Sunday, September 2, 2007

My Picks For The Challenge (Bybee)

This is a challenge near and dear to my heart. It's like a treasure hunt, finding authors who are undeservedly underread or out of fashion or favor. Plus, there's something ornery in me that doesn't like to read what is popular at the moment.

For this challenge, I plan to read:
Letty Fox: Her Luck by Christina Stead (I read The Man Who Loved Children, and enjoyed it, but surely there is not a more irritating character in fiction than Sam.)

Of Human Bondage by W. Somerset Maugham. (I've had a copy of this for a while, and this gives me a good excuse to get it off the shelf. I got a kick out of the 1934 movie based on this novel. Leslie Howard was just right as Philip, and Bette Davis was a perfect Mildred -- what a bitch!)

I also hope to find and read a novel or short story collection by Elizabeth Taylor.

Anna Kavan is on the list! I'm so pleased. I read Let Me Alone a few years ago, and loved it. I hope I can squeeze in a read by her, maybe Julia And The Bazooka.

Thanks, Imani, for starting this challenge. You've put a lot of time and thought into this!

3 comments:

darkorpheus said...

Hey, welcome into the fray! I also have Of Human Bondage on my bookshelf unread. Will see if I can get around to it soon.

Rebecca said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Rebecca said...

Hi Bybee - didn't know there was a film of 'Of Human Bondage', it sounds marvellous. I just read the book, so I'll be interested to see what you make of it.