Currently Reading

The blog has recently been about what I've being doing, rather than what I've been reading, so thought I should give a quick update.

To my shame I've only read two books this month, Big Brother and The Silkworm. I've just been really busy. I usually read about 8, see my 'year in books tag' for my monthly reading list.

I have started 3 books though:-

• Toni Morrison, Beloved 
• Sam, Selvon, The Lonely Londoners
• Haruki Murakami, Colourless Tsukuru Tazaki and His Years of Pilgrimage 

Beloved and The Lonely Londoners are both library books, I really need to get a crack on with them as they need to go back.

I had a right parlava with the Murakami, I pre-ordered it from Amazon months ago, but when I received it I had to send it straight back as the copy was damaged. I'm very careful with my books, so was disappointed that the book jacket was all creased. It took another 3 days to get a replacement, so this has delayed my reading.

What do you think of my choices? Have you ever had trouble with Amazon deliveries?

painting on books

Perusing the internet I came across this, amazingly detailed pictures drawn on the edges of early 19th century books. The pictures only appear when the pages are flicked, they disappear when the book is closed.    

picture credit

"Books are the windows through which the soul looks out"- Henry Ward Beecher

Tea Obreht- The Tiger's Wife

Hmmm I have mixed feelings about this one, some parts I really loved, other bits I found a bit dull. I'm glad I read it, but I'd have reservations about recommending it to other people. Still, it was the 2011 Orange Prize for fiction, so it isn't all bad.

The Plot: Set in Yugoslavia, soon after the Yugoslav Wars,  Natalia, a young doctor, attempts to vaccinate an orphanage. Whilst on her philanthropic mission she hears of the death of her beloved Grandfather. Grieving, Natalia reminisces about her Grandfather's stories; the legend of an escaped tiger who forms a bond with a deaf-mute girl and The Deathless Man, an enigmatic figure who can predict when other people will die, but who cannot die himself.

No surprises, given my love of fairy-tales, the aspects of The Tiger's Wife I enjoyed where the stories of The Deathless Man and  the tiger and the deaf-mute girl. The myths were carefully interwoven with the Grandfather's account of his childhood. Magical realism fits comfortably with the surrealism of the aftermath of war.

I also enjoyed reading about Yugoslavian superstitions, it's the Victorian in me coming out again, I found the morning rituals fascinating. Apparently when someone dies, their possessions and house should not be disturbed or cleaned for 40 days, so the soul is anchored to a familiar place and does not  wander aimlessly causing trouble. After the 40 days have passed, the soul is collected at the crossroads. I love things like this, the stories and rituals that are created to explain death, keep order and provide comfort are so imaginative and culturally significant.

My reservations about The Tiger's Wife, come from the fact that apart from the Granddad's stories and the folk tales, the book is rather forgettable. I read it just under a week ago, but I can't recall the ending.  Natalia didn't really resonate with me, her character wasn't half as interesting as her Granddad. I found myself racing through parts of the book, as I wanted to more know about the Deathless Man and was uninterested in Natalia's chat about becoming a doctor or listening to Bob Dylan.   

I'd recommend this book if you're a fan of The Life of Pi or A Hundred Years of Solitude.

The worn out dancing shoes

Book: Angela Carter's Book of Fairy Tales
picture taken by me

fairy-tales

I'm a massive fan of fairy-tales. I've liked them since I was little, but my appreciation has grown since I've gotten older. It's the history of them that appeals to me, the tradition of oral storytelling and the common themes that appear across cultures and countries are really fascinating. For example, human to animal transformation is common in folk-stories throughout the world.

Fairy-tales can revel a lot about a society, they are rich with symbolism and often give warnings or have a moral message. Written primarily for children, fairy-tales instructed children how to behave, to respect their elders and stay out of the woods.

As well as representing idealised moral behaviour, traditional  fairy-tales can also subvert social norms and challenge expectations, the prince doesn't always get the girl. The tales aren't always the happy-ever-after Disney version. Women are not just damsels in distress, but are also ruthless, cunning and more that capable of rescuing themselves.

Another aspect I love about fairy-tales is how the supernatural and uncanny effortlessly intertwine with the mundane and human. There is magic all around, a walk in the woods can lead to adventure, or a chance encounter with an elderly lady could result in all your wishes been fulfilled. I like how in fairy-tales the world is brimming with potential.

fairy-tale charm bracelet, from Accessorize (old)  

Library haul 2

 I wasn't getting on well with either Mr Chartwell or A Woman on the Edge of Time, they just weren't grabbing me,  so I took a quick jaunt up to my local library to replenish my stock.

Here's what I picked up :-

• Aravid Adiga- Between the Assassinations: I was a fan of The White Tiger so thought I'd give another of Adiga's books a try. According to the blurb its about the 'myriad and distinctive voices' of the inhabitants of a town on India's south coast. 
• Patrick Gale- Notes from an Exhibition: Again, I've read this author before. Apparently it is sensitive and funny, all about the legacy of a deceased artist. 
• Tea Obreht- The Tiger's Wife: I'll probably read this one first (after I've finished The Night Circus -review coming soon!). The reviews on the back cover interested me, as they mentioned fables and fairy-tales, which I'm a massive fan of.         

What do you think of my choices? Do you have any recommendations?

library haul

A new library has opened up round the corner from where I live, so I went to check it out this morning. If you've read this post you'll know I'm pretty passionate/opinionated about libraries, so I'm really pleased that my local council has opened a new one within walking distance.

 The library is fairly small, but as you can see from the pictures I managed to pick up quite a stack. The books are all new as well, which is awesome, there's nothing worse than turning a page of a borrowed book and getting an unpleasant waft or discovering a bogey smeared into the pages.

I may have been a little bit greedy, as the books are only on loan for 2 weeks, but I'm currently kindle-less as I lent it to my mum (such a good daughter).

 Have a look after the jump for a further look at my choices, and for photos of pretty covers on the world's wrinkliest bedsheets:-

Zadie Smith- On Beauty

As I haven't got round to buying NW yet, I reread a Zadie Smith I already own, On Beauty. 

The Plot: Academic and affluent the Belsey family live in Wellington, a collage town in New England. Howard Belsey, an Englisman and his African-American Kiki are struggling to revive their marriage after Howard has a disastrous affair with a colleague. Their three children have their own struggles, as the try to find their own identity- Jerome is depressed after his first failed romance, Zora wants academic recognition and Levi is trying to understand what it means to be a young black man in America.

The narrative of this novel is a simple family drama, but it is elevated by Smith's prose and fantastic characterisation. She manages to bring something fresh to the old cliche of middle-aged-man-has-an-affair. All the characters are detailed and richly developed.

Often when authors try and depict young people, it is cringe inducing, the dialogue-particularly slang- is off and the character doesn't feel realistic, this is however not the case with On Beauty. Levi, the youngest Belsey, is the most interesting for me. He is very uncertain of who he is,  he struggles with his duel heritage and his middle class status. Influenced by music he thinks that the black experience should be about 'the street' and 'hustle' and has trouble correlating this with his own situation.

Actually I have a fondness for all the Belseys, apart from Howard- no sympathy for him. Kiki is warm, and endearing mix of strong and vulnerable. I just want to give Jerome a hug, he's so fragile after his relationship with minxy Victoria comes to an end. I relate to Zora in lots of ways, she is intelligent and wants to be noticed for her academic rigor, but she also wants boys to like her. She also has the tendency to be domineering and act the martyr but she is also insecure and full of self doubt.

Zadie Smith is very clever. She takes a simple over-done plot and spins it, she examines romantic and family relationships, race, politics, the black middle class and academic rivalry.  

Currently reading- Toni Morrison, Home

I quickly popped into the library yesterday, disappointedly nothing was really grabbing my attention. The only thing I came away with was this slim novel, Home by Toni Morrison. I've nearly finished it, so a review should be up in the next couple of days. I'm not sure what I'm going to read next, any suggestions?

Wimpole- Library

The library and book room at Wimpole is pretty impressive. At lots of the National Trust properties the libraries are quite dark and musty- not that I mind that- but at Wimpole it is unexpectedly light and airy. I could imagine reading there without suffering from eye strain.

They are currently cleaning the Library and with over 10,000 books it's a massive task, it's going to take over two years! Each book is individually caressed with a brush made from pony hair to remove dust, it is done by volunteers with some guidance from experts. I was surprised to learn they handle the books with bare hands, but apparently cotton gloves are too rough and can scratch away miniature leather particles.

this house steward was kind enough to give a talk about the book cleaning process. 

Some of the books will take even longer to restore, as nearly 259 of them were damaged by a leaking roof. They will be methodically washed, dried and repaired by experts to remove the mould and tide marks. It's going to take over 2 years and £300,000, luckily the cost is covered by an insurance claim.

Very Beauty and the Beast

Currently Reading- We, The Drowned

I bought We, The Drowned for my holiday, I didn't get much chance to actually read it though as my week was so full on. I've made some progress now, I'm about half way through, so hopefully a full review will be up in a couple of weeks (it's a pretty long book).

I hope you appreciate the picture, it took me forever to learn to make those paper boats, but I suppose I've learnt a new skill! 

The book cover is really striking, I like how the stylised sea forms a porthole around the ship. 

Carsten Jensen- We, The Drowned

 If you're going on holiday to somewhere with a port or history of seafaring I'd recommend you pick this up. Or, if you're interested in Denmark, this would be a good read, as the story is located in a small Danish coastal town. 

Buying Books & Booksellers

After recently visiting The London Book Review I started thinking about how I actually buy books. Ebooks have been a phenomenon, and according to an article I read this week an estimated eight million Brits now own an e-reader (17/04/13 Evening Standard). Although I own a kindle, and appreciate the convenience of  been able to cart around hundreds of books in my handbag without putting my back out, I will never stop buying physical paper books.

 I will also never stop supporting book stores, yes the internet is marvellous, but online shopping is impersonal. I find it easier, and more enjoyable to leisurely browse for books in a shop. You can read the blurb, feel the weight and appreciate the cover design in a way that is not possible when just clicking on links. 

I find it a real pleasure to spend hours in a bookshop, my arms overflowing trying to make a decision. It is one of the simple joys in my life to open a book for the very first time, the pages fresh and the spine crisp and unbent, you cannot experience the same sensory delight reading from a screen.