Which Book Are You Reading thread

[Decentric]

SHARPE'S BATTLE : BERNARD CORNWELL

Length: 387 pages.

Genre : Historical fiction, but based on acurate historical events.

Setting : Portugal/Spain in the Napoleonic Wars in the late 18th C and early 19th C.

I chose this book because it was cheap in a secondhand bookshop and I've enjoyed the rest of the Sharpe series I've read to date. I also need to get away from the crime genre in fiction.

It is good coverage of this epoch of history. I've hardly read any fiction in the same era. The protagonists are the heroic Captain ( later Major) Sharpe and equally heroic Sergeant ( later Sergeant Major) Patrick Harper.

Sharpe is a working class lad from humble beginnings and rose through the ranks based on considerable leadership qualities and innate soldiering acumen. Harper is also a very good soldier and is a jolly fellow! They are inseparable.

The book is entertaining, as are all Cornwell's historical fiction books. Sharpe is in strife for shooting French soldiers in a firing squad for raping Portuguese villagers. Sharpe plays less of a key leadership role in the book than normal, as he is sidelined, whilst investigated.

I thought there was just a bit too much graphic violence in Sharpe's Battle. Still a very exciting read though.

 

[Monoethnic Social Club]

Homework part 1 completed: The Odyssey

I have read Fitzgerald's modern English translation of Homer's The Odyssey on my way to watching O Brother, Where Art Thou.

Much like reading For Whom The Bell Tolls, it took awhile to pick up the cadence of the writing and the archaic sentence structure. Once I got the hang of it I found the story enjoyable and it brought back memories of reading Ulysses as a child.

It tricked me for awhile because The Odyssey picks up halfway through the tale of his travels and the references to things like the Cyclops in past tense had me wondering where they got the detail to include in the story of Ulysses. It was well into The Odyssey that I discovered the previous encounters I remembered so well were recounted as the tale of his journey to an interested listener offering him aid.

The Odyssey is filled with, what were to me, meaningless histories and references. Bob, heroic son of Peter, who came from Michael, the benevolent and yet shrewd ruler of Valkanis... and the like. I had little interest in all the heroes and villains of the various territories and principalities whose inclusion seemed only to be on the grounds that they had existed and were therefore needed in the epic tale for completeness.

The Odyssey is an entertaining tale in its own right but the hidden gems were the revelations of life and times long gone. For an embattled stranger to appear at someone's gate was an opportunity to respect the rule of the gods and treat them to food, clothing and even gifts of cauldrons and tripods if they were deemed worthy of the extras. Transport to their destination may also have been on the cards, regardless of the expense or danger in doing so in part because of the desire to earn favour with the gods, but also on the grounds that anyone may fall foul of the gods' whims and be in that position themselves.

I am glad I have read this version of the epic tale although I doubt I will read it again.

My interest is now in how O Brother, Where Art Thou incorporates the tale. My main point of interest is whether I would recognise the film's cleverness in its references to The Odyssey or if I could only discern its cleverness after being told that it does include elements of Odysseus' journey. That answer may make it to the Movies thread when I get around to watching it again.

Mate Im so pleased if I had even a teeny influence on you revisiting the Odyssey. I have never read an English translation, the modern Greek is hard enough to get through (ancient Greek is an impossibility for me to even try and work through ... I mean it makes sense and the language is often beautiful however the archaism and structure of words takes ALOT of deciphering... its almost like giving the Magna Carta to a 14 year tik tok kid to work through )

Not sure if it helps at all but a bit of context around WHAT the Homeric epics actually are. We were taught to appreciate them as a codification of the oral history of hundreds of generations. A fictional framework for mainly illiterate citizens to appreciate history, art, religion and nationhood... A primitive ancient Greek "Bible" of sorts, making up for the lack of any such text... If Homer ever actually even exited is still debatable but what it does reflect is this rich history of amazing feats of memory from many ancient worlds. memory to remember thousands of lines verbatim.

The "journey" of the wily son of Leartes back to sandy Pylo is meant to be treated as a guide for how to lead a "correct" life, what should be important to you as a citizen (family, honour, respect of the gods etc) and what the sins of lust, greed and avarice lead to...


P.S if endless regurgitation of ships, and fighters, and who is related to whom leaves you cold... best stay away from the Illiad, its not ALL about Brad Pitt slaughtering Trojans by the thousands.

Oh and just for the Bachman novela fans out there..... saw this on the weekend and am eagerly anticiapting ... yes yes a movie I know but still...

 

[ashtongate]

SHARPE'S BATTLE : BERNARD CORNWELL

Length: 387 pages.

Genre : Historical fiction, but based on acurate historical events.

Setting : Portugal/Spain in the Napoleonic Wars in the late 18th C and early 19th C.

I chose this book because it was cheap in a secondhand bookshop and I've enjoyed the rest of the Sharpe series I've read to date. I also need to get away from the crime genre in fiction.

It is good coverage of this epoch of history. I've hardly read any fiction in the same era. The protagonists are the heroic Captain ( later Major) Sharpe and equally heroic Sergeant ( later Sergeant Major) Patrick Harper.

Sharpe is a working class lad from humble beginnings and rose through the ranks based on considerable leadership qualities and innate soldiering acumen. Harper is also a very good soldier and is a jolly fellow! They are inseparable.

The book is entertaining, as are all Cornwell's historical fiction books. Sharpe is in strife for shooting French soldiers in a firing squad for raping Portuguese villagers. Sharpe plays less of a key leadership role in the book than normal, as he is sidelined, whilst investigated.

I thought there was just a bit too much graphic violence in Sharpe's Battle. Still a very exciting read though.

You should read the Partick O'Brian novels, set in the Napoleonic era.
Main characters are Captain Jack Aubrey, a sea captain, and Dr Stephen Maturin, a spy.

 

[RIMB]

Mate Im so pleased if I had even a teeny influence on you revisiting the Odyssey. I have never read an English translation, the modern Greek is hard enough to get through (ancient Greek is an impossibility for me to even try and work through ... I mean it makes sense and the language is often beautiful however the archaism and structure of words takes ALOT of deciphering... its almost like giving the Magna Carta to a 14 year tik tok kid to work through )

Not sure if it helps at all but a bit of context around WHAT the Homeric epics actually are. We were taught to appreciate them as a codification of the oral history of hundreds of generations. A fictional framework for mainly illiterate citizens to appreciate history, art, religion and nationhood... A primitive ancient Greek "Bible" of sorts, making up for the lack of any such text... If Homer ever actually even exited is still debatable but what it does reflect is this rich history of amazing feats of memory from many ancient worlds. memory to remember thousands of lines verbatim.

The "journey" of the wily son of Leartes back to sandy Pylo is meant to be treated as a guide for how to lead a "correct" life, what should be important to you as a citizen (family, honour, respect of the gods etc) and what the sins of lust, greed and avarice lead to...


P.S if endless regurgitation of ships, and fighters, and who is related to whom leaves you cold... best stay away from the Illiad, its not ALL about Brad Pitt slaughtering Trojans by the thousands.

Oh and just for the Bachman novela fans out there..... saw this on the weekend and am eagerly anticiapting ... yes yes a movie I know but still...

It was entirely your influence to read it - so, genuinely, thank you outright for that.

Unless they bring out a clever bloody movie that subtly references the Iliad I am totally safe from accidentally reading it. Sounds a lot like it equates to The Silmarillion v Lord of the Rings in some regards.

I got the theme of the way to live a good life without considering that was even partially its purpose, but did not realise how much of an oral 'history' it represented. It does cast a brighter light on the epic - where I had mistakenly assumed that was how people spoke and wrote in general.

Perhaps a silly question - but do the 'epic poems' actually rhyme in ancient Greek? I have always taken them to be poems in the broader literary sense but I have never checked.

If you offered the Magna Carta to a 14 year old tik tok kid they would probably ask you if it was multiplayer.

It is somewhat scary and unbelievably fantastic; the human memory/mind when trained - much like the remembrance in 'song' the countless names of holocaust victims.

The Long Road Walk (Ooops) we have mentioned previously - will be keen to watch the movie too but I have some concerns about how well they will do it given so much of the story is within a person's head. I do not want it to be one of those movies where you hear the main character's thoughts in a persistent monologue.

 

[Monoethnic Social Club]

It was entirely your influence to read it - so, genuinely, thank you outright for that.

Unless they bring out a clever bloody movie that subtly references the Iliad I am totally safe from accidentally reading it. Sounds a lot like it equates to The Silmarillion v Lord of the Rings in some regards.

I got the theme of the way to live a good life without considering that was even partially its purpose, but did not realise how much of an oral 'history' it represented. It does cast a brighter light on the epic - where I had mistakenly assumed that was how people spoke and wrote in general.

Perhaps a silly question - but do the 'epic poems' actually rhyme in ancient Greek? I have always taken them to be poems in the broader literary sense but I have never checked.

If you offered the Magna Carta to a 14 year old tik tok kid they would probably ask you if it was multiplayer.

It is somewhat scary and unbelievably fantastic; the human memory/mind when trained - much like the remembrance in 'song' the countless names of holocaust victims.

The Long Road we have mentioned previously - will be keen to watch the movie too but I have some concerns about how well they will do it given so much of the story is within a person's head. I do not want it to be one of those movies where you hear the main character's thoughts in a persistent monologue.

Im no linguist, but the modern translation use pentameter... two rhyming "couplets" whereas the original in Attic Greek is the classic hexameter .. One strong syllable followed by two soft ones... I can recite the first 30-lines of the Odyssey in ancient Greek... (Andra moi enepen mousa, polytropon os mala polla" it does roll off the tongue way better than the modern Greek which seems clunky and disjointed... I can imagine the English would be similar?

Oral tradition is what has basically brought us the continuation of many facets of culture and religion... When you consider the early Christian church Latin in the west, Byzantine Greek in the east, thousands of years of the faithfully attending service and learning
"the message" by memory not being able to read or write themselves..

My dear grandmother lived to be 99 and could only mark an X as her name never having set a foot in school her whole life yet could recite every single line of church service, prayer, psalms the works off by heart... She could real off massive swathes of the Illiad and Odyssey having heard her kids read it, and once, while doing a semester of medieval Greek lit at uni (don't ask I was experimenting ) I bamboozled the teacher by reciting 250 odd lines of a medievel epic poem of the tales of the Byzantine "Akrites" .. He thought it was near impossible a kid from Melbourne could know it let alone by rote... blew his mind that it was taught to me by a women who couldn;t even spell her own name......

 

[Decentric]

You should read the Partick O'Brian novels, set in the Napoleonic era.
Main characters are Captain Jack Aubrey, a sea captain, and Dr Stephen Maturin, a spy.

Thanks.

A few mates love him. Have tried the first book and got to half way through.

Capt Jack Aubrey was a good character.

Might have to revisit P O’B. Can’t remember why it didn’t quite grab me like Cornwell and Diana Gabaldon?

I find Phillipa Gregory’s books, in historical fiction, possibly factually accurate, are too focused on plots around the home - not enough adventure and travel. The notable exception was Tidelands.

Love Diana Gabaldon’s Outlander series in the historical fiction genre, but I’ve read all of them.

Tried Winston Graham’s Poldark series, but I think the books struggle to match the screen series, which was excellent!

 

[Football us life]

Anyone read much of Scottish novelist Irvine 'trainspotting' Welsh's stuff?

He's written another sequel to Trainspotting..

Irvine Welsh Has Been Writing to a Beat Since 'Trainspotting.' Now, He's Making Disco

Music has been the driving force of 'Trainspotting' novelist Irvine Welsh's career. Now, at 66, he's releasing a new novel and his first album

www.rollingstone.com

 

[Monoethnic Social Club]

Anyone read much of Scottish novelist Irvine 'trainspotting' Welsh's stuff?

He's written another sequel to Trainspotting..

Irvine Welsh Has Been Writing to a Beat Since 'Trainspotting.' Now, He's Making Disco

Music has been the driving force of 'Trainspotting' novelist Irvine Welsh's career. Now, at 66, he's releasing a new novel and his first album

www.rollingstone.com

Ive read Skag Boys and Trainspotting, may have to check out the latest.. nice shout.

 

[Football us life]

Ive read Skag Boys and Trainspotting, may have to check out the latest.. nice shout.

He's quite the brilliant storyteller. Well once you get used to the deep Scottish working class colloquial and the way he blends it with standard english. Which of course is very much part of the appeal of his novels.

I love his work, the recklessness of the characters, the authenticity of the settings... Edinburgh's very own Charles Dickens...

Big Hibs fan too. Football mad...He's one of us!

 

[Decentric]

He's quite the brilliant storyteller. Well once you get used to the deep Scottish working class colloquial and the way he blends it with standard english. Which of course is very much part of the appeal of his novels.

I love his work, the recklessness of the characters, the authenticity of the settings... Edinburgh's very own Charles Dickens...

Big Hibs fan too. Football mad...He's one of us!

I’ve heard it is a bit frightening from women who’ve watched the Trainspotting movie.

 

[Monoethnic Social Club]

He's quite the brilliant storyteller. Well once you get used to the deep Scottish working class colloquial and the way he blends it with standard english. Which of course is very much part of the appeal of his novels.

I love his work, the recklessness of the characters, the authenticity of the settings... Edinburgh's very own Charles Dickens...

Big Hibs fan too. Football mad...He's one of us!

Sort of on a tangent but Alex Garland's 'the Beach' was something that either drew me to Welsh or the other way around I can't quite remember now.... One of those silly little stories that struck a cord with me for some reason.. The escapism, the futility ... ... not quite sure why I liked it as much as I did but I did

 

[Decentric]

Driving to a distant beach to walk the dog so I could listen to G and G Podcast 15, which was excellent, I ran into author Alison Alexander on the beach. She wrote the current history book I'm reading, Tasmanian Convicts. She actually remembered me from the past.

It was good being able to do a Q and A with her- and - make comments on specific aspects whilst she responded. AA was pretty pleased when I said most people could never commit to the effort of writing a book, and appreciated that authors wrote for the rest of us to enjoy the products of their labour. She must be close to her 80s, but it inspired her to keep writing.

 

[Decentric]

Anyone read much of Scottish novelist Irvine 'trainspotting' Welsh's stuff?

Always enjoy Scottish settings in books.

It is an atmospheric country. I've really enjoyed visiting Scotland on a number of occasions.

I've recently found I have a fair bit of Scottish ancestry - a dynasty of lairds in the north-east.

 

[RIMB]

... I ran into author Alison Alexander on the beach. She wrote the current history book I'm reading, Tasmanian Convicts. She actually remembered me from the past...

How long was your sentence?

 

[Decentric]

How long was your sentence?

Ha ha!

Very funny!

 

[Football us life]

I’ve heard it is a bit frightening from women who’ve watched the Trainspotting movie.

Yes, it can be that. It's a realistically scary story really. Trainspotting was set in a period of history, the 1980's, when Scotland's Central Belt and most of Northern England went through a rapid period of de-industrialisation. This hit many working-class communities very hard. It lead do a downward spiral of unemployment, poverty, social deprivation, crime, alcoholism and drug abuse and addiction for thousands and thousands of young men inparticularly. It was a brutal environment for many.

Edinburgh despite being Scotland's captital city wasn't immune to this. And this space, as it where, is where Irvine Welsh seems to set many of the storylines in his work.

Today 4 decades on Edinburgh is economically booming, a beacon of middle class respectability. It's where Scotland's political establishment are based, its a mecca for Scotland's knowledge classes, particularly in law, accountancy, banking, medical research and education. If Scotland's young university graduates aren't heading to London to start their careers they going to Edinburgh.

It’s also a very vibrant cultural destination with a real bohemian feel to it. It's where Scotland's artists, writers and acting fraternity are mostly based.

I'm not sure Welsh could write a Trainspotting novel in 2020's Edinburgh....

 

[LFC]

where do you get/make the time to read ?
Late late in the evenings/early morns ?
My only true spare time to read anything is when I'm on flights.
Got too much to do during the day dawn to dusk - then enjoy watching the wife iron and prepare dinner - eat and watch something hopefully she falls asleep then I can watch football golf motor racing updates/replays then fall asleep.
Recycle and rinse.

 

[Monoethnic Social Club]

where do you get/make the time to read ?
Late late in the evenings/early morns ?
My only true spare time to read anything is when I'm on flights.
Got too much to do during the day dawn to dusk - then enjoy watching the wife iron and prepare dinner - eat and watch something hopefully she falls asleep then I can watch football golf motor racing updates/replays then fall asleep.
Recycle and rinse.

Maybe you can read while watching golf or watching cars drive around in a circle or are you worried you might miss the action?

 

[Decentric]

where do you get/make the time to read ?
Late late in the evenings/early morns ?
My only true spare time to read anything is when I'm on flights.
Got too much to do during the day dawn to dusk - then enjoy watching the wife iron and prepare dinner - eat and watch something hopefully she falls asleep then I can watch football golf motor racing updates/replays then fall asleep.
Recycle and rinse.

I need to have a chat to your better half and talk about you pulling your weight with ironing and cooking, LFC!

Sounds like she is getting a raw deal.
Hope she doesn’t work too?

I had little time to read until I retired from full time teaching. I had preparation after and before school. I am making up for lost time now.

 

[Decentric]

Yes, it can be that. It's a realistically scary story really. Trainspotting was set in a period of history, the 1980's, when Scotland's Central Belt and most of Northern England went through a rapid period of de-industrialisation. This hit many working-class communities very hard. It lead do a downward spiral of unemployment, poverty, social deprivation, crime, alcoholism and drug abuse and addiction for thousands and thousands of young men inparticularly. It was a brutal environment for many.

Edinburgh despite being Scotland's captital city wasn't immune to this. And this space, as it where, is where Irvine Welsh seems to set many of the storylines in his work.

Today 4 decades on Edinburgh is economically booming, a beacon of middle class respectability. It's where Scotland's political establishment are based, its a mecca for Scotland's knowledge classes, particularly in law, accountancy, banking, medical research and education. If Scotland's young university graduates aren't heading to London to start their careers they going to Edinburgh.

It’s also a very vibrant cultural destination with a real bohemian feel to it. It's where Scotland's artists, writers and acting fraternity are mostly based.

I'm not sure Welsh could write a Trainspotting novel in 2020's Edinburgh....

Good post!