Monday, May 27, 2013

It's Monday- What Are You Reading?

 

So I finally finished the wonderful Corelli's Mandolin and reviewed it last week. I also finished Jane Gardam's The Man in the Wooden Hat, another luminous entry in the Old Filth trilogy. I read Old Filth a long time ago and never reviewed it on the blog; I loved it, and I don't know why I never got around to reviewing it, but now that the third and final volume in the series is out I decided to dig in and finish it. Jane Gardam is one of those writers who's just really, really good. Not flashy, not fancy, not out there, just really solid.

This week I'm reading the final volume of the Old Filth series, Last Friends. Each book told pretty much the same story but focused on different characters- their background, point of view, details particular to that person. Old Filth focuses on the eponymous character, Edward Feathers QC. The Man in the Wooden Hat centers on his wife, Betty, and her relationship with her husband and her lover, Filth's rival Terry Veneering. Last Friends is about Veneering and what makes him tick. I think the three books should be read together, as one long book, but they stand alone fine and I think can be read in any order. If you like British literary fiction you should not miss these gems.

And I'm still working my way through the enjoyable The Teleportation Accident, by Ned Beauman. He is the son of Nicola Beauman of Persephone Books, which I find interesting. I like the book so far. I'm about halfway through and the story of Egon Loesser, perpetual left-behind of the German avant-gard set on the outbreak of World War 2, is a witty and fascinating romp.

I DNF'd my latest bedside book and I'm trying to decide with what I should replace it. James Joyce biography? Serge Gainsbourg? A book about the Blasket Islands of western Ireland? Lots of choices. What are you reading?

See more at BookJourney.wordpress.com.

10 comments:

wellwell2 said...

I am reading Gardam's Old Filth, by coincidence. I am loving it and looking forward to more. I think Josh's last review at the challenge site got me interested. Delightfully surprised!

Shannon @ River City Reading said...

I've heard very different opinions on The Teleportation Accident, I'm curious what you'll think. Right now I'm reading The Blood of Heaven by Kent Wascom and I'm loving it.

JoAnn said...

Just bought Old Filth at a used book sale a couple of weeks ago... even more anxious to read it now that I know you loved it!

bermudaonion said...

The Old Filth series sounds interesting - it's fun to hear the same story from different perspectives.

Sandy Nawrot said...

I've had Old Filth on my shelves for a couple of years now, ater I bought it at a little bookstore in Chicago (the owner went on and on about it). I need to dig that thing out and make it a priority!

Eva said...

Love the title of The Teleportation Accident! I'm almost done w Pawn in Frankincense, the fourth in the Lymond Chronicles, and then I'll finish up the two excellent nonfiction books I'm reading right now: Encounters with God and Reimagining Equality. My reading's been a bit hit and miss lately, which has made the books I love all the more valuable!

(Diane) Bibliophile By the Sea said...

I've been eying the latest Jane Gardam Europa, but haven't purchased it yet....hope u love it!

Athira said...

I love the sound of Last Friends! I am going to have to look at that series.

bibliophiliac said...

Well, I started reading Q Road by Bonnie Jo Campbell. I loved her novel Once Upon a River, so I have high hopes for this one. And I'm also going to reread Dante's Inferno. Old Filth is somewhere on my bookshelf, and maybe I will get to it this summer. I have so many books I really want to read. And now I have to add Corelli's Mandolin to the list!

Mystica said...

I like the sound of the Gardam books. Have to check this author out. New to me.