Friday 2 December 2011

Stories

The girl says to her Spanish boyfriend, She's quite selective about her novels. She won't read anything trashy or stuff that isn't her sort of story.

What's her kind of story I wonder. I'm not sure I have a kind of story. I'll read all sorts of things. My mother liked stories about lives (fictional diaries and letters, stories of coming through struggles and families). I have her collection of women-authored novels. Many with the dark green spines of Virago Press. I like detective novels - started young when Pops used to read me Josephine Tey novels standing on a chair beside the bunk bed (surprisingly he would fall asleep mid-sentence quite often and have to be coaxed awake and prompted as to where he trailed off. We didn't like Agatha Christie to read though, preferred it on the screen. I'm currently reading Scandinavian crime fiction. I'll read almost anything else though - historic, prehistoric, things my mother would like, thriller, modern, contemporary, American, sci-fi, translations, graphic. Don't generally do chick lit or Mills and Boon.  I like getting recommendations but don't always agree that I like them. Good writing or a gripping read is the key. I've only stopped in the middle of two novels - American Psycho and The Dirty Havana Trilogy. Too violent, and too much sex with sour milk, respectively. I did manage to finish On The Road though, which I found excruciatingly boring. What kind is your story?

4 comments:

la peregrina said...

I think it would be easier to tell you what I don't read; chick lite, romance, and Christian fiction.  The thing they all have in common is that they are all lite fiction.  I like my stories with a bit more meat on them. 

I, too,  like detective novels.  My mother  read Ed McBain's 87th Precinct books and I started reading them when I was young.  (Little Know Facts and Useless Information Departement- Ed McBain is also Evan Hunter and wrote The Blackboard Jungle. Another great book.)

jono1001 said...

I too read widely. Often I try to read the book before I see the film. Recently I haven't read as much fiction as I should. Bought an iPad so I could read electronic books...ended up being distracted by other media.

Also I really enjoy reading your blog. Cheers Jono

Harriet said...

I've not read any Ed McBain - I must have a go. Have to admit I don't even know where to get any christian fiction.

Harriet said...

Thanks Jonno