Books

[Caomhaoin]

Just came out of the UK's largest second hand bookshop here in Inverness with Conrad's 'Nostromo', a beautifully bound collection of Orwell's essays and a hardback copy of one of real history greats, Pakenham on The Boer War. I had to show restraint, certain Cunninghams and Robertsons would ride the place raw.

[Thorn]

I've read Nostromo twice now, there's a good story buried in there somewhere.

[Eoin McLove]

I read the first twenty pages of Crime & Punishment earlier and it's interesting to compare it stylistically with David Copperfield, which I'm well over halfway through,  as both were written at around the same time. It's written in a modern and relatable voice whereas Dickens's approach is much more laboured and antiquated by comparison. Seems like two completely different worlds.

[StoutAndAle]

I read the first twenty pages of Crime & Punishment earlier and it's interesting to compare it stylistically with David Copperfield, which I'm well over halfway through,  as both were written at around the same time. It's written in a modern and relatable voice whereas Dickens's approach is much more laboured and antiquated by comparison. Seems like two completely different worlds.

Could be the translation. I had a similar experience with "Don Quixote" a few years back. Felt more free-flowing than Dickens, Elliot, etc.

Unless you're reading it in the original Russian - in which case - fair fucks.

[Eoin McLove]

Haha no, an English version. I fucking hated Don Quixote. I've tried reading it two or three times now and find it a total fucking bore. One joke on repeat for 900 pages... brutal.

Edit. I should say I really enjoy Dickens despite his  circuitousness. You just accept the longwinded style and go with it.

[Caomhaoin]

The problem with Crime and Punishment, or one of them at least, is that it takes far longer than you'd expect to get going. He has better, less slow-as-a-wet-week ones.

[Eoin McLove]

The first twenty pages have drawn me in. I tried The Idiot years ago and soon gave up on it. Much like Don Quixote it felt tedious and circular to me. I'll see how C&P unfolds but I'm optimistic at this early stage.

[Black Shepherd Carnage]

The Idiot isn't tedious or circular, but I wouldn't recommend it as a first Dostoevsky. The goal of it is very different to his most well known works, and I think it's better to have built full confidence in him as a writer before giving it a go. It's not a page turner like. Crime and Punishment genuinely is though. It gets a bit slow at one point, around the beginning of the second book if I remember correctly, but just a little, nothing that would make you want to give up.

Have to say though, it seems brave to take on a Dostoevsky while also reading something else of similar scope. Can be hard enough keeping track of all the secondary threads even when it's the only novel you're reading.

[Caomhaoin]

I was reading 'Heart of Darkness' on the plane there. I'm interested in the historical context anyway, the scramble for Africa, Léopold, empire etc, and it's not a disappointment, beautifully written and short enough to be read in a few hours.

I may be wrong but it seems a slam dunk that Apocalypse Now is adapted from this novella.

[Carnage]

It is, famously so. The 'making of' documentary is called Hearts Of Darkness.

Great book, like you I read it in transit - on a couple of bus journeys to and from Dubbelin about 20-25 years ago.

[Black Shepherd Carnage]

Not yet read it myself, but that making of documentary is excellent.

[Eoin McLove]

780 pages into David Copperfield and I'm pulling my hair out (you know what I mean, you cheeky fucks!). My god this cunt of a book should have been hacked down to four or five hundred pages. The sheer amount of waffle and padding per page is exhausting. I'll finish it just because... you know... you try to finish books where possible, but fuck me, I'm having Jerusalemic flashbacks at this stage 

[Carnage]

Mate of mine works in a charity shop in town, called in to say 'hello'. Obviously his day off but picked up This Is Going To Hurt by Adam Kay, so that'll do.

[StoutAndAle]

Mate of mine works in a charity shop in town, called in to say 'hello'. Obviously his day off but picked up This Is Going To Hurt by Adam Kay, so tuat'll do.

Very enjoyable book. Some of the things that he saw in A&E 


Currently reading "Leonard & Hungry Paul" by Rónán Hession.

[Grim Reality]

Albert Camus - the fall

It's around ten years since I first dipped into Camus and Satre and I'm enjoying reacquainting myself with their thought. Never read The Fall before. Superbly written book.