March's book

Last night we discussed The Sea by John Banville...some adored it, others found it very descriptive but could've done with more of a plot, and one closed the book for good at page 20...

Steve brought along his shortlist:

Longing by J.D. Landis
The Crimson Petal and the White by Michel Faber
The Lambs of London by Peter Ackroyd
Women of the Silk by Gail Tsukiyama
The Binding Chair by Kathryn Harrison

Once again, we had to have 2 rounds of voting...oh my goodness the thrills and tension! The winner is...in all its 894 pages of glory...

The Crimson Petal and the White by Michel Faber.

If you read about 20 pages a day, you'll get through it in time...!

Sally Beauman

This is what Sally thinks a book club should be reading

"I'd advocate re-reading the kind of classic great novels I've included on my top ten list above -- mainly because re-reading is a richer, more rewarding pastime than reading first time around. Also, books change as readers change: at forty, you will find things in great novels that you missed when you read them in your twenties.

But they have to be read without false reverence, with a truly open mind. I'd also advocate new books, something hot off the press, so you can examine the latest novelistic forays and games -- anything by Haruki Marukami or David Mitchell or Donna Tartt or Zadie Smith or Julian Barnes, clever experimenting writers, who keep you on your toes"

So there we are - some prominent bones of contention are there

Kenneth Williams again

I am nearing the end of KW's magnificent diary. It's a truly fascinating read. The man was a complete conundrum. Capable of sensitivity and kindness and adept at cutting through cant and hypocrisy, and yet he held some pretty atrocious views - somewhere to the right of Genghis Khan. I think maybe he liked stirring the pot so to speak, wanted to say outrageous things as an act of rebellion and defiance. I guess he wanted to act and speak freely not constrained by conformist moral values. He looked down on sanctimonious left wing liberals. While I am not sure this leads him down very desirable avenues - I do have some sympathy with his position. There are some on the liberal left nowadays who are pretty unbearable in their self-righteousness and holier than thou stance. Also some of these excessively goody types seem to have a tendency to tunnel vision and following dogma rather blindly. I can understand Ken not having much time for the Redgrave family. Vanessa in the political arena always seems a bit of a pain to me - sees herself as a latterday saint I think

Thank goodness

I finally finished The Sea on Friday. Thank goodness. It wasn't a book I felt any compulsion to pick up, so consequently it took me a lot longer to get through. There's a lot to say about this book, but I'll save it for Thursday evening. I don't think it's a bad book, it's beautiful in many ways. But call me needy, but I like a book with a bit more of a gripping plot.

Anyway, I'm currently reading 'Rebecca's Tale' by Sally Beauman, a sequel to De Mourier's wonderfully creepy mysterious novel. I read a previous book by Beauman and was suprised to find I couldn't put it down - it had the dubious title of 'The Landscape of Love' which made it look like a rubbish romance, but in fact it was nothing of the sort. It was in some ways a love story but wasn't soppy. An example of 'don't judge a book by its cover' - or indeed its title. So, I'm reading this other novel by her, which is a huge thick book (again, chick-lit thick but not chick-lit-like). I did unfortunately drop it in the bath, so it's gone a bit wibbly.

Completely unrelated...I went to the cinema last night and saw The Illusionist which I thought was great. I thoroughly enjoyed The Prestige, and this was less complex but equally engrossing, and very beautifully filmed. It also had a great soundtrack by Phillip Glass. I seem to have a fascination for stories about 19th/early 20th century magicians. I recommend the novel 'Carter Beats the Devil' by Glen David Gold. Julian, did you ever read it?

Lorraine's star in the ascendant. Julian talking about literature and other things

Congratulations to dear Lorraine - entering the hallowed halls of the Poetry Library. Great for them to be getting such a special star. It will be interesting for her working in the Festival Hall.

Having a rapturous time with the the diaries of Kenneth Williams. Such a buzzing charismatic genius whose star will never dim. I give thanks a thousand times for the special ones, those sensitive souls that see the possibilities for the arts. Contrast them with the mundane banalities of those who make you feel like Monday morning all the time. Mrs G. Ritchie, Terry Wogan, 99% of TV news presenters, Jeffrey Archer, Noel Edmonds, Tom Jones, Jim Davidson. How could we all face it if all we had were them?

Julian talking to himself

Have finished The Sea by John Banville - but I am looking over it a bit more and struggling to like it. There are some good passages, but it compares badly with another book which delighted me. The Stone Diaries by Carol Shields is a masterly effort. Virtuosic in its employment of a variety of narrative devices. Extremely affecting

Now reading Author, Author by David Lodge. Cool, precise and lucid. This is a loving and detailed work on episodes in the life of Henry James. The trials and tribulations of authorship are brought vividly to life.