Friday, May 28, 2010

The Careful Use of Compliments

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Now I’m getting really frustrated.  I’m a devotee (second time I’ve used that tonight) of Alexander McCall Smith’s Isobel Dalhousie Novels – or are they the Sunday Philosophy Club Novels?  The publishers don’t seem able to decide.  So why am I frustrated?  Because I thought that I’d read this novel fairly recently but it was obviously some months ago.  And therein lies the problem with these novels.  They all seem to run one into another but not necessarily in sequence and even trying to work out some of the underlying plots which transfer from one to another can be difficult even a few weeks after having read one.  In this case I didn’t even note any quotes for repeating.  

The next one in the series is The Comfort of Saturdays.  I shall, of course, pick it up off the coffee table some time soon and read it and enjoy it and, hopefully, blog on it more speedily.   One thing I can be absolutely certain about is that it will contain a reference (or two or three) to Auden.  Another is that I will, as sure as it will rain tomorrow, enjoy it.

If you are, by any chance, a person who hasn’t read one of the series then do so, starting at the beginning with The Sunday Philosophy Club.  I’m sure that you won’t be disappointed.

2 comments:

  1. I have read The Sunday Philosophy Club and I think probably two more in that series, but I have not been keeping up with how many there are. I don't think I read this one (good title). I agree that with this kind of book it's difficult to recall the details of the plot when some time has passed since you read it. But that they're enjoyable while you're "in" them!

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  2. McCall Smith is fab! Started reading about Mma Ramotswe a few years ago and have since managed to track down most of the other books he's written (the fiction! - tho his factual academic works are interesting too...).
    There are some wonderful moments in all of the books, aren't there? Such insightful observations so well described.
    Funny, though, that ultimately they feel like 'just a good read'...and you are right - GB and DT - it is difficult to recall details of plot as time passes.
    Don't know whether that's the 'fault' of the reader or of the writer...

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