I was planning on writing about Truman Capote's In Cold Blood today, but I'm sure I've mentioned before (probably numerous times) how awful I am at composing more serious posts during the work week, so I'll finish over the weekend. I have it started, and sometimes that's the hardest bit, so more on Truman later.
This is one of those days where I stare at my computer looking for inspiration and not find any, but I am always good for a little bookish chatter, so I'll just meander through my books for a moment or two. An upside of having a stack of books started is always being able to pull a few out of the magic hat to talk about.
I've finished reading M.J. Hyland's This is How and have decided I need to read her other two books, though I admit I am still unsure of what I think about her most recent. It's a combination of things--very bleak and somewhat disturbing, quite sad in many ways. Despite being about a vicious act I felt oddly sympathetic towards the main character and while there were moments I sort of wanted to turn my eyes away or close the book I also found it totally compelling. How's that for a reaction? Another one to write about over the weekend.
Now I'm working on Tim O'Brien's most excellent The Things They Carried. I'm thinking this could be a top ten book of the year for me and am completely absorbed in the stories when I crack it open. It is a book of interlinked stories, but don't be put off by that if you think you don't like short stories. They flow amazingly well from one to the next. And don't be put off by the fact that it is about the Vietnam War, as he is really a remarkable storyteller. It was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize in 1991 (but he lost out to John Updike), and he would have been totally deserving of it had he won. He obviously understands the power of stories:
"Forty-three years old, and the war occurred half a lifetime ago, and yet the remembering makes it now. And sometimes remembering will lead to a story, which makes it forever. That's what stories are for. Stories are for joining the past to the future. Stories are for those late hours in the night when you can't remember how you got from where you were to where you are. Stories are for eternity, when memory is erased, when there is nothing to remember except the story."
Isn't that wonderful? Of course now I want to read more of his work.
Since I finished a book I get to start a new book, right? I'm trying to make myself finish two books before starting a new one (rather than starting two when I finish one, which I am none to do as well), but I caved in and have started reading The Selected Works of Cesare Pavese, an Italian author who is apparently quite well known and respected in his home country. I succumbed and bought the lovely NYRB edition of the book. My library owns it in hardcover, but it is large and heavy and I don't want to lug it around. How's that for rationalizing about buying a new book? I'm still in my 'all things Italy' mode. Even if I can't find somewhere local to learn the language I can at least read the literature.
And one more book, but this is one I am looking forward to starting. I lucked out in the last Library Thing Early Review drawing and came away with a copy of Stella Tillyard's Tides of War, which I have been lusting after ever since I saw it mentioned. It's already published in the UK (Tillyard is of Aristocrats fame), and I came very, very close to ordering it, but I can't afford to buy a UK hardcover at the moment. I feel quite fortunate as this is not due out until November. It is a historical novel set during the Peninsular War--so war and Regency England could make for a good story.
You may have noticed that I have turned on comment verification. It's put a complete stop to spam comments and I was being crushed by them. I hope it isn't causing too much annoyance. I do hate to make it harder for people to leave comments, but so much spam was really frustrating me. I am sure it was almost all automated. It's a shame that a few people create such havoc. Don't they know the word overkill? It's a pity they aren't fined per comment, as that might put a stop to some of it. I just don't want to keep out real comments, so do please let me know if this is causing problems otherwise.