Finally started reading:

The Alchemaster's Apprentice - Walter Moers

2 years, 2 months & about 28 days since I saw Der Schrecksenmeister for sale in a bookshop in Bonn, it's finally here.

And it's good.

Just finished:

The looking glass war - John le Carre

Now reading:

A year in the merde - Stephen Clarke

Just bought:

The Looking Glass War - John Le Carre

I'm definitely in the mood for more espionage/cold war stories. I'm even looking to see if I can squeeze some extra money into my camera budget to get one of these. If not, then one of these will do just as nicely (but without the German standards for build quality).

Currently reading:

The Spy who came in from the Cold - John Le Carre

Which I'm enjoying immensely. A good espionage tale, and hard to tell how it's all going to end. It has an air of authenticity about it. And the detail is astonishing. Some quthors take a lot of ink to get across detail (and it can work), but there's a real art to getting it across so succintly.

And of course the camera nerd in me liked the mention of Minox (8x11) cartridges & the lost art of developing your own film - which I assume was a neccessity in that sort of profession.

Currently reading:

A Small Town in Germany: John le Carre

Good so far - and the first chapter name-dropped several locations I remember vividly from my trip to Bonn in 2007. I think I have the Spy Who Came In From The Cold on the way from my parents, hopefully I find it enjoyable.

Is it wrong to decide to read a book simply because you once visited the location? I admit I didn't know a lot about the book until I read the blurb when it arrived in my letter box yesterday afternoon. All I knew was: John le Carre is well-respected; the book takes place in Bonn; it's got something to do with the Cold War.

I sometimes have odd reasons for deciding to read books.

Finished:

Death & the Penguin - Andrey Kurkov

What a great little book! The best I've read for a long time, the last 12 months at least. And, strangely, much less miserable than Nick Cave's book - despite it's focus on isolation & loneliness. I found it quite hopeful.

What am I reading now? Back to Bill Bryson, my constant clayton's book.

Currently reading:

Death & The Penguin: Andrey Kurkov

So far, so good. Much easier to get through than Bunny Munro.

Just finished:

The Death of Bunny Monroe - Nick Cave

I'm not sure if I liked it much. It was okay, but like I wrote previously, I have trouble enjoying a book where the main character is completely unlikeable. Bunny Munro was a bastard. I did feel a bit of sympathy when he really started to fall apart, but then you weigh it up against his behaviour throughout.

Anyways.

Death & The Penguin has arrived at Fullers, so I'll be picking that up on Thursday. Yay.

Started reading:

The Death of Bunny Munro - Nick Cave

It's okay so far, but Bunny Munro Snr is really unlikable - I don't know if I particularly like books where I can't like the protagonist. And I can't like this guy, not even in a love-to-hate way. I also can't help but feel maybe Nick used this book to work through his own father-son issues (his dad died when he was 18 or 19)?

Maybe I should stop trying to analyse it & just read it.

"Frosty" by the Legendary Pink Dots is possibly my favourite song in the world.

For the time being, at least.