Monthly Archives: March 2010
All that is important is known
Conventions of War, by Walter Jon Williams Conventions of War is a 677 page science fiction novel, third of a trilogy totalling 2,000 odd pages in total. At about half that length it would be a lot of fun, as … Continue reading
Filed under Military Fiction, Science Fiction, Williams, Walter Jon
Art, Glory, Freedom fail, but Nature still is fair.
Childe Harold’s Pilgrimage, Cantos I and II, by Lord Byron Childe Harold’s Pilgrimage is travel writing in the form of epic poem, a guide for the aristocratic tourist to carry with him across Southern Europe, with diversions into contemporary politics, … Continue reading
Lord Byron’s dating tips for boys
So, I’m currently reading Byron’s Childe Harold’s Pilgrimage. It’s a blend of epic poem, travel guide and Napoleonic-period political commentary, with plenty of asides thrown in. It’s a surprisingly fun read. When I write it up (probably in two parts, … Continue reading
Filed under 19th Century Literature, Byron, Lord, Literary Dating Tips, Poetry
Didn’t you say that sex was a ferocious thing?
Quartet, by Jean Rhys Quartet is a short novel that’s long on cruelty, self-pity and despair. It’s well written, remarkably so for a first novel, but it’s ugly too. Largely autobiographical, written in response to a broken relationship with Ford … Continue reading
Filed under Modernist Fiction, Paris, Penguin Modern Classics, Personal canon, Rhys, Jean
Assimilation as revolution
Incognegro, by Mat Johnson and Warren Pleece Incognegro is a graphic novel written by Mat Johnson, inspired by the birth of his twin sons, one of whom looks white and the other black. In Johnson’s own words, taken from an … Continue reading
Normal service will be resumed
Just a quick update to say that I’m closing a transaction at work at the moment, which has meant not a lot of reading (or time online generally) this past fortnight. All going well, normal service and posting should resume … Continue reading
Filed under Administrative posts
