I gave up on Richard T Kelly's Crusaders and put it on the charity shop pile. I couldn't even bring myself to write a review of it.
I am currently reading: Ariel Leve's The Cassandra Chronicles - a collection of short pieces from one of the Sunday papers. Michael Mansfield's autobiography - Memoirs of a Radical Lawyer. Christopher Booker's The Seven Basic Plots: Why we Tell Stories. As a little light relief I'm still reading John Mortimer's The Third Rumpole Omnibus. A pretty varied selection!
Showing posts with label Richard T Kelly. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Richard T Kelly. Show all posts
Saturday, 5 September 2009
Sunday, 30 August 2009
Current reading
I am still reading Anne Brooke's The Bones of Summer - only about 50 pages left and yes I'm finding it good. I don't think enjoy is the right word because there are so many heartbreaking issues covered not least the non acceptance by some people of individuals who prefer their own sex. The portrait of a fundamentalist Christian - Craig's father - is brilliant. The current climate of thinking it is only the Muslim faith which produces violent fundamentalists needs to be changed. Any fanatic of any religion can turn violent. I will write a full review when I've finished the book and had time to digest it.
I've rather given up on Richard T Kelly's Crusaders though I haven't quite got to the point where I'm prepared to take the book mark out and pass the book to a charity shop. It's a pity because it is my idea of a good plot. There are just too many characters and too much plot and too much of an attempt to make a social point when it would have been better left to speak for itself from the actions of the characters.
I'm also reading Katherine Parker's Save the Males. An attempt to redress the balance between male and female. It's a bit too much along the lines of return the women to the kitchen and the bedroom where they belong and stop them taking jobs from the men who need to feed their families. I shall write a considered review of it when I've finished it.
Then there's a fascinating book called Terra: Tales of the Earth by Richard Hamblyn. It focuses on 4 catastrophic events over two centuries starting with the Lisbon earthquake in 1755. Each section features eye witness accounts which bring the event to life. Naturally there is a climate change message in there but it is not too high profile. The other three events covered are the strange weather of 1783 - caused by volcanic activity in Iceland putting ash and dust into the atmosphere; the eruption of Krakatoa in 1883 and a tsunami in Hawaii in 1946. Interestingly enough all the events were caused by what happened under the earth and I'm sorry but I cannot see how this could have been influenced by carbon dioxide in the atmosphere whether man made or not. What does come over to me is that what goes on under out feet is totally unpredictable and the earth is very much a living, breathing, changing organism.
I've rather given up on Richard T Kelly's Crusaders though I haven't quite got to the point where I'm prepared to take the book mark out and pass the book to a charity shop. It's a pity because it is my idea of a good plot. There are just too many characters and too much plot and too much of an attempt to make a social point when it would have been better left to speak for itself from the actions of the characters.
I'm also reading Katherine Parker's Save the Males. An attempt to redress the balance between male and female. It's a bit too much along the lines of return the women to the kitchen and the bedroom where they belong and stop them taking jobs from the men who need to feed their families. I shall write a considered review of it when I've finished it.
Then there's a fascinating book called Terra: Tales of the Earth by Richard Hamblyn. It focuses on 4 catastrophic events over two centuries starting with the Lisbon earthquake in 1755. Each section features eye witness accounts which bring the event to life. Naturally there is a climate change message in there but it is not too high profile. The other three events covered are the strange weather of 1783 - caused by volcanic activity in Iceland putting ash and dust into the atmosphere; the eruption of Krakatoa in 1883 and a tsunami in Hawaii in 1946. Interestingly enough all the events were caused by what happened under the earth and I'm sorry but I cannot see how this could have been influenced by carbon dioxide in the atmosphere whether man made or not. What does come over to me is that what goes on under out feet is totally unpredictable and the earth is very much a living, breathing, changing organism.
Saturday, 1 August 2009
Currently reading . . .
The Russian Dreambook of Colour and Flight by Gina Ochsner - I've been reading this for what seems like eternity and I keep thinking I'll stop and admit defeat. It is just too much attention to bodily functions, dirt and incomprehensible people who might or might not be dead.
Crusaders by Richard T Kelly - again I've been reading it for too long and keep thinking I'll give up. It's quite good and an interesting subject but about 150 pages too long and rather over written.
The Third Rumpole Omnibus by John Mortimer - a pick up and put down book as it's short stories and always a joy to read.
Mad, Bad and Sad: A History of Women and the Mind Doctors from 1800 by Lisa Appignanesi - I've just started this and it's very interesting. I had completely forgotten that Mary Lamb murdered her mother. Surprisingly enough she did not end up in prison but spent a short time in a private asylum and was then released into the care of brother Charles. She used to have a relapse every so often and would pack her own bag and tell her brother he needed to take her to the asylum.
Waiting in the wings - Anne Brooke's The Bones of Summer and Christopher Booker's The Seven Basic Plots: Why We Tell Stories. I've wanted a copy of this ever since it came out and I finally decided I'd have to buy it. At 700 pages it is going to take some reading but I shall give it a go.
I also need to read - and write a review of - The Rehearsal by Eleanor Catton which seems to be a sort of DIY story in that you could almost read the chapters in any order. I've read about 20 pages and have totally lost the plot. I think I'm going to have to start again with it. Reviews seems to suggest it is very clever - which I suspect translates as the reviewer couldn't understand it and hopes someone will enlighten him/her as to the meaning of the whole thing.
Crusaders by Richard T Kelly - again I've been reading it for too long and keep thinking I'll give up. It's quite good and an interesting subject but about 150 pages too long and rather over written.
The Third Rumpole Omnibus by John Mortimer - a pick up and put down book as it's short stories and always a joy to read.
Mad, Bad and Sad: A History of Women and the Mind Doctors from 1800 by Lisa Appignanesi - I've just started this and it's very interesting. I had completely forgotten that Mary Lamb murdered her mother. Surprisingly enough she did not end up in prison but spent a short time in a private asylum and was then released into the care of brother Charles. She used to have a relapse every so often and would pack her own bag and tell her brother he needed to take her to the asylum.
Waiting in the wings - Anne Brooke's The Bones of Summer and Christopher Booker's The Seven Basic Plots: Why We Tell Stories. I've wanted a copy of this ever since it came out and I finally decided I'd have to buy it. At 700 pages it is going to take some reading but I shall give it a go.
I also need to read - and write a review of - The Rehearsal by Eleanor Catton which seems to be a sort of DIY story in that you could almost read the chapters in any order. I've read about 20 pages and have totally lost the plot. I think I'm going to have to start again with it. Reviews seems to suggest it is very clever - which I suspect translates as the reviewer couldn't understand it and hopes someone will enlighten him/her as to the meaning of the whole thing.
Saturday, 27 June 2009
Angel with Two Faces
I finished reading Nicola Upson's Angel with Two Faces featuring Josephine Tey as an amateur sleuth working with her friend - Scotland Yard detective Archie Penrose. Set in the 1930s, it is a convoluted tale of family relationships and secrets from the past which threaten to derail the present. It was a good story and well written and I like Josephine Tey in this incarnation. What I thought didn't come over too well was the 1930s atmosphere. It just didn't gel to me and I kept thinking any moment someone was going to pick up a mobile phone! I don't think the swear words fitted with the period either.
That said, I did enjoy it. The characters are well drawn and the dialogue believable. One of the best scenes was a recreation of 'The Jackdaw of Rheims' at the open air theatre at Minack. Very atmospheric to the extent I felt I really was there watching it as I was reading. At 422 pages it could perhaps have done with a ruthless editor as it was a little too long. 370pages might have been a better length.
Another book in progress is Richard T Kelly's Crusaders about the North East of England and a clergyman setting up - or 'planting'- a new Anglican church. This is a book for the long term and I'm reading about 30 pages a day. It's good - I've reached page 200 - but again could have done with a more ruthless editor.
That said, I did enjoy it. The characters are well drawn and the dialogue believable. One of the best scenes was a recreation of 'The Jackdaw of Rheims' at the open air theatre at Minack. Very atmospheric to the extent I felt I really was there watching it as I was reading. At 422 pages it could perhaps have done with a ruthless editor as it was a little too long. 370pages might have been a better length.
Another book in progress is Richard T Kelly's Crusaders about the North East of England and a clergyman setting up - or 'planting'- a new Anglican church. This is a book for the long term and I'm reading about 30 pages a day. It's good - I've reached page 200 - but again could have done with a more ruthless editor.
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