Reading round-up

Running about with work at the moment which leaves me falling into bed with half and hour to read and little time for blogging, I thought that I would give you a quick round-up of books for the frazzled. I have been consuming lighter literature as my brain cells feel like they are whizzing round in circles come 9 o'clock at night. Recent reads include two Georgette Heyers, a John Grisham and a John le Carré. These writers are alike in that their prose is neat, tight and inoffensive. Such prose is easier to describe than actually produce, I think; read a Dan Brown novel to contrast for example. Dan Brown's work is entirely plot pyrotechnics (and no-one can deny he does that well) but reading his prose with any kind of sensibility is like having your brain sandpapered. If you are prepared for that then it is still possible to read a Dan Brown and enjoy it: I've read three quite happily with my critical faculties turned firmly off. It is not something that I would want to do too much however.

My prefered purveyers of a good bedtime story, Heyer, le Carré and Grisham, share other features alongside the good sound prose styles: they are all writers who create characters to care about and plots that intrigue; they create a believable world for the characters to roam about; and significantly they are always worth a re-read.

The first of my Georgette Heyer novels was Detection Unlimited. Heyer's whodunnits, in the classic Golden Age style, are a mixed bag, but this is one her best. Highly recommended if you love Dorothy L. Sayers, Margery Allingham and co. The plot is well worked through with plenty of twists and there is a neat relationship between her two detectives. Being Heyer there is a bit of a romance too, and plenty of witty dialogue.

Single & Single by John le Carré was not a patch on his The Spy who Came in from the Cold, but these are his own high standards we're comparing him too. Single & Single is still an engaging read. Initially disparate strands involving the murder of a corporate lawyer and the eccentric behaviour of 'Uncle Ollie', a children's entertainer in Devon, are brought together with some style. How can you not want to read a thriller with a balloon modeller as one of the key characters? The overall effect was to have me whizzing along wanting to find out what happened next. Much to recommend it.

I read John Grisham legal thrillers from time to time. Though the actual plot quality is often quite variable I warm to his characters and the consistency of the worlds he creates for them, and have never read one yet that I have not enjoyed. His books often feature a collision of two worlds: missionary and corporate worker, shelters for the homeless and corporate lawyer, reporter from a dysfucntional white family with a church going black family, etc. Playing for Pizza is no exception here. A professional American football player loses his team a major game and is out of a job. Again. The only work he can get is as one of three paid American footballers in Parma in the Italian league which he, Rick, regards with derision; the rest of the team, the Italians, play for pizza and the pleasure of the game. Rick is at first at sea in the new environment (lots of 'Americans abroad' humour) but eventually, after years of frustration in the US league, finds his enjoyment in his own game again, and a new found adult responsibilitiy. No plot surprises but it was a pleasure to read from start to finish. There are lots of descriptions of American football games. I know nothing about American football but followed most of what was going on and found the tactics quite interesting. (It's still not proper football though!). If you don't like sport however, don't read it!

The last Georgette Heyer I read was Beauvallet. Set in the Tudor period it is a change from her regency romances. This is still fairly engaging but doesn't compare with her other non-regency books Royal Escape, The Conqueror, Simon the Coldheart or My Lord John. The romance and the action are rather over-blown, and there are close to unaccaptable levels of females swooning at engaging rogue with good sword arm. If you like Heyer this still whiles away an hour or so, but if you have never read any Georgette Heyer please don't start with this one, it might put you off for life.

I have read a few weightier tomes over the last month which are on my to-be-reviewed pile: The English Patient, The Infernal World of Branwell Bronte, and The Bridge of Sighs by Richard Russo. Any thoughts on which you would most like to see a review of first?

Comments

[Kit Courteney]

Oooh, fab post.

I've read a few Georgette Heyer novels but I can't for the life of me remember which ones (gosh, I'm crap at remembering) but just the cover of the top one makes me want to read it. How gorgeous is that?!

My mother was/is a John le Carre(got no thingy) fan so I've indulged in several - again, the titles escape me but I found them gripping. Never read a bad one - but some are FAR better than others.

Only ever listened to John Grisham novels on audio books. Massive fan of audio books - opened my eyes (ears) to things I would never have read. Haven't listened to this one so as I don't like sport, I might not bother!

[GeraniumCat]

Which TBR first? Well, I might like the sound of the Branwell Bronte so much that I'f want to read it, so if you could put that off a bit, please...I've read The English Patient, so that's safe. Actually, I'm rather concentrating on books for the frazzled at the moment, and that was one ofthe Heyer detective novels that I haven't read - I'd rather slowed down on them, as I really didn't much like Penhallow, so I'm glad of a recommendation.