ManBookering discussion

This thread is for discussion of The Long Take by Robin Robertson.

Please be considerate of spoilers when posting your thoughts. Either use the spoiler tag or make it clear at the top of your comment that you will be posting specific details of the story.

Happy reading & discussing!

This is a very intriguing choice, which I am looking forward to reading.

I have heard Robertson's poetry a few times on the radio, and I have a CD called Hirta Songs which was a very interesting collaboration with the Scottish folksinger Alasdair Roberts which mixes songs (for which Robertson wrote the lyrics) and poems (recited by Robertson) - it tells the story of the last inhabitants of the Scottish island of Hirta, better known as St Kilda.

This is the book I am most excited to read, but I can't find it anywhere. Over the course of the morning this book sold out from every seller on Amazon, and no libraries in my state have it. I went to Book Depository to buy it, I put it in my cart, and by the time I put some other books in there, this was sold out again. Since I live in America, I can't get it from a book store, and Wordery doesn't have it. Does anyone know of any ways I could get my hands on this without waiting for its January USA publication?

I suspect that more copies of the British edition will be printed soon. I got a copy through Waterstones, but I don't think they do international sales.

Toby wrote: "This is the book I am most excited to read, but I can't find it anywhere. Over the course of the morning this book sold out from every seller on Amazon, and no libraries in my state have it. I went..."

I was coming here to make the same observation/complaint. There isn't a copy in all of Colorado that I can find. I checked Amazon, bookdepository and ebay, even.

What people tend to forget is that some of these books would have had pretty small print runs had they not been longlisted. It is not surprising that the publishers have problems with the sudden demand.

Hugh wrote: "What people tend to forget is that some of these books would have had pretty small print runs had they not been longlisted. It is not surprising that the publishers have problems with the sudden de..."

I didn't mean to sound whiny or upset. I am just disappointed and was hopeful that others had better connections than me.

I have read the first 50 pages - I often find poetry difficult but so far this is fairly easy to read, enjoyable and atmospheric (it is about 80% free verse, interspersed with reflections that look like stage directions in a play).

Sunita wrote: "Kelly wrote: "I didn't mean to sound whiny or upset. I am just disappointed and was hopeful that others had better connections than me. "

It is always so frustrating when we US people are trying t..."

Thanks!

Finished this last night. My review


I was impressed without being blown away, and I felt I was missing a lot - I am not that familiar with Los Angeles or 50s film noir. Not that it is ever difficult to follow the surface story, but there are allusions everywhere. I look forward to reading others' thoughts on this one...

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Just added my review above.

I enjoyed the book a lot but like Hugh neither Film Noir or Los Angeles interest me so I feel that I did not gain the experience the author had intended, particularly with the copious research.

I am also concerned that the judging panel selected it for a level of contemporary relevance which I felt to be a little forced.

OK. Unlike Hugh I was both impressed AND blown away! Like Hugh and GY, I don't know Los Angeles (apart from, appropriately, via the movies), but I do know a bit about film noir and jazz. That probably helps.

However, it wasn't the film noir or the jazz that won me over. It was Walker.

The writing quite often reminded me of Denis Johnson, which is a big positive from my viewpoint: I loved the way Robertson made the poverty and grime of the city almost tangible.

My review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Neil wrote: "OK. Unlike Hugh I was both impressed AND blown away! "
I probably should have phrased that comment more positively!

Just finished it and: absolutely brilliant!
5*

@Neil: How about that?

Hooray!

Neil wrote: "Hooray!"

:-)

Britta wrote: "Just finished it and: absolutely brilliant!
5*"
Really glad you liked this one!

Hugh wrote: "Britta wrote: "Just finished it and: absolutely brilliant!
5*"
Really glad you liked this one!"

Me, too :-)

My review:

https://deucekindred.wordpress.com/20...

I'm almost halfway through this, and so far I'm absolutely loving the writing, I can't fault it for that at all. My thing is the way this was marketed, I expected PTSD to be explored more, and it really isn't at all. I can tell from the little bits of it so far that Robertson cab write about PTSD, and this book could be incredibly impactful and even deserving of winning the prize, but without that, I think it'll be shortlisted and left there. If anyone has finished this, let me know if he dives deeper into how D-Day has actually effected him mentally

I am thrilled that I just won a copy. Although it's mid-October, I couldn't seem to find the book. Pleased to see the love her for it.

How similar is The long Take to the works of Joseph Moncure March, who wrote the narrative poems The Wild Party and The Set-Up?
The Set-Up was turned into a film in 1949 — a classic film noir.
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/5...