Books

[Steve H]

Currently reading 'Julia' by Sandra Newman, a retelling of Orwell's 'Nineteen Eighty-four' from the point of view of Orwell's anti-heroine. Doubleplusgood so far - she captures the dirty seediness of Oceania well; the blocked toilets and bed bugs and coarse soap that makes the skin itch.

[Aruntraveller]

I am currently reading "Young Mungo" by Douglas Stuart.

It is set in 1990's Glasgow and is a very vivid portrait of that time. I don't know enough about Glasgow to comment on its complete accuracy, but it has brilliantly realised characters and wonderful dialogue. 

Apparently, the BBC have commissioned a TV adaptation of the book.

[Nearly Sane]

I am currently reading "Young Mungo" by Douglas Stuart.

It is set in 1990's Glasgow and is a very vivid portrait of that time. I don't know enough about Glasgow to comment on its complete accuracy, but it has brilliantly realised characters and wonderful dialogue. 

Apparently, the BBC have commissioned a TV adaptation of the book.

I read Shuggie Bain, his previous book, and felt conflicted by it. I did think that the dialogue and catacterisation were the best bits. I did also feel that it went down the route of 'poverty porn' a lot and wasn't the most balanced reflection of life. I think he writes in some was in a picaresque style so it's more exaggerated than accurate in that sense. I hadn't felt inclined to pick up Young Mungo on the basis of Shuggie Bain, but I might well do now given you are enjoying it.

[Aruntraveller]

Well, now that you mention it, poverty porn..hmm.

Also, it is much more violent than the fiction I normally read. Still, I did find it engrossing and very well-written.

Having now looked at the themes of "Shuggie Bain" I probably won't read that, as it sounds as if the author was mining the same seam.

[Steve H]

About 2/3 through 'Byzantium' by Judith Herrin, a brief history of the Byzantine Empire. I red JJ Norwich's three-volume history a few years ago. The Byzantines were horribly fond of punishing people by blinding, but, as she points out, it was at least preferable to the death penalty, which they used only rarely. Also, she points out that Byzantium never developed anything like an inquisition, nor burned heretics at the stake. Well, for good or bad, it lasted for a millennium, which is not bad going.

[torridon]

I'm starting on The Earth Transformed by Peter Frankopan.  But at 700 pages long, and reading a couple of pages a day, it means being in for the long haul 

[Gonnagle]

Dear Thread,

Well as I explained on a earlier post which is now lost, lost I tell you the agony, sheer agony of it all anyway on recommendation from old Almost Sensible I am reading the Immortal Game, fascinating book, it is my wee ten minute read before I head off to dream land.

I am following the game on my own Chess board and have to admit it has awoken my love for the game again❤️ and found out that I am a romantic Chess player I am all charge, death to the infidels, the best form of defence is attack, which is why I am rubbish at the game, just an old wood pusher but I love it.

But now! one of the interesting things the book talks about is this child genius stuff is mostly bunkum, the psychology studies point too, that old adage "Practice makes perfect" anyone any thoughts on that.

The history part is also very interesting, Chess with Dice, what! I mean what

Gonnagle.

[Nearly Sane]

Glad you are liking it.

[Nearly Sane]

On a reread of Robertson Davies, including reading The Salterton Trilogy out loud to my wife. Maybe my favourite writer

[Dicky Underpants]

After reading an absurd thriller with unconvincingly contrived 'twists' by Will Dean (First Born), I felt the need for a different form of escapism. So I decided to plunge into the past with Adam Sisman's Boswell's Presumptuous Task, about James Boswell's relationship with Dr. Johnson. It's certainly grabbed my attention. Very interesting to read about the attempts of various Scotsmen of the time to "anglicise" themselves, and about Johnson's apparent antipathy to the nation and its people - all completely belied by his attitude to Boswell himself, which was apparently one of deep affection.

[Gordon]

Having listened to a recent podcast of well known folk reading their favourite bits of Wodehouse, I recently started re-reading 'The Code of the Woosters' - and might tackle a few others of his output.

https://rss.com/podcasts/test-pod21/1893439/