Been a while since done a post about book coming into Winston manors well here are a few I ve brought and some library books for IFFP longlist reading .
First of five from the IFFP longlist –
Villain by Shuichi Yoshida – Japanese Noir ,was lot said about this when it came out a different Japanese book than the ones I ve read before .
The secret history of costaguana by Juan Gabriel Vasquez -The Columbian writer has used Conrad’s Nostromo as a start for a book about the character that inspired Conrad’s book .
I curse the river of time by Per Petterson -Avrid Jansen a man in his thirties looks back at his life and his relationship with his mother .
The sickness by Alberto Barrera Tyszka – the Venezuelan writer tackles sickness real and imagined using three characters in two strands .
these came from Library .
Kamchatka by Marcelo Figueras – this is Harry story a ten-year on the run in Argentina following a coup ,full of childhood memories mix with a life on the run .this was sent to me via Frank Wynne the translator of the book .
Another from IFFP long list and a new spanish Novel
The Museum of innocence by Orhan Pamuk -Kemal a business man has a twenty year affair with a shop girl compared to Madame Bovary .
The anatomy of a moment by Javier Cercas – a book about the attempt coup in 1981 where a solider burst into the parliament building .
some new and used books brought –
Exercises in style by Raymond Queneau – the founder of the Oulipo movement ,this is classic Oulipo the same passage told in 99 different styles of writing .
Ordained by the oracle by Asare Konadu – A Ghanaian novel about a man following a ritual of being by his dead wife for forty days and nights .
Only joking by Gabriel Josipovici – a clown is hired by a baron to spy jokes lies and art mix into one .
Against nature by Joris -Karl Huysmans – a classic french book follows the dreams and nightmares of a ailing Aristocrat .
Last is the beautifully package ten stories about smoking by Stuart Evers ,he grew up in same town as me is younger thou ,he smokes I smoke this has been compare to Carver in style .
If you like Villain, try Natsuo Kirino’s out (if you haven’t already) The Vasquez one sounds interesting, as does the Figueras & the Josipovici tale.
It does ,Figueras is very good already read it ,all the best stu
I think your latest acquisitions are winners all! Though I’m most curious about The Anatomy of the Moment by Cercas and the Nostromo-inspired book by Juan Gabriel Vasquez.
the anatomy of the moment looks very good ,he did a interview in the guardian this weekend but it dosen’t appear to be online at moment I look when writing up ,all the best stu
I’ve got To The End of the Land, Visitation and Dark Matter on hold at the library and am hoping they get a few more of the long list titles on the shelf. I am also really interested in the list from Three Percent.
I like three percent just shame there all small publisher so hard to get I will probably get a couple of that list next time in a big bookshop ,all the best stu
I’ll be interested to see what you think of The Museum of Innocence. I really liked it, see http://anzlitlovers.wordpress.com/2010/02/20/the-museum-of-innocence-by-orhan-pamuk/ and I loved Snow!
will compare our reviews when I ve read lisa ,all the best stu
Stu, I second what Rise says about these almost all looking good! I hope to get my mitts on that Javier Cercas book once it comes down in price, and I have another book by Juan Gabriel Vasquez (Los informantes) winging its way to me at the moment. That Huysmans, both the novel and the cover, is a decadent crack-up, so hopefully this will be the year I finally reread it. Loved it as a “sick” lad!
The Huysman cover very in keeping with the book isn’t it ,I ve the conrad on way to read along side vasquez ,all the best stu
Interesting books you have there. Love the packaging of the stories about smoking.
Great fun isn’t it Nana,all the best stu
I love that book from Orhan Pamuk. I have not read him but I hear he is that good.
He is worth try Geosi ,I ve enjoyed the other books by him ,all the best stu
Some interesting choices – I especially like the sound of Only Joking.
Thanks ,yes only joking sounds a great book ,all the best stu