Friday, 17 July 2015
The Long Way Home - Louise Penny
Another one of her recent well-written mysteries. Armand Gamache is now retired and living in Three Pines. I think this is the first book I have read by her where there isn't a moment in the plot where everything gets a bit improbable and fuzzy.
Barney's Version - Mordecai Richler
Another book of social satire, well-observed, from a perspective in line with the Hemingway/Layton period. Many of the characters resemble the characters in the Solomon Gursky book.
Richler handles the characters slow descent into Alzheimers well as it slowly creeps in through the book. There is also a critique of the hard-drinking, abrasive, cynical narrator type in that he manages to alienate just about everyone by the end of the book, but there isn't much personal insight there.
I notice a link between Duddy Kravitz and Barney, the narrator of the book - Kravitz is a competitive, crass business type, but in the need to be top dog, in the need to have the outward effects of the good life (cognac, scotch, cigars, expensive accoutrements), in the constant need to compete, put down, cut others, he resembles the narrator, Barney - and to a degree, the character Mike in the Solomon Gursky novel.
Richler handles the characters slow descent into Alzheimers well as it slowly creeps in through the book. There is also a critique of the hard-drinking, abrasive, cynical narrator type in that he manages to alienate just about everyone by the end of the book, but there isn't much personal insight there.
I notice a link between Duddy Kravitz and Barney, the narrator of the book - Kravitz is a competitive, crass business type, but in the need to be top dog, in the need to have the outward effects of the good life (cognac, scotch, cigars, expensive accoutrements), in the constant need to compete, put down, cut others, he resembles the narrator, Barney - and to a degree, the character Mike in the Solomon Gursky novel.
Saturday, 4 July 2015
Four Fields - Tim Dee
An excellent example of a genre I really enjoy - reflections and explorations on encounters with a particular natural landscape. Dee shows a great understanding of natural ecology and human history within the environment of fields - fens in England, grasslands in South Africa and the Midwest, exclusion zone around Chernobyl.
To Find
1. books/art by E A R Ennion (some in reference library TPL)
2. Sixty Years a Fenman, Arthur Randell (reference, TPL)
3. A.K. Astbury, The Black Fens (robarts)
4. The old stories : folk tales from East Anglia and the Fen country /
To Find
1. books/art by E A R Ennion (some in reference library TPL)
2. Sixty Years a Fenman, Arthur Randell (reference, TPL)
3. A.K. Astbury, The Black Fens (robarts)
4. The old stories : folk tales from East Anglia and the Fen country /
Life and Fate - Vasily Grossman
A gargantuan novel based largely on the seige of Stalingrad. Mostly from the Russian point of view, but also some sections from the German point of view.
The real subject of the book is a critique of Russia under Stalin. Never published in Russia, and when you read it, you understand why. Grossman was ahead of everyone else I think, in his insight into the Russian communist project and how it went so totally off the rails.
The real subject of the book is a critique of Russia under Stalin. Never published in Russia, and when you read it, you understand why. Grossman was ahead of everyone else I think, in his insight into the Russian communist project and how it went so totally off the rails.
Le complexe de Di - Dai Sijie
An account of the main character's ramble through both urban and rural China as wandering psychoanalyst offering his dream interpretation services. The main character is heavily shaped by years in Europe studying psychoanalysis and is fanatically devoted to Freud. His encounters with the lives and mentalities of Chinese characters in modern mainland China provides opportunities for lots of bizarre humour. At the same time, he seems to be drawing a critical portrait of many aspects of China - politics, social relations, interpersonal relations, social norms.
If you can get into his unusual subtle humour, an interesting book to read.
If you can get into his unusual subtle humour, an interesting book to read.
A Little Larger Than the Entire Universe - Fernando Pessoa
A reference from Tabucchi.
A portuguese poet from the early/mid 20th century. Wrote under several identities, each "author" with a distinct style, thematic. Fairly philosophical as poetry
I enjoyed the unusual perspectives on the world in some of the poems, but some are a bit too heavy handedly idea based.
Worth flipping through.
A portuguese poet from the early/mid 20th century. Wrote under several identities, each "author" with a distinct style, thematic. Fairly philosophical as poetry
I enjoyed the unusual perspectives on the world in some of the poems, but some are a bit too heavy handedly idea based.
Worth flipping through.
The Great Catastrophe - Thomas de Waal
Thomas de Waal writes very well on the Caucasus region - his books are very well-balanced and thorough.
This book looks at the Armenian catastrophe or genocide but from a different perspective. It begins with a good summary of the events of 1915 to 1916. The rest of the book looks at what has happened within the Armenian community, between Turkey and Armenian organizations and also between Armenia and Turkey in the decades following the Catastrophe - the post WW 1 negotiations, the attacks on Turkish diplomats, in-fighting between different Armenian organizations, differences in points of view between diaspora Armenians and Armenia's government and citizens, recent diplomatic initiatives between Armenia, Turkey and Azerbaijan.
Nothing earth shattering in terms of revelations, but very informative on the subject.
To Find
1. Caleb Gates, Not to Me Only
2. Rafael de Nogales, Four Years Beneath the Crescent (period acc't from Ottoman officer)
3. Grigoris Balakian, Armenian Golgotha (period acc't)
4. Michael Mann, The Dark Side of Democracy (state-building and genocide)
5. Timothy Snyder, Bloodlands (Balkan history early 20th c)
This book looks at the Armenian catastrophe or genocide but from a different perspective. It begins with a good summary of the events of 1915 to 1916. The rest of the book looks at what has happened within the Armenian community, between Turkey and Armenian organizations and also between Armenia and Turkey in the decades following the Catastrophe - the post WW 1 negotiations, the attacks on Turkish diplomats, in-fighting between different Armenian organizations, differences in points of view between diaspora Armenians and Armenia's government and citizens, recent diplomatic initiatives between Armenia, Turkey and Azerbaijan.
Nothing earth shattering in terms of revelations, but very informative on the subject.
To Find
1. Caleb Gates, Not to Me Only
2. Rafael de Nogales, Four Years Beneath the Crescent (period acc't from Ottoman officer)
3. Grigoris Balakian, Armenian Golgotha (period acc't)
4. Michael Mann, The Dark Side of Democracy (state-building and genocide)
5. Timothy Snyder, Bloodlands (Balkan history early 20th c)
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)