What Are You Reading

[Stray Cat]

THE BOOK OF SNOBS
By One Of Themselves
(William Makepeace Thackeray)
Published in 1848
Chapter one starts with:

There are relative and positive Snobs. I mean by positive, such persons as are Snobs everywhere, in all companies, from morning till night, from youth to the grave, being by Nature endowed with Snobbishness—and others who are Snobs only in certain circumstances and relations of life.

 

[dnjan]

I'm sorry to admit that I am not familiar with Thackeray.
That book sounds interesting. Have you read other work of his?

 

[Stray Cat]

Have you read other work of his?

Emm.. unfortunately, this one is the only one translated. [huh] All hail translators of the old days; they actually did a great job (and didn't translate just the bestsellers!).
As I'm aware, Thackeray's works were published in "Punch" magazine.. and he mentioned it more than once in his book. I'm recommending it, if for nothing else, than for the fact that it's not a real book, but a collection of short articles (all on Snobs!)

 

[Derek Cavin]

I Was Doctor Mengele's Assistant (The memoirs of an Auschwitz physician) by Miklos Nyiszli ISBN83-906992-7-3 ≈ Dr. Nyiszli is a character in the film 'The Grey Zone' played by Allan Corduner. The book and the movie are incredibly graphic - one can only imagine the horror of the real experience. -dixon cannon

Yikes. That scares me even to think about reading.

 

[cw3pa]

Just finished "The Long Goodbye" by Raymond Chandler. Marlowe does it again.

 

[Touchofevil]

Just finished "The Long Goodbye" by Raymond Chandler. Marlowe does it again.

A very good choice. It is a shame that Chandler did not write more as he was/is so entertaining.

 

[C44Antelope]

"Kim" - Rudyard Kipling

 

[Widebrim]

Just finished "The Long Goodbye" by Raymond Chandler. Marlowe does it again.

I just couldn't get through that one; Chandler's style (and Marlowe's character) seems to have shifted by that time, and I kept feeling the urge to return to his '40s works. Perhaps I'll try again in the near future...

Recently finished Fearing the Dark: The Val Lewton Career, by Edmund G. Bansak (2003). An excellent biography of the man who at RKO re-defined "horror" during WWII, specializing in the unseen terrors that inhabit the human mind. Bansak makes good use of first-hand interviews and documents, and provides a truly in-depth analysis of Lewton, a man who was never truly appreciated by RKO or subsequent studios. Bansak also gives ample text to Lewton's non-"horror" films, including Mademoiselle Fifi and Youth Runs Wild, the latter of which was originally so graphic in its depiction of WWII juvenile delinquency, that it was radically altered by RKO and consequently disavowed by Lewton. Includes some excellent photographs, too. 5 out of 5*s.

Just finished a companion piece to the above, Val Lewton: The Reality of Terror, by Joel Siegel (1972). Bansak actually based his book on Siegel's earlier work, which is much shorter but still informative, including some choice photos. A short filmography compliments the book. 4*s.

 

[Dapper-Dan]

I just finished reading 20,000 leagues under the sea, and loved it. Jules Verne was brilliant, and put a lot of scientific thought into his books. Now I'm reading the mediterranean caper by clive cussler, he's beginning to be one of my favourite authors.

 

[Feraud]

Recently finished Fearing the Dark: The Val Lewton Career, by Edmund G. Bansak (2003). An excellent biography of the man who at RKO re-defined "horror" during WWII, specializing in the unseen terrors that inhabit the human mind. Bansak makes good use of first-hand interviews and documents, and provides a truly in-depth analysis of Lewton, a man who was never truly appreciated by RKO or subsequent studios. Bansak also gives ample text to Lewton's non-"horror" films, including Mademoiselle Fifi and Youth Runs Wild, the latter of which was originally so graphic in its depiction of WWII juvenile delinquency, that it was radically altered by RKO and consequently disavowed by Lewton. Includes some excellent photographs, too. 5 out of 5*s.

This sounds like a good read. I like Lewton's style of atmospheric and implied horror.

I started Bogart: In Search of My Father by Stephen Bogart. A decent read so far.

 

[Touchofevil]

Started today, Raymond Chandler's The High Window.

 

[esteban68]

diary of a nobody...an interesting study of a lower middle class chap and his life, family and friendships, quite funny at times too! with some insight into Victorian dress and some of it's problems.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diary_of_a_Nobody

 

[MillersCrossing]

My brother lent me Michael Chabon's Kavalier and Clay so I've started on that. Quite good so far. I'm hugely impressed with his command of period details. Also reading The Bomb Hunters, about British EOD guys operating in Afghanistan. Always interested to read about people who work in bomb disposal, such fascinating - and scary - stuff!

 

[V.C. Brunswick]

I just couldn't get through that one; Chandler's style (and Marlowe's character) seems to have shifted by that time, and I kept feeling the urge to return to his '40s works. Perhaps I'll try again in the near future...

At the time he was writing The Long Goodbye, Chandler was caregiver for his ailing wife Cissy who was 18 years his senior. Not surprisingly some of the characters and themes in the story reflect his state of mind during this period. Cissy died shortly after The Long Goodbye was published.

 

[DNO]

Just finished Dan Simmons' The Terror. It's a fictionalized account of the Franklin Expedition with a healthy dose of Inuit mythology thrown in. Best thing I've read in quite some time.

 

[DNO]

Now reading Tim O'Brian's The Things They Carried.

 

[JazzyDame]

This afternoon, I finished reading The Robe by Lloyd C. Douglas…yet again. It’s difficult for me to choose a favorite from amongst his novels, but I’m particularly fond of this one as it was my first introduction to Mr. Douglas when my father introduced me to him upon my entrance to high school, some twenty years ago.

Set in ancient Rome, The Robe is the story of a soldier, Marcellus, whose detachment is ordered to execute Jesus, and who, after the crucifixion, wins Christ’s robe with a toss of the dice. Though he doesn’t initially think much of it, a subtle yet transfixing power seems to emanate from this tattered garment and begins to affect Marcellus. While at first a skeptic, his life is forever changed as he ventures forth through Rome and Judea to discover the captivating truth about this humble Nazarene, Jesus Christ, by retracing His footsteps and listening to first-hand accounts from Jesus’ disciples and the people who knew Him.

Douglas really delivers a masterpiece in this magnificent novel. His characters are beautifully developed from cultural and political perspectives, he centers his content with sound historical references, and he masterfully crafts a story of adventure, of love, of personal conflict and, ultimately, of redemption. I highly recommend it!

 

[Touchofevil]

From 1964, John D. MacDonald's Nightmare in Pink: A Travis McGee Novel.

 

[Smithy]

"Flashman" the first of The Flashman Papers by George MacDonald Fraser.

Enjoying this immensely, Flashman is possibly the ultimate anti-hero, a cad, a frightful womaniser, coward, thief - a sort of less courageous and even less moral Lord Flashheart but just as funny and just as larger than life. So far very well written and historically very accurate. Good, guilty fun!

 

[cw3pa]

I haven't read Flashman in years. They were great fun. I'll have to revisit "Flash" again.

Fraser also wrote other books that poke fun at military life. I could relate to some of the characters.
The General Danced at Dawn (1970)
McAuslan in the Rough (1974)
The Sheikh and the Dustbin (1988)