Tuesday 6 May 2014

A Library on the Coffee Table

Normally, I’d have had my head in a book these last two or three weeks of withdrawing from the world. True, I read. A dozen and more books, but all on the e-reader.  I see a title reviewed or a friend recommends an author. I check if the book is available in e-format, order it and within seconds it’s there for me to read. Any time of day or night. Where’s the fun in that?

Getting away from the misery of the black dog via stories, true or invented, often works for me. While I’m immersed in someone else’s life my attention is focussed away from myself. I’ve also concentrated on humorous writers, recommended by a friend. Evelyn Waugh was new to me, I started my journey with him with ‘Decline And Fall’, a darkly witty social satire, which brought forth an involuntary bark of laughter on practically every page, in spite of feeling slightly uncomfortable throughout. Nancy Mitford too was a new discovery. Her novels (I’ve read three of them so far) read like eating ice cream laced with sharp plum sauce. I shall finish her oeuvre and read more of Waugh, but not ‘Brideshead Revisited’, which made him known to those who don’t read. There were a few by Wodehouse and E.F.Benson, who are funny, but without the painful bite. Barbara Pym came in somewhere too, I used to like her years ago; she still has something that appeals, although nothing she wrote could ever cause offence. I have Muriel Spark’s ‘Memento Mori’ ready to go, also recommended by the same waspish source.

Too much of the same diet makes for indigestion, so I interrupted the satirical reading with Penelope Lively’s quasi memoir cum musings on aspects of a long life ‘Ammonites And Leaping Fish’; I like her novels and these essays address ageing, memory, time and a life in the 20th century.  A few mysteries leavened the broth further, Christopher Brookmeyer is a thriller writer I can bear to read and I’ve also recently discovered that Jill Paton Walsh, a very reasonable writer, has picked up the Dorothy L. Sayers baton and is prolonging the literary life of Lord Peter Wimsey. So you see, there’s plenty up there in that Cloud waiting for me, all wrapped up in one slim volume.

If only they were waiting in a tottering pile on my book table. Going to the library or, much better, to a book shop, browsing the shelves, talking to the librarian or the bookseller, getting chatting with other book lovers, comparing notes, flicking through a book, getting trapped by a passage, finding a new writer and wondering ‘should I give them a try’;  no, Amazon has none of that. It’s a lonely business, ordering books and music online (heavens, do you remember the old record shops where you stood in a narrow booth with clunky headphones and listened to an album prior to purchase?). Taking your treasures to the till, having them wrapped in the store’s bag and proudly bearing them off home - half the pleasure was in that.

And now I use ITunes for music downloads and Amazon for books. The record shops have gone and my eyes, damn them, have grown feeble and prefer e-books where I can adjust the size of type. I’ve been thinking of buying the book favourites anyway and maybe even a cd instead of downloading to an e-device. But that would be silly and unnecessary, wouldn’t it?

Anyway, all that reading (and listening to music) have made me feel a lot better.


50 comments:

  1. Of these, only Penelope Lively and Christopher Brookmeyer are absent from my groaning shelves. Thank you - I will track them down.
    And I am very, very happy that you have found a measure of healing in words and music.

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  2. Brookmeyer is super...a blogging friend suggested his stuff and I've ordered all I can find. I don't think I'll go for JPW...I have a couple of hers and they haven't exactly lit up my life...

    I have to download onto the computer...my Kindle has never worked from the moment it set eyes on me...but much prefer to order books when I can...something comforting about the weight of a book in the hand, I suppose.

    Very glad to hear that you have listened and read yourself into a better place.

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  3. i love the convenience of the ebook...but...i love bookstores more....
    i actually have tried a ereader of late and i just cant do it...
    esp with my grad school books...that has been a beast this semester

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  4. I'm finding, still, that going to the bookstore is the best of all--though I do often go with a list in hand, I'll admit. The thing is, even if you do that, you run across something interesting along the way, something about which you had no idea. Another mode is when one book leads you to several others. So it was with Simon Winder's Danubla. Here's a book I never would have discovered otherwise, and it was a wonderful read: Dezső Kosztolányi's Kornél Esti.

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  5. I really like it when readers share what they are reading. I enjoy Wodehouse but I think I've read most of his stuff. You've given me some things to look for.

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  6. I'm glad you're feeling better. I can't think of a better way of coming back to the world than through books. I'm very new to the e book fad ) I know, it's not a fad, but here to stay) and still prefer to hold the book and turn the pages back and forth.

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  7. It is the middle of the night (I can't sleep) and synchronicity being what it is I have just been 'adjusting' my booklistt on my blog. I saw you had blogged and always like to read your posts so popped over. Like you I have been withdrawing from the world of late with the aid of reading matter. Where would we be without books eh? I like the reviews on Amazon for friends and bloggers recommendations too.

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  8. This post is a treasure chest of gems to explore! I read Brideshead Revisited as an out of print favorite of a friend. I loved it, and just as I finished reading it (and regretting leaving the world of the book) Public TV announced it was to be a TV series - the rest is history. I enjoy finding things before they are "big"

    ALOHA from Honolulu
    ComfortSpiral

    =^..^= <3

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  9. Yes reading can take us places out of ourselves, a helpful and delightful thing. You and I are both seeking out books that make us laugh. I adore Wodehouse, especially the Jeeves and Wooster series. I read the new Lord Wimsey book and loved it; did you like it?

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  10. What a great variety of books. I'm glad they helped you.

    Love,
    Janie

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  11. I'm glad to hear it. I love my eReader.. even though I resisted it for a long time. I can't say that I've ever bought a book yet. The fun for me is in browsing what's available there, reading the summaries and downloading. Oh yeah, and making sure I'm able to finish it during the lending period.

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  12. i wish there would be more hebrew books. i read only paper books.(i am a long time reader of your blog.never commenting becouse my english is far from perfect)

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    1. thank you so much friko for joining my blog which no one ever read:)

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  13. Hello:

    To date we have not succumbed to reading books 'on line' for the very reasons, which you give here, of denying oneself that great pleasure of being in a bookshop, browsing, interacting with other customers and staff, etc. etc. etc.

    Evelyn Waugh was an early discovery in life and much enjoyed at the time although we suspect he now does seem somewhat dated. Nevertheless, he is hugely funny. Do give Brideshead a try as it really is an excellent novel, as are the war trilogy. Have you tried Elizabeth Taylor? And Elizabeth Bowen? Both these novelists may well appeal to you.

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  14. It's one of the ways I know I'm a senior...I'm resistant to changing to an e-reader. I like old fashioned books.

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  15. I admire your ongoing efforts to expand the scope of your reading. I agree entirely with your metaphor about the same diet being a cause of indigestion. As for the vehicle, I also love the touch and feel of books, their smell and their physical presence in my surroundings. By the same token, I love the utilitarian value of an e-reader, which is great for travel and also for getting that volume that we sometimes want or need immediately!

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  16. I have an E-Reader (Kindle) but I MUCH prefer a physical book. There's just something about turning the pages, the smell of them, the feel of them. That can't be experienced with an e-book.

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  17. I do the same: because of this post I have gone to my local library website and placed a hold on two new (to me) writers. Thank you! I'm also very glad you are feeling better, Friko. :-)

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  18. I find my favourite part of the day is in the evening when I have had a nice bath and am relaxed in my chair and read for a couple of hours before bedtime. Its most relaxing and there is something light in classical or blues playing in the background. I find this so cozy - I keep switching between books and Kindle reader and still do visit Fav Book Store in City. Have a wonderful day.

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  19. I have, so far, resisted the advance of the e-reader. My children have them, although they use them mostly for travel and continue to prefer physical books, which pleases me no end. I'll likely succumb one day. Or will I? Who knows?
    I read JPW's "Thrones, Dominations" years ago and loved the idea of someone carrying on the Lord Peter story. After reading this post I looked her up and discovered there are three more! Oh frabjous delight! And is it Brookmeyer or Brookmyre? Google gave me the later.
    There's nothing like entering into the written page for escaping the black dog. Life without books is a dreadful thing to even imagine. So glad you are feeling better.

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  20. Many books have saved my soul now and then. I still can't get used to reading whole books on line; something about feeling the page, setting that book down for a time and there it waits for me...

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  21. ja de techniek gaat steeds verder,

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  22. Glad you're feeling better -- more like your usual self. (Don't you love that phrase? If I'm not myself today, then who am I??)

    I like the mysteries of Norwegian writer Jo Nesbo, though they're pretty grisly and dark in places and I can only read them once in awhile. Felt the same way about Steig Larsen's "Girl with the Dragon Tattoo" as well.

    I like book stores best -- sometimes I feel as if fate is giving me a shove to a certain book or writer, who has something special to say to me at this particular moment in time...

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  23. Friko, I still owe you an email, but couldn't resist a reply to this post's tribute to reading.

    I cannot imagine giving up my library visits for brand new and very old book check outs. Electronic books give me the chills now...but if I lived elsewhere, or had less mobility, or needed to drive a car, I might change my mind.

    I've read all Penelope Livesly's books, and enjoyed the first half or so of her memoir. Towards the end, I just wanted to sit down with her and chat about matters other than those she was relating. I did meet her ages ago at some Barnes & Noble (or perhaps another long gone bookshop's) reading. That's why I would want to ask her more about her Egyptian years, and how she handles getting older.

    Every week now, I notice the daylight hours lengthening. I wake earlier than I'd wish, because I still love reading late into the night.

    Promise you again...the email. xo

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  24. Dagan and Leah were just teasing me about reading library books and not using my kindle. I do prefer a book in the hand--the weight, the smell, the sound of turning pages, my bookmark collection choice...
    I do listen to pandora these days...for free. ;)

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  25. I do love reading -- although I'm still on the printed paper page and not the e-page. Right now I'm into Kate Atkinson's Life After Life. Loved her Jackson Brodie mysteries. This one is just confusing but kind of fascinating. I'll be glad when it's over, though. That's how I felt about The Goldfinch -- which could have used a little editing in the department of redundancy department. Top of the pile to read is another Cara Black and David McCullough's book about Paris in the 1800s. And finishing a bio of King George VI by Peter Townsend -- old and out of print and rather fascinating for all the history of the world at that time -- especially India, Palestine and Ireland. Never enough time...

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  26. I do all three (bookshop, library and e-books), but I'm with you on the pleasures of books - only, I just haven't room to buy any more, and no willpower to weed the ones I've got. So at the moment, it's the library for me, with ebooks only for when I travel.

    Even then I have a tendency to search out local bookshops and come back with a book or two for language practice, if nothing else (but guess how any are still sitting in the pile of reproach, telepathically messaging "We're still waiting here, you know" ..........)

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  27. adjusting the size of type is one of the two main reasons for buying my kindle. (I do it now for the blogs I read online too, many are too tiny for comfort these days.) The other reason for the kindle is being able to carry many books in one small lightweight package.

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  28. I still get my books in print. I don't have an e-reader at all. It might be convenient, if I traveled still, but since I'm at home… I just love the feel of the pages. It's an addiction I can't quench.

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  29. Witty books are a good thing to read, I love it when books make me laugh :) Thank you for the recommendations!
    But I must admit, too, that I love reading real books. I have the Kindle App on my iPad, but I just don't enjoy it as much as reading a real book. I love filling bookshelves with books so much, so I think for now I'll keep buying them. And going to the public library is one of my favorite things to do, too :)

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  30. Library , second-hand bookshops , charity shops , jumble sales ... I raid them all regularly . Now I'm not working I have loads of time to read , but less money to buy new books . A question of ' The lord giveth and the Lord taketh away ' , perhaps .
    And , of course , there's Audible.com with a vast library of books , kindly read to me as I sit knitting with a pot of coffee and a view of the river .
    Yes , a good book is escapism of the best kind !

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  31. I'm with you on the old book stores, libraries et. all. Still be able to increase the print size in my dotage has been a real plus. Perhaps being seen with my grannies magnifying glass would be too much....;)

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  32. It's 2014 and I'm still rather old-fashioned reading "real" books. I have to admit that I considered getting a Kindle for our trip to Europe this summer, but then changed my mind. I will take a big suspenseful book for the long flight and then look for something "on the other side" - in England or Germany. Many of the bookstores here are so mainstream. But when I find an independent bookstore, nothing keeps me on the street - I'm in there, and often for hours. Books have been such reliable friends since the time I started to read that I don't want to miss them "in my old days".

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  33. Fiction is a balm to the soul.

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  34. Books are such good friends. I've just finished Penelope Lively's book on ageing, and before that read The Luminaries by Eleanor Catton.

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  35. Glad you are feeling better, Friko. Redaing and music - the two elixirs of life. Them and chocolate. :-)
    Have you tried the funny Hillary Mantel, before she got all serious and historic? Do look for her 'Beyond Black' - it's dark humour at its best.

    I continue to be the stubborn, old-fashioned reader despite the sarcastic jibes from the tech-savvy circle I'm surrounded by. Sometimes it's cruel, the taunts, when the husband works for Amazon. Ha!

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  36. Happy to hear you have driven he Black Dog off the premises. I too have a loud full of literature waiting at the pearly gates. Occasionally, I buy a paper version of a book but like to think I am helpingsometreesurvive a while longer if I sticktocyberspace.

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  37. glad to hear you have risen and reading, however you manage it, is a good way to ignore that which you do not wish to acknowledge.

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  38. I like my Kindle, but a real book is a wonderful thing. I am going to check out some of these authors.

    I could relate to every piece of this post, by the way.

    =)

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  39. Glad the books and music have helped. I use my e-reader quite a lot, not to buy but to borrow titles through the eBooks for Wales service. Usually they are titles by authors I already know and like, but borrowing is so easy that it's no trouble to borrow something by a completely unknown author on spec. That doesn't stop me borrowing real books, but I don't buy very many nowadays for lack of space ion the shelves. :-)

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  40. I like the idea of carrying around literally hundreds of books in my pocket. It does set up the problem of not knowing which one to read.

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  41. When the Black Dog has been a visitor on and off for most of ones life, strategies and pastimes are learned to drive it off.
    I am on the brink of purchasing an e-book. I have fought it but the practicalities are numerous.

    Rarely does a post you've written not settle with me as I exit your blog Friko.

    Wishing you a kind and calm weekend.

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  42. The good about Amazon that you will receive a parcel. I am fond of parcels. They have content.

    Dear Friko, there are three things I am afraid of losing. One of them is my eyesight. Forget 'afraid', make that 'terror'. I often think of Beethoven. How to create the divine without hearing. Mozart had the right idea. Die when young. A bit like James Dean. Forget the last three sentences. They are rubbish.

    Thinking about your post. Difficult.I was brought up on a diet of fairy tales - and read them to this day. My whole life is immersed in print. Luckily I don't have a 'black dog' on my shoulder though, by extraction, know all about Schwermut. And I do react strongly, physically - both the good and the bad. I have fled bookshops sick to my stomach - it all being too much print coming at me. Talk about psychosomatic. A term much misunderstood - and maligned. Psyche (soul) will come out via soma (body). Where was I? Retching.

    There is a line of thought that you will find what you need. I don't know whether the sentiment is true. Not least because so often we don't know what we need. So HOW find it? Best case scenario: It finds us. HA. But do we recognize it for what it is?

    Other than that: I am thinning my bookshelves.

    What a find YOU are, Friko. With you in the weeding,

    U

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  43. Glad to hear, Friko, you have the tools to improve the way you feel. That's always been what books and music have done, that is, taken us out of ourselves or out of our surroundings. You've got some good authors there. I too lament the loss of that slower life we had not so long ago...

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  44. Wodehouse! I love him to bits and am sure that I have read nearly everything he ever wrote, starting in my late teens and finishing in my early twenties. Maybe I should start all over again. Sometimes such re-reads turn out to be disappointing, though, and I am a little afraid of that.

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  45. Well done you. Nothing like books to drag me out of the dark cloud of misery or music too, sometimes. It is a process. Silence I like. My library ships me books as I live so far away so the librarian and I get to chat and drop notes to each other. It is all free. I do have a reader but don't use it. I am almost afraid of the isolation it would engender, odd that.
    XO
    WWW

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  46. JP Walsh does a creditable of resurrecting Lord Peter.

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  47. I haven't yet succumbed to an e-reader, I love the experience of reading physical books too much. I love the covers and the feel of the pages and being able to flick back and forth so easily. And like you, I prefer to browse in bookshops so I can look at the books properly and mingle with other book-lovers.

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  48. Hi Friko .. I'm so pleased you're here letting me into insights of books I should check out .. I hope to do a literary appreciation course - something I definitely need .. but I'll get there and I have loads of books here both e versions and the shelf type .. somewhat loaded - but I intend to read a lot this summer .. must get to it ..

    Glad your'e feeling easier .. and enjoy those walks with Millie .. cheers Hilary

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  49. I've not heard of that Lively book - I'm going to sample it. I only read electronically anymore - it's about the words and the stories, not the format. Hope your cloud has lifted, Friko. I'm thinking your lovely garden is blooming - and the dog needs a walk!

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