At effin' last F

Doesn't time fly when you're reading books...

I last blogged about my adventures in E, and then nothing. So, here I am, back again with F. F ran from December 2008 t0 February 2009. Didn't read many books, but read a lot of quality. Here's a list:

Birdsong - Sebastian Faulks

The Fire Gospels - by an author who's name I can't remember

The Fourth Bear - Jasper Fforde

Making History - Stepehen Fry

Flashman

Flashman at the Charge - G.M. Fraser

I also began, but didn't get on with The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald, and it's probably criminal that I didn't enjoy it, but there you go...

A brief post, next more detail and opinions about the above books and where I'm at now.

More B and some Elton

Just realised that I also read 'The Wasp Factory'  by Iain Banks during my B period.  This was popular amongst a number of my friends during the late 80's, when it was first published.  It is one of those that has stuck in my mind, and so I finally read it.  What a strange, sick and fascinating novel.  I will read more of his work, oh yes.

So, onto E.  August 2008 to October 2008.

It says in the notebook, 'This time I have mostly been reading books by Ben Elton.'

And that was the problem.

The books by Ben wot I read:

Inconceivable

High Society

Past Mortem

Chart Throb

Blind Faith

Dead Famous

Before we get into my dissection of the work of Mr.  Elton please allow me to state that I likeBen Elton.  I like the fact that he is prolific, I like his humour (although I never got on with 'The Thin Blue Line', but I understand his intentions).  I believe he is to be admired for co-writing one of the most emotionally affecting episodes of comedy ever ('Blackadder Goes Forth', the final episode).

I also like the fact that really, all he ever wanted to be was a popular (in the sense of read/viewed by the population) writer.  I think he has a diverse and rich body of work.

But is he any good?  Well, yes and no.

He is very, very clever at harnessing a moment in time and writing about it.  Imagine, if you will, Ben sitting at his table, thinking, "What's popular at the moment, oh yes, Big Brother... I wonder..."

He then of course dashes off several thousand words and it's a bestseller.  He dissects and satirises these moments in time, Big Brother, X-factor, Friends Reunited and so on and son..  They are fun to read and at times raise a smile.  A few of them are thought provoking.  I enjoyed them all to one degree or another.

BUT

They weren't elegant and beautifully written.  the words served the story, drove the plot forward, but there was no beauty to them (such as I have found in Sebastian Faulks and others later on).  And at times, when Ben has an opinion (which is often) you get hit over the head with it.  In many ways Ben has written his book, wrapped in around a breeze block and then proceeded to bash you about the head with it until you whimper  and submit at his feet!

I found the best book, the most touching and honest, if that's the right phrase and I believe it is, to be 'Inconceivable'.  This is probably because it was based on his own experiences and he was able to draw from a well of genuine emotion.

Apart from two others,  'The Food Taster' by Peter Ebling and an all out action novel set in the crusades, called 'The Crusader' by some bloke I've forgotten all I read was Elton, and to be frank it was too much.  This led to an addition to the rules, or more accurately some guidance - no more than two books by any author during a letter.  This new guidance has allowed a bit more experimentation and a wider variety has been read...

C and D

Taking place from January 2008 to March 2008, and May to July 2008 respectively.  As I haven't updated this for ages I am copying the pages direct from the little notebook.

The last sentence for D includes the following, 'Also i really fancied reading some books by Ben Elton, so frankly the grass was greener... or was it?  More on Ben in a later post.

The more astute of any readers I may have will have noticed the absence of April.  This is due to me taking the month off to read a great big pile of comics.  This has happened periodically during this process, sometimes with comics, sometimes with non-fiction books. 

B

From October 2007 to December 2007 I focused my attention on the letter B, and from my hastily written after the event notes can only surmise I read bugger all books and probably stacks of comics!  Or perhaps started many books and didn't enjoy them, so never finished them.

Anyway, here is my entry from the little black book about B.

Baddiel, David - enjoyed 'Time for Bed' and am enjoying 'The Secret Purposes' more (it's not a comedy).

Started 'Arthur and George' by Julian Barnes but got a bit bored - took too long to go anywhere.

Also a Jo Brand novel - not my cup of tea. ('It's Different for Girls')

*Was not overly discerning with A must choose better!

'The Secret Purposes' David Baddiel - very good, insightful into Jewish treatment in Britain in war.  Splendid read.

And that is all wot I wrote.  hardly in depth  reviews.  However I will add that 'The Secret Purposes' was a fascinating read, the more I read and hear about World War Two, as I am now a bit more interested, just goes to show what an all encompassing event it was.  And I'm probably being really obvious here.  The energy, drive, resources and focus of the nation on the war effort is truly astounding - and then there's all the 'little' stuff - from propaganda, education and so much more that I will never know that it is breathtaking.  One of those things that we can never truly understand or appreciate.

I also think in B I read a novel about Winston Churchill at the start of the war, how he became Prime Minister and so on.  Again, very insightful.  I cannot recall who wrote it (an ex-politician I think), or what it was called, but there was a series of them.

On another note, if anyone has read this, and wishes in the comments to suggest books I should read, please do so!

Extending G because of Zombies

'I'm in the latter."  Or not as the case may be.  It's a very enjoyable read, highly amusing to have a whole paragraph of Austen romance drivel (and I mean that incredibly affectionately) and then have it end with something along the lines of "Her intention was to follow him outside and open his throat!".

But...

After reading the first few chapters, there's nothing new.  You now know what Austen with zombie fight action will be like, and really you don't need to read the rest.  But I did.  And I enjoyed it.

So, because of 'Pride and Prejudice and Zombies' interrupting my revisit of  Alan garner (never read since my early teen years), G has been extended.  I am currently reading 'The Weirdstone of Brisingamen' and I have to say finding it a lot more complex, atmospheric and lyrical (there are some lovely sentences) than 'Elidor', which seems very simple in plot and construction, (but had fantastic Charles Keeping illustrations).  

Following 'Weirdstone', I have a copy of 'The Owl Service', never one of my favourites, but highly rated from what I have heard.  

Hopefully will post again soon, detailing earlier letters...

Zombie

Have read three chapters of 'Pride and prejudice and Zombies'.  If you love Jane Austen books, then you'll hate this.  If you like Austen and love 2000a.d.  then this is a book for you.

I'm in the latter.

Shock Book News!

I had intended to put in a review of 'Elidor' by Alan Garner (currently I'm on G, till the end of May), and then compare it to 'The Weirdstone of Brisingamen' by Mr.  Garner.  Me mate Jake reckons 'Elidor' is best, I'm not so sure...

BUT

Jake (via his wife) has presented me with an early birthday present (because I wouldn't be able to read it by my birthday, being, as I will be, on H).  This tome is entitle 'Pride and Prejudice and Zombies' by jane Austen and Seth Grahame-Smith.

So, I have about a week, 2 books to read to achieve my goal ('Poldark' was another I wanted to get through, that looks unlikely now...).

The race is on!

A

The Challenge began July 2007, and if I'm honest got off to a bit of a shaky start.  No initial records were kept and so I have no idea (except for a few memorable books) of what I read.  Since then the way I go about the challenge has been tweaked and refined.

During the months of A I read a number of thrillers, none were anything amazing, and since I can't recall a title of any one of them can't have been that good!

In my notebook (which I started writing when on or finishing C) I have written, "Sci-fi/horror -also none of note.  Started, then stopped at least half a dozen books."

Indeed, it seems that A left very little impression on me, the "best of A" was Kingsley Amis's 'The Green Man', which I got out of the library because I recalled seeing a television adaptation of it in the early 90's (I think), which I enjoyed.

During A I also read most of a Peter Ackroyd historical novel, loosely based on the structure of Chaucer's 'Canterbury Tales', called 'The Clerkenwell Tales'.  I read a good chunk of it, then gave up because as I noted (later on...), "...  got too bogged down and bored by uninspiring prose (though the idea and historical detail was good)."

And that was it for A.