tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5448581132479481740.post5882554753974084930..comments2024-03-25T11:29:25.356-04:00Comments on Existential Ennui: Harriet Lane, Alys, Always (Weidenfeld & Nicolson, 2012; Signed Edition), Patricia Highsmith, and Tom RipleyNick Jones (Louis XIV, the Sun King)http://www.blogger.com/profile/17716508525331235684noreply@blogger.comBlogger9125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5448581132479481740.post-5126840369770256242013-01-28T10:22:45.075-05:002013-01-28T10:22:45.075-05:00My pleasure, John. Hope you like it!My pleasure, John. Hope you like it!Nick Jones (Louis XIV, the Sun King)https://www.blogger.com/profile/17716508525331235684noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5448581132479481740.post-8032075709076682782013-01-25T16:53:34.752-05:002013-01-25T16:53:34.752-05:00I prefer Highsmithian. Has a better rhythm than th...I prefer Highsmithian. Has a better rhythm than the choppy Highsmithic.<br /><br />I'm off to find a copy of Lane's book. Horrid US edition DJ be damned! (Truth be told about 90% of new books have horrid DJs over here these days.)<br /><br />Thanks for uncovering a book I'd never find on my own.J F Norrishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06473487417479127354noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5448581132479481740.post-54538598872350968622013-01-24T06:09:58.657-05:002013-01-24T06:09:58.657-05:00Couldn't be arsed: now there's a sentiment...Couldn't be arsed: now there's a sentiment I can wholeheartedly – or maybe halfheartedly – get behind. I just looked up the US edition jacket – doesn't really do the book justice does it? Whereas Carrie May captures the tone of the novel rather well. Ah well. You should still post a review (if you can be bothered): I'd like to read your thoughts.Nick Jones (Louis XIV, the Sun King)https://www.blogger.com/profile/17716508525331235684noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5448581132479481740.post-48583190296074478822013-01-24T01:59:43.920-05:002013-01-24T01:59:43.920-05:00When I learned that I had finished reading Alys, A...When I learned that I had finished reading Alys, Always before you, I thought I might pull a Ripley/Thorpe and write a review of the book first and steal all of your readers. But at the time, I was really knackered. And then later, I couldn't be arsed.<br /><br />Anyway, I am glad I didn't do it because otherwise I might never have seen your wonderful edition of the book. The American edition has a dreadful dust jacket. If I had known nothing of this book and seen the American dust jacket, I would have judged it by its cover and never read it. I think the quirky UK illustration is perfect for this book.Book Gluttonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14569975755798562829noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5448581132479481740.post-31153820448932901472013-01-23T05:47:01.668-05:002013-01-23T05:47:01.668-05:00Thanks, Nick. I'll go through both the links. ...Thanks, Nick. I'll go through both the links. Highsmith is definitely on my list of authors to read.Prashant C. Trikannadhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16079354501998741758noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5448581132479481740.post-13496826837662110952013-01-23T04:11:31.361-05:002013-01-23T04:11:31.361-05:00I must admit I haven't read many books in firs...I must admit I haven't read many books in first person/present tense – which is how Alys, Always is written, not how Highsmith wrote (she was a third person/past tense, er, person) – but I didn't find it too distracting. A lot of novels are written that way these days, I think – tastes and styles change, I guess. As for Highsmith, I've written quite a bit about her; click on her tag at the bottom of this post, or maybe give my Tom Ripley Reread posts a go, which begin <a href="http://www.existentialennui.com/2012/09/the-great-tom-ripley-reread-1-talented.html" rel="nofollow">here</a>.Nick Jones (Louis XIV, the Sun King)https://www.blogger.com/profile/17716508525331235684noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5448581132479481740.post-29985114399864490932013-01-23T03:10:51.861-05:002013-01-23T03:10:51.861-05:00Nick, I have never read Patricia Highsmith's n...Nick, I have never read Patricia Highsmith's novels and I am told, often, that I don't know what I am missing. Your review of Harriet Lane's book gives me a fair idea. I also don't recall reading "first person, present tense" narrative and I wonder what that's like. I suppose it takes getting used to.Prashant C. Trikannadhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16079354501998741758noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5448581132479481740.post-36872662147750960412013-01-22T12:59:27.518-05:002013-01-22T12:59:27.518-05:00Excellent! My work here is done.Excellent! My work here is done.Nick Jones (Louis XIV, the Sun King)https://www.blogger.com/profile/17716508525331235684noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5448581132479481740.post-53627228272184767182013-01-22T12:58:02.868-05:002013-01-22T12:58:02.868-05:00You sold me. You sold me. pattinase (abbott)https://www.blogger.com/profile/02916037185235335846noreply@blogger.com