Detournement Posted April 20, 2020 Share Posted April 20, 2020 14 hours ago, Granny Danger said: Literally any of them (no pun intended). As well as those mentioned The Road To Wigan Pier is a good read. Less of a novel but very informative and thought provoking. I've read criticism of The Road To Wigan Pier which says that Blair/Orwell basically erased all the educated, organised working class people who he stayed with and was guided by on his trip and only included the destitute and the feckless. When you look at his life as a whole he's a very strange figure with a lot of completely contradictory positions. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
topcat(The most tip top) Posted April 20, 2020 Share Posted April 20, 2020 I would but I bruise like a peach. I'm also old.And social distancing while having a fight is going to be difficult Maybe you could stand 5m apart and throw things at each other 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
topcat(The most tip top) Posted April 20, 2020 Share Posted April 20, 2020 could we not just use pointy sticksTo be honest I don’t think the Scottish government guidelines really cover this properly. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Granny Danger Posted April 20, 2020 Share Posted April 20, 2020 11 hours ago, Tynierose said: Excuse me. The winter of our discontent is his finest work. In my humble opinion. Irrespective a great writer. 1 hour ago, MixuFixit said: John Steinbeck's best novel is The Red Pony. Fight me. In Dubious Battle IMO. I’m to old to fight Mixu but would have no hesitation shooting you. It also respects social distancing rules. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aubrey Maturin Posted April 20, 2020 Share Posted April 20, 2020 1 minute ago, Granny Danger said: In Dubious Battle IMO. I’m to old to fight Mixu but would have no hesitation shooting you. It also respects social distancing rules. If there is to be any fighting I will send my second. His name is Lennie. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Granny Danger Posted April 20, 2020 Share Posted April 20, 2020 16 minutes ago, Tynierose said: If there is to be any fighting I will send my second. His name is Lennie. Shocking..Are you a mouse or a man? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Granny Danger Posted April 20, 2020 Share Posted April 20, 2020 19 minutes ago, Tynierose said: Pass the cheese, squeak. Edam’s himself with his own words... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomCat Posted April 20, 2020 Share Posted April 20, 2020 Saturday night, Sunday morning by Alan Sillitoe: Worthwhile but found the main character annoying tbh. Not yet seen the film . Superbly written and accomplished for a first novel. Great depiction of late 50s working class England. Mr Alfred, M.A. by George Friel: A sensitive elderly teacher at odds with youth gang culture in early 1970s Glasgow. A cross between Clockwork Orange and Lolita. There's little hope or optimism at all in the novel;not quite L'Assommoir levels of bleakness, but I really feel the need to read some comedy now. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cyderspaceman Posted April 20, 2020 Share Posted April 20, 2020 4 hours ago, MixuFixit said: could we not just use pointy sticks Tynierose has personal protective equipment. Maybe. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ya Bezzer! Posted April 20, 2020 Share Posted April 20, 2020 6 hours ago, ThatBoyRonaldo said: Homage to Catalonia is the best Orwell book imo It's a vanilla answer but his best book is 'Animal Farm'. I also really like 'Coming Up For Air' and especially 'Keep The Aspidistra Flying'. Sad to say I identify with Gordon Comstock to quite a large degree and like him need a good woman to talk sense into me. '1984' has great set pieces and excellent elements but some of the dialogue is a bit flat. Truth be told, Orwell never really mastered that and was probably a better essayist than a novelist. As for John Steinbeck, I will never read any of his work simply because at school I was made to read 'Of Mice And Men'. Sorry John, that's just the way it is. I also detest Charles Dickens based simply on some of those stupid character names he made up. As a result I will never read his work either. p***k. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Granny Danger Posted April 20, 2020 Share Posted April 20, 2020 1 hour ago, Ya Bezzer! said: It's a vanilla answer but his best book is 'Animal Farm'. I also really like 'Coming Up For Air' and especially 'Keep The Aspidistra Flying'. Sad to say I identify with Gordon Comstock to quite a large degree and like him need a good woman to talk sense into me. '1984' has great set pieces and excellent elements but some of the dialogue is a bit flat. Truth be told, Orwell never really mastered that and was probably a better essayist than a novelist. As for John Steinbeck, I will never read any of his work simply because at school I was made to read 'Of Mice And Men'. Sorry John, that's just the way it is. I also detest Charles Dickens based simply on some of those stupid character names he made up. As a result I will never read his work either. p***k. Coming Up For Air is a great read though you have to try to put yourself into the time and place to fully appreciate it. You're denying yourself a great experience by not reading Steinbeck. Try a sample on Kindle, if opening paragraphs of Cannery Row don’t grab you then nothing will. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Detournement Posted April 20, 2020 Share Posted April 20, 2020 Orwell being a massive grass means I'll probably never read him again. The Orwell list is probably why he had the statue outside the BBC... I can handle artists being dicks but not hypocrites. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DiegoDiego Posted April 20, 2020 Share Posted April 20, 2020 A great writer he was, but wanting to use a different name because your given one is "too Scottish" is the sign of an almighty fud. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ya Bezzer! Posted April 20, 2020 Share Posted April 20, 2020 1 hour ago, MixuFixit said: I think bits of this character are probably real feelings Orwell had even he didn't approve of himself for holding them, like his scorn for the people coming to the bookshop for unserious literature. His essay on working in the bookshop is laugh out loud in places. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richey Edwards Posted April 21, 2020 Share Posted April 21, 2020 Finished Nightmare in Berlin and started Down and Out. Enjoying it so far! 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JMDP Posted April 21, 2020 Share Posted April 21, 2020 Reread A Life's Music by Andrei Makine. Still absolutely perfect. Read The Gentleman of San Francisco and other stories by Ivan Bunin. Didn't know much about him despite him winning the Nobel Prize. A fascinating character and good collection. Would like to read more of his stuff. Going back through Bukowski as well at the moment. Post Office not as good as I remembered, still flies past though. Read a book called Europe United as well recently by a guy who watched football in all UEFA nations in one season. Enjoyable enough, interesting journey. -1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paul-r-cfc Posted April 22, 2020 Share Posted April 22, 2020 Porno - Irvine WelshAnother book that's been on my shelf unread for a while but glad to have finally got round to it. Welsh is a hell of a writer isn't he? The sequel to his legendary 'Trainspotting', this isn't quite on the same level but I actually think it's a tighter book and the sign of a more experienced writer. Clearer plot and a bit easier to follow, which actually makes it a bit less impactful than the first book.In any case, it's a great book. The different styles of the narrators keeps you on your toes and gives you a real insight into characters, namely Spud's desparation and Begbie's psychosis. The plot is engaging with just the right balance between realism and surrealism.Need to get the prequel looked out now. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stellaboz Posted April 22, 2020 Share Posted April 22, 2020 The prequel if I mind right is a bit darker, a lot of despair feeling. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paul-r-cfc Posted April 22, 2020 Share Posted April 22, 2020 The prequel if I mind right is a bit darker, a lot of despair feeling. Can imagine. Porno seemed a lot more energetic seen as none of them are on smack during it. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mathematics Posted April 22, 2020 Share Posted April 22, 2020 Finished Stephen King’s “The Dead Zone” last night. Like many King books, it has a good premise, interesting story, and fucking shite ending. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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