Colm Toibin any fans out there?

[Longstocking2]

Just read The Blackwater Lightship he's so good

[Longstocking2]

sorry for double post!

[gailforce1]

Does anyone know the title of his new book?

[lalalonglegs]

The Empty Family: Stories. I don't think I'll bother with it - I've only read Brooklyn and wasn't bowled over by it.

[winnybella]

The Master is great- it's Henry James's fictionalized bioghraphy. IIRC it came out at the same time as David Lodge's 'Author, author'-also about HJ.

[RabbitAndCo]

Yes yes loved The Master

[Longstocking2]

I heard him on the radio and he has the best voice in the world and yet other people read his audiobooks.
Just ordered the Master, looking forward to it. It's a proper literary crush.

[sparklyjewlz]

I really enjoyed "Brooklyn"; but not evryone in my book club did.

[krisskross]

loved brroklyn but found blackwater lightship bit boring.

[Longstocking2]

krisskross I wonder whether it might be an age thing? As I get older I am more tolerant of this kind of bleakness, in the Blackwater Lightship, and familial strife!
I think I wouldn't have bothered if I were even five years younger.

[sieglinde]

I'm reading Brooklyn now and loving it. Loved The Master too.

[swanriver]

loved The Master (bits of it were funny too well darkly funny) and another one called The Heather is Blazing about an Irish judge (maybe got the title wrong?)not funny but v.affecting.
Brooklyn took a while to grow on me. Had to read it at least twice to see the point.
tbh I find his descriptions of heretosexual (sp?) relationships a bit odd, other sorts of relationships much more convincing
I also like his articles, where he gets chance to be thoroughly academic, funny and dangerous all at once.

[Longstocking2]

I'm now reading 'signs of the cross, travels in catholic europe' which is so good. I just love way he writes.
Still waiting for the Master to arrive, it sounds really good.

[Longstocking2]

I think he's very funny at times, too. He captures that Irish humour which I like very much. I think of it as a kind of wry, gentle, dry piss taking, usually coming a little from leftfield, maybe more teasing than piss taking.
I often notice that Irish people really don't want to let go of a chance to have a laugh where English people seem often more happy to let subjects and opportunities for laughter go on occasion.
I

[redandgreen]

Absolutely loved blackwater lightship, the Heather blazing and Brooklyn. He has so much affection for his characters and creates so much tension with absolutely no melodrama.