What are you currently reading?

[SimonNZ]

Finished:



A highly idiosyncratic and endlessly digressive history of post WW2 Britain's reaction to its diminishing status in the world...as viewed through the prism of the James Bond books and films.

More straightforwardly on the same theme starting:

[San Antone]

Light in August
by William Faulkner

[ritter]

Starting Alice Goldfarb Marquis' biography of Alfred H. Barr, the man that led the Museum of Modern Art in New York in its beginnings, and who turned it into the "canonic museum of modernity".

[AnotherSpin]

[AnotherSpin]

[Florestan]

I read it recently. Excellent book.

[Ganondorf]

The first chapter with Lionel Croy is very good I agree. For me, I just report this in case you read it, I first detected that there was something very very very special going on in  the book in Volume I, Book V, Chapter II.   

Any thoughts about what Lionel's terrible deed could have been? 

Had to dig up this post now that I'm relatively close to the end of the book, about 50 pages or so left: I'm not sure if this is THE terrible deed but Kate seems to be a victim of severe abuse, which might explain her somewhat underhanded tactics what with swindling Milly and all - she has basically let her father influence her own actions. I've heard that James was particularly fascinated with Kate Croy and I can see why - she's such a vibrant, complex character (although in the preface James laments that he didn't quite succeed with making his characters complex enough - something that I definitely disagree with, the characters and the book is superb, even if not quite on The Golden Bowl's level, that one is to me the crown jewel of James's output from those I've read). Poor Milly is now close to death.

[Bachtoven]

This should be an excellent thriller based on the first 40 or so pages.

[Mandryka]

Had to dig up this post now that I'm relatively close to the end of the book, about 50 pages or so left: I'm not sure if this is THE terrible deed but Kate seems to be a victim of severe abuse, which might explain her somewhat underhanded tactics what with swindling Milly and all - she has basically let her father influence her own actions. I've heard that James was particularly fascinated with Kate Croy and I can see why - she's such a vibrant, complex character (although in the preface James laments that he didn't quite succeed with making his characters complex enough - something that I definitely disagree with, the characters and the book is superb, even if not quite on The Golden Bowl's level, that one is to me the crown jewel of James's output from those I've read). Poor Milly is now close to death.

It's weird how Lionel Croy pops up in such a strange way at the end -- it makes him very prominent in the book even though he's only at the start and finish of it  -- it's clear that James must have meant something by structuring the plot like that.

  Milly's death is extraordinary! I think Kate's a thoroughly disagreeable piece of work. 

James thought that The Ambassadors was his most successful work -- it is (as you'd expect) a strange book.

[SimonNZ]

Starting:

[JBS]

And I happened to be reading Samson Agonistes from this edition.


Milton would probably have a better reputation if we didn't have Paradise Lost and Paradise Regained to deal with.

[Mandryka]

And I happened to be reading Samson Agonistes from this edition.


Milton would probably have a better reputation if we didn't have Paradise Lost and Paradise Regained to deal with.

Paradise Lost isn't that bad is it?  I know it reeks of school, I can smell chalk dust just thinking about it, but in itself, I think it's pretty good!

[LKB]

Slightly off-topic as I'm not actually reading it, but rather hoping to re-read Murakami's Absolutely on Music. ( Hopefully I'll locate it in the natural disaster which masquerade's as my residence. )

[ritter]

Just started John Steinbeck's Cannery Row...

[DavidW]

[Mandryka]

When you've finished, explain me what happens in the toilets at the end. That's the key.

[AnotherSpin]

[vers la flamme]

When you've finished, explain me what happens in the toilets at the end. That's the key.

Glad I'm not the only one who found it ambiguous.

[LKB]

Just started John Steinbeck's Cannery Row...

I'm a bigger fan of Steinbeck's non- fiction, but l read that one a few years ago and enjoyed it greatly.

[AnotherSpin]

Just started