I have started Long Walk to Freedom by Nelson Mandela. I always like autobiography and have been meaning to read this for some time. The impeding release of the film would probably have moved me along, but the recent sad news of Mandela's death was the trigger to pick it up. Here's the blurb:
The riveting memoirs of the outstanding moral and political leader of our time, Long Walk to Freedom brilliantly recreates the drama of the experiences that helped shape Nelson Mandela's destiny. Emotive, compelling and uplifting, Long Walk to Freedom is the exhilarating story of an epic life; a story of hardship, resilience and ultimate triumph told with the clarity and eloquence of a born leader.
18 Dec 2013
The Husband's Secret - by Liane Moriarty
Like the other books by this author, this has a complex storyline, with multiple points of view. Each chapter or part of a chapter is from the viewpoint of one of three characters, whose thoughts are described. The viewpoint often seems to change at a crucial point - a cliffhanger - which kept me turning the pages.
Although it is a longish book, I did not feel it was too long. The complexity of the story is revealed at a sensible pace and there are plenty of little [and not so little] twists. I confess that I had guessed the contents of the letter before it was revealed, but only just before. By the end of the book, there are very few loose ends.
Again, in keeping with the author's other books that I have read, the story is entertaining, but also it made me think about aspects of life and relationships and the assumptions that we all make.
Although it is a longish book, I did not feel it was too long. The complexity of the story is revealed at a sensible pace and there are plenty of little [and not so little] twists. I confess that I had guessed the contents of the letter before it was revealed, but only just before. By the end of the book, there are very few loose ends.
Again, in keeping with the author's other books that I have read, the story is entertaining, but also it made me think about aspects of life and relationships and the assumptions that we all make.
26 Nov 2013
What I'm reading ...
I have started The Husband's Secret by Liane Moriarty. I previously read What Alice Forgot and The Hypnotist's Love Story and enjoyed those, so, as it was time for fiction again, this was an easy choice. Here is the blurb:
Mother of three and wife of John-Paul, Cecilia discovers an old envelope in the attic. Written in her husband's hand, it says: to be opened only in the event of my death.
Curious, she opens it - and time stops.
John-Paul's letter confesses to a terrible mistake which, if revealed, would wreck their family as well as the lives of others.
Cecilia - betrayed, angry and distraught - wants to do the right thing, but right for who? If she protects her family by staying silent, the truth will worm through her heart. But if she reveals her husband's secret, she will hurt those she loves most . . .
Mother of three and wife of John-Paul, Cecilia discovers an old envelope in the attic. Written in her husband's hand, it says: to be opened only in the event of my death.
Curious, she opens it - and time stops.
John-Paul's letter confesses to a terrible mistake which, if revealed, would wreck their family as well as the lives of others.
Cecilia - betrayed, angry and distraught - wants to do the right thing, but right for who? If she protects her family by staying silent, the truth will worm through her heart. But if she reveals her husband's secret, she will hurt those she loves most . . .
How to Fail at Almost Everything and Still Win Big: Kind of the Story of My Life - by Scott Adams
As I expected, this was an entertaining and thought provoking read. I am not sure whether it is a self-help book or an autobiography. Maybe, as it is always good to learn from other people's experiences, all autobiographies are, in effect self-help books ...
Adams covers numerous aspects of life and discusses his approach. Mostly its a matter of applying his core philosophies: have systems instead of goals and embrace failure as just part of the process. There are plenty of amusing anecdotes and off the wall ways to think about stuff which made me smile, but that does not detract from the good advice and food for thought served up on just about every page.
I have been known to express the view that the last name Adams is a sign of genius [as in Douglas as well as Scott]. This book does nothing to change my mind.
Adams covers numerous aspects of life and discusses his approach. Mostly its a matter of applying his core philosophies: have systems instead of goals and embrace failure as just part of the process. There are plenty of amusing anecdotes and off the wall ways to think about stuff which made me smile, but that does not detract from the good advice and food for thought served up on just about every page.
I have been known to express the view that the last name Adams is a sign of genius [as in Douglas as well as Scott]. This book does nothing to change my mind.
17 Nov 2013
What I'm reading ...
I have started How to Fail at Almost Everything and Still Win Big: Kind of the Story of My Life by Scott Adams. It was time for non-fiction and this book just came out. I enjoy the author's blog and have been a Dilbert fan for years. Maybe I'll learn something or just have a smile. Here's the blurb:
Dilbert creator Scott Adams' funny memoir about his many failures and what they eventually taught him about success.
Scott Adams has probably failed at more things than anyone you've ever met. So how did he go from hapless office worker and serial failure to the creator of Dilbert, one of the world's most famous comic strips, in just a few years?
No career guide can offer advice that works for everyone. Your best bet is to study the ways of others who made it big and try to glean some tricks that make sense for you. So here Scott Adams tells how he turned one failure after another - including a corporate career, inventions, investments, and two restaurants - into something successful. Along the way he discovered some unlikely truths. Goals are for losers; systems are for winners. Forget 'passion'; what you need is personal energy.
In this brilliant book, Adams shows us how to invite failure in, embrace it, then pick its pocket. While you laugh at his failures, you'll discover some helpful ideas for your own path to personal victory.
16 Nov 2013
The Hundred-Year-Old Man Who Climbed Out of the Window and Disappeared - by Jonas Jonasson
An excellent read - a book which kept me turning the pages and constantly intrigued about what might happen next.
The structure of two separate timelines worked very well, but, to me, raised some questions. Were the past events supposed to be fact or the ramblings of an old man? Were they just an excuse for the author to take a romp through 20th century political history? In any case, they seemed so unlikely that they made the main story line seem almost plausible.
I was amused to see the book described as "feel good" in a review, which seems surprising as, early on, two young men meet an untimely end. But I guess that, by contrast to other "Scandlit" like Jo Nesbo and Stieg Larsson, it is rather tame.
The structure of two separate timelines worked very well, but, to me, raised some questions. Were the past events supposed to be fact or the ramblings of an old man? Were they just an excuse for the author to take a romp through 20th century political history? In any case, they seemed so unlikely that they made the main story line seem almost plausible.
I was amused to see the book described as "feel good" in a review, which seems surprising as, early on, two young men meet an untimely end. But I guess that, by contrast to other "Scandlit" like Jo Nesbo and Stieg Larsson, it is rather tame.
9 Nov 2013
What I'm reading ...
I have started The Hundred-Year-Old Man Who Climbed Out of the Window and Disappeared by Jonas Jonasson. It is my next book club book and I have heard good things about it. Here's the blurb:
It all starts on the one-hundredth birthday of Allan Karlsson. Sitting quietly in his room in an old people’s home, he is waiting for the party he-never-wanted-anyway to begin. The Mayor is going to be there. The press is going to be there. But, as it turns out, Allan is not… Slowly but surely Allan climbs out of his bedroom window, into the flowerbed (in his slippers) and makes his getaway. And so begins his picaresque and unlikely journey involving criminals, several murders, a suitcase full of cash, and incompetent police. As his escapades unfold, we learn something of Allan’s earlier life in which – remarkably – he helped to make the atom bomb, became friends with American presidents, Russian tyrants, and Chinese leaders, and was a participant behind the scenes in many key events of the twentieth century. Already a huge bestseller across Europe, The Hundred-Year-Old Man Who Climbed Out of the Window and Disappeared is a fun and feel-good book for all ages.
It all starts on the one-hundredth birthday of Allan Karlsson. Sitting quietly in his room in an old people’s home, he is waiting for the party he-never-wanted-anyway to begin. The Mayor is going to be there. The press is going to be there. But, as it turns out, Allan is not… Slowly but surely Allan climbs out of his bedroom window, into the flowerbed (in his slippers) and makes his getaway. And so begins his picaresque and unlikely journey involving criminals, several murders, a suitcase full of cash, and incompetent police. As his escapades unfold, we learn something of Allan’s earlier life in which – remarkably – he helped to make the atom bomb, became friends with American presidents, Russian tyrants, and Chinese leaders, and was a participant behind the scenes in many key events of the twentieth century. Already a huge bestseller across Europe, The Hundred-Year-Old Man Who Climbed Out of the Window and Disappeared is a fun and feel-good book for all ages.
How Many Friends Does One Person Need?: Dunbar's Number and Other Evolutionary Quirks - by Robin Dunbar
A fascinating book which I really enjoyed reading. Ever since I read The Blind Watchmaker year ago, I have had an enduring interest in evolution. The author really brings the subject to life, frequently discussing the genetics of a particular evolutionary phenomenon. He even proposes an evolutionary origin for religion and clearly explains why Shakespeare was a genius.
29 Oct 2013
What I'm reading ...
I wanted to read something that was not going to tax me emotionally and it was time for non-fiction. So, I have started How Many Friends Does One Person Need?: Dunbar's Number and Other Evolutionary Quirks by Robin Dunbar. I am interested in social anthropology and I think this will fit the bill. Here is the blurb:
We are the product of our evolutionary history and this history colours our everyday lives - from why we kiss to how religious we are. In How Many Friends Does One Person Need? Robin Dunbar explains how the distant past underpins our current behaviour, through the groundbreaking experiments that have changed the thinking of evolutionary biologists forever. He explains phenomena such as why 'Dunbar's Number' (150) is the maximum number of acquaintances you can have, why all babies are born premature and the science behind lonely hearts columns. Stimulating, provocative and highly enjoyable, this fascinating book is essential for understanding why humans behave as they do - what it is to be human.
We are the product of our evolutionary history and this history colours our everyday lives - from why we kiss to how religious we are. In How Many Friends Does One Person Need? Robin Dunbar explains how the distant past underpins our current behaviour, through the groundbreaking experiments that have changed the thinking of evolutionary biologists forever. He explains phenomena such as why 'Dunbar's Number' (150) is the maximum number of acquaintances you can have, why all babies are born premature and the science behind lonely hearts columns. Stimulating, provocative and highly enjoyable, this fascinating book is essential for understanding why humans behave as they do - what it is to be human.
28 Oct 2013
The Unlikely Pilgrimage Of Harold Fry - by Rachel Joyce
Another outstanding book that was a pleasure to read. I got through it quickly, as I started it at the beginning of a long flight, which provided plenty of uninterrupted reading time. I engaged with the book very quickly and it was soon un-put-downable.
Although the book is a story about a few weeks of Harold's life, it is really an investigation of emotions - what we feel, how we feel it, how we express those feelings and, most importantly, what happens when we do not express them. It covers some very emotionally charged territory, some of which is very "close to home" for me. So, I found the book very moving and thought provoking.
It is beautifully written, well paced and evokes strong images and feelings. This is particularly surprising as it is the first novel by an experienced playwright. I thought that a particular short passage, covering Queenie's death, was so economic and poignant that I decided to transcribe it here:
Although the book is a story about a few weeks of Harold's life, it is really an investigation of emotions - what we feel, how we feel it, how we express those feelings and, most importantly, what happens when we do not express them. It covers some very emotionally charged territory, some of which is very "close to home" for me. So, I found the book very moving and thought provoking.
It is beautifully written, well paced and evokes strong images and feelings. This is particularly surprising as it is the first novel by an experienced playwright. I thought that a particular short passage, covering Queenie's death, was so economic and poignant that I decided to transcribe it here:
Queenie parted her lips, hunting for the next intake of air. And when it didn't come, but something else did, it was as easy as breathing.Could a peaceful death be described better than that? I will be reading more by this author [her second book was published recently ...].
27 Oct 2013
What I'm reading ...
I have started The Unlikely Pilgrimage Of Harold Fry by Rachel Joyce. Time for some more fiction and this book had been recommended to me. Here's the blurb:
When Harold Fry nips out one morning to post a letter, leaving his wife hoovering upstairs, he has no idea that he is about to walk from one end of the country to the other. He has no hiking boots or map, let alone a compass, waterproof or mobile phone. All he knows is that he must keep walking. To save someone else's life.
When Harold Fry nips out one morning to post a letter, leaving his wife hoovering upstairs, he has no idea that he is about to walk from one end of the country to the other. He has no hiking boots or map, let alone a compass, waterproof or mobile phone. All he knows is that he must keep walking. To save someone else's life.
One Summer: America 1927 - by Bill Bryson
As a big fan of the author, I had high expectations of this book. I was not disappointed. It is quite a big book and Bryson uses the space to cover the events of and around Summer 1927 in lots of detail. There are tons of facts, but they are presented in coherent, entertaining and energetic way - every story leads the reader on to the next. I always enjoy learning about topics that I already thought that I knew about. Among the numerous subjects upon which I am now better informed are:
Once again Bryson has delivered. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and was sad when it came to an end.
- Charles Lindbergh, and the beginnings of aviation in general
- Babe Ruth, and the emergence of baseball
- Prohibition
- The Great Depression
- Henry Ford
- The emergence of boxing
- The development of "talkies"
- The KKK and eugenics
Once again Bryson has delivered. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and was sad when it came to an end.
4 Oct 2013
What I'm reading ...
I have started One Summer: America 1927 by Bill Bryson. He is one of my favourite authors. I have met him a couple of times and tend to get his books immediately on publication. This one looked interesting, so it is no exception. Here is the blurb:
In the summer of 1927, America had a booming stock market, a president who worked just four hours a day (and slept much of the rest of the time), a semi-crazed sculptor with a mad plan to carve four giant heads into an inaccessible mountain called Rushmore, a devastating flood of the Mississippi, a sensational murder trial, and a youthful aviator named Charles Lindbergh who started the summer wholly unknown and finished it as the most famous man on earth. (So famous that Minnesota considered renaming itself after him.)
It was the summer that saw the birth of talking pictures, the invention of television, the peak of Al Capone's reign of terror, the horrifying bombing of a school in Michigan by a madman, the ill-conceived decision that led to the Great Depression, the thrillingly improbable return to greatness of a wheezing, over-the-hill baseball player named Babe Ruth, and an almost impossible amount more.
In this hugely entertaining book, Bill Bryson spins a story of brawling adventure, reckless optimism and delirious energy, with a cast of unforgettable and eccentric characters, with trademark brio, wit and authority.
In the summer of 1927, America had a booming stock market, a president who worked just four hours a day (and slept much of the rest of the time), a semi-crazed sculptor with a mad plan to carve four giant heads into an inaccessible mountain called Rushmore, a devastating flood of the Mississippi, a sensational murder trial, and a youthful aviator named Charles Lindbergh who started the summer wholly unknown and finished it as the most famous man on earth. (So famous that Minnesota considered renaming itself after him.)
It was the summer that saw the birth of talking pictures, the invention of television, the peak of Al Capone's reign of terror, the horrifying bombing of a school in Michigan by a madman, the ill-conceived decision that led to the Great Depression, the thrillingly improbable return to greatness of a wheezing, over-the-hill baseball player named Babe Ruth, and an almost impossible amount more.
In this hugely entertaining book, Bill Bryson spins a story of brawling adventure, reckless optimism and delirious energy, with a cast of unforgettable and eccentric characters, with trademark brio, wit and authority.
Enigma - by Robert Harris
An excellent book. I had high expectations, having read several other books by this author and being confident in his integrity. I could, therefore, easily have been disappointed, but I was not. The story kept my attention effortlessly, with just enough twists to keep me wondering what would come next. I found the characters quite believable and enjoyed all the contextual stuff about life during WW2. Having read The Secret Life of Bletchley Park, I was well appraised of the terminology and culture, which was useful. The story is well structured, with just about all the loose ends tied up. I enjoyed the attention to detail and, because I trust the author, come away feeling that I have learned something.
I am now keen to read more Robert Harris books and other stuff about Bletchley Park.
I am now keen to read more Robert Harris books and other stuff about Bletchley Park.
21 Sept 2013
What I'm reading ...
I have started Enigma by Robert Harris. This is one of 2 books which we are reading as a pair for my book club. The other one is The Secret Life of Bletchley Park, which I read a while ago. Here's the blurb:
Bletchley Park: the top-secret landmark of World War Two, where a group of young people were fighting to defeat Hitler, and win the war. March 1943, the Second World War hangs in the balance, and at Bletchley Park a brilliant young codebreaker is facing a double nightmare. The Germans have unaccountably changed their U-boat Enigma code, threatening a massive Allied defeat. And as suspicion grows that there may be a spy inside Bletchley, Jericho's girlfriend, the beautiful and mysterious Claire Romilly suddenly disappears.
Bletchley Park: the top-secret landmark of World War Two, where a group of young people were fighting to defeat Hitler, and win the war. March 1943, the Second World War hangs in the balance, and at Bletchley Park a brilliant young codebreaker is facing a double nightmare. The Germans have unaccountably changed their U-boat Enigma code, threatening a massive Allied defeat. And as suspicion grows that there may be a spy inside Bletchley, Jericho's girlfriend, the beautiful and mysterious Claire Romilly suddenly disappears.
Harvest - by Jim Crace
This book is set, I believe in the late 1700s - although there is no clear statement of the fact - but that is when the first Enclosures Act was implemented. The story is simple and simply told and clearly shows what the implications of the new law were to be.
It is well written and gave me a new insight into what life in a remote village was like at that time. Compared with the world today, people's lives were incredibly simple, with almost no contact with the outside world. The writing is in the first person, which gives the author a freedom to describe the world in a vivid way.
The title of the book is somewhat ironic. The story takes place at harvest time, but, far from being a time of rejoicing at the produce being safely gathered in, it is a time of destruction and sadness. Is it a fair contender for the Booker? Yes, I think that it is. Will it win? We shall see on 15 October.
It is well written and gave me a new insight into what life in a remote village was like at that time. Compared with the world today, people's lives were incredibly simple, with almost no contact with the outside world. The writing is in the first person, which gives the author a freedom to describe the world in a vivid way.
The title of the book is somewhat ironic. The story takes place at harvest time, but, far from being a time of rejoicing at the produce being safely gathered in, it is a time of destruction and sadness. Is it a fair contender for the Booker? Yes, I think that it is. Will it win? We shall see on 15 October.
17 Sept 2013
What I'm reading ...
I have started Harvest by Jim Crace. I got this book as it is (or at least was) the front runner for the Mann Booker prize and I thought that it would be interesting to read something topical. Here's the blurb:
As late summer steals in and the final pearls of barley are gleaned, a village comes under threat. A trio of outsiders – two men and a dangerously magnetic woman – arrives on the woodland borders and puts up a make-shift camp. That same night, the local manor house is set on fire. Over the course of seven days, Walter Thirsk sees his hamlet unmade: the harvest blackened by smoke and fear, the new arrivals cruelly punished, and his neighbours held captive on suspicion of witchcraft. But something even darker is at the heart of his story, and he will be the only man left to tell it . . . Told in Jim Crace’s hypnotic prose, Harvest evokes the tragedy of land pillaged and communities scattered, as England’s fields are irrevocably enclosed. Timeless yet singular, mythical yet deeply personal, this beautiful novel of one man and his unnamed village speaks for a way of life lost for ever.
As late summer steals in and the final pearls of barley are gleaned, a village comes under threat. A trio of outsiders – two men and a dangerously magnetic woman – arrives on the woodland borders and puts up a make-shift camp. That same night, the local manor house is set on fire. Over the course of seven days, Walter Thirsk sees his hamlet unmade: the harvest blackened by smoke and fear, the new arrivals cruelly punished, and his neighbours held captive on suspicion of witchcraft. But something even darker is at the heart of his story, and he will be the only man left to tell it . . . Told in Jim Crace’s hypnotic prose, Harvest evokes the tragedy of land pillaged and communities scattered, as England’s fields are irrevocably enclosed. Timeless yet singular, mythical yet deeply personal, this beautiful novel of one man and his unnamed village speaks for a way of life lost for ever.
The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time - by Mark Haddon
Another quite short book which I could read quickly. Having said that, I often felt that I needed a bit of a break, as the writing is rather "full on" sometimes. Overall it is an excellent book, which deserves all the critical acclaim that it has received.
The basic story line is very simple, the the death of the dog being almost incidental. The really interesting aspect of the book is being able to see the world through very different eyes. One hears a lot about Aspergers and people being "on the spectrum', but I felt this book gave a very good insight. Christopher's response to things in the world is almost wholly logical, with the possible exception of the colours to which he is averse and his avoidance of physical contact. Because he takes in so much information, he is unable to ignore lots of the dross, which most of us do not even notce.
I think this is one of the rare books that will stay with me for some time.
The basic story line is very simple, the the death of the dog being almost incidental. The really interesting aspect of the book is being able to see the world through very different eyes. One hears a lot about Aspergers and people being "on the spectrum', but I felt this book gave a very good insight. Christopher's response to things in the world is almost wholly logical, with the possible exception of the colours to which he is averse and his avoidance of physical contact. Because he takes in so much information, he is unable to ignore lots of the dross, which most of us do not even notce.
I think this is one of the rare books that will stay with me for some time.
13 Sept 2013
What I'm reading ...
I have started The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time by Mark Haddon. I have been reading to read this for a while, as I have heard good things about it and wanted an easy holiday read. Here's the blurb:
This is Christopher's murder mystery story. There are also no lies in this story because Christopher can't tell lies. Christopher does not like strangers or the colours yellow or brown or being touched. On the other hand, he knows all the countries in the world and their capital cities and every prime number up to 7507. When Christopher decides to find out who killed the neighbour's dog, his mystery story becomes more complicated than he could have ever predicted.
This is Christopher's murder mystery story. There are also no lies in this story because Christopher can't tell lies. Christopher does not like strangers or the colours yellow or brown or being touched. On the other hand, he knows all the countries in the world and their capital cities and every prime number up to 7507. When Christopher decides to find out who killed the neighbour's dog, his mystery story becomes more complicated than he could have ever predicted.
Yesterday Morning: A Very English Childhood - by Diana Athill
This is not a long book, so it took me very little time to read - more or less one aeroplane flight. It covers the first 16 or so years of her life in the 1920s and 30s, but is quite detailed. I have to say that I was surprised that anyone could remember such details from so long ago, but she does conjure up some very vivid images.
Overall I enjoyed reading the book, but, if I have a criticism, the latter part of the book did seem to be a bit of a sales pitch for her other books. I think I would sooner have a single 450 page volume than three smaller ones.
Overall I enjoyed reading the book, but, if I have a criticism, the latter part of the book did seem to be a bit of a sales pitch for her other books. I think I would sooner have a single 450 page volume than three smaller ones.
10 Sept 2013
What I'm reading ...
I have started Yesterday Morning: A Very English Childhood by Diana Athill. This is my next book club book [suggested by me]. As always, I enjoy autobiography and I have previously read one of Diana Athill's books and enjoyed it. Here's the blurb:
A remarkable, truthful and vivid recollection of childhood, from the author of Stet, After a Funeral, Don't Look at Me Like That and Instead of a Letter. Here Athill goes back to the beginning in a sharp evocation of a childhood unfashionably filled with happiness - a Norfolk country house, servants, the pleasures of horses, the unfolding secrets of adults and sex. This is England in the 1920s seen (with a clear and unsentimental eye) from the vantage point of England in 2001. It was a privileged and loving life: but did it equip the author to be happy?
A remarkable, truthful and vivid recollection of childhood, from the author of Stet, After a Funeral, Don't Look at Me Like That and Instead of a Letter. Here Athill goes back to the beginning in a sharp evocation of a childhood unfashionably filled with happiness - a Norfolk country house, servants, the pleasures of horses, the unfolding secrets of adults and sex. This is England in the 1920s seen (with a clear and unsentimental eye) from the vantage point of England in 2001. It was a privileged and loving life: but did it equip the author to be happy?
The Hypnotist's Love Story - by Liane Moriarty
This is a book that delivered on my expectations. It has an interesting storyline: girl meets boy, boy has stalker, girl is hypnotist who discovers that the stalker is a client. Although perhaps rather unlikely, this thread does provide an ideal vehicle to play with some ideas. Importantly [for me], the story has a clear beginning, middle and end; also there is a straight, simple timeline.
The book is written from two perspectives: Ellen, whose world is described in the third person, and Saskia, who speaks directly to the reader. This device means that, even though the viewpoint changes frequently, the reader [well, this one anyway] is never lost. It is quite a long book [over 400 pages], but I felt that this was about right, giving the author the opportunity to look at details and not rush to the end.
Ultimately, the book is about love, as implied by the title, and explores different kinds of love, how love can change over time and how one's own perception of loving and being loved is not a constant.
Overall, I enjoyed the book and would read further work by the author.
The book is written from two perspectives: Ellen, whose world is described in the third person, and Saskia, who speaks directly to the reader. This device means that, even though the viewpoint changes frequently, the reader [well, this one anyway] is never lost. It is quite a long book [over 400 pages], but I felt that this was about right, giving the author the opportunity to look at details and not rush to the end.
Ultimately, the book is about love, as implied by the title, and explores different kinds of love, how love can change over time and how one's own perception of loving and being loved is not a constant.
Overall, I enjoyed the book and would read further work by the author.
30 Aug 2013
What I'm reading ...
I wanted another substantial book to read before I move on to my next book club selection, so I have started, The Hypnotist's Love Story by Liane Moriarty. I read What Alice Forgot previously and enjoyed it, so I was interested in the author's other work. Here's the blurb:
Hypnotherapist Ellen is fascinated by what makes people tick. So when she falls in love with Patrick, the fact that he has a stalker doesn't faze her in the slightest. If anything it intrigues her, and the more she hears about Saskia, the more she wants to meet this woman. But what Ellen doesn't know is that they've already met . . .
Saskia has been posing as one of Ellen's clients. Unable to let go of the life she so abruptly lost, she wants to know everything about the woman who took her place. And the further she inches her way into Ellen's world, the more trouble she stirs up.
Ellen's love story is about to take an unexpected turn. But it's not only Saskia who doesn't know where to stop: Ellen also has to ask herself what lines she's prepared to cross to get the happy ending she's always wanted.
Hypnotherapist Ellen is fascinated by what makes people tick. So when she falls in love with Patrick, the fact that he has a stalker doesn't faze her in the slightest. If anything it intrigues her, and the more she hears about Saskia, the more she wants to meet this woman. But what Ellen doesn't know is that they've already met . . .
Saskia has been posing as one of Ellen's clients. Unable to let go of the life she so abruptly lost, she wants to know everything about the woman who took her place. And the further she inches her way into Ellen's world, the more trouble she stirs up.
Ellen's love story is about to take an unexpected turn. But it's not only Saskia who doesn't know where to stop: Ellen also has to ask herself what lines she's prepared to cross to get the happy ending she's always wanted.
Jimmy Jazz - by Roddy Doyle
I wanted a quick read and have not read anything by Roddy Doyle for a while, so when Amazon offered this on Kindle for free, I grabbed it. Here's the blurb:
Jimmy Rabbitte hates jazz, always has. But his wife Aiofe loves it, and Jimmy loves Aiofe. So when, in attempt to convert him, she buys him two tickets for a Keith Jarrett concert he decides to take Outspan, former member of Jimmy's band The Commitments, who has come back into his life after a chance meeting in the cancer clinic. Jarrett is famous for being intolerant of any noise at all - a cough, a sneeze, a wheeze - from the audience, stopping playing and shaming the perpetrator. And Outspan's diagnosis is lung cancer, it's pretty bad, and he needs an oxygen cylinder to breathe properly.
It is a nice simple story, which is set up well, has a good definition of context and a nice subtle twist at the end. If I have a criticism, it is that Doyle could probably have made more of it than this short story.
Jimmy Rabbitte hates jazz, always has. But his wife Aiofe loves it, and Jimmy loves Aiofe. So when, in attempt to convert him, she buys him two tickets for a Keith Jarrett concert he decides to take Outspan, former member of Jimmy's band The Commitments, who has come back into his life after a chance meeting in the cancer clinic. Jarrett is famous for being intolerant of any noise at all - a cough, a sneeze, a wheeze - from the audience, stopping playing and shaming the perpetrator. And Outspan's diagnosis is lung cancer, it's pretty bad, and he needs an oxygen cylinder to breathe properly.
It is a nice simple story, which is set up well, has a good definition of context and a nice subtle twist at the end. If I have a criticism, it is that Doyle could probably have made more of it than this short story.
29 Aug 2013
Mars - by Ben Bova
This was a long book - about 550 pages - which I found a little daunting. However, I did not find reading it at all hard, as it is well paced and all the characters quite well defined. The story is sci fi, but it does not concentrate on the science and technology too much; the main story lines are around the people and their motivations and responses, along with the complex politics that is behind their mission. The story is exciting without finding the need to go off into the fantastical - no little green men, but events that would shake the world if the story were to come true. It is believable enough that I think it might just.
In any case, I look forward to reading the sequel in due course.
In any case, I look forward to reading the sequel in due course.
12 Aug 2013
What I'm reading ...
I have started reading Mars by Ben Bova. I like a little sci fi from time to time and this author has a good reputation and the book is reputedly scientifically accurate. Here is the blurb:
Jamie Waterman is a young Navaho geologist who is picked for the ground team of the first manned expedition to Mars. He will be joining an international team of astronauts and scientists. But once the crew land on Mars, they soon discover they must battle not only the alien land on which they have invaded but earthbound bureaucrats as well. When they come face to face with a chasm ten times as deep and large as the Grand Canyon, all twenty-five astronauts must face the most shocking discovery of all...
Jamie Waterman is a young Navaho geologist who is picked for the ground team of the first manned expedition to Mars. He will be joining an international team of astronauts and scientists. But once the crew land on Mars, they soon discover they must battle not only the alien land on which they have invaded but earthbound bureaucrats as well. When they come face to face with a chasm ten times as deep and large as the Grand Canyon, all twenty-five astronauts must face the most shocking discovery of all...
9 Aug 2013
Londoners - by Craig Taylor
I returned to this book - it was easy to dip out of and back into.
Overall, the book did what it said on the tin. Each of the contributions seems to be presented in something very close to their own words, with the author just setting the context. I felt that the views of such a diverse group of people painted a vivid picture of the city and made me think about and be aware of aspects of the city that had never occurred to me before.
Overall, the book did what it said on the tin. Each of the contributions seems to be presented in something very close to their own words, with the author just setting the context. I felt that the views of such a diverse group of people painted a vivid picture of the city and made me think about and be aware of aspects of the city that had never occurred to me before.
2 Aug 2013
State of Wonder - by Ann Patchett
This book is a straightforward read, which kept me turning the pages. The story is not unduly complex, with a single timeline, but does have some twists. I felt that the story, albeit a bit far fetched, was basically believable. The characters were not that clearly defined - at least, I did not get clear pictures in my mind.
Although the story had a neat enough ending, I was left wondering about some things. Why did she keep referring to him as "Mr. Fox", where other people did occasionally use his first name? Who was the father of Dr. Swenson's baby? Was there any result from Marina's love making?
In a way, it felt like the author was lining things up for a possible sequel, but I don't really think that would be a good idea.
Although the story had a neat enough ending, I was left wondering about some things. Why did she keep referring to him as "Mr. Fox", where other people did occasionally use his first name? Who was the father of Dr. Swenson's baby? Was there any result from Marina's love making?
In a way, it felt like the author was lining things up for a possible sequel, but I don't really think that would be a good idea.
22 Jul 2013
What I'm reading ...
I have suspended my reading of Londoners, as it is an easy book to dip into and out of, and I wanted to ensure that I could complete my next book club selection in time: State of Wonder by Ann Patchett. Here is the blurb:
Among the tangled waterways and giant anacondas of the Brazilian Rio Negro, an enigmatic scientist is developing a drug that could alter the lives of women for ever. Dr Annick Swenson's work is shrouded in mystery; she refuses to report on her progress, especially to her investors, whose patience is fast running out. Anders Eckman, a mild-mannered lab researcher, is sent to investigate. A curt letter reporting his untimely death is all that returns. Now Marina Singh, Anders' colleague and once a student of the mighty Dr Swenson, is their last hope. Compelled by the pleas of Anders's wife, who refuses to accept that her husband is not coming home, Marina leaves the snowy plains of Minnesota and retraces her friend's steps into the heart of the South American darkness, determined to track down Dr. Swenson and uncover the secrets being jealously guarded among the remotest tribes of the rain forest. What Marina does not yet know is that, in this ancient corner of the jungle, where the muddy waters and susurrating grasses hide countless unknown perils and temptations, she will face challenges beyond her wildest imagination. Marina is no longer the student, but only time will tell if she has learnt enough.
Among the tangled waterways and giant anacondas of the Brazilian Rio Negro, an enigmatic scientist is developing a drug that could alter the lives of women for ever. Dr Annick Swenson's work is shrouded in mystery; she refuses to report on her progress, especially to her investors, whose patience is fast running out. Anders Eckman, a mild-mannered lab researcher, is sent to investigate. A curt letter reporting his untimely death is all that returns. Now Marina Singh, Anders' colleague and once a student of the mighty Dr Swenson, is their last hope. Compelled by the pleas of Anders's wife, who refuses to accept that her husband is not coming home, Marina leaves the snowy plains of Minnesota and retraces her friend's steps into the heart of the South American darkness, determined to track down Dr. Swenson and uncover the secrets being jealously guarded among the remotest tribes of the rain forest. What Marina does not yet know is that, in this ancient corner of the jungle, where the muddy waters and susurrating grasses hide countless unknown perils and temptations, she will face challenges beyond her wildest imagination. Marina is no longer the student, but only time will tell if she has learnt enough.
14 Jul 2013
What I'm reading ...
I have started Londoners by Craig Taylor. I heard some of this book on the radio a while back and bought it. Someone else then told me that it was a good read, so I thought it time to give it a go. Here's the blurb:
Here are the voices of London - rich and poor, native and immigrant, women and men (and a Sarah who used to be a George) - witnessed by Craig Taylor, an acclaimed Canadian journalist, playwright and writer, who has lived in the city for ten years, exploring its hidden corners and listening to its residents. From the woman who is the voice of the London Underground to the man who plants the trees along Oxford Street; from a Muslim currency trader to a Guardsman at Buckingham Palace; from the marriage registrar at Westminster Town Hall to the director of the biggest Bethnal Green funeral parlour - together, these voices and many more, paint a vivid, epic and wholly fresh portrait of Twenty-First Century London.
Gone Girl - by Gillian Flynn
This book is quite complex - you never quite know whether someone is telling the truth or not. The chapters alternate between Nick's and Amy's POV on two different, but converging timelines. I did not really like any of the characters and ultimately thought that they got their just desserts. The story kept me guessing right up to the end. A good read.
29 Jun 2013
What I'm reading ...
Time for fiction again, so I have started Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn, which was highly recommended by my daughter. Here is the blurb:
Just how well can you ever know the person you love? This is the question that Nick Dunne must ask himself on the morning of his fifth wedding anniversary, when his wife Amy suddenly disappears. The police immediately suspect Nick. Amy's friends reveal that she was afraid of him, that she kept secrets from him. He swears it isn't true. A police examination of his computer shows strange searches. He says they aren't his. And then there are the persistent calls on his mobile phone. So what did really did happen to Nick's beautiful wife? And what was left in that half-wrapped box left so casually on their marital bed?
Just how well can you ever know the person you love? This is the question that Nick Dunne must ask himself on the morning of his fifth wedding anniversary, when his wife Amy suddenly disappears. The police immediately suspect Nick. Amy's friends reveal that she was afraid of him, that she kept secrets from him. He swears it isn't true. A police examination of his computer shows strange searches. He says they aren't his. And then there are the persistent calls on his mobile phone. So what did really did happen to Nick's beautiful wife? And what was left in that half-wrapped box left so casually on their marital bed?
The Secret Life of Bletchley Park - by Sinclair McKay
This book was a very straightforward read. It is in more or less chronological order from just before WW2 up until the present day. It is a historical account of Bletchley and the work done there, but it is very much told from the perspective of the people who worked there.
Although I might have liked more detail about the technology of code breaking, I am sure that information is available elsewhere. Apart from the specific story about Bletchley, I was also interested in all the other snippets of information about everyday life in wartime England and aspects of the overall story of the war.
I am left thinking that I really must visit the place and Enigma by Robert Harris is now on my reading list.
Although I might have liked more detail about the technology of code breaking, I am sure that information is available elsewhere. Apart from the specific story about Bletchley, I was also interested in all the other snippets of information about everyday life in wartime England and aspects of the overall story of the war.
I am left thinking that I really must visit the place and Enigma by Robert Harris is now on my reading list.
9 Jun 2013
What I'm reading ...
I have started The Secret Life of Bletchley Park by Sinclair McKay. I though some solid non-fiction would be nice and this looked interesting. Here's the blurb:
Bletchley Park was where one of the war’s most famous – and crucial – achievements was made: the cracking of Germany’s “Enigma” code in which its most important military communications were couched.
This country house in the Buckinghamshire countryside was home to Britain’s most brilliant mathematical brains, like Alan Turing, and the scene of immense advances in technology – indeed, the birth of modern computing. The military codes deciphered there were instrumental in turning both the Battle of the Atlantic and the war in North Africa.
But, though plenty has been written about the boffins, and the codebreaking, fictional and non-fiction – from Robert Harris and Ian McEwan to Andrew Hodges’ biography of Turing – what of the thousands of men and women who lived and worked there during the war? What was life like for them – an odd, secret territory between the civilian and the military?
Sinclair McKay’s book is the first history for the general reader of life at Bletchley Park, and an amazing compendium of memories from people now in their eighties – of skating on the frozen lake in the grounds (a depressed Angus Wilson, the novelist, once threw himself in) – of a youthful Roy Jenkins, useless at codebreaking, of the high jinks at nearby accommodation hostels – and of the implacable secrecy that meant girlfriend and boyfriend working in adjacent huts knew nothing about each other’s work.
Bletchley Park was where one of the war’s most famous – and crucial – achievements was made: the cracking of Germany’s “Enigma” code in which its most important military communications were couched.
This country house in the Buckinghamshire countryside was home to Britain’s most brilliant mathematical brains, like Alan Turing, and the scene of immense advances in technology – indeed, the birth of modern computing. The military codes deciphered there were instrumental in turning both the Battle of the Atlantic and the war in North Africa.
But, though plenty has been written about the boffins, and the codebreaking, fictional and non-fiction – from Robert Harris and Ian McEwan to Andrew Hodges’ biography of Turing – what of the thousands of men and women who lived and worked there during the war? What was life like for them – an odd, secret territory between the civilian and the military?
Sinclair McKay’s book is the first history for the general reader of life at Bletchley Park, and an amazing compendium of memories from people now in their eighties – of skating on the frozen lake in the grounds (a depressed Angus Wilson, the novelist, once threw himself in) – of a youthful Roy Jenkins, useless at codebreaking, of the high jinks at nearby accommodation hostels – and of the implacable secrecy that meant girlfriend and boyfriend working in adjacent huts knew nothing about each other’s work.
The Lytro Camera: Learn About The Amazing Revolution - Jim Rice
I went straight on to this book. Here is the blurb:
The Lytro is the most interesting and Revolutionary camera to hit the market since HD and 3D. In this guide we will dive into the details of what makes it so different and special and will help you get better understanding of how to take advantage of it's features.Although it is not uninteresting, this very short book was not worth the £1.93 price tag. It is really just a collection of rather repetitive articles and reviews. I gave it a one-star review on Amazon.
Learn about the making and secrets to it's design What's the secret to cramming а super-long lens intо а camera thаt’s stÑ–ll small еnоugh tо pocket? How the Lytro team came together to design such a product. What does the Lytro mean for photography? Questions and Answers. It's Challenges and competition. Is this the future of photography technology? The Lytro's design and specifications. The Negatives; What to realize and watch out for. Learn the best uses for this type of camera and take advantage of it's benefits.
The Slap - by Christos Tsiolkas
I expected this book to be a retelling of the core events from the perspective of a number of those present. However, it is more like a relay race, where the story progresses from chapter to chapter, with the viewpoint changing.
The story progresses quite well and gives quite a lot of insight into the characters' lives and [maybe] what Australia is like. I felt that their lives seemed to be dominated by sex, drugs, alcohol and acquisitiveness. A certain amount of the sex was, IMHO, rather gratuitous - not needed for the story to make sense. I do not think that I actually liked any of the characters, but that doesn't matter if the story is OK.
The start of the story is strong and dramatic. Its progress is at a reasonable pace. The ending, though tidy enough, is a little weak.
The story progresses quite well and gives quite a lot of insight into the characters' lives and [maybe] what Australia is like. I felt that their lives seemed to be dominated by sex, drugs, alcohol and acquisitiveness. A certain amount of the sex was, IMHO, rather gratuitous - not needed for the story to make sense. I do not think that I actually liked any of the characters, but that doesn't matter if the story is OK.
The start of the story is strong and dramatic. Its progress is at a reasonable pace. The ending, though tidy enough, is a little weak.
27 May 2013
What I'm reading ...
I have started The Slap by Christos Tsiolkas. This is my next book club selection. I am disconcerted by the large number of Amazon 1-star reviews, but I will certainly give it a go and form my own opinion. Here is the blurb:
At a suburban barbecue one afternoon, a man slaps an unruly boy.
The boy is not his son.
It is a single act of violence, but the slap reverberates through the lives of everyone who witnesses it happen.
Christos Tsiolkas presents the impact of this apparently minor domestic incident through the eyes of eight of those who witness it. The result is an unflinching interrogation of the life of the modern family, a deeply thought-provoking novel about boundaries and their limits.
At a suburban barbecue one afternoon, a man slaps an unruly boy.
The boy is not his son.
It is a single act of violence, but the slap reverberates through the lives of everyone who witnesses it happen.
Christos Tsiolkas presents the impact of this apparently minor domestic incident through the eyes of eight of those who witness it. The result is an unflinching interrogation of the life of the modern family, a deeply thought-provoking novel about boundaries and their limits.
Major Pettigrew's Last Stand - by Helen Simonson
As expected, a very straightforward and enjoyable read. Although basically a light-hearted story about the relationship between the Major and Mrs. Ali, the story takes a wry look at the prejudices of people in an English village towards class, religion and "outsiders".
While reading the book I had the feeling that it would make a nice TV mini-series. I did some checking and see that a film is planned.
All in all, I'd recommend the book to anyone who likes a story with a beginning, middle and an end.
While reading the book I had the feeling that it would make a nice TV mini-series. I did some checking and see that a film is planned.
All in all, I'd recommend the book to anyone who likes a story with a beginning, middle and an end.
17 May 2013
What I'm reading ...
I have started Major Pettigrew's Last Stand by Helen Simonson. I was recommended this as a light read, which is what I was after. Here's the blurb:
Major Ernest Pettigrew is perfectly content to lead a quiet life in the sleepy village of Edgecombe St Mary, away from the meddling of the locals and his overbearing son. But when his brother dies, the Major finds himself seeking companionship with the village shopkeeper, Mrs Ali. Drawn together by a love of books and the loss of their partners, they are soon forced to contend with irate relatives and gossiping villagers. The perfect gentleman, but the most unlikely hero, the Major must ask himself what matters most: family obligation, tradition or love? Funny, comforting and heart-warming, Major Pettigrew's Last Stand proves that sometimes, against all odds, life does give you a second chance.
Major Ernest Pettigrew is perfectly content to lead a quiet life in the sleepy village of Edgecombe St Mary, away from the meddling of the locals and his overbearing son. But when his brother dies, the Major finds himself seeking companionship with the village shopkeeper, Mrs Ali. Drawn together by a love of books and the loss of their partners, they are soon forced to contend with irate relatives and gossiping villagers. The perfect gentleman, but the most unlikely hero, the Major must ask himself what matters most: family obligation, tradition or love? Funny, comforting and heart-warming, Major Pettigrew's Last Stand proves that sometimes, against all odds, life does give you a second chance.
Why Be Happy When You Could Be Normal? - by Jeanette Winterson
As expected, I enjoyed this book, which is almost inevitable for me with a well-written biography. This one is, indeed, well written - the author has a very good way with words and I am unsurprised that she has been such a successful author. I found the first [more than] half of the book most interesting, as it catalogued her earlier life, growing up in a world very different from anything that I have experienced. In particular, her family were short of money, she was adopted and she gradually realized that she was a lesbian. She paints very strong pictures of her world and the characters in it, the most significant one being her mother, to whom she always refers as "Mrs. Winterson".
In the second half of the book, she fast-forwards to the recent past and discusses the search for her birth mother and ponders upon the nature of love and being adopted and how this affected her sexuality. I enjoyed this part of the book a little less, as I felt that I had been deprived of a significant part of the story in not hearing about the middle of her life.
The quality of writing was so good that I will very likely read more of the author's work in due course.
In the second half of the book, she fast-forwards to the recent past and discusses the search for her birth mother and ponders upon the nature of love and being adopted and how this affected her sexuality. I enjoyed this part of the book a little less, as I felt that I had been deprived of a significant part of the story in not hearing about the middle of her life.
The quality of writing was so good that I will very likely read more of the author's work in due course.
5 May 2013
What I'm reading ...
I have started Why Be Happy When You Could Be Normal? by Jeanette Winterson. I thought it might be nice to read another auto-biography and this is the book that I gave away on World Book Night. Here is the blurb:
In 1985 Jeanette Winterson’s first novel, Oranges Are Not the Only Fruit, was published. It tells the story of a young girl adopted by Pentecostal parents. The girl is supposed to grow up and be a missionary. Instead she falls in love with a woman. Disaster.Written when Jeanette was only twenty-five, her novel went on to win the Whitbread First Novel award, become an international bestseller and inspire an award-winning BBC television adaptation.Oranges was semi-autobiographical. Mrs Winterson, a thwarted giantess, loomed over that novel and its author’s life. When Jeanette finally left her home, at sixteen, because she was in love with a woman, Mrs Winterson asked her: why be happy when you could be normal? This book is the story of a life’s work to find happiness. It is a book full of stories: about a girl locked out of her home, sitting on the doorstep all night; about a tyrant in place of a mother, who has two sets of false teeth and a revolver in the duster drawer, waiting for Armageddon; about growing up in an northern industrial town now changed beyond recognition, part of a community now vanished; about the Universe as a Cosmic Dustbin. It is the story of how the painful past Jeanette Winterson thought she had written over and repainted returned to haunt her later life, and sent her on a journey into madness and out again, in search of her real mother. It is also a book about other people's stories, showing how fiction and poetry can form a string of guiding lights, a life-raft which supports us when we are sinking. Funny, acute, fierce and celebratory, this is a tough-minded search for belonging, for love, an identity, a home, and a mother.
In 1985 Jeanette Winterson’s first novel, Oranges Are Not the Only Fruit, was published. It tells the story of a young girl adopted by Pentecostal parents. The girl is supposed to grow up and be a missionary. Instead she falls in love with a woman. Disaster.Written when Jeanette was only twenty-five, her novel went on to win the Whitbread First Novel award, become an international bestseller and inspire an award-winning BBC television adaptation.Oranges was semi-autobiographical. Mrs Winterson, a thwarted giantess, loomed over that novel and its author’s life. When Jeanette finally left her home, at sixteen, because she was in love with a woman, Mrs Winterson asked her: why be happy when you could be normal? This book is the story of a life’s work to find happiness. It is a book full of stories: about a girl locked out of her home, sitting on the doorstep all night; about a tyrant in place of a mother, who has two sets of false teeth and a revolver in the duster drawer, waiting for Armageddon; about growing up in an northern industrial town now changed beyond recognition, part of a community now vanished; about the Universe as a Cosmic Dustbin. It is the story of how the painful past Jeanette Winterson thought she had written over and repainted returned to haunt her later life, and sent her on a journey into madness and out again, in search of her real mother. It is also a book about other people's stories, showing how fiction and poetry can form a string of guiding lights, a life-raft which supports us when we are sinking. Funny, acute, fierce and celebratory, this is a tough-minded search for belonging, for love, an identity, a home, and a mother.
13 Things That Don't Make Sense - by Michael Brooks
Each chapter of this book covers one of the 13 "anomalies". It is written like a novel, in that each chapter wraps up with a "teaser" to get you starting the next. It is well written, with enough detail for the scientifically literate reader, without the need to be an expert. Although it was largely about what we don't know, or are not certain about, it left me feeling optimistic and enthusiastic about science. All in all, a very good read from which I learned lots of interesting stuff and got plenty of food for thought.
29 Apr 2013
What I'm Reading
I have started 13 Things That Don't Make Sense by Michael Brooks. I wanted to read non-fiction and a science book seemed just the ticket. Here is the blurb:
Science starts to get interesting when things don't make sense.Even today there are experimental results that the most brilliant scientists can neither explain nor dismiss. In the past, similar anomalies have revolutionised our world: in the sixteenth century, a set of celestial irregularities led Copernicus to realise that the Earth goes around the sun and not the reverse. In 13 Things That Don't Make Sense Michael Brooks meets thirteen modern-day anomalies that may become tomorrow's breakthroughs. Is ninety six percent of the universe missing? If no study has ever been able to definitively show that the placebo effect works, why has it become a pillar of medical science? Was the 1977 signal from outer space a transmission from an alien civilization? Spanning fields from chemistry to cosmology, psychology to physics, Michael Brooks thrillingly captures the excitement and controversy of the scientific unknown.
Science starts to get interesting when things don't make sense.Even today there are experimental results that the most brilliant scientists can neither explain nor dismiss. In the past, similar anomalies have revolutionised our world: in the sixteenth century, a set of celestial irregularities led Copernicus to realise that the Earth goes around the sun and not the reverse. In 13 Things That Don't Make Sense Michael Brooks meets thirteen modern-day anomalies that may become tomorrow's breakthroughs. Is ninety six percent of the universe missing? If no study has ever been able to definitively show that the placebo effect works, why has it become a pillar of medical science? Was the 1977 signal from outer space a transmission from an alien civilization? Spanning fields from chemistry to cosmology, psychology to physics, Michael Brooks thrillingly captures the excitement and controversy of the scientific unknown.
Toby's Room - by Pat Barker
I went straight on to this book - my next book club selection - as I have been travelling. It was nice to get back to fiction and a book of more manageable size. Here is the blurb:
There was one aspect of the book that I did not understand. We are clear that Toby was homosexual or bisexual, which led directly to his suicide. From a 21st Century perspective, his situation is hard to visualize. I am wondering why, at the beginning of the book, Toby has sex with his sister. I know of no connection between homosexuality and a tendancy to commit incest. This event does not seem to contribute materially to the story, so why was it included? Is it a red herring to make us wonder about his death?
When Toby is reported 'Missing, Believed Killed', another secret casts a lengthening shadow over Elinor's world: how exactly did Toby die - and why? Elinor determines to uncover the truth. Only then can she finally close the door to Toby's room. Moving from the Slade School of Art to Queen Mary's Hospital, where surgery and art intersect in the rebuilding of the shattered faces of the wounded, Toby's Room is a riveting drama of identity, damage, intimacy and loss.The story is told from various viewpoints, but is largely focussed on Elinor and her feelings about her brother's death. Overall the story is quite well written and the pace is good. In a few places we are told something twice [e.g. Toby's "encounter" with the stable boy.], but, for the most part, there is attention to detail. I always like to feel that I have learned something when I read a novel and, in this case, I appreciated the background details of the war, life in the UK at that time and the medical practices.
There was one aspect of the book that I did not understand. We are clear that Toby was homosexual or bisexual, which led directly to his suicide. From a 21st Century perspective, his situation is hard to visualize. I am wondering why, at the beginning of the book, Toby has sex with his sister. I know of no connection between homosexuality and a tendancy to commit incest. This event does not seem to contribute materially to the story, so why was it included? Is it a red herring to make us wonder about his death?
Charles Dickens: A Life - by Claire Tomalin
Another big book that's taken me a while to get through. But I like biographies in general and the link with my recent reading of Dickens made it particularly interesting. The book is long and detailed - perhaps overly so - but ties in all the events of and people in his life with the stories and characters that he created.
I particularly enjoyed the account of his travels to America, which inspired part of Martin Chuzzlewit. I was also interested in his connections with Malvern, where I live, and Cirencester, where I lived previously.
All in all, an enjoyable, if exhausting, read. I feel I know a lot more about the man himself and about the Victorian world, a time that interests me particularly.
I particularly enjoyed the account of his travels to America, which inspired part of Martin Chuzzlewit. I was also interested in his connections with Malvern, where I live, and Cirencester, where I lived previously.
All in all, an enjoyable, if exhausting, read. I feel I know a lot more about the man himself and about the Victorian world, a time that interests me particularly.
5 Apr 2013
What I'm reading ...
I have started Charles Dickens: A Life by Claire Tomalin, which is my next book club book. We thought it would be interesting to read it, having tackled Martin Chuzzlewit recently. I like biography as a genre and I am interested in life in Victorian England, so I look forward to reading this book. Here's the blurb:
Charles Dickens was a phenomenon: a demonicly hardworking journalist, the father of ten children, a tireless walker and traveller, a supporter of liberal social causes, but most of all a great novelist - the creator of characters who live immortally in the English imagination: the Artful Dodger, Mr Pickwick, Pip, David Copperfield, Little Nell, Lady Dedlock, and many more.
At the age of twelve he was sent to work in a blacking factory by his affectionate but feckless parents. From these unpromising beginnings, he rose to scale all the social and literary heights, entirely through his own efforts. When he died, the world mourned, and he was buried - against his wishes - in Westminster Abbey.Yet the brilliance concealed a divided character: a republican, he disliked America; sentimental about the family in his writings, he took up passionately with a young actress; usually generous, he cut off his impecunious children.
From the award-winning author of Samuel Pepys, Charles Dickens: A Life paints an unforgettable portrait of Dickens, capturing brilliantly the complex character of this great genius. If you loved Great Expectations, Oliver Twist and A Christmas Carol, this book is invaluable reading.
Charles Dickens was a phenomenon: a demonicly hardworking journalist, the father of ten children, a tireless walker and traveller, a supporter of liberal social causes, but most of all a great novelist - the creator of characters who live immortally in the English imagination: the Artful Dodger, Mr Pickwick, Pip, David Copperfield, Little Nell, Lady Dedlock, and many more.
At the age of twelve he was sent to work in a blacking factory by his affectionate but feckless parents. From these unpromising beginnings, he rose to scale all the social and literary heights, entirely through his own efforts. When he died, the world mourned, and he was buried - against his wishes - in Westminster Abbey.Yet the brilliance concealed a divided character: a republican, he disliked America; sentimental about the family in his writings, he took up passionately with a young actress; usually generous, he cut off his impecunious children.
From the award-winning author of Samuel Pepys, Charles Dickens: A Life paints an unforgettable portrait of Dickens, capturing brilliantly the complex character of this great genius. If you loved Great Expectations, Oliver Twist and A Christmas Carol, this book is invaluable reading.
Tara Road - by Maeve Binchy
Although it took me a quite a while to read, as it is long [650 pages?], I did enjoy this book. It is fairly easy reading, even though Maeve Binchy has a reputation for having lots of characters, and I was able to keep track of them all. In many ways, the fact that the book mostly takes place in Dublin is not relevant; the story is about the people. The characters are quite well drawn; some are likable, others are clearly villains. There are quite a few that I found a bit annoying - much like real life really. I do like a book with a start, a middle and an end.
I am sure that I'll be returning to read more of Maeve Binchy's books.
I am sure that I'll be returning to read more of Maeve Binchy's books.
18 Mar 2013
What I'm reading ...
I have started Tara Road by Maeve Binchy. This is my next book club book, which I'll never finish in time. We chose the book as a result of the author's recent death and other club members were not familiar with her work. I have read it before, but have only the faintest memory of it. Here's the blurb:
Ria and Marilyn have never met - they live thousands of miles apart, separated by the Atlantic Ocean: one in a big, warm, Victorian house in Tara Road, Dublin, the other in a modern, open-plan house in New England. Two more unlikely friends would be hard to find: Ria's life revolves around her family and friends, while Marilyn's reserve is born of grief. But when each needs a place to escape to, a house exchange seems the ideal solution. Along with the borrowed houses come neighbours and friends, gossip and speculation as Ria and Marilyn swap lives for the summer ...
Ria and Marilyn have never met - they live thousands of miles apart, separated by the Atlantic Ocean: one in a big, warm, Victorian house in Tara Road, Dublin, the other in a modern, open-plan house in New England. Two more unlikely friends would be hard to find: Ria's life revolves around her family and friends, while Marilyn's reserve is born of grief. But when each needs a place to escape to, a house exchange seems the ideal solution. Along with the borrowed houses come neighbours and friends, gossip and speculation as Ria and Marilyn swap lives for the summer ...
Cloud Atlas - by David Mitchell
A big book, which, as usual, took me for ever to get through. It was a challenging read, though one that I enjoyed. It is really a number of shorter books, each of which is a separate story at a different point in time, stretching from the 19th Century through to the distant future. There are a number of themes which thread through all the story lines.
In a way, I feel each "book" could have stood alone and I enjoyed each one in a different way. The very first one is, IMHO, the weakest, which is a shame, as I can imagine it putting a reader off from continuing. The quality of writing is excellent and the style changes noticeably from one "book" to another. The use of [English] language varies over time, as one would expect - from archaic to a logical extrapolation of modern English. I was slightly daunted when I started the book set in the distant future, as the language was very unfamiliar. To my surprise, I picked up the rhythm of it quite quick and began to be able to read it with ease.
Overall, I enjoyed the book, but I am not 100% certain that I understood all the subtleties of the threads that ran between the stories.
In a way, I feel each "book" could have stood alone and I enjoyed each one in a different way. The very first one is, IMHO, the weakest, which is a shame, as I can imagine it putting a reader off from continuing. The quality of writing is excellent and the style changes noticeably from one "book" to another. The use of [English] language varies over time, as one would expect - from archaic to a logical extrapolation of modern English. I was slightly daunted when I started the book set in the distant future, as the language was very unfamiliar. To my surprise, I picked up the rhythm of it quite quick and began to be able to read it with ease.
Overall, I enjoyed the book, but I am not 100% certain that I understood all the subtleties of the threads that ran between the stories.
8 Feb 2013
What I'm reading ...
I have started Cloud Atlas by David Mitchell. This is my next book club selection, which we chose for various reasons. Apart from it being a well known and popular book, the author is from the area in which I live and the movie will come out soon. It is quite a big book and seems to be a challenging read, but I will give it a go. Here is the blurb:
A reluctant voyager crossing the Pacific Ocean in 1850; a disinherited composer blagging a precarious livelihood in Belgium between the First and Second World Wars; a high-minded journalist in Governor Reagan’s California; a vanity publisher fleeing his gangland creditors; the testament of a genetically modified ‘dinery server’ on death-row; and Zachry, a young Pacific Islander witnessing the nightfall of science and civilisation – the narrators of Cloud Atlas hear each other’s echoes down the corridor of history, and their destinies are changed in ways great and small.
A reluctant voyager crossing the Pacific Ocean in 1850; a disinherited composer blagging a precarious livelihood in Belgium between the First and Second World Wars; a high-minded journalist in Governor Reagan’s California; a vanity publisher fleeing his gangland creditors; the testament of a genetically modified ‘dinery server’ on death-row; and Zachry, a young Pacific Islander witnessing the nightfall of science and civilisation – the narrators of Cloud Atlas hear each other’s echoes down the corridor of history, and their destinies are changed in ways great and small.
What Alice Forgot - by Liane Moriarty
What a good read! Although this was quite a sizable book, because I was reading it on my Kindle, I did not notice and kept turning the pages. Alice's memory loss is used as a vehicle for her to examine her own feelings and, eventually, to look back on the past decade with fresh eyes. There is a lot of careful detail, which, for me at least, gave credibility. For example, her early flashes of recall were triggered by smells; in my experience, smell is a very strong stimulant to emotion and memory.
The story is largely told from her perspective, but with two other streams: her sister's journal and her grandmother's blog. This works well. The book as a whole is like a jigsaw, where the reader is gradually guided to insert all the pieces. Right up until the end, it was not obvious what the final outcome would be.
The story is largely told from her perspective, but with two other streams: her sister's journal and her grandmother's blog. This works well. The book as a whole is like a jigsaw, where the reader is gradually guided to insert all the pieces. Right up until the end, it was not obvious what the final outcome would be.
24 Jan 2013
What I'm reading ...
I have started What Alice Forgot by Liane Moriarty. After wading through a mire of 19th Century prose, I was in desperate need of something more modern. This book came recommended and seemed to fit the bill. Here's the blurb:
Imagine losing the most important ten years of your life ...
Alice is twenty-nine. She adores sleep, chocolate, and her ramshackle new house. She's newly engaged to the wonderful Nick and is pregnant with her first baby.
There's just one problem. All that was ten years ago ...
Alice has slipped in a step-aerobics class, hit her head and lost a decade. Now she's a grown-up, bossy mother of three in the middle of a nasty divorce and her beloved sister Elisabeth isn't speaking to her. This is her life but not as she knows it.
Clearly Alice has made some terrible mistakes. Just how much can happen in a decade?
Can she ever get back to the woman she used to be?
Imagine losing the most important ten years of your life ...
Alice is twenty-nine. She adores sleep, chocolate, and her ramshackle new house. She's newly engaged to the wonderful Nick and is pregnant with her first baby.
There's just one problem. All that was ten years ago ...
Alice has slipped in a step-aerobics class, hit her head and lost a decade. Now she's a grown-up, bossy mother of three in the middle of a nasty divorce and her beloved sister Elisabeth isn't speaking to her. This is her life but not as she knows it.
Clearly Alice has made some terrible mistakes. Just how much can happen in a decade?
Can she ever get back to the woman she used to be?
Martin Chuzzlewit - by Charles Dickens
Phew! That was a marathon read. I never thought that I would be finished! It is not just that it is a long book - the Victorian/Dickensian English does tend to drag. I came to the conclusion that, although Dickens does paint some very vivid word pictures, he was very much a "why use one word when 6 will do" kind of writer. Although the story has a lot of complex nuances, I cannot help feeling that it could have been told in well under half the number of pages. I do wonder whether Dickens' work should have been subject to severe editing when it was moved for serialization in newspapers to book form.
Overall, I did enjoy the story and was keen to know the outcome. At one point, I wondered whether, because there appeared to be [and actually are] two characters with the name Martin Chuzzlewit, the story was set across multiple timelines. It became clear that this was not the case. I guess that is a much more modern technique. As I said, the writing style is verbose, but there are times when this works well to convey Dickens' sense of humour. He is deeply sarcastic about some specific characters [like Mrs. Gamp] and about the United States, but executes that in a very humorous way.
I am glad that I read/finished the book, but was getting very weary towards the end. I do not think that I will be returning to Dickens. Although his stories are strong, his writing style has, IMHO, gone past its sell-by date.
Overall, I did enjoy the story and was keen to know the outcome. At one point, I wondered whether, because there appeared to be [and actually are] two characters with the name Martin Chuzzlewit, the story was set across multiple timelines. It became clear that this was not the case. I guess that is a much more modern technique. As I said, the writing style is verbose, but there are times when this works well to convey Dickens' sense of humour. He is deeply sarcastic about some specific characters [like Mrs. Gamp] and about the United States, but executes that in a very humorous way.
I am glad that I read/finished the book, but was getting very weary towards the end. I do not think that I will be returning to Dickens. Although his stories are strong, his writing style has, IMHO, gone past its sell-by date.
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