Short and Long Stories

I like big books and I can not lie...

Hello!

Here are some of my recent reads.

• McGlue by Ottessa Moshfegh

• Wolf Hall by Hilary Mantel

• Under The Skin by Michel Faber

• Flesh and Blood: A History of the Cannibal Complex by Reay Tannahill

• Dune by Frank Herbert

• House of Leaves by Mark Z. Danielewski (thirty pages to go)

My book consumption this year has changed. I’m reading fewer books, but the lions share of these are much longer books than I’ve ever read before.

The anomoly here is McGlue. A novella at just over 100 pages and around 35,000 words. I read it in two days. My interest in Moshfegh and her work isn’t waning. I’ve written about her books previously here.

On Being a Hermit

I find it fascinating that her work encompasses so much horror, yet its never promoted it as such. This is a topic I’ll return to at some point.

Alternating longer books with nonfiction, short stories, or novellas is working for me right now. Its a good balance with my own creativity.

Under The Skin is brilliant and quite different from the film, which I loved, accept for that scene. (IYKYN)

I do plan to read the second book in the Wolf Hall trilogy¹ as Cromwell has me hooked, but I need a break from the Tudor world for a while. This is the first book I’ve finished that is over 600 pages.

Dune is also a long book. The story itself is around 500 pages but there’s a lot of explanatory sections too, making this another long book.

Recently I picked up House of Leaves from the library. Those of you who have read it will probably be laughing as you read this because there is no way I’m going to read this enormous book in the three weeks the library allows.

I’ve decided to dig in anyway, and if I’m enjoying it (which I am, in short doses) I’ll buy a used copy.

I’d love to know what you’ve enjoyed reading recently? Are you a big book person? Or do you enjoy a novella?

A shot of my bookshelves, see anything you like?

1. Lagging behind the gang

Simon Haisell

‘s readalong.