Tuesday, 26 October 2010
Friday, 22 October 2010
Thursday, 21 October 2010
Monday, 18 October 2010
Sunday, 17 October 2010
Friday, 15 October 2010
Friday, 8 October 2010
Thursday, 7 October 2010
Clarification
I feel I should clarify that I have read all these books over the past few months and I write about them in a book when I finish then post on here when I've got time. I'm not reading them really quickly. I'm sure that's obvious but i felt the need to point it out.
Books I've read in 2010 - Book 11 - The White Woman on the Green Bicycle
I picked this book up in a 3 for 2 offer at Waterstones one day after seeing it advertised on the tube. (Yes I am a book marketers dream customer!)
The book was nominated for the Orange Prize and the author is part Trinidadian - the location of the story. On the cover it says it is a love letter to Trinidad - a place I've never been - and it may well be - but it doesn't make it sound all that great.
The story centres around Sabine Harwood a French lady married to an English man who emigrates from England to Trinidad in the 1950s - they were the "last colonials". It is split in to sectins, the present day follwed by the 50s, 60s and 70s. The present day sections are told in the third person but the 50s, 60s and 70s sections are told by Sabine herself and I much preferred the first person narrative. I couldn't connect with the anonymous narrator but as soon as the character took over i was hooked. The book is a good one. The story is I guess Trinidad's story in a way- or at least the last 60 years of it . I did find some of the language a bit vulgar which spoiled it a little bit. I don't mind any language in context I just think there could have been nicer way to say some things.
*pic from amazon
Books I've read on 2010 - Book 10- Notes from Underground - Fyodor Dostoyevsky
This book was originally published in 1864 in Russian. I read a the Penguin Classics (RED) edition published in English in 2010.
Whilst I was reading this book I kept thinking of the Ben Folds Five song “We could be happy underground...” I think this book is one of those that you sort of think you ought to read. Or maybe that’s just me. I’ve always wanted to read Crime and Punishment and War and Peace and all those type of Russian novels but haven't managed to get round to them yet. When Penguin brought out the RED editions I ordered all 8 of the first batch in one go in a moment of internet shopping madness. This one was the last to arrive but it’s the first I’ve read. I have to admit that I didn’t find it easy to start with – but I persevered (there is only one book that I can think of that I’ve never finshed so I will usually get to the end). It’s split in to 2 parts – the first written like a diary and the second written from the first person view point of the “Underground Man”. He doesn’t have a name and is perhaps going mad. You don’t really know. (Well I didn’t and I haven’t looked in to it any further). I’m happy I’ve read it and I quite enjoyed the 2nd part.
Whilst I was reading this book I kept thinking of the Ben Folds Five song “We could be happy underground...” I think this book is one of those that you sort of think you ought to read. Or maybe that’s just me. I’ve always wanted to read Crime and Punishment and War and Peace and all those type of Russian novels but haven't managed to get round to them yet. When Penguin brought out the RED editions I ordered all 8 of the first batch in one go in a moment of internet shopping madness. This one was the last to arrive but it’s the first I’ve read. I have to admit that I didn’t find it easy to start with – but I persevered (there is only one book that I can think of that I’ve never finshed so I will usually get to the end). It’s split in to 2 parts – the first written like a diary and the second written from the first person view point of the “Underground Man”. He doesn’t have a name and is perhaps going mad. You don’t really know. (Well I didn’t and I haven’t looked in to it any further). I’m happy I’ve read it and I quite enjoyed the 2nd part.
Tuesday, 5 October 2010
Books i've Read in 2010 - Book 9 - The Short Second Life of Bree Tanner
The Short Second Life of Bree Tanner
Stephenie Meyer wrote this short story for charity and it is available as a book or as a download. I bought the book. We follow the story of Bree Tanner a vampire who was changed as part of the “army” Victoria created in “Eclipse”. I enjoyed the story. It gave a different spin on the vampire world Meyer created in the Twilight saga. However if you have read the Twilight books (which I imagine you would have if you read this as I don’t think you’d pick it up as a stand alone.) it’s a bit irritating because you know the outcome. The Volturi kill Bree in the final chapters of “Eclipse”.
The part when the army is being assembled is quite good and this bit reminds me of “The Lost Boys” with the teenage vampire gang. I think that if I’d read this straight after I’d finished “Eclipse” I would have loved it since I read it months after finishing Breaking Dawn I have to stop at saying I liked it. Pic from Amazon
The part when the army is being assembled is quite good and this bit reminds me of “The Lost Boys” with the teenage vampire gang. I think that if I’d read this straight after I’d finished “Eclipse” I would have loved it since I read it months after finishing Breaking Dawn I have to stop at saying I liked it. Pic from Amazon
Books I've read in 2010 i - Book 8 - The Behaviour of Moths
I picked this book up in a 3 for 2 deal in Waterstones - I hadn’t heard of the book or the author before and bought it largely because of the description on the back which said that it was about 2 sisters and I have a sister.
The story is told by Ginny and when her sister Vivi returns after 40 odd years away from their sprawling family home she starts to recall instances from their past. Secrets are revealed - the death of their mother, the drinking, their parents relationship.
It’s clear from the start that there is something wrong with Ginny. At first I thought it was OCD as she was very particular about things being in their place. But it’s more than that. The issue is that Ginny as the narrator doesn’t know that there is anything wrong with her. No one has ever told her protected by her parents and alone since their deaths. There is the odd hint but as it’s written from her viewpoint we never find out and I found this rather frustrating. I liked the book and I liked the story - I just got annoyed at not knowing the exact nature of her problem.
Pic from Amazon
It’s clear from the start that there is something wrong with Ginny. At first I thought it was OCD as she was very particular about things being in their place. But it’s more than that. The issue is that Ginny as the narrator doesn’t know that there is anything wrong with her. No one has ever told her protected by her parents and alone since their deaths. There is the odd hint but as it’s written from her viewpoint we never find out and I found this rather frustrating. I liked the book and I liked the story - I just got annoyed at not knowing the exact nature of her problem.
Pic from Amazon
Books I've read in 2010 - Book - The Tent, The Bucket and Me
I bought this book in a charity auction direct from Emma Kennedy and she signed it for me. I sort of knew what to expect - I was now on my third “real life” book in a row - what’s more it was the third written by someone I follow on Twitter.
So the story is of Emma and her family’s camping holidays in the 1970s. And it’s hilarious. It seems the Kennedy’s were destined never to have an uneventful holiday. Some things you can identify with but others you just couldn’t make up. From Wales to the North East to Nomandy and the South of France disaster (often in the form of weather or food poisoning) followed them around.
It is a testament to her writing that even though they had many bad times it totally made me want to go camping again. I laughed out loud and I cried a little bit at the end when they said goodbye to the car. I cheered when the bucket was thrown on the fire. I nearly vommed when she fell in a French toilet. I even recommended it to my mother (who takes years to read books).
She is writing another book - I can’t wait for it to arrive.
Pic from amazon
It is a testament to her writing that even though they had many bad times it totally made me want to go camping again. I laughed out loud and I cried a little bit at the end when they said goodbye to the car. I cheered when the bucket was thrown on the fire. I nearly vommed when she fell in a French toilet. I even recommended it to my mother (who takes years to read books).
She is writing another book - I can’t wait for it to arrive.
Pic from amazon
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