What are you currently reading?

[Artem]

Bernhard is one of my favourite authors. I read most of what has been translated into English.

[Mandryka]

Bernhard is one of my favourite authors. I read most of what has been translated into English.

Any favourites? I'm coming to the end of The Woodcutters and I want to read another.

[Artem]

His earlier work is somewhat more conventional than the later difficult novels that Bernhard is known for, but I like his earlier stuff. I'd suggest reading Frost or The Lime Works next.

[Mandryka]

His earlier work is somewhat more conventional than the later difficult novels that Bernhard is known for, but I like his earlier stuff. I'd suggest reading Frost or The Lime Works next.

Noted. Having now finished The Wood cutters, it's just a bit too nasty and intense and cynical to begin another Bernhard book straight away, so I'm spending the afternoon relaxing by dipping randomly into Chateaubriand's relatively innocent and radiant Mémoires d'outre tombe.

[Florestan]

Chateaubriand's relatively innocent and radiant Mémoires d'outre tombe.

Next stop after that, Génie du christianisme, ou beautés de la religion chrétienne. 

[aligreto]

Pushkin: The Captain's Daughter and Other Stories.





This is a fine collection of works from Pushkin. Some of the stories had a different outlook on Life and this made for varied, interesting and enjoyable reading.

[vandermolen]

The Conquest of Happiness, Bertrand Russell.

A book which I remember enjoying and finding helpful many years ago. I also like his 'In Praise of Idleness'.

[ritter]

Jean Cocteau's Diary, written in occupied Paris.

[Dry Brett Kavanaugh]

Jonathan Keates: Stendhal.   

[Dry Brett Kavanaugh]

Pushkin: The Captain's Daughter and Other Stories.





This is a fine collection of works from Pushkin. Some of the stories had a different outlook on Life and this made for varied, interesting and enjoyable reading.

Nice!

[Dry Brett Kavanaugh]

A book which I remember enjoying and finding helpful many years ago. I also like his 'In Praise of Idleness'.

Sorry, I missed your post Jeffrey. Yes, I like 'In Praise of Idleness' (and other essays in the Routledge book). While I like many books by BR, his autobiography is a fun read!

The 2nd time he was jailed (for participating in an anti-nuclear demonstration), he was 89 years old!

[Florestan]

Reflecting a recurrent interest of mine, for the next few days I'll be switching between these two:

[ritter]

First approach to the writing of Henry Green, with Party Going:



I recall H. Green's novels being in my parents' library, but I never read any of them. Party Going is (was?) regarded by many illustrious authors and critics as one of the greatest English modernist novels, but the author never achieved "super stardom" and seems to be slowly fading into oblivion. So far, the first pages definitely have a T. S Eliot-esque feeling to them. Looks promising.

[aligreto]

A Bronte: The Tenant of Wildfell Hall





This is the story of the female tenant in question and a man who becomes besotted with her. She will not allow him to get close to her, keeping herself distant and even secluded. Things become so fraught that she finally gives him her diary [minus the last few pages] to read. She explains that by reading her background story he will understand what type of a person she really is and why she cannot accept his advances.

The plot is divided into three distinct phases. The first phase is the situation as it is at the present time until the handing over of the diary. The second phase is the tenant's story as contained in the diary. The third phase deals with a development in the plot which materially affects the tenant. The story continues with the development of the plot and its subsequent consequences for the main characters concerned.

Anne Bronte's writing style in this work is much more readable than that in Agnes Grey. Her plot is much more fluid in the telling and her characters are much more rounded and real in their construction. It is a much more approachable novel altogether. However, it was not quite a fluid read due to the somewhat archaic and slightly ponderous language. I find this to be an interesting point since Anne was the youngest of the Bronte sisters and one would assume, though it does not necessarily follow, that she would have been more "modern" in her approach. She certainly was with her choice of subject matter for the time.

However, I remember reading somewhere that it was a work that her elder sister Charlotte wished to suppress on Anne's death. Charlotte apparently felt that the subject matter was neither an appropriate subject to be written about nor an appropriate subject to be written by a lady. It must be noted that Anne Bronte wrote the narration from the point of view of the leading male character.

I have found the novel to be a somewhat ponderous read [from the language point of view] but, at the same time, a very interesting, enlightened and engaging read.

[San Antone]

Re-reading Eugene O'Neill: A Life in Four Acts



And along with it the plays as they are described in the biography, so a chronological survey.  I had previously bought the Library of America complete plays when i read it the first time.

Eugene O'Neill: Complete Plays 1913–1920
Eugene O'Neill: Complete Plays 1920–1931
Eugene O'Neill: Complete Plays 1932–1943

[Spotted Horses]

Jennifer Egon, The Candy House



[Minor Spoiler Alert]

A novel which imagines a future in which technology allows social media to go much farther than it has, enabled by algorithms which can predict our actions and a device which can download the contents of our minds and make our unconsciousness searchable. And just as in current DNA services such as 23 and me, you can decide to share your unconscious download in return for being able to search the unconscious downloads of others.

It is a follow up to A Visit from the Goon Squad, which did not have the science fiction aspect.

I found it to be a captivating read. I think my favorite book by Egan is Manhattan Beach (of the thee books I have read).

[aligreto]

Wilde: Lord Arthur Savile's Crime and Other Stories





It is always interesting to read Wilde's prose. It is always interesting and different and so it is here with this collection of short stories.

[Dry Brett Kavanaugh]

Wilde: Lord Arthur Savile's Crime and Other Stories





It is always interesting to read Wilde's prose. It is always interesting and different and so it is here with this collection of short stories.

While I love Oscar Wilde, I haven't read these short stories. I will check them out.

[aligreto]

While I love Oscar Wilde, I haven't read these short stories. I will check them out.

There are eight stories in all in the collection Manabu. It is a collection worth having.

[Dry Brett Kavanaugh]

There are eight stories in all in the collection Manabu. It is a collection worth having.

I saw an edition of the book in Tokyo a few years ago. I will get it!