma days, the new world was here, freedom, Scorpions songs and now, in 2022, i dont know what to think anymore, with that rogue in the Kremlin

[[deleted user]]

scarletnoir wrote: "Russell wrote: "I know some here can’t stand the snobbery of the legal world."

I suppose you mean me! ..."

I couldn’t quite remember who it was! I do remember having the small exchange. Her snobs are not all without some kindness in them.

Personally I think her writing is better than you allow. Imo, it takes talent to evoke character with a few incisive strokes.

[[deleted user]]

Lass wrote: "@Russel. Good review of Jane Gardam’s Last Friends, a perfect conclusion to the Old Filth trilogy. You may be familiar with some of her other novels? ..."

Thanks. The trilogy is all I've read. I'll look out for the others you mention.

[Veufveuve]

Am I allowed to report that I delivered a completed book manuscript today. A bit braggy, I know, but I'm satisfied ... and knackered.

[scarletnoir]

Russell wrote: "it takes talent to evoke character with a few incisive strokes..."

... and even more talent to make them interesting!

Hey - I know quite a few of our fellow commenters like Gardam, and I wouldn't want to rain on their parade, or yours. I'll keep my stiletto in my back pocket in future! We all have different tastes... that's fine by me.

[scarletnoir]

Veufveuve wrote: "Am I allowed to report that I delivered a completed book manuscript today. A bit braggy, I know, but I'm satisfied ... and knackered."

Excellent - congratulations! Fiction or non-fiction?

[giveusaclue]

Veufveuve wrote: "Am I allowed to report that I delivered a completed book manuscript today. A bit braggy, I know, but I'm satisfied ... and knackered."

Of course you are. Well done and good luck with it.

[Georg]

Veufveuve wrote: "Am I allowed to report that I delivered a completed book manuscript today. A bit braggy, I know, but I'm satisfied ... and knackered."

Only if I am allowed to comment that reporting a real achievement doesn't compute with the word "braggy". Congratulations! I hope you are not too knackered to celebrate this.

[FrancesBurgundy]

scarletnoir wrote: "Russell wrote: "it takes talent to evoke character with a few incisive strokes..."

... and even more talent to make them interesting!

Hey - I know quite a few of our fellow commenters like Gardam..."

Just feel I should virtually uptick you here Scarlet - I really didn't like the books.

[[deleted user]]

Machenbach wrote: "Russell wrote: "Last Friends – Jane Gardam (2013)...They're also fundamentally damaged..."

You’ve articulated a great deal more than I could. You’re certainly right about the sense of displacement, and the big-fish-in-small-pond mentality. Pre-1997 HK was famous among London lawyers as the place to go to make a substantial fortune, either because of the scale of the disputes, or because of the rich pickings inside the English-controlled businesses based there, or as advisers to the super-wealthy Chinese, who themselves looked down (? snobbishly) on Chinese lawyers even if their English qualifications were just as good. And of course the ex-pat lawyers all got used to having servants for every domestic chore. No wonder they felt entitled.

I think, though, you might find the third volume a corrective to the first two, as the story of Veneering’s rise from a desolate Teesside in the 1930s and ‘40s is not one of entitlement but pure meritocracy. And this time we do get a view back from the masses – not from the Chinese masses, who make zero appearance in this volume – rather from the English lower class then and now, well individualized by JG.

[Andy]

Veufveuve wrote: "Am I allowed to report that I delivered a completed book manuscript today. A bit braggy, I know, but I'm satisfied ... and knackered."

Great news VV.

[Robert]

Andy wrote: "Not sure if anyone heard it but there was an interesting interview on The World This Weekend yesterday about translation.
It followed Zelenskyy’s address to Parliament and was with a translator wh..."

The Russians were always concerned with their country's dignity.

My Russian friend served on a Soviet trade delegation as a French translator. A Soviet official rose to tell a funny story. She thought it boorish. "So Robert. I had to tell different funny story, and I had to make it funny when he laughed at his own jokes."
And when she left the room at the end, "man said to me, 'Very good, Natasha.' " Perhaps the man from the KGB...
What about the time that Clinton and Boris Yeltsin were asked about their underwear? "Robert, no Russian would have translated such a question. He would ask different question and give different answer."

[Robert]

Andy wrote: "Veufveuve wrote: "Am I allowed to report that I delivered a completed book manuscript today. A bit braggy, I know, but I'm satisfied ... and knackered."

Great news VV."

Applause!

[Robert]

AB76 wrote: "Robert wrote: "AB76 wrote: "French Mandate Syria is my latest non-fiction read:

The Emergence of Minorities in the Middle East: The Politics of Community in French Mandate Syria

T..."

I should have mentioned that his pages on the fate of Beirut are heartfelt and moving... and depressing. He mentions the checkerboard of communities in Lebanon's hills, where each hilltop village may have a different religion than its nearest neighbor, and its own saints.

[Berkley]

What about Gardam's earlier books, e.g. Queen of the Tambourine or Faith Fox, anyone have thoughts on those?

[Paul]

Veufveuve wrote: "Am I allowed to report that I delivered a completed book manuscript today. A bit braggy, I know, but I'm satisfied ... and knackered."

Wow. That's really impressive. You've more than earned the right to brag

[scarletnoir]

I am currently reading by Leonid Tsypkin - this isn't a review, just a few thoughts... and BTW, thanks to Mach for recommending this, and to Shelflife for seconding that.

Since I consider Dostoyevsky to be the greatest novelist, and Rembrandt to be the greatest artist, you can imagine that I became intrigued on reading this passage - the author (i.e. Tsypkin, not FD) is in an art gallery, where he sees a depiction of many prominent Russians as well as a number of other figures:

I suddenly thought of the heels of Rembrandt's Prodigal Son falling at his father's feet, as I looked at the heels of the kneeling youth in jeans looming indistinctly, the central focus of the painting.

So, I looked it up (as you do) - I have never seen it - turns out it is in the Hermitage, which I have never visited, and probably never will, now. It is a very beautiful and late Rembrandt, described thus:

Since this was one of Rembrandt's last paintings, many interpreters believe it reveals the artists final message to the world. This message is one of mercy, sympathy, forgiveness and tenderness, which would have been lacking in a time of religious strife. This painting has survived centuries and still has as much feeling and significance today.

https://www.rembrandt-van-rijn.com/re...

Was Dostoyevsky familiar with this painting? I do not know, but

While seeing his children before dying, Dostoevsky requested that the parable of the Prodigal Son be read to his children. The profound meaning of this request is pointed out by Frank:

It was this parable of transgression, repentance, and forgiveness that he wished to leave as a last heritage to his children, and it may well be seen as his own ultimate understanding of the meaning of his life and the message of his work.

I like to think that Tsypkin was aware of this connection.

[AB76]

Robert wrote: "AB76 wrote: "Robert wrote: "AB76 wrote: "French Mandate Syria is my latest non-fiction read:

[book:The Emergence of Minorities in the Middle East: The Politics of Community in French Mandate Syria..."

the late Robert Fisk wrote a great book on the Lebanon war that highlighted further disruption and dislocation in the Beirut hills.

I found youtube vids of interviews with christian militia during the early days of the war and also footage of the christian phalange leaders meeting to discuss the situation, notorious future war criminals among them. Sadly the sectarian violence was deadly for many Christian and Druze communities in the area, who had lived side by side for so long

The roots of much of this lie in the french mandate, elements of divide and conquer, favouring the Alawi as military recruits, which led the way for Assad Snr in the end to bring the Alawi minority to dominate Syrian government since the 1970s.

In Lebanon, the french almost created a false state, years ago i studied the famous census that gave the area its christian majority, which was a bogus census, in that it counted all Christian Lebanese, including emigrants to other places, hence in reality, this supposed christian majority creation was in fact about only 40% christian, which created all the problems for the modern state from the 1950s, founded on a majority narrative that was incorrect. No official census has been done since those times, probably for fear what it may reveal.

[scarletnoir]

Machenbach wrote: "scarletnoir wrote: "I am currently reading by Leonid Tsypkin - this isn't a review, just a few thoughts... and BTW, thanks to Mach for recommending this, a..."

Thanks for your thoughtful comment.

I'm glad you're getting something out of it. Have you read Coetzee's The Master of Petersburg - another fictional take on aspects of FD's life and writing?

I have never read Coetzee - you will be aware of my reluctance to deliberately read probably depressing material - maybe after two years of COVID and now Putin's war on Ukraine, others will understand my preference for less dark material... (Rightly or wrongly, I have put Coetzee in he 'depressing author' file in my mind.)

However, but... I am almost tempted... such is my interest in Dostoyevsky... as so often, the reviews on Amazon are mixed, from 'excellent' all the way down to 'pretentious'... and the worrying 'I could hear my heart beating in the last chapter of the book, in which Dostoievsky perceives his transformation into Stavrogin.'

Really? Truly unnerving if that was intended.

In fact, I am almost certainly going to follow up sometime with was I assume to be one of the sources for Tsypkin - Dostoevsky Reminiscences by Anna Grigorʹevna Snitkina Dostoevskai︠a︡ which is already on the TBR list. But not immediately!

[[deleted user]]

Veufveuve wrote: "Am I allowed to report that I delivered a completed book manuscript today...."

Well done, VV. Here we all are talking about books, and you write one. Would love to know, very generally, the area/subject.

[[deleted user]]

scarletnoir wrote: "Machenbach wrote: "scarletnoir wrote: "...Summer In Baden Baden by Leonid Tsypkin - this isn't a review, just a few thoughts..."

Looking forward to reading Tsypkin soon myself. Just checked the Reminiscences. There's mention of Rembrandt's "Rembrandt and his Wife" (in Dresden), but not of the Prodigal Son, so Tsypkin must have found it somewhere else.

[Lass]

Well done @Veuf. M’impressed. Hugely!

[CCCubbon]

Good news VV. must be very satisfying. Which historical period does it cover?

[Andy]

Robert wrote: "Andy wrote: "Not sure if anyone heard it but there was an interesting interview on The World This Weekend yesterday about translation.
It followed Zelenskyy’s address to Parliament and was with a ..."

Tremendous story..

[Andy]

Berkley wrote: "What about Gardam's earlier books, e.g. Queen of the Tambourine or Faith Fox, anyone have thoughts on those?"

Gardam is mentioned over at WWAR by Logger very recently, who may be able to shed some light..

[Andy]

The Old Woman with the Knife by Gu Byeong-mo translated from the Korean by Chi_young Kim.

There's always going to be a requirement to suspend any disbelief in a plot that concerns an elderly hit-woman, which is fine, but necessary to take on board before starting this. After all William Boyd did something similar in Restless. But Gu Byeong-mo asks quite a bit more, as her protagonist, Hornclaw, is far more hand on.

Expectations were not that high therefore, so I was very pleasantly surprised by almost all of this novel. The tactic the author uses that brings the reader on board, is that her boss and colleagues have written her off as an aged has-been granny, but Hornclaw is determined to prove them wrong.
Another reason that this works, is that though this bears the dreadful label K-noir, it has overlaps to the Gallic noir of Simenon and Garnier (et al.) in Hornclaw's backstory, and that her character is so compelling that the basic plot and setting hardly matter. There is the occasional reference to a moment of extreme violence, mentioned in passing almost, and not referred to again, but enough that it has left an indelible mark on the memory.

But..and there's a big but.. Byeong-mo throws everything she has worked so hard to build up out of the window for the last couple of chapters in tehg effort to produce a thrilling climax. She fails in this regard. It was never the plot that this reader was most interested in after all. Scenes involving fights are notoriously boring to read about, except for the occasional author with that rare talent.
If a book ends badly, often all the credits it built up get forgotten, and the memory of it is tainted. It is easy to do that here.
While on the hill this morning in a rare bit of Cumbria sun, I like to imagine the many ways that ending could have been better written..it wasn't hard.

[Lass]

Thank you, @Russell, and @Mach, for your thoughtful comments on the Old Filth novels. Expressed much more comprehensively than my usual “Oi loike it, and O’ll give it Foive”. Only those of a certain generation will comprehend that! I also recommended Faith Fox and Queen of the Tambourine earlier. In fact Queen of the T was my introduction to Jane Gardam some years ago. By the way, I once met J G at a Bookfest ….lovely, modest, and not the least bit up herself!

Anyway off now to continue with Anne Tyler’s Vinegar Girl, having finished Francis Spufford’s Light Perpetual. Kazuo Ishiguro’s Klara and the Sun awaits. Sod the ironing.

[AB76]

Fever Dream by Samanta Schweblin is mind boggingly wierd and compulsive reading, its been bobbing about my TBR pile, my interest in fiction by latin american women was a reason for buying it and i started it a few days ago.

Right away, a sense of menace and maternal anxiety hangs over the short pages and crisp dialogue contained within, somewhere in Argentina, a holiday villa it seems, two children and two mothers, all narrated from a hospital bed. Hints, so far, of environmental toxins maybe but am not quite clear

Novels this strikingly original are quite rare, this isnt a 500 page expression-fest either, its short, concise and very modern, i will finish it soon but the 40 page i just read on a still mild March afternoon were haunting.

[scarletnoir]

Russell wrote: "Looking forward to reading Tsypkin soon myself. Just checked the Reminiscences. There's mention of Rembrandt's "Rembrandt and his Wife" (in Dresden), but not of the Prodigal Son, so Tsypkin must have found it somewhere else."

I may have misled you - I don't know if FD saw the Rembrandt, but he did clearly care a great deal for the parable of the prodigal son, and also had an interest in visual art (there is mention of a visit to a museum in Dresden to see Raphael's 'Sistine Madonna:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sistine... )

However, the Rembrandt is held in the Hermitage museum in Petersburg, where FD lived for many years - so it seems not too much of a stretch to think that he probably saw it.

[scarletnoir]

Machenbach wrote: "My recollection of the novel is that it is intense rather than depressing but that's probably splitting hairs..."

No, I don't think so - you won't find many more 'intense' authors than Dostoyevsky, and yet (oddly?) the books usually are anything but depressing - an example of catharsis, maybe - you feel wrung out at the end of his books, but better for it.

Kafka, on the other hand, feels to me like someone who leads the unsuspecting reader on a downward spiral - and down, and down, and down...

But we're all different, and react differently to these stimuli...

Years ago I read Gide's study of him...

Yes, I read that, too - it's probably still lurking on the shelves, somewhere... my recollection from that long-ago reading was that the book told me more about Gide than Dostoyevsky, but it was interesting.

(I can quite understand anyone not feeling like reading any Russians ATM... I already had the Tsypkin, and somehow nothing else on the TBR pile appealed, especially... these things happen.)

[scarletnoir]

Lass wrote: "off now to continue with Anne Tyler’s Vinegar Girl."

Two thumbs up from me for this and anything else by Anne Tyler.

Sorry not to share your enthusiasm for Gardam... I can live without Ishiguro, too... never sampled a 'Spufford'.

[Georg]

scarletnoir wrote: I can quite understand anyone not feeling like reading any Russians ATM..

I can't, tbh. Why would I not want to listen to Tchaikovsky or read Dostoyevsky?
Did anybody stop reading Goethe or listen to Beethoven in the autumn 1939? Should they have stopped? And if so why?