A LITTLE BIT OF READING: July 2019

THE LOVED ONE- Evelyn Waugh

This is a first read of this since high school where I didn't appreciate the satire. Waugh was a genius.

BLACK MISCHIEF -Evelyn Waugh

Another many times read, he is so funny and so cruel, his satire on the bold warriors of the Empire is amazing. This book gives new meaning to eating your girlfriend.

TWO YEARS BEFORE THE MAST - Richard Dana

Another classic seafaring tale. Iron men, wooden ships.

VILE BODIES - Evelyn Waugh

The is my umpty third reading of this and I'll read it dozens more, love it.

THE HEART OF DARKNESS - Joseph Conrad

This is the third time I read this novella, its enjoyable, a good story but I don't see it as a great book as many have done. The reason I've read it three times is to see what I'm missing, I still haven't found it though.

I do know that the movie is remarkable when you see how they adapted it from this story

KIM - Rudyard Kipling

This took me a bit of getting into solely because of the vernacular of the young hero but once I got the pace of it this turned out to be a very good read, geographically interesting and this book gave us " The Great Game."

EVEN DOGS IN THE WILD - Ian Rankin

Always consistent , my only quibble is Rankin persists with the Malcolm Fox charter, an utter drongo who has no place in these stories except perhaps as a homicide victim.

THE WONDERFUL WIZARD OF OZ - L. Frank Baum

An absolute delight to read. I've never seen the movie but if its as much fun as this I can see why people still watch it.

THE ABC MURDERS - Agatha Christie

Christie is slightly unfashionable but when you want to have a read and don't want to have to tax the brain reading her is very relaxing. So I say bugger the literary snobs read a few a year for some fun.

THE HAUNTED HOTEL - Wilkie Collins

Collins's last book before the opium destroyed his ability to write completely. Not a bad horror story, its no " The Moonstone" but then nothing else is.

A CLOCKWORK ORANGE - Anthony Burgess

This is a very difficult read because of Burgess's invented language he uses throughout. I would have had no idea what was going on without having seen Kubrick's movie about twenty times.

The movie follows the book practically line for line and plus this edition has the real final chapter with Alex's seeing the error of his way i.e perhaps redemption. This chapter was missing from U.S A edition for decades.