http://www.greenmetropolis.com/forum/posts.aspx?t=456 See the latest posts on the GreenMetropolis.com Forum about Louis de Berniere is upsetting me! Help! in Contemporary Fiction en-gb Copyright 2010 GreenMetropolis.com Sat, May 18 2013 16:13:43 GMT 20 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! http://www.greenmetropolis.com/forum/posts.aspx?t=456#4355 http://www.greenmetropolis.com/forum/posts.aspx?t=456#4355 Fri, Mar 06 2009 23:36:10 GMT ps sorry it was late last ight. maybe this will make my rant a bit more meaningful. I actually liked the book pictured above. http://www.greenmetropolis.com/forum/posts.aspx?t=456#4363 http://www.greenmetropolis.com/forum/posts.aspx?t=456#4363 Sat, Mar 07 2009 09:43:11 GMT 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. http://www.greenmetropolis.com/forum/posts.aspx?t=456#5344 http://www.greenmetropolis.com/forum/posts.aspx?t=456#5344 Thu, Mar 19 2009 22:05:26 GMT 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!? http://www.greenmetropolis.com/forum/posts.aspx?t=456#5386 http://www.greenmetropolis.com/forum/posts.aspx?t=456#5386 Fri, Mar 20 2009 12:32:16 GMT you've given me an idea for another topic...... http://www.greenmetropolis.com/forum/posts.aspx?t=456#5387 http://www.greenmetropolis.com/forum/posts.aspx?t=456#5387 Fri, Mar 20 2009 12:35:13 GMT 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. http://www.greenmetropolis.com/forum/posts.aspx?t=456#5560 http://www.greenmetropolis.com/forum/posts.aspx?t=456#5560 Sun, Mar 22 2009 23:06:21 GMT 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. http://www.greenmetropolis.com/forum/posts.aspx?t=456#15310 http://www.greenmetropolis.com/forum/posts.aspx?t=456#15310 Fri, Jul 17 2009 15:37:09 GMT 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.... http://www.greenmetropolis.com/forum/posts.aspx?t=456#16563 http://www.greenmetropolis.com/forum/posts.aspx?t=456#16563 Fri, Aug 07 2009 11:28:07 GMT 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. http://www.greenmetropolis.com/forum/posts.aspx?t=456#16595 http://www.greenmetropolis.com/forum/posts.aspx?t=456#16595 Fri, Aug 07 2009 20:19:17 GMT I'll echo that Kirsty. http://www.greenmetropolis.com/forum/posts.aspx?t=456#16644 http://www.greenmetropolis.com/forum/posts.aspx?t=456#16644 Sat, Aug 08 2009 15:05:46 GMT 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. http://www.greenmetropolis.com/forum/posts.aspx?t=456#16660 http://www.greenmetropolis.com/forum/posts.aspx?t=456#16660 Sat, Aug 08 2009 17:59:07 GMT That's awful too! In fact I find De Bernieres intensly irritating and unreadable, but hell, maybe that's just me! http://www.greenmetropolis.com/forum/posts.aspx?t=456#24538 http://www.greenmetropolis.com/forum/posts.aspx?t=456#24538 Sat, Dec 05 2009 12:04:57 GMT 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! http://www.greenmetropolis.com/forum/posts.aspx?t=456#25460 http://www.greenmetropolis.com/forum/posts.aspx?t=456#25460 Wed, Dec 23 2009 22:59:09 GMT