Sitting in the cafe twenty minutes ago eating toast reading Michael Toliver Lives (Armistead Maupin's latest in the Tales of the City series) and Fake Tales of San Francisco by the Arctic Monkeys came on the stereo. South Yorkshire and California in perfect harmony.
For anyone interested in the Mint Custard Book Club (membership of one) I finished Oscar and Lucinda last night but am far too traumatised to write about it...
4 comments:
I was angry when I finished Oscar and Lucinda (this was about twenty years ago). I thought Carey was being unnecessarily brutal in his treatment of his characters. Why did Oscar have to suffer so? I saw no reason for it.
This sort of reaction is why I don't read fiction any more. Though I do recommend Housekeeping by Marilynne Robinson.
(I am slightly embarrassed at commenting at you so often, but you keep bringing things up on which I have a strong opinion)
I think I was more shocked than angry, but I agree that Carey was brutal to to them - which was annoying because I'd developed a lot of affection for them over 500 pages! I keep thinking that maybe it's meant to make us reflect on how horrifically indigenous people were treated by the colonists in the book - no happy endings for anyone... which is true enough. But I don't like the idea that this is about some vengeful God striking back for their supposed sins...
And please don't apologise for commenting... I thank you again - it makes it all worthwhile to know that anyone is reading... even if it's only you and I!
It did occur to me that Carey was using Oscar as some kind of Christ figure - which doesn't work for me either as I'm not sure I believe the crucifixion actually happened, and anyway, do we have to keep re-enacting it?
On the subject of comedy, I have to just say have you seen The Thick Of It or In The Loop (the TV show is better than the movie I think, as the velocity of the swearing is exhausting after half an hour), and I am currently slightly obsessed with Peter Capaldi. I'm hoping it will end soon.
My word verification is snedant! Brilliant.
Ah Malcolm Fucking Tucker. Yes, I have had the pleasure although went about it arse up and watched series three in its entirety before anything else. I love Rebecca Front. Absolutely one of the best shows I've seen in years... also promise to check out Housekeeping the book after next. Cheers for the recommend
(my word was the similarly delightful "ulfingu" - which sounds like a norse god...
Post a Comment