Is Zen Master?...No…
Andrea’s the man for me!
The current/recent BBC series featuring Aurelio Zen has got us talking about Italian crime…I’ve always been a big fan of Donna Leon, who writes superb detective novels set in Venice, and I was recommending these to a (male) crime reader in one of our libraries…
“I never read books by women” he gruffly replied, “they don’t think the same as we do”…
Hmmm - `controversial`, I mused, but it did set me thinking:… Do other readers agree? Can ladies write books for gentlemen to enjoy?
Would `Bravo Two Zero` be as popular if it was written by Mandy McNab?...Or `Persuasion` by Jamie Austen?...
Even unknowingly, I wonder if some readers do prefer books written by a member of their own gender…Or exclude some books if written by someone from the other?...What do you think?
Anyway, dear readers, I`m rambling! To return to the point; Italian crime …Well, Andrea’s certainly the man for me!
I’d always liked the look of these books on the library shelves whenever I’d seen them, but didn’t know much about the writer. Now let me tell you, Andrea Camilleri is the author of half a dozen of the crispest, driest, most quirkily perfect crime novels you could wish to find…And yes, you’ve guessed – Andrea Camilleri IS a man! (A 90 year-old Sicilian chappie, in fact). Not that it matters either way, because these books are fantastic! I give you my word, as a gentleman…And as a Librarian…And this is an offer you can’t refuse.
So…any Zen thoughts? (One library user – let’s call her “Audrey” to protect her identity - told me “I simply ADORE that detective Zen on TV…he has cheek bones to die for”).
Bookwise, any criminal leanings you’d like to tell us about?
Any more Camilleri fans out there?...
And what about the great gender divide?...Do chaps only read books by other fellows? And what of the ladies?...Are you so set in your ways?...
Join the debate, just add your thoughts on the `comments` box below.
TTFN
Andrea’s the man for me!
The current/recent BBC series featuring Aurelio Zen has got us talking about Italian crime…I’ve always been a big fan of Donna Leon, who writes superb detective novels set in Venice, and I was recommending these to a (male) crime reader in one of our libraries…
“I never read books by women” he gruffly replied, “they don’t think the same as we do”…
Hmmm - `controversial`, I mused, but it did set me thinking:… Do other readers agree? Can ladies write books for gentlemen to enjoy?
Would `Bravo Two Zero` be as popular if it was written by Mandy McNab?...Or `Persuasion` by Jamie Austen?...
Even unknowingly, I wonder if some readers do prefer books written by a member of their own gender…Or exclude some books if written by someone from the other?...What do you think?
Anyway, dear readers, I`m rambling! To return to the point; Italian crime …Well, Andrea’s certainly the man for me!
I’d always liked the look of these books on the library shelves whenever I’d seen them, but didn’t know much about the writer. Now let me tell you, Andrea Camilleri is the author of half a dozen of the crispest, driest, most quirkily perfect crime novels you could wish to find…And yes, you’ve guessed – Andrea Camilleri IS a man! (A 90 year-old Sicilian chappie, in fact). Not that it matters either way, because these books are fantastic! I give you my word, as a gentleman…And as a Librarian…And this is an offer you can’t refuse.
So…any Zen thoughts? (One library user – let’s call her “Audrey” to protect her identity - told me “I simply ADORE that detective Zen on TV…he has cheek bones to die for”).
Bookwise, any criminal leanings you’d like to tell us about?
Any more Camilleri fans out there?...
And what about the great gender divide?...Do chaps only read books by other fellows? And what of the ladies?...Are you so set in your ways?...
Join the debate, just add your thoughts on the `comments` box below.
TTFN
8 comments:
For those interested in Italian crime I recommend the terrific Cosa Nostra by John Dickie. On a similar note how about Tough Guy by Louis Ferrante? A former member of the Gambino Crime Family who I believe once visited Bexleyheath Library.
Well I definitely read books by both male and female authors - although I might avoid certain types of book which appear to be more aimed at a male readership [I'm a bit squeamish, so I don't like too much violence, which cuts out quite a few adventure books and certain types of crime]. Sometimes, of course, the author is not the person they claim to be either - George Eliot for example, as well as your Andrea.
Thanks for these comments…
I see that John Dickie also writes books about Italian food, so – HOLD THE FRONT PAGE! - here’s an example of a man actually multitasking…
And yes, I know that the Louis Ferrante book is well worth a look…
As for Terri’s comments…that’s true – but we know that a lot of women readers here in Bexley really do enjoy the gruesome/forensic crime novelists (Patricia Cornwell, Tess Gerritson etc…) – why should that be? …
BE Village Reading group has just read Red Lotus by Pai Kit Fai . The story is set in China and the
foot binding process is well described.We discussed this book compared to others we had read such as Unicorn Road and Snow flower & Secret fan. There was plenty to discuss – a good choice for reading groups. We were also surprised that the author is male as the book is about a female character - hance the posting on this blog! Val
Thanks, Val…
Well, that’s interesting!...A book group that didn’t know they were reading a book by a man…What’s in a name, eh?
But as for foot-binding…well, I`m unable to comment any further, I`m afraid.
Hmmmmmm - I'm afraid, Blogbrarian, that unless John Dickie is writing an Italian cookery book with one hand on one PC, and a crime novel with the other hand on another PC, he's not actually multi-tasking. He's diversifying, and nobody has ever said that blokes can't do that. In fact, I'm sure some of them can.
Well, in the light of the present controversy surrounding the role of gender, I couldn’t possibly comment – particularly if it involves `multi-tasking`…
And, while I think of it…Nothing to do with crime, Italy, or multitasking, but it’s defintely topical (Sky Sports etc…) – why not try reading Lynn Truss’s excelent book “Get her off the pitch!”…one woman’s view of sports and sports journalism…
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