Naughty was never so nice

Smut: Stories
by Alan Bennett

I’m a fan of Alan Bennett’s wonderful plays, but my greatest affection is reserved for his charming novella The Uncommon Reader.  Coming in at a slight 160 pages, Smut is similar in length, but this book is made up of two brief stories.  In content, they have nothing in common with that earlier tale, but they exhibit the same trademark humor and warmth.  This is a writer it’s difficult not to like.  Therefore, it may be surprising to hear that Mr. Bennett is writing Smut.  These tales are about sex—at least in part.  And though it’s been years since I read them, these stories remind me of nothing so much as the “adult” stories of Roald Dahl. 

The first and longer of the two stories was my favorite.  “The Greening of Mrs. Donaldson” involves a middle-aged widow who supplements her income by acting out symptoms for medical students to diagnose.  There’s much more to it, of course, but half the pleasure here is in the discovery.  The other half of the pleasure is the loveable and very human Mrs. Donaldson.  And then the third half of the pleasure is the gentle humor.

I didn’t like the characters in “The Shielding of Mrs. Forbes” quite as much, but they weren’t meant to be as likable.  The vain Graham Forbes has several secrets he’s keeping from his new wife, but it turns out she has an agenda of her own.

Despite Bennett’s natural sweetness, these stories really do discuss sexual matters in a very frank and adult manner.  Nonetheless, I wouldn’t describe them as graphic.  I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend The Uncommon Reader to anyone who’s ever loved a book.  I won’t be recommending Smut quite as unreservedly.  I think more open-minded readers will enjoy these stories the most.  But I enjoyed them immensely, and I do recommend them.

Mailbox Monday: The I'm grateful it's not snowing here edition!

Major snowstorm in October--that is one of the signs of the apocalypse, right?  I'm sorry, New York!

So, the past week wasn't as productive as I might have hoped in a variety of ways.  The one thing I did accomplish was attending the Northern California Independent Booksellers' Association Trade Show over the weekend.  I've been attending NCIBA for about a dozen years now, so none of these trade shows are really that exciting at this point.  But it's still nice to see friends in the industry.  I especially enjoy chatting with the publisher's reps about what they're excited about.  Obviously, their job is to sell titles, but you can tell when there's a book they're genuinely excited about.  And as you get to know them, they'll give you the straight dope.  They're just great people to talk books with.  No one works in publishing for the money.  They do it for love.

Speaking of talking (and talking and talking) as the show was winding down Saturday afternoon, trade journalist Bridgette Kinsella wound up sitting down beside me, and the two of us got into the most epic conversation of all time.  What a delightful lady!  Seriously, the highlight of the show for me.  The other highlight was grabbing a galley of Lauren Groff's forthcoming sophomore novel, Arcadia.  It's the single book that I'm most excited about, but is only one of many, many galleys I grabbed.  I'll post a full accounting here once I have one.  Maybe next Monday?

I'm not sure how much literary stuff I have coming up this week.  The Bay Area Festival of Science is going on right now, so science may trump art this week.  One exception may be a midweek appearance by novelist Hillary Jordan.  Her new novel, When She Woke, a near-future dystopian take on The Scarlet Letter, scared the hell out of me.  In it, the US has basically become a fundamentalist Christian theocracy--literally my worst nightmare.  I may have to go hear her speak.

Oh, you'll notice below that I finished 1Q84--late last night as it happens.  Wow.  It's an amazing (and yes, weird) achievement for Murakami.  Nearly 1,000 pages of Murakami in the course of a week was a lot more challenging than 1,000 pages of Neal Stephenson over a long weekend.  By the end, I was taking mental breaks with a YA novel, which worked well for me.  Now I must make one of my friends who has lived in Japan read the novel so we can discuss.

And on that note, even without NCIBA, this was an awesome week for books!

Sacre Bleu
by Christopher Moore
Release date: April 3, 2011
Source: the author

I'm such a big fan of Chris's.  Even though I've already read an unbound galley, I just love having a bound galley of each novel in my collection.  Of course, I will purchase a first edition of the hardback as well.  The finished book will be especially exciting in this case.  I can't wait to see the color reproductions of all the artwork in this book!

The Mirage
by Matt Ruff
Release date: February 7, 2012
Source: Gift from Chris Moore

Chris and I have been discussing Matt Ruff's novels for years.  Chris thought that I would really enjoy this thought-provoking novel.  He warned me not to expect Ruff's typically comic tone.  I can't wait to read it!  Sewer, Gas, and Electric has been a favorite satire for years.

The Complete Works of Oscar Wilde
by Oscar Wilde
Release date: January 28, 1900
Source:  my book group

I forgot to include this lovely hardback edition on last week's list.  The book group that I run likes to bring books to give away and share with each other at every meeting.  The lovely Valentina brought this one, I think.  I've really been wanting to read The Portrait of Dorian Gray, so this is perfect!

Smut: Stories
by Alan Bennett
Release date: January 3, 2012
Source: Electronic galley from publisher

Alan Bennett is an awesome playwright, and I loved his novella "The Uncommon Reader."  This slim volume is made up of two novellas entitled, "The Greening of Mrs. Donaldson" and "The Shielding of Mrs. Forbes."  This is going to be a pleasure to read!

The Innocent
by Taylor Stevens
Release date: December 27, 2011
Source: Amazon Vine program

Ms. Stevens' debut was impressive, but I was left uncertain whether I liked her protagonist enough to want to read a continuing series.  This is the novel that's going to help me decide.  Based on her own childhood being raised in a nomadic cult, it should be fascinating regardless.

The Orphan Master's Son
by Adam Johnson
Release date: January 10, 2012
Source: LibraryThing Early Reviewers

Yes, a third copy of this galley that I still haven't read.  (I'll get to it before January!  I'm thinking over Thanksgiving.  It'll make me thankful for my life in this country.)  The good news is that I'll have a copy to give away here.  I have to tell you, I heard raves about this title from a bookseller over the weekend. 

In Other Worlds: SF and the Human Imagination
by Margaret Atwood
Release date: October 11, 2011
Source:  Paper galley from publisher

I was so delighted to see this galley show up because the book hadn't really been on my radar yet.  It looks very interesting, but also kind of dense and intellectual.  I will probably read it one essay at a time between other books, but I'm really looking forward to it!  I love Margaret Atwood.

The Devil's Elixir
by Raymond Khoury
Release date: December 22, 2011
Source: Electronic galley from publisher

You know I love a good thriller and I've never read Khoury.  This could be a pleasant holiday diversion.

The New Republic
by Lionel Shriver
Release date: March 27, 2012
Source: Electronic galley from publisher

I was shocked to learn, over the weekend, that this is a satirical novel.  It's not what I would expect from the author of We Need to Talk About Kevin.  I think Shriver is awesome, and I look forward to seeing a different aspect of her writing.  I doubt I will wait til next year before reading this.



Books finished this week:

1Q84 by Haruki Murakami (It was a marathon, not a sprint!)
Crossed by Allie Condie (I liked it a lot better than Matched, actually.)


Currently reading:

Why Read Moby Dick? by Nathaniel Philbrick


So, what have you guys been reading?  What awesome books have you acquired over the past week?  Please let us know in the comments!

Are we not all uncommon readers?

The Uncommon Reader

by Alan Bennett

I received this charming novella from a friend. Can I just tell you? There can be no more perfect gift for the bibliophile in your life. What a joy!

The story is simple. The Queen of England has some very bad corgis. One day on a walk through the grounds at Windsor, the dogs start barking their heads off at a mobile library. (What I'd call a bookmobile.) Neither the Queen, nor the dogs apparently, had ever noticed it parked by the castle before. Propriety being everything, the Queen pops her head in to apologize for the corgis' behaviour, but then feels compelled by that same sense of propriety to borrow a book while she's there. (It would be rude not to.)

She asks for help selecting the book from the librarian, and also consults with a young man who happens to be picking out a book of his own. It turns out that the young man, Norman Seakins, works in the castle's kitchen. So begins an odyssey that changes the monarchy, because quite by accident the Queen discovers that reading is the great passion of her life.

Not that everyone is happy with the Queen's new, all-consuming pursuit. She has to deal with Kiwi private secretaries and the Prime Minister, among others. This slim book is the story of the extraordinary friendship between a Queen and a dish washer. It explores the camaraderie of the literate. There are ruminations on books, and ruminations on writers--and why the latter are more enjoyable on the page than at a party.

The Uncommon Reader is short, sweet, funny, smart, and utterly delightful! It's just the thing to stuff in a stocking or give to a bookish friend "just because." Or, even better, just give it to yourself.