tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-280582018791422638.post1261851746218858879..comments2024-03-28T17:44:17.403-07:00Comments on The Weaver of Grass: It's come round again.The Weaver of Grasshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13947971556343746883noreply@blogger.comBlogger20125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-280582018791422638.post-53570546056605113562011-10-22T02:34:14.566-07:002011-10-22T02:34:14.566-07:00Each year my bookgroup has a 'Booker Party'...Each year my bookgroup has a 'Booker Party' in December where between us we cover the Booker books. Generally, the books get mixed reviews: last year the person most enthusiastic about their book was the person who read 'Room' (and I can't now remember who won). I had 'Long Song', which I enjoyed very much, but it suffered from not being as special as 'Small Island'. The two I have liked most during the 10 or so years we have been doing this were 'Darkmans' and 'The Accidental': both excellent (though Darkmans was very strange). And I loved 'Midnight's Children' - though acknowledge it is a difficult read.Ben Hardyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05236432903658898557noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-280582018791422638.post-23473963898408093692011-10-21T06:20:18.125-07:002011-10-21T06:20:18.125-07:00Thanks for the comments - we all seem in agreement...Thanks for the comments - we all seem in agreement on the issue.The Weaver of Grasshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13947971556343746883noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-280582018791422638.post-53538659638770513002011-10-20T15:23:17.570-07:002011-10-20T15:23:17.570-07:00I have Wolf Hall in my book pile waiting to be rea...I have Wolf Hall in my book pile waiting to be read. I bought it from a charity shop because I wanted to read it. I wouldn't go out to buy a Booker Prize winner, I have to say. I buy books that appeal to my reading tastes and I think a general rule for me would be that Booker prize winners wouldn't! <br /><br />I think a prize-winning book should one which you can't put down - one which captures your imagination and imprisons it, whatever the topic or however highbrow it is.Bovey Bellehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13117332471600275100noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-280582018791422638.post-73754778264102894512011-10-20T10:10:53.263-07:002011-10-20T10:10:53.263-07:00I have just looked at the list of winners; it is i...I have just looked at the list of winners; it is interesting to see how many seem to have slipped into obscurity. The Siege of Krishnapur (1973) is one of my all time favourites-a good read without the arty pretentiousness of some on the list.The Gorsoonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16344694879257476586noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-280582018791422638.post-20008043088390786792011-10-20T06:34:21.355-07:002011-10-20T06:34:21.355-07:00Christmas is coming
And Guinness is advertising
A...Christmas is coming <br />And Guinness is advertising<br />An Irish Christmas Concert<br />in December <br />in October <br />on a poster <br />outside a theater <br />and we haven't even turned the clocks back.<br /><br />So it is today.Gwil Whttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03305768121713053837noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-280582018791422638.post-20379213798969533722011-10-20T06:04:40.499-07:002011-10-20T06:04:40.499-07:00A little know fact about this award is that the fi...A little know fact about this award is that the finalists get to have their books bound by master craftsmen and women all "Designer Bookbinders" The level of skill is breathtaking. I had the privilege of handling "Pigeon English" bound by Paul Delrue in brown leather with leather onlays and suede deblures, a hand sewn silk headband, gold tooling, and edge painting and beautifully presented in a hand made box.<br /><br />It is a pity that the press don't pick up on these volumes, our bookbinders are an endangered species.Acornmoonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14982884920388966786noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-280582018791422638.post-36314733565372648762011-10-20T04:21:33.375-07:002011-10-20T04:21:33.375-07:00I saw some of the Scottish program and had as the ...I saw some of the Scottish program and had as the same thoughts as yourself. I could almost have thought the village a creation of some novellist!<br /><br />An article in today's i newspaper is suggesting that Barnes is the sourest author ever to have won the prize - but deserves to have won it.Dave Kinghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08430484174826768488noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-280582018791422638.post-36347413294889728732011-10-19T13:27:38.073-07:002011-10-19T13:27:38.073-07:00"Highbrown literature"? Excellent typo....."Highbrown literature"? Excellent typo...<br /><br />I've read a couple of the articles about the latest Booker outrage (there seems to be outrage of some kind every year... possibly because writing really is a bitchy business... everyone knows best!). This year it seems to be quality vs readability and I'd like to know why it always has to be something vs something else... how about something PLUS something else?<br /><br />xRachel Foxhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11803852725693518924noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-280582018791422638.post-19886308530356949962011-10-19T13:15:46.484-07:002011-10-19T13:15:46.484-07:00Never min the BP, stick with the PB!Never min the BP, stick with the PB!The Poetry Bushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03686111941479595382noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-280582018791422638.post-44807861820791007882011-10-19T11:59:15.777-07:002011-10-19T11:59:15.777-07:00I don't see why a good story can't be told...I don't see why a good story can't be told simply - so it's not hard work to read. <br />I think the Booker at least gets publicity for 'literature'. That's no bad thing.MorningAJhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04719744167307369768noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-280582018791422638.post-67656981915103083592011-10-19T10:23:56.898-07:002011-10-19T10:23:56.898-07:00I like a book that is a good read, a good story. ...I like a book that is a good read, a good story. I have in the not too distant past read many books that reached the Booker short list and I have almost always been disappointed, thought how rubbish they were, and been unable or not wanted to finish them. I carried on buying thinking that the next one would be brilliant. But I never found one that was. I now avoid any book that says "shortlisted for the Man Booker prize". <br />There is a new prize coming up called the "Literature Prize" for a good book. I wonder what that means.Rachel Phillipshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16053924416805878169noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-280582018791422638.post-27946036383628911522011-10-19T10:13:17.777-07:002011-10-19T10:13:17.777-07:00It is with art always the case that we nwver know ...It is with art always the case that we nwver know wether a work of art is going to be a classic or not. Many great painters were considered to be bad artists in their lifetime but are now acknowledged to be the best of the world.Reader Wilhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06384603525251159272noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-280582018791422638.post-76385897609965020012011-10-19T09:27:42.126-07:002011-10-19T09:27:42.126-07:00How I agree with your first sentence Pat. As for ...How I agree with your first sentence Pat. As for books - well, they are meant to be read of course, so at the very least they should be a good read whether highbrow or not. Having said that, one woman's good read is another's boring tome.Heatherhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06826501916623305535noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-280582018791422638.post-33954126081743939182011-10-19T07:07:07.295-07:002011-10-19T07:07:07.295-07:00why dont they do the
TOM STEPHENSON AWARD for best...why dont they do the<br />TOM STEPHENSON AWARD for best blog!?<br /><br />we would all be up for a chance then<br />xJohn Going Gentlyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14958171262765033946noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-280582018791422638.post-51666084329796754032011-10-19T06:59:46.832-07:002011-10-19T06:59:46.832-07:00While I don't always read the Booker winner - ...While I don't always read the Booker winner - more likely to read the Chalmers or the Commonwealth winners - I believe that all prizes have the purpose of bringing attention to writing, and that's a very good thing.Pondsidehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02407539138546412482noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-280582018791422638.post-84858977972059073182011-10-19T06:53:17.330-07:002011-10-19T06:53:17.330-07:00I have been disappointed with most of the Booker s...I have been disappointed with most of the Booker shortlisted books I've ever read. I find that often they are neither 'a great read' nor 'great literature' but fall somewhere between in an unsatifying middle ground. Having said that I've very much enjoyed some of Julian Barnes' books (though not liked others of his!)Crafty Green Poethttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02486633917197181851noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-280582018791422638.post-28506355812165851032011-10-19T06:40:06.053-07:002011-10-19T06:40:06.053-07:00I usually like Julian Barnes books --particularly ...I usually like Julian Barnes books --particularly liked Metroland about his/his protagonisht's youth.<br />I like it that the Booker Prize is taken seriously enough to engage the public's interest.<br />Just failed to complete The Satanic Verses by Rushdie --the author terribly clever and antic but much too mannered and pleased with his own cleverness, I think.<br />I often enjoy the women writers who get the ORANGE Prize --is that around still?<br /><br />I have just finished reading Ford Madox Ford's THE GOOD SOLDIER. I can't imagine how I had overlooked it since I read quite a lot. It was by far the best book I've read in ages and ages. Lots of stars etc.<br />Very engaging and beautifully written too.<br />I'm afraid in my old age I tend to put aside books that do not hold my attention.<br />Happy reading.Elizabethhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03964291132366262298noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-280582018791422638.post-42591701992683956832011-10-19T05:56:15.925-07:002011-10-19T05:56:15.925-07:00Personally, I like a well written book which has a...Personally, I like a well written book which has a clever story. I don't like anything so obscure that it bores me. I read to be absorbed, not to struggle with what on earth the author might be getting at! I do, however, like stories with a bit of insight and intelligence.Hhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13357761230206692089noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-280582018791422638.post-47236180945825910652011-10-19T05:35:03.420-07:002011-10-19T05:35:03.420-07:00The reviews of Moby Dick and Wuthering Heights are...The reviews of Moby Dick and Wuthering Heights are an interesting note to their continued success, although I might agree with the Moby Dick review! But Wuthering Heights remains one of my all-time favorite reads.Granny Suehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01129064020727041161noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-280582018791422638.post-25091141892402098752011-10-19T03:29:17.248-07:002011-10-19T03:29:17.248-07:00Interesting thoughts, I dont always read the Booke...Interesting thoughts, I dont always read the Booker winners but often enjoy the runners up.I am afraid these days I like a book which is well written but entertaining as well.Pennyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14177627504060328999noreply@blogger.com