I have just finished David Lodge’s Thinks, and found it surprisingly lurid. Before that I read Nick Hornby’s High Fidelity, which did nothing much for me. I didn’t recognise any men I know in his whingeing womanlessness. Something about him just goes over my head. I am now stuck for what next – the complete Enderby, some more Nicholson Baker, or William Boyd.
Perhaps I should show some Mancunian solidarity; at work today in a library carrel, I noticed someone had kindly taken time out from study to inscribe in the desk ‘Die Mank Scum‘. Presumably the ‘k’ was a stylistic choice.
4 responses so far ↓
Rob Spence // June 12, 2009 at 9:44 am
Thinks – I do recognise some of those people in academia. Enderby is always a good choice. Wm Boyd also an excellent choice- since you have recently read Any Old Iron, you might try The New Confessions, to which, in my eyes at any rate, it bears some resemblance.
Rob Spence // June 12, 2009 at 9:45 am
Also just musing that Die Mank Scum, or possibly Skum would be an excellent name for a German death metal band…
petal47 // June 14, 2009 at 11:04 am
Perhaps you should write a book….
I’ve got a copy of Reckless, so I’m giving that a go. I usually enjoy Mr Boyd, but I found Brazzaville Beach off-putting and haven’t tried him since.
petal47 // June 14, 2009 at 11:06 am
I tried Googling it in case it was a standard football chant, and I learned some surprising new terms. I think the death metal would be cuddlier.