As I am reading constantly, I am most interested in input about old or new favorites. At the moment, I am slumming with Cotswold murder mysteries by Stella Cameron.
When waiting to get tired at night, I turn to Bill Bryson and "One summer. 1927"
Starting Stephen King's Fairy Tale tonight. I've been so looking forward to this book. I need an old school instant King classic. Most of my favorite King books are his fantasy stories - The Talisman, The Dark Tower, Eyes Of The Dragon - so my expectations are high. I hope I'm not disappointed.
@berlintramp I finally read a Barbara Pym, as recommended by you. Quartet in Autumn and I thought it was excellent - nothing really happened, but it was a beautifully drawn story of four people approaching retirement and how their lives interacted. Some very subtle humour, which I liked and a struggle to understand the modern world, as it was in the 1970's.
Thanks for the recommendation, I will read more of her work!
This is a magnificent book. I talk with Douglas Stuart quite a bit online the last few months. Shuggie Bain was rejected by more than 30 publishers, which reinforces my belief that publishers and agents don't know a great book when they see one.
I found this book a really tough read. I finished it, although was tempted to lay it aside a few times. I am sure it was realistic but I really think it could have done with just a little bit of black humour. I'm not tempted to read his second novel.
I read 'If it Bleeds', very good indeed. There is a very nasty character, well it's more than one, but it feeds off misery, which obviously put me in mind Jack, but it is nowhere near as attractive or interesting as Jack.
I read the first story in 'If it Bleeds', 'Mr. Harrigan's Phone' which I really enjoyed, the second one, 'Life of Chuck' was weird and I didn't understand it! Moved on to another, non Stephen King, 'Daughters of the Night' by Laura Shepherd Robinson which is terrific.
I might read the next SK short story on the train to London this afternoon.
@SteveInJoburg I'm looking forward to this one, brother. It's been a while since I felt this much anticipation for a forthcoming King book. I have an unexplainable feeling it's going to be one of his best, a throwback to the classic Stephen King. The title, synopsis and author are enough to convince me before reading it that I'm going to love it.
Charlie Reade looks like a regular high school kid, great at baseball and football, a decent student. But he carries a heavy load. His mom was killed in a hit-and-run accident when he was ten, and grief drove his dad to drink. Charlie learned how to take care of himself—and his dad. When Charlie is seventeen, he meets a dog named Radar and her aging master, Howard Bowditch, a recluse in a big house at the top of a big hill, with a locked shed in the backyard. Sometimes strange sounds emerge from it.
Charlie starts doing jobs for Mr. Bowditch and loses his heart to Radar. Then, when Bowditch dies, he leaves Charlie a cassette tape telling a story no one would believe. What Bowditch knows, and has kept secret all his long life, is that inside the shed is a portal to another world.
I needed a book for a train journey today (The Boy Who Glowed being too heavy!) so I bought a book of 4 short stories - Mr Harrigan's Phone, The Life of Chuck, If It Bleeds and Rat. I read Mr Harrigan's Phone on the way home and really enjoyed it, enough for me to try some of the recommendations above.
The more I think hard about his bibliography, the more I am thinking most of King's work is only vaguely classified as horror. They cross all genres. I hope you like what you read and someday check out The Stand and The Talisman. Those are my two top King books.
The Stand is about a the survivors of a bioengineered flu that wipes out 90% of the world's population. Those who are immune are drawn to either the light or the dark - represented by an old woman from Nebraska and the Walking Dude - and the book chronicles their cross-country journeys and the final showdown between humanity and evil. It's an extraordinary book.
The Talisman follows a young boy on a cross-country journey to save two dying women - his mother, and the Queen of an alternate world called The Territories. Along the way, he flips back and forth between America and the Territories, hunted by his "Uncle" and the man's twinner - some people have twinners in the Territories, some exist solely in one world or the other, and one exists in only one form in all worlds. It's fantastic.
I wanted to recommend IT, but you may not be ready yet for the child killings that occur in that story.
I think overall, you will enjoy most of what you choose to read by King. He's written a few duds, but overall, his body of work is incomparable among contemporary fiction.
His books are mostly horror in the way The Boy Who Glowed is horror - there's usually a lot more going on. The Stand is a brilliant story about a plague and the supernatural, The Talisman is a fantasy quest. Dolores Claiborn is a character study about a woman accused of murder. He's written some good old-fashion crime noir. If you don't want to be scared, stay away from Pet Sematary. Salem's Lot is a story about a vampire invading a small town - it was a big inspiration for The Boy Who Glowed - and it's fascinating. He's an absolutely fantastic storyteller. The Dark Tower saga is an epic quest, over the course of 7 books, with a couple of standalone stories as well - the first entry is a little lightweight, but it becomes a broad, satisfying tale after that.
I'm going to start this beautiful, perfect story tonight (fifth read) and hopefully finish it before I get too deep into my new project to read anyone else.
I first read this adventure while I was on the road, just like Traveling Jack - though his highway adventures were far more harrowing than most of mine.
I discovered Jonathan Coe a couple of years ago. I had watched 'The Rotters Club', a novel of his which was turned into a TV programme, and enjoyed that, but hadn't bothered with anything else.
During the first lockdown we needed something to distract us and downloaded the audio version of 'Middle England' which was excellent and it led me to his other novels, most of which have been very enjoyable.
I have just finished 'The Rain Before it Falls' (great title) and thought it was really good.
Starting Stephen King's Fairy Tale tonight. I've been so looking forward to this book. I need an old school instant King classic. Most of my favorite King books are his fantasy stories - The Talisman, The Dark Tower, Eyes Of The Dragon - so my expectations are high. I hope I'm not disappointed.
Finished this last week. A joy from first page to last. Love the man.
Ashamed to say I didn't recognise the Barras.
Book related, just above the black car on the right.....
@berlintramp I finally read a Barbara Pym, as recommended by you. Quartet in Autumn and I thought it was excellent - nothing really happened, but it was a beautifully drawn story of four people approaching retirement and how their lives interacted. Some very subtle humour, which I liked and a struggle to understand the modern world, as it was in the 1970's.
Thanks for the recommendation, I will read more of her work!
I've heard about that book, haven't read it.
As you say, supposed to be a very tough one to get through.
I read this interview with the author Douglas Stuart recently, interesting read.
https://www.theguardian.com/books/2022/apr/02/douglas-stuart-shuggie-bain-tough-start-living-with-alcoholic
Finally picked up fiction that’s been on the bedside table unread far too long. Tough read, but what a book:
Dunno if there's any Denise Mina fans out there but I've just finished this -
Another great read from the "Tartan Noir" genre.
Anyone who likes a crime thriller and isn't au fait with her work should fire in.
I read 'If it Bleeds', very good indeed. There is a very nasty character, well it's more than one, but it feeds off misery, which obviously put me in mind Jack, but it is nowhere near as attractive or interesting as Jack.
Joy of joys, my iPad is letting me post comments again!
I read the first story in 'If it Bleeds', 'Mr. Harrigan's Phone' which I really enjoyed, the second one, 'Life of Chuck' was weird and I didn't understand it! Moved on to another, non Stephen King, 'Daughters of the Night' by Laura Shepherd Robinson which is terrific.
I might read the next SK short story on the train to London this afternoon.
@SteveInJoburg I'm looking forward to this one, brother. It's been a while since I felt this much anticipation for a forthcoming King book. I have an unexplainable feeling it's going to be one of his best, a throwback to the classic Stephen King. The title, synopsis and author are enough to convince me before reading it that I'm going to love it.
Charlie Reade looks like a regular high school kid, great at baseball and football, a decent student. But he carries a heavy load. His mom was killed in a hit-and-run accident when he was ten, and grief drove his dad to drink. Charlie learned how to take care of himself—and his dad. When Charlie is seventeen, he meets a dog named Radar and her aging master, Howard Bowditch, a recluse in a big house at the top of a big hill, with a locked shed in the backyard. Sometimes strange sounds emerge from it.
Charlie starts doing jobs for Mr. Bowditch and loses his heart to Radar. Then, when Bowditch dies, he leaves Charlie a cassette tape telling a story no one would believe. What Bowditch knows, and has kept secret all his long life, is that inside the shed is a portal to another world.
Release date is September 6th.
@whispered secret have you read any more King?
I needed a book for a train journey today (The Boy Who Glowed being too heavy!) so I bought a book of 4 short stories - Mr Harrigan's Phone, The Life of Chuck, If It Bleeds and Rat. I read Mr Harrigan's Phone on the way home and really enjoyed it, enough for me to try some of the recommendations above.
I have never read any Stephen King - what would you recommend? Nothing that's too 'horror' please!
I'm going to start this beautiful, perfect story tonight (fifth read) and hopefully finish it before I get too deep into my new project to read anyone else.
Such an incredible story.
I first read this adventure while I was on the road, just like Traveling Jack - though his highway adventures were far more harrowing than most of mine.
A little shameless self-promotion. My new novel released yesterday. The e-book is currently free through March 11.
I discovered Jonathan Coe a couple of years ago. I had watched 'The Rotters Club', a novel of his which was turned into a TV programme, and enjoyed that, but hadn't bothered with anything else.
During the first lockdown we needed something to distract us and downloaded the audio version of 'Middle England' which was excellent and it led me to his other novels, most of which have been very enjoyable.
I have just finished 'The Rain Before it Falls' (great title) and thought it was really good.
Tonight, I'll revisit an old favorite for a third reading.