What BOOK are you reading right now?

The War of the End of the World was translated by Helen R. Lane, Tartarin.

Thanks! Oughta be a good translation, if memory serves...

It seems to be a good translation. I assume it is a tough novel to translate because Vargas Llosa mingles a variety of styles and speeh levels since he is dealing with a large cast of charcters. As Lola said, it is heavy going. I am giving WAR one more night of undivided concentration and then going back to PICKWICK PAPERS if I am still not totally engrossed by it. I feel the need of comfort reading at this moment in world history.

Pickwick Papers sounds great, Larry. Enjoy

Prodigal Summer by Barbara Kingsolver for the second time. . . I highly recommend it . . . don't quite know how to describe it though

Lola, THE WAR OF THE END OF THE WORLD finally kicked in for me last night and has caught fire in my imagination, so I am going to stick with it to the end. But I can see why you gave up on it twice at the same early point--it begins confusingly and jumps around too much at the outset, so that you can't quite bring the story into focus easily. I persevered until the whole thing became clear and strong for me.

Welllll, maybe someday I'll try again. I know I should enjoy it, everyone I know enjoyed it.......but, it's a little bit like Salman Rushdie. I have bought every book he ever wrote, on principle, but I can't read them. I'd rather read Catcher in the Rye a hundred times, any thing by Dostoevsky, Dorothy Parker, Henry James, Tom Wolfe or Truman Capote.

In an effort to widen my reading circles, I've been throwing some collections into the hopper. Tonight I started A Different Angle, Fly Fishing Stories for Women. I started laughing out loud at E. Annie Proulx's piece while I was on the subway. I'll definitely be looking for more of her books (there are probably a couple roaming around the house already).

In an effort to widen my reading circles, I've been throwing some collections into the hopper. Tonight I started A Different Angle, Fly Fishing Stories for Women. I started laughing out loud at E. Annie Proulx's piece while I was on the subway. I'll definitely be looking for more of her books (there are probably a couple roaming around the house already).

My only regret about Salman Rushdie is that he wasn't killed by islamic assassins, Lola. I find him prolix and unreadable.

Well, Larry, his books aren't interesting to me, but I think your wish may be just a little bit harsh. I liked it that he wrote what he thought about religion. A writer should be able to write what is right to him and not be sentenced to die because of his own ideas. So I bought his books. And now I'm buying the CDs of the Dixie Chicks for the same reason. But I agree, I don't find his books either interesting or fun to read.

I was being facetious about wanting Rushdie to die. But I did think at the time of the fatwa that he was being a hypocrite about the whole affair. First off, he had gone out of his way to offend the Moslems, so he couldn't claim innocence. Second, he opposed the Thatcher government but ran for its protection when the fatwa was announced. Then, after Britain protected him for years, he moves to Manhattan so he can be a New York literary celebrity! Rusdie is a most obnoxious person and a bad writer. BTW, Lola, what are you doing up so late???

larry richette

Curious post, that last. That Rushdie offended (some) is clear, but that he 'went out of his way to offend' is a different sort of claim. Yes? And to suggest that he is somehow obligated to love Mr. Margaret Thatcher, or to stay in London, because her culture (certainly not her) championed freedom of speech is...well, not compelling.

I agree Blatham, just because some were offended doesn't mean he set out to offend.........and even if he did, he still should have the freedom to write what he believes. Some people, and we have them in this country as well, believe because they're offended by a certain idea, it should never be uttered. Whether we agree is due in large part to who we are and what we believe.

But I haven't given Rushdie's books any better chance than I have Vargas Llosa's.. Maybe someday, when I have the time, I'll try again.

I alternate between junk novels and brain food. Right now I'm reading "Otter Skins, Boston Ships and China Goods" by Gibson. This ought to take about a week, then I have some delicous garbage by Dan Simmons next in line.

If I write a novel depicting Jesus as a pedophile drunkard, should I be surprised if the Christian coalition callis for my head? That is more or less what Rushdie did with SATANIC VERSES and Mohammad. It was a deliberate act of provaocation. Therefore, since he was well aware that orthodox Muslims would be appalled by his book, he should never have posed as an injured innocent. Second. Rushdie had been outspoken against the Tory regime and Thatcher in particular, and yet when it offered him a safe house plus 24 hour a day protection, he took it, gladly. This seems inconsistent not to say hypocritical. John Le Carre among other Brit intellectuals excoriated Rushdie on both counts at the time. Third. As soon as he was safe and the fatwa was lifted, Rushdie hightailed it to Manhattan so he could lead the life ofa literary celebrity--some thanks to the British who saved his miserable, untalented life!

larry richette

"posed as an injured innocent"..."hightailed it to Manhattan"...gosh, suitcases full of value-ladeness you have.

I've not bumped into you before, but there is a somewhat unmistakeable tone to your two posts here, which someone other than myself might unkindly consider arrogant self-certainty. But that someone other would probably share my hair color, at least.

Back to reading history after several months of novel reading. Choices in Vichy France is the book I returned to after a long hiatus. On the other hand, I also began to reread the third book of the Tolkien trilogy ... which I will probably leave at home while Vichy accompanies me in my hand bag.

Hi plainoldme... I am also re-reading "The Return Of The King" (third book of the Tolkien Trilogy). I seem to have forgotten much of the storylines, so I'm glad that my memory will be refreshed before seeing the movie.

I finished listening to "The Secret Life Of Bees", which was read by a young girl with a beautiful southern accent. The book was written in the first person, who was a young girl in South Carolina. The young reader did an excellent job! The story is set during the time of the civil rights movements and touches on a young white girl's difficulty in understanding hate and anger.

Then, I listened to an Agatha Raison mystery, which was short and sweet.

Now, I'm listening to "Death On The River Walk" by Carolyn Hart. This book is in her "Henry O" series. The book is set in San Antonio, Texas, and the author has obviously done extensive research about the history of the town. It's a good mystery... something to totally get immersed in while driving back and forth to work.

I put in a request for "The Hours". (I borrow these audio books from the library.) My name is next on the waiting list, so I'm hoping to get a call from the library this week.....

Peace and Love,
I'm re-reading Tolkien for exactly the same reason. Read Book II just before movie II came out. Am not looking forward to the film's conception of Shelob, who has been put off to movie III!!!