GreenMetropolis.com

Birds without Wings
Louis De Bernieres

Someone mentioned this book and I bought it with great excitement thinking I had missed a gem from a writer I have enjoyed reading tremendously. However, and it's a big one....he admits in the foreward to his adoption of the style of Under Milkwood. This also happens to be a favourite. I even had a similar educational introduction to it, as the one he describes he had as a child. I am not sure of the tone in which he meant this play to be written. If it is a tongue in cheek nod to dylan thomas then I have lost my sense of humour. Cheap gags and blatant copying of form, syntax content...it has to be deliberate but I just don't think I can take much more! Has any one completed it? Is the reason it was in 'As New" condition because my seller felt the same? The silver lining is that I am now inspired to reread Under Milkwood. At least it is dragging my brain upward from the post children mire:) Oh and there will probably be an 'excellent' copy of it available very soon unless someone can convince me it is worth the pain!

Sunday Morning at the Centre of the World
Louis De Bernieres

ps sorry it was late last ight. maybe this will make my rant a bit more meaningful. I actually liked the book pictured above.

Haha scubagirl- I felt the same way about Love in the time of Cholera, by Gabriel ??? I just didn't get it at all, and it annnoyed me so much it stuck in my mind.

hi scubagirl and lunar, i studied under milkwood at school many many years ago, you've reminded me of how wonderful it is. i loved listening to richard burton perfoming it.

i have a huge admission now, after hearing about the alchemist, how it changed peoples lives fave book ever etc! i rushed out and bought it, i just didn't get it! wish someone would explain it to me, i must of missed something. don't hate me all you alchemist fans it obviously went over my head!?

you've given me an idea for another topic......

I suppose there is a book for everyone lunar. I just reread Love in the time of Cholera and loved it so much I've dusted of all his other novels I have! We're reading the alchemist in our book club soon sooz so maybe I can pass on what it was all about when someone else can tell me! I went to find my copy of Under Milkwood from A levels 20 odd years ago and it must have disintegrated with the number of years neglected!
my classic book that I just don't get what all the fuss is about - moby dick. agonizingly awful.

This is a reply to sooz2 about The Alchemist. You are not alone! It is one of the few books that made me so angry I threw it across the room. Sentimental, trite, glaringly obvious, whimsical (ugh)badly written and so on. If you have read "Ballet Shoes" the children in that perform in a play which was a big hit in the 1930s, called The Bluebird, by Maurice Maeterlinck. It sounds very similar - a message of "Be happy where you are with what you've got" wrapped up in a fake fairytale. We'd never have had education, democracy or a health service if everyone sat about being mystical.

Oh I am so disappointed to hear that about the alchemist...I loved so many of his other books that I have just bought the alchemist on here. Im scared about trying it now...please don't give up on him though - try Veronika Decideds to Die - a brilliant book and it's short so if you do hate it you wont have wasted too much time. He really is a great author. The zahir is also fabulous.

Scubagirl - which Louis de Bernieres book was makign you angry? Birds without wings or sunday morning at the centre of the world? I love him too but havent read either of these yet - I have birds without wings on my shelf though...

One of the weirdest books I have read in recent times was senor vivo and the cocoa lord - how weirdly bizarre...a head of state with a giant cat as a daughter because he tried weird things with his wife....kinda warped....

Red Dog
Louis De Bernieres

I find Louis de Bernieres very erratic. Some of his books are enjoyable e.g.Red Dog whereas I hated Captain Corelli with a passion.

I'll echo that Kirsty.

Troublesome Offspring of Cardinal Guzman
Louis De Bernieres

Captain Corelli is the only one I have read, but I loved it! I just bought The Troublesome Offspring of Cardinal Guzman so hopefully that will suit me too.

Quoted from Molescroft View Post

Captain Corelli is the only one I have read, but I loved it! I just bought The Troublesome Offspring of Cardinal Guzman so hopefully that will suit me too.

I have been trying to finish Birds without Wings since summer and am finding it really hard going - Captain Correlli was so easy to read and entertaining that I thought I would try his others, but I have also started and not finished Cardinal Guzman which in parts I have found really entertaining but again a real trial in places and is also unfinished! Glad for the comments about Thomas though as I have not read Under Milkwood and will now have a go!