What Are You Reading

[Touchofevil]

Hi TOE,

"Child 44" is excellent and does a wonderful job of conveying the paranoia and terror of the Soviet regime under Stalin. I honestly couldn't put it down, it's one of those books where you miss your train stop because you've got your nose so buried in it.

Only just started "The Shadow of the Wind" but it's so intriguing and the writing is really beautiful - also testament to Lucia Graves (Robert Graves' daughter) who translated it.

Definitely put either of these at the top of your next to read list.

Thank you for the information, Child 44 just moved up a few more notches.

 

[Feraud]

Reading Yangtze Patrol by Kemp Tolley. A very well written book on the subject of American warships on patrol in Chinese waters from the mid-nineteenth through twentieth century.

 

[cw3pa]

Just finished "Spirit of Steamboat" the latest Longmire story by Craig Johnson.

 

[Harp]

Reading Yangtze Patrol by Kemp Tolley.

Your post sparked memory of Marcus Goodrich's Delilah, recommended by a college philosophy prof but not pursued for whatever reason.
Delilah recounts pre WWI Sulu Sea destroyer service along Conradesque lines and originally published in 1941.
Goodrich apparently meant to continue the novel with a sequel but WWII intervened and the book's second part was never finished.
I tracked Delilah on Amazon and ordered a copy for a belated but hopefully enjoyable read.

 

[DNO]

Just finished "Spirit of Steamboat" the latest Longmire story by Craig Johnson.

I'm a fan of the Longmire series of books. Haven't read that one yet.
Just finished "A Painter's Country" by Canadian artist A. Y. Jackson. An autobiography.

 

[cw3pa]

I'm a fan of the Longmire series of books. Haven't read that one yet.
Just finished "A Painter's Country" by Canadian artist A. Y. Jackson. An autobiography.

I picked my copy up from Amazon.com along with another installment of the "Flashman Papers".

 

[esteban68]

Flashman's lady full of the 'normal' heroic, caddish and cowardly goings on you come to expect when you read about Flashman...oh there's a good bit of riverboat action in it too!

 

[Smithy]

Flashman's lady full of the 'normal' heroic, caddish and cowardly goings on you come to expect when you read about Flashman...oh there's a good bit of riverboat action in it too!

I read my first Flashman ("Flashman") this year and thoroughly enjoyed it. I've bought the second one in the series, "Royal Flash", and it's on my to read list.

 

[esteban68]

there's not a bad one in the Flashman series, pity they don't make a film about the books...Rik Mayal would be great in the role.

 

[Smithy]

there's not a bad one in the Flashman series, pity they don't make a film about the books...Rik Mayal would be great in the role.

He did a Flashy sort of character for an ad for Bombardier Bitter didn't he?

And then of course the best character from Blackadder - Lord Flashheart (and we all know where they got the inspiration for him from, don't we )

 

[V.C. Brunswick]

He did a Flashy sort of character for an ad for Bombardier Bitter didn't he?

And then of course the best character from Blackadder - Lord Flashheart (and we all know where they got the inspiration for him from, don't we )

[video=youtube;RxfU5gCfvys]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RxfU5gCfvys[/video]

 

[Smithy]

[video=youtube;RxfU5gCfvys]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RxfU5gCfvys[/video]

That's the one, love that ad. Rik is an absolute classic!

 

[DNO]

They made a film version of "Royal Flash" in 1975 with Malcolm McDowell as Flashman. I have seen it but I can't say that it made much of an impression. McDowell didn't seem to work as Flashman.

I've been reading the Flashman papers since the series started...a big fan. F and the Great Game, F and the Redskins and F and the Dragon are on the top of my list. I always regretted that Fraser never got around to writing the American Civil War instalment. There are frequent references to his experiences in the other papers, including the fact that, in true Flashy fashion, he served on both sides.

 

[Stray Cat]

Just finished Raphaële Billetdoux's "Prends garde à la douceur des choses" (Beware the sweetness of things)
Strangest book on growing up I've came across.

 

[esteban68]

They made a film version of "Royal Flash" in 1975 with Malcolm McDowell as Flashman. I have seen it but I can't say that it made much of an impression. McDowell didn't seem to work as Flashman.

I've been reading the Flashman papers since the series started...a big fan. F and the Great Game, F and the Redskins and F and the Dragon are on the top of my list. I always regretted that Fraser never got around to writing the American Civil War instalment. There are frequent references to his experiences in the other papers, including the fact that, in true Flashy fashion, he served on both sides.

No DNO it wasn't the best film, Rik Mayal is made for a Flashman film for all the reasons mentioned.....Rik are you listening?

 

[V.C. Brunswick]

That's the one, love that ad. Rik is an absolute classic!

Here's the extended version of the Bombardier advert. Though to be honest I don't think I'd want to drink those bottles knowing where they've been.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ekQPu8_-K8

 

[Matt Crunk]

I'm still on a run of short crime fiction. Finished the Mammoth books. Now reading a hardcover collection called Hard-Boiled, an anthology of American crime stories.

 

[Feraud]

Your post sparked memory of Marcus Goodrich's Delilah, recommended by a college philosophy prof but not pursued for whatever reason.
Delilah recounts pre WWI Sulu Sea destroyer service along Conradesque lines and originally published in 1941.
Goodrich apparently meant to continue the novel with a sequel but WWII intervened and the book's second part was never finished.
I tracked Delilah on Amazon and ordered a copy for a belated but hopefully enjoyable read.

Delilah and its author sound very interesting. I may have to order the novel and continue reading on the topic.

 

[Baron Kurtz]

I just finished Gerald Kersh's Night and the City. very entertaining view of the nether regions of the London nightlife circa 1937/38.

 

[esteban68]

That sounds interesting BK I'll have to search that one out.