Originally posted by french frank
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'Miss Austen' would have been her elder sister, Cassandra...
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... a pedant writes : 'Jane Austen'.
'Miss Austen' would have been her elder sister, Cassandra...
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Should have been watching television, shouldn't I?Originally posted by vinteuil View Post
... a pedant writes : 'Jane Austen'.
'Miss Austen' would have been her elder sister, Cassandra...
Everyone knows that except me!
It isn't given us to know those rare moments when people are wide open and the lightest touch can wither or heal. A moment too late and we can never reach them any more in this world.Comment
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Or, you could have revised your reading of the Rector's family in Adam Bede and avoided the dreaded box.Originally posted by french frank View Post
Should have been watching television, shouldn't I?
Everyone knows that except me!Comment
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I’m a great fan of the books of Robert Harris. He says he has no interest in writing ‘literary’ works, but his plotting and studies of character are up there, and often better than the best of writers. His book An Officer and a Spy is novelisation about the Dreyfus Affair. It’s told from the perspective of Major Picquart, who as head of the intelligence unit within the army first notices inconsistencies in the evidence used against Dreyfus’ alleged espionage, and begins to pull on on loose thread. This leads him down a labyrinth of forgery, cover-up, and institutional anti-semitism. It’s a spy thriller, albeit one using 19th Century techniques, that uncovers a conspiracy that eventually topples the government. In doing so, the full weight of the establishment is brought upon Picquart to silence him, and it’s quite terrifying. Meanwhile Dreyfus rots in solitary confinement in the hellhole of Devil’s Island. A wonderful read.Comment
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Touché ...Originally posted by Padraig View Post
I'm reading IVN Natuureducatie's Tiny Forest Planting Method handbook (how to plant a Miyawaki micro wood).It isn't given us to know those rare moments when people are wide open and the lightest touch can wither or heal. A moment too late and we can never reach them any more in this world.Comment
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Where thrillers are concerned I'm a great fan of Robert Harris' books too. Grisham and Macintyre greatly appeal. I'm also an admirer of horse racing thrillers by Francis, Francome, Laws, O’Connor, de Luca etc.Last edited by Stanfordian; 23-08-25, 09:55.Comment
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Originally posted by Stanfordian View Post
I've just finished 'Precipice', which is well up to his usual standard.
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re-reading The Light and the Dark, by CP Snow.
Snow's novels are definitely not 'thrillers'! There are some long committee meetings reported in full, but I find them fascinating; his characters are marvellously drawn. One thing that might limit his appeal is that he seems to have a rather low opinion of women generally. No problem for me, but I'm surprised the feminists haven't; 'cancelled' him before now.
I was converted to Snow by the Radio 4 serial of Strangers and Brothers, withDavid Haigh as the narrator, a voice I could listen to all day.
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Still not finished 1984. Will definitely read something more cheerful after I finish it!Best regards,
JonathanComment
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I thought "Oblivion " was fascinating, a kind of 17th century Western. I am a bit snobby with popular writers but I think the appeal of Harris is the amount of research. The book did take an unusual perspective which really appealed.Originally posted by Stanfordian View Post
"Pompeii" was addictive for me simply because I knew a lot of the source material for the novel and this was something thst made me smile. It was as if the research was the guiding light of the book. I was hooked.
I was reading some reviews of Alistair McLean novels on Thursday as had forgotten about him. I read alot of these books around 1980 as a teenager yet abandoned him when I discovered Wilbur Smith and Len Deighton. The latter upped the ante for me with the quality of writing. I see Harris as very much today's answer to McLean yet was surprised that the latter was notorious for not doing any research at all. By all accounts, some of the McLean books are very dated these days and I stopped reading them as they became really similar. I feel Harris is interesting because he writes about such diverse topics. My mate is a big fan and advised me that the historical novels are superior.
The Harris books are populated by historical characters in most cases yet I think that the lead characters are often stereotypes. They are escapism. In both cases, they were impossible to put down whilst also ending unsatisfactory for me. In my opinion, they are good reads although I prefer the styles of Kerr and Rankin. I started another 17th century detective novel 2 years ago which was unreadable and annoying and was unfavourable in comparison to "Oblivion"
Popular fiction is a minefield. I really hated Tom Clancy and am not unusually enthused by American writers. For my money, I still prefer more literary writers like McLean, Boyd and Atkinson and do feel that popular writers can get quite dated. Love authors like Rankin, Kerr and Reginald Hill yet wonder if they have a limited shelf life . In summary, the 2 Harris books get the thumbs up for me for shining a light on genuine historical events which respects history.
I have not read "Precipice " but my mate said that the book is compelling simply because the revelations are so shocking.
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Hello LMcD,Originally posted by LMcD View Post
I've just finished 'Precipice', which is well up to his usual standard.
Yes, I have that title for next Friday as I sit having my chemo.Comment
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I enjoyed some Harris works but I was unable to finish Oblivion. The fierce pursuer character was too much of a trope for me. I also greatly disliked the endings of Munich and Conclave.
I just finished Captain Corelli Mandolin by Louis de Bernieres. I vaguely remembered the movie from a quarter century ago which I gather has a significantly different ending. I really enjoyed the writing and wonder what other books by the author are worth readingComment
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... Simenon, Les Suicidés.
We were in Nevers recently, and looked at the house where Simenon lived in the early 1930s (7 rue Creuse). On the wall plaque it noted that this novel largely took place in Nevers : it is not a Maigret, but one of the very first of his romans durs : a pathetic hero/villain who can't live up to the dream for his lover and himself. Written c 1932, published 1934. It could make an excellent film...
Tragically Nevers will also be associated with the 'suicide' of the then Prime Minister of France (and maire of Nevers) Pierre Bérégovoy 1 May 1993.
Interestingly the English language wiki simply says he killed himself : the French wiki is much more circumspect as to whether it was suicide or an assassination.
Well, Mitterand, dontcha know...
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It was the major news item / subject of gossip at the time, as can well be imagined
.Last edited by vinteuil; 24-08-25, 13:42.Comment
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