Ah the good old Destroying Angel.
Amanita bisporigera is an American species: you don’t find them here. But if Aminitae are your poison, you’ll find some 16 others here that are just as effective.
I first read Decline and Fall at about the age of 14 and I’ve been reading it on and off ever since. It never loses its power to delight. Every line is brilliant.
I don’t think Waugh ever bettered it. He wrote many wonderful books, most of them very funny although all with the same bitter twist that’s evident in Decline and Fall, but none of them ever quite matched that exquisite mixture of delicacy and malice.
Not a bad article actually.
The Emma Viskic novel, Resurrection Bay, was a little bit “busy” for my tastes. Too many inter-connections.
We had a power blackout yesterday arvo, and it was too dark to read inside and too wet to read outside, so hit up the Kindle for the latest of Edward Marston’s Railway Detective novels. He has about six different series going, the latest being during WW1. These ones are set in the early days of English railways and this one in particular was based around the 1863 University Boat Race.
Now onto a paper one by John Banville, an Irish writer, set in San Sebastián.
And the Audible one is the first of the Richard Prince series by Alex Gerlis…Prince of Spies, about a Lincolnshire policeman co-opted into being a British spy in Denmark trying to discover the reality of the V1 and V2 rockets in Peenemünde.
Though I truly loved The Sea I’m not sure about Banville after his ‘Benjamin Black’ series. The latter is very, very average.
For those that are Pratchett fans, I recently saw a Rembrandt painting called “The Night Watch.” (It’s in a scene in the new Horizon Forbidden West game of all things.)
And here’s the cover of “Night Watch” which is one of my favorite books. Did enjoy the comparison.
I agree about Benjamin Black. Strictly by the numbers dull.
I thought The Sea was pretty good, but not great.
Cracked open a collection of early Peter Carey short stories last night called ‘The Fat Man in History’. Quirky. Have ‘Bliss’ lined up next. Wish I’d read him in chronological order as I like to see how writers develop.
Got two books on the go over here.
- The Premonition: A Pandemic Story by Michael Lewis
- Bob Mortimer Autobiography. And Away
Michael Lewis writes so easily. He gets you involved from the first page and weaves the threads on big and often complex topics together e.g. Big Short, Moneyball and Flash Boys amongst previous others. This is a good buidup to and recount so far on the pandemic
Bob Mortimer is just a great and funny read so far. Tough days but a life being lived well I’d say. Like him a lot.
Find things to take your mind off our faltering 2022 season is my survival strategy.
For anyone into audiobooks, I can highly recommend ’Boy Swallows Universe’ by Trent Dalton and read by Stig Wemyss.
I must say it’s not something that really appealed to me when I read the blurb but it was available and had a good rating on Goodreads.
The storyline is about a teenage boy growing up in Brisbane in the 70s. His drug addicted parents, mute older brother and ex con best friend make for an interesting mix. Peripheral characters are equally dysfunctional but rather than being a depressing read, or listen, it’s an extremely funny and thought provoking book. I loved it.
Brilliantly performed by Stig Wemyss. I’ve never heard any other works from him but keen to seek out more now.
Having loved Dervla McTiernan’s first three books, I’ve just started reading her latest.
Unlike her earlier ones, “The Murder Rule” does not feature Cormac Reilly nor is it set in Galway - this one is a legal thriller set in the USA.
It takes a while to get going but the further I read (now about of a third the way in) the more I’m enjoying how the story is developing and I look forward to seeing how it all turns out.
UPDATE I don’t rate this book as highly as her first three but I’ve read much worse.
The third Cormac Reilly one did seem as if she was putting him to bed.
I listened to her novella The Sisters on Audible, about two sisters in Dublin, one a barrister, the other a young cop - both just making their way.
Been looking for this one but Target haven’t bothered at a $16 price. Can’t wear the $33 that mainstream bookshops want.
The latest Slow Horses book, Bad Actors, came out today on Audible. Downloaded.
Got my copy on ebay for $19.90 delivered from Big W online.
I have the KMart option but I’m not sure if KMart and Target book buyers are aligned.
KMart had it at $16, but 60km there and back worth of petrol.
Currently halfway through this one and I concur. It’s an outstanding novel which I’m resisting the urge to read quickly in an effort to fully savour the slow unfolding of the story and the wonderfully evocative Australian vernacular and outback setting.
Chris Hammer is an excellent writer who has a penchant for unusual character names. This one features Trevor Topsoil and Cyril F1ange (can’t believe f.l.a.n.g.e is censored!) while his previous book “Trust” contained Clarity, Tarquin, Titus and Zelda. Mandalay Blonde is also a recurring main character although she doesn’t appear in this book.
His next book “Dead Man’s Creek” is due out in late September this year and there is no doubt that I’ll be hunting that one down as well. Jane Harper’s “Exiles” is also due for release around the same time and we’ll soon have new work from Steve Cavanagh and Richard Osman, so some good reading to look forward to.
I had a heap of books to look for, released this month.
Sulari Gentill has moved away from her Rowland Sinclair series with The Woman in the Library.
Aus Outback Noir -
Black River. By Matthew Spencer
Dirt Town by Hayley Scrivenor
Release by Lucy Christopher
Gathering Storms by Kerry McGinnis
Wake by Shelley Burr
Haven’t acquired any of these yet - need to see if Kmart gets any in. $16 is a better price than $33.
Out of curiosity, be interested to know if people read more paper or e-readers. I’m firmly in paper category, but for the books I’ve written, I’ve sold way more ebooks than physical copies
- Physical copies only
- Most physical, some ebooks
- Mostly ebooks, some physical
- Only ebooks
0 voters
I need an option for 40% eBook, 30% paper, 30% Audible