Books - What are you reading?

I did read the Odyssey a few years back....quite enjoyed it.

Some of the chapters are definitely harder to follow than others, but I don't think it's a bad decision at all! If you start getting bogged down in it, just try to relax and let him carry you along on his chaotic currents.

It's one of those books where if you can bring yourself to follow the analysis on a site like Shmoop at the same time, that does help with identifying/recognising/remembering some of the stuff he's doing (the relationship to the oddysey is not all that obvious, for e.g.). But I read it one million years ago in my careless youth, before Shmoop and similar sites existed, and I still enjoyed it. It's not one of my favourite books, but I'm glad I read it.

I think I spent too long trying to work out which bits referenced the Odyssey rather than concentrating on trying to follow what's going on. Didn't help reading it on a phone but it did cure my insomnia, for which I was extremely grateful.

well, reading it on a phone is an obscene act of masochism and I'm shocked that a person would do this kind of thing to themselves. I hope you're in a better place in life now :-(

Stately plump Buck Mulligan. I remember that. But I read it before Bothwell was even born. I'm not sure I'd have the patience for it now but at least you can say you read it. Finnegan's Wake on the other hand... meh.

You think that's bad, you should try tackling Thucydides' History of the Peloponnesian War on a phone. A right slog.

That is strictly reserved for when I really can't sleep, though.

I recently finished South Riding by Winifred Holtby, which I thought was brilliant and should be better known than it is.

She died young before it was published in 1935, but it's a great state of the nation novel which deals with the way society is starting to change in the first half of the twentieth century. It reminded me of Middlemarch in its scope, as it follows a massive cast of characters from all social backgrounds. Definitely one to recommend.

I'm now reading A Moment of War by Laurie Lee, which I'm not currently enjoying as much as the others in the trilogy, and it's even more disturbing that he still gets in his customary references to sleeping with underage girls and boys when he's supposed to be fighting fascists.

Ulysses, it’s been on my read list for ages. I skipped the 89 page intro and dived straight in.

I get that each episode is written differently so I don’t want to rush this. Instead try and enjoy the writing, the verses, the nonsense, not overthinking or looking for reason.

While there are many reference books that dissect his writing, I’ll leave that for the academics.

And find time to focus on each episode like reading 18 different books.

I also plan to be in Dublin for work this year, so hopefully with any luck I’ll have time to explore this fine city and make sense of it all.

I've not tried Ulysses, but Dubliners was a bit of an easier read by all accounts and definitely made me want to go and see Dublin.

someone who owns a bookshop

No way, walk past that bookshop all the time when in Southsea.

Thanks @tbc Dubliners is my back up, if I am struggling.

I knew nowt about Irish literature until ex-wife and I got heavily into stage productions about 35 years ago, only one or two plays a year. However as stage manager I had to know each script from cover to cover, characters all seem larger than life.

There is a remarkable body of plays / scripts which are thought provoking, often with dark humour, brilliantly written.

Make sure to pop in and say hello next time! We've got bike racks right outside too, handily.

Owning a book shop, how cool and website looks great, too

Thank you for sharing forum discount.

But of a lull in the Slough House (Slow Horses) series while I wait for my sister to come down with the ones she's done with, so went charity shop digging.
Today I bagged myself Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance (must be nearly 25 years since I last read it), and Agent Running in the Field by Le Carre, for the total price of £3.98.

Just finished Bad Blood, the account of the Theranos scandal. Well written book bur a grim read. The toxic work culture and sociopathic behaviour comes across so well that I had to take breaks just for some mental relief.

Currently right in the middle of a Patrick Hamilton binge and have started 20,000 Streets Under the Sky. Loving the writing about pubs and London.

Been really enjoying 'The Dog Stars' by Peter Heller. Man and his dog and his plane sort of story, set after a pandemic.

The Troop by Nick Cutter.

The vilest body horror book I've read.
A proper disgusting page turning romp.

Totally loved it

If I only read one Charles Bukowski book, which should it be?

Also my understanding is that a lot of the books are collections of short stories? Does the selection of stories change from publisher to publisher, like with for example Gogol or Kafka. Or are they fairly consistent, like the way Borges' Labyrinths will contain the same set of stories in every language and edition.

Get whatever anthology has Bluebird in it

I’d go with Ham on Rye, personally

I finished a book, do I get a prize?

Admittedly, not an ambitious read: player of games, by Iain Banks. A solid culture outing, perhaps not as compelling as some of his other offerings, but I enjoyed it nonetheless. A bit of a sad moment as I’ve been sitting on this one for a few years: the last of the culture novels that I had not yet read, I’d held off from reading it in the knowledge that once done, there weren’t any more coming. Sounds dumb, but pretty sad that it’s over.

I like his non sci fi stuff. Really enjoyed one of his Culture novels but hated another. Consider Phlebas and Use of Weapons, I think, but can't remember for sure. Maybe I should give more of them a go.

Looking for a book of random facts for a gift to a colleague.

Years ago I got a book called Schott's Miscellany, had lots of weird and esoteric information, great for reading on the shitter.
Seems like it was released in 2002 and an updated version released in 2011, so pretty out of date.

Any ideas of something similar, but more recent?

Or it'll be a newer QI book for his birthday.

the last of the culture novels

Against a Dark Background is non-Culture but similar in style, and very good
The State of the Art is Culture short stories