Now reading...

[BillF]

[Bluesnik]

And enjoying it mightily. It's about the Cold War, something I know well. Because I lived through it. And I'd been to Berlin when there still was the wall. So I passed Checkpoint Charlie when it was still in operation. Not a tourist trap like now. And I remember a big notice stating You are now leaving the American sector.

Edited June 6, 2022 by Bluesnik

[jlhoots]

Adrian McKinty: The Island

[Dub Modal]

Up Jumped the Devil about Robert Johnson. If you like music, you should read this book. 

[soulpope]

[jlhoots]

Ann Packer: The Dive From Clausen's Pier

[Brad]

On 6/6/2022 at 5:47 PM, Bluesnik said:

And enjoying it mightily. It's about the Cold War, something I know well. Because I lived through it. And I'd been to Berlin when there still was the wall. So I passed Checkpoint Charlie when it was still in operation. Not a tourist trap like now. And I remember a big notice stating You are now leaving the American sector.

After you read that, you might want to try A Legacy of Spies. It’s a follow to The Spy Who Came in From the Cold. 

[mjazzg]

On 07/06/2022 at 3:33 AM, Dub Modal said:

Up Jumped the Devil about Robert Johnson. If you like music, you should read this book. 

I like music but only have a passing knowledge of Blues history or music theory. I fancy this book from a historical perspective. Is it for me would you say? 

[Bluesnik]

3 hours ago, Brad said:

After you read that, you might want to try A Legacy of Spies. It’s a follow to The Spy Who Came in From the Cold. 

I have Legacy of Spies, but haven't read it still. And I didn't know it had something to do with the other book. I thought it was just his closing of the whole spy world.

[Dub Modal]

1 hour ago, mjazzg said:

I like music but only have a passing knowledge of Blues history or music theory. I fancy this book from a historical perspective. Is it for me would you say? 

Not much music theory at all in this book. They do talk a little about chords and Robert’s playing, but mainly to highlight how sophisticated his playing was, which is a testament to Johnson’s work ethic and wood shedding. The authors did yeoman’s work to sketch an accurate depiction of his life and love of music beyond well trodden and unfortunate myths. I’m not well versed in blues history either but again, not needed. The blues history here is related to his life and weaves in nicely to the overall bio for any dedicated or casually interested person to enjoy. I hope that helps. 

Edited June 14, 2022 by Dub Modal

[mjazzg]

10 hours ago, Dub Modal said:

Not much music theory at all in this book. They do talk a little about chords and Robert’s playing, but mainly to highlight how sophisticated his playing was, which is a testament to Johnson’s work ethic and wood shedding. The authors did yeoman’s work to sketch an accurate depiction of his life and love of music beyond well trodden and unfortunate myths. I’m not well versed in blues history either but again, not needed. The blues history here is related to his life and weaves in nicely to the overall bio for any dedicated or casually interested person to enjoy. I hope that helps. 

That helps, thanks. On the 'to buy' list it goes

[Michael]

Probably just as interesting as the Robert Johnson book is the back story between several competing 'biographers' who researched his life story for years.   I think Steve Levere, Mack McCormack and Gayle Dean Wardlow all did years of research and possibly even sued each other to keep the others story from coming to publication.   

[Dub Modal]

2 hours ago, Michael said:

Probably just as interesting as the Robert Johnson book is the back story between several competing 'biographers' who researched his life story for years.   I think Steve Levere, Mack McCormack and Gayle Dean Wardlow all did years of research and possibly even sued each other to keep the others story from coming to publication.   

I had no idea about that drama 

[BillF]

[Brad]

On 6/14/2022 at 4:13 PM, Bluesnik said:

I have Legacy of Spies, but haven't read it still. And I didn't know it had something to do with the other book. I thought it was just his closing of the whole spy world.

No, in the story, Alec Leamas’s son is suing the government over the death of his father and the government calls in a now retired Peter Guillam to find out what happened.  Smiley makes an appearance.

In addition, the spy world is never closed or ended. Even though the Cold War is over, it still continues. See Agent Running in the Field and his last book, published posthumously, Silverview. 

Edited June 16, 2022 by Brad

[Bluesnik]

9 hours ago, Brad said:

See Agent Running in the Field and his last book, published posthumously, Silverview.

I have Silverview too. Unread. But I never knew about the connection to earlier books.

[Brad]

On 6/16/2022 at 5:15 PM, Bluesnik said:

I have Silverview too. Unread. But I never knew about the connection to earlier books.

Several of his books are considered the Smiley books in that they include George Smiley. There are the two I first mentioned. The others are 

Call for the Dead

A Murder of Quality

The Looking Glass War (one of LeCarre’s best)

The Secret Pilgrim and

The Karla Trilogy — Tinker Tailor, The Honorable Schoolboy, and Smiley’s People.

If you should decide to watch Tinker, Tailor, do not watch the movie but the six part series with Alec Guinness.  It and Smiley’s People are available on YouTube. 

[Milestones]

I was pleasantly surprised by Agent Running in the Field--a rather fine work for so late in his career.

I heard that Silverview was written a few years back and Le Carre felt it wasn't good enough to be published.  Yet here it is.

 

 

[Brad]

1 hour ago, Milestones said:

I was pleasantly surprised by Agent Running in the Field--a rather fine work for so late in his career.

I heard that Silverview was written a few years back and Le Carre felt it wasn't good enough to be published.  Yet here it is.

 

 

I thought Silverview was pretty good. Perhaps not among his best but still good nonetheless. 

[Brad]

A look at Paris in the 1920s, the writing of The Sun Also Rises and the actual people who made up the novel, most of whom remained unhappy to the day they died with the way they were portrayed in the novel. Fascinating book. 

[Milestones]

Great writers usually piss off the people who are their raw material.

 

[Bluesnik]

19 hours ago, Brad said:

If you should decide to watch Tinker, Tailor, do not watch the movie but the six part series with Alec Guinness.

Thanks Brad, I've read Tinker, Tailor but haven't seen any movie.

[Brad]

1 minute ago, Bluesnik said:

Thanks Brad, I've read Tinker, Tailor but haven't seen any movie.

I saw the series before I read Tinker Tailor. It was what got me interested in reading Tinker, Tailor as well as his other books. 

[Brad]

On 5/25/2022 at 3:13 PM, BillF said:

You know, I've read just about everything he wrote, but I haven't read that. Do you recommend it?

I’m about halfway through it and I can’t say that I do. It’s his attempt to do something different, to explore the dissatisfaction with bourgeois, ho hum middle class life and explore life with a rabelasian bohemian acquaintance; walk on the wild side, so to speak. The book, so far, seems aimless but I’m going on a trip so I will see if I can finish it. 

[ghost of miles]

On 6/18/2022 at 9:45 PM, Brad said:

If you should decide to watch Tinker, Tailor, do not watch the movie but the six part series with Alec Guinness.  It and Smiley’s People are available on YouTube. 

Both amazingly well-done productions.  I actually ordered the British versions on DVD several years ago because they're complete, as opposed to the slightly-truncated episodes that aired on America's PBS.