Liadnan

I dunno. In an attempt to shrug off the vaguely dissatisfied state of mind I've fallen into, I picked up in Camden Public Library what should, judging from cover and blurb, have been a piece of sub-Bridget Jones flummery. Hot chocolate for the soul, or so I imagined.

Instead it turned out to be a somewhat complex, dark, and intelligent novel, with a clever and utterly unexpected twist. I dunno, can't rely on anything these days.

A discussion on email today reminded me that despite all the reviews (see in particular Fafnir on the Fafblog) I do think I want to read Tom Wolfe's I am Charlotte Simmons. Not that I think I'll actually like it, or even remotely agree with it, I'm just interested.

I mentioned in the same context Donna Tartt's Secret History. My problem with that book is that I found myself intensely disliking each and every character. Except Camilla, but then....

Joff reckons he can see why it raises a kind of nostalgia for anyone who read it while they were at university. I'm not sure I agree. Even the times Joff and I and some of the rest of youse shared on Walton Street never got to quite the levels of The Secret History. Or did they.. perhaps my memory has edited selectively? Anyway, they all work far too hard for it to be realistic. The Wolfe, judging from the reviews, seems considerably tamer, by contrast.

Tamer than our past I mean.

Yes, I know I'm rambling. I've been struggling with Capital Gains Tax all day, which is really not my strong point.

Rich has an ethical problem for you all: go argue with him, Really.