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My newest reading pleasure is a book by Mordechai Richler titled, Barney's Version. I really didn't know what to expect walking into this book as I have never heard of the author before and hadn't heard much on the novel either. The book won the Giller prize in 2000 I think, so atleats I was assured that it was a decent read. IT has started off slow, but I attribute that more to the meatiness of the novel rather than it being arduous. It is a funny book, written in the first person.

Barnet Panofsky recounts his life's story from his early years as a Jewish kid from Montreal to an old geezer unable to recall such insignificant facts as the names of the seven dwarves who put up with sleeping beauty or the word for a pasta strainer. The book is written with the stereotypical (jewish) wit and this lends quite a comical approach to the retelling of a intensely amusing story. From parties in Paris with artsy socialites to his problems with his three wives to his vesatile and predictably strange children, Barney weaves a sporadic tale that grips the reader with its speed and its curious turns. Many a times, its just an old man rambling on about gods knows everything...Richler writes:

"You simply can't trust the British. With Americans (or Cnadians for that matter) what you see is what you get. But settle into your seat on a 749 flying out of Heathrow next to an ostensibly boring old Englishman with wobbly chins, the acquired stammer, obviously something in the City, intent on his Times crossword puzzle, and don't you dare patronize him. Mr. Milquetoast, actually a judo black belt, was probably parachuted into the Dordogne in 1943, blew up a train or two and survived the Gestapo cells by concentrating on what would become the definitive translation of Gilgamesh from the Sin-Leqi-Inninni; and now - his garment bag stuffed with his wife's most alluring cocktail dresses and lingerie - he is no doubt bound for the annual convention of cross dressers in Saskatoon."

as I said, he just writes about what comes to his mind. long winded, stereotypical and downright hillarious. This book shall be devoured.