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"Although it is rather a temptation to rewrite history, it is after all only a game, a method of argument by which we attempt to familiarise ourselves with an immense subject that sometimes evades our grasp."

This is as good a description of this incredible book as I can come up with. This is knowledge acquired by sedimentary accretion - layer upon layer slowly building over time. Not to be rushed.

This passage on the nature of sacrifice, following the titular story of the ruin of Kasch after they stopped killing kings there, is so convoluted and presupposes so much eclectic knowledge as to be almost impossible to follow. And there's still at least another 30 pages of this discussion to go.

It's still well written, but I'm too ignorant to understand it, or to fully enjoy it. Pondering skipping ahead...

Solid, this.

This is in many ways superb, but also confusing as hell at times. The sheer eclecticism of Calasso's references are nearly impossible to follow - and some of his digressions make minimal sense - so you very much have to be in the right mood for this one. Today I thought I was, but - despite enjoying the writing - I'm not. Need something more linear today.

No idea why I've not been reading this more, bar being too big to carry around. It's superb.

Very readable, this. Seems better than the first one in this new trilogy so far too.

Better than The Subtle Knife for sure. Much more pace, much more plot. Consider them one book, and all good.

Re-reading ahead of book 2 of The Book of Dust. A good way in, and I don't remember any of it. Fun, though.

Readable as ever, this. But somehow underwhelming and unremarkable - more worldbuilding than plot, which is a bit odd for Pullman. Still fun, though.

An odd book, this. Engagingly-written at first, but then it's as if the author has got bored of his own conceit (having it narrated by the Egyptian god Thoth). It seems he's still not finished writing the rest of the series, so wondering whether to carry on with it. Interested in the history bits still, though, so...

This really is rather enjoyable, and full of good advice about storytelling.

Finally remembered I had this sitting on the shelf after picking up his new one the other day. Finally remembered I hadn't read it yet - it's been everywhere for sonlong I kinda felt like I had. Reads well - flow is good, tone BBC Four documentary enthusiastic to keep you happily engaged. I can see why it did so well.

Yep, this is very readable. I've tended to be suspicious of first person narration in recent years, but when done well it's less jarring than third person from some kind of ill-defined, anonymous narrator. Give me a narrator with personality, not some obscure omniscience.

Only three chapters in, and excellent so far. Much more engaging and imaginative than the usual reimagining of Greek myths.

Back to this, and just as insanely readable as before, despite the main character being a sociopath.

Decent so far, though nothing new so far. Because this book's now 60 years old, and it's been filtered through so much. It was new then.

A review of Keith Thomas' latest book reminded me this has been sitting on the shelf, left only partially read from university days.

God damn it's good. Insanely readable. Chugged through a load in one sitting, frequently taking notes.

Loving the Tristram Shandy thing thia has got going on. 92 pages in and the main character still hasn't been born. Even the tone and style of humour is similar.

Main difference? The main character has an *enormous* nose instead.

Oh, and the whole set in 20th century India thing...

Strange, somewhat nihilistic, kinda sociopathic, but extremely readable, as 187 pages in an evening tells you.