Friday, August 04, 2006

Reading Material

I've barely read any books recently.

A few months ago decided I was going to stop buying books and only use the library; a) to save money, b) I'm running out of bookshelf space.

But then there was nothing in the local library I wanted to read and the larger library was absolute chaos.

I then thought I was onto a good thing with the Waterstone 99p paperbacks. Percival Everett's 'Erasure' saw me through my holiday in Madeira.

But then the next one I selected was poor. I can't remember the title or the author but it was a square-shaped book with a blue cover and the plot involved the IRA. I did finish it, but it was a struggle and knocked me off my reading stride.

Then I saw that Tariq Godard had another book out. I really liked his first two 'Homage to a Firing Squad' (set in the Spanish Civil War) and Dynamo (about football under Stalin). But this one 'The Morning Rides Behind Us' hasn't been anywhere near as good. Perhaps, it because its set a bit closer to home - the New Forest after the Second World War. But I've completely stalled with it and even resorted to buying a magazine for my train journey up north.

For the journey back down, I bought an Ian Rankin book, which I read in what felt like minutes. Not exactly challenging stuff, but sometimes I want an easy read (I don't do chicklit though).

Next to the Rankins was a book by Mark Radcliffe 'Northern Sky'. This what I'm currently reading.

Its mildly amusing, but I can't help but think I could have written it myself - although my version would need to be about an indie band, rather than folk music, about which I know next to nothing. My version would undoubtedly struggle to sell though because, apart from not being very good (full of cliches and stereotypes), I'm not a radio DJ.

Its alot easier to have a successful novel, if you are already (even slightly) famous.

'Oh look, a book by that man on the radio. I like him. I'll buy his book'
Well, that exactly what I did, so it worked. Damn.

Anyway, only another 224 pages left to go.

1 comment:

Suz said...

I'm the same. I'm bored out my mind half the time, but still can't seem to settle into a book. It's a horrible amount of time since I started and finished one. Really want the new Louise Welsh, but have no money.