This Week I are mostly reading (contd)

I finished The English Patient. It was good but still found it a bit strange.

Currently reading The Night Manager by John le Carrè as I heard the BBC have made into a mini-series and it will be airing in Spring.

Going to attempt Infinite Jest again. This is the third time I've begun the book. I've been beaten before page 300 twice before. I can tell there's something of value in the novel, it's just that length and density is so forbidding, that I've just thrown in the towel in the past... But not this time dammit!

Some of the reason why I'm willing to stick with this time is that I've read some of David Foster Wallace's non-fiction, in recent years, and it's really exceptional stuff, so I'm more inclined to hear him out, even at over a 1000 pages.

Gonzovision wrote: »

Finished Stalingrad by Antony Beevor, a harrowing but essential read. Found it very difficult to keep reading at times due to the subject matter and the complete hopelessness of all people involved. Highly recommended read for anyone with a passing interest of what happened on the Eastern front.

Up next is D-Day - The Invasion of Normandy, by the same author. I am a bit more familiar with this period as it has been portrayed in countless films and TV shows.

It will be interesting to see how it compares to Stalingrad.

Heartily recommend Berlin, by the same author. I'd class that and Stalingrad as amongst the best books on World War Two.I read the two a few years back. The instant I finished Stalingrad I literally walked into the nearest bookshop and bought Berlin straight away. "More of this please", said my brain. Have not read his D-Day account, so I cannot say too much about it. I will say to avoid his one volume history of WWII though: not a bad book but there's too much compression to make it all fit, so even though it's well written and voluminous, it doesn't feel like it's truly comprehensive.

His book on the Spanish Civil War is not quite as absorbing but is still highly interesting, if you have an interest in that conflict.

I don't know how responsible he is for the sheer amount of books in circulation about matters relating to World War Two. I remember, hazily, I was only a kid, about how much of a phenomenon Stalingrad was when it was first published. I think it was a bit of a rarity up until then for books on military history to sell by the bucket-load. Great and all that it was that such things reached a wide audience, I do wonder ocassionally about whether such success, in one particular area, has kind of had a warping influence ever since on popular history as a whole. I just find it a bit of a pity sometimes that WWII casts such a long shadow in the world of historical non-fiction. The history section of any bookshop I've ever been in is heavily weighted towards military history, and a good proportion of that, maybe 40-50 percent, is given over to World War.II. It sells, obviously, and there's no denying it's importance, relevance and fascination. But I do wonder, has it not been done to death at this stage: how much more that's new can really be said about it? I wonder are other areas and eras of historical research and publication being left undervalued as a result?

Finished a re read of Anne Rice's Blackwood Farm where she introduces a new character into her Vampire Chronicles and ties the story in with her Mayfair witches a bit as she did in Merrick. Very enjoyable.

Belle E. Flops wrote: »

Finished 'Under Major-domo' by Patrick DeWitt! Loved it. It was a book that I couldn't wait to continue reading any chance I got.

Starting 'The Invisible Man' by H.G Wells now.

Great to hear that about the DeWitt book, blurb makes it sound a bit strange so I avoided it up till now, I'll definitely read it, thanks.

Finished a re read of Anne Rice's Blood Canticle which although a Vampire Chronicles book brings a strong mixing between the Mayfair Witches trilogy and the Vampre Chronicles and is very well put together and enjoyable.

I'm reading the girl in the red coat, it seems to be this years Girl on the Train.
It's an interesting if slightly disturbing (as a parent) premise, well enough written, I'm hoping for a happy ending:o

I finished The Great Railway Bazaar by Paul Theroux. It was interesting but not as good as I thought it would be.

I've started "Julie de Carneilhan" by Colette.

SarahBM wrote: »

Finally finished Dr Zhivago over the weekend. Tough going. I think I preferred the film.

Anyway, on to A Career of Evil now. Been dying to start it and I got it as a present for xmas. However its a big paperback which means it is a monster of a thing to try and carry around with me so I have decided to have a small book for my handbag. The books up for selection are The Lovely Bones, The Mayor of Castorbridge, The Lost World, Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde and Only Time Will Tell.
Any suggestions? I also have to visit Chapters because I have to get book club books

Only one I've read from them is 'The Lovely Bones' and as far as I remember, I enjoyed it.

Finished After the Crash & it's a great read, keeps you guessing right to the end. Thanks to SarahBM for the recommendation back the thread.