The Spiral Staircase - Karen Armstrong
A Complicated Kindness - Miriam Toews
The Women's Room - Marilyn French
No Country For Old Men - Cormac McCarthy
The Tenderness Of Wolves - Stef Penney
Then We Came To The End - Joshua Ferris
Empathy - Sarah Schulman
The Child That Books Built - Francis Spufford
I've just finished reading 'Things The Grandchildren Should Know' by Mark Oliver Everett (aka E, aka 'That beardy bloke from Eels'), which is absolutely wonderful. I think 'Electro Shock Blues' is one of the most amazing albums ever written, and I really like most of his other stuff too. It's a really good read, whether you like the music or not. He's had such a tragic life - shortly after he found his father dead, his sister was gang-raped and later killed herself, he was then in the room when his mother died of cancer just after that, and his cousin and her partner were killed on 9/11. His entire family was wiped out, yet he still manages to sound remarkably optimistic about life, despite his (understandable) depressive tendencies. He's also able to explore with some candour and humour his pattern of being attracted to crazy girls. And of course, the stuff about making the albums is great. All in all, I recommend it.
But enough of that, tell me about the ones I haven't read yet!
8 comments:
Can't really help you out much as I've not read any of them I'm afraid...though I have it on good authority that No Country is an excellent read despite a strange ending. The film 'parrently is a rather good adaptation and sticks to the story.
Big fan of the Eels too - did you see that documentary that he made about his dad on BB4?
ooh, no I didn't see that. I wonder if I can download it somewhere...
not from the BB of C - they only have stuff there for a week.
The various torrent websites are blocked from work [ curse you firewall! ] so I can't check there - but I think there'll be a copy floating around the interwebs somewhere.
I'll look - do you remember what it was called?
it traded under the name of Parallel Worlds, Parallel Lives.
Downloading now! I see it's about quantum physics, which means that Alice will enjoy it, so I think I'll save it for the plane and watch it with her. Thanks!
Quantum - cos there's a fun packed subject ;) It was actually a very interesting programme, both in terms of the science stuff and the emotional side, with E finding out about his dad.
I can attest to the first two being quite wonderful, and Amy said good things about the tenderness of wolves...
My most recent favourite reads are the Echo Maker by Richard Powers and The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay, by Michael Chabon. If you need something for the plane ride back, that is...
Have fun!
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