Strongly recommend the Merchant & Ivory adaptation of Room With a View - phenomenal cast (inc. a young Daniel Day-Lewis, Maggie Smith, Helena Bonham Carter...)
thank you, love this kind of post, particularly with such an interesting range of subjects (Me: "I'm not reading about nuns!".... (30 second later) "Wow, sounds great!"). Lots for me to seek out.
I love Colwin, both her fiction and non-fiction: she has a big following among food writers - Nigella is a fan. But her novels, recently re-issued here (UK) with introductions might appeal to JM.
A year ago in a Tokyo train carriage at rush hour, I was bunched right up against an old Japanese guy who took an interest in what on earth I was doing in his personal space.
On finding out I was from England, he told me about his life working with English steel companies before recommending me George Gissing who I had heard of but knew nothing about. When I looked him up, I was amazed.
I would recommend reading V.S. Naipaul. He’s a different sort of a writer to the traditional ones in the British canon!
His prose is penetrating, and his vision cuts to the heart of reality!
His novels are amazing, especially 'Bend in the River', and his "books of inquiry" are truly unique in the English language! A blend of travelogue, reportage, and unfiltered, firsthand analysis! Particularly his Indian trilogy!
oh! Also, I bought an old edition of Kafka's "the castle" a couple of years ago. Inside it was folded a couple of old (brown) pieces of paper, containing handwritten notes in German. This was pleasing enough aesthetically, but I asked a friend what the notes were about. She said it was a lecture given on the subject of Kafka and Jonathan Swift. So that was quite exciting. No date but the book was from the 70s so presumably the lecture was given about 50 years ago.
There is definitely a column in this! Books that aren't what you think they are.
My theory is that a lot of Victorian classics are consumed through adaptations and abridgements. If you read the whole thing, you get a very different view.
As always, great recommendations James. I’m halfway through reading Iain McGilchrist’s The Master and His Emissary. It is a fascinating, thought-provoking (but dense!) read. I highly recommend though, and also along the lines of Haidt’s book, The Blank Slate by Steven Pinker.
Firstly, how does a person find the time and focus to get so much reading done? Genuinely impressive/jealous. Just finished Wright’s The Moral Animal (discussed in a post few weeks ago). Superb - a serious book written with a lightness of touch (and humour) that unsettles your whole view of mankind. Started The God Delusion (his interrogation of religion) & thoroughly enjoying so far - the ritual of baring one’s buttocks and farting to appease the god of wind is a practice, sadly, no longer with us.
A two week holiday with constant rain helps. Really pleased you enjoyed The Moral Animal. I think Evolution of God is even better. I got a bit bogged down around Philo of Alexandria but the stuff on Christianity and Islam is fascinating
Exactly. Was thinking it's interesting that poverty is such a theme of important Victorian literature (Dickens, Gissing, etc etc etc) but nobody really writes about it anymore. Perhaps it's just that there's much less of it nowadays.
I disagree. There's plenty of poverty about but few working class people are writing (or reading). Buy a copy of the Big Issue and it will open your eyes.
Yes of course there's still poverty but much, much less than the nineteenth century - age of child labour, laissez faire economics and no welfare state.
Although did strike me that a lot of Gissing does speak to the return of a kind of middle class genteel poverty - people living in awful rented accommodation but trying to keep up appearances and put a brave face on it. A real thing for young people especially in London
Quite a few years ago, I read and loved Armstrong’s other memoir, The Spiral Staircase. Right now, I’m reading Celia Fremlin’s novel Uncle Paul, which featured in The Times’ Rereading, and enjoying it v.much.
Thanks for the recommendations. I was browsing a copy New Grub Street in my local 2nd hand book shop this week. Didn't make a purchase as my perception of it was of quite a dour book and i wasnt sure the focus on literary life would appeal. I'll be going back with the hope it's still there!
I read "The spiral staircase" by Karen Armstronge many years ago. I thought it was her first book and It sounds very much like "The narrow Gate". A check on Wikipedia shows that Wiki does not list "The spiral..." at all.
Searching with AI assistance gets this:
"The Spiral Staircase" is not the same book as "Through the Narrow Gate." "Through the Narrow Gate" is Karen Armstrong's first memoir, detailing her time in a Catholic convent, while "The Spiral Staircase" is a later, revised memoir that includes and builds upon the events described in "Through the Narrow Gate". In fact, Armstrong felt that "Through the Narrow Gate" and her subsequent memoir, "Beginning the World," were not fully truthful accounts of her experiences, and "The Spiral Staircase" was her attempt to rectify that, according to Wikipedia. "Through the Narrow Gate" is a precursor to the later "The Spiral Staircase," which is a more complete and nuanced retelling of Armstrong's journey, notes Penguin Random House.
I read New Grub Street in the early 1990s and found its ending deeply sad. The idea you could be “written out” is odd and seems never to have occurred to Joyce Carol Oates.
Wow thank you. I’m tempted by the narrow gate and the righteous mind. I’ve just finished Abundance by Ezra Klein and Derek Thompson which I listened to on Audible read by the authors. Amazing. Currently examining novels by British authors written in the 2000’s - just started Surveillance by Jonathan Raban. Stunning start so far.
Strongly recommend the Merchant & Ivory adaptation of Room With a View - phenomenal cast (inc. a young Daniel Day-Lewis, Maggie Smith, Helena Bonham Carter...)
will check it out - thank you
thank you, love this kind of post, particularly with such an interesting range of subjects (Me: "I'm not reading about nuns!".... (30 second later) "Wow, sounds great!"). Lots for me to seek out.
Thank you! The nun book is genuinely great. My girlfriend just read it and loved it too
I’m reading Laurie Colwin who is wonderful and should be better known! But I suspect she might appeal more to women. Am allowed to say such a thing?
Free speech rules in the Cultural Capital comment section!
(within reason)
I love Colwin, both her fiction and non-fiction: she has a big following among food writers - Nigella is a fan. But her novels, recently re-issued here (UK) with introductions might appeal to JM.
A year ago in a Tokyo train carriage at rush hour, I was bunched right up against an old Japanese guy who took an interest in what on earth I was doing in his personal space.
On finding out I was from England, he told me about his life working with English steel companies before recommending me George Gissing who I had heard of but knew nothing about. When I looked him up, I was amazed.
I would recommend reading V.S. Naipaul. He’s a different sort of a writer to the traditional ones in the British canon!
His prose is penetrating, and his vision cuts to the heart of reality!
His novels are amazing, especially 'Bend in the River', and his "books of inquiry" are truly unique in the English language! A blend of travelogue, reportage, and unfiltered, firsthand analysis! Particularly his Indian trilogy!
I agree I love Naipaul. Especially Bend in the River, Enigma of Arrival and Biswas. The travel writing is superb too
His Bend in the River is so unique, it just stands alone at the top!
There is an Arabic novel called 'Season of Migration to the North' that has similar energy but on a smaller scale!
oh! Also, I bought an old edition of Kafka's "the castle" a couple of years ago. Inside it was folded a couple of old (brown) pieces of paper, containing handwritten notes in German. This was pleasing enough aesthetically, but I asked a friend what the notes were about. She said it was a lecture given on the subject of Kafka and Jonathan Swift. So that was quite exciting. No date but the book was from the 70s so presumably the lecture was given about 50 years ago.
Would be interested to hear that lecture!
Couldn’t agree more on Gullivers Travels. The last “land” left me deeply disturbed in a way I couldn’t express. It’s an astonishing book.
It really blew me away. I had no idea.
There is definitely a column in this! Books that aren't what you think they are.
My theory is that a lot of Victorian classics are consumed through adaptations and abridgements. If you read the whole thing, you get a very different view.
As always, great recommendations James. I’m halfway through reading Iain McGilchrist’s The Master and His Emissary. It is a fascinating, thought-provoking (but dense!) read. I highly recommend though, and also along the lines of Haidt’s book, The Blank Slate by Steven Pinker.
I love the Master and His Emissary! Read half of The Blank Slate earlier this year but abandoned for some reason. Perhaps I should get back to it...
Firstly, how does a person find the time and focus to get so much reading done? Genuinely impressive/jealous. Just finished Wright’s The Moral Animal (discussed in a post few weeks ago). Superb - a serious book written with a lightness of touch (and humour) that unsettles your whole view of mankind. Started The God Delusion (his interrogation of religion) & thoroughly enjoying so far - the ritual of baring one’s buttocks and farting to appease the god of wind is a practice, sadly, no longer with us.
Correction: Evolution of God is the title.
A two week holiday with constant rain helps. Really pleased you enjoyed The Moral Animal. I think Evolution of God is even better. I got a bit bogged down around Philo of Alexandria but the stuff on Christianity and Islam is fascinating
I love Gissing, even if he's bleak. Orwell summed up all his novels in three words: "Not...enough...money."
I often feel the same!
Exactly. Was thinking it's interesting that poverty is such a theme of important Victorian literature (Dickens, Gissing, etc etc etc) but nobody really writes about it anymore. Perhaps it's just that there's much less of it nowadays.
I disagree. There's plenty of poverty about but few working class people are writing (or reading). Buy a copy of the Big Issue and it will open your eyes.
Yes of course there's still poverty but much, much less than the nineteenth century - age of child labour, laissez faire economics and no welfare state.
Although did strike me that a lot of Gissing does speak to the return of a kind of middle class genteel poverty - people living in awful rented accommodation but trying to keep up appearances and put a brave face on it. A real thing for young people especially in London
Thanks, great post. I'm amazed by how many books you can get through in a single holiday. Unbelievable. How do you find the time??
it helps that it rained!
it helps that it rained!
Quite a few years ago, I read and loved Armstrong’s other memoir, The Spiral Staircase. Right now, I’m reading Celia Fremlin’s novel Uncle Paul, which featured in The Times’ Rereading, and enjoying it v.much.
Thanks for the recommendations. I was browsing a copy New Grub Street in my local 2nd hand book shop this week. Didn't make a purchase as my perception of it was of quite a dour book and i wasnt sure the focus on literary life would appeal. I'll be going back with the hope it's still there!
It is dour ... but also gripping!
I read "The spiral staircase" by Karen Armstronge many years ago. I thought it was her first book and It sounds very much like "The narrow Gate". A check on Wikipedia shows that Wiki does not list "The spiral..." at all.
Searching with AI assistance gets this:
"The Spiral Staircase" is not the same book as "Through the Narrow Gate." "Through the Narrow Gate" is Karen Armstrong's first memoir, detailing her time in a Catholic convent, while "The Spiral Staircase" is a later, revised memoir that includes and builds upon the events described in "Through the Narrow Gate". In fact, Armstrong felt that "Through the Narrow Gate" and her subsequent memoir, "Beginning the World," were not fully truthful accounts of her experiences, and "The Spiral Staircase" was her attempt to rectify that, according to Wikipedia. "Through the Narrow Gate" is a precursor to the later "The Spiral Staircase," which is a more complete and nuanced retelling of Armstrong's journey, notes Penguin Random House.
I read New Grub Street in the early 1990s and found its ending deeply sad. The idea you could be “written out” is odd and seems never to have occurred to Joyce Carol Oates.
Wow thank you. I’m tempted by the narrow gate and the righteous mind. I’ve just finished Abundance by Ezra Klein and Derek Thompson which I listened to on Audible read by the authors. Amazing. Currently examining novels by British authors written in the 2000’s - just started Surveillance by Jonathan Raban. Stunning start so far.