Showing all posts about books
The struggle to read classic books, but why bother?
8 February 2022
Alison Flood, writing for The Guardian in 2016, on the topic of classic books because there is some sort of obligation to do:
This week, YouGov tells us that only 4% of Brits have read War and Peace, although 14% wish they had; 3% have read Les Misérables, although 10% want to; and 7% have read Moby-Dick, with 8% aiming to.
Aside from my school days, when reading some of the classics was requisite, I’ve made little effort to pick any up since. That’s probably not the sort of thing I should say on a website where literature and books feature, but there you are. I did try though. Moby-Dick. The Great Gatsby. Pride and Prejudice. The Grapes of Wrath. Vanity Fair. East of Eden. War and Peace. A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man.
Much to my (sort of) shame, they were all DNFs, each and every one. All are great books I’m certain, and all contributed to making contemporary literature what it is, but they were titles I could not get into. But I didn’t start reading them because I felt an obligation to, I read them because they were hailed as highly revered works of literature. But most did little for me, and so be it.
Life is too short to read books you don’t want to, no matter how acclaimed they are. But maybe it’s me. I also have difficulty listening to a lot of music — some of which is considered classic — that was recorded prior to the turn of the century. Besides, it not like there is a shortage of contemporary works to read, there’s several lifetimes worth. If the classics aren’t for you, it’s simple, don’t waste time on them.
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Book reading suggestions for February 2022
4 February 2022
Ten books to read in February, put together by Jason Steger, books editor at the Sydney Morning Herald. A nice mix of Australian and international titles, fiction and non-fiction, including The Furies by Mandy Beaumont, What I Wish People Knew About Dementia, by Wendy Mitchell, and Found, Wanting, by Natasha Sholl.
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A list of books being published by women of colour in 2022
17 January 2022
A list of sixty-two books written by women of colour, put together by South-Korean born American author R.O. Kwon, for inclusion on your to-be-read list for 2022.
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The gift you can gift the most difficult person to gift
17 January 2022
A gift for people who have everything? Could well be. Sydney based writer Ashley Kalagian Blunt, has a suggestion. What’s one thing we like talking about, apart from ourselves? Our favourite story. If someone took the time to read a book you especially like, and then sat down with you for an hour or so to discuss it, wouldn’t that be enjoyable? It doesn’t have to be a book though. A movie or an album also works. I think it’s true, experiences make the best presents.
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Warning: book clubs may be a threat to your life
14 January 2022
Killing Katie: Confessions Of A Book Club, the debut play of late Sydney based Australian scriptwriter Tracey Trinder, takes theatre goers into the sometimes murky world of book clubs. Think book clubs are groups of likeminded novel aficionados, happily swapping notes about their latest reads? Think again.
Trinder’s play lifts the lid on bitter internal politics, feuding, and murder, after the straight talking, bold Katie, joins a readers group convened by Robyn. Unhappy with Katie’s unseemly exuberance, Robyn plots to remove her from the club, with unforeseen dire consequences.
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Books people in government should be reading
12 January 2022
Leaders should be readers, says Australian federal politician Andrew Leigh, who has compiled a list of reading suggestions for those in high office. Good to see a few fiction titles on the list, including Klara and the Sun by Kazuo Ishiguro, The Living Sea of Waking Dreams by Richard Flanagan, and One Hundred Days by Alice Pung.
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Man accused of stealing unpublished books arrested
10 January 2022
An Italian man who has been using deception for several years to obtain unpublished manuscripts from well-known authors, has been arrested. Targets of Filippo Bernardini, who works at a London publishing house, included Margaret Atwood and Sally Rooney.
In an interview with The Bookseller in 2019, Atwood confirmed there had been “concerted efforts to steal the manuscript” of her book The Testaments, before it was released. “There were lots of phoney emails from people trying to winkle even just three pages, even just anything,” she noted. According to The Guardian and The New York Times, author Sally Rooney and actor Ethan Hawke were also targeted in a similar manner.
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Dymocks Top 101 books 2022 poll
4 January 2022
Voting is open in the Dymocks Top 101 books poll for 2022, across categories including fiction, young adult, fantasy, crime, and non-fiction. I can’t see a closing date for voting, so if you wish to participate, do so now.
Update: results of the poll have been posted.
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Goodreads most anticipated books of 2022
31 December 2021
Books may be the only constant in an unpredictable world. The good news: there’s no shortage of them, and this list of Goodreads members most anticipated books of 2022, is another place to seek out reading suggestions.
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New fiction novels for the new year, 2022
29 December 2021
There’s only days left to finish the titles on our 2021 to-be-read lists, before 2022 is upon us, bringing with it a huge line up of brand new fiction novels.
You Made a Fool of Death With Your Beauty by Akwaeke Emezi, Young Mungo by Douglas Stuart, some historical fiction and fantasy in the form of Moon Witch, Spider King by Marlon James, and Love Marriage by Monica Ali, are among titles due for publication.
Cancel the streaming subscription, books are the only entertainment you need.
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