Knowing that Liz was bringing some books to Cornerstones [part of our Lambeth Libraries Literary Prize] I didn't actually take anything to read last week. There was already one unstarted book there [which Steph donated, I think] "The Death of Dalziel"
I hadn't actually read any Dalziel and Pascoe before [I think the TV series put me off] and was surprised by how entertaining I found it.
In the book, another writer of detective fiction is mentioned - Freeman Wills Crofts. He was writing between 1920 and his death in 1957, the "Golden Age" of Detective fiction. But I admit, I hadn't read any of his stuff.
Then, before I finished Dalziel, I saw this vintage green Penguin going cheaply in a 2nd hand bookshop, so bought it. Haven't started it yet though, because that evening, I noticed on my friend PomPom's blog that she was reading Anne Tyler. "Ah" I thought, "I have enjoyed some of her stuff in the past" - and lo and behold, the charity shops of Norfolk seemed laden with her books!
First I got Patchwork Planet - which I really enjoyed. I thought the plot was interesting.
She has a good ear for dialogue and I find her characters are believable.
Then I saw "Breathing Lessons" - for which AT won the Pulitzer Prize - for only 50p - in a Charity Shop in Dereham.
So I got that one and started straight in to it. Didn't really enjoy that one as much to be 
honest.
Then, this afternoon, spotted that the film of Breathing Lessons was on Channel Five, with James Garner and Joanne Woodward.
I decided to record it, not having the time to sit and watch it immediately. I thought maybe I'd feel more positive about the book if I watched the film.
One thing intrigues me...in the book, the couple, Ira and Maggie, are at a funeral and another person is trying to work out what song to sing. Ira tells her to go with Doris Day -saying something like "She's always popular and you can't go wrong with DD"
Bearing in mind DD played James Garner's wife in two films [Move Over Darling, The Thrill of It All] that is just TOO bizarre!!
My absolute favourite Doris Day film is Calamity Jane though [any excuse to include this clip]
[before you write me off as totally trivial, I should say I also read quite a bit of one of Black's New Testament Commentaries on Corinthians, which Bob found in the PDSA shop in Norwich]
I'd never write you off as trivial - you are deep and true! I can't remember Breathing Lessons, since I read it so long ago. I think my favorites are Morgan's Passing and Ladder of Years. I just read Digging to China and I really liked the characters. I guess I can re-read Anne Tyler, since I've forgotten some of the plots! I need to find a second hand book shop somewhere around here. What a great way to enjoy some successful authors!
ReplyDeleteOh I love Calamity Jane.... absolutely any excuse for a Calam clip is fine by me! Its one of my favouriate films ever.
ReplyDeleteNever trivial Ang! I dont think I've read much Anne Tyler, very little choice out here, unless one fancies reading everything in French...no. We have an English library at our church, but the books dont change much and I seem to have read most of them, that's the problem with being a very fast reader.
ReplyDeleteDon't you love vacation reading, though? It's really the only time of year I have the leisure and patience for novels, and I plow through them.
ReplyDeleteAnd there's nothing trivial about novel-reading! Never!
frances