Just let me finish this chapter...

HalloweenJack

I've always liked reading but got back into it in a big way in lockdown and have kept it up since. In 2020, I read 31 books; 55 in 2021 and 46 last year. I try to average a book a week so we'll see how this year goes.

So far in 2023, I've finished The Midden by Tom Sharpe. This was a gift from my brother-in-law as it is one of my father-in-law's favourite authors. The story is a complicated farce and it just wasn't the kind of humour I'd be looking for (lots of silly names and Carry On-type antics). There was a hint of satire but the whole plot was quite muddled and it was a slog at times. It just wasn't for me.

Currently reading Returning Light by Robert Harris, a memoir from someone who worked on Skellig Michael for thirty years. Its a mix of bird-watching, journalling, poetry and appreciation for nature so far. It can be quite slow at times but then I found I was flying through it in other parts.

HalloweenJack

Finished Returning Light. It wasn't really what I expected and felt a bit disjointed as if the author was pulling together random threads and making some uneven chapters that didn't always blend well.

This is a good book if you are a fan of nature and he does reach some interesting ideas towards the end with his reflections on nature. The writing is very good, quite a literary style and he adds in some poems of his own. I was looking for a bit more about the history of the place and maybe more stories about visitors but it was still a decent read.

Have also read Last Exit to Brooklyn. This was a book that I've had my eye on for some time and it didn't disappoint. Its very gritty and stream of conscious at times but he does a good job at eliciting sympathy for unsavoury characters. It paints a bleak picture of life but also brings to life memorable characters and ones that we probably all know of to some extent. I'd highly recommend it.

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Harlem Shuffle - Pickes this up having enjoyed the Nickel Boys, though not really knowong what to expect. Its a mish-mash if genres but the writing is exquisite. A thoroughly enjoyable read.

Eleven Kinds of Loneliness - A collection of short stories from 1950s New York. Some are chillingly insightful while the writing is perfect. Several different stories and scenarios to get into, all about the same theme. Definitely recommend it.

Memoirs by John McGahern - I'm a big McGahern fan so I was interested in finding out more about him. It's mostly about his childhood and his differing relationships with both parents. Having read several of his books, you can see how events from his early years crop up in his own stories. Some lovely writing too and it made me want to experience the country life of that era. As ever, he provides vivid depictions of the nature, so much as to make it a supporting character.

Autobibliography by Rob Doyle - I read his novel Threshold before Christmas and was captivated by it. He has a great ability to get you thinking about ideas beyond the simple words on the page. This is a collection of book reviews from the Irish Times with some additional comments from lockdown. There are several books he's mentioned that I'm going to look into, though his taste might not appeal to all.

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The Trouble with Being Born by Emil Cioran. Short paragraphs of philosophical insight, mostly revolving around the idea of being born being unfair. Fairly easy to get through given the format. There are some nice quotes along the way but not much substance to them beyond that. Not exactly cheerful reading.

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White Teeth by Zadie Smith.

There is some excellent writing and she gets into a great rhythm at certain points. The characters are varied and fairly well-developed (for the most part). Some of her insights are fascinating and there's a lot of interesting concepts that she tackles and she displays a great level of understanding.

However, some of the plot points are too conveniently resolved. Not so much deus ex machina but just too neat. Its a 500+ page book but the characters' stories are hastily tied up in the space of two pages after a lot of build-up to the climax. There are some moments that are just too perfect for me, e.g. a guy who flips a coin while sitting at a table, it flies across the room and lands perfectly in a pinball machine. The suspension of disbelief is hard at times.

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Champagne Football. A straightforward read about John Delaney's tenure at the FAI. The story is absurd, hilarious, enfuriating and jaw-dropping. Glad to see the back of that prick.

Portnoy's Complaint. At times, the prose verges on poetry. There is a lot packed into this book: the mother-son relationship, the father-son relationship and the place of Jews in America and Americna Jews in the wider world. Its a very enjoyable read and there are some hilarious moments as well.

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The Outsider by Albert Camus. A book that several people had recommended to me. I enjoyed it as the pages moved quickly and it was fairly focused on what it was about. The writing was concise, though the final part was a bit more dense. There's an interesting topoc in there but, frankly, it didn't feel like I was reading anything ground-breaking (maybe it was in the 1940s). A lot of my own ideas about life were reflected in it so, on that front, I enjoyed it.

Homo Deus. I really enjoyed Sapiens and plenty of people had told me that thid was even better. There's a lot of interesting information and ideas but I found it a bit of a struggle compared to Sapiens. Worth a read, though.

Drown by Junot Diaz. A book of short stories about inter-related Dominican immigrants in New York and the Dominican Republic from the 60s to the 90s. It gives a good insight their lives and experiences and it's written in an easy-to-read style.

14 bookd so far for 2023. Up next is April in Spain by John Banville. I enjoyed the first book in the series so I have high hopes for it.

HalloweenJack

April in Spain. Quite similar to Snow but the focus was shifted to a different character (can't remember now if that character had such a prominent role in the first one).

This isn't really a detective book as much as the first one was. Iirc, the first one was told exclusively by (the detectice doing the investigating while this one has multiple POV and the pieces start falling into place a lot quicker. There are some red herrings but the final act felt rushed considering how long it took to get there and how many stories there were to resolve.

The main character from the first book is massively sidelined which I find odd as he was given prominence in the blurb and its billed as the next chapter in the 'Detective Strafford' series.

A lot of the same topics from the first one are re-hashed and reading the blurb for the next one (The Lock-Up, supposed to be out next month), I've a feeling it'll pick up some of the ones touched upon in this one.

I like Banville a lot and there's some good writing here but I didn't enjoy this as much as the first one. It is a page-turner, though.

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The Encyclopedia of the Dead by Danilo Kis. A collection of short stories set throughout Eastern Europe. Some historical fiction, some interesting ideas. The quality is a bit uneven. There a few outstanding stories to get you thinking while a few others I really struggled through and was just waiting to get to the end.

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The Fall by Albert Camus

Quite different in style from the Stranger which I read not too long ago, though a lot of similar topics covered. Can't say I really got much out of it, though it was a handy enough read.

Quarry Bank: Stories of the Mill. Over Easter I visited Quarry Bank mill outside Manchester and this history of the place was on sale. Interesting insight into how the place worked and the characters involved with a lot of access to the archives. Nothing terribly exciting, though; Does what it says on the tin.

HalloweenJack

The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison.

I was captivated by this from the beginning. It's a very thorough telling of a painful story and written with such beauty and detail. I'd read Beloved and found this to be more accessible. I really enjoyed it, though the content (racism, poverty, child abuse, domestic abuse, incest) is not for the faint-hearted.

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The Seven Moons of Maali Almeida.

This took me a while to get into and a lot longer to read than I was expecting. Winning the Booker and its topic (the Sri Lankan civil war) are what caught my eye and I was thoroughly entertained by it.

There is some delicate writing in it but the message and commentary is where this book really shines. It is a beautiful story (while being quite violent and graphic). It reminded me of something by Marlon James.

Well worth a read if anyone's thinking about it. I'm interested in reading more by this author.

HalloweenJack

Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi.

A rollercoaster story about life in Iran from the 70s to the 90s. It was great for getting a lot more insight into what had gone on there. It's a graphic novel so there's not much in terms of writing but the story is told well.

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The Subtle Art od Not Giving a F*ck.

I'm not really into self-help books but a few people had mentioned it to me so I gave it a go.

It's really well packaged and marketed. The title gives you an idea and the writing is quite conversational and direct. It comes across as unique and atypical for the genre while it essentially is repackaging a lot of Buddhist concepts and other ideas that make sense.

It was helpful but I don't think it was anything too innovative, presentation aside.

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This is the Ritual by Rob Doyle

A collection of short stories by a writer who is fast becoming one of the most interesting recent discoveries for me. The first story here is hilarious and a lot of the others have some interesting insights. He also has a few biographies of non-existent authors which are well done. The title story is an interesting work, though I'm not sure how much of it I 'got'.

Ficciones by Jorge Luis Borges

I can now see Borges influence on Rob Doyle (I got this because of a recommendation in another RD book). There's some interesting tales and mind-expanding ideas and concepts that are thoroughly enjoyable to try to keep up. Similar to RD, there's a lot of uncertainty regarding the separation between the narrator and the author and just how much 'fiction' is involved.

In a similar vein, I'm now onto American Pastoral by Philip Roth. Really enjoying it so far, though its not for the faint-hearted with its frank discussion of ageing, nostalgia and lingering death.

HalloweenJack

American Pastoral was good, an extensive insight into the juggling act of intergenerational family relationships and finding your place in the world.

There were some flashes of the poetic sequences Roth is capable of but the real achievement for me is the personification of 20th century America into a flawed character who seems to have it all.

HalloweenJack

White Egrets by Derek Walcott

I'm not a big poetry fan but there's a lot of interesting ideas explored and some great lines. A reflection on nature, love, ageing and travel.

Chums by Simon Kuper

A look at several leading characters in the Tory party, most prominently Boris Johnson, and how they all advanced from Oxford in the 80s. A fascinating and insightful read if you're interested in the topic.

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The Spy Who Came in from the Cold

Came highly recommended so I gave it a go. It's true that it's not a 'typical' spy novel (If James Bond is the standard) and its supposed to be quite an accurate depiction of secret agents but I felt that there was a lot that was too dense and inaccessible. The first fifty pages were hard to get my head around because characters are constantly talking in code.

The plot was well-worked and the resolution was satisfactory, in addition to an unexpected ending but in terms of storytelling, I found it quite rigid in parts and unevenly paced. There'd be pages of interrogations then a flash of action.

It wasn't bad but I wouldn't be in a rush to read another of le Carre's books.

Hermy

It's a long time since I read that one but I remember being left with a similar impression - it was all a bit too cloak and dagger.

I think Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy - a favourite of mine that I've reread several times - is much more accessible and might be worth your time.

HalloweenJack

Brooklyn by Colm Toibin.

I'd seen the film so I was familiar with it, though there's stuff that I remember differently.

It's an easy enough read and flows rather seamlessly between scenes. Its a good story about the immigrant experience (which I've lived myself) and one that certainly tuga at the heartstrings.

I just finished there and I've been left with quote a warm feeling inside. Definitely worth a go.

If my calculations are right, that's book 29 for the year so well on track for my target of fifty. Though I will admit that a lot of the books I've read lately have been fairly light and between 200 and 300 pages. I have Nietzsche, the Ragged Trousers Philanthropists and a 900-page Russian epic in my pile so I imagine I'll be slowing down once I hit them.

HalloweenJack

The Rodfather by Roddy Collins

I was a big LOI fan back in the day and he was one of the great characters, even though I couldn't stand him. His biography was quite interesting. You can't fault the man for dedication and love of the game. He seems to suggest the Roddy Collins media persona is all an act and he comes across as quite a caring, principled and generous person away from the cameras. It made me see him in a new light and I'd recommend it to anyone interested in the topic.

Here Are the Young Men by Rob Doyle

I can't recommend Rob Doyle enough. This, his debut, is arguably the bleakest and most depressing of his works. Its about a group of friends in their drug-filled, rudderless summer after the Leaving. While some of the characters are extreme, they felt familiar. He does a good job of exploring the limited ability of teens to truly express themselves, though their inner turmoil is plain to see. The 'happy' ending saves it somewhat but this is not a book for the faint-hearted.

HalloweenJack

Fahrenheit 451

One of those books that people keep talking about, especially in times like these.

The plot was good and the overall themes of censorship, anti-intellectualism, controlling the population and the media were quite interesting. There are several aspects to it, written in the early 50s, that seem to be coming back into fashion, unfortunately. In particular, the final few pages were quite thought-provoking and it doesn't offer much hope for society.

Some of the writing was top notch. There are some descriptive passages that would not be out of place in more 'literary' books if we accept the science fiction category for this one.

Only 200 pages so handy enough to get through. I did have one complaint about the plot but I can't post it without giving away too much. I'll just say that I felt like Bradbury was trying to give more depth to characters but actually took away from the impact of his story.

HalloweenJack

The Dream of the Celt by Mario Vargas Llosa

A fictionalised biography of Roger Casement. This book took me far too long to read. At times, it has the density of a history book and at others it flows like a river. Its a mix of detailed reporting of Casement's time in the Congo and Peru, interspersed with his stay at Pentonville prison before his execution.

Its a thorough account of his conversion from British imperialism to Irish nationalism, as well as embracing Catholicism and struggling with his homosexuality. It gives a wide-ranging account of his hopes and fears for the independence moment. He comes across as a compassionate soul with a strong sense of justice while being open to other arguments and re-evaluating his position if evidence suggested so.

Its a worthwhile read but I struggled through it as it occasionally gets bogged down in historical detail that reads like a Wikipedia article. I do commend the writer, a Peruvian, for understanding Irish nationalism and explaining it so passionately and accurately.

HalloweenJack

Small Worlds by Caleb Azumah Nelson

This is a coming-of-age tale of the son of Ghanaian immigrants in south London. It deals with grief, finding your place in the world and understanding where you come from while also analysing that gap between two homelands that first-generation immigrants tend to have.

Like his first novel Open Water, it has recurring motifs of food and music, highlighting their importance as a means of expressing emotions.

The writing has a wondrous flow at times. He often turns nouns into verbs and sprinkles the text with slick turns of phrase that are repeated throughout, in addition to succinct observations.

Well worth the read.

HalloweenJack

After the Lockout by Darran McCann.

The story of a hero of the Easter Rising who goes back to the small town he's originally from in Armagh. It deals with a conflicted character who wants to bring about a worker's republic but see that the success of 1916 is leading more towards a different movement. It focuses a lot on the battle between the church and bolshevism as denounced from the pulpit.

It's an interesting take on how the politics of Ireland changed between 1916 and the War of Independence. There's hints of classism and undermining authority, but there's plenty of highlighting the hypocrisy of both sides as well as the blind spots that still exist behind all the concern expressed. The main character, something of an anti-hero, is at times condescending and snobbish.

Its short enough and I wouldn't say the writing is the best, though there are some passages. The strength is in the storytelling and the character development. I'd recommend it.

HalloweenJack

The summer holidays threw my rhythm off but I'm getting back into the swing of things.

The Sad End of Polycarpo Quaresma

Brazil at the turn of the 20th century and the titular civil servant is a fierce patriot who believes that his country can be the best in the world. He pursues several ideas to this end: trying to make the indigenous language the official one, running his own farm and joining a political movement. There are several supporting characters who also describe other facets of the Brazil of this time. Its a great insight into the contemporary society and it swings from funny to charming to sad.

Independent People by Halldor Laxness

I'd been dying to read this for some time and finally found it.

It reminded me somewhat of Strumpet City; proud workers who push on in the face of adversity always hoping to have a comfortable life despite continuously being knocked back. There are several instances of poetry and numerous references to Icelandic mythology that surely give it more depth. I'd describe it as a man's obsessive struggle to be free and all that involves. It did drag on a bit but it is a book where the pay-off comes along and makes the effort worthwhile.

This is How You Lose Her by Junot Diaz

A collection of short stories mostly based on the same character. Almost a rundown of every failed relationship of a serial cheater which is heartbreaking, nostalgic, tender and, at times, funny. There's a very conversational tone to the writing and it's easy to work your way through. It was just what I needed after being bogged down with Independent People for three weeks.

HalloweenJack

Así creamos monstruos (trans. This is how we make monsters)

A rundown of the history behind several cryptozoology staples, like the Yeti, Bigfoot and the Chupacabra. Written by a Spanish professor who knows his stuff. Ignacio Cabria is his name if anyone is interested, he seems to have done some work in English too. He approaches it through an evidence-based analysis. He isn't claiming they exist, just reporting on their backgrounds and popularity and giving his own ideas on how they came about. I'd describe his take as doubting, given there is no concrete evidence for any of the monsters mentioned beyond varying eyewitness accounts. Worth a read if you're interested in the topic, though its a fairly recent book so an English translation may not be available.

Twenty Years A-growing by Muiris o Suileabhain

My father's family are proud Kerry natives so I was interested in this because of that in addition to my interest in life of the time and on the Blaskets. He's a good storyteller and there are some lovely descriptions but this isn't written as literature. Its more a collection of tales of his which I imagine were recorded and transcribed. Its not easy to read, despite being relatively short. If you're interested in it, you'd be better of getting an audiobook version.

HalloweenJack

The Power of Geography

The follow-up to Tim Marshall's fascinating Prisoners of Geography, this is more of the same with a look at different countries. Its a mix of history, politics, geography and economics and explains in depth the way the world works and shows just how entangled everything is thanks to globalisation. A timely read, given what has happened this weekend.

HalloweenJack

Men without Women

A collection of short stories by Haruki Murakami. Its pretty standard fare for Murakami: people who like books and music, some odd coincidences with a hint of the supernatural, obsession with women. The common theme in the stories is that of the title, another common Murakami topic. A friend of mine said she sometimes plays Murakami bingo and this collection would be a quick one to finish.

If you're a Murakami fan, its what to expect. If you want to get into him, he has better books.

HalloweenJack

Outliers by Malcolm Gladwell

A book that came highly recommended and it was certainly interesting but I didn't get what was so inspiring about it. I would actually argue that it doesn't inspire: it just shows how difficult it is to 'succeed' when others have a headstart.

I'm currently slogging through Iceland's Bell by Halldor Laxness. I had similar struggles with Independent People but there was a payoff in the end so I'm hoping the same happens here. Frankly, it's what keeps me going because I haven't really got into it yet and I'm over a hundred pages in.

HalloweenJack

Iceland's Bell is done. 407 pages in three-and-a-half weeks which is surely my slowest read for a long time.

I can't quite put my finger on it. It was slow and dense. I had a three-hour flight last Thursday and managed 75 pages. Flying back on Sunday, I had 50-odd pages to go and didn't even bother (I was also hungover). I slogged through it the last few days and got there. And I didn't feel the payoff I had expected.

There are more quotable sections towards the end but the story is multiple viewpoints from multiple locations, swinging between disjointed and repetitive. The topic is interesting: Icelanders asserting themselves and their country over their smug Danish rulers and most Irish readers can identify but it was really hard to get into any rhythm with it. I'd need to re-read it to give a more definitive review but that's the last thing I want to do right now. This book nearly killed my interest in reading; that's how much I struggled with it.

Onto Brighton Rock now, a breath of fresh air and flowing through the pages.