Adrian
8th November 2007, 07:08 AM
Normally I don't read two books by the same author in rapid succession, but when one is Gents (http://www.bookgrouponline.com/forum/showthread.html?t=3485), the story of West Indian men working in a public toilet in London, and the other is The Rationalist, about an 18th century physician working in a small town on the Hampshire coast, I don't mind making an exception.
It's as different from Gents as you could find, but also another great book. Silas Grange is a doctor and man of science who passes his spare time studying Hume's A Treatise on Human Nature and verbally sparring with his doctor colleague Hargood, who is very much the opposite: a red meat eating, mistress-keeping, hunting, shooting and fishing man who lives his life well.
Grange's well ordered existence becomes less so with the acquaintance of a widow, Mrs Quill. I won't delve much further into the plot as there isn't much to say without giving too much away, and it's a book that's best read "blind."
All the characters are well drawn out, none more so than my favourite, Hargood. Here's the two of them in conversation over dinner:
"You're well?"
Grange nodded. "In good health."
"In body, I am sure. How do you keep so thin? That studious nature, perhaps. Do you eat? Or do you merely imbibe the refined vapours of books. I'll be damned." Hargood paused and stared. "You're not in love, are you? Dangerous thing, love. Bachelor's worst enemy. Only love or impotence can deflect a determined man from pleasure - and love's by far the worst. Well, answer me."
"Yes, I do eat, Hargood." Grange weighted his reply with the merest hint of a smile.
Finally, my apologies to the author. There was no author photo on the inside back leaf of Gents, and so I mistakenly assumed "Warwick" was a name akin to "Winston" and had been appropriated by the West Indians. I now see Mr Collins isn't West Indian, which in my defence makes Gents an even better book, though I do have rather a red face.
It's as different from Gents as you could find, but also another great book. Silas Grange is a doctor and man of science who passes his spare time studying Hume's A Treatise on Human Nature and verbally sparring with his doctor colleague Hargood, who is very much the opposite: a red meat eating, mistress-keeping, hunting, shooting and fishing man who lives his life well.
Grange's well ordered existence becomes less so with the acquaintance of a widow, Mrs Quill. I won't delve much further into the plot as there isn't much to say without giving too much away, and it's a book that's best read "blind."
All the characters are well drawn out, none more so than my favourite, Hargood. Here's the two of them in conversation over dinner:
"You're well?"
Grange nodded. "In good health."
"In body, I am sure. How do you keep so thin? That studious nature, perhaps. Do you eat? Or do you merely imbibe the refined vapours of books. I'll be damned." Hargood paused and stared. "You're not in love, are you? Dangerous thing, love. Bachelor's worst enemy. Only love or impotence can deflect a determined man from pleasure - and love's by far the worst. Well, answer me."
"Yes, I do eat, Hargood." Grange weighted his reply with the merest hint of a smile.
Finally, my apologies to the author. There was no author photo on the inside back leaf of Gents, and so I mistakenly assumed "Warwick" was a name akin to "Winston" and had been appropriated by the West Indians. I now see Mr Collins isn't West Indian, which in my defence makes Gents an even better book, though I do have rather a red face.