Monday 27 July 2009

Foucault's Pendulum by Umberto Eco


Finally reading Foucault's Pendulum by Umberto Eco. I started it twice before and both times lost my copy of the book. A conspiracy perhaps?

I love these quotes from Eco from a NYT interview.

All links WFS.

I am wondering if you read Dan Brown’s “Da Vinci Code,” which some critics see as the pop version of your “Name of the Rose.” I was obliged to read it because everybody was asking me about it.

My answer is that Dan Brown is one of the characters in my novel, “Foucault’s Pendulum,” which is about people who start believing in occult stuff.

But you yourself seem interested in the kabbalah, alchemy and other occult practices explored in the novel. No, in “Foucault’s Pendulum”

I wrote the grotesque representation of these kind of people. So Dan Brown is one of my creatures.

Tuesday 21 July 2009

Interview with Jack Vance

in the NY Times. The Lyonesse books; the first two of which I recently reread; are among my favourite fantasy novels. I've never read the Dying Earth series. I knew it as a source of inspiration for Moorcock's Dancers At The End Of Time and Wolfe's The Book Of The New Sun.

The interview is a fantastic insight into Vance's life and works. I will be buying or mooching more of Vance's work presently.

Thursday 16 July 2009

A free lunch or at least a free book

I joined Bookmooch last week. It a really great concept, and like most great ideas, really simple. You list books you no longer want and you browse for books you may like. My wife is happy because we finally will have some space in our bookcases. I'm happy because I'll be able to fill those space.

It's a great way to find older and out of print book, especially genre fiction. I'm currently in the mood to read lots of pulp fantasy. Maye I'm feeling nostalgic which would explain my joy when rereading the Lyonesse boooks.

All my favouriet fantasy writers - Wolfe, Moorcock, Lieber - are well represented. It promises to be a sumer of heap and cheerful reading.