It’s time (in fact it’s over time, as I’m a day late, again) to catch up on what went on with our reading of “The Nice and the Good” and to look forward to “Bruno’s Dream”.
I reviewed the book here and we’ve had a good discussion already, even though I posted quite late in the month (I struggled with putting together my review somehow). You can also read Jo’s Goodreads review here and I will add more as I’m sent them.
I had lots of contributions of alternative covers for “The Nice and the Good”. Lucky I’m not collecting them myself, right?
The first American edition from Viking (submitted by Elaine Brix and David Mahon) has a lovely author photo.
The blurb
and David added this excellent character list from his copy:
(interesting point: Fivey is named as “Ewan” in Judy’s letter in the UK version. Is he Gavin in the US one?)
Bookish Beck has another of the very odd 70s Penguin covers. Who is this even supposed to be?
and Peter Rivenberg contributed his later Penguin, of which he comments, “Rather conventional and artistic. But as an added bonus, this second-hand book came with a used parking disc from the Cork City Council as a bookmark.”
Bruno’s Dream
Moving on to Bruno’s Dream, I have three copies: my first edition, my Triad Granada 1980 reprint, bought in the mid-80s, and the Vintage Classic. Don’t get me started on why they left this one out of the new red spined editions. But they did. At least it still has an introduction.
Here are the blurbs from the original …
which seems to sum it all up very well (I’ve completely forgotten Lisa, however: will I remember her as I re-read this for the third or fourth time?). Triad Granada went for:
and Vintage are more brief:
Are you going to be reading or re-reading “Bruno’s Dream” along with me? Are you catching up with the others or have you given up)? What’s your favourite so far? Your least favourite?
You will find a page listing all of these blog posts here, updated as I go along.
anon
Oct 01, 2018 @ 08:58:05
The film version of A SEVERED HEAD is on channel 81 20th October.Talking Picture tv.
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buriedinprint
Oct 01, 2018 @ 20:50:30
I like that the cat and dog get a mention: equal opportunity blurbing! Neither last month’s nor this month’s is one that I have available, but I’ll be back for The Accidental Man and I have another review in the wings which needs some polishing before it goes up. I’m not giving up – and I’m always pleased to see another one in your feed (and then disappointed when I can’t get it/find it). So far I think my favourite is The Unicorn, but mainly because it was so strange and I’m not sure that, in another reading mood, I would have enjoyed it quite so much.
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Liz Dexter
Oct 02, 2018 @ 08:50:16
Sorry you’re having trouble finding copies, I’m always seeing them in charity shops, of course, but the new paperbacks are quite dear, aren’t they. I do love The Unicorn, it is strange but also fascinating whenever you read it, in my opinion. Accidental Man is great, and now I’m wondering which other one you’ve read!
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buriedinprint
Oct 02, 2018 @ 17:13:35
I keep checking the second-hand shops here but have found a zillion copies of Under the Net and The Sea, The Sea (only a couple of others, including the one I’m about to review – you do know, because there was a photograph, but I won’t mention the title again, in case you are enjoying the surprise. *grins*). Which is funny, I think, because I borrowed Under the Net from the library and obviously could have bought one easily and cheaply, but I didn’t think it’d be one of her better known ones. Perhaps it’s taught in a course or two here in Toronto. Hmmm. Mysterious.
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Liz Dexter
Oct 02, 2018 @ 17:24:17
That is odd, isn’t it. There are a few Canadian Murdoch scholars so maybe they got UTN onto a course somehow!
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Sarah Bartlett
Oct 02, 2018 @ 09:15:26
I read The Nice and the Good a few years ago. It’s unforgettable and very important, I think, at a moral level i.e. posing the question is niceness sometimes predicated on social superiority? And is that niceness merely a veneer that will fall away as soon as the individual is challenged? Superb.
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Liz Dexter
Oct 02, 2018 @ 09:27:37
That’s a very interesting reading of it, thank you for that. Octavian and Kate being protected by their money, so they can escape for a North African retreat, although Kate finds all her money isn’t enough to stop heartache.
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Elaine Brix
Oct 14, 2018 @ 01:30:50
Liz, Sorry, this is ever so belated, but you asked if Judy, in her letter to John, referred to Fivey as Ewan in the US version of The Nice and the Good- and yes, she did! She was so charmed that they were both Welsh-Australian 🙂
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Liz Dexter
Oct 16, 2018 @ 05:25:23
Oh, so he has one name on the jacket and another in the book! How funny!
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Elaine Brix
Oct 14, 2018 @ 01:36:03
Correction:I meant to say edition, not version.
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smallvillenyc
Oct 18, 2018 @ 21:30:48
How lovely you got to use the photos I sent in. It is a great photo on the back. I recently picked up another book with some wonderful photos,not on our reading list,but Murdoch inspired.
I finished reading very late,as was on holidays. I have already decided all these books will be re-read again. Just I know I am missing some of the fantastic writing on occasion. And too many interruptions with my read in ng on some books so far.
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smallvillenyc
Oct 18, 2018 @ 21:31:49
And Ewan is in the USA version.
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