The short story collection I’m reading is Irish writer Rebecca Ivory’s Free Therapy. I’ve read two stories, the best of which was the first about a two adolescent friends, fiercely competitive about their bodies, one of whom emerges happy the other still engaged in the same old psychological habits years later. I’ve all but forgotten the second suggesting the collection might be a bit hit and miss.
The non-fiction book I’m reading is Jeremy Lewis’s biography of Allen Lane, The Man Who Changed the Way We Read, reissued last year in celebration of Penguin’s ninetieth birthday. I’m quite some way into this doorstopper which is a bit heavy on detail even for this nerd but enjoyable, nevertheless.
What about you? What are you reading?
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I enjoyed Colored Television a lot!
I currently have too many books on the go because I’m juggling three 20 Books of Summer reads plus finishing off Germinal and trying to re-read The Left Hand of Darkness for book group.
Jane looks like she’s about to sell her soul for a TV gig! I hope you have something cheery as an antidote to Germinal.
The biography sounds interesting, but a bit of a whopper!
Ironically, it needs a good edit!
I’m intrigued by your last title.
Last #book I finished: More Than Human, by #TheodoreSturgeon
#Amreading: The Inheritors, by #WilliamGolding
#Amlistening to: Ocean: Earth’s Last Wilderness, by #DavidAttenborough
#TBR Reading next: Diary of a Madman and Other Stories, by #LuXun
That’s a very wide ranging set of titles. I’m a bit further into the Senna and still enjoying it.
Currently coming towards the end of McLain’s The Paris Wife about Hemingway’s first wife Hadley. Next to read is Sabit’s Good People, which has got very good reviews. Both books are overdue at the library, so the pressure is on!
I’ve not read the McLain but remember enjoying Naomi Wood’s Mrs Hemingway about all four of them and their relationship to each other. I’ve a copy of Good People quite a long way down the pile, though. Hope you manage to finish them both in time.
I started Colored Television a while back and didn’t get into it, but should give it another go. Outside of my 20 Books of Summer pile, I’m reading Other People’s Children by Ben Faccini and really enjoying it.
That’s good to hear – the Faccini’s on my TBR list.
I think you’d really like it Susan, beautifully written.
Excellent!
Interesting on the Allen Lane one: I read a bio called “Penguin Special” by Lewis back in 2014, so I wonder if this was an update or a re-issue (https://librofulltime.wordpress.com/2014/07/13/book-reviews-111/ ). I didn’t read Colored Television because I was rather flummoxed by her New People after also loving From Caucasia With Love. I’m currently reading a history of queer literature and Anita Heiss’ Am I Black Enough For You (10th anniversary edition) which is about her life as an urban Aboriginal women writer, academic and activist and is my 2nd Book of Summer.
For some reason they reissued Penguin Special under a new name for the anniversary. It does have a more popular appeal, I suppose. I’ve not read New People but have just finished Colored Television and enjoyed it. Both of those sound interesting. I’ll look out for your review.
Free Therapy floated around on my shelves for a while, but I never got going with it, kept putting it down and not picking it up again, so I passed it on.
I will be talking about Christina Stead for a while I think as I have just started the doorstopper bio about her by Hazel Rowley and her novel Letty Fox: Her Luck. Both will keep me going for quite some time and may tempt me to try some of her other books.
Wise decision – I read another story yesterday and am not particularly eager to pick it up again.
I’ve not read any Stead although I remember her green Viragos from bookselling days. Which one would be best to start do you think?
I was recommended to start with either Letty Fox or For Love Alone. Trouble is they are two of her longest stories as well. But I’m 60 pages into Letty Fox and really enjoying it so far.
Maybe one for the winter which I know you’re heading towards now. Thanks
Suspect you’ve saved me from Free Therapy…
Three stories in and I’d say you can safely ignore this one.
Thanks for reminding me about Colored Television; I see they’ve already weeded the copy at my local branch, so I’d best get to the single copy remaining in the system, stat. I’ve already snagged one of Seethaler’s sliim volumes (because you love him so)!
So pleased to hear that you have Seethaler in your sights, Marcie. You’re in for a treat!