posted
Just a thought: is Britain's chronically poor public transport infrastructure responsible for the preponderance of Chic Lit and Lad Lit 'my-record-collection's-more-important-than-my-girlfriend' novels in recent times. Cos these books are tailor-made to be read on the way to and from work. On the other hand, if our journeys to work were shorter, we'd have less time to read them and would arrive home less knackered, refreshed and ready to read Zola. Or something.
So in short, blame Thatcher. Again.
Posts: 12564 | From: The bus lane | Registered: May 2002
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posted
Surely with the delays to public transport, people are more likely to read really long novels. Maybe more people are reading War and Peace than would have before.
Posts: 3194 | From: a Distance' is a rubbish song | Registered: May 2002
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posted
No, because delayed, crowded trains mean you haven't got enough space to hold a big book. If things keep going the same way in London, we'll all have to read Chairman Mao's Little Red Book. Maybe that would satisfy NTP after all.
Posts: 8033 | From: Kazakhstan Laboratories | Registered: May 2002
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posted
I read The Isles by Norman Davies between Bexleyheath and London Bridge. It took ages but I really did feel like I'd learnt something and been enriched when I arrived at work. The only problem is that the book was so bulky it really hurt my neck when I carried it in my (manly)shoulder bag.
I learnt my lesson and reverted to Bryson/Hornby immediately. Actually, unfair to put Bryson in with that other dullard. Bryson's book Mother Tongue is very good indeed, and his other stuff isn't meant to be taken too seriously.
Posts: 18279 | From: Georgica | Registered: Jun 2002
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posted
That wasn't just one journey between those stations by the way. A friend of mine once read The Famished Road in its entirety during a delay at an airport though.
Posts: 18279 | From: Georgica | Registered: Jun 2002
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posted
Just joshing obviously. Actually I'm reading Ten Days That Shook The World on the train, but I haven't been given any weird looks or owt.
Posts: 8033 | From: Kazakhstan Laboratories | Registered: May 2002
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posted
I'm reading The Trial, as recommended by otfers everywhere. I'm not sure that this is a good idea in my current mental condition, but what the fuck. The main problem is that some of the chapters are very long, without obvious paragraph breaks, and that makes it hard for commuter-reading.
Posts: 20721 | From: Far away, without a city wall | Registered: May 2002
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posted
Not just hard for commuter reading. I can't manage books without paragraphs at the best of times. I always feel like telling the author that it isn't big and it isn't clever. If ever I'm on Room 101, I'll put such books in.
Posts: 18279 | From: Georgica | Registered: Jun 2002
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