BillF

I have a copy of the Paton right here and may include it too, but would like to read some African voices first. The Armah and Mpe sound interesting. Thanks for the suggestions. I'd like to read some Soyinka. Also, Sembene Ousmane, "Xala". Some others too besides Achua. Depressing seems to be the quality they have in common so far, but interesting nonetheless, seeing the same places from differing angles. Wole Soyinka studied in the English Department at Leeds University that I attended, though I was later so never met him. I met a woman who said she'd refused him when he tried to date her, but later wished she'd said yes when he became famous.

Monk playing "Evidence" could be another choice.

Read that about 25 years ago and fond it moderately entertaining and reasonably well written. Then moved on to Boyd's Ice-Cream War and Brazzaville Beach, both with African settings. Of the three, Brazzaville is the most memorable. "Moderately entertaining is about right. I do want to read Ice Cream War. Just finished: Mister Johnson - Joyce Cary -1939 Set in Nigeria and western Sudan during pre-WWII British colonial rule, this is the story of the larger-than-life African Mister Johnson and his roller-coaster fortunes in the colony. I can see some objections to its picture of life in the colony but overall I think his view is unsparing but not ungenerous, towards both Africans and British, black and white (including Moslems). I found it more rewarding that Boyd's A Good Man. Now I do remember that as a good one, though it's lain unopened on my bookshelf for decades. On this African theme, you'll have to read (re-read?) Graham Greene Burnt Out Case, etc.

Alan Barnes and the Swingshift Big Band play Ellington compositions at Southport this afternoon.

I can imagine!

Fiddler on the Roof Hal Crook Jack Shepherd

Read that about 25 years ago and fond it moderately entertaining and reasonably well written. Then moved on to Boyd's Ice-Cream War and Brazzaville Beach, both with African settings. Of the three, Brazzaville is the most memorable.

Fred Quimby Quincy Jones Casey Jones

Agreed, and from the same era This Sporting Life.

P C 49 Clementine Tangerine

Nancy Spain Mugsy Spanier Bugsy Goldstein

Zoe Clapp Storm Jameson Corky Hale

I think I'm with your friends on that. Both very good.

Oliver North Frederik Pohl Bob Berg

In contrast, here's a very dark cover that I remember and like. The mysterious Bird! This one used to be a real cheapo in the UK.

Mr Turnip Big Joe Turner John Constable

You're right - this is a golden age for jazz books - at least where quantity is concerned. There was a time when I used to boast that I'd read every book on jazz. That was in 1960 and, compared with today, there were so few jazz books that my boast wasn't far from the truth. It may be that today's academicization of jazz - jazz studies courses, etc - has something to do with this. I'm reminded that when I was studying English Literature in university in the 1960s a lecturer said that we no longer lived in a great age for literature, but that writing about literature had never been better. However, to accept this thesis you have to agree with me that we no longer live in an age of great jazz - something we're still wrangling about in another thread.

Foxy Knoxy Fox Mulder Spotty Muldoon

Pink Floyd Lloyd George My Father

Phil the Greek Ruth Roman Troy McClure

I haven't read any Compton-Burnett, but she's on my list of authors to look into. Wikipedia says that Manservant and Maidservant (published in the US as Bullivant and the Lambs) is often considered to be her best work and the university library has a copy, so we shall see .... Have just given up on A Family and a Fortune.You very accurately describe Burnett's idiosyncratic style, but I just wasn't prepared to make the effort ....

Wilfred Hyde White The Secret Sharer Cher

Armchair Socialists Sofa Surfers Stanley Couch

I think my first choice was selections from Rockland:

Lorena Bobbitt Snipcock & Tweed Joe Castro