Category: Books

What I am reading at the moment

I am just finishing “The Gulag Archipelago”, by Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn, have just finished “The Magician” by Colm Toibín, and have just started “Small things like these” by Claire Keegan. I have read great reviews about Claire Keegan’s book but have just read the first couple of chapters. I would be very hopeful about it, especially… Continue reading What I am reading at the moment

Is it Graham Greene’s use of similes that creates the cinematic quality in his books?

I’m listening again to the first Graham Greene novel I read or listened to, Brighton Rock. There is something about Greene’s writing that I find incredibly attractive. Throw in his little morsels of philosophy and religion, which are ever present in all of this books, and they have a depth beyond the usual spy or… Continue reading Is it Graham Greene’s use of similes that creates the cinematic quality in his books?

Reading “Dubliners” and “Ulysses” like comparing reading English with Greek or Latin

I’m reading “Dubliners” by James Joyce at the moment, and I am listening to “Ulysses”. The difference in style, language, accessibility between the two books is hard to describe. It is like comparing reading Latin or Greek with English. “Dubliners” is a collection of short stories and gives a beautiful glimpse into Dublin and Dubliners… Continue reading Reading “Dubliners” and “Ulysses” like comparing reading English with Greek or Latin

Redoing my audiobook “Buying a House in Ireland: A Step by Step Guide by a Builder/Solicitor”

I have spent the last few days rerecording my book, “Buying a House in Ireland: A Step by Step Guide by a Builder/Solicitor”. This book sells well on Audible on audiobook format but I have had an English narrator to date and I believe it would be better if I was reading it myself. There… Continue reading Redoing my audiobook “Buying a House in Ireland: A Step by Step Guide by a Builder/Solicitor”

My holiday project-rerecording my property audiobook for Audible

My holiday project, or one of them for Christmas break in December 2022, is to re-record my property book, “Buying a House in Ireland-a Step by Step Guide by a Builder/Solicitor”. This book sells well, in all formats including paperback, Kindle, and audiobook. But I have one bugbear with the audiobook: I commissioned a guy… Continue reading My holiday project-rerecording my property audiobook for Audible

What I’m reading at the moment

At any given time, I am reading two books: one audiobook and one which I read on my Kindle. I am trying, for the second time, a book which is regarded as a true classic: “One Hundred Years of Solitude”, by Colombian author, Gabriel Garcia Marquez. As I say, this is my second time around… Continue reading What I’m reading at the moment

I departed from my usual type of book reading-big mistake

My usual diet of book reading over the last five years or more has consisted of books that are described as “classics”. Many of these books are set in the nineteenth century and include Dickens, Thomas Hardy, Dostoevsky, Tolstoy, Thomas Mann. More modern books included those by Graham Greene, The Great Gatsby, Catcher in the… Continue reading I departed from my usual type of book reading-big mistake

“Travels with my aunt”, by Graham Greene

I am listening to “Travels with my aunt” by Graham Greene at the moment and I would recommend it highly. It is beautifully written in the unique Graham Greene style and is tremendously entertaining, and uproariously funny in places. The narration by Tim Pigott-Smith adds greatly to the enjoyment as he is superb at the… Continue reading “Travels with my aunt”, by Graham Greene