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.
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?
I struggle with longer novels lately. My mind is always shifting and I find I get a lot more from reading fragments of non-fiction (mainly philosophy & esoteric stuff these days), short stories, and an excellent book on film called The Big Screen by David Thomson (highly recommended). Dune left me cold, tbh. Wolf Hall I keep thinking I should read. Also, Don Quixote, but it's enormous! Hats off to you for tackling weighty novels.
I recently bought House of Leaves and am looking forward to it. My favorite book this year was long, Foucault’s Pendulum by Umberto Eco. I'm currently reading The Age of Innocence and then it will be Mrs. Dalloway.