What 📔book are you reading right now?

[Rivendell_librarian]

I've just finished reading Patricia Highsmith's first novel, Strangers on a Train. It was written in 1950 and quickly adapted by Hitchcock in 1951, and has been adapted many times since. There are some significant differences both in plot and character between the book and the film. The book is more psychological and somewhat darker. Oddly, "Bruno" in the book is Charles Anthony Bruno and is referred to as Bruno in the book (except for his mother who calls him Charley) whereas Guy Haines in the book is referred to mostly as "Guy". In the film it is Bruno Antony called Bruno and Guy Haines called Guy. The basic idea of two strangers meeting on a train and one of them (Bruno) suggesting they swap murders is the same in both.

In the book, Highsmith lays on hints about Bruno's homosexuality with a trowel and he has a severe drink problem as well. The Hitchcock film is more visual and has an exciting conclusion whereas the novel's ending is more downbeat. I think the film is more satisfying and better constructed but I wouldn't put anyone off reading the book.

 

[Deimos]

I've just finished reading Patricia Highsmith's first novel, Strangers on a Train. It was written in 1950 and quickly adapted by Hitchcock in 1951, and has been adapted many times since. There are some significant differences both in plot and character between the book and the film. The book is more psychological and somewhat darker. Oddly, "Bruno" in the book is Charles Anthony Bruno and is referred to as Bruno in the book (except for his mother who calls him Charley) whereas Guy Haines in the book is referred to mostly as "Guy". In the film it is Bruno Antony called Bruno and Guy Haines called Guy. The basic idea of two strangers meeting on a train and one of them (Bruno) suggesting they swap murders is the same in both.

In the book, Highsmith lays on hints about Bruno's homosexuality with a trowel and he has a severe drink problem as well. The Hitchcock film is more visual and has an exciting conclusion whereas the novel's ending is more downbeat. I think the film is more satisfying and better constructed but I wouldn't put anyone off reading the book.

I think I have seen the movie... if that's the one that ends with the merry-go-round scene. I have seen most of Hitch's movies.
In any case I'm going to [re]watch this one.
I read my first Patricia Hightower novel recently (see below) and liked it. She writes very well . So I'll probably read the book at some point.

Try P-H's "The Talented Mr Ripley", which was also made into a movie. I have not seen the movie so I don't know how it compares to the book.
Apparently she wrote several books featuring Mr Ripley and his talents.

 

[TrackerOrc]

Just started 'Demon Copperhead' by Barbara Kingsolver, a take on David Copperfield set in poverty-stricken Appalachia. Absolute page turner so far.

 

[Rivendell_librarian]

I think I have seen the movie... if that's the one that ends with the merry-go-round scene. I have seen most of Hitch's movies.
In any case I'm going to [re]watch this one.
I read my first Patricia Hightower novel recently (see below) and liked it. She writes very well . So I'll probably read the book at some point.

Try P-H's "The Talented Mr Ripley", which was also made into a movie. I have not seen the movie so I don't know how it compares to the book.
Apparently she wrote several books featuring Mr Ripley and his talents.

Actually I picked up a nice set of the Folio Ripley books from a phone box book swap while on a country walk a good while ago - bit heavy to carry but I think it was worth it. Now I've read this one I should give them a go. The good thing about Hitchcock films is there are plenty of good analysis videos and from one I found out that the carousel scene was real. Hitchcock said it was the most dangerous stunt he ever filmed - also the fairground was built just for the film.

 

[Squint-eyed Southerner]

I picked up a nice set of the Folio Ripley books from a phone box book swap while on a country walk

I need to live where people give away Folio Society books! 😵‍💫

In the meantime, keep checking those boxes -- you might turn up these:

 

[Ent]

As a result of a certain interchange with our own @TrackerOrc in a certain thread, having just completed a deeoer re-read of The Adventures of Tom Bombadil, (which was also fitting to my work in poetic form - Tolkien is interesting) - I'm now doing a deeper dive through C.R. Wiley's In The House of Tom Bombadil.

It's a bit fascinating, and I think Wiley goes a good way into getting a grip on a significant piece of what Bombadil represents, though so far, and as nearly as I can tell from my broader, quicker scan through the rest of the work, he doesn't expand it to its fuller application.

Definitely worth the read in my view, to generte thinking.
The abundance of 'stuff' written and speculated about Bombadil across the Net and in threads here contain some good thought as well.

 

[ZehnWaters]

 

[Deimos]

I need to live where people give away Folio Society books! 😵‍💫

Ditto, squared and cubed!

 

[Rivendell_librarian]

Ditto, squared and cubed!

https://minitravellers.co.uk/phone-box-libraries-in-the-uk/

 

[Deimos]

https://minitravellers.co.uk/phone-box-libraries-in-the-uk/

Here in the US (and maybe elsewhere...e.g. Canada) there is the "Little Free Library" group.
Little Free Library "Take a Book. Leave a Book."
You can buy or make your own library box. Most are nowhere near the size of a phone booth (which would be great) but you can always make one larger than the recommended size.
I know of six "libraries" within 2 miles of me. I pass at least one of them on my daily walks.
I picked up The Scarlet Letter at one just last week. I have read Hawthorne's other novels but never this one (tho' I know the story well enough).
Now more than halfway through it...will return it to the the Library box when I'm finished with it.

 

[Rivendell_librarian]

I need to live where people give away Folio Society books! 😵‍💫

In the meantime, keep checking those boxes -- you might turn up these:
View attachment 37196
View attachment 37197

That would be a fantasy phone box.

 

[Squint-eyed Southerner]

Well, keep an eye out -- you never know. 😉

 

[Deimos]

That would be a fantasy phone box.

No, THIS is a fantasy phone box 😄

 

[TrackerOrc]

I do a 1.2 k walk every morning which takes me past 6 little street libraries. A lot of the time it's just not very distinguished books, lots of pulp thrillers, but now and then you pick up some beauties.
My best haul one day was 'Team of Rivals' and a really good copy of the 'Gormenghast Trilogy'.
Happy days.

 

[Deimos]

I do a 1.2 k walk every morning which takes me past 6 little street libraries. A lot of the time it's just not very distinguished books, lots of pulp thrillers, but now and then you pick up some beauties.
My best haul one day was 'Team of Rivals' and a really good copy of the 'Gormenghast Trilogy'.
Happy days.

How oddly coincidental 😮.
I was considering reading the Gormenghast Trilogy.
So have you read it yet? I should very much like to know your opinion of it.

 

[TrackerOrc]

How oddly coincidental 😮.
I was considering reading the Gormenghast Trilogy.
So have you read it yet? I should very much like to know your opinion of it.

I read it years ago and loved it, which is why I was so happy to find a brand new copy. It's a dense work full of wonderful characters which you will either fall in love with completely or think overblown. ( I'm guessing the former)
And the BBC did a wonderful TV adaptation in 2000 (I think) with Christopher Lee as Flay, Titus' servant.

 

[Idril Celebrindal]

The Tempest by William Shakespeare

 

[Elwing the White]

I've borrowed The Fall of Gondolin for the seventh time.

 

[Squint-eyed Southerner]

Maybe it's time to start thinking about buying a copy? 😄

 

[Elwing the White]

Maybe it's time to start thinking about buying a copy? 😄

Then I'd have to stop bragging about how many times I borrowed it. Oh, and I miscounted, pretty sure its the eighth or ninth time.