pinkozcat
Full Member
Remember - pillage first, THEN burn.
Posts: 233
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Post by pinkozcat on Apr 17, 2005 22:38:15 GMT -5
Words - Have you read "The Loved One" by Evelyn Waugh?
It is on the same subject but is very black humour, as are most of Evelyn Waugh's books.
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Post by RobertGraves on Apr 17, 2005 23:35:40 GMT -5
I've read that wonderful Waugh satire, 'The Loved One'...and must also report that I am enjoying 'Six Feet Under'.
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Post by Wyndham on Apr 18, 2005 13:26:01 GMT -5
I read the Loved One ages ago, as part of a Waugh offensive. Best bit is when Lovejoy is doing up the corpses faces to reflect his own moods!
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wordswordswords
Full Member
"There's no harm in hoping." - Voltaire
Posts: 178
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Post by wordswordswords on Apr 18, 2005 14:34:33 GMT -5
Yes, I read the Waugh book though it was long ago. Wasn't it a movie as well? Very funny!
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Post by RobertGraves on May 31, 2005 5:39:26 GMT -5
I am currently rereading Brave New World for work.
Anyone reading anything good?
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pinkozcat
Full Member
Remember - pillage first, THEN burn.
Posts: 233
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Post by pinkozcat on May 31, 2005 5:48:56 GMT -5
I have just discovered Kerry Greenwood's books and am working my way through them. She is an Australian writer of very lighthearted mystery stories set in Melbourne in the 1920s. They are almost chicklit and there are enough holes in the plots to drain spaghetti but are a nice relaxing read for a wet day. However, I am in line to read a book called Comanche - written by - wait for it - Fabio !!!!! It is supposed to be one of the worst books ever. Looking forward to the challenge.  |
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Post by Wyndham on May 31, 2005 15:23:51 GMT -5
I'm re-reading (for the umpteenth time) the Flashman series, by George MacDonald Fraser. Anybody know it?
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wordswordswords
Full Member
"There's no harm in hoping." - Voltaire
Posts: 178
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Post by wordswordswords on May 31, 2005 19:55:57 GMT -5
I haven't read anything interesting since I finished Rohinton Mistry's FAMILY MATTERS. I'm hoping to start a real book soon.
Why might you be reading BRAVE NEW WORLD for work, if you don't mind my asking? I'd like to know your opinion of it if you care to share it here.
(I read it years ago but remember it fairly well.)
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Post by Aravis on Jun 1, 2005 13:18:24 GMT -5
I'm not familiar with that, Wyn. What's it about?
Pink, I can't wait to hear what you have to say about Fabio's ... er... work.
I'm just starting The Rule of Four by Ian Caldwell and Dustin Thomason. It's supposed to be good. We'll see.
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Post by RobertGraves on Jun 3, 2005 20:27:18 GMT -5
My Year 12 class are making a comparative study of Brave New World and Ridley Scott's film, Blade Runner. BNW has never been a favourite of mine really but Aldous Huxley's life is fascinating. For example, he had to learn braille as a youth as he was basically blind, took mescalin in his dying hours and shuffled off this mortal coil on the same day that JFK was assassinated.
It is obvious that 'soma' and 'feelies' capture the essence of the 21st century much more convincingly than Orwell's vision of totalitarian rule but I have always preferred Eric Blair's prose to the verbosity of Huxley.
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Post by RobertGraves on Jun 3, 2005 20:28:20 GMT -5
Sure do - isn't there a Flashman movie being made?
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pinkozcat
Full Member
Remember - pillage first, THEN burn.
Posts: 233
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Post by pinkozcat on Jun 24, 2005 6:25:05 GMT -5
I googled Fabio and see that he has "written" five books.  I'm still waiting for Comanche - it seems to be doing the rounds of everyone and their friends but I guess that it will get here eventually. I'll keep you posted on this one and console myself with Amy Tan instead.  |
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wordswordswords
Full Member
"There's no harm in hoping." - Voltaire
Posts: 178
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Post by wordswordswords on Jun 28, 2005 19:41:06 GMT -5
LizzieD, I must have missed your post entirely! I just now saw it--nearly 7 months later?!!!
Although I haven't read the book you mention, I'm currently embarking on The Magus by John Fowles. I'm not sure I'll finish it as it is dauntingly long!
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pinkozcat
Full Member
Remember - pillage first, THEN burn.
Posts: 233
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Post by pinkozcat on Jun 29, 2005 2:46:06 GMT -5
At the moment I am reading "Mao's Last Dancer" by Li Cunxin, a ballet dancer who trained in China and at the age of 19 defected to America, married an Australian dancer and moved to Australia where he danced with the Australian Ballet Company. He studied at the Australian Securities Institute and was eventually offered a position with a Stockbroking firm in Sydney.
The first half of the book - his early life and ballet training at the Beijing Dance Academy - was most interesting but I'm finding the second half rather tedious.
The book was sponsored by the Australian Commonwealth Government through the Australian Council's arts funding and advisory body.
It is worth reading for its descriptions of life in rural China during and after the Cultural Revolution and the brainwashing to which the Chinese people were subjected.
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wordswordswords
Full Member
"There's no harm in hoping." - Voltaire
Posts: 178
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Post by wordswordswords on Jul 6, 2005 0:56:52 GMT -5
pinkozcat, what an unusual book that must have been! I had no idea that the Chinese had developed any interest or expertise in the ballet.
I'm currently reading The Magus by John Fowles. I've never read anything by Fowles before, and I'm not sure I like this book.
Anyone familiar with it?
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