Tag Archives: John Banville

Rejoyce. It’s Bloomsday.

Some men send flowers to commemorate an anniversary. James Joyce wrote Ulysses. Overachiever. On June 15, 1904, young James Joyce sent a note to Nora Barnacle, who was a waitress at Finn’s Hotel. Barnacle (what an apt name) was a … Continue reading

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2015 Books Read

Even I am impressed with how much I read this year. Along the course of the year, occasionally I’d think to myself, “Good job, Sheila, with your Self-Imposed Reading Plan!” I’ve read a lot of new novels (not really my … Continue reading

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Recommended Books: Fiction

I’ve added to this list. I still want to do a Non-Fiction one, eventually, but … you know … time permitting. Some authors are represented multiple times here. Other authors aren’t represented at all. For no real reason. Don’t read … Continue reading

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2013 Books Read

It’s been a hell of a year. Devastating as well as redemptive. I started it out in Memphis, and end it here in New Jersey. And now my new niece Pearl has arrived! It’s been both a busy year as … Continue reading

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2011 Books Read

Here is my annual roundup of all of the books I read this year. Not quite up to the pace I normally am (although 2009 was an all-time low), but movies and writing have become nearly full-time pursuits for me … Continue reading

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“Although its atmosphere, at once lackadaisical and deeply sinister, is that of a nightmare, the book has the sheen of a wide-awake, hyper-real and terrifyingly definite experience.” – John Banville on Kafka’s The Trial

An interesting piece on Franz Kafka by John Banville, on “Kafka’s other trial”. (I get a thrill when I see Elias Canetti’s name, a strange phenomenon. But thanks, Mr. Banville, for that.) I like this part: “Miss FB of Berlin” … Continue reading

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2010 Books Read

Round-up of the books I read this year, in the order in which I read them. I am nearly finished with one last book (a collection of stories by Miranda July, given to me by my sister Siobhan for my … Continue reading

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“[Life] Is Like Being At A Tremendously Good Party. I Just Don’t Want To Leave.”

John Banville on death. It made me cry. “It’s just so good. It’s so exquisitely beautiful being here.” Meaning: alive, the world.

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“The Sexiest Painting I Know.”

“An Allegory with Venus and Cupid”, Agnolo Bronzino So says John Banville who is, on occasion, the sexiest writer I know. Here is a great little interview with him. I liked this bit a lot: Which fictional character most resembles … Continue reading

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The Newton Letter, by John Banville

Sir – Being of opinion that you endeavoured to embroil me with woemen & by other means I was so much affected with it as that when one told me you were sickly and would not live I answered twere … Continue reading

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