What I’ve Read
Last updated: 19th January 2009
January 2009
‘Divine Horsemen – The Living Gods of Haiti’ by Maya
Deren
I’ve
been interested in Voodoo for a long time, but not known a lot about it. This
was one of two books that were recommended to me by someone in the Paganism:1
Chat Room, the other being ‘Mama Lola’. This is a fascinating read,
and has been explaining a lot about the Voodoo religion. It’s taking me a
while to work my way through it, but it is very detailed and well presented.
Deren offers several insights as to both the origins of voodoo and the nature
of its practice.
McPherson
& Company (2004), ISBN 0-914232-64-9
‘The Spook Who Sat By the Door’ by Sam Greenlee
This
is one of my favourite books. It is a tale of racism and one man’s
struggle to life a life where he is free in a world of harsh divisions. Freeman
is a token black trained by the CIA so that they can claim to be integrated. He
takes his knowledge and moves back to Chicago, where he gets a job as a social
worker. This front allows him to train a street gang named the Cobras to become
a revolutionary force. When riots break out during Chicago’s hot summer,
they develop into war. It’s a powerful story, and has been a very
controversial book. It was made
into a film, in the 70’s, but all of the distributed copies mysteriously
disappeared. The film only saw light of day in a 30th anniversary
issue on DVD in 2004.
A
Bantam Book published by arrangement with Allison & Busby (1970)
December 2008/January 2009
‘Anatheme’ by Neal Stephenson
A
new novel by one of my favourite authors. It’s about a disaster befalling
a monastic order devoted to science and philosophy. The book explores some
interesting ideas about the nature of existence and how this might be in a
polyverse. On the downside the book uses a lot of made up words and personally
I find this to be very irritating. It is slow to get going, but once it does,
it is a great read.
William
Morrow (2008), ISBN: 978-0-06-147409-5
‘American Gods’ by Neil Gaiman
This is probably my favourite work of fiction at the moment.
I’ve read it more times than I can remember, and wanted to enjoy it again
as a Christmas treat. The plot is clever and has depth. Its about how Gods are
treated in modern America and shares the idea that Terry Pratchett expresses
about Gods and Goddesses needing belief.
Headline
Book Publishing (2001) ISBN: 0 7472 6374 4
November/December 2008
‘Neil Gaiman’s Neverwhere’ by Mike Carey (author)
& Glenn Fabry (Illustrator)
I am still looking for a copy of Volume 11 of the Sandman, (and yes I
know the simple solution would be to order it online). However, whilst
searching I came a graphic novel version of Neverwhere. I had to have it,
despite having the novel, and the BBC television series on DVD. It was a good
purchase.
Vertigo
(2007) ISBN: 1401210074
‘The Flanders Panel’ by Arturo Pérez-Reverte
Having
really enjoyed ‘The Club Dumas’, I decided to try another
Pérez-Reverte book. This is about a 500 year old murder mystery that
somehow spills into the lives of an art restorer and her friends and
colleagues. It helps if you like chess too as a good bit of the plot revolves
around it.
Bantam
book, published by arrangement with Harcourt Brace & Company (1996), ISBN:
0-553-37786-8
‘The Devil’s Picture Book’ by Paul Huson
I
have several of Huson’s books, this one is about the Tarot. I found the bits
about the various spreads a bit tedious, but the more detailed bits about the
cards are much more interesting. There are some overlaps with The Secret
History I was reading recently and rather oddly with the Sandman series.
Abacus
(1972)
October/November 2008
‘The Family’ by Mario Puzo, Completed by Carol Gino
This
is the last book by author of ‘The Godfather’. Mario Puzo writes
about Pope Alexander VI, who was perhaps better known as Rodrigo Borgia. I love
the way he covers the politics and intrigues of the times. According to the
notes he had long been interested in this period, and had even converted some
of the intrigues of the time to use in his Mafia based works.
Regan
Books An Imprint of Harper Collins (2001), ISBN: 0-06-039445-5
‘The Secret History of the World – As Laid Down by the
Secret Societies’ by Mark Booth
I’m not sure what to make of
this yet. It has several interesting lines of thought and titbits of
information that I wasn’t aware of. The main thrust seems to be that the
universe is totally geared to our existence. I’m pretty sure I
don’t agree. He hasn’t convinced me so far anyway.
The
Overlook Press Woodstock & New York (2008), ISBN978-1-59020-031-5
The Sandman Series by Neil Gaiman
The
Sandman appears in a series of eleven graphic novels. There are many short
stories woven together here, alongside the unfolding of the main tale about
Morpheus, The Dream Lord, and one of the Endless. We meet Gods and Goddesses,
fantastic animals and historical figures. Different artists are used, which
enhances the dreamlike quality of the stories. I have re-read 10 of the 11
books, and they are all brilliant. Neil Gaiman is one of my favourite authors.
Volume 1: Preludes and Nocturnes Vertigo
(1993) ISBN:
1563890119
Volume
2: The
Doll’s House Vertigo
(1991) ISBN:
0930289595
Volume
3: Dream
Country Vertigo
(1991) ISBN:
156389016X
Volume 4: Season of Mists Vertigo
(1994) ISBN:
1563890410
Volume.
5: A Game
of You Vertigo
(1993) ISBN:
1563890895
Volume
6: Fables
and Reflections Vertigo
(1994) ISBN:
1563891050
Volume
8: Worlds’
End Vertigo
(1995) ISBN:
1563891719
Volume
7: Brief
Lives Vertigo
(1995) ISBN:
1563891387
Volume
9: The
Kindly Ones Vertigo
(1996) ISBN:
1563892057
Volume
10: The Wake Vertigo
(1997) ISBN:
1563892790
Friday by Robert A. Heinlein
An
old favourite of mine. Science fiction tale of a biologically created female
courier. Despite being physically and mentally superior to most of humanity
Friday suffers from feelings of inferiority arising from her created state. The
book tells how she looses one family and a father figure, but eventually gains
another family on another planet. Sounds corny perhaps, but I love re-reading
Friday every now and then.
Hodder
& Stoughton Ltd (1983), ISBN: 0450055493
The Club Dumas by Arturo
Perez-Reverte, Translated into English by Sonia Soto
I read this because I enjoyed ‘The Ninth Gate’, a film
starring Jonny Depp. The film has lost a lot of the book, including pretty much
any reference to the author of The Three Musketeers Alexandre Dumas. There are actually two
very cleverly interwoven plots going on here as Lucas Corso, (the character
Depp played), a cynical and fairly ruthless bookdealer investigates a work
purporting to have been written by the Devil.
Harvest
Books (May 1, 2006), ISBN: 015603283X