Stone Junction - Jim Dodge

Another mainly blokey book for when you are trying to find your way in life. This time with positivity. This is American counter-culture, and reminds me of Tom Robbins and other Seattle literary hippies. However, Dodge has managed to pull off a contemporary picaresque novel about self-belief, opportunity and philosophy that should see any backpacker through a fumble with the locals and an overnight bus journey to nowhere.... Good if you’re in the mood – shame about the terrible dust jacket.

Kitty

he sailor who fell from grace with the sea – Yukio Mishima

A classic concise tale from Mishima about becoming a ‘real’ man. Actions speak louder than words, and Mishima’s thirteen year old anti-hero despises his step-father’s submission to his mother. A haiku of torment, and Mishima is showing signs of the psychosis that drove him to commit seppuku in 1970. Do you feel his anger and disappointment – then book yourself some psychoanalysis smartish.....

Kitty

Theft – Peter Carey

I’m not sure I really get Peter Carey. He’s brilliant but it’s all a bit too removed for me. It reminded me of Mice and Men. The two brothers locked together in enmity and love.

Events and reactions from Hugh the big guy with learning difficulties and his brother Butcher the fucked up Artist. True love will out and it does against a backdrop of contemporary art, Tokyo and New York.

Kitty

Shooting History – Jon Snow

It’s fact not fiction – it’s the last 30 years of your life. Jon Snow dissects the themes that underpin political events across the world – the Berlin wall, Nelson Mandela, Central and South America, Afghanistan, Idi Amin etc.

The great thing about hindsight is that random events become obvious moves in the now defunct Cold War. Move over Communism there’s a new player at the table and they’ve studied the form.

If you’re lazy and politically challenged – this will give you everything you need for that 5 pints of lager conversation with your work colleagues on a Friday night.

Kitty

On Beauty – Zadie Smith

This story is set in the world of American academia and focuses on two families linked together by being both a bit Black and a bit British, and in opposition by politics. Howard Belsey (liberal nihilist) hates Monty Kipps (Neo-Con 'man of faith') despite the fact that they both study Rembrandt and screw their students.

A relationship between a son and daughter bring the families together, and the wives develop an unusual friendship in an idyllic American suburbia. Issues of race and class are pursued through the causes and friendships of the adult children.

So you’re not mixed race, in America, or academic – still we can all empathise with a teenage or mid-life crisis when it hits....

Kitty

Balzac and the Litle Chinese Seamstress: Dai Sijie

Set in Cultural revolution China. 2 adolescent boys from bourgeois families are sent to the countryside to be re-educated. An engaging coming-of-age story alongside the story of the finding of literary culture in the harshest of places set against the backdrop of a fascinating period of history.

Becky

Black Dogs - Ian McEwan

Not one of his best, but then again not many are. Mysticism versus rationality. A very easy read and quite short, the main lesson being if you are attacked by 2 ferocious black dogs you better start praying, either that or throw your sandwich at them.

All He Ever Wanted - Anita Shreve

Set in New England in the early 20th Century this novel recounts the life of Nicholas Van Tassel. Unrequited love, obsession and the slippery slope. You are supposed to sympathise with the protagonist and thus with his acts, obsession being the justification. Personally i just felt he was a twat that turned into an evil twat. An interesting read though.

Three books for the price of one

Boy A - by Jonathan Trigell
The Authors first novel, disturbing subject matter handled with compassion and humour. Well worth reading.

All Quiet on the western front - by Erich Maria Remarque
A Classic, written in 1929 by WW1 veteran from the German perspective. Very readable and very moving.

Life and Limb - by Jamie Andrew
This is the true story about a climbing disaster and how the climber rebuilt his life. Touching the Void meets Lance Armstrongs It's not about the bike.

Zoe

Aunt Julia and the Scriptwriter: Mario Vargos Llosa (1977)

Set in Lima. Semi-autobiographical story of an 18 year old journalists relationship with his 30 year old aunt and their involvement with an eccentric Bolivian scriptwriter of Peruvian radio soap operas. (exactly what it says in the title!) You get involved not just in their story but various soap plots as well. Cleverly written and amusing.
Much more entertaining than the other two books of his I read: The Real Life of Alejandro Mayta (bit dull and political); The Green House ( couldn't understand who was who, where they were what they were doing or why- some things lost in translation I fear!)

Becky

The Sea - John Banville

Not read a book all year except John Banville's 'The Sea' which is selfconsciously verbose although generally well written and not a bad story..

C. Rostrup

Sorry Carl couldn't resist putting this on the blog!

Sherlock Holmes: The Biography by Nick Rennison

Written as if Holmes actually lived in the 19th/early 20th Century and was one of the most important men to the British Empire. By combining actual historical events (Jack the Ripper, Sudanese wars, Irish uprising etc) with Arthur Conan-Doyle's stories, Rennison creates a truly believable biography of arguably the world's greatest fictional character - as well as its finest consulting detective.

D. McCall

Bruce Chatwin - Biography

Bruce Chatwin, born 1940. Public school, meteoric rise through Sotherby's (turn out to be a bunch of criminals), Sunday Times journalist and then novellist. Spent most of his life running away from his sexuality. Died of Aids, one of the first "celebrities" to do so in the press. A seriously troubled, and well travelled man.

Bizarrely you learn more about the places he went from this biography than you do from his books, but then he always said they should not be in the travel section.

A fascinating read.

J

On The Black Hill, Songlines and In Patagonia are fantastic. I haven't read his others but will do so shortly.

Read anything interesting lately?

Whilst celebrating a fine young lady's birthday the conversation veered towards books. What are you reading? Which authors do you like? etc etc... I'm always on the lookout for new authors and since the departure of my aunt Hilary get surprisingly few recommendations. Hopefully this will change all that.

Anyone wanting to recommend a book please add a comment on this post and i'll create a new page. If you want to comment on a recommendation do it on the relevant post - it's not rocket science!

Founding members: Beck, Kitty, Leon and Jimmy.