Perhaps my greatest pleasure in life is reading modern novels. Every couple of months I spend an hour or so in Waterstone's selecting half a dozen from display tables and shelves. If it says 'shortlisted for the Booker/Costa/Orange Prize for 200*' then I know that it's likely to be something I'll enjoy. I mentally grade them for overall enjoyment (including skill, humour, story, originality etc.). About 50% get three stars, 40% get four stars and 5% get five stars. The 5% that get less than three stars go in the bin after I've read a quarter of them! At my age I haven't got time to waste in doing things I don't enjoy
A couple of times a year I come across a five star book that so affects me that I have to tell people about it. I've just finished 'The Other Hand' by Chris Cleave and if you enjoy intelligent, thought-provoking and affecting writing then I can highly recommend it. I read it in two sittings but please note that it's not a thriller/detective/mystery story. If I even try to describe the story it will devalue it, but if you really enjoy reading, look out for it.
The present Mrs Speedbird is, as I type, visiting a bookshop in Bath to purchase me a copy of his first novel 'Incendiary' which is about to be released as a movie. I'm so impressed with his writing that I've just visited his website and discovered that he's a columnist for the Guardian (which I don't read) and his columns are replicated on his website. In contrast to the novel his writing here is incredibly amusing and if you want to have a good chuckle you can read them here : Chris Cleave's Guardian columns
I normally stick with history, such as Tom Holland's Rubicon, Barbara Tuchman's A Distant Mirror and currently Antony Beevor's new work, D-Day.
However, the one novel I have read in recent years, and can recommend unreservedly, is Birdsong by Sebastian Faulkes. It came 13th in a list of Britain's favourite 100 novels compiled by the BBC in 2003, and is literature of the highest order. I'll be reading it again before too long.
Paul K wrote:However, the one novel I have read in recent years, and can recommend unreservedly, is Birdsong by Sebastian Faulkes. It came 13th in a list of Britain's favourite 100 novels compiled by the BBC in 2003, and is literature of the highest order. I'll be reading it again before too long.
I can't argue with that, Paul. Definitely a classic. Birdsong is the middle novel of Faulks's 'French' trilogy and I can highly recommend the third, 'Charlotte Gray', about a young woman recruited into the SOG during WW2 because of her fluent French. But I would avoid Faulks's 'Engleby' and the first of the trilogy, 'The Girl at the Lion d'Or' as they are a different writing style and may not appeal to you.
If Great War fiction fascinates you, I'd encourage you to also look at Pat Barker's Regeneration trilogy which is set late in WW1. Regeneration is based on the real life encounter between Siegfried Sassoon and an army psychologist in 1917 after he renounced and questioned the purpose of the war. The other two in the series follow on and reflect the effect on the home front. Number two is 'The Eye in the Door' and number three is 'The Ghost Road' which won the 1995 Booker prize. If you like autobiographical accounts then you must read Sassoon's 'The Complete Memoirs of George Sherston', combining his 'Memoirs of a Foxhunting Man' and 'Memoirs of an Infantry Officer'. And the utterly superb 'Goodbye to All That' by Robert Graves.
I agree with your view of 'Engleby' Ian. It's difficult to see what he was trying to achieve with that. Birdsong was good.
I've enjoyed what I've read of Jonathan Coe especially 'What a Carve Up' and 'The Rotter's Club'. I haven't seen the tv adaptation.
If you're not immediately put off by a science fiction tab I recomend Iain M. Banks as a very thought provoking writer. He also writes contemporary fiction without the M. i.e. Iain Banks. 'The Player of Games' is excellent.
A book I recently picked up at an airport on Friday evening and finished reading the next morning was 'The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society' by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows which pulls off the good trick of being light and easy to read whilst leaving an impression. A WWII theme here as it's set in Guernsey immediately after the war but is dominated by events during the German occupation. You might need to be in touch with your feminine side for this one.
Paul, for history I'm currently reading 'Italy's Sorrow' http://www.amazon.co.uk/Italys-Sorrow-Y ... gy_b_img_a
it's very good as it covers not just the allied campaign but also the partisans and the fascist-communist divisions that are still so important in Italy.
Paul K wrote:However, the one novel I have read in recent years, and can recommend unreservedly, is Birdsong by Sebastian Faulkes. It came 13th in a list of Britain's favourite 100 novels compiled by the BBC in 2003, and is literature of the highest order. I'll be reading it again before too long.
I can't argue with that, Paul. Definitely a classic. Birdsong is the middle novel of Faulks's 'French' trilogy and I can highly recommend the third, 'Charlotte Gray', about a young woman recruited into the SOG during WW2 because of her fluent French. But I would avoid Faulks's 'Engleby' and the first of the trilogy, 'The Girl at the Lion d'Or' as they are a different writing style and may not appeal to you.
If Great War fiction fascinates you, I'd encourage you to also look at Pat Barker's Regeneration trilogy which is set late in WW1. Regeneration is based on the real life encounter between Siegfried Sassoon and an army psychologist in 1917 after he renounced and questioned the purpose of the war. The other two in the series follow on and reflect the effect on the home front. Number two is 'The Eye in the Door' and number three is 'The Ghost Road' which won the 1995 Booker prize. If you like autobiographical accounts then you must read Sassoon's 'The Complete Memoirs of George Sherston', combining his 'Memoirs of a Foxhunting Man' and 'Memoirs of an Infantry Officer'. And the utterly superb 'Goodbye to All That' by Robert Graves.
Ian
Ian, I have one of Pat Barker's books up in the loft, and damned if I can remember which one it is. It might even be the Regeneration trilogy in one single volume...I must go up there and dig it out. I bought it in a sale, and have never got round to reading it. Thanks for reminding me about it.
I read 'Goodbye To All That' when I was at school.
Now then...a book I will recommend back to you is one that has recently been republished, and is a favourite of the military historian Sir John Keegan. It is called " The War The Infantry Knew " by Captain J. C Dunn, the medical officer of the 2nd Battalion, Royal Welch Fusiliers. Dunn was with them right through from 1914 to 1918, and he originally compiled the book from his own experiences and those of others in the regiment. It is unique in that it takes you into the very heart of an infantry battalion's day to day experiences on the western front. No other such detailed record exists, and it really is absorbing. Have a look at the customer reviews here...
An interesting discussion. I would have some reservations about "Birdsong": the brilliance of the WWI is unquestionable - the rest of the book suffers somewhat in comparison. Of other recent fiction I have read, "Neverland" by Joseph O'Neill and "Brooklyn" by Colm Toibin stand out. I recently re-read "Our Man In Havana" and it was just as wonderful second time around. I'm looking forward to reading "D-Day" as both "Berlin" and "Stalingrad" were extraordinary histories. (Though not novels, of course!)
Paul K wrote:Now then...a book I will recommend back to you is one that has recently been republished, and is a favourite of the military historian Sir John Keegan. It is called " The War The Infantry Knew " by Captain J. C Dunn, the medical officer of the 2nd Battalion, Royal Welch Fusiliers...Have a look at the customer reviews here...
Well, I don't need to look at the customer reviews, Paul - because I have it on the shelf here next to Sassoon and Graves My paperback edition is 1994 and I assumed it was out of print as it was so old - which is why I didn't mention it. I have to agree that although the other two are renowned literary writers and poets, Captain Dunn's writing is equally graphic and reading any of those three volumes must be the best way of understanding the experience of the trenches. No contemporary writer can match them simply because they weren't there.
Techy111 wrote:I am surprised......Ian can read...???
You cheeky monkey!
Actually, writing's even easier, Tony! Apparently there are only 26 little squiggles to learn. The trick is getting them in the right order ...
....subtitled 'The calamitous 14th century', that has been on my bookshelf for as long as I can remember and I like to re-read it at least once a year
If anyone's interested in history and what went on in medieval minds then I highly recommend it.
ISBN 0-333-64470-0
ATB,
Derek ;-)
'My Auntie Mabel told me I'd make a great soldier, though I don't know how 30 years working in a biscuit factory had qualified her to make that judgement.....' Eddie Nugent
You cheeky monkey!
