I was very pleased to read the comments by Lisa and Barbara on yesterday's post as, coincidentally, they embodied considerable support for the writer whose book I had already chosen for our next CBG read. Again, this is someone completely new to me, but a recent conversation with Lindsay about Robertson Davies (and his post about another of this Canadian author's books) made me think that here was someone worth trying.
I've gone for Fifth Business (the first volume of The Deptford Trilogy) which one critic described, "as masterfully executed as anything in the history of the novel". The blurb goes on: "[it] might be described simply as the life of a schoolteacher named Dunstan Ramsay. But such a description would not even suggest the dark currents of love, ambition, vengeance, and death that flow through this powerful work, cast in the form of Ramsay's memoirs. ... [It is] the story of a rational man who discovers that the marvellous is only another aspect of the real". Intriguing!
The New York Times says of it, "[An] enigmatic novel, elegantly written and driven by irresistible narrative force".
In the light of all the above, I hope this will be a good discovery for many of us, and perhaps a welcome re-read for some. The book appears to be easily available, both in libraries and shops, and for those of us with lots of other reading to do, it's not too long!
I'll set the date for our discussion of it for five weeks hence, Saturday 11th. April - if that's awkward for people, being Easter weekend, we could postpone it, but meanwhile I hope a good few of us will give this a try, and if you haven't joined us before but would like to do so now, you'd be very welcome.
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Must find a copy of this! I loved it first time round, about thirty years ago...
Another good choice!
Posted by: adele geras | 06 March 2009 at 03:02 PM
OK, I will attempt to track it down. As usual I have no opinions on it in advance (nor do I seek any so I'd better stay clear of this page!). I will not comment before Monday 20 April as I will be on vacation from about the 9th until then.
Posted by: Dark Puss | 06 March 2009 at 04:56 PM
Interesting choice! I'm part way through the Cornish trilogy, so am not sure whether I'll join you for this one - I'll have to see if I can finish the other trilogy first.
Posted by: Jackie (Farm Lane Books) | 06 March 2009 at 06:21 PM
Thank you for this and also Lindsay's well-written post reference! I'm off to get a copy which should be easy enough from the library.
Posted by: Barbara MacLeod | 06 March 2009 at 08:54 PM
I will also be tracking down a copy of Fifth Business, and will be interested to read the group's discussion!
Posted by: Lisa W | 06 March 2009 at 11:09 PM
I read this trilogy compulsively about 15 years ago - enjoy!
Posted by: ted | 07 March 2009 at 04:54 PM
Well, that's nice and easy, it's on the shelf already and I've been promising myself that I would have a Davies binge this year.
Posted by: GeraniumCat | 08 March 2009 at 06:15 PM