What are you reading now?

[french frank]

I'd be interested to know if you detect a somewhat ungfavourable opinion of women in his novels. I find it a refreshng change from ,say , Elizabeth Jane Howard where all the strong, enduring characters are women and all the men are ineffectual wimps or vile deceivers.

I take the view that novelists select and craft their novels according to what they want to say, and that that is how it should be. No, I didn't detect an unfavourable opinion of women in Snow's novels: he lived and worked in male-dominated world and wrote novels of his own experience. Which is fine (by me! ). Alas, I know nothing of EJ Howard or her novels, but if she were describing her own life experience I wouldn't find it inconceivable that men and women would be depicted in the way you suggest. It could be that she wanted to depict what she found or a world as she would like it. In the end it's "just" fiction, isn't it? What one enjoys and criticises says as much about oneself as the object of one's opinions, I imagine.

[smittims]

The Good Soldier I know as a novel by Ford Madox Hueffer (later Ford) . It was scheduled for publication in August 1914 as 'The Saddest Story everTold' but his publishers told him to find a more topical title!

The Conscience of the Rich I know as a novel by CP Snow. I'd be interested to know if you detect a somewhat ungfavourable opinion of women in his novels. I find it a refreshng change from ,say , Elizabeth Jane Howard where all the strong, enduring characters are women and all the men are ineffectual wimps or vile deceivers.

I'm reading Ghosts (Ibsen ) following he splendid TV version with Judi Dench and Michael Gambon.

[french frank]

I would be interested in the views of anyone who has read So Long, See You Tomorrow by William Maxwell. It was first published in USA in 1980 and was published here by Vintage Classics 2025.
It has an introduction by author Ann Patchett, which in itself is a very interesting read. The novel is short in length - at 153 pages.

I suffer from total non-recall. I was taken by W Maxwell a while back and at the time bought five of his novels, including So Long ... (which indeed is the shortest). I had just started The Good Soldier when my brother brought me E Stein's The Problem of Empathy. I then became diverted by The Conscience of the Rich. I may be gone some time ...

[LMcD]

The film version of Among Women, starring Tony Doyle, was televised last year . I found it moving.

I'm re-reading The Merchant of Venice, trying to imagine my ideal staging, as I do, but also trying to avoid thinking of Jeremy Irons and Al Pacino in the famous film version.

We were lucky enough to see Mr & Mrs Olivier at the Old Vic. The supporting cast included Jeremy Brett. It may b hard to believe now, but this production was one of a number recorded and broadcast by ATV. It's available on YouTube.

[Padraig]

A year or so back, my attention was drawn by someone on the Forum to a film running on BBCTV, 'That They May Face the Rising Sun', based on the John McGahern book of the same name. I loved going into that rural Ireland world and found the film magnetic. I had read a couple of novels by McGahern - 'Amongst Women', while being a tough read in places was most wonderfully written. One of my pals had given me a short story of McGahern's, 'The Country Funeral', about three brothers who go from Dublin back to their homeplace to bury a deceased relative - it was captivating, and on the back of it I searched out a book of his short stories. I was not disappointed.
Just before Christmas I was rummaging around in a charity shop in Edinburgh and saw 'That They May Face the Rising Sun' on the shelves, so decided to pick it up. The story concerns a couple, Kate and Joe, who leave London to settle back in the area where he was raised. By the time the book starts they have been there for about ten years. It proceeds to takes us through a year of life in this pastoral setting; in many ways it is a celebration of a world that is passing into history; and it talks about the people who come to inhabit their lives. Nothing much happens, I suppose. It is the most enjoyable book I have read in many a long day, beautifully written and beautifully paced. I was so sad to finish it as I didn't want to leave the place; so have gone back to the short stories to ease myself out. Wonderful writer.

John, thanks for that post. I enjoyed reading it. I'm fairly familiar with John Mc Gahern, and I'll be revisiting him - soon!

I would be interested in the views of anyone who has read So Long, See You Tomorrow by William Maxwell. It was first published in USA in 1980 and was published here by Vintage Classics 2025.
It has an introduction by author Ann Patchett, which in itself is a very interesting read. The novel is short in length - at 153 pages.

[smittims]

The film version of Among Women, starring Tony Doyle, was televised last year . I found it moving.

I'm re-reading The Merchant of Venice, trying to imagine my ideal staging, as I do, but also trying to avoid thinking of Jeremy Irons and Al Pacino in the famous film version.

[johncorrigan]

A year or so back, my attention was drawn by someone on the Forum to a film running on BBCTV, 'That They May Face the Rising Sun', based on the John McGahern book of the same name. I loved going into that rural Ireland world and found the film magnetic. I had read a couple of novels by McGahern - 'Amongst Women', while being a tough read in places was most wonderfully written. One of my pals had given me a short story of McGahern's, 'The Country Funeral', about three brothers who go from Dublin back to their homeplace to bury a deceased relative - it was captivating, and on the back of it I searched out a book of his short stories. I was not disappointed.
Just before Christmas I was rummaging around in a charity shop in Edinburgh and saw 'That They May Face the Rising Sun' on the shelves, so decided to pick it up. The story concerns a couple, Kate and Joe, who leave London to settle back in the area where he was raised. By the time the book starts they have been there for about ten years. It proceeds to takes us through a year of life in this pastoral setting; in many ways it is a celebration of a world that is passing into history; and it talks about the people who come to inhabit their lives. Nothing much happens, I suppose. It is the most enjoyable book I have read in many a long day, beautifully written and beautifully paced. I was so sad to finish it as I didn't want to leave the place; so have gone back to the short stories to ease myself out. Wonderful writer.

[Ian Thumwood]

I agree with you, Ian ,that 'contemporary fiction is a lottery'. I've looked into it, but so many novels now are not even written in correct English.

I'm sorry you don't like Julian Barnes, though,as in my view he is a shining exception. In an age when most new novels seem to be written by women for women to read, he seems to me to be one of the few to offer the male reader something worthwhile. Give him another try; I think he's a worthy succesor to CP Snow.

Smittims

i think men are more disinclined to read than women and that is reflected in the books that are available. A lot of this is crime.

I read loads but not pulp fiction. There are writers i prefer but will branch out if something piques my interest. I have tried celebrated authors like Rose Tremain who i have not enjoyed and wont try again but my tastes are varied. Currently reading a lot of scientific books about dinosaurs / Prehistoric life but i will read anything that piques my interest

[Ein Heldenleben]

I thought I had heard this news item this week or last:

Julian Barnes on his last novel: 'I hope it's a good one to go out on'

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c99kn9xyekeo

Yes he’s retiring.

[Cockney Sparrow]

Yes he can really write but I think he’s run out of things to write about. Also his publishers have a habit of taking the mick by charging full price for a 100 pager..
I think I’ve now read all his books partly because doesn’t churn out 400 pagers all the time.

I thought I had heard this news item this week or last:

Julian Barnes on his last novel: 'I hope it's a good one to go out on'

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c99kn9xyekeo

[Ein Heldenleben]

I agree with you, Ian ,that 'contemporary fiction is a lottery'. I've looked into it, but so many novels now are not even written in correct English.

I'm sorry you don't like Julian Barnes, though,as in my view he is a shining exception. In an age when most new novels seem to be written by women for women to read, he seems to me to be one of the few to offer the male reader something worthwhile. Give him another try; I think he's a worthy succesor to CP Snow.

Yes he can really write but I think he’s run out of things to write about. Also his publishers have a habit of taking the mick by charging full price for a 100 pager..
I think I’ve now read all his books partly because doesn’t churn out 400 pagers all the time.

[Ein Heldenleben]

Will read the final chapter again. It was certainly enigmatic! I was 8 in the winter of 1962/3 and agree that the party was very 1960s and I, too, saw it through a child's eyes.

Doctors eh ? Absolute shockers….

[smittims]

I agree with you, Ian ,that 'contemporary fiction is a lottery'. I've looked into it, but so many novels now are not even written in correct English.

I'm sorry you don't like Julian Barnes, though,as in my view he is a shining exception. In an age when most new novels seem to be written by women for women to read, he seems to me to be one of the few to offer the male reader something worthwhile. Give him another try; I think he's a worthy succesor to CP Snow.

[Petrushka]

Oh I thought that was enigmatically wonderful !
Yes the party was well done - very sixties and pretty much as it was though I saw it through a child’s eyes.

Will read the final chapter again. It was certainly enigmatic! I was 8 in the winter of 1962/3 and agree that the party was very 1960s and I, too, saw it through a child's eyes.

[Ein Heldenleben]

I finished Andrew Miller's The Land in Winter last week and mostly enjoyed it but found the final few pages decidely odd, as if Miller couldn't wrap up the story and a good candidate for the world's worst final chapter.

I did, though, very much enjoy his characterisation and the chapter on the Boxing Day party is brilliantly funny, sharply observed and with great dialogue. I really felt as if I was there with them! Nice mention of the Willcocks' St John Passion recording which, while not named as such, the giveaway is the description of the LP cover. If you know, you know.

Oh I thought that was enigmatically wonderful !
Yes the party was well done - very sixties and pretty much as it was though I saw it through a child’s eyes.