Ersatz TLS discussion

Hello to all.

Wishing you cool breezes if you're suffering from heat like me and whatever the weather, plenty of good books! 📚📚 & 🍷🍺

If this came out earlier this summer, I'd missed it. It will no doubt give a boost to Marilynne Robinson's latest, which I don't think had very wide appeal on its own.

Note that there is an "Is" missing from the title of Jonathan Blitzer's book.

Speaking of Robinson, yesterday I read James Wood’s review of Home (which he liked very much). Its opening:

Growing up in a religious household, I got used to the sight of priests, but I always found them at once fascinating and slightly repellent. The funereal uniform is supposed to obliterate the self in a shroud of colorlessness, even as it draws enormous attention to the self; humility seems to be cut from the same cloth as pride. Since the ego is irrepressible—and secular—it tends to bulge in odd shapes when religiously straitened. The priests I knew practiced self-abnegation but had perfected a quiet dance of ego. They were modest but pompous, gentle but tyrannical (one of them got angry if he was disturbed on a Monday, the vicar’s day off), pious but knowing. Most were good men, but the peculiar constrictions of their calling produced peculiar opportunities for unloosing.

This is probably one of the reasons—putting the secular antagonism of novelists aside—that in fiction priests are usually seen as comical, hypocritical, improperly worldly or dangerously unworldly, or a little dim. Another reason is that fiction needs egotism, vanity, venality, in order to produce drama and comedy; we want our sepulchres craftily whited. The seventy-six-year-old Reverend John Ames, who narrates Marilynne Robinson’s second novel, “Gilead,” is gentle, modest, loving, and above all good. He is also a bit boring, and boring in proportion to his curious lack of ego.

This made me reflect on the novels I have read that feature clergymen. There haven’t been that many, and I think, on the whole I tend to avoid them (one of the rare times I put down an NYRB book at a used book sale was The Stories of J.F. Powers when I read that “His greatest subject, however—and one that was uniquely his—was the life of priests in Chicago and the Midwest”).

I think that I’m especially wary of writers who use “good” clerical characters who reflect their own faith as their protagonists. I suspect that it’s a way for the author to ventriloquize their own beliefs through the character with an added dollop of moral / spiritual authority. It’s the main thing that’s kept me away from Gilead and I think it’s the primary reason I’m one of the few Sherlock Holmes fans who loathes the Father Brown stories.

Bill wrote: "This made me reflect on the novels I have read that feature clergymen...."

Well, since I'm re-reading the Barsetshire chronicles at the moment, there are plenty of clergymen involved, both "good" and "bad", high and low.

Bill wrote: "If this came out earlier this summer, I'd missed it. It will no doubt give a boost to Marilynne Robinson's latest, which I don't think had very wide appeal on its own.

Note that there is an "Is" m..."

Not into crime fiction is he?

giveusaclue wrote: "Bill wrote: "If this came out earlier this summer, I'd missed it. ..."

Not into crime fiction is he?"

😄

Speaking of crime fiction, I'm just starting Le Polonais fou by Danish sister and brother team Lotte & Søren Hammer. This is the 5th in a series.
Some of the bodies picked up after a collision between a ferry and a bateau mouche weren't drowned ...
I think they've been translated into English.

Gpfr wrote: "giveusaclue wrote: "Bill wrote: "If this came out earlier this summer, I'd missed it. ..."

Not into crime fiction is he?"

😄

Speaking of crime fiction, I'm just starting

So far so good, although I'm still at the stage of not quite knowing who Max is.

giveusaclue wrote: "I'm still at the stage of not quite knowing who Max is...."

And do you know who Alison is?

Can I perhaps make a request here, for some people in the know, to pass on how to copy images into their posts. I can do, using 'postimages' an address for them to appear, if the address is clicked. Glad tried to educate me as to how to do the actual pictures but I only managed to do it once, by accident, never to be repeated alas... Bill and Gpfr seem to know the secret as to how to do it. I'd be grateful, and I think a few others might like to know how as well. A piece of 'Olympic?' marginalia here https://i.postimg.cc/V6cCrcD8/a-piece...

https://postimages.org/ is the address that you can post from, for free. Its quite easy to load up your chosen image. Once loaded you will see a page with a list. The second from the top, labeled 'direct link'. If you copy that link and paste it into your post (it will not produce the picture directly), but if the reader clicks it, it will bring up the picture like here https://i.postimg.cc/PJ9RG4mK/320px-L...

If you look carefully, just above the castle you can see the fairy 'Melusine' just after she turned into a dragon, as her husband broke his promise to her... not to watch her bathing on a Saturday!...

Hello there - I was very busy for a while, and then got ill for a few days (nothing serious - nearly back to normal, now)... so I apologise in advance, but am too tired to read old comments and respond to any intended for myself.

Anyway... I also slowed down my reading a lot, but finished The Secret Hours by Mick Herron. This isn't a 'Slow Horses' series book as such, though towards the end we do see some of the back story of certain characters emerge (I won't put in spoilers).

It's pretty good, but does suffer from one structural weakness... after a terrific and thrilling opening, we get a very long section dealing with - essentially - office politics. Not the most enthralling topic. After that, the first half jogs along rather, then things pick up significantly in the second half. So, definitely worth a read if you like Herron, but not one of his absolute best.

Tam wrote: "Can I perhaps make a request here, for some people in the know, to pass on how to copy images into their posts..."

Click on (some html is ok).
You see: image


And here's a Chinese owl from 206-09 BC:

scarletnoir wrote: "Hello there - I was very busy for a while, and then got ill for a few days (nothing serious - nearly back to normal, now)... so I apologise in advance, but am too tired to read old comments and res..."

Hello and welcome back. We've been wondering where you were and hoping you were OK. Glad to hear it wasn't serious.

scarletnoir wrote: " I apologise in advance, but am too tired to read old comments and respond to any intended for myself. ..."

No apologies needed, but here's one comment I addressed to you about one of your favourite writers:

@scarletnoir + of course anyone else who is interested!

I'm reading a book called Les chemins intimes. Ten writers have written about their childhood, where they're from, or other memories. One of them, who made me think at once of you, is François-Henri Désérable.

His essay concerns the first covid lockdown which for him coincided with a writer's retreat in la maison Julien-Gracq. While there he got a letter, forwarded by his publisher, from a woman named Camille. The handwriting led him to suppose that Camille was elderly. The letter was about his latest book, Un certain M. Piekielny. The writer gave her address and phone number. Désérable intended to write to her, but finished by phoning, and discovered that Camille was not the old lady he had imagined ...

If anyone wants something not too taxing to read in French, I recommend this, the texts are short and it's very pleasant.
https://www.autrement.com/les-chemins...

Gpfr wrote: "Bill wrote: "This made me reflect on the novels I have read that feature clergymen...."

Well, since I'm re-reading the Barsetshire chronicles at the moment, there are plenty of clergymen involved,..."

Yeah, that's kind of one of the reasons I avoid Trollope, though I think he wrote a fair number of novels without a significant clerical presence.

giveusaclue wrote: "Not into crime fiction is he?"

I do recall that one year (it was during his presidency, before he was making these lists) he was reading The Bayou Trilogy: Under the Bright Lights, Muscle for the Wing, and The Ones You Do.

Bill wrote: "Gpfr wrote: "Well, since I'm re-reading the Barsetshire chronicles at the moment, there are plenty of clergy..."

one of the reasons I avoid Trollope, though I think he wrote a fair number of novels without a significant clerical presence..."

Including the one I've just finished, Doctor Thorne, in which the clergy play a very minor role.

Gpfr wrote: "scarletnoir wrote: " I apologise in advance, but am too tired to read old comments and respond to any intended for myself. ..."

No apologies needed, but here's one comment I addressed to you about..."

Thanks for that - of course, I'd be intrigued to read it but unfortunately clicking on the link brought a '404 error - page not found' response!

Edit: I have saved the title on my virtual TBR list... if (or more likely, when) I buy it, it may be cheaper in France - and we'll be there in less than a month!

With respect to writers who tend to feature clergymen in their stories - has anyone here read Barbara Pym? Her books are full of people meeting in church halls, and in some cases pining for the vicar (or whoever...).

I read two of hers - Excellent Women - which I rather liked - and No Fond Return of Love which I liked a lot less.

Why?

Well, in the second book, there is a next-door neighbour who is a 'comedy Italian'... the humour is not funny... it is certainly condescending, and borderline xenophobic. Not my cup of tea.
In addition, the plot features a female character who indulges in what we would now describe as 'stalking'. I read an article a while back which explains that Pym was, in real life, unfortunately given to such creepy behaviour.

https://www.theguardian.com/books/202...

Gpfr wrote: "giveusaclue wrote: "I'm still at the stage of not quite knowing who Max is...."

And do you know who Alison is?"

Haven't got that far yet!

Have edited earlier post because I messed it up!

Gpfr wrote: "And here's a Chinese ow..."

That owl looks as if it has just been goosed!

scarletnoir wrote: "Gpfr wrote: "scarletnoir wrote: " I apologise in advance, but am too tired to read old comments and respond to any intended for myself. ..."

No apologies needed, but here's one comment I addressed..."

Sorry you have been under the weather, take it easy. I hope your imminent trip to France is faster and less dramatic that your one earlier this year!

Bill wrote: "giveusaclue wrote: "Not into crime fiction is he?"

I do recall that one year (it was during his presidency, before he was making these lists) he was reading [book:The Bayou Trilogy: Under the Brig..."

A bit different!

Gpfr wrote: "Tam wrote: "Can I perhaps make a request here, for some people in the know, to pass on how to copy images into their posts..."

Click on (some html is ok).
You see: image..."

Thank you to Tam for asking that question.

GP - Is the procedure the same if you want post one of your own photos, rather than something already somewhere on the web?

Logger24 wrote: "Is the procedure the same if you want post one of your own photos, rather than something already somewhere on the web?..."

Yes, put your photo in postimage. I should have said if you're using a photo from on the web, you just put the link, you don't need to go through postimage.

scarletnoir wrote: "With respect to writers who tend to feature clergymen in their stories - has anyone here read Barbara Pym? ..."

I've read everything! I'm a fan and not the only one. Excellent Women, A Glass of Blessings (lots about clergymen here), Jane and Prudence ... Some books are less successful but still not without merit in my opinion.

I've just checked back because it seemed to me we'd had a Pym discussion on here in the past and indeed we did, in 2021: Berkley, Machenbach, Lass, Ll, you ... In fact she seems to have come up more than once that year.
Her biography by Paula Byrne came out at that time, The Adventures of Miss Barbara Pym.

I'm no fan of Henry James but am being drawn to recent studies and appraisals of the long winded anglophile

Both the TLS and LRB have reviews of his "prefaces" reproduced in what is bound to be a very expensive Cambridge Uni edition. One can sense James was a prisoner of life's most futile aim, the quest for perfection and the perfect sentence and choice of words

I loved this quote from Graham Greene about the Jamesian preface:
"The whole magnificent achievement of James’s prefaces is like a confession of failire. He is telling us how he hid the traces of the botched line"…

by the way, does anyone here read the TLS? I know its stained by its Murdoch link but i am enjoying it since i started subbing in March. it should help me overcome the Aug-Sept annoyance when the LRB and NYRB produce less editions, with less pages in the vacayy season. (less pages, same price...lol)

AB76 wrote: "I'm no fan of Henry James but am being drawn to recent studies and appraisals of the long winded anglophile ..."

You've criticised him before, but what have you actually read?

Gpfr wrote: "AB76 wrote: "I'm no fan of Henry James but am being drawn to recent studies and appraisals of the long winded anglophile ..."

You've criticised him before, but what have you actually read?"

most of his early fiction, short stories, albeit a rather long time ago. i did like The Turn of the Screw and rest assured i am preparing to read some of his later novels soon!

scarletnoir wrote: "Les chemins intimes: I'd be intrigued to read it but unfortunately clicking on the link brought a '404 error - page not found' response!..."

Here's a new link — I think something went wrong in the copying and pasting of my previous post :)

https://www.autrement.com/les-chemins...

Gpfr wrote: "scarletnoir wrote: "With respect to writers who tend to feature clergymen in their stories - has anyone here read Barbara Pym? ..."

I've read everything! I'm a fan and not the only one. [book:Exce..."

There's a Slightly Foxed podcast:
https://foxedquarterly.com/barbara-py...

AB76 wrote: "Gpfr wrote: "AB76 wrote: "I'm no fan of Henry James but am being drawn to recent studies and appraisals of the long winded anglophile ..."

You've criticised him before, but what have you actually read ..."

most of his early fiction..."

Including The Europeans? Washington Square? The Portrait of a Lady?

Gpfr wrote: "AB76 wrote: "Gpfr wrote: "AB76 wrote: "I'm no fan of Henry James but am being drawn to recent studies and appraisals of the long winded anglophile ..."

You've criticised him before, but what have ..."

the first and last yes....but a long time ago, i think i may look on him differently aged 48, rather than 28-30 but i havent been impressed at any attempts since

Gpfr wrote: "Logger24 wrote: "Is the procedure the same if you want post one of your own photos, rather than something already somewhere on the web?..."

Yes, put your photo in postimage...."

Thanks. I will have a go later on.

Gpfr wrote: "scarletnoir wrote: "Les chemins intimes: I'd be intrigued to read it but unfortunately clicking on the link brought a '404 error - page not found' response!..."

Here's a new link..."

So this is a POD? Looks as though I shall be making an exception to my usual no-pod policy.

AB76 wrote: "Gpfr wrote: "The Europeans? Washington Square? The Portrait of a Lady?"

the first and last yes..."

Ah, if you don't like The Portrait of a Lady, I'm not sure there's any hope ...

Logger24 wrote: "Gpfr wrote: "scarletnoir wrote: "Les chemins intimes..."

So this is a POD?..."

I bought it as a book from my local bookshop (which is fittingly called Le Bonheur).

Gpfr wrote: "Logger24 wrote: "Gpfr wrote: "scarletnoir wrote: "Les chemins intimes..."

So this is a POD?..."

I bought it as a book from my local bookshop (which is fittingly called Le Bonheur)."

It's available as e-book, POD, and paper book.

Since yesterday I have come down with shivering, painful stomach, almost a failed desire to vomit, lots of phlegm, headache a bit. I feel like crap!... The sproglet and family are due to come over on Friday. I took a covid test, then found it out of date, so him indoors has had to go out to the chemist. Still have a sense of smell though. I could do without covid somehow, this will be the second time since January. I wonder how its mutated, though it could be just flu I guess. Time to retire to bed, and read a book? though my concentration isn't great.

Now that I have Herodotus back I could give it ago again. Dave managed 2/3rds of it, and was quite impressed, except for the places where he starts behaving like a proper historian and starts listing every tribe in the vicinity!... Oh and thanks Gp for the info on how to post pictures. Will give it a try when feeling better...

Tam wrote: "Since yesterday I have come down with shivering, painful stomach, almost a failed desire to vomit, lots of phlegm, headache a bit. I feel like crap!... The sproglet and family are due to come over ..."

Hope you are soon feeling much better Tam. You don't need that any time, but especially when you have visitors. My sense of smell was not affected either time I had covid, but about 2 weeks after recovering from the first attack I started getting phantom smells. They particularly happened if I bent my head down. It was like rotten meat or eggs or burning. I still get it from time to time but not so often now and it is over two years.

Tam wrote: "Since yesterday I have come down with shivering, painful stomach, almost a failed desire to vomit, lots of phlegm, headache a bit. I feel like crap!... The sproglet and family are due to come over ..."

Sorry to hear that, Tam. It sounds much like how I felt when I had covid last year, didn't affect my sense of smell. Anyway, I hope it's not that and you're better soon.

Well after 30 mins with the new test there is just one control line, so It's not registering me as having covid, at least at the moment. Still feel pretty rotten though. I think I might retire back to bed... and hope for the best...

giveusaclue wrote: "Tam wrote: "Since yesterday I have come down with shivering, painful stomach, almost a failed desire to vomit, lots of phlegm, headache a bit. I feel like crap!... The sproglet and family are due t..."

Not looking forward to rotten meat or eggs.... somehow

Tam wrote: "Well after 30 mins with the new test there is just one control line, so It's not registering me as having covid, at least at the moment. Still feel pretty rotten though. I think I might retire back..."

good luck tam!

The Pursued By CS Forester(1935) is a deadly noir thriller set in Suburbia but with a unique british flavour. A flavour of hot summer days, baking brick houses, dusty lanes and the morals of the 1930s.

From the first pages, Forester swathes the novel in tension and fear, offsetting it well with a domestic periodic angle. There is the tragedy and the family living through the tragedy, there is romance and there is the bullying, sinister husband, demanding favours of his wife at night

Its all very normal too, this could be anybody's life in the mid 1930s, anyone caught in a situation like Marjorie Grainger, married, with 2 kids. her life an endless swirl of chores and keeping up appearences in a small suburban house. Domestic abuse was not as well known or defined in 1935 but Forester creates in her husband, an everyday monster. Unpredictable, lazy etc

I'm about 60% in, the murderer is known from early on, its not about detection, its about revenge. The holiday section reminded me of Sheriffs The Fortnight in September in fact a lot of the 1930s atmosphere seems similar to the earlier novel

Gpfr wrote: "It's available as e-book, POD, and paper book.."

Thanks, GP. I found a distributor in NYC, so have ordered the paperback.

"Tam wrote: "Since yesterday I have come down with shivering, painful stomach, almost a failed desire to vomit, lots of phlegm, headache a bit. I feel like crap!..."

Sounds grim, Tam. Hope you're better soon.

AB76 wrote: " The Pursued By CS Forester(1935) is a deadly noir thriller set in Suburbia but with a unique british flavour...."

I like the sound of this one, AB. Thanks also for the reminder of A Fortnight in September, which has drawn a lot of comment in recent years and, as far as I recall, not a single negative.

Logger24 wrote: "AB76 wrote: " The Pursued By CS Forester(1935) is a deadly noir thriller set in Suburbia but with a unique british flavour...."

I like the sound of this one, AB. Thanks also for the reminder of A ..."

There is a very strong and rich seam of British novels from this era(1930s), Graham Greene's british novels, Hamilton and Mclaren_Ross, Waugh, the gritty london novels of Kersh and co, plus Sheriff and Forester

You will love Forester and the Sheriff novel. I read it, Sheriff alongside Interwar(on the G) and then my mother read it and loved it, passed it to a friend who loved it and then it moved on to her bookclub and they loved it

For me The Fortnight in September is a pitch perfect realist novel of 1930s life but without malice or unease, beyond the universal observation that life can be hard and we grasp chances to escape and break the tedium at the seaside. Its also a novel of family and the quiet pressures within families too but its a far more positive and cosy novel than The Pursued, both are excellent

Penguin re-published another SHeriff novel The Hopkins Manuscript which is on my pile and i have my eye on Greengates another of his novels

Tam wrote: "Not looking forward to rotten meat or eggs.... somehow."

Don't worry, I'm the only person I know that it has happened to!

giveusaclue wrote: "Sorry you have been under the weather, take it easy. I hope your imminent trip to France is faster and less dramatic that your one earlier this year!"

Well, thanks for that... unfortunately, as I was showering yesterday I bent my leg up to wash the foot - and something seriously 'went' in my knee, so I can only shuffle about slowly and painfully with the help of crutches. I only got to see a minion - appointment with doc not until Monday. The NHS needs serious investment!

So, the France trip may have to be delayed...