Reading list for June 2006

Currently reading
Boethius, The consolations of philosophy
Cormac McCarthy, Suttree

Recently read
Paul Arden, Whatever you think, think the opposite
Alan Bennett, The laying-on of hands
Neil Gaiman, Neverwhere [an update, I forgot about this]
Donna Leon, Feine Freunde

I was tempted to abandon Suttree at several stages on the way in: it is such a slow hard-slogging start, begrudging the reader every scrap of understanding. After the first hundred pages, McCarthy settles into his stride and the tale begins to take shape. The central character appears to be a relative of Robert Dupea (Jack Nicholson's role) in Five easy pieces: he seems to have turned aside from a stable and settled place (modestly high up) in society in favour of alcohol and a leaky houseboat on the reeking banks of a polluted river; and I am curious to see where McCarthy will take him.

Alan Bennett is one of the greats of modern English writing, and a fine reader too: I could listen to his voice for hours. This is a radio monologue, his strong suit, and the BBC Radio CD production that I borrowed from the local library was read by himself. The story unfolds slowly, revelation following revelation like the layers of an onion, until we arrive at the truth; which is of course just the starting point of another story.

Paul Arden is an ex-advertising director (Saatchi & Saatchi, among others) turned writer of very clever motivational books set in but not about advertising. One can read them as a guide to getting a foot in the door of an ad agency, but the tales he tells and the suggestions he makes are relevant to every stage of any career. This and his previous book It's not how good you are, it's how good you want to be are highly recommended, either for oneself or as a spur in the flank of someone you wish to encourage.

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