The Collaborator, also issued as 'The Soldier's Wife'.
I had never read anything by Margaret Leroy before, but I enjoyed this mix of histoical fiction...moreThe Collaborator, also issued as 'The Soldier's Wife'.
I had never read anything by Margaret Leroy before, but I enjoyed this mix of histoical fiction and love story. Usually I read a book for a book group and end up giving it more stars after the discussion. Unfortunately this book was the opposite, after my fellow readers had picked out a number of flaws in the narrative, I was no longer able to give it 5 stars. Still, 4 stars is a good rating and I did learn a fair bit about life on Guernsey during WWII.
Vivienne de la Mare is the mother of two girls, wife to a soldier who is off fighting and daughter-in-law to his ageing mother. Before WWII they live a quiet life in a beautiful corner of Guernsey. The German occupation of Guerney was much less violent than other parts of Europe, but it still had a huge impact on the residents of the island. Curfew, shortages and an influx of slave workers had a dramatic effect on the lives of the islanders, and The Collaborator illustrates this well.
What has stayed with me after reading this book was, firstly, the interactions between the two girls, the older one fourteen at the start of the book and her sister, just four. There was a big age difference, yet they obviously loved and supported each other. Secondly, the ageing, forgetful mother-in-law, who is so sympathetically described. And finally, the love story side of the book, which shows the enemy as real people with family left behind and a human side.
In spite of its flaws (which I can't mention without spoilers), this was an interesting book for discussion and was generally enjoyed.
Also read The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer (3.5 stars) (less)
It took me a while to get into this book, for a number of reasons. I was frustrated with Harold for deciding to walk with so li...moreA great book club read.
It took me a while to get into this book, for a number of reasons. I was frustrated with Harold for deciding to walk with so little preparation, with his insistance on keeping to his yaching shoes and his wife's failure to at least find him by car and give him his mobile phone. I also have strong feelings about keeping people alive when they are suffering and, by waiting for him, Queenie must surely have suffered unnecessarily. I was therefore most surprised when my book group were quite so enthusiastic about the book. The resulting discussion led itself, with minimal input from the publisher's questions and I came away having decided to upgrade this to a 4 star read.
Harold is retired, his wife has moved into the spare room and his life is dull and unfulfilling. Out of the blue a letter arrives from an old work colleague whom Harold has not seen for 20 years. She writes to tell him that she is dying of cancer and to say farewell. The response that Harold pens is totally inadequate and he hesitates before putting in the post box - he'll just walk on the the next box and post it there......and thus begins an epic journey that takes him the length of England to Berwick upon Tweed. On the way he meets all sorts of folk and has the chance to rethink his life and his relationship with his wife and son. Understandably, his wife is rather baffled by his decision, but she also finds herself spending a lot of time thinking over her marriage and their relationship.
I did have to ignore the more practical side of my nature to get the most from this book, but by the time I was half way up England I was rooting for him and his unlikely quest. For me this was definitely one of those books that benefitted from discussion after reading. (less)
There is no doubt that Kamilla Sidiqi is an amazing woman who courageously supported her family as well as many...moreMore of a long report than a full book.
There is no doubt that Kamilla Sidiqi is an amazing woman who courageously supported her family as well as many other members of the community during the Taliban regime. However, the book lacks depth and feels more like an extended report than the characters telling their story from their hearts. The author has written many articles for prestigious publications in the US, but that is how this book read, rather than as a full length biography.
Having said that, I did learn a few things about life under the Taliban that I wasn't previously aware of, in spite of having read a number of books set in Afghanistan at this time. I hadn't realised that the young men who tyranised the streets and battered women who suposedly enfringed the rules, were in fact war orphans, raised by Taliban teachers in madrassas and had been brainwashed into believing that these women were evil. They hadn't had contact with women in their childhoods, no mothers, sisters nor aunts to love them. On the other hand, many local Taliban leaders respected the efforts the women in their communities were making and supported from them behind the scenes. There is a lovely episode in the book where Kamilla and her sisters make a number of wedding dresses at very short notice, which turn out to have been for a Taliban wedding.
The writing is rather repetitive in parts, for instance, repeatedly telling us how dangerous it was to go out of the house without a male escort from your family. Yet some areas lacked explanation such as Mrs Sidiqi coming home from the north for a few months after her husband left for Iran and then, for no obvious reason, returning north even though he was no longer there. My book group read this and gave an average of 3 to 3.5 stars. Many had read several other books set in Afghanisatn and didn't feel that this was the best. (less)
I'm finding this book very hard to rate - the content was 5 star, but unfortunately the editing let it down. When I frequently find that I...more3 1/2 stars.
I'm finding this book very hard to rate - the content was 5 star, but unfortunately the editing let it down. When I frequently find that I am rereading paragraphs to extract their meaning, the flow of the narrative is lost and the book loses its punch. However, this is the author's first full length novel and I'd be interested to read another if she writes a second.
Rashid and Iman are twins, living in Gaza. Rashid copes with the pressures by smoking marijuana and getting stoned, his sister, Iman, finds herself drawn into working with a rebel movement. Their mother is a strong woman with a secret past, while their father has left to live and work in an unnamed Gulf country. They also have an older brother who has lost his wife and child in a bomb blast and now lives in a wheelchair since he also lost legs.
The tensions are palpable, with some excellent quotes that give a feel for the stresses of life under bombardment: "There were days when everything needed to be checked. The trees with the sea beyond them were all 'aadi', normal. The cars were 'aadi' too. The tents with his neighbours in were the same as ever.". And: "Apache. Are we to be killed off in reservations by helicopters named after others killed off in reservations?"
All around them are suspicions, is your neighbour a traitor, who can you trust? Rashid and Iman both leave for London and the Gulf respectively. Both trips offer further insights into life back home - Iman sits in a cafe in a huge mall, concerned at the amount of glass overhead and the injuries that would result in the event of a bomb. Rashid works on his thesis with a professor who had been in Palestine with the British around 1948.
When both siblings meet up in London along with Rashid's friend Kahaled and a rebel leader, Ziyyad Ayyoubi, who is there to speak at a pro Palestinian demonstration, events start to escalate with dire consequences.
I read this book for a reading group that included one lady of Palestinian origin and an invited guest who visited the area regularly and raised money for a charity providing respite and medical assistance for victims of the atrocities. It was an eye-opening evening. Although I have read a number of books set in Palestine, each one is slanted in a slightly different direction and informs me more of the situation.
Also read: Mornings in Jenin by Susan Abulhawa (5 stars) The Kites are Flying by Michael Morpugo (5 stars) Day After Night by Anita Diamant (4.5 stars) Miral by Rula Jebreal (4 stars) The Attack by Yasmina Khadra (4 stars) When the Bulbul Stopped Singing: A Diary of Ramallah Under Siege by Raja Shehadeh (4 stars) When I Lived in Modern Times by Linda Grant (3 stars) (less)
I wasn't expecting to enjoy this as much as I did - one of my book groups read it a few months ago and their feedback was...moreFabulous view of 20's Paris.
I wasn't expecting to enjoy this as much as I did - one of my book groups read it a few months ago and their feedback was not enthusiastic. So, when I started reading and found myself more and more involved in the lives of Ernest Hemmingway and his wife, Hadley, it was a lovely surprise.
Set in 1920's Paris, the author has painted a fabulous picture of decadence and Bohemian living. Hemmingway and his wife enter this scene with little money and a certain distain for the extravagance, but they are eventually swept into a way of life that threatens to destroy all that they hold dear. They met in Jazz Age Chicago, Hadley in her late twenties, Earnest just 21, and after a brief, long-distance romance, they married to travel to France. Hemminway is still traumatised fom WWI and leans heavily on Hadley for support. He is just beginning his writing career and desperately needs her praise for his work. They settle gradually into France, meeting many of the big names in literature. Hemmingway has periods of great productivity and patches where he struggles to write, depending on his moods. He can't have been easy to live with. They travelled through Europe, spending moinths at a time away from Paris. The bull fighting in Pamploma was a particular draw. They were a rarity, a marriage that appeared to work, a monogomous couple. But the pressures around them and the sexual freedoms made this hard to maintain and the marriage only lasted for 5 years. Apparently Hadley was the love of Hemmingway's life and in later life he regretted certain decisions that he made at this time.
This was wonderfully written, mainly narrated by Hadley, rather than Hemmingway. I think the book would have read very differently had it been Hemmingway's voice. I have never read anything by Hemmingway, nor the other authors with whom he mixed, but my curiosity has now been aroused and I would particularly like to read one of the books written, semi-biographically, from this time. Possibly A Movable Feast would be a good place to start.
This was a fascinating view of 20's Paris, as lived by the artistic set. A great read, highly recommended.(less)
I have just come back from a book group where we discussed this book, and the overall impression was that th...moreThe second book in the Bangladesh trilogy.
I have just come back from a book group where we discussed this book, and the overall impression was that the shifting time frames had caused quite a bit of confusion. Added to this was the fact that, within the more recent time frame, there were also flash-backs to the earlier time. Kindle readers, in particular, found this problematic. However, I did learn a lot about Bangladesh, a country that rarely appears in fiction, and for this reason I gave the book four stars.
Although I had read the first book of the trilogy, A Golden Age, it was four years ago and I struggled to remember the details. Many of our book group members had not read the first book and felt that a short precis at the beginning would have helped. In addition, a brief history of the time would also have clarified certain points.
Rehana Haque was a central character in A Golden Age, where her children, Sohail and Maya, were young. Here we meet them in 1971, as the war for independence is ending and the soldiers and casualties of war make their way home. The second time frame is thirteen years later, when the long term effects of the war have stamped themselves on all the survivors. Sohail has become devoutly Muslim, while Maya rejects all the trappings of religion. The relationship between these siblings is the central issue of the book and incorporates all the after-effects of war. One of my favourite characters was Zaid, the mischievous, but lonely son of Sohail. Maya takes Zaid under her wing, but is unable to overrule Sohail when he decides that his son will be educated in a madrassa.
Although the war lasted only nine months, there were a million dead, ten million exiled and thousands of abused women left behind. It is a truly tragic piece of history, given a human slant by Tahmina Anam. I didn't enjoy this book as much as A Golden Age but I will certainly be on the lookout for the third episode of the trilogy.
Also read: A Golden Age by Tahmina Anam - 4 stars (less)
An insider's view of a life that lasted for thousands of years.
This book is well deserving of its high accolades. It is a highly accessible view of th...moreAn insider's view of a life that lasted for thousands of years.
This book is well deserving of its high accolades. It is a highly accessible view of the life of the nomadic tribes of the barren borderland area between Afghanistan and Pakistan. The author, born in 1933, knows these people first hand and we are honoured to be able to read his version of this rapidly disappearing lifestyle.
The narrative is basically an assemblage of short stories, but they are brought together by the common theme of Tor Baz, 'The Falcon', a young man who we meet at his birth in the early chapters. He is the son of two members of the Siahpad tribe from Killa Kurd. They have run from their people because they are in love and are not permitted to marry. The use of the falcon to join the stories also gives them a chronology as he grows to a young man of no fixed tribe, wandering the lands, carrying information. The image that Jamil Ahmad paints of this way of life shows us a people of fierce loyalty and honour, following customs that date back thousands of years. The women are second class citizens, struggling in a cruel environment. Two images remain with me on finishing this book, one was the women taking advantage of a pause in the strenuous spring migration, to wash the clothes. The other was the trauma caused by the sudden enforcement of borders between countries, introduced by the 'powers-that-be'. Nomads had no certificates of birth or marriage and could not, therefore obtain the documentation required for crossing the borders. The animals, however, needed to move to the plains for the summer for feeding, the rugged Afghani mountains did not provide the necessary food and water. Their men and women needed the animals to survive, there was no comprmise.
This is one of the best, most readable books I've come across about this fading way of life. Highly recommended. (less)
I was surprised to find that the author wrote this book for an adult audience, and although I realise that the narrative voice was only...moreToo repetitive.
I was surprised to find that the author wrote this book for an adult audience, and although I realise that the narrative voice was only nine years old, I found the simplistic style too much. The repetition of Budo's fears of 'disappearing' became tedious in the extreme and the reference to the 'pooping on the head' incident, frankly, irritating.
Budo is Max's Imaginary Friend. He has been an Imaginary Friend now for five years, an incredibly long time for an Imaginary Friend to survive. This may be due to the fact that Max appears to be autistic and can relate to Budo but not to the other children and adults who surround him. He needs Budo to help him navigate the outside world. Max is a highly intelligent child and as a result, Budo is also intelligent. Max has not imagined him needing to sleep, so Budo stays up all night with Max's parents, or visiting within a limited range of Max's house. Other Imaginary Friends exist and Budo can talk with them, but for the most part they are short lived and less developed than Budo. This scene-setting part of the novel was an interesting view into the life of an autistic boy and his life in school. His interactions with his parents, teachers and fellow students were fascinating. Then the novel took on a more thrilleresque nature and became more unbelievable. As another reviewer noted, it felt like a copy from a similar, recently popular book. This, added to my growing annoyance with the repetitions noted in my opening comments, made the book a struggle to complete.
My book group gave it 4 stars, but I was less keen, 3 (3 1/2) stars for me. However, in preparation for the meeting, I read a few interviews with the author and I would be happy to try one of his other books at some time. (less)
In 2006, American journalist, Jennifer Steil was asked to visit Sana'a for three weeks to improve the local English langu...moreEditing a newspaper in Yemen.
In 2006, American journalist, Jennifer Steil was asked to visit Sana'a for three weeks to improve the local English language newspaper. The paper was in serious need of upgrading and her initial three weeks eventually became a year's employment.
Although her presence was initially viewed suspiciously by the male staff, the women accepted her immediately. Dealing with the female staff involved finding ways around their restrictive lifestyles. They came from traditional families and wore the long dress and head covering. They could not travel in a taxi with a male driver and were required to be home before evening. The men, on the other hand, had problems accepting instruction from a woman and no concept of time-keeping. In addition, everyone needed considerable improvements to their use of the English language. Jennifer had to teach all the staff how to begin a piece, how to be impartial and not to write articles promoting the paper's advertisers. She than had the problem of getting eveything laid out and ready to go for a twice-weekly deadline. At first this was acheived by about 3am, but eventually she managed to bring this forward by nearly 5 hours.
Sana'a is a city that I visited for just 24hrs but it is a fascinating, ancient city and I loved Jennifer's descriptions of the place. She lived in a quaint old 'gingerbread' house and although she spent endless hours whipping the paper into shape, she also explored the city, both with colleagues and on her own. During her stay she also visited Soqotra Island and other areas of the Yemen.
One of the fascinating aspects of being female but American was that Jennifer was accepted into both male and female societies. She was able to visit the women and converse with them without the head covering, but she was also received into male-only gatherings as an 'honoury' male.
Although I loved the local flavour, I did find the detailed descriptions of the newspaper's problems and solutions a bit excessive. However, this was a good read and a book that I would recommend for those interested in a feel of Yemen.
It is worth taking a look at the Yemen Observer which can be viewed online. Even after Ms Steil's year of improvements, some amusing articles can be found. It is not hard to imagine the state of the newspaper when she began her task. (less)
This was a rare event - a book club choice that everyone rated at between 4 and 5 stars. I think the only other book to achieve this recentl...moreUnanimous!
This was a rare event - a book club choice that everyone rated at between 4 and 5 stars. I think the only other book to achieve this recently was Hisham Matar's more recent book, Anatomy of a Disappearance. We are definitely fans of his work. Unfortunately he seems to take about 5 years to write each book.
Narrated by 9 year-old Suleiman, this novel perfectly describes a young boy's confusion when surrounded by oppression and its spin-offs, while not really understanding what he is seeing. He protects his mother, yet expresses cruelty to other boys and the local tramp - those he is able to bully. The novel is set in 1979 when Qaddafi was all-powerful, and his word was law. Suspicion fell upon those thought to be against the regime and punishment was brutal. When the finger is pointed at a neighbour and close friend of Suleiman's father, the tension is palpable.
There were some distinct similarities between Matar's two books, particularly the depressed mother and the telling of the narrative from a young boy's point of view. Also the exile into Cairo. (We know that Matar's family was originally Libyan and left to settle in Cairo, which then begs the question as to his mother's state of health?)
Sadly we may have to wait a while for another book by Hisham Matar, but when it hits the shelves, we'll be there!(less)
Our book group chose this as the author lives in Dubai and is attending the up-coming Literary Festival. We had hoped for an i...moreCould be any major city.
Our book group chose this as the author lives in Dubai and is attending the up-coming Literary Festival. We had hoped for an interesting read with a lot of local flavour and, according to the cover, plenty of humour. All ten of us were disappointed for varying reasons, suffice to say, my 3 star rating was the most generous of the group.
From past experience, financial advisors are a slippery crowd, we have yet to find one that actually makes more money for us than himself - even in the good times. I couldn't believe that I found myself reading about one such person, one that was so full of himself and his successes. I tried to feel sympathy for him as he hit the financial crisis with a crunch, but it was hard.
The book felt very autobiographical, although the author is a banker, not a financial advisor. There were a few good characterisations - particularly Jack's friend Kitch and his boss, Peggy, but there was also a cast of thousands, mostly with Indian names and scattered details about their backgrounds, who started to blurr into each other.
Dubai was mentioned in passing but there was none of the atmosphere of the place, it could have happened in any major city.
The general feeling was that aspects of this book, particularly the humour, might be better suited to an Indian audience. Apparently there is to be a sequel, I rather think the author would prefer I didn't read it..... (less)
This book was chosen by our book group because the author will be attending the Emirates International Festival of Literature in M...moreGreat local flavour.
This book was chosen by our book group because the author will be attending the Emirates International Festival of Literature in March. We were interested in it because it is set in Jordan and covers aspects of Palestinian/Israeli issues, particularly the potential shortage of water in the area.
Paul Stokes arrives in Jordan to take up a new job - publishing a magazine for a recently formed Jordanian Ministry. He is helped to find his feet by a colleague, Aisha Dajani, a stunningly beautiful young woman to whom he is instantly drawn.
I wasn't sure whether to like Paul, he was a bit of a damp fish at times but he was also under a lot of stress. Caught between the Dajani family and the British Consulate representative, Gerald Lynch, he finds himself at the centre of negotiations for control of water resources that had been taken over by Israeli absorbtion of Jordanian land. The Jordanians needed to retrieve some of this water but this brought with it the alarming potential for causing a water war.
Paul becomes very close to Aisha, whose brother Daoud is leading the Jordanian bid. Their family was originally from Palestine and bore both mental and physical scars from their losses since 1948. I enjoyed this view of a fragmented Palestinian family, mostly living away from their home country, but constantly drawn back there to an old olive farm and elderly relatives.
My first Kindle book and a good read. A thrilleresque style with local flavour. Recommended.
When I first saw this book I was put off by the title. It was then chosen as a monthly read for my book group and some memb...moreSlightly irreverent humour.
When I first saw this book I was put off by the title. It was then chosen as a monthly read for my book group and some members have chosen not to read it bcause of the use of God as the name for a rabbit. It was also banned in the UAE when it was first released but has since been passed. There are passages that could be taken badly - for instance, Elly asks her Sunday school teacher if Jesus could have been a 'mistake'. But this also illustrates the slightly irreverent feel of the book's humour - perhaps the title gave fair warning.
The book is quite episodic in style, skipping from one memorable event to the next in the life of Eleanor Maud, a young girl from a loving family, who befriends Jenny Penny. Jenny is from a less conventional family and is quite an eye opener for Elly, but by the same token, Jenny envies Elly her stable family life. I thought the characters were well drawn, Elly, her brother and Jenny Penny, particularly. The first half of the book was definitely stronger than the second, where events became a bit unbeievable and their solutions even more so....
For me, it was an easy, enjoyable read, I will be very interested to see how it is received by my book group. (less)
I read this for a recent book group. I enjoyed it, taking it purely at face value. I then discussed it within our group, several of whom...moreHidden depths.
I read this for a recent book group. I enjoyed it, taking it purely at face value. I then discussed it within our group, several of whom were of Arab origin, and suddenly I discovered whole new levels of the story that made sense to my Arab friends but which had completely passed me by. Yet I didn't detect the more floral language of an Arab writer in the narrative, it didn't have the feel, to me, of a book by an Arab writer.
The story is told by Nuri, just twelve when it begins with his encounter with the enigmatic Mona on a hotel beach in Egypt. Although Nuri has a teenage crush on Mona, it is his father whom she eventually marries. Thus begins a complicated relationship between the three of them, which is dramatically affected by the disappearance of Nuri's father whilst holidaying in Switzerland.
Much of this story is semi-autobiographical; Mr Matar's own father was abducted from the family's Cairo home by Egypt's Mukhabarat, handed over to the Libyan government and imprisoned in Abu Salim prison. He has not been heard from since a letter smuggled out in 1995. Hisham Matar must be well aware of the angst this causes a teenage boy, the terrible lack of closure caused by the unknown.
The characterisations are excellent, particularly that of Nuri. The pace of the novel reflects the feelings of a slightly introverted young boy as he is forced to come to terms with the loss of his father. Also very topical with the events that have unfolded recently in Libya. (less)
This was an excellent book, certainly deserving of its comparison to Three Cups of Tea (Greg Mortenson). From the start I liked...moreShocking but beautiful.
This was an excellent book, certainly deserving of its comparison to Three Cups of Tea (Greg Mortenson). From the start I liked the author and his self depreciating explantion for his visit to Nepal - a bit of volunteering would make the whole exercise of world travel, seem more valid. Little did he know what a profound effect the children would have on him. He's a typical American lad when he arrives at the Little Princes Orphanage in Nepal, he has had no previous contact with children and is baffled by the behaviour of the eighteen youngsters who launch themselves at him as he steps through the gate. In spite of their tough lives, these children are adorable and Connor settles down to the routine that is to be his life for the next 3 months.
Most volunteers do their 3 month stint and then leave, but the children get under his skin and he decides to pay them another visit before returning to America. It was around this time that he discovered that the children were not really orphans but victims of child trafficking, the majority of them having living parents. And what was his response? He threw himself whole-heartedly into a search for their parents in the rugged terains of Nepal.
I couldn't put this book down, it was a fantastic read, all the better for being true. It is our book group choice for next week and I am really looking forward to sharing it. A book that everyone should read. (less)
As China opens its doors to the West, it becomes more important that we have some knowledge of the country, its...moreThe tragedy of abandoned Chinese girls.
As China opens its doors to the West, it becomes more important that we have some knowledge of the country, its people and its history. Xinran's highly approachable books are an excellent introduction to the way the Chinese think and feel, frequently very differently to the way we do in the West. Thier ingrained traditions, desperate poverty and single-child-policy, have all played a part in the tragic death of many thousands of baby girls over the years and it is important that we understand the reasons for this awful situation before we judge.
Over the years Xinran has interviewed hundreds of mothers and the ten tragic stories in this book represent the core of their experiences. Often hard to read but written in an easily accessible style, Xinran leads us through the reasons for the decisions these poor mothers were forced to take. She is particularly focused on the Chinese girls who have been adopted over recent years, she really wants them to understand that they were not abandoned lightly, that each one of them was loved by their mothers and that putting their daughters up for adoption was frequently the only way to save them.
We read this for a book group discussion, which gained its own momentum and flushed out many of the ideals and reasons for this huge tragedy.
There are several appendicies, which I didn't think added much to the book, hence the 4 stars.
I also went on the internet to research The Mothers' Bridge of Love charity, formed to help adopted Chinese girls and their adopted parents understand their situations and possibly make connection with the lost mothers, but it seemed to have been discontinued in 2010 and I couldn't find anything more recent. (less)
Well, in spite of the fact that I found this novel a bit slow, a bit uninspiring, it certainly produced a fascinating discus...moreBrilliant book discussion!
Well, in spite of the fact that I found this novel a bit slow, a bit uninspiring, it certainly produced a fascinating discussion from our book group. We are a group of very varied backgrounds and cultures and everyone seemed to get something different from the book. There we several 'Oh yes!' moments for me, where I realised that I had missed the implications of something and then the penny dropped.
The central character is Gogol, a child of Bengali parents, born and brought up in America, but always torn between the two cultures. We meet his parents, Ashoke and Ashima Ganguli as they are joined in an arranged marriage and travel to America where Ashoke is studying. Ashoke has his studies but Ashima is lost in a strange city until she bears a son, Gogal, and her life changes completely. As the family begins to put down roots in their new country, they also start to meet other Bengali families and their whole existence revolves around these friends from home - a substitute family. No wonder then, that as Gogol grows, his immersion in American life produces a conflict with his life with his parents. When he leaves home to study he still returns regularly, but as he begins to date American women, the culture gap widens and he seems to fall onto the American side. Unfortunately he's not a very strong character and he allows himself to be blown about by the people he meets, rather than asserting his own identity. The book covers his first thirty years and leaves itself open to a possible sequel??
From what I've read about the author, the experiences of Gogol very much mirror her own - the child of immigrant parents, born in London but brought up in US. She understands the struggle that children of immigrant families have in establishing their identity. The themes were very similar to her book of short stories, Unaccustomed Earth, but The Namesake had the additional element of the issue of the name Gogol, which should have been just a family, or nick-name, but became an embarassment to Gogol as he grew. The change of his name by deed-pole to Nikhil, just as he leaves home to join university and assume a new identity was very poinant - and representative of the change many youngsters undergo at this age, irrespective of their origins.
I am so glad that I was able to discuss this book, it brought out so much more from the novel. Highly recommended as a book group read, less enthusiastically for personal consumption. (less)
This book was beautifully written, concise and to the point. Although aimed at a Young Adult audience, I felt it could easily cro...morePoignant and precise.
This book was beautifully written, concise and to the point. Although aimed at a Young Adult audience, I felt it could easily cross over into adult reading - even to the extent that many of our more verbose authors might learn to get to the heart of things in far fewer pages. You would never suspect that this is a translation and the references to areas of Paris often took me by surprise.
Lou Bertingac is only 13, in a class of 15 year olds. She has an IQ of 160 but lacks many social skills and does not mix with her fellow students. Only Lucas, himself two years old for the class, pays her any attention. So it is not surprising that she is completely freaked out at the prospect of giving a presentation in front of the class. Interestingly, she choses the subject of homeless women for her presentation. To this end she befriends No (Nolwenn), an eighteen year old homeless girl who roams the streets of Paris. No is slow to trust Lou, but eventually we learn the background to No's homelessness and see something of the day to day hardship she endures. Lou's own home life is far from perfect but she wants to bring No to live with her, in warmth and comfort, which produces many problems in itself. No and Me is written in an appealingly naiive style and we feel for Lou as she struggles with seemingly easy things like tying her own shoe laces, while, at the same time, she feels compelled to analyse the content of her family's daily meals.
Although this is a short, concise read, we are introduced to many fascinating concepts, particularly the effects of bereavement on Lou's family and her desire to give a home to a homeless person. Also the question of education for children of high IQs; would Lou have been happier in a class of thirteen year olds? This was a book group read and I am looking forward to a fascinating discussion on the issues raised. (less)
I really enjoyed this novel, set in Sudan and Egypt in the 1950s. It covers a lot of ground, but the story at the centre is the true...moreWell worth reading.
I really enjoyed this novel, set in Sudan and Egypt in the 1950s. It covers a lot of ground, but the story at the centre is the true relationship between Sudan's famous poet and songwriter, Hassan Awad Aboulela and his childhood sweetheart, represented as Nur and Soraya in the novel. They were cousins, betrothed from a young age, until a serious accident changed everything. Hassan Awad Aboulela was Leila Aboulela's uncle and although he died before she was born, he remained quite a family tradition. The remaining characters are fictional, two very different wives for Nur's father - traditional, Waheeba from Sudan and fashionable Nabilah from Egypt. There is a lot of animosity between these two women, which comes to a head through Nabilah's daughter. On the male side of the family is the patriach, Mahmoud, a forceful businessman, and his other son, Nassir, and Mahmoud's brother and business partner, Idris. There is also an interesting character, Ustaz Badr, a devout Muslim, who becomes Nur's tutor and advisor, plus Ustaz Badr's troublesome brother. With this cast of thousands, I found the family tree at the beginning was a great help.
There is an interesting diversion into the opinions on women being allowed to wear spectacles, which was hugely frowned on by some members of such circles and all of these events are woven into the politics of a Sudan ruled by both Egypt and Britain, as it starts to exert its independance. This was a book group read and made for an interesting evening's discussion. (less)
My main problem with this book is not the book itself but the excess of information we are given on the...moreRural life in Ireland vs high life in New York.
My main problem with this book is not the book itself but the excess of information we are given on the back cover. I would have preferred to have been left wondering what decision Ellie would make - whether to embrace her newfound life in New York or return to her childhood sweetheart and the hardships of her native Ireland. If you feel the same way then read no further and don't read the back of the book!
Unfortunately, we knew from the start that Ellie is drawn back to "the power of home and blood and old love", and for me, that was the wrong decision - I wanted her to stay in New York. Perhaps I am influenced by my own past - having left UK for a new life in Dubai I could relate to the excitement of New York and was frustrated by John's refusal to give it a go and at least make an informed decision. Of course, the money she'd made in US did help alleviate many of the hardships they had suffered in the early days, so she wasn't entierly returning to the old life.
The characterisations were good but sometimes a little shallow; Ellie's mother, in particular, frustrated me. Having said that, the descriptions of the hardships of Ireland, contrasted to the bright life of NY, were excellent - and perhaps contributed to my feeling that she should have stayed. The book is worth the read for these images alone. I was also fascinated by the lack of class distinction in 20's New York, the fact that an intelligent, hard working young girl could raise herself from servitiude to wealthy, independent living with such apparent ease - and I think it will be that image that stays with me from this book. (less)
We read this book for a book group and although I would normally avoid short stories for such discussio...moreFive harrowing stories about Africa's children.
We read this book for a book group and although I would normally avoid short stories for such discussions, these were sufficiently similarly themed to make for an enlightening evening. The universal subject of horrors witnessed or experienced by Africa's children was a harrowing topic, however, and some readers did not manage to complete all the stories.
Personally, I thought some were better than others and had a big problem with the language in 'Fattening for Gabon'. It didn't seem to me that it was necessary to make the speach so inaccessible, we would have achieved the same, if not better, understanding with more comprehensible language. The other story that caused me to drop a point in the star rating was 'Luxurious Hearses'; it was just too slow and drawn out. Having said that, generally the author was spot-on in tugging at our heart strings and it was certainly a collection that will stay with me for many months. It is a wonder that children can ever recover from such horrors and it is a poor refection on us as adults that they should ever have to.
Another book that I read recently on a similar theme was The Go-Away Bird by Warren Fitzgerald, set in Rwanda, also recommended reading. (less)
As I was reading this, the book that kept popping up in my mind was Bridget Jones's Diary, with Emma Morley and Dexter Mayhew in place of Brid...moreGuy-Lit.
As I was reading this, the book that kept popping up in my mind was Bridget Jones's Diary, with Emma Morley and Dexter Mayhew in place of Bridget Jones and Daniel Cleaver. I did enjoy it - hence the 4 stars, but it wasn't the earth shattering, laugh-out-loud commedy that the cover and the hype had led me to believe.
Emma and Dexter couldn't be more different from one another. They meet up just as they are both graduating from University in Edinburgh and then go their separate ways. They don't seem to be able to get each other out of their systems however, and a complicated friendship builds over the years. The book records their lives for the 20 years following graduation, Dexter as a play-boy TV personality, Emma as an English and Drama teacher who longs to write novels. There are marriages, divorces, successes and failures, but throughout, they are there for each other. Can such a friendship make for a happy marriage? Should Emma and Dexter get together?
Nicholls has some wonderful characterisations, lovable, cringeworthy, arrogant, they're all there. He's equally good at dialogue; it's sharp, witty, a pleasure. So why not 5 stars? Well, although I enjoyed the book, I wasn't desperate to pick it up again each time and the ending was a bit of a disappointment. We read it for a book group and it got an average of 3.5 stars but it didn't really have enough depth for a fulfilling discussion. (less)
This book started out really well. I was totally absorbed in the final hours with Roxanne and her daughter b...moreThe same theme over and over and over.....
This book started out really well. I was totally absorbed in the final hours with Roxanne and her daughter before Anna went off as an evacuee to countryside unknown. The journey was well decribed as was her eventual arrival at Ashton Court as one of over 80 children in the small school set up by Thomas and Elizabeth Ashton.
Anna settlers well into her new life while her mother, bereft now of both her daughter and her husband, who is fighting in Egypt, begins a new life as a 'single' woman. Meanwhile, there are undercurrents in the big house as we realise that the adults are not as happy as they may outwardly seem.
So far, so good. But then things start to repeat. Four relationships are described, all illicit and three of the four across huge age gaps. When we reached the third I was yawning, by the fourth I just wanted to get to the end of the book and read something else. I am truly amazed that this book was short listed for the Orange Prize. In my opinion it needed a serious re-write. The scope was there for an excellent novel but it missed the mark. (less)
With minimum repetition from Three Cups of Tea, this book sets the scene and is off at a gallop. It throbs with...moreEvery bit as good as Three Cups of Tea.
With minimum repetition from Three Cups of Tea, this book sets the scene and is off at a gallop. It throbs with a sense of urgency as Greg and his intrepid team surmount countless obstacles to build schools throughout Pakistan and Afghanistan, particularly schools for girls.
Mike Bryan's writing is brilliant. He has the job of piecing together numerous, apparently disjointed, stories into one coherent narrative and he does it flawlessly. Never does it become stilted or lose its flow; it reads like a novel.
Several reviewers have said that Greg Mortenson should get the Nobel Peace Peize for his work and he would certainly get my vote. Not only does he struggle tirelessly to reach isolated areas with education for women, but he has the sense to realise when his greatest service is to travel round the US presenting his cause and soliciting donations for the ongoing work, even though he would far rather be out in the thick of it.
A truly amazing book about a dedicated man that everyone should read. (less)
The 2 star average rating given for this book is a pretty accurate representation of the response of our book group who felt that the...moreNot recommended.
The 2 star average rating given for this book is a pretty accurate representation of the response of our book group who felt that the sexual content was rather too explicit and the story itself was a bit weak. In reward for our efforts to finish the book we weren't even sure whether the protagonist stayed with her husband or left him.
The central character is Jean, a forty-something journalist with a syndicated health column. Her husband of many years is an advertising excutive and together they decide to leave the rat race and move to the tropical island of St Jacques. This was one of the better parts of the book - the island was picturesque and vibrant, although only a handful of local characters appear. When Jean picks up correspondence relating to Giovanna, Mark's 'bit-on-the-side', she starts to question their future together and all his actions are analysed in relation to this new discovery. However, rather than confront him with it, she impersonates him and corresponds with Giovana by e mail. Needless to say things get out of hand, ultimately threatening their future together.
I found Jean to be rather a sorry character, absorbed in herself and rather selfish. I was frustrated by her reasoning for not confronting Mark "because the moment had passed". There are thousands of better books out there - I'd give this one a miss. (less)
I bought this book at a recent literary festival attended by D.J.Taylor and his wife Rachel Hore. She was giving a creative writing wor...moreA tedious read.
I bought this book at a recent literary festival attended by D.J.Taylor and his wife Rachel Hore. She was giving a creative writing workshop and as his name never appeared under Speakers I can only assume that he was also involved with the writing class. And this was the feel the book had for me - more of a writing exercise than a novel I would read for pleasure. I felt he would have been better suited to writing short stories as there were spurts of interest along the way, but added together this novel became hard work. It took me nearly 2 weeks to read and I only finished because I had to lead the discussion at our reading group.
The central character is Alice, a teenage orphan from Kansas City, travelling to live with relatives in Bellevue. When the train breaks down en route she agrees to accompany Drouett, a salesman she had been talking to on the train, for dinner at a nearby hotel. She never re-boards the train. This sounds like a potential opening for an exciting story, but no, it is just one of many unexplained episodes in this novel. Eventually she makes her way to England by boat but we are never told why or how. In a parallel story, that skips back and forth in time in relation to Alice's movements, we meet Ralph, also seemingly orphaned, who lives in a large mansion with servants and an elderly lady. When the lady dies he ends up with "Uncle", the brother of one of the servants, who strangely takes on the role of father to a boy he has never previously met. I'd already had enough and I was only 1/3 through the book.
Some interesting character descriptions but I lost interest in their motives well before the end, which was also an anticlimax. Witin our book group five of us had finished this and the score out of 5 was unanimously 2 to 3. (less)
An excellent introduction to the Palestinian / Israeli conflict.
I had previously read a couple of books set in Palestine, dealing with the effect of t...moreAn excellent introduction to the Palestinian / Israeli conflict.
I had previously read a couple of books set in Palestine, dealing with the effect of the invasion of Israel into Palestinian lands. Both left me with several questions. I was really impressed with Mornings in Jenin because it filled in the gaps in my knowledge with such ease, whilst providing an excellent narrative and a rewarding read.
The fact that the author was born in a refugee camp gives her a hands-on view of events from the Palestinian point of view. Whilst I recognise that this will, necessarily, be a biased view, there are books available written from the other side of the fence that also describe the Israeli experience. It must be almost impossible to write a book on this subject that will be impartial.
The family in the novel are from El-Hod, originally in Palestine; they are displaced from their olive farm in 1948. The story is narrated by Amal, the young daughter of the Abulheja family, and continues over 4 generations of the same family. The strong hope for the future, in spite of the hardships, is evident, as well as the effects on youngsters, of life lived entierly in times of war.
Whilst not an easy read, I hope this will become a popular book, spreading the plight of the Palestinians in the West where the Israelis are generally thought to be the 'good-guys'. (less)
I recently heard Imran Ahmad speak at a literary festival and I have to say he was a riveting speaker. He kept a large...moreA lively book group discussion.
I recently heard Imran Ahmad speak at a literary festival and I have to say he was a riveting speaker. He kept a large audience highly entertained for an hour with the ease of a natural. As a result of this excellent one-man-show I recommended we try his book at our monthly reading group. Unfortunately it was not received with the enthusiasm of other Amazon reviewers and my star rating above reflects the average view of the 9 people who discussed the book, two of whom only gave 1 star.
The style was a bit difficult to crack at first, described by one lady as 'wooden'. Personally, this didn't bother me after the first few chapters but I would have liked to have seen a development of the style as the author grew and matured. We also wondered why there was so little reference to the other members of his family, especially his brothers. I found myself wondering how they were coping with life in a state school, how did their experience compare with that of their older brother? One of our members was particularly incensed by some of his comments about Islam. She has said she will communicate with him directly and I do not intend to air her views here.
It is basically a coming-of-age diary, with many of the experiences that any normal growing boy would have, compounded by the feeling of being an outsider due to race and religion. There were some interesting themes running through the book, particularly cars and their accompanying status, and the problem of meeting women. Neither of these are unique to immigrant families. The ongoing conflict in the author's mind between Islam and Christianity are what makes this book unusual. This is tackled openly and in response to the views of others around him at the time, but does not become overpowering.
I have to say, on the positive side, that this book provided us with one of our livlier discussions, with very little recourse to the questions in the back of some of our copies. And we want to know if the author ever did have any success with the female sex?? (less)
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