The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald

The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald

I am becoming a fan of Fitzgerald, currently reading the Beautiful and Damned. But Gatsby, as with everyone else who has taken English classes, was my first Fitzgerald novel. I have Zelda’s to read as well, very excited! It is not as long as you expect it to be, especially if you have only seen the film versions. But there is a reason that the films got so much material out of a book with nine chapters. Fitzgerald’s writing almost leaps off the page and you are immediately transported into Gatsby’s fast paced parties without ever meeting Gatsby properly. I think Cary Mulligan did a fantastic job as Daisy Buchanan. Daisy is not an easy character to sympathize with in the book. At the end you question whether she loved Gatsby at all. It would have been easy to see Tom Buchanan as the ultimate villain, pulling Daisy into his world and out of Gatsby’s. But that isn’t the case, as people who have read it will know. Fitzgerald does not allow us off the hook easily. It moves so quickly you will feel as if you have taken a car ride with the Great Gatsby himself, after one of his parties. Look out for green lights across the bay. The one thing you will regret after reading this book is that you weren’t born into 1920s America. And the only way to sooth this regret is to read Fitzgerald’s prose. Both the Fitzgerald’s novels.

Daisy Miller by Henry James

Daisy Miller by Henry James

The one thing from this book that sticks in my mind is the discussion on moustaches we had in class. I know I use this word a lot but Daisy is delightful and memorable. If you are a fan of Edith Wharton or any James, or Evelyn Waugh then you will love this novella. At first it seems that Winterbourne, the young American, just can’t figure out if Daisy is flirting, defying expected manners or just does not know what is expected of her. But then a rival comes in the form of an Italian Giovanelli (who does have a moustache) and the question of whether Winterbourne is jealous or not arises. It is short novella, although be careful what edition you get. Mine is Penguin Classics and based on the first English publication of it in book form by Macmillan in 1879 but there are many different editions. In fact, I had the wrong one for class. We were supposed to have the Oxford World’s Classics one. Just read the ‘note on text.’ Essentially the story is the same but it may be worth buying two editions for comparison to see what was taken out and what was left. The book is worth reading for the descriptions of the character’s travels in Europe alone. The ending is a bit unexpected. Daisy Miller is a figure beyond her time, better placed in a Fitzgerald novel perhaps?

Memoirs of a Woman of Pleasure by John Cleland

Memoirs of a Woman of Pleasure by John Cleland

A book snob about Fifty Shades? Well, this is my argument for not being a book snob when it comes to the subject of erotic fiction. Fanny Hill was the little black book, sitting on top of the shelves with no cover and read in secret. Now? My edition is an Oxford World’s Classic and I sat in a two-hour seminar comparing the novel to Hogarth’s paintings. Perhaps it is too far to go and say that future English students will be studying Fifty Shades alongside some great painters of this day. But you can’t deny that the Fifty Shades phenomenon is something to be discussed. On this review, discussed at a later time because I have not read it.

Back to Cleland!

You will adore Fanny Hill. She is hilarious and charming at the same time, educated as a London prostitute but never far away from her country upbringing. Cleland does not shy away from his explicit descriptions, including one where Fanny fakes her own virginity for a client. Another scene, when Fanny’s original client’s “wand had prov’d too weak to lay” she has sex with a sailor and the innuendo is hysterical. There is a strong plot, interspersed with other prostitute’s tales of dalliance. The novel was made legal in America in 1963 and England in 1970. Despite this, it was widely read and several hundred editions were published. The book first appeared in 1748-9. Cleland’s own history is fascinating and it would be worth picking up a biography or book of criticism on Cleland’s work. The blurb on the back describes Fanny as being “among the great heroines of eighteenth- century literature.” Completely accurate.

(My edition is Oxford World’s Classics, unexpurgated text and edited by Peter Sabor)

First Love, Last Rites by Ian McEwan

First Love, Last Rites by Ian McEwan

My copy!

I love McEwan’s writing. I am aware that he is a bit of a marmite writer. I have read Atonement but I think this collection of short stories and The Cement Garden can be put in a different class. The Cement Garden has always (and will continue to) sat in my top ten books. McEwan’s subject matter in the collection of short stories and novel has more in common with Lolita than any period romance novel. The short stories are a disturbing mix of weird deaths, sex and pedophilia. Doesn’t sound like your cup of tea? You are missing out if you do not at least try to read this collection. Short story authors are almost always highly praised. McEwan is no exception. Writing short stories is supposed to be extremely difficult so when done well are superb. Books aren’t just here to entertain, they are meant to make your think and educate. At the end of the book I had to ask myself why I could not stop reading descriptions of rape and incest? That is the power of McEwan’s writing. Forget everything you know about this author if your only education has been Keira Knightly and James Macovy. McEwan should be remembered for his ability to write short stories and for the undeniable power of Cement Garden. 

On the Road by Jack Kerouac

On the Road by Jack Kerouac

Clichéd choice? Bite me. This book remains on my top ten. Why I didn’t read this sooner, I will never know. I was missing something beyond brilliant. I could not take my eyes off Kerouac’s writing. One of the beauties in his writing is how he describes such simple things such as Sal standing under a streetlight and that being something that you remember. How I didn’t just get up and leave for the States the moment I finished I’ll never know. It took will power and having to check my bank balance for sense to return. There isn’t much else to say and at the same time there is everything. Read this. Then read Maggie Cassidy. Then continue through Kerouac’s novels. Kerouac has (in my opinion) never been beaten in his style. He stands apart from the other writers, under a streetlight. Perhaps it is because of Sal’s (Kerouac’s) adventures. Perhaps we can look back to Kerouac’s description of himself as “a strange solitary crazy Catholic mystic.” (Charters A. “Introduction” On the Road, (1957) 1991 Penguin Books: London) The initial reviews focused on Dean Moriarty but now, after Kerouac’s work has gained the recognition it so rightly deserves, we can see Sal Paradise. I would recommend reading it twice. Once focused on Dean and once on Sal. Then pack your bags.

The Ghost by Robert Harris

The Ghost by Robert Harris

Guessed which one is the ridiculous one yet? If not, let me put you out of your misery. This is it. Harris’s barely veiled attack on the Blair regime borders on the hysterical at the end. (SPOILER ALERT) Adam Lang is the former prime minster that needs his memoirs written due to the fact his first ghostwriter bitten the dust. The ghostwriter (number two) isn’t given a name so lets just called him Ewan McGregor. There is a lot more surrounding the novel, to do with the Blair regime that perhaps we know but for Cherie Blair to be a CIA operative? Really? I was never a particular fan of the former prime minster or his wife but this implication harks back to the cold war days. Robert Harris seems to be attempting what John le Carre accomplished. Harsh? Perhaps. 

Harris isn’t the only one who took advantage of the political situation. In recent years we have seen the rise of suspicions that (according to Philip Schofield) the British Government are harboring high profile members of society that are actually sex offenders. Anyone remember that car crash moment on This Morning show? It was the only time I have ever sympathised with the current PM. Schofield spent “only three minutes” on the Internet finding names and accusing them of sex offenses. This was at the height of the Jimmy Savile controversy. Ridiculous. I think Schofield took it upon himself to act like an investigative journalist, promptly failing and effectively accusing the PM of a cover up.
Again, I think the success of The Ghost was all down to timing. Tony Blair resigns so lets write a book accusing him of great cover ups, thinly referencing Blair’s ghostwriting for Bush’s speeches and THEN accuse his manipulative wife of being a CIA operative? Sells books but did it actually have any repercussions? Did the secret services on both sides of the Atlantic suddenly go, “damn it! Harris has figured it all out!” I highly doubt it. So, in conclusion, a good (quick) read and slightly ludicrous. Borrow or buy second hand but for heaven’s sake, do not buy new. 

White Noise by Don Delillo

White Noise by Don Delillo

This is the one I’ve finished most recently. It was trippy to say the least but there is a reason it is considered a classic of postmodern literature. The preoccupation that Jack and his wife have on their supposedly imminent deaths is fascinating alongside their brood of stepchildren. The toxic gas that goes from plumes to a cloud feels like a move towards an apocalyptic science fiction sequence. The prose is straight to the point but at the same time requires your utmost attention. To get the most out of this fascinating novel I think a couple of rereads are in order. And do not watch the television whilst reading it. In fact, just take yourself off to an abandoned shelter somewhere and begin questioning why the prospect of your own death does not terrify you more. Looking forward to reading more of Delillo’s work!