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I do a lot of running and the last year or so have taken to listening to audiobooks, initially to clear a backlog of books I’d had for ages but never finished reading. I then switched to books I’d read many years ago, this included 1984 and Animal Farm . 1984 is not quite the same as an audiobook but it was good to revive the memory !Read a couple of classics recently.
John Steinbeck's East of Eden which absolutely blew me away.
Not read anything by him since 'Of Mice & Men' when I was still in school many years ago.
Probably some of the best characters ever penned to paper in my opinion. Cathy/Kate was such a fantastic protagonist and commanded every scene she was in.
The bromance between Samuel and Lee was another high point for me.
It seemed like every other page had a quotable passage. Just a great read overall.
Also recently finished Orwell's 1984. Something that's been on my to read list forever.
Maybe doesn't have the same impact today as it did at the time of first publication (1949) coming straight off the back of WWII and the rise and fall of National Socialism and of course the then growing Soviet Union.
While there's still a lot to like here, it does feel very ham-fisted at times. Also, you have to get your head around the 'future according to the 1940's' as well.
It's also been copied and parodied a lot since its first publication.
The story itself is great. He's absolutely nailed the feeling of paranoia and tension, the 3rd act in particular is very intense, however a lot of this felt broken up by the books many tiresome monologues. (I'm looking at you O'Brien!)
That said, it is very well written, loved the world building over all and of course it is another book awash with highly quotable passages. I enjoyed it overall and it's also made me realise that a lot of the so called 'free speech warriors' online who scream about censorship and "this is just what Orwell warned us about in 1984" have likely never read it
If you want a totally different American vibe, try John Updike. His four Rabbit books are a classic look at American suburban life from the 60s through to the 90s(?). The first one, 'Rabbit Run', might be a little more difficult to get into as it deals with the splits in US society over Vietnam and racism, but in general the books deal with how real life means people settle for less than their dreams but still long for something different. Two out of the four won the Pulitzer Prize.
Nice one, always appreciate good recommendations!
George Orwell is one of my favourite authors and Animal Farm is in my top three favourite books. It is no exaggeration to say it shaped my life. Even as a 12 year old, knowing nothing about its underlying meaning, it made me think about unfairness and corruption. I cried at the end when the donkey read the words on the wall.....and then later came 25 years as a Union rep. Thanks George!
I agree. After you told me about this book I read it and then recommended it to anybody who asked. Nobody has come back with a bad review. It is brilliant.
Agree about the Rabbit books - the third one, Rabbit is Rich, is a masterpiece.
I've heard a few people say the same. One of those books that was massively overhyped by the book review types.
It's a great premise but I thought there was too much inner turmoil and not enough action. Too introverted.
Anyone who likes Updike will like the Richard Ford series of five novels about Frank Bascombe, beginning with The Sportswriter. It's broadly about being a man in a changing society from the 80s onwards.
