historyman Posted November 25, 2020 Report Share Posted November 25, 2020 Anyone read it? Any good? I have a book token burning in my pocket for when the shops open again. The way things are going it might be out in paperback by then. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shropshire_killie Posted November 25, 2020 Report Share Posted November 25, 2020 Sounds like a good un along lines of "Angela's Ashes", but will wait for paperback. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jasper Posted November 27, 2020 Report Share Posted November 27, 2020 (edited) I've just bought it on Kindle and have read about a quarter. While the writing is about decent sixth-year English specialist level, that is not the main point of the book and the reason why it earned the Booker; this is a first novel and it has many faults of technique which grate a little, but the power and the unflinching accuracy of the description of the relationship between a young boy and his mother make it an extremely important work. It has no grace or elegance or passages of fine writing, or at least as far as I have read, but there is a compelling need evoked in the reader to find out what happens to young Shug and to his mother and by extension to the other women of the novel, whose fates are described with such clarity and empathy. I hope that the author has more books in him, but I have the impression that this passionate outpouring may well have exhausted him. It's certainly emotionally exhausting for me, but I find it compulsive and can understand perfectly why a novel which deals so sympathetically with the situations faced by working-class women has gained such critical acclaim. I hope Duncan Ewart reads it and says what he thinks of it, as I have lived outwith Scotland since 1980 and no longer have my antennae well-attuned to what thoughtful Scots have to say about their cultural heritage. To reply to the first post, buy the novel. Your money will have been well spent. Edited November 27, 2020 by jasper Punctuation. Nomenclature. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
historyman Posted November 28, 2020 Author Report Share Posted November 28, 2020 13 hours ago, jasper said: I've just bought it on Kindle and have read about a quarter. While the writing is about decent sixth-year English specialist level, that is not the main point of the book and the reason why it earned the Booker; this is a first novel and it has many faults of technique which grate a little, but the power and the unflinching accuracy of the description of the relationship between a young boy and his mother make it an extremely important work. It has no grace or elegance or passages of fine writing, or at least as far as I have read, but there is a compelling need evoked in the reader to find out what happens to young Shug and to his mother and by extension to the other women of the novel, whose fates are described with such clarity and empathy. I hope that the author has more books in him, but I have the impression that this passionate outpouring may well have exhausted him. It's certainly emotionally exhausting for me, but I find it compulsive and can understand perfectly why a novel which deals so sympathetically with the situations faced by working-class women has gained such critical acclaim. I hope Duncan Ewart reads it and says what he thinks of it, as I have lived outwith Scotland since 1980 and no longer have my antennae well-attuned to what thoughtful Scots have to say about their cultural heritage. To reply to the first post, buy the novel. Your money will have been well spent. Thanks. It’s on my Christmas list now. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shropshire_killie Posted November 28, 2020 Report Share Posted November 28, 2020 13 hours ago, jasper said: I've just bought it on Kindle and have read about a quarter. While the writing is about decent sixth-year English specialist level, that is not the main point of the book and the reason why it earned the Booker; this is a first novel and it has many faults of technique which grate a little, but the power and the unflinching accuracy of the description of the relationship between a young boy and his mother make it an extremely important work. It has no grace or elegance or passages of fine writing, or at least as far as I have read, but there is a compelling need evoked in the reader to find out what happens to young Shug and to his mother and by extension to the other women of the novel, whose fates are described with such clarity and empathy. I hope that the author has more books in him, but I have the impression that this passionate outpouring may well have exhausted him. It's certainly emotionally exhausting for me, but I find it compulsive and can understand perfectly why a novel which deals so sympathetically with the situations faced by working-class women has gained such critical acclaim. I hope Duncan Ewart reads it and says what he thinks of it, as I have lived outwith Scotland since 1980 and no longer have my antennae well-attuned to what thoughtful Scots have to say about their cultural heritage. To reply to the first post, buy the novel. Your money will have been well spent. Great review. Definitely getting it. Heard an interview with him and he was saying he has another book in the pipeline. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DuncanEwart Posted December 25, 2020 Report Share Posted December 25, 2020 I was told about a month ago not to buy this as there was a good chance Santa would be bringing it to me- sure enough, it was underneath the tree this morning. I'm really looking forward to reading it (I'm halfway through Don Winslow's "The Border" at the moment, but "Shuggie Bain" is next on my list). 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
carpetfitter Posted August 19, 2021 Report Share Posted August 19, 2021 On 12/25/2020 at 11:07 AM, DuncanEwart said: I was told about a month ago not to buy this as there was a good chance Santa would be bringing it to me- sure enough, it was underneath the tree this morning. I'm really looking forward to reading it (I'm halfway through Don Winslow's "The Border" at the moment, but "Shuggie Bain" is next on my list). Don Winslow - fantastic books. Power of the Dog shocking but compelling. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
carpetfitter Posted August 19, 2021 Report Share Posted August 19, 2021 On 11/27/2020 at 8:59 PM, jasper said: I've just bought it on Kindle and have read about a quarter. While the writing is about decent sixth-year English specialist level, that is not the main point of the book and the reason why it earned the Booker; this is a first novel and it has many faults of technique which grate a little, but the power and the unflinching accuracy of the description of the relationship between a young boy and his mother make it an extremely important work. It has no grace or elegance or passages of fine writing, or at least as far as I have read, but there is a compelling need evoked in the reader to find out what happens to young Shug and to his mother and by extension to the other women of the novel, whose fates are described with such clarity and empathy. I hope that the author has more books in him, but I have the impression that this passionate outpouring may well have exhausted him. It's certainly emotionally exhausting for me, but I find it compulsive and can understand perfectly why a novel which deals so sympathetically with the situations faced by working-class women has gained such critical acclaim. I hope Duncan Ewart reads it and says what he thinks of it, as I have lived outwith Scotland since 1980 and no longer have my antennae well-attuned to what thoughtful Scots have to say about their cultural heritage. To reply to the first post, buy the novel. Your money will have been well spent. Thanks for the review. Next on my list. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KillieBus Posted August 19, 2021 Report Share Posted August 19, 2021 1 hour ago, carpetfitter said: Don Winslow - fantastic books. Power of the Dog shocking but compelling. That was a hard read (in a good way) trilogy. California Fire and Life, The Winter of Frankie Machine and The Gentlemen's Hour are all good and lighter reads. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
carpetfitter Posted August 19, 2021 Report Share Posted August 19, 2021 Read them all. An excellent writer. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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