reading reading reading

[lookingland]

for the 50bookchallenge:

no. 36 ~ The Law of Dreams by peter behrens. fergus flees from the potato famine in ireland. and flees. and flees. and seems to get a lot of stanky. and flees. there's stuff to admire here: a well-turned phrase or two, but overall the writing is pretentious and redundant. it aspires to something really profound, but as the last few pages creaked over in my hands, i expected nothing would happen to the very end and i wasn't disappointed. the pointlessness of fergus's romances was particularly aggravating. grrrr. behrens has published in the atlantic monthly, so let that be your yardstick. i give it not only thumbs down, but i'm annoyed that i wasted my time.

i'm so sorry moo ~ seems like we usually like each other's recos much more than this. at least i got to read something different.

: o p

i have a ton of other books to list here that i mostly read for research. i've prolly tipped the 50 mark, but it will take a me a while to corral them.



a family during the famine (1845-49)

Comments

[countrysoaper.livejournal.com]

I was impressed with The Great Hunger as a reference on the Blight timeline. It didn't fool around much and stayed on relevant facts.

[lookingland.livejournal.com]

i'll have to check that out when i'm ready for another round on the famine train. thanks!

: D

i have a story that takes place during a similar blight in flanders around this same era. it's definitely an interesting period to examine.

[countrysoaper.livejournal.com]

It's really heartbreaking, the whole thing, especially with as unnecessary as a lot of the circumstances were. So much bullshit beaurocracy from the British government killed so many people. These days, people would say such mismanagement is intentional neglect and cruelty.

[lookingland.livejournal.com]

it's a little crazy-making to think of the needless human suffering that's occurred throughout history.

: o p

[bachsoprano.livejournal.com]

Gah, that's a grisly painting, isn't it?

[lookingland.livejournal.com]

yeah, i guess so (wasn't really thinking about it, just really liked the color palette).

: o p

[bachsoprano.livejournal.com]

I agree, and the use of light is lovely...and grisly :D

Who's the artist?

[lookingland.livejournal.com]

gosh, i don't know that either ~ i am so lame for today's picture ~ hahahahaha.

: D

[gwyn-hwyfar.livejournal.com]

Hmm, that's too bad...I'd love to read another fleeing-the-famine book.