3. Mailman by J Robert Lennon. This is more like it. A deeply peculiar protagonist in a book that just zips along. Reminded me of A Confederacy of Dunces, which can’t be a bad thing.
January 19, 2026 at 11:54 AM
3. Mailman by J Robert Lennon. This is more like it. A deeply peculiar protagonist in a book that just zips along. Reminded me of A Confederacy of Dunces, which can’t be a bad thing.
2. Decline & Fall by Evelyn Waugh. A bit surprised by this; a lightweight farce without the sparkle of Wodehouse. Raised plenty of smiles and a couple of chuckles. I might have thought this was Vile Bodies, or perhaps typically had failed to differentiate between the two.
January 19, 2026 at 11:52 AM
2. Decline & Fall by Evelyn Waugh. A bit surprised by this; a lightweight farce without the sparkle of Wodehouse. Raised plenty of smiles and a couple of chuckles. I might have thought this was Vile Bodies, or perhaps typically had failed to differentiate between the two.
Underworld is a sensational book and will repay your effort. bits of it still live in my mind now, over a quarter of a century after I read it.
January 15, 2026 at 11:38 AM
Underworld is a sensational book and will repay your effort. bits of it still live in my mind now, over a quarter of a century after I read it.
I love the Flashman books. Ekeing them out at one a year and only got the last three to go. Wonderful stuff.
January 15, 2026 at 10:27 AM
I love the Flashman books. Ekeing them out at one a year and only got the last three to go. Wonderful stuff.
My favourite Borges story!
January 13, 2026 at 9:45 AM
My favourite Borges story!
Holy shit those two (and The Border) are intense
January 12, 2026 at 7:06 PM
Holy shit those two (and The Border) are intense
I also have the village on my shelf, as yet unread. Will bump it up the list.
January 10, 2026 at 10:08 PM
I also have the village on my shelf, as yet unread. Will bump it up the list.
Yeah smashing book that.
January 10, 2026 at 10:07 PM
Yeah smashing book that.
It’s great isn’t it? I heard about it from @quantick.bsky.social a years ago or so ago. It’s a hoot!
January 10, 2026 at 10:06 PM
It’s great isn’t it? I heard about it from @quantick.bsky.social a years ago or so ago. It’s a hoot!
The last two pages of that book are incredible and have lived in my head rent-free, as the kids have it, for over thirty years.
January 10, 2026 at 12:10 PM
The last two pages of that book are incredible and have lived in my head rent-free, as the kids have it, for over thirty years.
Sensational choice, one of my fave books of last year. Mind-blowing that it was originally marketed as a children’s book. Would that we gave children that much intellectual credit these days.
January 10, 2026 at 10:00 AM
Sensational choice, one of my fave books of last year. Mind-blowing that it was originally marketed as a children’s book. Would that we gave children that much intellectual credit these days.
Thanks, now I understand!
January 10, 2026 at 8:44 AM
Thanks, now I understand!
sorry to be so dim, who/what is TH in this context?
January 9, 2026 at 11:17 AM
sorry to be so dim, who/what is TH in this context?
Coincidentally, i listened to Station to Station this morning. Love his version of Wild is the Wind
January 8, 2026 at 12:19 PM
Coincidentally, i listened to Station to Station this morning. Love his version of Wild is the Wind
That’s the ones. Tons of Vintage Classics overstock and SF Masterworks. You know the drill.
January 6, 2026 at 2:38 PM
That’s the ones. Tons of Vintage Classics overstock and SF Masterworks. You know the drill.
Ta! My local remainder shop has a few copies of Hackeenfeller’s Ape in the new Faber reissue so I’ll start there.
January 6, 2026 at 12:20 PM
Ta! My local remainder shop has a few copies of Hackeenfeller’s Ape in the new Faber reissue so I’ll start there.