badass women in literature (part 2)

Read part 1 here 

More inspiring ladies from literature...

World Book Day

picture source

Happy world book day! Sadly, I'm far too old to receive world book tokens, but I still remember dressing up when I was at primary school, I went as Red Riding Hood. I've just seen some rather depressing news that a lad in Manchester was sent home from school for his 50 Shades of Gray costume. He's only 11, so I have no idea what his mum was thinking.

If you are small enough to receive tokens I've got a couple of suggestions of where to spend them:-

what I've read this month (January)

First round-up posts of the year - feels like the blog has got off to a slow start. I haven't posted as much as I intended, nor read as much as I expected.

But, here is a list of what I have read:-
1. Madeline Miller, Song of Achilles (re-read, review here)
2. Lee Child, Never Go Back
3. Steven Saylor, Roma 
4. Tom Rob Smith, Child 44
5. J.K Rowling, Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone  (re-read)
6. Warren FitzGerald, The Go Away Bird 

The worst novel of the month was undoubtedly Never Go Back racist, sexist and formulaic. I highly suggest you skip this, and read one of the earlier books in the Jack Reacher series.

Of course, I had to read Harry Potter after visiting the studio tour, I'm going to put up some more pictures from my visit next week. I also started the year by re-reading my another one of my favourite books of all time The Song of Achilles, I feel emotionally moved by this beautiful love story every time I read it.

Out of the new (to me) books I read, Child 44 was the best, but to be honest it was out of a rather weak bunch. I found out recently it's going to be turned into a film, and it is part of a series of books. I doubt I'm going to read any of the others though, because it's strength was that it introduced me to a period of Russian history I'm ignorant about, and it would probably be a better idea just to read some non-fiction about this period.

wishlist

Though I far far too many unread books on my shelves at the moment, I'm always browsing books shops and the internet for my next purchase. Here's what on my current wishlist:

1. Maggot Moon, Sally Gardner 

This one sounds really unusual, it's about a totalitarian state, determined to beat it's enemies in the race to the moon. They thing that really grabbed me, is that it is narrated by a young dyslexic boy, this could either work really well- or be a complete disaster.

2. The Gulag Archipelago, Aleksandr I. Solzenitsyn 

After reading Child 44 I've come to the conclusion that I'm ignorant about the Soviet Union. This is a memoir of the authors experience in a gulag (prison labour camp) for criticising Stalin on a postcard. For reviews, it sound like a pretty harrowing read, but I think its important that these historic events are recorded and widely read.

3. Nervous System: The Story of a Novelist Who Lost His Mind, Jan Lars Jensen 

Another memoir, this time about mental illness. I noticed a trend recently for more fiction and biographies discussing mental health (for example  The Shock of the Fall) which I think is a really positive thing, as it's still such a taboo.


4. The Girl on the Train, Paula Hawkins 

There's so much buzz about this one, it's going to be the next literary phenomenon and is being touted as the next Gone Girl, so I need to read it before I'm left out.

What do you think of my choices? Have you read any of them?

My Top Ten Books of the Year 2014

Happy new year everyone! Personally, I'm not fussed about new year, it's nice to have the time off work, but I've got a thing about looking at people while counting - I just find it awkward.

Anyway, as promised in my post yesterday I've put together a countdown of my top 10 books of the year. It was so difficult to come up with this list, firstly to cull the list from 103 to 10, then put them in some kind of order. The closer to number one it got, the harder the decision process was, the final 4 are pretty much all on equal billing.

drum roll please......

Time for Tea

Another good idea for a Christmas present is to treat a loved one to a spot of tea somewhere special. You could make an event of it, or do it as part of a day trip or shopping expedition.

Here are a couple of places I'd recommend in London and the south:-

what I've read this month (October)

Here's my monthly round-up:-

1. Robin Hobb, Assassin's Quest 
2. Jessie Burton, The Miniaturist
3. Jeff VanderMeer, Annihilation 
4. Joe Abercrombie, The Blade Itself
5. Patrick Rothfuss, The Name of the Wind 
6. James Dashner, The Maze Runner
7. Robin Hobb, Fool's Errand 
8. Emma Healy, Elizabeth is missing 
9. Sarah Waters, The Paying Guests 

I've read a fair bit of fantasy this month, 4 out of the 9. Fool's Errand was the best of the bunch, to see my review of the first book of the series see here. I'm a bit wary of reviewing the books individually, as it will contain a lot of spoilers and I'm thinking it will be probably be best if I hold of and review the series in its entirety once I'm done. 

Two of my list could be regarded as science fiction, Annihilation and The Maze Runner, and I was frankly unimpressed with both of them. 

The Paying Guests and The Miniaturist are both accomplished novels. They are historical fiction, with The Paying Guests set in London in the 1920s and The Miniaturist  is set in Holland in 1686. 

The absolute highlight of this month was Elizabeth is Missing. It is just outstanding, I was profoundly moved throughout. It is just one of those books that you want to share with everyone, I strongly urge you to read it. 

what I've read this month (September)

 Here's my monthly round-up of what I've read in September:-
(click on the title to see my full review)

1. Patrick DeWitt, The Sisters Brothers 
2. Neil Gaiman, Neverwhere 
3. Claire King, The Night Rainbow
4. Robin Hobb, Assasin's Apprentice 
5. Patrick Ness, More Than This 
6. Michel Faber, The Fire Gospel 
7. Robert Harris, Pompeii 
8. Robin Hobb, Royal Assassin 
9. Ian McEwan, The Children Act
10. M.R.C Kasasian, The Mangle Street Murders 
11. Audery Magee, The Undertaking 

This month I concentrated on diversifying the genre I usually read. I started a new fantasy series that I've really enjoyed, Robin Hobb's Assassin novels. Although Game of Thrones still wears the crown for my favourite fantasy saga, the Assassin books are keeping me entertained and I've come to regard Fitz, the Fool and other characters fondly. If sword fighting, power struggles and magic are your thing, I highly recommend you give Robin Hobb a chance. 

Another highlight  this month was The Mangle Street Murders, a detective story set in 19th Century. A pastiche of the Sherlock Holmes mysteries, Mangle Street was far funnier than I expected. Sidney Grice and March Middleton are an unlikely partnership who's bickering and intriguing backstories kept me amused. The streets and slums of London come to life thanks to Kasasian's vivid descriptions. Thank you again, to Tiziana for the recommendation

The disappointment of the month was Michel Faber's The Fire Gospel. For me, it just didn't live up to the standards of the other Cannongate myth series. 

Is there anything that you read this month and particularly enjoyed? I love receiving recommendations,  so put your suggestions in the comments below or send my an email at bookandcuppa@gmail.com 

wishlist

All though I've only recently gone a book buying splurge (and have yet to read them all) I've already got my eye on some more:-

(picture source: Amazon)

1. The British Witch: A Biography, Peter Maxwell-Stuart 

Using a variety of sources, Maxwell-Stuart looks at the persecution of men and women throughout 500 years of history.
I've had a life-long interest in witches, I have an affinity with outcasts, so this really fascinates me. Published a couple of months ago, there aren't currently many reviews, before spending £17.99 I want to know how accessible the book is.

(picture source: Amazon)

2. The Penguin Book of Myths and Legends of Ancient Egypt, Joyce Tyldesley
Another period of history I've always loved is Ancient Egypt, I went to the British Museum recently and spent hours looking at the artefacts. A lot of my knowledge about the gods, rites and history of  ancient  Egypt comes from a Horrible History book I read aeons ago, so it's about time a read something more in depth.
Penguin really excels at this sort of thing, and the reviews are complementary.

3. Dust and Shadow: An Account of the Ripper Killings, Lyndsay Faye
I've not read any Sherlock Homes, but this novel pits the most famous Victorian detective against the eras most infamous serial killer.
I have huge respect for Lyndsay Faye as an author, she is brilliant at creating atmosphere and making history come alive. See my review of Seven for a Secret here  

(picture source: Amazon)

4. The Virgin of Flames, Chris Abani 
I listened to TED talk that Abani gave online and he really impressed me. The Virgin of the Flames is a novel about misfits, a graffiti artist, a stripper, a tattoo artist and a Rwandan butcher living in L.A. The blurb makes it sound cool and contemporary.

5. The Undertaking, Audrey Magee
This year is the centenary of the First World War, to commemorate I'd like to read some war related books. (see here for my list of 10 must read war novels)
The Undertaking is a novel about ordinary Germans trying to rebuild their lives in the aftermath of World War II

What do you think of my wishlist? Is there anything you'd recommend?

historical fiction

If you enjoy historical novels, I suggest you check out this website

Wimpole library 

It lists over 5,000 novels by time and place. I would say the Africa and Asia sections are a bit lacking, but it's a great start, and other counties/time periods are more extensive.

I have a particular interest in the 19th Century, if you're looking to get started, I'd recommend  Micheal Faber, The Crimson Petal and the White and Lyndsay Faye, Seven for a Secret  and Kate Manning, My Notorious Life by Madame X.

historicalnovels.info really look like a fantastic resource, and I know I'm going to end up spending a fair amount of time on it.

what I've read this month (March)

Here's my monthly round up, click on the links for my review:

1. Lyndsay Faye, Seven for a Secret
2. Margaret Atwood, Bodily Harm
3. Ian McEwan, Sweet Tooth
4. Nigel Tranter, Robert the Bruce; The Steps to the Empty Throne (only up to page 223)
5. Jo Baker, Longbourn
6. Jeanette Winterson, Weight 
7. A.S Byatt, Ragnarok 
8. Conn Iggulden, The Wolf on the Plains (Conqueror: book 1) 
9. Conn Iggulden, Lords of the Bow (Conqueror: book 2)

I had a slow start to the month, Robert the Bruce completely defeated me. I struggled on for two and half weeks and only got half way through, then I thought why am I doing this? It's really dry, for a story about succession and warfare featuring historic legends Robert the Bruce and William Wallace is was incredibly dull. Although, I have learnt something about the fight for Scottish independence, which I'm grateful for, it wasn't worth me persevering with. 

Best book out of the bunch was undoubtedly A.S Byatt, Ragnarok, if you've read my glowing review you'll know how passionate about this novel. Seven for a Secret was also a solidly good read, although not without flaws. 

Slightly ashamed that there are two Conn Iggulden books on this list (and I'm halfway through a third), they're a bit trashy really, but they're harmless fun and an easy read. The Conqueror series charts the life of Genghis Khan and I've been galloping through them like a Mongol horde sweeping through China. 

Keeping up with my news years challenge, I've started two non-fiction books, hopefully which I'll have finished by the end of next month. 

A.S Byatt, Ragnarok

I'm not sure this review of Ragnarok can do it justice, it's simply marvellous book and possibly the best novel I've read so far this year. It's slim, at a skimpy 154 pages, but it's made to be savoured, plenty of times I'd read a sentence, paragraph or even a whole chapter, then immediately turnaround and re-read it.

 I'm disappointed that I only have Ragnarok on loan from the library, as I can easily see myself wanting to go back to this periodically.

It's part of the canongate myth series, which I've only newly discovered.

ISBN: 9781847672971

The Plot: Taken from Nordic mythology, Ragnarok is the tale of the predestined apocalypse, an epic battle cumulating in the destruction of the gods.

Rating:««««« (5/5)

mother's day book list

It's mother's day this Sunday, and although my family don't celebrate it (not that we don't appreciate our mum) I thought I'd put together a list of books that put parent/child relationships at their core.

So, if you want to gently steer your mum away from Maeve Binchy or Joanna Trollope have a look under the jump for my suggestions:-

10 must read war novels

Today is Remembrance Sunday, so I've put together a list of novels that offer insight about the horrors of warfare, human resilience, and love.

In no particular order:-

1. Kevin Powers, The Yellow Birds: written by a veteran to try and answer the question of 'what was it like over there?", this novel is a fictionalised account of a soldiers first tour of duty in Iraq and his return home. Full review here

2. Andrea Levy, Small Island: 1948 and England is trying to recover from war. Gilbert Joseph was one of several Jamaican men who joined the RAF and served the Empire, but returning to London as a civilian he is treated very differently. Profoundly moving and unafraid to tackle huge themes of prejudice, empire, war, love and love, this novel won the 2004 Orange Prize for Fiction.

3. Eric Maria Remarque, All Quiet on the Western Front: The seminal novel of the First World War, visceral and harrowing. Remarque speak with such authority, poetry and sadness you'll be in tears.

4. Louis de Bernieres, Captain Corelli's Mandolin: Don't be but off by the dreadful Nicolas Cage film, the book is actually really good! Love blooms between an Italian army officer and the spirited local girl on the occupied Greek island of Cephellonia.

5. Sebastian Faulks, Birdsong: It has rather slow beginnings, but the chapters about the WW1 trenches are deftly handled. The narrative follow the life of Stephen Wraysford, before, during and after the war. The most interesting character for me is Jack Firebrace, a sapper.

6. Carsten Jenson, We, the Drowned:  Full review here. A chronicle of maritime warfare from 1848 to the Second World War. The latter section of the novel has some of the shocking and distressing descriptions of combat I have ever read.

7. Joseph Heller, Catch 22:  Touted as one of the greatest novels of ever written, it is a comical, cynical and original look at the madness of war.

8. Pat Barker, Regeneration: The first in a trilogy, a fictional account of an army  psychiatrist attempt to heal his shell shocked patients, including the famous war poet Siegfried Sassoon.  A sympathetic and knowledgeable novel about post traumatic stress, psychiatry and love.

9. Markus Zusak, The Book Thief: Narrated by death, Liesal is fostered by the stoic and kindly Hubermanns. As WWII progresses, the Hubermanns open their home again to another person in need, Max, a Jewish boxer. Love and hate in all its numerous forms are examined in this novel.

10. Ian McEwan Atonement: Robbie is imprisoned for a crime because of the testimony of a sensitive and creative child, he is released after 3 years on the condition that he enlist in the army. Robbie's conviction and the war fracture a family. Guilt, betrayal and redemption are all key themes in this beautifully written novel.

English Literature Degree: Reading List

So you've started Uni, and you're in the middle of freshers week- no doubt you've drank way too many jagerbombs, already had an argument with one of your new housemates over the washing up and blown most of your student loan.

No worries, the next three years of doing your English Literature degree are going to be awesome- here's a list of books that might just help get you through: 

1. Compact Oxford English Dictionary for Students (ISBN: 9780199296255):  Trust me, you're not going to know half the words your lecturer says, but that's ok with a good dictionary you can soon swot up and get developing that pretentious self-conscious English Lit student vocabulary. 

There are a ton of of dictionaries out there, but I favour this one as it tells you how to phonetically pronounce the words. I know some people thing dictionaries are obsolete because of spell checker etc. but dictionaries do give a lot better definitions.    

The downside of dictionaries, is of course, that they're bloody enormous. You might want to consider investing in an electronic dictionary. They can be rather expensive, I have a Franklin Collins Paperback Dictionary/Thesaurus, which retails for around £48.00, although I got mine for free through my Disabled Student Allowance. The best thing about this electronic dictionary is its phonetic spell-correction, an absolute god send if you're dyslexic. 

2. The Adventure of English, Melvyn Bragg  (ISBN: 9780340829936): The English language is constantly evolving, just last week 'twerk' and 'selfie' were added to the dictionary. This highly enjoyable and accessible book takes you through the origins and developments of language. My favourite chapter is about dialect, as I speak with a pretty strong (and often mocked) regional accent.   

Stylist

If you're a regular commuter you're probably aware of the free magazine Stylist, if not I recommend you check out the online version here. It regularly contains articles about literature and book reviews. One feature I particularly liked was '30 books every woman should read'- there's a few I've already read, but I've been inspired to check out some of the magazines suggestions.