The English lakes Ol 5 North eastern area is my current go to read, as I try to work out my plan of attack on the Wainwrights rather than just going at them at random.
The English lakes Ol 5 North eastern area is my current go to read, as I try to work out my plan of attack on the Wainwrights rather than just going at them at random.
Heh - of course - map reading is definitely reading!! Good luck with your plans
On a similar note, I've been reading my friend's book The West Yorkshire Moors - a hand drawn guide to walking and exploring the county's open access moorland - by Christopher Goddard - which despite the personal connection I have to say is sublime!!
https://christophergoddard.net/produ...rkshire-moors/
I would highly recommend all Chris' work - the Woodland book is excellent too - and while totally unique they are also reminiscent of the classic Wainwright guides!!
Lovely
Last edited by DangerMouse; 15-09-2019 at 11:25 AM.
Travs has just mentioned that he has visited a few more Wainwrights (he's been gradually ticking them off for some years now), and I was thinking of making a witty comment to the effect that some people just go up to the Lake District for a week to do all the Wainwrights; but instead I will make a bizarre analogy.Originally Posted by DangerMouse
It appears that DazTheSlug's approach to books is similar to the Birkinshaw/Tierney approach to the Wainwrights, whereas my approach to books is very much in the Travs style.
In his lifetime he suffered from unreality, as do so many Englishmen.
Jorge Luis Borges
not definitive, but a quick grab from a (very roughly) sorted spreadsheet, has these as top twelve:
Coming Of The King, The Tolstoy, Nikolai
Underworld DeLillo, Don
Nostromo Conrad, Joseph
Leopard, The Tomasi di Lampedusa, Giuseppe
Tree Of Man, The White, Patrick
Beloved Morrison, Toni
Life: A User's Manual ("La Vie Mode d'Emploi") Perec, Georges
Kristin Lavransdatter Trilogy Undset, Sigrid
Horse's Mouth, The Cary, Joyce
Darconville's Cat Theroux, Alexander
Confederacy Of Dunces, A Toole, John Kennedy
Trial, The Kafka, Franz
Scramble the rock face through the glare of morning sun — to run
I'm doubly impressed.
I've gone from trashy sci fi to an autobiography. Frankie Boyle - My shit life so far (published 2009). Very funny if you like very irreverent humour.
Nice one DazTheSlug
Thanks for sharing, I've read just 2 of those, some I haven't even heard of!! All noted
I just picked up a copy of The Running Hare from the local bookshop!!
Excellent - enjoyNice one DazTheSlug
Thanks for sharing, I've read just 2 of those, some I haven't even heard of!! All noted
I just picked up a copy of The Running Hare from the local bookshop!!
I started it last night!I forgot to reply to this before; that's great - Ulysses is wonderful, it's much more accessible than FW and gives you a lot of hints as to what is to come.
My recommendations:
1) avoid trying to understand FW and just let the words flow over you - like a river!
2) Accept that you could read it 1000 times and still not understand it all.
3) Read it out loud. This works especially well in groups, we did this as a lunchtime activity for a year and every single time we would all be crying with laughter by the end of our meeting, if not at the text itself, then at each others attempts to read it.
4) Realise that it is a comedy - it is hilarious!
5) If you like a paragraph or section, read it again and again and again.
Good luck, I hope you enjoy it as much as you did Ulysses
I've read three on Daz's list
I finished The Running Hare today - dare I say it was very enjoyable!?
It made me feel angry and delighted all at the same time, the beautiful and tragic brutality of nature ever evident but this is totally eclipsed by the erm... actually words fail me in describing the sheer scale of the exacting destruction caused by the relentless war against nature that is modern agriculture!
It definitely changed my understanding and perspective, introduced me to a great number of 'new to me' words, which is always good, and made me laugh and cry more than once - also the sign of a great writer!
I also want to plant wheat - regardless of how totally impractical this would be - the desire is there!
I want to read his other books - thanks again for the recommendation
Last edited by DangerMouse; 19-09-2019 at 09:38 PM.
A much better summary of the book than I could have given. I'm really glad you enjoyed it.
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