This week the Guardian discussed overlooked
novels – those that have faded into obscurity.
As journalist John Sutherland remarked, most novels come, have their day,
and are gone. Most deserve their "do not resuscitate" label. Every so often,
though, a novel rises from the grave to claim its belated fame. Last year in
July, addressing the nation on the Today programme, Ian McEwan did
a revival job on Stoner – a novel published to modest praise in 1965 and
long out of print. And we all know what
has happened since to John Williams’ bleak, but exquisitely written,
chronicle of a second-rate professor in a third-rate American university; it
went on to become the 2013 novel of the year and a massive bestseller. So what
other dead and forgotten works would one dig up from the dusty vaults of the
British Library? You can see the top ten overlooked novels chosen by the Guardian here.
How many have you read I wonder? Well one of them I’m pleased to tell you is
The Book of Disquietude by Fernando Pessoa (978 1 857543 01 8 £17.95
paperback) which is published by Carcanet. This is the first, and only
complete English edition: all other versions are abridgements. Will The Book of Disquietude go on to become as big as
Stoner? Why not order some and let’s find out!
The Last Tiger by Tony
Black is a literary thriller from one of the UK Tasmania Lithuania for the freedom of
America – only to discover
their ship has arrived in Tasmania , the once
notorious prison island of the British Empire .
All are anxious about how they will survive in this wild new land where tigers
roam. Myko has never seen a tiger before – except in his picture books – and is
filled with fear as stories of the tigers’ vicious attacks on the settlers are
retold to him. But when he discovers the den of the last tigers, the family are
thrust into a fight over the last of these beautiful, wild beasts that will
force dark secrets to the surface – and pit son against father. The Sun has called this “a beautiful
powerful tale to move the hardest heart” and there is some great publicity
coming up for it. Tony Black will be on
The One Show (which has a weekly audience of 6 million viewers!) on 3
June, and he will also be on BBC Radio’s The Culture Show. There
will be interviews with Tony and/or reviews in the Guardian, the
Times, the Independent on Sunday, the Sunday Times,
Daily Record and the Times. Tony
Black is touring the UK , and will be appearing at Blackwell’s in
Edinburgh on 5 June, Waterstones Glasgow on 10 June, Waterstones Ayr on 12 June,
Bad Language Manchester on 22 June and Waterstones Deansgate in Manchester
Right then it’s not just those clever dicks on the
Guardian who can give you fun Top Ten lists to while away your Fridays with!
Here’s our very own Compass Points list of the Top Ten Tigers!
- In at number ten of course is the book I’ve just
mentioned; The Last Tiger by Tony Black – let’s get it to number
1!
- Next I’m nominating Tiger Lily in Peter Pan – one of the less well known Disney Princesses- but as you will see – quite a heroine!
- Bit random, but how about the hilarious Tyger
Drew Honey from Outnumbered – here’s the scene where he gets a
tattoo!
- I wasn’t a fan – but millions were – how about Crouching
Tiger, Hidden Dragon?
- OK then, I admit Yann Martel might have just
have come up with the idea making a tiger the star of a book before Tony
Black did; we cannot possibly ignore
Richard Parker in Life of Pi
- We’re into the top 5 tigers now – and even if you
don’t like golf you must appreciate this utterly extraordinary shot from Tiger
Woods
- Number four – it’s another literary one, The Tyger by William Blake is an amazing poem, read here by Tom O’Bedlam.
- Number three – who doesn’t love Eye of
the Tiger by Survivor as used in Rocky of
course.
- He’s grrrrrrrreat! Yup it’s Tony the
Tiger – who else!
- And that means that the number one tiger must be …
well, as he says himself; “can it be possible that you don’t know who I
am?” Yep, it’s the silken voice of George Sanders giving us the deeply cool
but also burning hot (by the end of this clip anyway) Shere
Khan !
The great American poet John Ashbery is known as America’s foremost poet,
and his prose writing and his engagement
with prose writers – through translations, essays and criticism – has also had a
profound impact on the cultural landscape of the past half-century. John Ashbery will be giving a rare interview from
New York
Deadly women next, and of course Mothers Day has
been and gone here in the UK, but this weekend it is Mom’s Day in the US – have
a look here for the ten worst mothers in literature!
The Poisoning Angel by Jean
Teulé (pb, 9781908313683 £8.99) is published by Gallic
Books in June. This novel is based on the true story of Hélène Jégado;
one of the most notorious female poisoners of all time. The Poisoning Angel spent 100 weeks on the French
bestseller list and is both an upbeat portrait of nineteenth century provincial
French life and a startling chronicle of a decades long killing spree carried
out by the most notorious female poisoner in history. Beginning with the demise
of her very own mama, Hélène Jégado leaves a trail of devastation with the
special soups and cakes she makes – those who taste them never recover.
Jean Teulé brings his unique blend
of imagination and historical insight to a novel that is unusual and
extraordinary.
How many famous poisoners can you name – and how
many victims of poison? Click here for a list
of poisoners and poisonings – everyone from Socrates to Hitler to
Alan Turing to Livinenko.
And while we’re in a macabre mood, if you fancy some
more gothic grimness, then look out for Tim Burton:
A Child’s Garden of Nightmares edited by Paul A. Woods and published by Plexus in
July (978 0859654012 £14.99) This is a fully updated edition of an extremely
popular cult title, which now includes Burton’s most recent films such as
Sweeny Todd, Alice in Wonderland and Frankenweenie. Tim
Burton’s fans are many and are enthusiastically in thrall to his penchant for
intelligently stylised films such as Batman, The Night Before
Christmas, The Corpse Bride, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
and many more. His new film Big Eyes is released in August. Tim Burton: A Child’s Garden Of Nightmares
Here’s one of my favourites – the fab Jonny Depp in
Edward
Scissorhands
The Trials of Lady Jane
Douglas The Scandal that Divided 18th Century Britain by
Karl Sabbagh is published by
Skyscraper Publications in June (hb,
978 0992627010 16.99) This is a mystery that has never been solved, until now –
did the beautiful Lady Jane Douglas, sister of the richest man in
Scotland , give birth to twins
in Paris
Sidney Reilly:
Adventures of a British Master Spy is a classic espionage title
available for the first time in many decades and is published by
Biteback in July. This is the latest in
Biteback’s series of republished Dialogue Espionage
Classics. It is the autobiography of the so-called ‘Ace of Spies’, the
master of deception Ian Fleming would later use as a model for James
Bond. The first part of the book is Reilly’s life as told from his
personal notes and more specifically his attempt to overthrow the Bolshevik
regime in Russia Finland and Northern
Russia for her missing husband. Sidney Reilly: Adventures of a British Master Spy
(971849547185 £9.99) is a cracking read and you can find out more and order Adventures of a British Master Spy
here
Who doesn’t love a spy – and especially a real one
who was the model for James Bond! Talking of James Bond – I think you will all
enjoy this rather
rude spoof...
That’s all for now
folks, more next week!
This blog is read weekly by over 700
booksellers as well as publishers and publicists. If you would like to order any
of the titles mentioned, then please click here to go to the Compass New Titles
Website or talk to your Compass Sales
representative.
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