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Well, he seems to have written a number of books I've heard of including Birdsong and Charlotte Grey. I keep seeing them on the 3 for 2 shelf, and to be honest, all that seems to be stopping me grabbing Birdsong is the fact that it was championed in last year's Big Read by a particular politician towards whom I seem to have taken a dislike to.
Anyway, I think I'll pick up Birdsong next time I'm in store. I thought I'd attempt to set a discussion going in advance.
I have only read Birdsong, but it was very good - a (very descriptive ) romance interspersed with World War I - quite harrowing in places, quite raunchy in others.
I read it on the advise of my A-Level History teacher who said that the depiction of war in the trenches was shockingly accurate.
I didn’t much like the character. He seemed rather aloof. In fact, I got to the point where I didn’t much care whether he did get harrowed – or raunched
I read Birdsong when it first came out, and remember absolutely nothing about it other than a vague recollection that it involved WWI and was set primarily in France. I have a feeling that if I thought it was any good, I would've remembered more of it.
I have it on my shelf along with another 10 or so of the big read books, just waiting to be read.
Sorry. My postings in this thread just now are pointless.
When watching The Big Read I kind of turned off during this one, not only because of who represented it, but because I didn't want to hear anything that would give the story away too much. I did, however, hear about the book at one of the BR diiscussions that were held at the British Museum and they all seemed to like it muchly. And it did get to #13 in the list, so somebody likes it.
Fluffy, how about you pick up a copy in the next few months and we'll tackle it together (once I'm through with War & Peace and A Suitable Boy and then a few trashy novels to relax again )?
I read Birdsong a couple of years ago, it was good, didn't live up to the hype for me, and didn't inspire me to read Charlotte Grey. But it was still good. I think. I can't really remember too much about it, which for me tells me I didn't enjoy it that much. I still maintain it was good though. I think.
best thing ive read in tiiiiiiiiiime.
couldnt put it down. the guys style is amazing, the story has got loving and warring in it
super atmospheric.
by far and away 1 of the most impressive books ive read. girl at lion dor is a bit dullass ou est la trenches?
but im looking fwd to starting charlotte gray
I loved Birdsong but read it many years ago before I heard any hype about it which often helps. I must say that I have read Girl at the Lion D'Or and agree that it was a bit dull. Charlotte Gray was better but nowhere near as good as Birdsong. I tried to read On Green Dolphin Street but couldn't get past the first 50 pages - very unusual for me.
I'm sitting here with Birdsong in my hand trying to recall what I was going to write about it. I finished it a month or so ago, and had been looking forward to writing about it, but the main thrust of what I wanted to say has gone. Is that the sign of a poor story or a poor reader or just the passage of time?
I'm not usually one for war stories, however I know that while reading this book I certainly had a great deal of difficulty putting it down. The descriptions of battle seemed very true, based on my knowledge of WWI, and were certainly as poignent as David Malouf's "Fly Away Peter". I greatly appreciated the commentary on how men could sink themselves so lowly, questioning their very humanity, though I must say that I found Malouf's to be a better (and perhaps more literary) conveyance of this idea.
It was recently ANZAC day here, which is officially the commemoration of the landing at Gallipoli in WWI but the Australian troops, but has come to represent all the soldiers. It is different from Remembrance Day (11/11), however, which is more about remembering war than the troops themselves (or that's my definition, anyway). I found myself remembering the stories of the troops in this book, and imagining how it would feel to be so sunk into the mud and thick with lice, and for what? I'm still pondering the significance of the war in the first place.
But getting back to the book, there were some things that wrankled me a little, however.
Firstly I thought that Stephen was a bit unrealistic. His miraculous escapes from death left me feeling as though he wasn't overly realistic as a character and thus as a respresentation of the soldiers who fought. I know there are some amazing survival stories from the war, but so many from one man? Secondly, I disliked the forward and backward flashes from modern day England. I saw his connection to Elizabeth a mile off, and it didn't seem overly important beyond a bit of a comment about how 'the youth of today' don't appreciate the soldiers of WWI as much as they should. I think the concept was good, but he could have explored Elizabeth's character a lot further, rather than the half hearted sub-story that it was
.
That being said, it was an eye opening read, and I'm looking forward to seeing the Turkish version of Gallipoli that was put out in the late 1990s. If anyone's seen the Australian one from the late 70s/early 80s (has a very young Mel Gibson in it), you'll know how affecting that was. Particularly from the Australian perspective as a young country trying to prove itself. Apparently this one was a brilliant adaptation, presenting the war from the Turkish side as well.
I read Birdsong a while ago and thoroughly enjoyed it. I have Human Traces and this will be the next book I read.
Birdsong is fantsatic. It's a romance and family story set against the backdrop of the first world war. The section set during WWI is the key to the novel but the introductory pre-war section and current events are a fantastic way of making you piece together the events and put them into context over the years.
I've recently finished Human Traces. It's the only Faulkes I've read so I haven't got anything to compare it to, but I thought it was fantastic.
Huge in scope, it covers decades, continents and lives. Following a chance meeting in a French town, two boys embark on a journey on which they will encounter enlightenment, love, friendship, birth, death, madness, humanity, and a quest for the answer to the ultimate question: what it means to be human.
It's fantastically well written; the prose is beautiful, imaginative and moving. And, although I'm no psychologist, the history of psychology and psychiatry seem pretty sound to my limited knowledge and research. The more philosophical passages were definitely sound. Have no doubt, this is a cerebral book with little in the way of action, but if that's your thing (and it's definitely mine) it's a wonderful read.
I'm definitely going to read more Faulkes. Would The Birdsong be a good one to tackle next?
Glad to hear you enjoyed Human Traces - I'm working through it and finding it a bit slow going. The writing's good, the characters are well developed and he's got a real knack for ending each chapter on a high to keep you keen for the next one.
I am finding some of the medical digressions tough - I'm ploughing through his little speach in the Spa about Hyteria - but needed to come up for air hence the visit to the site.
I wonder if he really need to go through so much detail, nice to know he's done his research but a bit dry.
I read about Human Traces and I cant wait to read it. Its on my very lost list of to be reads...
Hopefully I will get through it soon, I'm excited after reading the positive feedback here
Lani
I've finally finished Human Traces and thoroughly enjoyed it.
The book is epic in scope over 500 pages long it covers 60 years and 3 continents in its journey. The book traces the lives of two "mind doctors" from their early days in France and England in the mid 19th century through to just after the first world war. The story follows first one then the other as they grow up in very different circumstances and follow separate paths in their medical education. The first thread of their relationship is sewn in an unprecented meeting on a beach in France and this goes on to weave the complex relationship between the two men for the rest of their lives.
Although the quest for an understanding of the human mind creates a powerful backdrop for the book it is the lives of the charaters as they grapple with this in their own ways which bring us close to the book.
I found some of the sections of the book difficult as they digressed into medical terminology and speculation but with hindsight can appreciate that without them a thorough understanding of the protagonists and their development would be impossible.
If you find these too heavy I urge you to stick with it; it is the final few chapters which give the story it's true power as the personal live of Thomas Midwinter and the central theme collide together with tragic consequences.
) romance interspersed with World War I - quite harrowing in places, quite raunchy in others.
