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DanaC · 05-09-2008, 05:34 PM

I just started reading a book today that I know, ten pages in, is going to stay in my head. The writing is beautiful, challenging and lyrical. It's called Riddley Walker, by Russel Hoban.

Written 20 years ago and republished in an anniversary edition, it's set in a post nuclear holocaust Kent in the South of England. The english language has evolved and a kind of strange mix of iron-age culture and remnants of our own culture translated through many generations until they are echoes.

The opening lines caught me as I browsed in the library:

"On my naming day when I come 12 I gone front spear and kilt a wyld boar he parbly ben the las wyld pig on the Bundel Downs any how there hadnt ben none for a long time befor him nor I aint looking to see none agen."

05-09-2008, 05:34 PM	#1162
DanaC We have to go back, Kate! Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Yorkshire Posts: 25,964	I just started reading a book today that I know, ten pages in, is going to stay in my head. The writing is beautiful, challenging and lyrical. It's called Riddley Walker, by Russel Hoban. Written 20 years ago and republished in an anniversary edition, it's set in a post nuclear holocaust Kent in the South of England. The english language has evolved and a kind of strange mix of iron-age culture and remnants of our own culture translated through many generations until they are echoes. The opening lines caught me as I browsed in the library: "On my naming day when I come 12 I gone front spear and kilt a wyld boar he parbly ben the las wyld pig on the Bundel Downs any how there hadnt ben none for a long time befor him nor I aint looking to see none agen." Last edited by DanaC; 05-09-2008 at 06:07 PM.