Weblog
Sunday, 26 July 2009
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I have since been on holiday, so I read a couple of murder mysteries, followed by The Deptford Trilogy by Robertson Davies - BRILLIANT, and Dance Dance Dance by Murakami.Currently reading: Il Segreto di Caspar Jacobi, by Alberto Ongaro
Thursday, 18 June 2009
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I am currently reading La Pelle, by Curzio Malaparte. It’s a failry heavy book, with some daunting pages in it. It is narrated by an Italian Liaison officer in Naples at the tail end of World War II, and his work with American and Allied forces.
There is a great passage though where the author speaks of the difference between “fighting not to die” and ”fighting to stay alive”. In the former, he says, man is proud, he will accept no charity and will not sell himself for a piece of bread, even if he is starving. In the latter, we all become whores.
What I have learnt today: Delaware, much like Jersey and Guernsey, is just another “tax haven” that Obama and Brown seem to be neglecting.
Monday, 08 June 2009
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And more recently, read:
Exit Ghost - Philip Roth, which was ok but slightly disappointing
Il Processo - Kafka. Brilliant. You know about the Kafka airport? The most alienating airport in the world...?
The Main in the High Castle - Philip K. Dick
European elections this week, I am registered in two countries, is that bad?
Wednesday, 20 May 2009
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I knew I had missed a couple:
Steinbeck's Grapes of Wrath; Dibdin's Ratking, Grisham's Playing for Pizza
And since then also Gianrico Carofiglio's Ragionevoli Dubbi (give it 4 stars).
We also saw some good films lately: Blood Simple, House of Cards, and re-watched This Boy's Life which has some superb acting in it.
Saturday, 09 May 2009
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I think I may be missing something in there, but other books I read recently are:
First Casualty, by Ben Elton (mmeh)
La Solitudine dei Numero Primi, by Paolo Giordano (highly recommend)
Half a Life, by V.S. Naipaul, (also recommend)
Chart Throb, by Ben Elton (beach reading, humorous moments).
And I think something else by Michael Dibdin.
