Once again, it's time to delve into a selection from the reading piles, and throw in some insight or lack of insight about the assembled mass of pages. There have been changes since the last time, but some things linger on, and on, and on...
'Journey To The Centre Of The Earth' by Jules Verne
I've written about this classic from 1864 before, which you'll find if you check out 'Book Chatter', but this is really is one of the best adventures to ever hit the page, and set the stage for all the subsequent science fiction stories Verne would write. Descend into the bowels of the Earth via an extinct Icelandic volcano? Sure. Why not? It's also a perfect vehicle for breaking up 'new book fatigue'.
'The Complete Peanuts: 1955-1956' by Schulz
Yes, it's still there, a classic of its kind. Schulz, Charlie Brown, Snoopy, Linus and Lucy, and Schroeder are all in place. The only reason it's still on the pile is that television and Minecraft have been stupidly soaking up too much personal time. Back we should go, to the Peanuts gang!
'Journey To The West' (Volume 2) by Wu Cheng'en
No progress on 'Journey To The West', but it's still a classic and fantastical in the extreme. It won't be unread for much longer.
'The Voyage Of The Beagle' by Charles Darwin
It's fascinating to read about the travels of such a naturalist on a five year journey around South America. Five years. It's not just about natural history, though, as we get snippets about the peoples encountered and even some of the odd phenomena encountered. Utterly fascinating, although I'm dipping in so infrequently as to be hypocritical in even mentioning it.
'Armadale' by Wilkie Collins
There's a clear sense of doom hanging over 'Armadale', and it's a very potent and dissuasive tone. I'll get into the mid-section of the narrative somehow, but it will take some doing, and possibly a long journey of some kind. Fortunately, just such a journey is coming. Woo hoo? This novel may be finished or put away. Only time will tell.
'Personal Recollections Of Joan Of Arc' by Mark Twain
It's still too early to tell, but the Mark Twain touch could pull off a triumph here. Yes, it might have an extremely well known and sad ending, but on the other we can only wonder how exactly the master satirist will handle it? Will he manage to be less satirical than in 'A Connecticut Yankee In King Arthur's Court' and keep the narrative going this time? Again, too early to tell.
'Les Trois Mousquetaires' by Alexandre Dumas
It's my French project book, and one which languishes on the bottom of the book pile as a result. A Spanish project book would be nice too, if only I could be recommended a light-hearted one!
'Jokes And Their Relation To The Unconscious' by Sigmund Freud
Incredible interesting, and being munched through steadily. Freud could write well in addition to being a deep thinker and being at the forefront of the founding of psycho-analysis. You wouldn't think there would be so much to think about and analyse in joke making, but there is. One term to take and use forever more is 'psychic expenditure'.
'Kidnap In The Caribbean' by Lauren St John
The followup to 'Dead Man's Cove' starts off well, and then I got slightly frustrated with what was obviously going to come as the narrative continued into the future. Did those predictions actually come true? I don't know yet, but this is the penalty of reading books for younger readers. Time will tell. The first book was pretty good, though.
O.
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