Photo: Mycroft Snooks
What an 'interesting' week in the news....the 'leadership challenge' story regarding Kevin Rudd and Julia Gillard continues to creak on. Much more interesting to view the picture above of puppy under the big sky. Miss Fluffy enjoyed a run in the open fields before adjourning to a cafe to read up on some current affairs, as shown below....
Photo: Mycroft Snooks
While at the cafe with Miss Fluffy, Mycroft had the opportunity to review books read recently. We recently discussed 'The Year After' by Martin Davies. Also read was 'How I became a Famous Novelist' by Steve Hely. This novel parodies the 'prize winning' literary style which seems to be so popular. It was generally quite funny. Towards the end, though, it seemed to veer towards preaching a bit of a homily (as though the author was saying "I didn't really mean to poke fun at Literature because it really is serious"). So 5/10 for this one for not following through and really smashing 'literary' novels. Mycroft has started another two books. One is 'Chango's Beads and Two-Tone Shoes' by William Kennedy. It has reviewed well but I must confess that so far it is heavy going. If I may whisper it, I'm finding it quite....boring. Sorry. It's really literary but it's not really drawing me in. I had a similar problem with 'A Place of Greater Safety' by Hilary Mantel, eventually abandoning the book when I frankly got sick of the violence (of the French Revolution). I know the narrative was going somewhere but it did not seem to be taking me along with it. 'Wolf Hall', Hilary Mantel's 2009 Man Booker Prize winner, I did persevere with and eventually enjoyed.
The other book Mycroft has started is 'Yossarian Slept Here' by Erica Heller, daughter of Joseph Heller of 'Catch-22' fame. I was present for a lecture by Joseph Heller in 1999. It cannot have been long before his death, and I have a copy of 'Catch 22' which he signed. 'Catch 22' was probably my favourite novel in high school, as perhaps the cynical humour in it struck a chord with me. Erica's book is also a little hard to get into but we shall persevere and see how it goes. Unfortunately, some books just need to be abandoned no matter how worthy the subject matter.
4 comments:
Dear Mycroft
I loved Wolf Hall. But if I don't like a book, I just stop reading. Am looking for something else to get into next, so would love to get some suggestions from you (or perhaps from Miss Fluffy?)
Miss Fluffy is fond of 'The Poky Little Puppy' stories. She also bats at iPads now. Technology Puppy! Perhaps you would prefer a book with a few additional words - Mycroft was recently intoduced to 'The Book Thief' (written by Markus Zusak) and is getting into it quite happily. Both Miss Fluffy and I recommend 'Dog Walks Man' by John Zeaman (sub title is 'A six legged Odyssey'). I can issue you a copy of this from Mycroft HQ.
I really enjoyed the Book Thief. Would love to try Dog Walks Man. How pleasing that Miss Fluffy is embracing technology! Jruth's animal companions are less than interested in the iPad, but since the human children monopolise it anyway, that's probably only a good thing...
Thank you for lending me your book. Havent started it yet but we are off on our European holiday in a few weeks, so I thought it might be good material for the plane trip. Hope the Mycroft haircut went well!
Post a Comment