A book meme nicked from Lisa for no other reason than the fact that I haven't been reading enough lately.Total number of books owned In Brookyn? About 80. I feel intellectually naked. Back in Britain? About 1500. I still feel intellectually naked.
Last book bought Ramor Ryan's 'Clandestines: The Pirate Journals of an Irish Exile'. Stuart thinks he sounds like a bit of a wanker. (It's a long story from a short FDTW post.) I'm reserving judgement for a change.
Last book read Elmore Leonard's 'Freaky Deaky'. Disappointing. Picked it up second hand in a book store in Park Slope, as I was intrigued with the idea of Leonard doing sixties radicalism souring into the eighties 'me generation'. The story seemed incredibly slight, and ended too abruptly for my liking. Not one of Leonard's best, so I'm surprised to read that it's being adapted for the screen. Call it a hunch, but I don't think George Clooney will be playing Chris Mankowski.
Currently reading Denise Mina's 'The Last Breath'. It's not being published in the States until February of next year, so I had to sell a kidney - don't worry, it was someone else's - to get a hold of the third novel in the Paddy Meehan series. Being set in Glasgow in 1990, there are, of course, the passing references to Glasgow being the City of Culture that year but James Kelman and Farquhar McLay have yet to turn up with their denunciations. Already half way through the novel - I have to finish it by the weekend otherwise Kara's threatened me with violence. She also likes Denise Mina's work - and I'm already thinking that it is my favourite in the series. I'm glad that's the case 'cos even I was getting sick of my constant whining at Denise Mina's refusal to write another Maureen O'Donnell novel.
Five books that mean a lot to you As I stated above, I haven't been reading a lot lately so I can't say hand on heart that there's been a book (or books) that has really impacted on me in any particularly grand fashion since I last took this meme. More's the pity.
Next tagees: The usual suspects: The Dalai Lama; Freddy Eastwood; Sarah Silverman; Howard Kirk and Elisabeth Hasselbeck.
6 comments:
My copy of the Ryan book arrived yesterday. I'll be looking out for your review!
The Paddy Meehans are my favourites so I'll be getting this one asap.
"sixties radicalism souring into the eighties 'me generation'"
Isn't that rather like Pynchon's Vineland? Or am I mis-remembering a book I never finished reading (not as I don't intend to but events overtook my reading compulsion at the time!)
Never read Pynchon who, for some reason, I always mix up with Terry Pratchett.
Probably because I haven't read Pratchett either. That or the TP connection.
I could run with this.
I do not think he sounds like a bit of a wanker! I think he sounds like a very interesting chap who, for the length of at least one review, descended into childishness and silly sectarianism. Who of us hasn't?
Sorry Stuart,
I was paraphrasing to make my post seem more interesting.
Oh, and on your final point, I'm the least sectarian person I know. I have glowing testimonials from the Spartacists and the Aufheben collective to prove it.
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