June Reading

Off to a cracking start this month, inspired by the writers festival. I read Ghost Cities, which is understandably being translated into 26 languages and winner of the Miles Franklin award. I loved this. I thought it was so funny and clever.

It's not going to be for everyone, but it made me laugh out loud on more than one occasion. I adored it.

After seeing him talk at the Writer's Festival, I had to get straight into the second book in the HappyHead series. Finishes the story, or does it? Lots of twists and plenty to keep you entertained. What I liked most about this series, is even though it's YA, it still gets you emotionally engaged, both in the thriller aspect and the intellectual aspect. Lots of mental health issues covered and for me, it highlighted that hetronormative assumptions we take for granted.

All that aside, it's just a ripping yarn as they say! Josh Silver just published an adult book so very keen to read that.

Was putting books in the street library and thought I'd give it a go for my train book, as it fits in my handbag. It's a book in email. It's dated a lot. It was published in 2000 and I'm having trouble working out how to read some of the characters. One guy, I'm not sure if we're meant to think he's a complete jerk or a cool guy - he's misogenistic and homophobic. Is it a sign of how times have changed? Or was he written to be a tool? A lot of the jokes aren't funny any more, just sort of offensive. Not sure I'm going to finish it...will give it a bit longer tho as apparently the e. book was very popular and perhaps we are meant to think all the people in it are awful and that's the joke?

Also stumbled on this and gave it a quick read before putting it on ebay. It's a little picture book on Automatic Negative Thoughts. It's a guide in a story aimed at Year 4 primary kids on managing anxiety. I thought it was pretty good, giving a clear action management plan.

Working my way though the least popular Agatha Christie's - unlike Destination Unknown that I loved, a fun spy thriller (less thrills but more of an adventure), this spy novel is a little strange. Starts off traditionally and then gets very political - and some of those politics have dated or she seems a little out of touch on the matter, though it does also feel a little more relevant than it should be these days. There is reference to the French student protests, and the revolt in the youth is in part to the older population being apathetic and letting them down. The rise of Nazism has returned. Published in 1970, there is also a lot of reference to the growing nuclear power and the dangers that brings, environmentally and politically.  It was her 80th book, published for her 80th birthday. It is different to any of her other spy novels, and a very different read to her other books.

In the to be read pile, I have a new source of inspiration - I am loving Vladimir on Netflix (Rachel Weisz is superb - delightfully distasteful) and each episode title is a book written by a woman. I've read all of them, and adored all of them except 3. So I will track those down as it stands to reason, I'l enjoy those too. And they are the Joyce Carol Oates, the Grace Paley and the Flannery O'Conner.

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May Reading

I found The Prophet in a street library, and as I'd never read it, I took it home. I quote it a lot and it's got many lovely concepts in it. However, it's a dip in and out book. It was a mistake to sit down and read it whole in my opinion. It just seemed a little daft and heavy handed. I don't think that's a fair reflection on the book, just on my expereince reading it. You should read the bits on the subjets relevant to the moment...or as I do, keep using single quotes of it. Perfect. Beautiful.

 

Once a year, the talented Anthony Horowitz rewards my patience and enthusaism with another delightful Hawthorn murder book. These are funny, meta, clever and charming. And always a good mystery.

I really enjoy them. This seemed over too soon....and now I have to wait another 12 months. Ugh! Start at the first book and read in order. This is the 5th I think.

I got this for my youngest who was in a big Michael Rosen phase. It sat unread for years. Maybe a decade. I decided to read it before I put it in the street library (which I was doing when I remembered I needed a photo). It was written (or set) at time when email was more prevelant than text, and those were the emojis. The days of dial up, not wifi. It's for young adults, early teens. It starts off very young but then tackles some pretty interesting concepts. I really enjoyed it.

I genuinely thought this was the Meg Ryan bookshop movie until there was a shift and it became a murder mystery. It's a series but I think one was enough for me. It's either your thing or it isn't. Those village crime books.

I am working my way through the Agatha Christie non traditional (for her) books, and this is historical fiction. It's  a good way in before it even turns to crime. I thought it was the story of the OG characters in The Mummy movie.It is Imhotep's family, but the concubine is a different one. There is a modernity to the characters even though it's set in Ancient Egypt. I really enjoyed it. She has a few tricks in it which I can't talk about without ruining it, but some interesting use of character and narration. I enjoyed it. (Review for her Spy Novel here)

We are doing this for book club. It's short, more of a novella really. Very poetic, and as literature so often is, flawed relationships and ideas that never get perfectly resolved, just accepted. I enjoyed it, especially as it's a daughter/mother trip to Japan, and I knew where there were most of the time, so I could visualise it perfectly. I really liked that the daughter only occasionally saw the real age of her mother - our parents are often frozen in time as our parents, rather than seen as frail and ailing people that they become. I also like the concept that because the mother had no one to tell her stories too (her history) the facts became fluid, or she forgot them completely. (That came up in the Trauma Cleaner too, so I'm guessing there is science on this with memory). I enjoyed it. I am guessing half my book club didn't...but it's a short investment of time, I think only 3 hours in audible version, so I'll probably go over it before we meet up to discuss it, as it's less about plot and more about relationships.

I talked about Ariel Gore in this post,  and how her books and essays were a big part of my early motherhood years. This book is her usual fabulous style, but it is dealing with the process of a parent dying, and a difficult parental relationship (so take that as a trigger warning if in grief or dealing with a drawn out death process). It's sad, it's funny, it's relatable on guilt, selfishness, exhaustion. I found it really honest. It's not the kind of book you say you enjoy but it's good, and interesting and very easy to read in spite of the subject matter. I think the main take away is that it's different for all of us, we don't know what to do most of the time but we do the best we can. And then we grieve, in one way or another. And it happens to us all. I would recommend, if the triggers aren't a problem.

Short and sweet this month. What have you been reading?

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April Reading

 This month I did a little better in the book department.

A friend gave me this book and I really enjoyed it. I probably wouldn't have found it myself. A husband on life after children and a failing marriage. It's first person and I think that's an interesting perspective. I'm very close to all my kids leaving home, one went a few years ago and 2 will go by next year. It makes for a strange space, physically and mentally. Not that our situation is the same (thankfully) but you do wonder what it will be like. I also liked that you could be 50 something and still so lost in who you are and what you want to do. As are the people he meets up with from his past, or they aren't but they've created a funny life for themselves.

This was for the podcast bookclub - I do love reading what they choose and then listening to their discussion. I think I had read this long ago - I find all the Christie's vaguely familliar but I never remember exactly what happened. I did know who did it as I read along but I couldn't quite remember the how and why. Or maybe if you've read enough of her books you start figuring it out, even without following the clues. As I've said before, I'm more Poirot or Tommy & Tuppence than Miss Marple but I didn't find Marple as annoying as I normally do - maybe because she was in it less than in the short stories. As an aside, last month I read one of Christie's thrillers (not mystery) and it's really different and great fun.

I didn't love this - I didn't really learn much so for me it's not a must read. I think a lot of it is intuitive. As we have a lot of friends retiring, it was interesting though, as a lot are struggling with it. One went back to work after a few months! So the book is good if you've not really thought about things or if you wonder why you do the things you do. The starting point is the 110 year olds on Okinawa. I thought there would be some great insight there but I guess it's real life and that's made up of a million little things.

This was a book club book. I thought it was going to be terrible by the cover so I listened to the audio on Audible. You could say it was a little derivative - I had the feeling I was familliar with the story, but can't place exactly which book I was thinking of (so maybe that was just in my head). I was engrossed and really enjoyed it. It's a creepy, uncomfortable read. Definitely a great page turner!

This was mentioned by Kwarkito and I was intrigued. A few decades ago I started the New Words Dept and from time to time I would call out for the creation of a wrod among friends - it's a sort of game I play with my friends. This is the perfect book for me. I am carrying around when I go to plays by myself*, as it's the perfect dip in, dip out book. Really enjoying it. It's part poetry, part philosphy and part humour. It's also pop culture and art history and literary references too...I don't think it would work in audio but what do I know?

*I have a little theatre club and four of us go to plays together but I booked one and realised I was at Ultra so had to move my ticket, and then for the next play they all had to move their tickets due to work travel and I was already at a different play the night they moved it to, so again went solo. I think next play we are all together again though!

This was picked at random because I liked the cover. I was checking the library audio selection for The Others and this was on the landing page of BorrowBox. It's a young adult book but I'm really engrossed. There's a lot in in about happiness, mental health, fitting in and LBGT issues - predominately the bit that is really making me uncomfortable is the character who has not really come out and his internal monologue everytime everyone makes comments assuming everyone is heterosexual. I have to admit, even as a ally, I recognise I do this too. It's interesting the feeling Silver is creating in me. But that aside, it's also a rollicking action story. Creepy undercurrent of unclear intent and the reader is trying to figure out what exactly is going on, along with the characters.Would recoomend both for late teens and adults.

As an aside, Josh Silver is out for the Writers Festival at Marrickville Library on the 24th of May. It's free but you need to reserve a spot. He's talking about his new book, Fruit Fly. I would def go except I'm already at another ticketed event, which is disappointing. Bookings are here.

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March Reading

Gullivar's Travels for the online podcast. I took this to be a satire on Colonialism, so read it with that frame of reference. Some of it is very funny - especially the fire part. I did enjoy the reversal of position when he changed in stature. However, I lost interest by the end. I found the satire on learning and education (and school systems) interesting, but more for the conservatism we see today, almost the gate keeping to discourage others from benefiting from it. I don't think a child would be interested in reading this at all, which is interesting as I loved the movie and the story as a child. I think the fantasy side is why the movies and 'story' is so popular, but if you read the book, it's the humour in human nature that makes it relevant. The pride and ego in politics is as much a part of today as it was then. Interestingly, there were attempts to ban it for all the public urination in the book, among other reasons. Glad I read it but not sure I'd put it in the must read pile. The online book club chat is here. I like to read along and then listen to their discussion.

Alpine Divorce. I had to read this after it kept popping up in these dreadful murders. I was genuinely suprised it's not what people say it's about. It's clever and cute (though meant to be horror or thriller or something). I could only find it on Audible, paid $3.99 and it's 10 mins long. 

Destination Unknown - I booked my husband's trip around Morocco and as I'm now very familiar with all the locations, I thought I'd read this spy novel by Agatha Christie. I really enjoyed it. Different to her usual work in many ways, it was clever and fun. It had the most brilliant line, which came out of nowhere after a minor character we just got introduced to made a speech annotating the action “And with long graceful steps Mademoiselle Maricot walked out of the small salon and out of the story.” It really was a fun read and a change from her usual style. Written in 1954, it was funny to have the cold war themes as I think of her as much older time periods for her stories. This felt more modern.

Flesh - I only read it because Zadie Smith said he wrote it with the aim of readers shortened attention span and it was excellent. So that was enough to make me curious. I will admit it took me a little time to get into the rhythmn of it. But I enjoyed it. I won't say I thought it was excellent but I'm glad I read it and I think I'm seeing him at the writers festival so will be interested to hear what he as to say. It's very interesting in the style and pace.

The Commendant for book group - I really wanted to love this as I love Tirra Lirra By The River but I found it a little slow to get started. I was 100 pages in before I began to get interested. It does pick up and the characters and politics of the early days in Australia become more interesting. So worth a read, thought it is out of my usual style. I am however looking forward to our book club discusssion as I think most of the group will have really enjoyed it.

Lastly, I walked past this on a running trail. I thought it was a great title and a great way to capture a relevant market, but not for me....

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February reading

 I've really struggled to sit down and read this month. Not entirely sure why. So a very short one!

Prophet Song. We did this for book club. I'd not heard great things about it. I normally don't like Booker Prize winners. This though, what a great book! I really loved it. In terms of writing - it has some really lovely phrasing and ideas. One inconsequential one that stuck with me (probably because it's where we are at) is the mother saying they used to be a family of five but were now 4 and would soon be only 3. I feel that shirnking and the little people lost (to the wonderful adults they've become). 

The book is a mother trying to keep a family together when their country is thrown into war under an authoritaian regieme, let's say. I loved at the start she's still thinking they've got a holiday in Canada booked and the disbelief of what was actually happening. I found it all very realistic.

It's written in the present tense (I think I read somewhere it's written in the tense of doom, and I thought that was perfect). It's urgent and uncomfortable a lot of the time. I thought it was such a brilliant and engrossing read.

It makes you re think your understanding (lack of) of Syria and other countries, of refugees and war when it hits a norm city like in Ukraine. I really enjoyed it intellectually. (I listened to the audio on Borrowbox).

"The world gives to chaos, the ground you walk on flies into the air and the sun shines dark on your head."

I mentioned in this post my questions on White Bread, so am currently listening to this on Audible. It is fascinating. History told by a food historian. Here are some of the things I've learnt:

It was women who stormed Versailles (and the now fabled ‘let them eat cake’ moment was because the women were from the markets and there was no bread to sell). It was the women’s march that forced the French Royalty into house arrest (more or less) in Paris. When lead to the guillotine the women put bread on sticks and waved them at the carriage as it went past. I had always been told it was farmers or ‘the people’…

Modern plant breeding (in part due to the requirements of industrial food processing) has increased the amount of gluten in wheat.

At the turn of last centurywomen's hemlines went up for reasons of hygiene and contagion- it was part of embracing science and medicine (as was the term Home economics, to focus on the science behind running a household, feeding a family and so on).

Sliced bread appeal was because of the symmetry - having each slice exactly the same; white bag bread was made so soft as it’s softness was associated with freshness (bags were not clear plastic but paper, so you couldn’t see but you could feel).

The move from home made bread to store bought was slightly before that (sliced) and in part because it took a lot of time to make bread everyday but also for hygiene. Having bread made without hands touching it, by machines, was viewed as healthier, less risk of contagions (& typhus? That was unproved but rumoured).

Then it became cheaper to buy bread than make it and that meant you could afford other foods, so bread went from being 80% of the diet to 20% (beer is a bread related product in dietary terms apparently).

There is a whole lot of purity and racism attached, the reason the vitamins got added was in part because a lot of the American population had night blindness and scurvy and other diseases from lack of adequate vitamin intake and that was no good for the people being called up for war to be soldiers. And that stuck.

I've still a little to go but it's fascinating, and also got me realising that history is just a story we are told and the details often tell a very different version. The reasons behind the event may be different to what you think it is. 

And yes, I didn't not read a single page this month! Must get back into the routine.

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January Reading

I've been pretty slow on the reading this month, to be honest. Not 100% sure why I've lost my concentration. So as I do when that happens, I dip back into comics. I got two from a street library by a prolific writer I've never read.

I mentioned Aussie, Actually in this post so I won't repeat myself.

By it's Cover - I took this on holidays to read while in Venice. I tried to check that I hadn't read it before, but once I started reading it, I had. It didn't matter as I'd forgotten it all, but it had that familiar feeling as each new fact was revealed. I enjoy the familiarity of the streets and locations as I am in them, both in the book and in real life. 

Under the Net - we did this for book club. I loved it. I thought it was rollicking existential fun. Our book club was split - we either thought it was funny and delightful or they hated it. So I don't know what to tell you. Iris Murdoch writes very cleverly, and there were a number of quotes I noted for discussion. I feel it was a little like Marty Supreme but funnier and charming (with a much more satisfying ending). I really enjoyed this book!

When in Rome - I read this when I was in Rome - it's fun to have the characters touring about some of the sights I was. As a mystery, very much like Agatha Christie. Very hilarious descriptions of drug use and antiquated descriptions of homosexuality (warning it might be offensive - I did find it really weird to read some of it, but the drug talk was equally weird so it just seemed old fashioned and a bit daft but I'm mindful it's not personal to me so I might be being a little clueless - It was published in 1970).

I got these two comics out of the street library, so I was unfamiliar with the writer.

i love this part - This is a short sweet love story, of young people who can't stay together. I will admit I'm probably too old for it and it means a lot more to a teen. LBGT themes.

Spinning is more accessible. A tween/teen moving cities, fitting in, LBGT themes. Again, as an adult, I find it so sad that the world is unnecessarily difficult for these kids. I do think by now it shouldn't be. But again, that is the adult lens reading the book, rather than someone feeling that teenage angst. I liked Spinning, and I think young teens would really like it. It covers broad themes that a lot of teens feel re isolation, fitting in and friendships, bullying and so on. (I've still a little to go so will amend this review if any trigger warnings are needed - the adult reader is a little uneasy)

When I was a kid, my parents were mad for I, Claudius, a BBC series based on the book. They would talk about it with friends at dinner parties and we'd have to be home to watch it on Sunday nights. I decided to listen to it before going to Rome, and it was fun to know all the Emperors and some of the stories that came up in the tours. It is a crazy history, you wouldn't believe half the stuff except the guide is telling you, and a lot of that comes up in the book, except it's recounted in the first person by Claudius. It's funny and entertaining. 

Just started Prophet Song for bookclub. So far so good...but we shall see. I believe it gets hard going.

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November Reading

Had a surprisingly great month reading....so far!

As I mentioned before I went to his talk and it prompted me to get the book. I really loved his dad and a few comments in the talk made me sad. However, the timeline was a bit messed up so it didn't end as terribly as I thought it did for him, and that made me happy. It is a lot of stories about famous people but there's more to it than that. There's insight and really touching moments, and arrestingly upsetting ones. Griffin Dunne is very open and there's a real connection in the lack of judgement in his family recollections. I recommend this one. 

As you know, I am on a Ryu Murakami roll. I have read three others so far.   I'm about to order another....he's so clever and writes a different book each time. This one is much softer than the others, and while still terrible people. But suddenly at page 110, there's one single line and I thought "Oh, there it is." Ha! It was like he lulled you into thinking it was a different kind of book. I enjoyed it but it's not as mind blowing as In the Miso Soup or Piercing, not playing with the reader as much, except for that one line. It is, however, much less horrific than the others as well. 

I got this from the street library. I didn't know her or her artist father (though when I googled, I did recognise some of the works). It's very sad and at times difficult. Trigger warning on child abuse and sexual assault. It clearly shows the problems that caused for her, not in a sensational way. Very matter of fact. It is her normal. The book is working through that, while also catching Sydney in the 80s. I thought it was a good book, though I wouldn't describe it as "enjoyable", very interesting and engaging, yes. And I read it in a weekend.

This was also in the street library. I'll admit I didn't know of 8 Passengers though I do vaguely recall the story on the news. It's really interesting to see the slippery slope both SM can have, and also cult style influence. Also how hard getting away from that is for a young person and getting help for children left in it.

I really didn't understand the Dad. I found that bizarre but I guess that's how that all works, The mind gets distorted. I found it really interesting and very engaging.

This was picked at random while I was looking for a Shakespeare. It was on Borrowbox (I think) from the library. I loved this. It's junk crime reminiscent of Horowitz and Hawthorne vibe. Funny, bumbling(ish) and lessons in Mindfulness. New Age Murder, so to speak. Delightful. I was showing a friend and noticed the Netflix N. Yes, there is a German series of it. Can not wait to watch it. Thoroughly recommend!

This is really just a short story (a long one, maybe a novella, I guess). I loved it. I loved the series but I think I would have loved it even if I hadn't watched it. I will definitely track down more of her works. It's delightfully fun. I have noticed while grabbing the pic there is also a full cast audio version. I might even get that to listen to. 

What a fitting memoir for Stan Lee! A comic about comics (and his life). It's written in his voice, with many asides to the reader - I could hear him talking. I'm a long time fan so it was really charming - even writing this I'm smiling. He was extraordinarily talented and generous to fans and readers. I didn't know he had a gay soldier character (hero) way back in the early 70s. It was interesting to learn how the 'propaganda' aspect started. I didn't know he worked along side Charles Addams and Dr Seuss (in his Theodor Geisel days) or that his wife wrote a best selling book. They were married for 69 years. It covers the origins of many of the characters we love.

He does touch on the rift with Kirby and Ditko but overall it's a charming celebration of an incredible talent and drive to create a Marvel(lous) universe. Excelsior!

I do read plays, but for Shakespeare I tend to only go and see the tragedies. I will occasionally see the comedies (like at the Pop Up Globe) or Sport By Jove's brilliant Taming of the Shrew but I feel the tragedies just have better stories, better characters and the comedies are a bit stupid (aged badly). I chose to listen to it, and went with Sir Rex Harrison's lovely voice. I have seen it (and I often mix it up with All's well that ends well) so I know the plot. I did laugh a few times but give me Richard III or Macbeth any day. I am waiting on a modern reading to come into the library and will give it a second go.

As for reading plays, I love to read plays and always have. As a kid, I read the complete works of J. M Barrie and read The Will and Dear Brutus over and over - making me cry every single time. I've reviewed Grace Petrie's  and Samuel Brewer's scripts recently in my monthly reviews. I used to love reading the plays of Tennessee Williams as you felt the heat off the page - the humidity, I guess. Interestingly when I saw Sweet Bird of Youth for the first time (with Lauren Bacall no less!) my first thought when the curtain opened was 'that wall paper is wrong' - I was genuinely surprised at how much I'd visualised when I read it. I love reading plays (and comics) because they cut to the chase. They furnish a whole world in an hour or two without filler. No ambling, because they can't. So if this Shakespeare isn't to your fancy, don't let it put you off reading plays. You just haven't found the one that speaks to you. 
  

I saw this in the street library and I was so excited, as I love this couple and follow them on Instagram. But it was just a series of interviews with older couples so I put it back once I realised. The cover does make me smile.

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