
Now, more than ever, this is a book that needs to be read. Continue reading
J: I guess that’s what War and Peace is about. It’s about what happens when people are forced to cope with the force of history as it’s bearing down on them, which I guess is the way Tolstoy would have looked at it.
R: I’m so glad you liked War and Peace. I knew you would. When you were reading Anna Karenina, you were telling me ‘There couldn’t possibly be a better novel’. And then, there was. Continue reading
The thing about a book like War and Peace that first makes an impression on you is its size. Continue reading
According to my oft-quoted list of ‘Time’s 10 Best Books Ever Written’, Madame Bovary ranks number two, coming in just behind Anna Karenina. Continue reading

I referred to the Time list of the best books ever written some weeks ago. I’ve been thinking about it since, and the list has probably destroyed my interest in ‘best of’ lists for ever after. Which may prove to be a good thing. But what it did raise to my attention was the ludicrous inclusion of The Great Gatsby – I mean, give me a break. I’m not saying Fitzgerald isn’t good, but Dosteyevsky has done turds that dwarf Gatsby. Continue reading
Holy shit – now this is a frightening book. Continue reading
The Lost Art of Reading
This entry takes its title from Rodney Hall’s keynote address at the 2010 Byron Bay Writer’s Festival. I had hoped to begin with a link to the lecture which I believe the ABC filmed and will eventually upload onto youtube. While googling, I found this interview, which is a really interesting introduction to the man.
http://blog.booktopia.com.au/2010/04/27/feature-rodney-hall-author-of-popeye-never-told-you-answers-ten-terrifying-questions/ Continue reading