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The Forest for the Trees: An Editor's Advice to Writers, Betsy Lerner

I was expecting a book on how to edit. What I got was an insider's take on the publishing business. It is an interesting book - and I already have enough how to edit books so this was probably a better deal.

The Forest for the Trees: An Editor's Advice to Writers, Betsy Lerner

The Middle Temple Murder, J S Fletcher

Another Audio book . This one was a free download from Libravox via Guttenberg.

It was OK. The reading got a bit bad towards the end. Some of the readers stumbled over entire paragraphs without stopping th etape and starting again. The odd word is ok but not a paragraph. This was matched by the bad writing – the plot was all right but the repitition tedious. 'He opened the door, he went through the door he had opened.' Did he really – and exactly how wide did he open the door, pray tell?

The Middle Temple Murder, J S Fletcher.

Born Standing Up: A Comic's Life, Steve Martin

I didn't read this book I got an unabridged CD from the library and listened to it. I listen to audio books when I cycle so I can still hear the traffic.

This one was read by Steve Martin- so it was more like him telling you the story of his life as a stand up comic. I didn't ut it down – or didn't take the ear plugs out – once I had started. I wanted more – more of Saturday Night Live, more of his film career, and his writing career. Maybe there will be more books in the future.

Born Standing Up: A Comic's Life, Steve Martin.

The First Five Pages, Noah Lukeman

This is a good reference guide. The end of chapter exercises annoyed me a little bit as I felt they were just a gimmick to fill up space.

I have read a few self-edit and writing books. Before reading this one you should read On Writing by Stephen King and Self-Editing for Fiction Writers by Renni Browne and Dave King.

The First Five Pages: A Writer's Guide to Staying Out of the Rejection Pile, Noah Lukeman

Shadows in Bronze, Lindsey Davis

This is the second in the Falco series of Ancient Rome mysteries. I read the first - The Silver Pigs - a couple of months ago. This one picks up from the end of the previous and ties up a lot of the loose ends. You really do need to have read the first one before reading this one - although the first one is self-contained.

I do like the author's prose – there are occasionally moments of beauty in the book. Mainly it is the flippant, amusing, commentary from Falco.

I'll give it a couple of months before I read the next one: I don't want to feel obliged to go charging through all 10 or 12 in one go.

Shadows in Bronze, Lindsey Davis.

Maigret and the Ghost, Georges Simenon

This is the first Post-War Maigret I have read. The are good easy reads that keep you interested. They are quite short so can be easily read in one long sitting - or over a weekend. I rate Georges Simenon as a writer - his non-Maigret crime is excellent.

Maigret and the Ghost, Georges Simenon

You can't be neutral on a moving train, Howard Zinn

This is an engrossing autobiography by Howard Zinn. Through his life of activism he has shown episodes and incidents which give him hope when faced with the oppressive tyranny of government. The reasons for this hope have two main aspects, that there are people who will preserve despite the odds and that a movement for change is made up of such individuals. Change is rarely about one event, one rally, one person, it is about many small changes, it involves many failures, and at first may appear to be an act in isolation.

This book is well written and well thought through. It helps perhaps that I agree with Zinn politically.

You can't be neutral on a moving train, Howard Zinn

A Wrinkle in the Skin, John Christopher

British Sci-Fi survivor novel – first published 1965. It's a format I enjoy and John Christopher is good at it - HG Wells pretty much invented this sub-genre and Christopher turned it into the format we know now. With HG Wells it is about forming a better world after the destruction of the old. With Christopher it is about lowest common denominators, gangs getting together being told what to do by the most brutal of leaders. Intelligence is no match for force - in the short term at least. Longer term they thoughtful, if they are still alive, may have the chance to establish themselves.

In this book the earth is hit by a series of earthquakes – the English Channel is now more. The hero is living in Guernsey at the time of the quakes. The story is his story as he learns to adapt to the new, post-quake, world.

This book is good but if you haven't read it The Death of Grass, also by John Christopher, is probably better.

A Wrinkle in the Skin, John Christopher.

Mission to Marseilles, Leo Mallet

This is the fourth of the Nestor Burma detective storied I have read. Ther previous two were, 120 Rue de la Gare(book 1), Dynamite Versus QED (book 2), and Rats of Montsouris (book 15). This one was book 4. They are funny, flipant, french, and now a little old - this one was written in 1946, set in 1942.

I'd love to read all Mallet's books but the ones which have been transalted seem to be out of print - or too expensive. Still they crop up on amazon now and then.

Mission to Marseilles, Leo Mallet

The Bourne Ultimatum, Robert Ludlum

I have now read the first three of these books: The first two were; The Bourne Identity; The Bourne Supremacy. The book really feels like it is dragging out the series. The Bourne Identity was quite good and Supremacy was worth reading. This one just went on repeating the same premise over 540 pages. The Jackal is now old and wants to kill Bourne before he dies. In order to live in peace Bourne must therefore kill the jackal. Bourne is getting old and feels aches and pains he would never have felt before. Set that in The Caribbean, Then in Paris, Then in Moscow, then in a KGB training complex where the Jackal gets it. Hope that didn't spoil it for you, but then that is one of the problems with this book – there was no way Jason Bourne was going to die therefore either the Jackal dies, appears to have died or escapes and disappears – with the second two having him pop-up again in the next book. There isn't enough to keep you hooked. There isn't enough to believe in. I won't read any more of the Bourne books – which I think aren't by Ludlum anyway. I might read one of his other books though –but not for a long time as I have a long list of books I want to read at the moment.

I started this one as I wanted to read a thriller as I am writing one at the moment. Not quite like the Bourne books but I wanted that feeling of pace. I set my self a target of 1,000 words a day for the first draft. I am on 56,000 words now and am on day 58. I missed one day when I was ill and still have my 1,000 to do tonight. I totally recommend setting a word count target for each day. It means not matter what distractions you face you still have to get on with it. I am aiming for 100,000 for the first draft probably dropping to 85-90 after the first edit. That means I have 44 days to go including today. The real trick to it is to just get it down and not think too much about what you are writing – that is for the first edit. I also started a Bible for this one, listing the characters and a very short note as to what they are doing. I haven't used this before (on the other novel I finished I only had four or five characters.

The Bourne Ultimatum, Robert Ludlum

Tomorrow We Ride, Jean Bobet

This a biography by Jean Bobet, Professional Cyclist in during the 1950's. His brother Louison won the Tour de France 3 times in succession.

I enjoyed it, the only real criticism is that it over sentimentalises the past – champions were better then as they had class, more open to met the fans etc no they are cosseted little princes...

There isn't too much of that though and the book is worth reading.

Tomorrow We Ride Jean Bobet.

The Silver Pigs, Lindsey Davis

This is the first in a series of books feature Falco - a detective in Ancient Rome. At first I felt it was a bit clunky but I like history and have been listening to The History of Rome podcasts for the last 6 months so kept on with it. After a while I found it hard to put down; becoming absorbed in the action and the setting – The start of Vespasian' s reign.

I'll delay reading number 2 for a little while as I need to sleep on occasion. I'm still delaying the next Steig Larsson book for the same reason.

In the meant time I have started my second book. This time I decided to write 1,000 words a day. It's been a bit hard but the discipline is good. It's surprising how much I can get into even when I have had to drag myself to write at the end of a long day when inspiration is just a tablet for indigestion.

The Silver Pigs, Lindsey Davis

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, Steig Larsson

The text is a bit cuncky in places - that's about the only bad thing I have to say about it. It's a thick book and I didn't want to put it down. I am holding off reading the next one as I need to get some sleep at night (since I started reading this I've been staying up into the early am every night reading).

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, Steig Larsson.

I had to abandon The Art of Being, Erich Fromm. Yet another dud. Really it's the art of being whined at. most of the book is about all the carlatans out there. No and then he talks about a method or technique of interest and then you turn the page and he's off berating drug takers or fake spiritual leaders. This book would put me right off Fromm - if it were not for The Art of Loving which I read years ago or The Fear of Freedom both of which are good books.

On Writing, Stephen King

On Writing, finished yesterday. This was an eBook and I bought it from waterstones. I have a sony prs-600. I got this a couple of weeks ago and am now madly downloading from project gutenberg

On Writing is for writers and I totally recommend it. I haven't read anything else by Stephen King and never planned to. Now I might have to get Carrie. I have been trhough a few duds recently so it was good to get back to a book that steals all your time again.

I also read a one act play by Verlaine. Madame Aubin - get it free from Gutenberg. It was ok but I think the point has been lost over time. Verlaine is one of my favourite poets so I can forgive him a few pointless plays - especially when they are short.

McQueen: The Biography

I got about 1/3 of the way through this - it really bored the hell out ofme. I don't normally just gve up on a book but this one was fromthe library so I took it back.

There are a lot of books on McQueen - don't read this one.

McQueen: The Biography by Christopher Sandford

Bonjour Tristesse, Francoise Sagan

Finished this last night. Only a small book but enjoyable. Got about halfway through before I realised it wasn't Bonjour Trieste.

Bonjour Tristesse, Francoise Sagan

The Chalk Circle Man, Fred Vagras

Finished this today on the bus. Some of it is a bit clumsy but overall an execellent crime/detective book. Set in Paris. This one is the first in a series with Adamsberg as the detective.

I have read another of these called Have mercy on us all, I'll probably try and read them all now - in the order they were written (what ever that may be)

The Chalk Circle Man, Fred Vagras

High Rise, J.G. Ballard

Finished High Rise on the bus this morning. Totally enjoyed it. Later books on the same theme weren't quite so enjoyable(Super Cannes, Cocaine Nights). This still have the feel of the earlier books (Drowned World and Drought) I think for the next Ballard book I'll go for The Atrocity Exhibition.

As it's pay-day I bought these two from Waterstones in Douglas

Metaphysical Poets ed: Helen Gardner, another Penguin poetry collection.

I also got: The Chalk Circle Man by Fred Vagras. I have read one of her books before and this is the first for that detective.

Pulp: A Novel, Charles Bukowski

Finished today. It got worse as it went on.

Pulp: A Novel , Charles Bukowski

From my comments to Post Office

I also take that back about Pulp as it drags on you realise it is actually quite shit. There are no real ideas in there just a lot of gimmicks.

It is dedicated to bad writing and it is bad writing. However, if I want bad writing I can read a newspaper.

Shakespeare and Company, Sylvia Beach

Finsihed this last night. Found it last week after having lost it when we moved house.

A good and easy read espcially if you like the Paris/Ex-Pat/Writing of the 1920's

Shakespeare and Company, Sylvia Beach

Not finished anything for a while

I've started a lot but not finished. On the bus I've been listening to History of Rome Podcasts and Coffee Break French. In the lunch hour I have been writing. I more or less write 500 words and then in the evening type 500 words. It's a little slower than I'd like but I'm on 42,000 and aiming for 65,000 by July - hopefully including a rewrite (because first drafts are shite)

I have bought a lot of books though: Pulp; Charles Bukowski, High Rise; J. G. Ballard, Upside Down; Eduardo Galeano.

I am reading all but High Rise along with a History of France.

Post Office, Charles Bukowski

Finished this today. And easy read but I got annoyed his with the juvenile self-indulgence.

The Penguin Book of First World War Poetry, ed George Walter

This arrived yesterday along with: Self-Editing for Fiction Writers, Second Edition: How to Edit Yourself Into Print by Renni Browne and Dave King.

I am not going to read the poetry book, I'll dip into it now and then. I like these Penguin collections. I bought The Penguin Book of French Poetry 1820-1950 ed William Rees, about 20 years ago. If you don't have it get it!

I also bought Post Office by Charles Bukowski, from Watersontes in Douglas yesterday.

Today I have been getting chapters ready for Debut Dagger. As I had the day off I read half the self-editing book and Post Office. They are both worth reading. The self-edit book is non-fiction for writers though.

Goodbye to All That, Robert Graves

Finished it today.

Would recommend it.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Goodbye-That-Penguin-Modern-Classics/dp/0141184590/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1264461577&sr=1-1

Ordered the The Penguin Book of First World War Poetry.

Would like to get a biography of Siegfried Sassoon.

Can't bring myself to buy Memoirs of a Fox Hunting Man.

Still thinking of getting Live and Let Live