I’ve been fairly lax about blogging my reading lately. The usual excuse — really busy at work (busy is good — repeat mantra as needed…).
Awhile back I finished Banville’s The Untouchable. The book was a gift from my friend Larry who wanted to introduce me to Banville’s prose, since I keep babbling about Rushdie being my favorite prose stylist. The book is a brilliant "spy novel" which transcends that genre by a wide margin. Banville fictionalizes the lives of the "Cambridge spies" from the 1930′s who rose the highest levels of British society, and gets further inside the mind of a double agent than even a Le Carre has managed.
I can’t recommend this book highly enough, especially if one is a fan of Le Carre, as I am. Banville presents a deep, detailed, and yet langorous portrait of his hero (anti-hero?), revealing how ideology is often only a front for more personal, contingent motivations.
Comments
Hobbled Gasol is Slowed in Game 1
primary go-to guy finished with 24 points, seven rebounds and two blocks as the Mavs won
Sentinel lymph node biopsy for breast cancer
reports, of a well-conducted trial, were broadly accurate although two newspapers inaccurately reported
Devils are caughtin traffic jam
Cam Ward, Carolina’s surprise star goaltender. No goals-against in Game 1. No traffic.
Wizards’ Butler Had Wanted Cavs to Draft Him
my name. My agent told me I was going to Cleveland, and I thought it was cool.’
Hurricane Katrina Recovery – FEMA Appeals for Cash Donations
of people will require assistance in what is shaping up to be the largest relief effort in U.S. history. FEMA has provided the following contacts
Wade Expects to Play in Game 6 Despite Sore Hip
Shaquille O’Neal and Alonzo Mourning played one-on-one, with Mourning airballing a jumper and O’Neal dribbling off his leg, both
China to Offer VIP Terracotta Warrior Tour
day, worldwide, will be allowed to go on a special VIP private tour by the Chinese Government and visit the
Mavs’ Lack of Killer Instinct Troubling
writes Jim Reeves in the Fort Worth STAR-TELEGRAM. Maybe he could have at least hit
Wizards’ Arenas, Storey Arrested in Miami
and forward Awvee Storey have been arrested on charges of disobeying police, reports
Pinning Down Road Trip Gas Costs
you toward Web sites that help you calculate them before you hit the road, to get a better fix on the hit your
USAV Spearhead: Theater Support Vessel-1X
98-meter aluminum hulled catamaran, similar to the U.S. Navy’s High Speed Vehicle, can maneuver
Mavericks Reflect Johnson’s Toughness On Floor
coach of the Dallas Mavericks possesses a Soprano-like toughness that belies his humble demeanor and is the bedrock
Microsoft’s Gates to Leave Daily Role
Says Bill Gates to Transition From Day-To-Day Role Over Next 2 Years
Dating Site Winner Shows Support
competition Sam Yates wins for best show of support for England Football team in World Cup. (PRWEB Jun 29, 2006)
African nurses head to U.S. for better pay
in search of better pay and working conditions. Experts worry it will make it harder for Africa to pull itself