I’ve been doing a lot of reading since I got here before Xmas and I wanted to try to keep track of as much as I can. A few books were waiting for me: some because shipping to the US was too much especially for contributor’s copies (why punish the publishers?). So very happily reading my way through the latest Cunning Folk magazine and regretting I left the Discombobulator behind because I’ve been talking to editor Andrea and there are some great things ahead in the next issue.

Slowly making my way through Becoming Leonor Fini because there is so much to absorb and it is a gorgeous book of images. Another one only possible for a huge discount and free UK shipping. But wonderful. And will probably be coming back to NY with me. I’m also in the middle of Charlotte Brontë’s Shirley which I always think I have read when I see it on the shelf and yet, I have not! I’ve read all her other novels, so it’s against my book-hoarding nature to read the last novel I have by her but inevitable.

Oh! John Buchan’s occult novel The Dancing Floor which was a wild ride. A Greek Island and a bit of Owen Meaney-style fixed destiny mystery with a huge and obviously dangerous WickerMan-style conflagratory ritual at the climax. A lot of the time you sigh over his ultra conventional early 20C British attitudes — especially to foreigners and his obviously trying to be complementary attitudes toward Jewish people he approves of (sigh). A man of his times who for all his imagination could not imagine that other people (including mostly women) could be his equal.

In a slightly similar vein — folk horror-wise, not all the other stuff — I finally finished The Gallows Pole which I had started, then thought I should see the series first and then forgot to do that but finally did. The series covers about three chapters of the novel and makes many changes in a very Shane Meadows kind of way which is amusing often but undercuts the horror elements. The stag men are uncanny and David Hartley’s relationship to them is more on the order of a mystical connection rather than the hectoring mates of the television version. The historical tale of the Cragg Vale coiners is an interesting one and Benjamin Myers’ novel makes great meat of it. It’s very much in the grrr manly men style at times, so Meadows’ decision to make women a part of the story was welcome. I love that Joanne Harris’ blurb for the book is “This powerful novel is as darkly lovely as Emily Bronte’s work.”

As I have things to do, some all too brief capsule reviews:
Octavia Butler – Kindred: used to teach this, got it as a gift — you must read it.
Bob Mortimer – The Satsuma Complex: A fun read. Think I need his memoir next.
George Simenon – The Yellow Dog: seaside shenanigans with the middle class at war with the workers and yes, there is a dog (tender hearted folk must know things do not go well for the dog but Maigret gets his revenge).
Sheridan LeFanu – Wylder’s Hand: this really deserves a longer review and anyone with a passing interest in Gothic will enjoy. Not the best known of his work but one well worth seeking out and man, you will seethe with hatred for one of the most villainous characters…

Anon. Much to do, as ever. Less! But still much.