A Mark In Time

Mark Knopfler Discussion => Mark Knopfler Discussion Forum => Topic started by: stratmad on August 29, 2024, 06:47:16 PM

Title: Books that inspired songs (or are somehow related to MK's music)
Post by: stratmad on August 29, 2024, 06:47:16 PM
We know that quite a few songs were triggered or inspired by works of literature, and I wonder if you have read any of them, and whether you liked them. Maybe we can also include films here.

Telegraph Road - Knut Hamsun / The Growth of the Soil
Heavy Fuel - Martin Amis / Money   (loved it, but haven't read it in 30 years)
The Princess Bride - William Goldman - The Princess Bride (still love it to pieces!)
Sailing to Philadelphia - Thomas Pynchon - Mason & Dixon

Can you think of others? Which ones can you recommend?

Title: Re: Books that inspired songs (or are somehow related to MK's music)
Post by: Robson on August 29, 2024, 06:57:42 PM
https://www.amarkintime.org/forum/index.php?topic=3621.0
Title: Re: Books that inspired songs (or are somehow related to MK's music)
Post by: stratmad on August 29, 2024, 07:05:40 PM
Oops-a-daisy. Sorry!  :lol
Title: Re: Books that inspired songs (or are somehow related to MK's music)
Post by: Robson on August 29, 2024, 07:06:52 PM
https://www.amarkintime.org/forum/index.php?topic=4262.msg93860#msg93860
Title: Re: Books that inspired songs (or are somehow related to MK's music)
Post by: stratmad on August 29, 2024, 07:25:05 PM
Ok, I've read those threads.
But my question was actually a bit different... which ones has anyone here actually read, are they worth reading?

I've already made up my mind about Hamsun and Pynchon: maybe I'll read them when I retire ;-)
Title: Re: Books that inspired songs (or are somehow related to MK's music)
Post by: Robson on August 29, 2024, 07:31:15 PM
I really liked "Growth of the Soil"
Title: Re: Books that inspired songs (or are somehow related to MK's music)
Post by: Love Expresso on August 29, 2024, 07:36:49 PM
I have read Last Exit To Brooklyn by Hubert Selby (which was a tough read) and Master & Commander series partly. I have the German translation "Ich lese den Himmel" from Timothy O'Gradys I could read the sky. Nice but very special. I have read the Richard Powers book Time of our singing and it is great for music and Jazz lovers, although the relation to MK is really just one single sentence more or less.

I find it interesting that we haven't heard from a book that inspired MK since Tracker. We know nothing about any book-related songs neither on DTRW or ODR, do we?

So this thread is interesting nevertheless.

LE

Title: Re: Books that inspired songs (or are somehow related to MK's music)
Post by: Robson on August 29, 2024, 07:48:39 PM
Mark must have watched the movie "Margin Call" when writing Kingdom of Gold. But I have no evidence.
Title: Re: Books that inspired songs (or are somehow related to MK's music)
Post by: Robson on August 29, 2024, 07:57:18 PM
"Mighty Man" is also inspired by a book.
Title: Re: Books that inspired songs (or are somehow related to MK's music)
Post by: Love Expresso on August 29, 2024, 07:58:44 PM
"Mighty Man" is also inspired by a book.
Yes, the one from Timothy O'Grady that I mentioned.

LE
Title: Re: Books that inspired songs (or are somehow related to MK's music)
Post by: Robson on August 29, 2024, 08:12:30 PM
"Mighty Man" is also inspired by a book.
Yes, the one from Timothy O'Grady that I mentioned.

LE

 :thumbsup

I remember the discussion about the movie "Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World" and Haul Away:)

And also a discussion about The Bounty and Sky And Water.
Title: Re: Books that inspired songs (or are somehow related to MK's music)
Post by: Banjo99uk on August 29, 2024, 09:58:26 PM
Mark must have watched the movie "Margin Call" when writing Kingdom of Gold. But I have no evidence.
Possibly, I read somewhere it was about the financial protest that popped up outside St Pauls Cathedral after the 2008 crash. They where camped out in tents and The City of London (Kingdom of Gold) was looking down on them.