Winstons dad’s been to library
03 May 2012 10 Comments
in A LIFE IN BOOKS, winstons books Tags: 2012, library
Its been while since I ve done a library loot post ,I ve been getting book from library but lot time I’ve left them unread and returned I manage to read all IFFP title but return a number of other books unread .So I choose some new books to get out and hopefully get to all these this time .
top row
Omon Ra by Victor Pelevin – A classic of post modern fiction satire the russian space programme ,sounds like a great mix to me .
Guilty by Anna Kavan – I think after reading Max’s post on Ice by Kavan I fancied trying here books so there was ice and this one on the library shelves so I choose this one a Kafkaesque style as mark struggles with life after his father returns from the war
Let the wind speak by Juan Carlos Onetti The Uruguayan writer is someone I ve read once before so a return is due and this was his first novel written in Exile a looking back at his coming of age in Santa Maria
A few quick ones by P G Wodehouse – I m always mention Wodehouse as a writer I love as he makes me smile a bygone world of high jinx and care free lives ,then other day noticed I not reviewed a book by him on the blog so this collection of ten short stories which I ve not read shall be a great place to start .
Difficult loves by Italo Calvino Another short story collection must be robs influence on me .I want to try to read all Calvino’s books so this is another one ticked of the list a collection from early on in his writing life stem from mid forties to early fifties .
Another part of the wood by Beryl Bainbridge Gaseklla is hosting a Bainbridge reading week after the success of the Spark week so I choose this one from 60′s a couple of families at war on holiday in Wales .Appealed as my first read by her .
Oroonoko by Aphra Behn A classic from 1600′s she was one of the first female writers this is about her visit to Surinam told from the point of view of a slave at the time he was a noble in his homeland and this helps him win respect of his english captors .
The Child by Jules Valles a french classic rather like great expectations but also with a dark realism ,be truthful I like the cover so picked it for that it made me smile .
A hunger artist by Franz Kafka I read all his novels and a collection of short stories in my twenties so saw this and not heard of the title before it is a collection of short stories bring together two of Kafka’s collection and some other stories ,yet more short stories .
The piano cemetery by Jose Luis Peixoto I read blank Gaze by Peixoto this is his latest book that came out last year Lazaro family make piano’s but one member of the family is also a marathon runner this is his story ,suitably quirky like blank gaze was .
Have you read any of these books ?
Winstons books ome London treasures
11 Feb 2012 14 Comments
in Uncategorized, winstons books Tags: 2012, NEW BOOKS, NEW VOICES, TRANSLATIONS
Well last week I went for a day trip to a book launch that I ll tell you about next week ,but as ever a trip to London means a chance to meet my good friend again Simon from inside books and a trip to a larger better stock book shop .Again it as the London review bookshop we visited so we had a nice coffee and chatted for an hour then Simon had to return to work and I browsed but I d already checked a number of books I had on the wish list for a while I end up buying three two I ve pictured and Niki the story of a dog by TIbor Dery a NYRB classic .
The two books are mind at peace by Ahmet Handi Tanpinar called the Turkish Ulysses written in thirties translated last year Orhan Pamuk calls it the greatest novel on Istanbul praise indeed .The other a thousand deaths plus one by Sergio Ramirez a Nicaraguan writer a story of a photograph told in two parts from a man considered one best Latin American writersand this got a A review on complete review which is good enough for me .after my L.R.B visit, a quick twitter chat with Henry of Bloomsbury books I got to spend half hour talking books and putting a name too a twitter face also I got two proofs and told about Henry’s new venture with Bloomsbury called Bloomsbury circus a return to the daring fiction they started with .These are in nice large trade paperbacks with lovely flaps on .There out soon the two proofs are
Dan Vyleta a German based in Canada Writer set in Vienna he has been compared to Graham Green and this seems like a dark novel set at the start of the war .The other book is ignorance Michele Roberts two women in wartime in a small French village secrets and life during wartime it’s been compared to Faulks and Nemirovsky due out in may .I ve also had a number of books in the post in last two weeks firstly
Thanks to miles of milo’s rambles who I meet and had kindly passed my name on to the new pr for Europa editions that are now setting up in uk as well as USA the three books are The hottest dishes in Tatar cuisine by Alina Bronsky Rosa tries old folk-lore remedies on her stupid to stop the pregnancy of her daughter but then when Aminat is born she loves her granddaughter and tries to wrestle her from her daughter then years later they have chance to escape from Russia .This is one I wanted to read when I heard about it last year .Rondo by Kazimierz Brandys a polish classic set during occupation of Warsaw and Tom an ordinary man drawn into the resistance .The third is I hadn’t understood Diego De Silva A comic novel set Naples about a hapless lawyer Malinconico.
The panda theory by Pascal Garnier from Gallic books a noir novel set in a small French village Gabriel a stranger in a Breton village and comes embroiled in the locals lives ,dark and humorous by the late French writer .
Seven house in France by Bernardo Atxaga the basque writer I ve read two of his earlier books this seems slight change as its set 1903 in Congo at a garrison another dark and comic tale with what sounds like Atxaga’s usual cast of surreal characters .I know jackie from farmlane books wasn’t very keen on this so I want to see what she may have not liked and i feel the same .
And last but not least is the seventh book from Peirene Press and the first from the year of the small epic a finnish novel call the brothers by Asko Sahlberg the story of two brothwer on opposing sides during the Finnish Russian war .I used my new camera app on the ipad .
Winstons books
08 Jan 2012 19 Comments
in winstons books Tags: 2012, FUTURE READS, NEW BOOKS
I didn’t get many books for christmas ,well that is a lie really I ‘d in a way I got an I Pad from the lovely Amanda ,which via i books ,kobo and kindle has a infinite number of books and will replace my broken E-reader .Any way to make up for the lack of paper books I had five arrive in the last week they were -
The silver bridge by Paul Michael Francis ,a love story Karmia a pop star and Claire ,he has secrets and we follow his journey from Hollywood to Greece ,I m an old romantic at heart so look forward to this .
The Detour BY Gerbrand Bakker – many thanks to Elie how sent this just because I said I love the twin by him ,this story is also set in a rural area ,this time it is wales not Holland .A women on the run after a scandal her husband in pursuit and geese our disappearing add up to an odd story I would imagine .
Where Tigers are at home by Jean Marie Blas de Robles – a triple prize winning french novel that took ten-years for Jean-Marie to write and nearly as long to publish as he didn’t want it chop as it is 700 pages long .set in Brazil this novel ahs multiple layers set in modern brazil and 16th century europe .I was kindly sent this by Daedalus books .
Adventures in the rocky mountains by Isabella Bird & Black Hawk -life of black hawk or ma-ka-tai-me-she-kia-kiak -two classic bits of american lit one native american and the other a brave women .These were sent kindly by one of my favourite blogger Richard from Caravana de recuerdos
All photos via my instagram accout .What books did you get for Christmas ?
Winstons books
16 Aug 2011 16 Comments
in winstons books, winstons post Tags: 2011, Machlehose press, NEW BOOKS, Peirene books
Been a while since I posted some books that have arrived at Winston towers ,well last week I had five books arrive ,although to be truthful two had been at post office for a number of days but postman hadn’t let me know luckily Simon from the post office three door down from me manage to grab me and tell me they’d been left there .so here are the books -
The books are -
The milk man in the night by Andrey Kurkov – this is the latest offering from th Ukrainian writer ,a satire a man keeps disappearing every night so hires some one to follow him and report back ,with shocking results .I loved death and the penguin by him and have read 50 pages so far and loving it .
The manual of darkness by Enrique De HÉriz - this is one of Frank Wynne’s latest translations .We follow Victor Losa a magician he is in the middle of an act when he loses his vision ,this sends him on a journey into the past and discovering more about Peter Grouse a famous pickpocket who challenge the famous Victorian magicians to see who was best among them .I m looking forward to this another great Spanish writer by the look of it .
River of shadows by Valerio Varesi – I was sent the paperback by Machlehose books ,but had reviewed the hardback last year here is my review ,if you ,like you crime tinged with the past this is the book for you .
Killed at the whim of a hat by Colin Cotterill – we follow Jimm Jureee a crime reporter as he tries to find who killed two skeletons that have been discovered they ve been dead for thirty years and one of them is wearing a hat .I must admit I may have put this to one side as it isn’t a translation but I like the cover and the story sounds great as well .
ANd last but no means least
Maybe this time by Alois Hotschnig – now the arrival of a new Peirene is alway a treat and here it is number six from the nymph and her girls ,a collection of short stories this time from one of the most well-known writers in Austria ,stories include a man lured into a house where he finds a doll that looks like him .His works have been compared to the late great Thomas Bernhard which is praise indeed .
Which of these books would you enjoy ?
winstons coffee some library
10 Jul 2011 21 Comments
in winstons books, winstons coffee and muffin Tags: 2011, NEW BOOKS
well its been a while since I ve done a sunday post or a post on books I ve got but as I ve done a hug library haul on friday rather than one or two which I have been doing and also visited the local book sale and found three gems that I want to show off .
Library books
From the top left -
Marie chapdelaine by Louis hemon – a french Canadian novel from 1913 ,about Maria who choose a rural french Canadian life exploring the early french settlers .
The match – Romesh Gunsekera -
I saw chasing bawa mention this a bildungsroman about a young Sri lankian boy growing up ,I read reef and monkfish moon years ago and her post reminded me of him so I grabbed this when I saw it on the shelves .Oh and I m also a cricket fan .
Four novels by R K Narayan
this is an everyman collection of his first four novels they are swami and his friends ,the bachelor of arts and the english teacher that where a trilogy when published and the dark room as with most of his works they are set in the made up southern Indian town of Malgudi ,Mel from reading lives is reading his books at moment ,and I loved painter of signs I want to return to his world
Next row -
This is the trilogy of your face tomorrow by Javier Marias -I m late getting these as Richard of Caravana de recuredos is doing a readalong I hope to catch up and join in from vol 2 .The book ,part spy novel /part romance set during the forties .It has been on my wish list to read for ages .
bottom row
No-one loves a policeman by Guillermo Orsi
I read Matt’s review over at reader dad and after being sent Ashes by Sergios Gakas also from Machlehose it seem a great companion to it both set to a backfall of economic mayhem .this one in 2001 in Argentina .
Cedilla by Adam Mars Jones – this has been mention as a booker contender it looks long follows John Cromer the anti-hero of his last novel through his late teens and early twenties in the 60′s and 70′s .I like the fact that he has a disability which is something you don’t see a lot in fiction .
book sale books
Some one in our local area is a folio member and brings them to book sale so my two buys are the beige book is Aubrey’s brief lives a collection of small biographies published in the 17th century ,the blue patterned book is Robert Byron’s the road to Oxiana -this is considered a classic of english travel writing cited as influence by Bruce Chatwin ,it follows Byron through Iran and Afghanistan at turn of 20th century .
The paperback is Geographies of Home by Loida Maritza Perez – set in Brooklyn it follows a young black latino women as she confronts what has happened to her sisters ,I choose this as the writer is from the Dominica republic and I ve not read a book from there nor a latino fiction book .
So there are my books ,I m settling down this evening with Night watch by Sarah water ready for the new BBC series on Tuesday ,I ll have a post ready for then hopefully .Winston is sleeping on his step this evening .
What are you reading ?
What have you brought or borrowed ?
Winston’s books -IFFP LONGLIST READING
03 Apr 2011 16 Comments
in winstons books Tags: 2011, NEW BOOKS
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 .
Winston’s books and a visit for #savelibraries
08 Feb 2011 6 Comments
in winstons books Tags: 2011, BOOK BUYS, library, penguin
Been a while since I posted books I ve got so done last few I ve got in last week or two .I manage to clear some library books as I always have my quota maxed out but had chance to get 8 books this time for a change .
Monseiur Pain By Roberto Bolano -
This is part of the ongoing translations of Roberto’s early novels a short novella ,A mystery book about a Peruvian poet ,this is the time Bolano changed from a poet to a prose writer .another for the Bolano challenge
While the women are asleep by Javier Marias -
Last year i got the first part of his your face tomorrow trilogy and never got to it so took it back to library ,this seems a better intro his first collection of short stories in a number of year ,characters on the edge of society.
Antipodes – Igacio Padila
Mexican writer ,the cover appealed and knew he was part of the crack movement that want to move latin american literature from the boom style .
The tree and other stories by Abdallah Al Nasser
Don’t know a lot about this writer but like short stories from Arabic ,,so thought I d give it a whirl ,he is from Saudi Arabia he currently live in london .
The character of rain by Amelie Nothomb
This short novella is told from the point of view of a two and half-year old and I thought be great to compare to the room that I want to read at some point this year .
Hidden camer by Zoran Zivkovic
This Serbian novel sounds wonderful a man is invited to a film show gets there and find he is the only one and the film is him on his lunch hour ,dark sounding this will do for my eastern European challenge .
Jia by Hyeiln Kim
A novel about North Korea ,It says it all based on true life accounts of growing up under an oppressive regime ,I have another book I want about north Korea this caught my eyes as I scanned the shelves .
Lizka and her men by Alexander Ikonnikov
A new russian writer this follows a young women growing up under russia’s new freedoms ,spend time with a number of different men ,I like the cover of this and another for the Eastern European challenge.
The particular sadness of lemon cake by Amiee Bender
This is Bender’s new novel follows a young girl that finds she can sense people’s emotions via the food she eats this follows her to adulthood as she finds out how to cope with this unusual gift ,this was sent after a request from Harvey at windmill books .
Corrections by Thomas Benrhard
I ve been looking for a Bernhard for a while and happened on this at the local Oxfam ,the book is about a character similar to Wittgenstein driven mad by pure thought .
The Murder in the vicarage by Agatha Christie
This is a bargain from the shop the works ,a copy of the original crime club books ,this is the first Miss Marple book ,my Gran loved Christie so snapped this up .
Peter Camenzind By Herman Hesse
This is one of Hesse’s earlier novels I loved the Glass bead game and Steppenwolf ,so this Oxfam buy is great want to see what his earlier works were like and this book is semi autobiographical .
These come from the lovely Lila that has just started at Penguin these are four of the Mini classics for the 50th year of modern classics .The books consists of number of short stories by each writer .
SHOW ME THE BOOKS i LL SHOW YOU THE MAN A LIFE IN BOOKS -HOILDAYS AT GRAN SADLER
26 Oct 2010 14 Comments
in thoughts, winstons books Tags: BOOKS THAT DEFINED ME
Now my mum’s parents gran and granddad Sadler had me and us on holiday a lot when growing up ,my parents divorced at a young age so for time we spent a lot of time with them.They lived in Cheshire in Timperley and then in Rhyl which is in North Wales and is a fading seaside resort which at the time they was just about getting by .a visit for a holiday would lead to me looking through her books and picking a book to read her two great loves where Naigo Marsh and Agatha Christie so I spent my summer holiday reading the 50 and 60′s paperbacks with their wonderfully macabre covers .
so these summers were spent with Marple ,Poirot ,tommy and tuppence and inspector Alleyn .SOME of my happiest memories are sat reading with a flat lemonade in there lean-to conservatory with the smell of my Granada’s tomato plants wafting in the air .
This lead to my reading of Ian Rankin Rebus in my twenties ,which for me was my fallow years of reading as I like to go out every weekend with my friends and drink the Deuchars IPA or which ever real ale my local ale houses had on offer .What appealed to me mainly with rebus was Rebus himself ,I identified with this guy he like similar music to me ,like to drink real ale and smoke which at that time where all vices I had ,so as I read little in my twenties Rebus drew me back to books again and to the last for this time Nordic crime fiction .
well I ve start this last year or two again with some crime novels ,before I blogged I read first part of Steig Larsson which I intend to read all of at some point ,also Jo Nesbo and Roslund and Hellstrom which I reviewed yesterday ,This sits well with my passion for translation and old love of crime fiction .
DID YOUR GRANDPARENTS INFLUENCE YOU ?
Winstons books new and old
06 Oct 2010 8 Comments
in BOOK BUYS, winstons books Tags: 2010, BOOK BUYS, classics, english classics
Some recent arrivals at Winston’s towers -
second-hand book sale -
The rendezvous and other stories by Daphne Du Maurier I ve read a couple of her novels Rebecca being my favourite ,saw this collection of haunting stories and thought they’d make perfect winter evening reading stories focus on husbands breaking loose ,a married women committing suicide and a steamer being saved by a mysterious ship ,sounds wonderful .
Agents and Patients by Anthony Powell -
Now this book is from his dance to the music of time cycle ,it flows another young man Blore-smith from Oxford via paris and Berlin in the thirties with a large chunk of humour ,should be interesting Simon at inside books recently reviewed another Powell here and found his humour had dated slightly ,so be interested to see if this is still fresh .
Clochemerle by Gabriel Chevaller
This is a satire from a french writer ,has been reprint a number of times last time 2004 ,this is a 50′s penguin thou my main reason for buying it as I love the old orange and white covers ,set in a french village follows the struggle as they try to build public toilets in the village ,sounds funny .
Journey by Moonlight by Antal Szerb -
A real find a Pushkin press book ,from a Hungarian writer ,it is the story of follow Milahy on his honeymoon in Italy as he struggles with his past and marriage considered on of the best novels from Hungary .
FROM A BLOGGER
from Annabel at Gaskell ,the Balkan Trilogy by Olivia Manning ,I was reading about this after remember the tv series a few weeks ago and had marked it down as a book to get the a few day later Annabel was want to get rid of some books and this was one ,I was lucky to be sent it thank her greatly ,the books follow Guy and Harriet a couple through the Balkans during the second world war .
received for review -
Urn Burial by SIR Thomas Browne
Thomas Browne was a writer ,Physician among other things ,a look at Kevin’s site aquarium of vulcan will tell you loads about him ,this slim volume a new edition by New Directions in the pearl series ,is a discussion musing on the discovery of roman urns in the 17th century and to mans experience on this mortal coil and struggle with mortality ,there is a forward by W G Sebald from rings of saturn were he talks about Browne and seeing his skull .
