What I've been reading

Goodbye to Berlin
by Christopher Isherwood

"Written as a connected series of six short stories, the book, first published in 1939, is a brilliant evocation of the decadence and repression, glamour and sleaze of Berlin society."

A lovely little book, much better than the previous one I read by this interesting man, who was living in interesting times in interesting places among interesting people. One of the short stories forms the basis for the play/film 'Cabaret', although they are somewhat different in tone.

What is the Sangha?
by Sangharakshita

"The usual image of the Buddha is of a man seated alone, deep in meditation. So it can be a surprise to find that Buddhism gives great importance to the Sangha, the spiritual community."

This is the textbook for the next module of my Buddhist study, all about how being an individual associating with other individuals is as important as the role of the Buddha and all that he taught. I have found it much easier to read than other books I've had to tackle within the course, probably because it was community that I was looking for when I got involved in the local Buddhist group  so I understand its importance.

The Good, the Bad and the Multiplex
by Mark Kermode

"Outspoken, opinionated and hilariously funny, this book is a must for anyone who has ever sat in an undermanned, overpriced cinema and asked themselves: 'How the hell did things get to be this terrible?'"

I wouldn't call this 'hilariously funny' because the humour comes from the author ranting about all the things that are wrong with the world of film making and cinema, but it's an interesting look at the commercial angle that influences the business behind the scenes. And supports the reason why there are so few films that I really like - I am not part of the 'mass market' in any way, not liking many superhero films, not having children, not wanting popcorn, ice cream or nachos in the cinema, not interested in horror or violence... the list goes on. We could do with an independent arthouse cinema in Leamington, but at least we have the Vue in walking distance so I'm not complaining.

It's Only a Movie: Reel Life Adventures of a Film Obsessive
by Mark Kermode

"Join him as he gets lost in Russia on the trail of a low-budget horror flick, gasp as he's shot at in Hollywood while interviewing Bavarian director Werner Herzog, cheer as he gets thrown out of the Cannes film festival for heckling in very bad French, and cringe as he's handbagged by Helen Mirren at London's glitzy BAFTA Awards."

After finishing his second book (above) I dug out this first book to read again, and it's quite entertaining if you know the man's work. I'm not sure anyone who is unused to the Kermodian way of reviewing films would find much of interest, though. It occurred to me that given the amount of time he devotes to the horror and gore aspect of film, it's surprising that he has much time to spend on anything else.

Writing with Power: Techniques for Mastering the Writing Process
by Peter Elbow

"Employing a cookbook approach, the author provides the reader (and writer) with various recipes: for getting words down on paper, for revising, for dealing with an audience, for getting feedback on a piece of writing, and still other recipes for approaching the mystery of power in writing. "

This is a very dense, long book, and comprehensively covers both factual ('expository') writing like reports and memos as well as more creative writing. It is probably more suitable for dipping into if you were stuck writing something, but nevertheless I read the whole lot, and would return to it if I ever manage to start writing in earnest. As with all the other books on writing that I've read, it strongly advises 'free writing' - just writing anything for 15 minutes first thing every day. I'll let you know when that happens.

Lord Jim
by Joseph Conrad

narrated by Nigel Graham

"The story tells of Jim, a young, good-looking, genial, and naïve mate on the Patna, a cargo ship plying Asian waters. One night, when the ship collides with an obstacle and begins to sink, Jim jumps overboard and lands in the lifeboat bearing the unscrupulous captain and his cohorts away from the disaster."

I really must remember not to read any more Joseph Conrad. Apparently, he wrote Heart of Darkness in the middle of writing this, and they have very similar atmosphere - this in Malaya and the other in the Congo - but both featuring a displaced white man with a dark history. Very slow narration, mostly tedious, and the last chapter was the most interesting and plausible of the lot. But please, no more.

The Pillars of the Earth
by Ken Follett

narrated by John Lee

"A spellbinding epic tale of ambition, anarchy, and absolute power set against the sprawling medieval canvas of 12th-century England. This is the story of Philip, prior of Kingsbridge, a devout and resourceful monk driven to build the greatest Gothic cathedral the world has known."

A monumental read, in many senses, set in the 12th century and running over a period of time that I know little about. King Stephen followed by the second Henry plus an interlude of Maud, and the central theme of the book is the building of a cathedral. I quite like a saga, and there's plenty here - the audio book is 41 hours long. I mostly liked it, but would have preferred a little less detail of the sexual violence.

First Love
by Ivan Turgenev

narrated by David Troughton

"At the end of a dinner party, the remaining guests drink wine and tell stories of their first love. For one of them, it will be a dark journey into his past, reawakening unbearable memories of his obsession with the beautiful Zinaida."

My Audible subscription has started offering free books if you listen online. Mostly I use my old iPod which means I'm not listening online, plus I have a very stingy data plan so I use my phone very little without WiFi. But there was a problem with the download of the last book, which made me try the free online option, so this is a short story from the Classics list. And it's OK, nothing special, but good to listen to a proper Russian book for a change.