Off Topic Art & Literature

Yes - except it was a short story called “Rita Hayworth and the Shawshank Redemption” from a book called “Different Seasons”, which had (I think) 4 short stories in it. I’m a massive Stephen King fan and have virtually all his books and short stories. Ok - so I’m a nerd and proud of it .....
always think King gets the short straw as he’s tarred as a horror writer when he’s so much more

 

I am going get the book now,it’s a must read for me now.

 

That's the collection with "The Body" that became "Stand by me" when it was adapted for the screen. "Apt pupil" is pretty good too

 

Dave

I agree that the first episode was closer to the novel but the problem with tv adaption of books like these is how you manage to retain the writer's voice in a drama. I was really surprised how good a writer Herriot was and loved the way that he set each story up at the beginning of the chapter. I will continue to watch the series and await the introduction of Tristan. I always felt he was the best character in the BBC series yet when I encountered him in the books he even better. What I like most about him is that his appearance in the books always presages a disaster later on. If anything, we was more of a rascal in the books than as portrayed by Peter Davidson. After reading the first book, I watched some old episodes on line and, as good as they were, the tales are funnier in the book simply because of the way he builds up to the punchline in each chapter. Once you understand the traits of each character, the stories become funnier and funnier.

I completed the second omnibus set back in July which is more centered around the animals than the first volume. The style of writing is still the same and the collection of eccentric characters he encounters as entertaining as ever. Everyone always remember "Twicky woo" and Mrs Pumphrey but the dog's amorous adventures were absent from the first volume. I think that this is perhaps the highlight of the book volume as James' predicament gets more and more involved as the book progresses. The second volume does have the story about the breakfast of fatty bacon and piccalilli which I can well recall from the BBC series because my Dad commented how disgusting it looked. As a school boy, it did make me very wary of eating cooked breakfasts out.

Both of the first two volumes were very difficult to put down and it is a series I intend to continue with. When I finished the first volume I was surprised that this was not a choice for study at school. It is not pretentious but it had the quality of having a story told with a distinctive voice and judiciously recorded dialogue that I think only the best drama or literature has. Herriot was an expert at capturing the voices of his characters. He is not in the league of Charles Dickens yet I feel James Herriot was a far better writer than a lot of people would give him credit for.

 

Nah, didn’t know that. Only found out recently that he also wrote The Shining.

 

Sounds like you didn't have your readers on and read Charlie Austin

 

Currently reading Gomorrah by Roberto Saviano - really good.

Just watched ZeroZeroZero too (it is on US Prime but coming this way soon ) - based on another of his books.

If you like Mafia/Drugs/Cartels etc and like a true story, it is really good.

 

Huge fan myself Dave. I think when you consider the way that he developed his underlying mythology from the Dark Tower series of books and wove it into The Stand, It, Hearts in Atlantis, Sleeping Beauties, The Talisman and Black House plus dipped into it in a few others over the next 40 years...you realise it's an immense achievement to build such a complex, consistant universe and merge it into stories set in our world - stories that are much more than just horror as you quite rightly say

And for anyone who hasn't come across them, Stephen King wrote some rather good stories under the pseudonym Richard Bachman.they were eventually published as the Bachmann Books, and contain a little fable called The Running Man which eventually became a terrible Schwarzenegger movie. Great story though, and creepily prescient when it comes to reality TV.
The Long Walk in the same collection is rather good too.

 

I've just started (I say started, I've picked it up from one of the book cases) The Stone Raft, by José Saramago.
Apparently the the Iberian Peninsula has effectively snapped off the rest of Europe and is drifting out into the Atlantic, and it's a tale about how that is dealt with by the new "Islanders" and the rest of the world plus its a tale of 5 people who go on their own journey within the drifting land.
Seems fitting for Brexit somehow.

 

Really love The Long Walk. Brilliant story! He’s (imo) a genius at the way he weaves his stories as you say.

 

Quite agree, Ian. So underrated - deserves more acclaim!

 

Its nice to see the different tastes in books. Me I'm still struggling through the fourth Comoron Strike book. Yes the one that is on TV at the moment. Have been made to watch the series ....still prefer the book. Another good story line. Rowling doesn't pull any language punches either in the book which rather surprised me. Got to say though it goes in with the story line well.

 

Just finished a Lynda la plant Book "Buried" a very good read. Must admit I like her style of writing. Anyone else read hers books?
Just started another strike Book .....Robert Galbraith........Troubled blood...........will let you know how it is!

 

Have just finished Leslie Thomas's "Waiting for the Day," the day being D-Day. Whilst the characters are fictional, I do enjoy the fact that it is based on real events. The beauty of the book is Thomas's ability to take you to the scenes as they unfold. Another plus is that the book is written from the perspective of the man in the army, the footsoldier, who at the time relied on radio, newspaper and word of mouth, so he had to fill in what was happening, himself

The only other Leslie Thomas book I have read is Tropic of Ruislip, which I thought was really funny.

 

Try his debut novel Virgin Soldiers, sounds like a similar theme. A very good film was made of it in the late 60’s.

 

Of his books I’ve only read “Virgin Soldiers”. I really enjoyed it - though I read it an awfully long time ago. Seems I should explore some of his others. Apart from the two mentioned, any others particularly?

 

Got back into reading fiction this Summer so trying to work my way through some classics. Any suggestions welcome.

 

Just finished “Where the Crawdads Sing” by Delia Owens. Wow - what a book. My daughter recommended it as she knows I love descriptive books and this didn’t disappoint. Sheer poetry. Can recommend it if you want to take yourselves away from this wet weather and head down to the Carolina swamplands with all the amazing wildlife

 

A wonderful second hand bookshop has recently opened in the neighbourhood where my friend lives. There are books available in Spanish, Catalán, Francais, Alemán y inglés. And the price 3 euros for oñe, 5 for two and 10 for 5!! It hasn't got the range of a big bookshop or a public library, but it is good.