Monday, November 30, 2009

A Good Read

Elphinston. “What, have you not read it through?”…
Johnson. “No Sir, do you read books through?”
Life of Johnson (J. Boswell) Vol 11

I was just coming to the end of a ‘how to‘ book and was desirous of a little light reading. On the window sill in the bed-room is a pile of books I haven’t managed to finish – or in the case of two Dan Brown’s even start. There was an unfamiliar looking paperback with a ‘two for one’ sticker and the plea to read it and pass it on. Where it came from is as much a mystery as the strange Louise I am meant to meet one morning in December.


The Guardian said it was ‘spectacular …fiendishly clever’ which I am not. It is based on a real life event – when Sigmund Freud and his disciple Carl Jung visited America to deliver a series of lectures on psychoanalysis. The title is ’The Interpretation of Murder’ and the writer is Jed Rubenfield who is a Professor of Law at Yale University. Although it didn’t sound like my kind of book I was desperate and from the first page I was hooked – I love his elegant writing - the story is a page-turner and I am having to ration myself to a chapter at bed-time. It is a rare gift for a highly intelligent writer to appeal to the man/woman in the street IMO.


As one who ponders for hours on the names of characters I was amused to find the hero is named Younger – after Jung no doubt? I expect lots of you know him already and I’m preaching to the converted. If not try him.

14 comments:

Kim Ayres said...

I think I've read this one. Maggie bought it, read it and handed it to me a year or 2 ago. Unfortunately I can't remember a great deal about it or how much I enjoyed it. Not much use to you, I realise. But Maggie must have thought it was quite good though, or she wouldn't have passed it over to me to read :)

Queenie said...

Never heard of it. I'm not fiendishly clever either, but I'm smart enough to accept a book recommendation like this, so thank you!

Anonymous said...

Oh this is on my shelf! Has been there for some months, waiting to be read! So good to hear a recommendation :)

Anonymous said...

I've not heard of it, but it sounds good. Off to Amazon I go!

Cheers.

OldLady Of The Hills said...

U don't know him...But, just may try him.
These days I seem to be interested in MWMOIRS, and nothing else....But, with your recomemdation....I just might get this book.

Charlie said...

It's always rewarding when we find a diamond amongst a pile of coal.

And I wonder if Louise left that book for you.

Pat said...

Kim: good for Maggie. Now you have the fun of reading it again. MTL reads the same history and war books over and over again.

Queenie: I'll be interested in your opinion.

Cinnamon: how fortuitous. I'm still puzzled as to where my copy came from.

Randall: I'm beginning to feel responsible:)

Naomi: it is a thriller so it may not be your cup of tea.

Charlie: my first thought was - I wonder if Charlie has read it.
I try not to think about Louise - it freaks me a little.

DILLIGAF said...

Sorry babe. Haven't a scooby.

That doesn't mean I won't have a bash mind you!

Recommended before and I'll do it again.

'Red Dwarf' by Grant Naylor or owt by Tom Sharpe.

Books should sometimes make you laugh out loud yer know....

...don't read 'em on a train...;-)

word very thingy 'pralegas'....sounds like an Arsenal footballer...;-)

Pat said...

Four.D : Red Dwarf and Tom Sharpe were always popular with the boys.

kenju said...

I haven't heard of him, but on your recommendation, I will check it out.

Pat, all the trees we decorate for the clubs are artificial, and most of them have that tall, narrow at the base and pointy at the top appearance. It saves floor space.

sablonneuse said...

I've not heard of it either but books are piling up on me waiting to be read so I'll have to delay getting it myself for a while.

Pat said...

Judy; the tree shape makes sense.

Sandy: usually I am in the same position but every now and then I find I have NOTHING to read.

Charlie said...

No, Pat, I haven't read it, but it sounds quite good. I'm going to look it up on Amazon.

Pat said...

Charlie: if you read it of course I will be interested in how you found it.