4215 replies to this topic

[balex]

Philip Hensher's King of the Badgers. Sort of Richard Russo transplanted to Devon with a lot more fisting. Recommended.

This was excellent -- and really there is only a 'smidgeon' of fisting though quite a lot of general gay lifestyle stuff.


I read the new Hollinghurst -- A Stranger's Child -- even has a female character in it, and he restricts himself to only 3 or 4 descriptions of penises, and some sketchily described gay sex. It's not a great novel, but he really can write beautifully.

[Wilfrid]

I read a strange review of Hollinghurst in The New Yorker, which began by praising him, then went on to point out the book's deficiencies at great length. Not sure if I believe the review.

[balex]

It is a good book -- even his lesser books are worth reading. It does have some problems; but they don't really sink until after you have finished readiing it, so they don't compromise the reading experience itself, and i guess we are both past the phase where we want some life changing transcendence from our novels.

[g.johnson]

I've just started A Stranger's Child, my first Hollinghurst (late to the party, I know).

What is sex 'Oxford style'? Frottage? Generating a lot of friction but ultimately not very penetrating sounds right.

[Wilfrid]

I did read The Swimming Pool Library when it came out. Well written, but very penis heavy.

[Sneakeater]

My wife really liked that book.

(Useless post.)

[Sneakeater]

What is sex 'Oxford style'? Frottage? Generating a lot of friction but ultimately not very penetrating sounds right.

I thought it's with cows. (As opposed to 'Cambridge style', which is with sheep.)

[balex]

What is sex 'Oxford style'? Frottage? Generating a lot of friction but ultimately not very penetrating sounds right.

I thought it's with cows. (As opposed to 'Cambridge style', which is with sheep.)

Texan style versus Australian style I think you mean.

[yvonne johnson]

I read a strange review of Hollinghurst in The New Yorker, which began by praising him, then went on to point out the book's deficiencies at great length. Not sure if I believe the review.

That James Wood piece was confusing in some respects. He starts off loving H's unusual juxtapositions of strong and weak words, then goes on to list his own parodies of H's style. Mind you, after I read the list of examples of H's writing that Wood said he likes, I did find a sameness to them.

[Wilfrid]

Right, I agree. I couldn't see what the reviewer was trying to do, though. "I think this author is a great stylist, but here are a bunch of examples where he fails..." Okay.

[yvonne johnson]

Right, I agree. I couldn't see what the reviewer was trying to do, though. "I think this author is a great stylist, but here are a bunch of examples where he fails..." Okay.

I don't know either: H's previous work was stronger? Here he was relying on a previous style that was once fresh but now seems formulaic?

[balex]

"The damned highway: fear and loathing in Arkham"
A mash up of Hunter S Thompson and H P Lovecraft .. idea better than the conception but still quite fun.

[Daniel]

Savages by Don Wilson.. I am half way through it and it is a fairly exciting book.. Drugs, sex, violence.. There is no short of any of these sure fire winners.. Based out in California, it is almost like a Bret Ellis book meets Man on Fire. I was in an airport bookstore when my guy recommended it to me.. I have a friend at the airport book store, Ben.. It's going to be a movie soon directed by Oliver Stone, Uma Thurman and John Travolta are going to be in it, as is Blake Lively.. It will be interesting to see if Blake Lively can pull off the character the way it was written in the book.. She seems too conservative and proper like to be this young "free spirit".. Though, I actually have not seen here in anything..

It's a fun read. Plus, you get to walk out of the movie theater talking loudly so everyone can hear "The Book Was Wayyyy Better"

[bloviatrix]

Savages by Don Wilson.. I am half way through it and it is a fairly exciting book.. Drugs, sex, violence.. There is no short of any of these sure fire winners.. Based out in California, it is almost like a Bret Ellis book meets Man on Fire. I was in an airport bookstore when my guy recommended it to me.. I have a friend at the airport book store, Ben.. It's going to be a movie soon directed by Oliver Stone, Uma Thurman and John Travolta are going to be in it, as is Blake Lively.. It will be interesting to see if Blake Lively can pull off the character the way it was written in the book.. She seems too conservative and proper like to be this young "free spirit".. Though, I actually have not seen here in anything..

It's a fun read. Plus, you get to walk out of the movie theater talking loudly so everyone can hear "The Book Was Wayyyy Better"

The author is actually Don Winslow, and as someone who has read every one of his books, I've got to tell you I think it's the weakest of the bunch. If you liked Savages, you'll probably like Dawn Patrol and The Gentleman's Hour, but my 2 Winslow favorites are The Power of the Dog, which deals with the Mexican drug trade and California Fire and Life.

[bloviatrix]

Earlier in the month I read Jeffrey Eugenides The Marriage Plot. Utterly conventional. And had it been written by a woman, it would have been considered "chick lit." Just started Ann Patchett's State of Wonder. Too soon to have an opinion.