I love visiting my local library. This time as I was going to check out my choice of books the librarian was having a conversation with another visitor. It urned out they were talking in Russian - the librarian was from Lithuanian (there is a big Lithuanian community locally - there is a whole section of books in Lithuanian in the library) the visitor had been at a University in Russia, but was originally from Latin America. I had an interesting chat to the librarian about places in Russia that I had visited. I went there thirty years ago. The librarian asked which cities I had visited - Moscow, St Petersburg? I replied that when I went there it was called Leningrad! I'd been there during the summer - when there is no darkness. What a beautiful city!
So which books did I decide on for the next three weeks?
I renewed Colm Toibin's 'The Story of the Night'. I've nearly finished it but I am getting disappointed that it is turning into a predictable 'gay life' tragedy. The first part was a fascinating description of life in Buenos Aires during the Falklands/Malvinas War. Now - towards the end it has turned into gay relationships destroyed by the shadow of AIDS story. It is a pity that so many novels about gay relationships seem so unusually tragic and blighted by death and disease.
I also selected: 'Cold Mountain' (Charles Frazier) - I am interested in the American Civil War period.
Anthony Trollope's 'The Small House in Allington' (always a good idea to read some Trollope from time to time)
'Breakfast at Tiffany's' by Truman Caopte is a nice slim volume and I've never read the book - but seen the film!
I was also delighted to find the latest Simon Brett Fethering Mystery ' The Witness at the Wedding', and finally a collection of short stories - 'The Rose City' by David Eberhoff.
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