The Book Nook

How I Became a Famous Novelist by Steve Hely

2012-02-17T22:32:00.001+10:00

It is good to be back blogging after being offline for a few weeks. I have really missed it. How I Became A Famous Novelist is one of the few novels I have read during that time. It is a bit of fun.

Pete Tarslaw, who spins this tale, is not an exemplary human being. He is lazy and cynical, though intelligent and reasonably well read. After his ex-girlfriend invites him to her wedding in twelve months time, he decides that the only way to save his pride, is to become a famous literary novelist, so he can outshine all present, and humiliate her.

Nothing, and no one, associated with the publishing world are spared from Steve Hely's barbs in this book. Including you and I! Hely not only portrays writers, especially those of so called literary fiction, as charlatans, but he mocks consumers of all things literary (books, book signings and writers' festivals) mercilessly.

The miracle of this book is that I didn't take it personally. In fact, I found myself laughing out loud at times. Which of us hasn't read some entirely overblown, though much lauded, work of literary fiction, and wondered is it me, or is this just too over the top?

Part of the fun of the novel is identifying which novels and novelists Hely is sending up, as he does not refer to them by name of course. Our would be novelist, Pete Tarslaw, makes a study of the best sellers list and concludes, without too much effort, what is "in" an what is not. He throws together a novel composed of the common themes and scenarios, without any heart, devotion to the truth, or noble intention, and comes up with his very own best selling novel. But he pays a price. Which is why I probably didn't mind that he mocked my penchant for reading WWII novels and plenty else besides.

How I Became a Famous Novelist is not the sort of novel I am going to remember much about in twelve months time. But it is refreshing and biting and ultimately (though not till the very end) affirms why so many of us, love fiction, so very much.

A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness

2012-01-28T19:56:00.004+10:00

A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness has an unusual and moving genesis. Ness wrote the novel based on an idea left behind by novelist Siobhan Dowd before she died prematurely from cancer.

Both the story itself, and the beautifully illustrated book are exceptional. The reader accompanies thirteen year old Conor as he tries to come to terms with his mother's terminal illness and imminent death.

I loved so many things about this illustrated novel, presumably for a young adult audience, but really I can't imagine there would be too many readers of any age that would not be swept up by this story.

Ness gets the thirteen year old voice just right. I was totally engaged with Conor; his fear, isolation and anger, are all believably rendered.

The story is perfectly paced and edited. In a minimum of words, the reader is immersed into Conor's unravelling home and school life. The scenes with his absent father were heart-breaking as were his battles with bullies at school. Ness has a light touch which is very effective.

The monster is both real and metaphorical, a tree creature that Conor has conjured up unwillingly to try and make sense of the unfathomable loss of his mother and his world as he knows it. Ness captures the loneliness of adolescence and the confusion and terror at the loss of a parent. The book is alive with genuine feeling.

Illustrator, Jim Kay, enhances the emotional impact of the novel with his dark and subtle drawings. This book is a standout from beginning to end and a work of art in itself. I highly recommended it.

The Art of Travel by Alain de Botton

2012-01-27T18:18:00.001+10:00

This book is nothing short of inspiring and life affirming - I loved it.

I am quickly becoming hooked on De Botton's lucid and intelligent writing. In The Art of Travel, he explores all aspects of the travelling experience, cleverly combining thoughts on travel from artists, poets, and other luminary thinkers with his own personal accounts and points of view.

His books are so beautifully conceived and executed. The Art of Travel opens with a section "On Anticipation" where he argues strongly, and using some hilarious historical examples, how so much of the enjoyment of any travel adventure, is in planning. He also digs deep into the human psyche and captures why travel is addictive for so many of us. Throughout the whole book I found myself marvelling at his singularly brilliant way of expressing human truths:

"Journeys are the midwives of thought. Few places are so conducive to internal conversations than a moving plane, ship or train." p.57

The final chapter "On Habit" invites the reader, after many happy pages of adventure through the beautiful and the sublime, accompanied by words of wisdom on travel from the likes of Flaubert, Wordsworth and Van Gogh, to reconsider our own familiar home environments through fresh eyes. And that, as exhilarating and refreshing as travelling so often is, there is much to see in our own backyards if we only adjust our mindset to one of curiosity.

This book is just as good as The Consolations of Philosophy which I read last year. I am besotted with De Botton. On more than one occasion now, his books have lured me away from my usual diet of fiction to walk with him through his extraordinary take on what it is to be human.

We have winners

2012-01-19T17:38:00.002+10:00

Many thanks to those who entered the New Year Giveaway. The two lucky winners are:

Joanne P BookloverBookReview (Bereft by Chris Womersley)

Sean Adventures of a Bookonaut (The Scar by China Mieville)

Congratulations!!

More Kafka

2012-01-07T17:02:00.003+10:00

I think it is safe to assume that my brief foray into the world of Kafka has come to an end. As much as I enjoyed reading The Metamorphosis, I should have just left it there. The two other Kafka short stories I have read today have not been nearly so enjoyable, or understandable, to me.

In the Penal Colony (1919)

This is a very barbaric story that opens with a "traveller" to a strange land being instructed on the workings of a complex torture device. Out of courtesy to the readers of this blog I won't go into any more of the very gory details. The story is very compelling; you know something awful is about to happen and like the traveller, who is there as a witness, the reader is utterly powerless to do anything about it. Part of the tension comes from wondering if the traveller will step in to alter events.

The story is immensely clever, exploring ideas of justice, being morally conflicted and not sure what to do, and some really unpleasant ideas about torture and suffering, but it is just too weird and unpleasant for me.

The Country Doctor (1919)

This is a brief short story that I really did not like. The subject is unpleasant and it is so surreal that I couldn't really grasp what Kafka is trying to say. The story opens with an old country doctor making a late night flight to the bedside of a sick boy. He can't find a horse and so it appears his maid is exchanged for the use of two very fast horses. On arriving at the sick bed, the doctor is unable to treat the boy who has a very macabre wound, and the family of the boy try to prevent the doctor from leaving, he escapes through a window into the freezing night and presumably spends the rest of his life (the symbolism is dense, I couldn't really understand what was happening) riding helplessly around naked on the horses, disillusioned and dejected.

Overall I find Kafka's writing intriguing, but too dark for me. When his work began to circulate in the first half of the twentieth century I am sure it must have created an enormous stir amongst the progressive literary types. If you want to experience the brilliance without suffering nightmares or significant confusion, The Metamorphosis is well worth reading.

The Metamorphosis by Franz Kafka

2012-01-07T10:38:00.001+10:00

I have always wanted to read this, I think partially because so many modern authors cite Kafka as an influence. I guess I always thought that Kafka was one of those writers that is often quoted and cited as much by reputation as anything else. And I think I might have assumed that I wouldn't find his writing accessible. I was wrong, I really enjoyed this novella, or longish short story; it's a weird and wonderful tale.

The Metamorphosis, originally written in German, is a novella in three parts that charts the changing relationship of a young man, Gregor, with his family. The story opens with him waking up one morning to find he has been transformed into a large, bug-like insect. Gregor has spent the previous five years working to support his parents and younger sister, in a job he doesn't like. His transformation forces his family to change. I think this is the underlying thrust of the story.

The story is told in a very understated, matter of fact, third person narrative, from the perspective of Gregor. The writing is deceptively simple and this certainly adds to the horror of Gregor's plight. Gregor does not seem all that alarmed by becoming an insect, certainly not at the beginning. He is more worried about what his boss will think because he has missed his train. His passivity is frustrating, but I am sure that is the point.

I loved how Kafka simply, but surely, creates this bug transformation. It is so real! Kafka thinks of everything, and absolutely convinces the reader of what it would be like to find oneself trying to survive in your bedroom, at the mercy of your family, as a giant bug. All the little details, like the mobility challenges, the eating challenges, are recreated in this rather engrossing and disturbing tale. China Mieville has similar weirdly transformed human-animal, human-machine characters in some of his novels.

In short, I found myself enjoying The Metamorphosis on a couple of levels. It is both simple and complicated. The story is plainly and dispassionately told, which increases the impact of what has happened to Gregor one hundred fold. The themes are complex, and I am sure I have not figured it all out. I certainly think it is some sort of cautionary tale, that also must relate to the era it was published in (1915), about making oneself a slave to others at the expense of one's own needs.

If you are like I was, and thought that Kafka, might be a bit much, I would encourage you to read this, it doesn't take long, and it is absorbing and entirely original. Reading The Metamorphosis makes me curious about Kafka, he must have been quite an individual, way ahead, or at the very least, outside, of his time and his surrounds. I look forward to learning more about him.

Guidance on Book Clubs Required

2012-01-06T22:14:00.001+10:00

For the first time I can remember, I feel like I have a reasonable number of people around me, in my everyday world, including colleagues at work, who love reading as much as I do.

I began to daydream about starting a social book club. This idea was only in its infancy when I mentioned it to a couple of people. Very much to my surprise, those people mentioned it to a couple of others, and now, group shy me, is facing the beginnings of this coffee-shop-book-chat-get-together next weekend.

Note to self, introverts like me, should be very careful about mentioning random musings to more action oriented extroverts, unless they themselves are ready for action. So my plea to you is this: have you been part of a book club yourself? What are some good basic ideas for getting a very informal book club off the ground? I am not a terribly structured person (that is why reading works so well for me, it demands so little) but I do wonder that if we don't have some sort of loose structure or guidelines, the group will quickly become more about sampling the various coffee shops in my little city and less about any sort of book chat.

I would love to hear of your experiences with social books clubs. What do you find works well? And are there any pitfalls to generally avoid? Have you started one up yourself? Or wanted to?

The Aussie Author Challenge 2012

2012-01-01T20:28:00.002+10:00

I am well and truly up for the the Aussie Author Challenge hosted by Joanne P over at Booklover Book Reviews. I read heaps of Australian fiction anyway, but I am always keen to discover new-to-me authors and read more from my favourites. The challenge also has an incredibly cute logo:

I will participate at the Dinky-Di level reading twelve Australian books by six different authors. Immediately I know I want to read Jasper Jones by WA based author Craig Silvey and I want to try another of Kate Morton's, The House at Riverton. That should get me started. You can learn more about this challenge at Booklover Book Reviews.

The Victorian Challenge 2012

2012-01-01T20:27:00.001+10:00

I normally shy away from reading challenges because I don't like to feel hemmed in. Too many conditions can make it all feel a bit like hard work for this discipline adverse reader. But I have found two that I think will add to the reading fun for me this year, as they represent areas that I read anyway, and would like to read more.

So, I have signed up for The Victorian Challenge 2012 over at Laura's Reviews. Of course if you are interested you can check out all of the details at Laura's beautiful blog. But basically all you have to do is read, watch or listen to between 2 and 6 novels or films based on novels etc from the Victorian era. I am kicking off the year reading a Dickens novel Our Mutual Friend, and I would like to re-read Jayne Eyre this year too, as I read it as a teenager and don't think I really appreciated it back then.

The Distant Hours by Kate Morton

2011-12-30T19:46:00.003+10:00

This is the latest offering by Brisbane based novelist Kate Morton. It is the first of hers I have read and I do regret that I did not like it more. The reason I regret not liking it more than I did, is because she is a best selling novelist from the city I grew up in, and when I see her interviewed she seems so thoughtful and likeable. Basically, I think I should have read one of her earlier books, and now, alas, after having waded through the more than 550 pages of The Distant Hours, I can't see myself picking up another any time soon.

From the book jacket:

It starts with a letter, lost for half a century and unexpectedly delivered to Edie's mother on a Sunday afternoon. The letter leads Edie to Milderhurst Castle, where the eccentric Blythe sisters live and where, she discovers, her mother was billeted during WWII. The elder Blythe sisters are twins and have spent most of their lives caring for their younger sister, Juniper, who hasn't been the same since her fiance jilted her in 1941.

You know, Morton does write well, there is plenty of lovely original descriptive prose throughout the novel. She creates a good sense of place in the woods surrounding the castle. More so than in the castle itself, where the idea of the whispering walls struck me as a bit silly, or at least overly romantic. The story also contains some really good elements. It has interesting ingredients, a modern and WWII setting. To be honest, I think I have read too many books lately using the sort of narrative device where the reader is jumping from the modern era back to an earlier mystery. At least I didn't enjoy how it was executed in this novel. There were too many jumps and I just felt exhausted with it. In the end it was just too long in my view. The characters did not engage me to the degree that I needed to sustain my interest for that many pages. I think the idea might have been that the castle itself is one of the main characters. It just didn't hang together that well for me, and parts of the plotting were overblown or predictable.

I could see why some readers would really enjoy this novel. If you like expansive, languid and descriptive prose, with some intriguing historically romantic themes, then you may enjoy this.

Also, don't forget to enter my New Year Book Giveaway and a very happy New Year to you!

New Year Book Giveaway (International)

2011-12-30T12:42:00.004+10:00

Happy New Year!!

Win a new book for the new year.

As another reading year winds down, I wanted to share some of my favourite reads this year with you, kind followers of The Book Nook. And I would also like to know which of the books you have read this year most moved, or excited, or amused you.

You have a chance to win one of the following three books. There will be two winners randomly selected, and if both winners have chosen the same title that is fine. I have selected three very different titles for you to choose from, so I hope there is something amongst these that appeals to everyone.

The Books

My absolute favourite book this year was Bereft by Australian novelist Chris Womersley. So good for so many reasons: the writing, the eerie atmosphere, characters, plot - this one is a standout.

My second pick is The Scar by British "new weird" writer China Mieville. The first half of the year saw me reading quite a bit of sci-fi, not my usual purview at all, but I loved this book. Okay, it is a bit of a chunkster, and normally I complain about the huge book, but the pages fly by in this incredible swashbuckling, almost Dickensian world Mieville creates. The guy is a bit of a genius if you ask me.

I did read a couple of Victorian classics this year, and the one that impressed me most was Jude the Obscure by Thomas Hardy. I would go so far as to say that, of all the so called classics I have read, this one left the greatest impression.

Conditions of the competition:

In a comment, please leave: a contact email address, the title of the book you would like to win, AND a link to the post of one of your own favourite reads this year. Or just tell me the title of a book you enjoyed.

The two winners will be randomly selected on Sunday 15th January 2012, and contacted by email. If I don't hear from you after 10 days another winner will be selected.
The books will be coming from The Book Depository, so naturally enough, you need to live in a country they deliver to.

The Good Soldier by Ford Madox Ford

2011-12-17T10:41:00.001+10:00

Occasionally I succumb to those lists that tell us what to read. The Good Soldier (1915) by English author Ford Madox Ford appears in most of those "Best novels.." or "100 best English-language novels of the twentieth century" type lists, and I was curious to see what all the fuss was about, because apart from seeing the novel in those lists, I had not heard of it.

The novel is set at the beginning of the twentieth century, before WWI. It focuses on the friendship between two upper class couples, John and Florence Dowell from the US and Eward and Leonora Ashburnham who are landed gentry in England. The couples meet in a German health spa. The novel is told in the first person by the American, John Dowell, and centres around his explanation of the downfall of his friend Edward, the good soldier of the title.

I have mixed feelings about this book, that I think are partially influenced by my high expectations going in that were not fully realised. The subject matter of the book reminds me alot of Somerset Maugham novels, which I love, all of the, behind the acceptable social veneer of "happy couples." Maugham goes in for alot of the transatlantic comparisons of social mores in the first part of twentieth century too. Maybe reminiscent of F Scott Fitzgerald also.

Structurally the book is very unusual and I would say ground breaking for its time. The narrator is unreliable (trust me, this is not much of a spoiler, because it is very subtle compared to the unreliable narrators that have been used since), and the story is told in out of sequence flashbacks. It is all very clever, and I found myself engaged and eager to arrive at the end, as there is a growing tension in the narration; from the outset the reader is made aware that there is something inconsistent in the storytelling.

The novel is packed with clever symbolism. A motif of the heart is used repeatedly to good effect. The story begins at the German health spa because two of the partners have "heart" difficulties. There is lots of talk of weak hearts etc, and that is what this story is really all about. The characters all lack personal insight into their own hearts and for this reader at least, seemed quite heartless.

But you know, clever and "stylistically perfect" as I have heard the novel lauded, does not necessarily equal an enjoyable or "I love it" reading experience does it? I did not love it. Mostly because all of the characters are so unlikeable and joyless. And I am sure that is the point. I am sure Madox Ford is writing about some sort of self-absorption of the upper classes in England leading up to WWI. As a study in relationships, or relationships between married couples, I would much rather read Somerset Maugham. The Dowells and the Ashburnhams are equally awful and his depiction of the women in the story seems unusually harsh. But that is part of the plotting cleverness as it is all tied up in the narration and form of the story. Even so, the female characters are either painted as domineering and cold, or soulless and wanton. And again I think this is the point, our narrator is very sympathetic to Edward, the good soldier, and perhaps is speaking to the sadness of his plight. Well this female reader was left fairly unmoved by the male characters feeling sorry for themselves, and behaving badly none the less.

I would love to know if others have read this and what they think. It is a classic book, I was just left a bit disappointed. It is however the sort of book I would consider rereading, because there is so much to the structure, I am sure some of the subtleties were missed by me, the first time round.

Teaser Tuesday 13 December

2011-12-13T19:03:00.001+10:00

Teaser Tuesday is hosted by MizB over at Should Be Reading. It is a chance to share a non spoiling sample of your current read. I am reading a gothic romance mystery, The Distant Hours, by Kate Morton:

"Quite." Percy Blythe straightened and I became aware suddenly that she didn't like Mrs Bird. 'Now if you will both excuse me." She bowed her head towards the open door, through which the outside world seemed a brighter, noisier, faster place than when I'd left it. p.88

I am really enjoying this novel so far, about a big creepy house and secrets of long ago.

Audio Book Heaven: My Two Favourite Listens This Year

2011-12-11T13:08:00.004+10:00

Readers of this blog may know that I regularly listen to audio books. Let's not debate if such listening qualifies as reading, or any of that sort of nonsense. There are differences between listening to a story being read and reading it yourself, of course, and I am always clear which I am talking about. Listening to an unabridged audio book is simply another way to absorb a story. And frankly, the experience can be heavenly, depending on the beauty of the language and the skill of the narrator. Audio books bring the magic of fiction, or non-fiction if you prefer, to those times when holding a book or e-reader would not be practical. More stories, more of the time, who can lose? The two that follow are pure bliss.

Prodigal Summer written and narrated by Barbara Kingsolver was my introduction to this author. I know a number of you love her work. The plot comprises three, gently overlapping, stories set in the Appalachian area of the US. Kingsolver's language and voice are hypnotic. I found her storytelling, and gift for entwining nature metaphors in her prose, like nothing I have ever heard (or read) before. I remember listening to this one mostly as I walked around my neighbourhood or was doing the dishes. I can still hear her languid and lilting Appalachian drawl when I think about this story. I remember just floating in the beauty of her prose. The stories depict the natural flow and ebb of human relations, to each other and the environment; I loved the whole experience.

My second pick for a real audible standout, is Geraldine Brooks Caleb's Crossing. This one is narrated by Jennifer Ehle who you may remember played Elizabeth Bennett in the 1995 miniseries of Pride and Prejudice. I read Brooks first novel Year of Wonders earlier this year and loved it, so was keen to experience something else by her. Brooks is a brilliant storyteller of historically themed fiction. In Caleb's Crossing she incorporates the history of Martha's Vineyard, where she has made her own home with her family, with the story of Caleb, the first Native American to attend Harvard back in 1665. Or at least, it is the fictionalised version of what might have been his story. What is so intriguing with Brooks novels is that she always starts with one piece of historical fact, here the first Native American student at Harvard in 1665, and spins her magical tales from there.

The story is told from the point of view of Bethia, a young girl living on the island with her pioneering family, who secretly befriends the young boy Caleb. This story was not what I expected or predicted. It is tragic and soulful and I am in awe of what Brooks has achieved.

Ehle's narration is equally impressive as she produces the Puritan English and Native American speech effortlessly. This is the perfect example of where I know I have taken more from listening to the story being read by an expert, than I would have if I had struggled to imagine the unfamiliar language myself.

On average I have listened to one audio book per month for the last four years, and these two are as good as any I have heard. I would recommend them to everyone. Especially to those that have not yet been converted to the audio book or may be wondering where to start.

When the going gets tough, I seem to read crime fiction.

2011-12-10T20:00:00.002+10:00

I don't know about you, but the end of year usually sees a bit of an energy decline and emotional overload for me. I am not sure the precise reason, but my reading did slow down over the last few weeks. Fortunately that little dip has passed, and my reading enthusiasm has been fully restored. During the slump I did read a couple of fairly decent crime novels. To be honest, I think that is what I love about crime fiction: yes it is formulaic and predictable at times, but who cares? Sometimes there is nothing nicer than to plunge into the world of unlikely murder and body disposal, to make one's own life seem positively bliss.

Firstly I read Skin and Bone by Australian MD and author Kathryn Fox. It is a very competent police procedural. Detective Kate Farrer has returned to the homicide squad after three months off. I liked the character of Kate because she is a bit controlling and irritating. I guess I liked that she was in some ways unlikeable. Makes for a change from the irascible male detectives and super stylish female pathologists who generally populate the genre.

As to the plot of Skin and Bone, there is nothing especially remarkable about it; we have Kate and co discovering the remains of a burned female corpse, without an immediate identity, and the presence of a nappy bag suggesting that there is a missing baby. The hunt begins, and of course leads to some very seedy and unlikely connections between the ensuing cast of suspects.

I think what I enjoyed most about Fox's writing is the interesting medical procedural aspects. She writes well about the forensic side of things, no doubt her background as a doctor contributes to this, and there is some heart to the story and characters. For those that like the medium speed police procedural, Fox is worth checking out.

Now to the high speed, sleep depriving , and my current crime writing favourite, Jo Nesbo. Yes, I couldn't resist going one more round with Detective Harry Hole (pronounced Hula) this year. The Devil's Star is the fourth Hole novel I have read since discovering this series earlier this year. Honestly, these books are so "unputdownable" (and yes, I know that is the most irritating and cringy word know to reviewing, but if ever I was going to use it, it will be here) that they should come with a health warning.

I have tried to think about what makes these books so compelling. And I can only conclude it is the character of Harry himself. I mean, it is like Nesbo has taken what we have come to know and love in our irascible detectives and taken it to warp speed. Harry is not just a little maudlin, brooding, hard drinking and smoking, sparse living, unlucky in love, but irresistible to woman type. He is much worse than that. Harry is a full blown alcoholic, a focus of ridicule in the Oslo police force, whose working life reads a bit like a psychedelic drunken binge, lurching from oblivion to self imposed periods of abstinence, where Harry appears only one crumpled cigarette drag from his whole world crashing down around his ears. Needless to say, at over 190cm tall, this haunted and time ravaged detective is still irresistible to women, and utterly unlucky in love.

Like all of the Hole novels I have read, the plotting of The Devil's Star is complicated but faultless. By the time the killer is revealed, the reader has been lead through so many turns and culverts, without stopping to draw breath, that the denouement always feels like a gasping relief. This novel was different for me too, because Oslo is experiencing a heatwave, which completely changes the atmosphere of what I have come to love about the usual ice-packed Scandinavian crime novels. The heat works, because Harry's alcoholic haze seems even more depressing, everyone is sweating all of the time, and the author has had to be even more creative and macabre in finding ways to hide his murdered corpses.

In The Devil's Star, Nesbo has delivered another tightly written, high body count, espresso paced crime thriller. If you like your crime to feel like a surge of adrenaline that won't release you until the last page, you must try these books.

The Consolations of Philosophy by Alain de Botton

2011-11-19T08:50:00.001+10:00

I read non fiction so rarely, apart from work related reading, that whenever I find myself reading something for interest and enjoyment that is not fiction I have to wonder if I am feeling unwell. And as for philosophy, I know many of the names of the biggies from bits of sound bites gleaned here and there, but that is about all.

Enter Alain de Botton, I am sure the man could make a phone directory seem fascinating. His style is so witty and light, yet completely relevant, that I found myself unable to put this book down. The lives and wisdom of Socrates, Epicurus, Seneca, Montaigne, Schopenhauer, and poor old Nietzsche are used by de Botton to offer explanation and consolation of the modern ailments of unpopularity, not having enough money, frustration, inadequacy, a broken heart, and difficulties (difficulties of course being about Nietzsche, he had a great many).

De Botton's own philosophical understanding must be epic, because he manages to distill the teachings of each of these five down to forty or so pages, complete with little pictures and hilarious modern day applications of their teachings. It is quite brilliant. And best of all for me, I would feel perfectly comfortable after reading this book to pick up some of the original work (translated of course) that Consolations draws on. De Botton includes a comprehensive notes section in the back that could direct anyone to do this.

This book has been sitting on my shelf for some years. I suspect, recently reading Thomas Hardy's Jude the Obscure, might have had something to do with me venturing to pick it up. Jude's thwarted love of learning really moved me. See, who said a novel can't change your life? De Botton has apparently written a book on the very subject regarding Proust. That one may have to wait, I have his, The Art of Travel waiting to be read next. If you are interested in Alain de Botton's work, he has a very user friendly website.

Jude the Obscure by Thomas Hardy

2011-11-13T13:30:00.005+10:00

When I finished Jude the Obscure by Thomas Hardy, one of my first thoughts was that this novel must be approaching the high end of what can be achieved by the art form. This is the second novel I have read by Hardy, the first being Tess of the d'Urbervilles which I read as a teenager, and remember being very moved by the plight of Tess.

It is of course quite difficult to review these esteemed classics as I am sure there are numerous literary scholars who can, and have, done a better job at dissecting all of the authors intentions and contexts etc. So I will limit this review to a very sketchy description of the plot and my general impressions, and of course what I liked about it.

Jude the Obscure is Hardy's last novel and was published in 1896. My understanding is that there was quite a furore after the publication, because of Hardy's frank treatment of issues around sex, marriage and religious themes in the novel. The novel also slams the exclusivity of the higher learning institutions of England at the time.

The story begins with Jude as a young boy who is reluctantly taken in by his great aunt, who is a baker in a small town in west England, after both his parents die from illness. Jude works hard, and becomes a stone mason, but his real passion is for classic learning and he teaches himself as much as he can get his hands on, forever hoping that if he just saves enough money, he will be able to attend one of the illustrious universities of a nearby town. Jude marries early in the novel to the sensual and pragmatic Arabella, but quickly comes to regret this decision after falling in love with his cousin Susanna, who is quite the opposite to Arabella, being ethereal and intellectual. Jude and Susanna's disastrous efforts to be together drive the rest of the narrative.

There are numerous themes and layers to the novel. A few immediately jump out and the other really juicy ones, crept up on me, and aren't fully realised until the final conclusion. From the outset it is very clear that Hardy is making a statement about the barriers to a man of humble means bettering himself with a higher education, if that is his passion. One of the moments of most poignancy for me in the novel was a scene towards the end, when the reader learns that throughout his whole blighted life, Jude has carried around with him, his much loved texts, even after his dream of being admitted to university has long faded.

Then there are the unusually frank themes of marriage and sex, both inside and outside of marriage. Hardy goes where I am sure no one had gone before in laying bare what marriage meant for the various characters, including from the religious and sexual perspective. All very extraordinary I am sure for a novel of that era.

And then, there are of course the characters themselves, and the amazingly self-destructive nature of Jude and Susanna's relationship. I do wonder if other readers of this novel grew to be genuinely irritated by Sue (the ethereal, and intellectual one)? My take on her is that she is self absorbed to the point of narcissism and that the strongest point in the whole novel is really Jude's unwillingness to tear himself from her, even when the scales are removed from his eyes and he acknowledges to himself, that she is awful and his pursuit of her has caused him nothing but frustration and loneliness.

Arabella, Jude's early wife on the other hand, was a far more likable character, even though Hardy goes to great lengths to paint her as a wanton woman of very dubious morals. Unlike Jude and his cousin Sue, Arabella demonstrates far more common sense, and even wisdom, when it comes to matters of human relations, than Jude and Sue combined.

The novel is a sweeping and gorgeously realised portrait of a man who is indeed thwarted by the social conventions and limitations of the time, but ultimately, it is his own inner conflicts and self delusion that undoes him. All of the characters in the novel represent something about him, it is very clever.

Hardy is an expert in exploring the inner workings of his characters, much more so than his use of spoken dialogue. About half way through the novel I noticed that the characters, especially Jude, were forever walking around, and between, the villages and towns where the story takes place, in every sort of weather. The walking not only allows for the characters to reflect on what is happening, but of itself, creates this amazing sense of restlessness: the pacing and exertion and not being able to settle and relax. Jane Austen and her genteel parlours, this is not.

I guess what I am saying is that I became involved with the characters, especially Jude, more than I expected, to the extent that in the last couple of days, when life kept me from finishing the final chapters, I found myself thinking of the novel often and wanted to sneak away to find out what happened. I don't know about you but, but nineteenth century literature normally does not grip me like that. So of course, I would recommend this to all; it is one of those books that feels like a priviledge to read, and I also thoroughly enjoyed it.

Vernon God Little by DBC Pierre

2011-11-05T11:26:00.005+10:00

Well this book sure is something. I think I admire parts of it, but I mostly didn't enjoy it. To be honest I don't think I was supposed to. It reads like a rant; a satirical, anti western culture rant. It took me most of the book to even begin to understand why it might have won the the 2003 Booker prize, not to mention a whole swathe of other awards.

As a complete aside, this is the third book I have read in the last month or so, that is at least partly set in Texas, how strange.

Vernon is a 15-year-old who witnesses a shooting massacre at his Texan high school. Events quickly conspire to implicate Vernon in the shooting. The premise of the novel, I think, is that society is so awful (especially the media and other aspects of corporate and individual self interest) that a teenager such as Vernon, battling with his grief and trauma from the shooting, not to mention his own "coming of age" issues could be pushed into a position that has nothing to do with justice and everything to do with satisfying the needs of others.

Not surprisingly I think, the novel reminded me of The Catcher in the Rye, and to be honest that novel is not one of my favourites either. I didn't fully engage with Holden and I certainly didn't warm to Vernon. Again, I probably wasn't meant to.

So I don't get bogged down I think from here I am going to keep it simple and say what I felt were the strengths of the novel and what didn't work for me.

The strengths: The narrative arc of the book is brilliant, all the little bits fit together at the end, and the pace and tension is well maintained. The humour is dark to the point of excoriation. Pierre, well and truly makes his point, all is not right with western culture, especially when it comes to our media appetites. The small town and its characters are also very well drawn, painfully so. The insecurities and petty back biting feels very real. I guess most importantly, the writing itself is good, the man can write; great use of dialogue, both internal and spoken.

Where the novel didn't work for me: I don't think I like satire in my fiction, maybe it is as simple as that. I want to be moved or entertained by a novel, not yelled at or completely grossed out. This is an angry and often ridiculing voice, I was put off by it. I guess my revulsion could be a testament to Pierre's brilliant characterisation because this journey with Vernon feels like going on high speed ride with a foul mouthed, cynical yet vulnerable teenager. I was glad when it was over.

In short, I will be heading back to the Victorian classics, science fiction and historical fiction. If however, The Catcher in the Rye is one of your all time favourite novels, or you like your contemporary fiction with a darkly comic edge, you might really enjoy this book. I would love to hear if others have read this, and what they think.

The Whereabouts of Eneas McNulty by Sebastian Barry

2011-10-31T19:56:00.007+10:00

The first novel I read by Irish author Sebastian Barry was The Secret Scripture which turned out to be one of my top two favourite reads of last year. Barry is simply a beautiful writer. Not in that overdone, overly clever way that I sometimes find with contemporary literature, just original, flowing prose, from the first page to the last.

This is an odd title for a book, no? Well it actually fits perfectly, because Eneas McNulty spends his whole life hiding from his countrymen, as a wanderer.

Eneas McNulty is born at the turn of the twentieth century in Sligo in western Ireland. A series of choices in Eneas young life, from going away to fight in the first world war on the side of England (because he is fascinated by France apparently) to taking a job with the Royal Irish Constabulary, finds Eneas an outcast from his much loved home. He is at odds with his childhood friends who become Irish freedom fighters and declare that if he sets foot in Ireland again, they will kill him.

I loved the history lesson in this novel and I equally loved that Barry manages to compress a life into 300 pages. Not a word or page is wasted. Barry does not take sides in his narrative about the Irish history, but focuses on the effect of the conflicts on individuals on both sides. The symbol of clothes is used to great effect in the novel, (note the old blue suit depicted on the cover) in a time when much is left unsaid, the changing clothes of the various characters come to symbolise how they see themselves or at least want to see themselves.

The tone of the novel is quiet and lonely. Indeed I have not read a better evocation of loneliness, as Eneas goes from continent to continent, and makes two surreptitious trips back to Ireland, trying to eke out an existence for himself. Barry gives us a portrait of a guileless, honest man, caught up in events he did not foresee. It is also a scary portrait into the passing of time in all of our lives, at least it connected with me in that way. The jumping of the years and decades is completely seamless, and there is something very confronting I think, when a character ages swiftly and convincinly, before the reader's very eyes, so to speak.

There are similarities between the The Whereabouts of Eneas McNulty and The Secret Scripture, indeed the lives of Eneas McNulty, and Roseanne (the main character in The Secret Scripture) intersect in both novels.
They are lonely, marginalised people, but for different reasons. Reading about the same characters in two different books is quite fascinating as the points of view are explored so differently.

Of the two, The Secret Scripture for me is the stronger of the novels, mostly I think because it is a more dramatic story, and the character of Roseanne is more involving than Eneas, but that speaks to who they are as well. Roseanne is passionate and a real fighter, who is locked away from the world, whereas Eneas is a lost soul, adrift in the world. He is more remote. But from first to last he stays true to his own goodness, and demonstrates he is not at all stupid, just a moral man, barred from his home.

I admire The Whereabouts of Eneas McNulty because it is truly haunting, and the ending, which is very dramatic by the way, is consistent and satisfying. In both cases the joy of the novels is Barry's writing. When I read his prose it comes to mind that not just anyone can write well, it is a craft and his craft is honed to heavenly perfection. I am not kidding, read him and see. I would highly recommend Sebastian Barry to anyone.

Foal's Bread by Gillian Mears Readalong Part Four

2011-10-29T19:47:00.001+10:00

The Foal's Bread Readalong is hosted by Danielle at The Book Nerd Club. We have reached the end of the novel and so today's Readalong focuses on the final chapters, coda, and last thoughts.

Well, what a dramatic and moving finale! And yes, spoilers follow. The whole narrative comes together in the final chapters. From first to last, this has been Noah's story. From giving birth as a child herself, in the lonely turbulent waters of Flaggy Creek, the story ends with Noah plummeting to her death, on her beloved horse, in those same waters. The coda, which is written from Noah's daughter, Lainey's perspective, reassures the reader that Noah's courage and sacrifice enabled her daughter to lead a full life, outside of the shadow that she was forced to endure.

I think I have made it clear throughout, that I was moved by these characters, especially Noah. The final chapters made me think of my own mother (now deceased) and while my mother did not face all of the same challenges as Noah, thank goodness, she did grow up in a simple country setting and faced some of the same obstacles, especially reduced opportunities. Gillian Mears convincingly conveys what life must have been like before and after WWII for men,woman and children in rural Australia. It could be a sparse and lonely existence, and the possibility that individuals could abuse their power over children, was often not even considered.

The hardest aspect of the novel for me was the "grooming" of Noah and her daughter Lainey, by their respective uncles. This is very hard to read. It was all too horrible to consider. And to be honest I found myself, pushing aside the clues, in the later chapters that Lainey was singled out for abuse by her uncle. My deliberately pushing aside, what I didn't want to see, in relation to characters I had become close to, I believe, accurately mirrors what can happen where individuals fail to acknowledge what they don't want to see, and like me, just hope for the best. Good writing, like good art I think, can invite us to examine our reactions to something. This worked for me here.

The words brave and courageous, are often used glibly, in my view, to describe what an author chooses to tackle. In this case, I feel that Gillian Mears was very courageous to unflinchingly incorporate these difficult aspects as part of Noah, and her family's story. I would like to think that the environment we live in now is different, and there are more "checks and balances" so to speak, and that children have more of a voice, but we know that is not always the case, even today.

So yes, I shed a tear at the end, and I think it was mostly because Noah's story was so moving. She had so few resources to call upon in terms of power and communication, but she was resolute and fierce when it came to protecting her daughter.

Overall, I think this is a remarkable book, I love the Australian context, the symmetry in the narrative, and the tone and style of the writing. Thank you, very much, to Allen & Unwin for the book, and a big thank you to Danielle for bringing the Readalong to my attention.

Foal's Bread by Gillian Mears Readalong Part Three

2011-10-22T21:26:00.000+10:00

The Foal's Bread Readalong is hosted by Danielle at The Book Nerd Club, and this week sees us reading chapters 14 through to the end of chapter 19. Again part of the fun is discussing aspects of the plot so henceforth there are spoilers.

I found this section of the book the most compelling so far; it sees our female protagonist Noah completely stripped bare. From the final deterioration and death of her beloved husband Roley, her descent into alcoholism and the ultimate blow upon the bruise comes when her daughter Lainey outshines her own achievements on the high jumping circuit.

The full tragedy of Noah's life is played out in these chapters. Mears portrays the misery that is alcoholism to perfection. She is unflinching in the narrative, and at times, I found myself needing to pause in the reading because it is just so sad for Noah. The self loathing, the self medication and the self sabotage are all convincingly depicted as part of Noah's story.

This is the section where abuse in Noah's past returns to, not only destroy her, but is reaching its malignant tentacles into the next generation, and threatens to shape Lainey, as the young girl struggles to understand and survive her mother's behaviour, remoteness and hostility towards her. I love how Mears has depicted the relationship between mother and daughter. It is heart-breaking. We experience, through simple actions and what goes unsaid, Noah's inability to overcome her own demons and be there for her daughter, and Lainey's utter confusion and need to secure her mother's love. For Noah this is nothing new, as she struggled in the same way to express her feelings to her husband right up until his death. The scene where Noah and Lainey are trying to force feed Roley at the end of his life is confronting and moving beyond words.

I still have the final chapters of the book to read, but for me Mears has not put a foot wrong. I love the writing style that keeps the reader slightly off balance. In my view the writing style amplifies the emotional impact of the novel. Again for me (I know the writing style has been a source of discussion in the readalong) the choice of writing style is a stroke of genius, as it has created in this reader at least, a definite sense of cascading or flowing, and at times, bumping along with the story, much like a butter box, set adrift in the fast flowing currents of a mountain creek, on a moonlit night.

The Old Curiosity Shop by Charles Dickens

2011-10-20T20:03:00.003+10:00

Does a Dickens novel need an introduction? Well I will say that I am pleased with myself for having read this 1841 classic as it is the first proper classic that I have read all year.

The novel begins with little Nell and her grandfather as they lose the Old Curiosity Shop, due to the grandfather's gambling debts and are forced to flee onto the roads of England. The story follows their progress, and the progress of the "saints and sinners" who either love and have aided little Nell and her grandfather, or have contributed to their downfall.

Many years ago, I read A Tale of Two Cities by Dickens and found myself completely mesmerized by that novel. I enjoyed The Old Curiosity Shop very much, but am finding it difficult to think of ways to describe it. There are also aspects to the novel the I found quite irritating.

One of aspects of the novel that I found fascinating is that it reads like something that was serialized, which of course it was, as it was published in weekly instalments in one of Dickens's serial publications. I found it quite nostalgic (in a good way) to be reading chapter after chapter and imagining English folk, back in 1840, eagerly anticipating the next part of the story.

I also enjoyed Dickens's description of the places Nell and her grandfather pass through. He is the absolute master of capturing the poverty and struggle of the working classes of the time. As they pass through one of the northern industrialised cities, the reader experiences all of the darkness, noise, filth and scurrying humanity of those streets. A painting could not say as much. Poverty is explored in many different contexts in the novel. The archetypal "baddies" that Dickens does to perfection, while not materially poor, are certainly morally bankrupt, and often quite funny I found. I think what could be exasperating to the modern reading palette is that most of the characters don't have any sort of moral ambiguity; they are either pure, wholesome and without fault, or they are sinister and forever plotting evil deeds. I say it could be exasperating, because I actually found this quite fun; a bit like a fairy tale for adults.

There is also something quite fresh and completely recognisable about many of the interactions and dialogue between the characters. The cast of characters is epic. I am not sure, but suspect that The Old Curiosity Shop of the title refers to the ensemble collection of people in the novel, as much as the bricks and mortar shop at the beginning. The characters are all certainly memorable, often because of their extreme nature, unusual, occupation or physical characteristics, but as a complete volume, I am not sure that it all ties together as well as some of his other work. And perhaps it is unfair to compare it to his other novels, as it was not originally published as a novel. While I risk stating the bleeding obvious, I think my enjoyment of the novel suffered a bit from differences between our eras. Some of the scenes that were emotionally loaded seemed a bit overblown to me.

One of the themes that Dickens explores throughout is the neglect and mistreatment of children in the Victorian era. I found one of the most evocative and poignant examples of the cheapness of childrens' lives at the time, is a young female servant character who has no name at all.

My major peeve with the novel is the character of Nell's grandfather. I wanted to shake him, right up until the end in fact. I guess this could be a tribute to Dickens's wonderful characterisation, but I just found him completely annoying and pathetic. In fairness, I am sure the grandfather was meant to be broken and pathetic, and I have not read a better account of a gambling addiction, ever. It amazed me, that Dickens's portrayal of the itch and compulsion associated with gambling, resonates just as strongly in the western society of today.

Overall, the suspense of the novel builds very nicely, and true to form, Dickens had me cheering for the oppressed and eagerly awaiting the downfall of the conniving oppressors. While not my favourite by this literary giant, it is great story telling, and I am very pleased I took the time to read it. I would love to know what others think of this novel and Dickens's work generally. Which are your favourites?

Foal's Bread by Gillian Mears Readalong Part Two

2011-10-15T17:32:00.005+10:00

This is the second instalment for the Foal's Bread Readalong, which is hosted by Danielle at The Book Nerd Club. We are now halfway through the novel, with this instalment covering chapters 7 through to the end of chapter 13.

Spoiler Alert: discussion of the content follows

These chapters more or less seem to cover the duration of WWII, and follow the inhabitants of One Tree through those years. The persistent melancholic mood of the drama is underscored by Roley's legs becoming more and more useless. The consequences of Roley's disability are far reaching: he is rejected from signing up for the army, he is less able to do even basic work on the property, and perhaps most sadly, he becomes more and more remote from Noah.

A harsher edge appears in Noah, as she becomes isolated in her work at One Tree; milking the cows, looking after the horses and her two children. Noah finds temporary solace away from One Tree, drinking with her aunts in the town.

The incredibly sad family situation is beautifully balanced by Noah and Roley's emotional investment in their children and the horses. The long barren Gurlie is finally with foal and gives birth, bringing joy and hope to the family. The section ends with all of the family back in the saddle, practicing jumps on the property. After an exhilarating afternoon on the horses, the section ends on a sour note, as a large rupture appears in Noah and Roley's relationship. Roley is left to reflect in despair.

I continue to really enjoy this story. It is an Australia I recognise. I will explain. While my upbringing was about as urban as can be, my mother's family is from the country, and as children, we spent a number of holidays, with my country cousins, feeding chooks, milking cows and riding horses. Country people, even to this day, have elements of the Gillian Mears's characters. They are often not big on talking, and are more likely to come out with an astute and pithy one liner, than endlessly discuss the merits of this or that, as I enjoy doing.

I can see the house at One Tree in my mind's eye. So for me Mears accurately and magically recreates an authentic rural family setting. Those WWII times are not that long ago, and even less time seems to have past in a lot of rural areas. The corrugated iron, the stock rails, and the endless cycle of animal care; I love how she has captured all of these elements. She also captures the common sense and make-do attitude of the people that go with these settings. For me, the tensions that exist within, and between the characters, ring completely true.

I do feel involved with the characters and really look forward to learn where their lives lead next. The high-jumping circuit no doubt beckons for Noah and her daughter Lainey, but it will be interesting to see how Roley will endure his secondary role. I wonder how Lainey and her brother George, who have led quite an isolated life thus far at One Tree during the war, will cope with the show circuit, especially given their mother's pent up emotions seem likely to burst through at any moment, and their father retreats more and more into himself.

The Redbreast by Jo Nesbo

2011-10-09T21:05:00.009+10:00

The Redbreast (2006 English translation) is by Norwegian author Jo Nesbo, and it is a cracker. This is the third in the Harry Hole series. I have not read the first two in the series and it did not seem to matter in terms of my enjoyment or understanding.

The novel opens in 2000 with police officer Harry being assigned to security duty when the US president is visiting Oslo. At first I thought okay, this is pretty typical thriller fare. Events take a very dramatic turn when Harry accidentally shoots a Secret Service agent, mistaking him for an assassin. The political fallout has the unexpected consequence of Harry being promoted to Inspector but he is forced to leave his old unit, and given an out-of-way post. Harry finds himself tracking down an unusual rifle, that he suspects of being imported into the country to kill a high ranking target. The investigation has Harry trying to piece together a mystery that involves modern day Neo-Nazis, but originated in WWII and the Nazi occupation of Norway.

The action switches between Harry and a group of Norwegian soldiers fighting on the German side in WWII. We learn of the relationships between these men and a mysterious death that divides them. One of the highlights of the novel, and a fantastic counterbalance for all of the action, is a romance between one of the Norwegian solders and a nurse he meets while recuperating from a shrapnel wound. This might sound cheesy but it is completely convincing, and very poignant. The echoes of this doomed love story reverberate strongly in the modern day investigation.

There is a lot of interesting information about Norway during WWII, all of which was new to me, and I love fiction with a WWII theme. The plot is very intricate, in the war years, and in 2000 with Harry, with characters intersecting all over the place. I think the reason Nesbo is able to make this work, is by playing up the human factor as well. There is subtlety in the characters responses and interactions, and the action and mystery have a solid emotional foundation, which for me, made the convoluted plot seem worthwhile. I found myself really involved with these characters. And I think that is the point where a thriller, or crime novel, is elevated to something else entirely. Nesbo had me eating out of the palm of his hand.

Readers of this blog may be aware that I am a bit partial to the Scandinavian crime writers. And for me, at least for now, Nesbo is king.

Foal's Bread by Gillian Mears Readalong Part One

2011-10-08T10:57:00.002+10:00

The Foal's Bread Readalong is hosted by Danielle over at The Book Nerd Club. Gillian Mears is an Australian novelist whose work I was unfamiliar with, but I do love a good tale with an Australian setting so was keen to give Foal's Bread a go.

Information about the novel by publishers Allen & Unwin:

The long-awaited new novel from the award-winning author of The Grass Sister tells the story of two generations of the Nancarrow family and the high-jumping horse circuit prior to the Second World War. A love story of impossible beauty and sadness, it is also a chronicle of dreams 'turned inside out', and miracles that never last, framed against a world both tender and unspeakably hard.

I am completely swept up in this story and these characters. When I started reading Foal's Bread I was immediately reminded of Australian novels that I read when I was a teenager, thanks to my mother's love of Australian fiction, by authors such as Ruth Park and E.V. Timms. More recently, I have enjoyed this type of Australian setting and characters in novels by Tim Winton, Peter Carey and ChrisWomersley. Foal's Bread is a brilliant example of this type of book: excellent writing, engaging plotting and characters that I know I will be weeping over before too long.

Spoiler Alert: Discussion of Preamble to Chapter 6 so be warned.

I was shocked and compelled by the opening of the novel where the reader is introduced to fourteen year old Noah as she gives birth, with only pigs for company, in a cold mountain stream, all on her own. I am certainly eager to see if the baby survived and reappears later in the novel. Or are we meant to assume that the baby drowned? Either way it is powerful stuff, and not only gives the reader a clear idea of what young Noah's life has been like, but also a strong impression of her character and spirit.

There is a preamble before the story opens and while it is beautifully written, having a poetic and wistful feel to it, I am not sure that it really added anything for me. This probably comes down to personal preference, but in my view, the Chapter 1 opening is really strong, and I don't know that the preamble actually achieves that rearview, or looking back perspective, that the author is possibly shooting for. It made sense that way when I re-read it now, but I have only done that because I am writing about it. Normally I don't think a reader would bother.

Foal's bread is a love story in the most wonderful, fleeting-joy-and-lots-of- tragedy, sense. And by the end of Chapter 6, the arc is well and truly descending into tough times for Roley and Noah.

I am loving it all. It is dramatic and moving, without being too sentimental.

I also find the characters in Roley's extended family delightful and really well drawn. Can't you just imagine the sister who likes to bake and is especially kind to the children?

I also like the perspective of pre WWII Australia, and what the coming of the war, so close on the end of WWI, meant for these regional areas. Min's grief and protectiveness of her family make a lot of sense to me, as annoyingly frustrating as she is.

My final thought is that while there is lots of drama in the narrative, the characters continue to reveal more of themselves and develop in complexity, which is satisfying. And, this really is the final thought, the relationship between Noah and Roley is wonderful and nuanced and oh so sad. I grew up with Jacaranda trees everywhere you see, and I daresay I will not look at their beautiful purple October carpet again without thinking of Noah and Roley. I will stop before it becomes painful! Two thumbs up from me so far.