I finished the year’s reading with a few ultraviolent but still managing to be lovely all the same Dave Robicheaux novels by James Lee Burke: “Or maybe even old compatriots in butternut brown wending their way in and out of history—gallant, Arthurian, their canister-ripped colors unfurled in the roiling smoke, the fatal light in their faces a reminder that the contest is never quite over, the field never quite ours.”
Happy New Year, Brian. One book I didn't finish in time to add to my 2025 reading list was yours, as I'm still grazing my way through it. It was a much anticipated Christmas gift, and -so far- much enjoyed. It has rather reinforced my hunch to leave shepherding to braver souls. And I won't be lending _you_ my pocket knife anytime!
My eldest son, rare for his generation, reads (and writes) a lot. Almost all historical genre fiction. He’s yet to go to university so thankfully he hasn’t been told it’s ’garbage’ yet.
To widen the horizon a bit we gave him a stack of old crime novels for Christmas. Hiassen, Elroy, Chandler, Leonard and J. L. Burke’s ‘In the Electric Mist with Confederate Dead’.
He’s not read it yet but of Elroy he said ‘you can’t write like that’. Win.
He did recently read his namesake’s ‘Blood Meridian’. Then reread the final chapter four times. As the plan seems to be working we’ll ignore your slight!
Finally, in my tally of 25ish I read John Prebble’s Highland trilogy which I’d recommend to any colonial exile with a Highland past. Prebble went on to write a screen adaptation of Buchan’s ‘John McNab’.
Adding John Prebble to my list. But, most intrigued by the mention of a screen adaptation of John McNab. Did anything come of it?
Ah, the dig at C.M., mostly predicated on the term "enjoyable". I love his language and imagery. But his sense of "hope" is best described as the last match in cave being lit, then flickering out. Suttree remains my favorite. Although, to be fair, I haven't read it in a very long time.
What a great stack of novels for your son. That right there is the creative writing course he needs! Adding rereads of Leonard to my list (we really need to stop).
It was one of those BBC series they churned out through the '70's. Probably best not to seek it out if you enjoyed the book. I would have lapped it up as a kid though.
Yes, the brook trout at the end of 'The Road'. Not a lot to grab hold of.
The other recent coincidence was said son asking me what a novella was. I couldn't give him a page count but replied I thought 'A River Runs Through It' was a pretty near perfect example.
Glad to hear I wasn't alone in that trajectory! The story behind the Jesse Stuart memoir is almost as remarkable: https://www.folkchain.org/p/three-hundred-twenty-two-pages-jesse
Good readin’!
Wonderful recap, Brian! There’s some of my favourites in there and many I will look for now. Thanks.
Picked up Surprised by Joy a few weeks back; making it a point to try to read all of Lewis (maybe not the essays, haven't decided).
The "disturbing" part was his candid descriptions of public school sex. Other than that, an excellent memoir.
I just got to that part. WOW.
Yup. That account explains a fair amount about that recurring theme in English literature. Still, I really enjoyed the memoir.
That’s interesting. I started out 25 reading a bunch of humor (really liked Farley Mowat’s stuff) and then ended reading a string Vonnegut books
We start in hope....
Happy New Year, Brian. One book I didn't finish in time to add to my 2025 reading list was yours, as I'm still grazing my way through it. It was a much anticipated Christmas gift, and -so far- much enjoyed. It has rather reinforced my hunch to leave shepherding to braver souls. And I won't be lending _you_ my pocket knife anytime!
Come on, I promise to take care of it.
Glad you are enjoying the book.
Cheers,
Brian
A few coincidences.
My eldest son, rare for his generation, reads (and writes) a lot. Almost all historical genre fiction. He’s yet to go to university so thankfully he hasn’t been told it’s ’garbage’ yet.
To widen the horizon a bit we gave him a stack of old crime novels for Christmas. Hiassen, Elroy, Chandler, Leonard and J. L. Burke’s ‘In the Electric Mist with Confederate Dead’.
He’s not read it yet but of Elroy he said ‘you can’t write like that’. Win.
He did recently read his namesake’s ‘Blood Meridian’. Then reread the final chapter four times. As the plan seems to be working we’ll ignore your slight!
Finally, in my tally of 25ish I read John Prebble’s Highland trilogy which I’d recommend to any colonial exile with a Highland past. Prebble went on to write a screen adaptation of Buchan’s ‘John McNab’.
Plenty of shared reads and more on the wishlist.
Happy New Year
Duncan
Duncan,
Adding John Prebble to my list. But, most intrigued by the mention of a screen adaptation of John McNab. Did anything come of it?
Ah, the dig at C.M., mostly predicated on the term "enjoyable". I love his language and imagery. But his sense of "hope" is best described as the last match in cave being lit, then flickering out. Suttree remains my favorite. Although, to be fair, I haven't read it in a very long time.
What a great stack of novels for your son. That right there is the creative writing course he needs! Adding rereads of Leonard to my list (we really need to stop).
Cheers,
Brian
It was one of those BBC series they churned out through the '70's. Probably best not to seek it out if you enjoyed the book. I would have lapped it up as a kid though.
Yes, the brook trout at the end of 'The Road'. Not a lot to grab hold of.
The other recent coincidence was said son asking me what a novella was. I couldn't give him a page count but replied I thought 'A River Runs Through It' was a pretty near perfect example.
Regards
Duncan