Category: Books

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

Kindle Short Reads-a great opportunity for would be writers?

I only discovered yesterday, when doing a bit of research about how short an Amazon Kindle book could be, that there is a whole, growing section of Amazon dedicated to ‘short reads’. These books can range from 1 to 10 pages up to 100 plus pages. When you think about it and the narrowing and… Continue reading Kindle Short Reads-a great opportunity for would be writers?

Struggling with ‘The Magic Mountain’, looking forward to a page turning story

I am struggling towards the end of ‘The Magic Mountain’ by Thomas Mann. I am a huge fan of Mann’s writing, his use of words, his powerfully evocative descriptions, his intellect and treatment of various arguments and schools of philosophy in this book. But I am worn down now with only a few hours left.… Continue reading Struggling with ‘The Magic Mountain’, looking forward to a page turning story

Verbal chicanery

I’m reading Thomas Mann’s ‘The Magic Mountain’ at the moment, having just read his Nobel Prize winning novel ‘Buddenrooks’. Mann’s writing is sparkling, and it is my intention to read everything he wrote, so taken am I with his use of words and language. I encountered a phrase yesterday-verbal chicanery-which caused me to smile. It… Continue reading Verbal chicanery

Thomas Mann and “The Magic Mountain”

I am reading “Anna Karenina” and listening to “The Magic Mountain” by Thomas Mann at the moment. I never read anything of Thomas Mann’s prior to recently reading “Buddenbrooks”. Now I am so taken with the quality of Mann’s writing that I intend reading everything he has written. Mann was a German writer, and some… Continue reading Thomas Mann and “The Magic Mountain”

The stunning beauty in the writing of Thomas Mann

I am taken aback at how beautiful the writing of Thomas Mann is in his Nobel Prize winning novel, ‘Buddenbrooks’. It is precise, descriptive, unique, and accurately captures the scenes and characters so well that the story is utterly credible and believable. Mann was only 25 when he wrote the book, and it is hard… Continue reading The stunning beauty in the writing of Thomas Mann

Thomas Mann’s Buddenbrooks

I am reading my first book by a German author at the moment: ‘Buddenbrooks’ by Thomas Mann. It is superbly written with beautiful, credible descriptions of characters which allows you to see them as real people, not inhabitants of a novel. ‘Buddenbrooks’ won the Nobel Prize for literature for Mann. ‘Buddenbrooks’ is described as the… Continue reading Thomas Mann’s Buddenbrooks