' Between Two Bridges' - Brian McHugh. Only on page 46 but it's shaping up to be interesting. Swings between New York at the time of prohibition, and present day Glasgow.
What are you reading right now? Page 229
More Richard Matheson short stories. Like my mother and Depeche Mode, I just can't get enough.
Animal Farm
Another amazing Christopher Brookmyre - 'Want You Gone'.
La Belle Sauvage, Philip Pullman.
I've only read one Phillip Pullman and (I know I'll be regarded as weird) wasn't impressed. Couldn't understand the logic of why his daughter wasn't allowed to know he was her father. Anyway, I'd no great desire to read any more of his stuff.
At his best, he's a great story-teller, and his parallel universe, so close to ours yet so distinctive, is completely believable. His best idea is that everyone has their own daemon, which are like their soul.
Quote: beaky @ 10th February 2018, 9:55 AMAt his best, he's a great story-teller, and his parallel universe, so close to ours yet so distinctive, is completely believable. His best idea is that everyone has their own daemon, which are like their soul.
I believe you. I think he just isn't to my taste. I'm not one for sci-fi. Is that related, do you think? Having said that, I'm a great Harry Potter fan.
Tom Hanks book of short stories - 'Uncommon Type'.
Neverending Story. How does it end?
John Lydon- stories of Johnny
I knew who Oscar Wilde was but I never really knew about his life until I read through his wiki page recently and I want more. There are loads of books about him so can anyone recommend any biographies of note and is the film Wilde with Stephen Fry worth watching?
'Then She Was Gone' - Lisa Jewel. A kidnapping? Or is it? Gripping so far.
Quote: Definitely Tarby @ 2nd March 2018, 10:08 PM................and is the film Wilde with Stephen Fry worth watching?
Yes, he was made for that part and did an excellent job.
Quote: Definitely Tarby @ 2nd March 2018, 10:08 PMI knew who Oscar Wilde was but I never really knew about his life until I read through his wiki page recently and I want more. There are loads of books about him so can anyone recommend any biographies of note and is the film Wilde with Stephen Fry worth watching?
Just read his works and letters. Robert Sherard wrote the first biography, just after Wilde died. So it''s the most contemporary, but insubstantial and he goes on about "demons" and "devilish madness" to explain homosexuality. Andre Gide (the Frog poofter pederast poet) wrote a brief but interesting memoir of his times with Wilde, omitting all the utter filth. Arthur Ransome wrote the first almost-proper biography but skips over the "vice caused by disease". Frank Harris wrote a Wilde memoir of somewhat embellished anecdotes. Hesketh Pearson wrote the first substantial Wilde biography, which is definitely worth reading. Followed by H. Montgomery Hyde's biography, which is nice and simple. Then Richard Ellmann produced the most comprehensive, authoritative and exhaustive one -- it's mostly excellent minutiae, scholarship and misery, rather than context. More recently, there was a gay-themed one by Neil McKenna, The Secret Life of Oscar Wilde, which delves into all the gay stuff that earlier authors were reluctant to serve up. Best of the recent ones is Oscar Wilde: A Certain Genius by Barbara Bellford, which distills the best of the past tomes and puts things into context. There's also Wilde in America by David Friedman, which has some good stories, including the one about him being able to hold his drink better than those trying to get him plastered.
The Fry film, I couldn't sit through as Fry's acting felt wrong, but will give it another go some day. Much preferred the 1985 BBC mini-series Oscar with Michael Gambon.