Katheryn Thompson's Blog, page 19
November 7, 2016
Books to read this autumn
"Autumn, the year's last, loveliest smile." ~ William Cullen Bryant
The classic shelf:
1. Dracula (Bram Stoker, 1897)
"I sometimes think we must be all mad and that we shall wake to sanity in strait-waistcoats."
2. Jane Eyre (Charlotte Brontë, 1847)
"I am no bird; and no net ensnares me: I am a free human being with an independent will."
3. The Picture of Dorian Gray (Oscar Wilde, 1890)
"You will always be fond of me. I represent to you all the sins you never had the courage to commit."
4. Rebecca (Daphne du Maurier, 1938)
"Last night I dreamt I went to Manderley again..."
The cozy shelf:
1. The Best Of Sherlock Holmes (Arthur Conan Doyle, 1887-1927)
"My name is Sherlock Holmes. It is my business to know what other people do not know."
2. The Body in the Library (Agatha Christie, 1942)
"What I feel is that if one has got to have a murder actually happening in one's house, one might as well enjoy it, if you know what I mean."
3. Grimm's Complete Fairy Tales (Wilhelm Grimm and Jacob Grimm, 1812)
"Mirror, mirror, here I stand. Who is the fairest in the land?"
4. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (J.K. Rowling, 2000)
"If you want to know what a man's like, take a good look at how he treats his inferiors, not his equals."
The alternative shelf:
1. Amsterdam (Ian McEwan, 1998)
"We know so little about each other. We lie mostly submerged, like ice floes, with our visible social selves projecting only cool and white."
2. Gentlemen and Players (Joanne Harris, 2005)
"I like autumn. The drama of it; the golden lion roaring through the back door of the year, shaking its mane of leaves. A dangerous time; of violent rages and deceptive calm, of fireworks in the pockets and conkers in the fist."
3. The Last Days of Night (Graham Moore, 2016)
"It seems likely that ours will be the last generation to ever gaze, wide-eyed, at something truly novel. That our kind will be the last to ever stare in disbelief at a man-made thing that could not possibly exist. We made wonders, boys. I only wonder how many of them are left to make."
4. The Small Hand: A Ghost Story (Susan Hill, 2010)
"Gradually, it would sink in on itself and then into the earth. How old was this house? A hundred years? In another hundred there would be nothing left of it."
My to-read shelf:
1. The God of Small Things (Arundhati Roy, 1998)
"This was the trouble with families. Like invidious doctors, they knew just where it hurt."
2. I Let You Go (Clare Mackintosh, 2014)
"I want to fix an image of him in my head, but all I can see when I close my eyes is his body, still and lifeless in my arms. I let him go, and I will never forgive myself for that."
3. A Medal for Murder (Frances Brody, 2010)
"Jim Sykes, my assistant, is an ex-policeman who endearingly believes he does not look at all like an ex-policeman."
4. Perfume: The Story of a Murderer (Patrick Süskind, 1985)
"Odors have a power of persuasion stronger than that of words, appearances, emotions, or will. The persuasive power of an odor cannot be fended off, it enters into us like breath into our lungs, it fills us up, imbues us totally. There is no remedy for it."
The classic shelf:
1. Dracula (Bram Stoker, 1897)
"I sometimes think we must be all mad and that we shall wake to sanity in strait-waistcoats."
2. Jane Eyre (Charlotte Brontë, 1847)
"I am no bird; and no net ensnares me: I am a free human being with an independent will."
3. The Picture of Dorian Gray (Oscar Wilde, 1890)
"You will always be fond of me. I represent to you all the sins you never had the courage to commit."
4. Rebecca (Daphne du Maurier, 1938)
"Last night I dreamt I went to Manderley again..."
The cozy shelf:
1. The Best Of Sherlock Holmes (Arthur Conan Doyle, 1887-1927)
"My name is Sherlock Holmes. It is my business to know what other people do not know."
2. The Body in the Library (Agatha Christie, 1942)
"What I feel is that if one has got to have a murder actually happening in one's house, one might as well enjoy it, if you know what I mean."
3. Grimm's Complete Fairy Tales (Wilhelm Grimm and Jacob Grimm, 1812)
"Mirror, mirror, here I stand. Who is the fairest in the land?"
4. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (J.K. Rowling, 2000)
"If you want to know what a man's like, take a good look at how he treats his inferiors, not his equals."
The alternative shelf:
1. Amsterdam (Ian McEwan, 1998)
"We know so little about each other. We lie mostly submerged, like ice floes, with our visible social selves projecting only cool and white."
2. Gentlemen and Players (Joanne Harris, 2005)
"I like autumn. The drama of it; the golden lion roaring through the back door of the year, shaking its mane of leaves. A dangerous time; of violent rages and deceptive calm, of fireworks in the pockets and conkers in the fist."
3. The Last Days of Night (Graham Moore, 2016)
"It seems likely that ours will be the last generation to ever gaze, wide-eyed, at something truly novel. That our kind will be the last to ever stare in disbelief at a man-made thing that could not possibly exist. We made wonders, boys. I only wonder how many of them are left to make."
4. The Small Hand: A Ghost Story (Susan Hill, 2010)
"Gradually, it would sink in on itself and then into the earth. How old was this house? A hundred years? In another hundred there would be nothing left of it."
My to-read shelf:
1. The God of Small Things (Arundhati Roy, 1998)
"This was the trouble with families. Like invidious doctors, they knew just where it hurt."
2. I Let You Go (Clare Mackintosh, 2014)
"I want to fix an image of him in my head, but all I can see when I close my eyes is his body, still and lifeless in my arms. I let him go, and I will never forgive myself for that."
3. A Medal for Murder (Frances Brody, 2010)
"Jim Sykes, my assistant, is an ex-policeman who endearingly believes he does not look at all like an ex-policeman."
4. Perfume: The Story of a Murderer (Patrick Süskind, 1985)
"Odors have a power of persuasion stronger than that of words, appearances, emotions, or will. The persuasive power of an odor cannot be fended off, it enters into us like breath into our lungs, it fills us up, imbues us totally. There is no remedy for it."
October 26, 2016
Should you finish every book you start?
So I've just finished a terrible book called Meat Your Maker (I know, the title should have set off red flashing warning lights). I won it in a Goodreads giveaway and it was by an indie author, so I hated having to give it a bad review (you can read it here: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...), but I really didn't have a choice. I don't mind if a book isn't perfectly crafted, if it has a few errors, or if it's a great book but not just for me, but 'Meat your Maker' did not tick any of these categories. In fact it ticked the box which reads 'The worst book I have ever read' (I'm not even exaggerating); it repeatedly spelt "though" as "tho" and "through" as "thru". Seriously.
The problem is that I never stop reading books before I finish them. And although I seriously considered just giving up on 'Meat your Maker', I couldn't quite bring myself to do it.
Why you should finish every book you start:
1. It might get better. Just because a book has a slow start doesn't mean that you shouldn't give it chance to develop; it might just surprise you.
2. You might miss something. If you stop reading before the end, you might miss something really interesting or important.
3. Because then you will have read it. It might sound like an obvious point to make, but it's another book to cross off your list (or add to your list, depending on what your list is) and if you haven't finished it, you can't really say that you've read it.
4. Otherwise you can't really form any opinions on the book. At least not as a whole. This is especially important if you're reading the book with an aim to write a review.
Why you shouldn't finish every book you start:
1. When you know, you know. If a book's just not working for you then chances are you'll get to a certain point when you just know that it's not working for you. So why read any further?
2. Patience has a limit. There's a difference between giving a book a fair chance, and forcing yourself to finish a book you can't stand.
3. So many books, so little time. There are so many more amazing books you could be reading instead.
4. You should be reading for yourself. You shouldn't care that you can't tell people that you've read a certain book; you should read purely for yourself, and what do you gain from finishing a book you're not enjoying?
(5. This gif is awesome.)
So what do you think? Should you finish every book you start?
The problem is that I never stop reading books before I finish them. And although I seriously considered just giving up on 'Meat your Maker', I couldn't quite bring myself to do it.
Why you should finish every book you start:
1. It might get better. Just because a book has a slow start doesn't mean that you shouldn't give it chance to develop; it might just surprise you.
2. You might miss something. If you stop reading before the end, you might miss something really interesting or important.
3. Because then you will have read it. It might sound like an obvious point to make, but it's another book to cross off your list (or add to your list, depending on what your list is) and if you haven't finished it, you can't really say that you've read it.
4. Otherwise you can't really form any opinions on the book. At least not as a whole. This is especially important if you're reading the book with an aim to write a review.
Why you shouldn't finish every book you start:
1. When you know, you know. If a book's just not working for you then chances are you'll get to a certain point when you just know that it's not working for you. So why read any further?
2. Patience has a limit. There's a difference between giving a book a fair chance, and forcing yourself to finish a book you can't stand.
3. So many books, so little time. There are so many more amazing books you could be reading instead.
4. You should be reading for yourself. You shouldn't care that you can't tell people that you've read a certain book; you should read purely for yourself, and what do you gain from finishing a book you're not enjoying?
(5. This gif is awesome.)
So what do you think? Should you finish every book you start?
October 17, 2016
Dwelling on dreams
"It does not do to dwell on dreams and forget to live." ~ J.K. Rowling
Dreams fascinate me. I often have very unusual dreams, a curious mixture of reality and imagination, and many of my best ideas come to my in my sleep. I'm far from alone in this, with the ideas for The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, Jane Eyre, and Frankenstein all stemming from dreams.
So in celebration of the wonderful weirdness of dreams, here are some of the best dreams from literature:
1.
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, JK Rowling (2007)
In the final book of this magical series, Harry, Hermione, and Ron face the seemingly impossible task of finding and destroying the remaining horcruxes and, ultimately, Voldemort himself.
Rowling uses dreams to great effect throughout the series but this is my favourite, largely because of this quotation:
“Of course it is happening inside your head, Harry, but why on earth should that mean that it is not real?”
2.
Alice in Wonderland, Lewis Carroll (1865)
Alice is sitting with her sister outdoors when she spies a White Rabbit with a pocket watch. Fascinated by the sight, she follows the rabbit down the hole. She falls for a long time, and finds herself in a long hallway full of doors...
The majority of this wonderful creation is in fact Alice's dream, which is why it definitely deserves a mention. There are so many incredible lines in this novel it was difficult to choose just one, but this is one of my favourites:
"Begin at the beginning," the King said, very gravely, "and go on till you come to the end: then stop.”
3.
1984, George Orwell (1949)
Set in the dystopian future of 1984, Winston Smith is a member of the Outer Party. He works in the Records Department in the Ministry of Truth, rewriting and distorting history. To escape Big Brother's tyranny, at least inside his own mind, Winston begins a diary — an act punishable by death.
Winston's acts of rebellion begin in his dreams in this fabulous dystopian classic.
"We shall meet in the place where there is no darkness."
4.
The "In death" series by J.D. Robb
This series, set in a mid 21st-century New York, focus on Lt. Eve Dallas, of the Homicide Department of the NYPSD, and her millionare, ex-criminal husband, Roarke.
Dreams play a significant role in this series, which I must admit to being a huge fan of, helping Eve to confront her dark past and to solve the murders she tackles in the present day.
"She slept, but even there, dreams chased her."
5.
Paradise Lost, John Milton (1667)
Milton's epic poem tells the story of the fall of man, including the origins of Satan.
From one fictional Eve to another, the beautiful and thought-provoking epic Paradise Lost is another book which explores the dreamworld and its links to reality.
"A mind not to be changed by place or time.
The mind is its own place, and in itself
Can make a heav'n of hell, a hell of heav'n."
What are some of your favourite dreams from literature?
Dreams fascinate me. I often have very unusual dreams, a curious mixture of reality and imagination, and many of my best ideas come to my in my sleep. I'm far from alone in this, with the ideas for The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, Jane Eyre, and Frankenstein all stemming from dreams.
So in celebration of the wonderful weirdness of dreams, here are some of the best dreams from literature:
1.
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, JK Rowling (2007)In the final book of this magical series, Harry, Hermione, and Ron face the seemingly impossible task of finding and destroying the remaining horcruxes and, ultimately, Voldemort himself.
Rowling uses dreams to great effect throughout the series but this is my favourite, largely because of this quotation:
“Of course it is happening inside your head, Harry, but why on earth should that mean that it is not real?”
2.
Alice in Wonderland, Lewis Carroll (1865)Alice is sitting with her sister outdoors when she spies a White Rabbit with a pocket watch. Fascinated by the sight, she follows the rabbit down the hole. She falls for a long time, and finds herself in a long hallway full of doors...
The majority of this wonderful creation is in fact Alice's dream, which is why it definitely deserves a mention. There are so many incredible lines in this novel it was difficult to choose just one, but this is one of my favourites:
"Begin at the beginning," the King said, very gravely, "and go on till you come to the end: then stop.”
3.
1984, George Orwell (1949)Set in the dystopian future of 1984, Winston Smith is a member of the Outer Party. He works in the Records Department in the Ministry of Truth, rewriting and distorting history. To escape Big Brother's tyranny, at least inside his own mind, Winston begins a diary — an act punishable by death.
Winston's acts of rebellion begin in his dreams in this fabulous dystopian classic.
"We shall meet in the place where there is no darkness."
4.
The "In death" series by J.D. RobbThis series, set in a mid 21st-century New York, focus on Lt. Eve Dallas, of the Homicide Department of the NYPSD, and her millionare, ex-criminal husband, Roarke.
Dreams play a significant role in this series, which I must admit to being a huge fan of, helping Eve to confront her dark past and to solve the murders she tackles in the present day.
"She slept, but even there, dreams chased her."
5.
Paradise Lost, John Milton (1667)Milton's epic poem tells the story of the fall of man, including the origins of Satan.
From one fictional Eve to another, the beautiful and thought-provoking epic Paradise Lost is another book which explores the dreamworld and its links to reality.
"A mind not to be changed by place or time.
The mind is its own place, and in itself
Can make a heav'n of hell, a hell of heav'n."
What are some of your favourite dreams from literature?
October 10, 2016
Buy, borrow, bypass: D
"These books gave Matilda a hopeful and comforting message: You are not alone.” ~ Roald Dahl
BUY:
Deal Breaker (Harlan Coben, 1995)
This is the first of the crime fiction series featuring professional athlete turned sports agent Myron Bolitar, who often finds himself playing detective when his clients land themselves in trouble, and his best friend Windsor "Win" Horne Lockwood III, who usually ends up riding to Myron's rescue. In 'Deal Breaker, Myron's prized client Christian Steele gets a phone call from a former girlfriend, a woman who everyone, including the police, believes is dead.
The Myron and Win series is one of my favourites. The characters are fantastic, the writing is hilarious, and the plot is clever and fast-paced.
"Something's wrong,' Win said.
'What?'
'Terribly wrong.'
'What are you talking about?'
'Some asshole is calling me at seven in the morning pretending to be my best friend."
BORROW:
Dracula (Bram Stoker, 1897)
Jonathan Harker, a young English lawyer, travels to Castle Dracula in the Eastern European country of Transylvania to conclude a real estate transaction with a nobleman named Count Dracula. As Harker wends his way through the picturesque countryside, the local peasants warn him about his destination, giving him crucifixes and other charms against evil and uttering strange words that Harker later translates into “vampire.”
With vampire-fiction on the rise, it's worth going back to the one which started it all. 'Dracula' definitely lives up to its reputation.
"There are darknesses in life and there are lights, and you are one of the lights, the light of all lights."
BYPASS:
The Da Vinci Code (Dan Brown, 2003)
Harvard symbologist Robert Langdon is awakened by a phone call in the dead of the night. The elderly curator of the Louvre has been murdered inside the museum, his body covered in baffling symbols. As Langdon and gifted French cryptologist Sophie Neveu sort through the bizarre riddles, they are stunned to discover a trail of clues hidden in the works of Leonardo da Vinci—clues visible for all to see and yet ingeniously disguised by the painter.
While I enjoyed 'The Da Vinci Code', I'm not convinced that it lives up to the hype. Always one to steer away from what everyone else is reading and try something a bit different, I would highly recommend The Final Reckoning and The Righteous Men by Sam Bourne. Although not quite as good, The Bones of Avignon and The First Apostle are also a good alternative in the religious thriller genre.
"Everyone loves a conspiracy."
What would be your recommendations for the letter "D"?
ICYMI: my last blog post on the letter "C": https://www.goodreads.com/author_blog...
BUY:
Deal Breaker (Harlan Coben, 1995)This is the first of the crime fiction series featuring professional athlete turned sports agent Myron Bolitar, who often finds himself playing detective when his clients land themselves in trouble, and his best friend Windsor "Win" Horne Lockwood III, who usually ends up riding to Myron's rescue. In 'Deal Breaker, Myron's prized client Christian Steele gets a phone call from a former girlfriend, a woman who everyone, including the police, believes is dead.
The Myron and Win series is one of my favourites. The characters are fantastic, the writing is hilarious, and the plot is clever and fast-paced.
"Something's wrong,' Win said.
'What?'
'Terribly wrong.'
'What are you talking about?'
'Some asshole is calling me at seven in the morning pretending to be my best friend."
BORROW:
Dracula (Bram Stoker, 1897)Jonathan Harker, a young English lawyer, travels to Castle Dracula in the Eastern European country of Transylvania to conclude a real estate transaction with a nobleman named Count Dracula. As Harker wends his way through the picturesque countryside, the local peasants warn him about his destination, giving him crucifixes and other charms against evil and uttering strange words that Harker later translates into “vampire.”
With vampire-fiction on the rise, it's worth going back to the one which started it all. 'Dracula' definitely lives up to its reputation.
"There are darknesses in life and there are lights, and you are one of the lights, the light of all lights."
BYPASS:
The Da Vinci Code (Dan Brown, 2003)Harvard symbologist Robert Langdon is awakened by a phone call in the dead of the night. The elderly curator of the Louvre has been murdered inside the museum, his body covered in baffling symbols. As Langdon and gifted French cryptologist Sophie Neveu sort through the bizarre riddles, they are stunned to discover a trail of clues hidden in the works of Leonardo da Vinci—clues visible for all to see and yet ingeniously disguised by the painter.
While I enjoyed 'The Da Vinci Code', I'm not convinced that it lives up to the hype. Always one to steer away from what everyone else is reading and try something a bit different, I would highly recommend The Final Reckoning and The Righteous Men by Sam Bourne. Although not quite as good, The Bones of Avignon and The First Apostle are also a good alternative in the religious thriller genre.
"Everyone loves a conspiracy."
What would be your recommendations for the letter "D"?
ICYMI: my last blog post on the letter "C": https://www.goodreads.com/author_blog...
October 3, 2016
September in books
“A great book should leave you with many experiences, and slightly exhausted at the end. You live several lives while reading.” ~ William Styron
One month, nine books, an average of four stars, and only one book of the month.
Surfacing, Margaret Atwood (1972)
In a novella which explores identity, the pressures of society, grief, isolation, and memory, the unnamed protagonist returns to northern Quebec to the remote island of her childhood, with her lover and two friends, to investigate the disappearance of her father.
Four stars: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
An Introduction to Literature, Criticism and Theory, Andrew Bennett and Nicholas Royle (1995)
Fresh, original, and compelling, this book provides a comprehensive guide to studying literature (and it actually made me laugh).
Four stars.
Early Modern English Literature, Jason Scott-Warren (2005)
Taking us back to the courts, theatres and marketplaces of early modern England, this highly readable books reveals the varied ways in which literary texts dovetailed with everyday experience.
Three stars.
Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind, Yuval Noah Harari (2011)
100,000 years ago, at least six human species inhabited the earth. Today there is just one: homo sapiens. How did our species succeed in the battle for dominance? Why did we shape the world to look as it does today? And how will we shape it in the future?
Four stars: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Before I Go to Sleep, SJ Watson (2011)
Suffering from an unusual form of amnesia, ever since an accident seventeen years ago, Christine can retain memories until she goes to sleep. But with no memories to fall back on, Christine wakes up each morning not knowing who to trust or what to believe. And so do we.
Four stars: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Sociolinguistics: An Introduction to Language and Society, Peter Trudgill (1983)
Trudgill examines the close link between language and society and the many factors that influence the way we speak. These range from gender, environment, age, race, class, region and politics.
Two stars.
Shoes for Anthony, Emma Kennedy (2015)
Eleven year-old Anthony lives with his family in a small Welsh mining village, destined to be a miner and dreaming of nothing other than his own pair of shoes. Anthony is barely aware of WWII raging across the world but, when a German plane crashes into their mountain, he discovers what war is really about.
Four stars: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Animal Farm, George Orwell (1945)
One day the animals at Manor Farm rebel, throw out Mr Jones the farmer, and christen their human-free utopia Animal Farm. But then Napolean, a young boar, sees an opportunity to advance his own interests. And he seizes it. Before the other animals realise what has happened, they are living on Manor Farm all over again.
Five stars: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
BOOK OF THE MONTH
Apprentice in Death, JD Robb (2016)
In the 43rd book of the "In Death" series, Lt. Eve Dallas of the NYPSD, returns, along with a colourful array of friends and colleagues, and her billionaire ex-criminal husband Roarke, to track down an "LDSK" (Long Distance Serial Killer) and his apprentice.
Five stars: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
One month, nine books, an average of four stars, and only one book of the month.
Surfacing, Margaret Atwood (1972)In a novella which explores identity, the pressures of society, grief, isolation, and memory, the unnamed protagonist returns to northern Quebec to the remote island of her childhood, with her lover and two friends, to investigate the disappearance of her father.
Four stars: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
An Introduction to Literature, Criticism and Theory, Andrew Bennett and Nicholas Royle (1995)Fresh, original, and compelling, this book provides a comprehensive guide to studying literature (and it actually made me laugh).
Four stars.
Early Modern English Literature, Jason Scott-Warren (2005)Taking us back to the courts, theatres and marketplaces of early modern England, this highly readable books reveals the varied ways in which literary texts dovetailed with everyday experience.
Three stars.
Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind, Yuval Noah Harari (2011)100,000 years ago, at least six human species inhabited the earth. Today there is just one: homo sapiens. How did our species succeed in the battle for dominance? Why did we shape the world to look as it does today? And how will we shape it in the future?
Four stars: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Before I Go to Sleep, SJ Watson (2011)Suffering from an unusual form of amnesia, ever since an accident seventeen years ago, Christine can retain memories until she goes to sleep. But with no memories to fall back on, Christine wakes up each morning not knowing who to trust or what to believe. And so do we.
Four stars: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Sociolinguistics: An Introduction to Language and Society, Peter Trudgill (1983)Trudgill examines the close link between language and society and the many factors that influence the way we speak. These range from gender, environment, age, race, class, region and politics.
Two stars.
Shoes for Anthony, Emma Kennedy (2015)Eleven year-old Anthony lives with his family in a small Welsh mining village, destined to be a miner and dreaming of nothing other than his own pair of shoes. Anthony is barely aware of WWII raging across the world but, when a German plane crashes into their mountain, he discovers what war is really about.
Four stars: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Animal Farm, George Orwell (1945)One day the animals at Manor Farm rebel, throw out Mr Jones the farmer, and christen their human-free utopia Animal Farm. But then Napolean, a young boar, sees an opportunity to advance his own interests. And he seizes it. Before the other animals realise what has happened, they are living on Manor Farm all over again.
Five stars: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
BOOK OF THE MONTH
Apprentice in Death, JD Robb (2016)In the 43rd book of the "In Death" series, Lt. Eve Dallas of the NYPSD, returns, along with a colourful array of friends and colleagues, and her billionaire ex-criminal husband Roarke, to track down an "LDSK" (Long Distance Serial Killer) and his apprentice.
Five stars: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
September 26, 2016
Literary rebels
"I rebel; therefore I exist." ~ Albert Camus
In a recent moment of procrastination, I did a personality quiz to determine which Star Wars character I was, and am extremely proud that the result was Han Solo. Here are some of my favourite rebels from literature:
1.
Edna Pontellier in The Awakening, Kate Chopin (1899)
This novel is set on Grand Isle, a popular summer holiday destination for wealthy Creoles, and the French Quarter of New Orleans. Edna rebels against the social conventions for a wife and mother: from going out on her reception day, to taking a lover.
"I would give up the unessential; I would give up my money, I would give up my life for my children; but I wouldn't give myself."
"At a very early period she had apprehended instinctively the dual life - that outward existence which conforms, the inward life which questions."
2.
Fred and George Weasley in the Harry Potter series, J.K. Rowling (1997 - 2007)
Fred and George, Ron Weasley's older twin brothers, are my favourite characters in the series because of their constant acts of rebellion: from making and selling "Skiving Snackboxes", to joining "Dumbledore's Army".
“Give her hell from us, Peeves.'
And Peeves, whom Harry had never seen take an order from a student before, swept his belled hat from his head and sprang to a salute as Fred and George wheeled about to tumultuous applause from the students below and sped out of the open front doors into the glorious sunset.”
~ Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
3.
Mole in Gentlemen and Players, Joanne Harris (2005)
This psychological thriller is set in an St. Oswald's, an all boys' school. As the new term gets under way, a number of incidents befall students and faculty alike. They are initially overlooked, but as the incidents escalate in both number and consequence, it soon becomes apparent that a darker undercurrent is stirring within the school.
“I like autumn. The drama of it; the golden lion roaring through the back door of the year, shaking its mane of leaves. A dangerous time; of violent rages and deceptive calm, of fireworks in the pockets and conkers in the fist.”
4.
Kissin' Kate Barlow in Holes, Louis Sachar (1998)
Stanley Yelnats has been unjustly sent to a boys’ detention center, Camp Green Lake, where the boys build character by spending all day, every day digging holes exactly five feet wide and five feet deep. There is no lake at Camp Green Lake. But there are an awful lot of holes.
"He pointed his finger at her and said, 'No one ever says ‘No’ to Charles Walker!'
'I believe I just did,' said Katherine Barlow.”
5.
Dorian Gray in The Picture of Dorian Gray, Oscar Wilde (1890)
Enthralled by his own exquisite portrait, Dorian Gray exchanges his soul for eternal youth and beauty. Influenced by his friend Lord Henry Wotton, he is drawn into a corrupt double life, indulging his desires in secret while remaining a gentleman in the eyes of polite society. Only his portrait bears the traces of his decadence.
"You will always be fond of me. I represent to you all the sins you never had the courage to commit."
"The only way to get rid of temptation is to yield to it."
Who would you add to (or remove from) this list?
In a recent moment of procrastination, I did a personality quiz to determine which Star Wars character I was, and am extremely proud that the result was Han Solo. Here are some of my favourite rebels from literature:
1.
Edna Pontellier in The Awakening, Kate Chopin (1899)This novel is set on Grand Isle, a popular summer holiday destination for wealthy Creoles, and the French Quarter of New Orleans. Edna rebels against the social conventions for a wife and mother: from going out on her reception day, to taking a lover.
"I would give up the unessential; I would give up my money, I would give up my life for my children; but I wouldn't give myself."
"At a very early period she had apprehended instinctively the dual life - that outward existence which conforms, the inward life which questions."
2.
Fred and George Weasley in the Harry Potter series, J.K. Rowling (1997 - 2007)Fred and George, Ron Weasley's older twin brothers, are my favourite characters in the series because of their constant acts of rebellion: from making and selling "Skiving Snackboxes", to joining "Dumbledore's Army".
“Give her hell from us, Peeves.'
And Peeves, whom Harry had never seen take an order from a student before, swept his belled hat from his head and sprang to a salute as Fred and George wheeled about to tumultuous applause from the students below and sped out of the open front doors into the glorious sunset.”
~ Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
3.
Mole in Gentlemen and Players, Joanne Harris (2005)This psychological thriller is set in an St. Oswald's, an all boys' school. As the new term gets under way, a number of incidents befall students and faculty alike. They are initially overlooked, but as the incidents escalate in both number and consequence, it soon becomes apparent that a darker undercurrent is stirring within the school.
“I like autumn. The drama of it; the golden lion roaring through the back door of the year, shaking its mane of leaves. A dangerous time; of violent rages and deceptive calm, of fireworks in the pockets and conkers in the fist.”
4.
Kissin' Kate Barlow in Holes, Louis Sachar (1998)Stanley Yelnats has been unjustly sent to a boys’ detention center, Camp Green Lake, where the boys build character by spending all day, every day digging holes exactly five feet wide and five feet deep. There is no lake at Camp Green Lake. But there are an awful lot of holes.
"He pointed his finger at her and said, 'No one ever says ‘No’ to Charles Walker!'
'I believe I just did,' said Katherine Barlow.”
5.
Dorian Gray in The Picture of Dorian Gray, Oscar Wilde (1890)Enthralled by his own exquisite portrait, Dorian Gray exchanges his soul for eternal youth and beauty. Influenced by his friend Lord Henry Wotton, he is drawn into a corrupt double life, indulging his desires in secret while remaining a gentleman in the eyes of polite society. Only his portrait bears the traces of his decadence.
"You will always be fond of me. I represent to you all the sins you never had the courage to commit."
"The only way to get rid of temptation is to yield to it."
Who would you add to (or remove from) this list?
September 19, 2016
The truth
"The truth is rarely pure and never simple." ~ Oscar Wilde
“If you tell the truth, you don't have to remember anything.” ~ Mark Twain
I've recently read Before I Go to Sleep (you can read my review here: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...), and it made me realise how many great books there are about memory loss. Here are some of my favourites:
1.
Before I Go to Sleep (SJ Watson, 2011)
Christine wakes up and surprised to see a man lying next to her, disgusted when she sees his wedding ring, and shocked when she walks into the bathroom and sees her own reflection. Suffering from an unusual form of amnesia, ever since an accident seventeen years ago, Christine can retain memories until she goes to sleep. Every morning when she wakes up, Christine's husband, Ben, introduces himself to her and explains who she is and why she cannot remember anything, as if for the first time. But is his version of events the correct one?
2.
Elizabeth Is Missing (Emma Healey, 2014)
"Elizabeth is missing." Maud keeps finding notes in her pockets with this message scrawled on it, but she can’t remember writing it. That said, she can’t remember much these days: the time of day, whether she’s eaten lunch, if her daughter’s come to visit, how much toast she’s eaten.
3.
The Vanishing Act of Esme Lennox (Maggie O'Farrell, 2006)
In the middle of tending to the everyday business at her vintage-clothing shop and sidestepping her married boyfriend’s attempts at commitment, Iris Lockhart receives a stunning phone call: Her great-aunt Esme, whom she never knew existed, is being released from Cauldstone Hospital—where she has been locked away for more than sixty-one years.
4.
The Lives of Stella Bain (Anita Shreve, 2013)
In a field hospital in northern France in March 1916, an American woman wakes to the smell of gas gangrene, the sounds of men in pain, and an almost complete loss of memory: she only knows that she can drive an ambulance, she can draw, and her name is Stella Bain.
Other books about memory loss currently on my to-read shelf are:
1. The Bourne Identity (Robert Ludlum, 1980)
2. The Housekeeper and the Professor (Yoko Ogawa, 2003)
3. The Last Thing I Remember (Deborah Bee, 2016)
Which books would you add to, or remove from, this list?
“If you tell the truth, you don't have to remember anything.” ~ Mark Twain
I've recently read Before I Go to Sleep (you can read my review here: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...), and it made me realise how many great books there are about memory loss. Here are some of my favourites:
1.
Before I Go to Sleep (SJ Watson, 2011)Christine wakes up and surprised to see a man lying next to her, disgusted when she sees his wedding ring, and shocked when she walks into the bathroom and sees her own reflection. Suffering from an unusual form of amnesia, ever since an accident seventeen years ago, Christine can retain memories until she goes to sleep. Every morning when she wakes up, Christine's husband, Ben, introduces himself to her and explains who she is and why she cannot remember anything, as if for the first time. But is his version of events the correct one?
2.
Elizabeth Is Missing (Emma Healey, 2014)"Elizabeth is missing." Maud keeps finding notes in her pockets with this message scrawled on it, but she can’t remember writing it. That said, she can’t remember much these days: the time of day, whether she’s eaten lunch, if her daughter’s come to visit, how much toast she’s eaten.
3.
The Vanishing Act of Esme Lennox (Maggie O'Farrell, 2006)In the middle of tending to the everyday business at her vintage-clothing shop and sidestepping her married boyfriend’s attempts at commitment, Iris Lockhart receives a stunning phone call: Her great-aunt Esme, whom she never knew existed, is being released from Cauldstone Hospital—where she has been locked away for more than sixty-one years.
4.
The Lives of Stella Bain (Anita Shreve, 2013)In a field hospital in northern France in March 1916, an American woman wakes to the smell of gas gangrene, the sounds of men in pain, and an almost complete loss of memory: she only knows that she can drive an ambulance, she can draw, and her name is Stella Bain.
Other books about memory loss currently on my to-read shelf are:
1. The Bourne Identity (Robert Ludlum, 1980)
2. The Housekeeper and the Professor (Yoko Ogawa, 2003)
3. The Last Thing I Remember (Deborah Bee, 2016)
Which books would you add to, or remove from, this list?
September 12, 2016
An Ode to the Library
"I have always imagined Paradise as a kind of library." ~ Jorge Luis Borges
I seem to spend the large majority of my time in libraries, so in celebration of these wonderful havens, here are 10 interesting facts about libraries:
1.
Jacob Grimm, Philip Larkin, Casanova, David Hume, Jorge Luis Borges, and Lewis Carroll all worked as librarians.
2.
James Patterson is the most borrowed author from libraries; unsurprising given that he released 15 books in 2014 alone.*
3.
The world's largest paid fine for an overdue library book is $345.14 (£203.29). It was for the poetry book Days and Deeds checked out of Kewanee Public Library, Illinois, USA in April 1955, and returned 47 years later.**
4.
Roald Dahl is the most borrowed classic author, followed by Enid Blyton, and Agatha Christie.*
5. The highest library is on the 60th floor of the JW Marriott Hotel at Tomorrow Square in Shanghai, China. It is 230.9 m (757 ft 6 in) high.**
6.
The top two most borrowed books in 2014/15 were both by Lee Child: Personal at number one, and Never Go Back at number two.*
7. The record for the largest collection of privately owned books goes to John Q. Benham of Avoca, Indiana, USA. He has over 1.5 million books.**
8.
In the travel and holiday genre, the most borrowed book for 2014/15 was Lonely Planet Italy, but it only came top in London. The most borrowed in this category in Scotland was Edinburgh for Under Fives; in Wales it was Insufficiently Welsh; and in Yorkshire North York Moors & Yorkshire Wolds.*
9.
The most stolen book from libraries is reportedly the Guinness Book of Records.
10.
Despite dying in 1998, Catherine Cookson remains the UK's most borrowed author over the past 20 years: her books have been borrowed over 32 million times between 1995 and 2015. Jacqueline Wilson is the most borrowed children's author over this period.*
Although not strictly about libraries, an honourary mention goes to the winner of a 2010 survey of books left behind in Travelodges in Britain: Simon Cowell: The Unauthorized Biography.**
Let me know any interesting facts I missed!
*UK library borrowing statistics from the 2014-15 survey conducted by Public Lending Right.
**Facts and figures from the Guiness Book of World Record's website.
I seem to spend the large majority of my time in libraries, so in celebration of these wonderful havens, here are 10 interesting facts about libraries:
1.
Jacob Grimm, Philip Larkin, Casanova, David Hume, Jorge Luis Borges, and Lewis Carroll all worked as librarians.2.
James Patterson is the most borrowed author from libraries; unsurprising given that he released 15 books in 2014 alone.*3.
The world's largest paid fine for an overdue library book is $345.14 (£203.29). It was for the poetry book Days and Deeds checked out of Kewanee Public Library, Illinois, USA in April 1955, and returned 47 years later.**4.
Roald Dahl is the most borrowed classic author, followed by Enid Blyton, and Agatha Christie.*5. The highest library is on the 60th floor of the JW Marriott Hotel at Tomorrow Square in Shanghai, China. It is 230.9 m (757 ft 6 in) high.**
6.
The top two most borrowed books in 2014/15 were both by Lee Child: Personal at number one, and Never Go Back at number two.*7. The record for the largest collection of privately owned books goes to John Q. Benham of Avoca, Indiana, USA. He has over 1.5 million books.**
8.
In the travel and holiday genre, the most borrowed book for 2014/15 was Lonely Planet Italy, but it only came top in London. The most borrowed in this category in Scotland was Edinburgh for Under Fives; in Wales it was Insufficiently Welsh; and in Yorkshire North York Moors & Yorkshire Wolds.*9.
The most stolen book from libraries is reportedly the Guinness Book of Records.10.
Despite dying in 1998, Catherine Cookson remains the UK's most borrowed author over the past 20 years: her books have been borrowed over 32 million times between 1995 and 2015. Jacqueline Wilson is the most borrowed children's author over this period.*Although not strictly about libraries, an honourary mention goes to the winner of a 2010 survey of books left behind in Travelodges in Britain: Simon Cowell: The Unauthorized Biography.**
Let me know any interesting facts I missed!
*UK library borrowing statistics from the 2014-15 survey conducted by Public Lending Right.
**Facts and figures from the Guiness Book of World Record's website.
September 1, 2016
August in books
Devoted in Death (J.D. Robb, 2015)Lt. Eve Dallas comes crashing back to reality when her first day back from holiday finds her standing in a freezing cold alley, over the tortured and murdered body of a much-loved musician. Carefully etched into his body are the letters 'D' and 'E' inside a heart. She soon realises that his murder is part of something much bigger and much worse, and the race is on to find and stop the star-crossed lovers and their sadistic games before their body count gets much higher.
Five stars. My review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Brotherhood in Death (J.D. Robb, February 2016)Lt. Eve Dallas is pleasantly surprised to find herself heading home early and without an ongoing case. And then she is intercepted by the department's top profiler, and her close friend, Dr. Charlotte Mira. Mira's husband, Dennis, found his cousin, Senator Edward Mira, badly beaten in their late grandfather's house. The next thing Dennis remembers is waking up on the floor, with a bump on his head and Edward gone, along with any evidence he was ever there. Eve's latest case leads her to a secret brotherhood, as its other members follow Edward's fate.
Five stars. My review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
The Countenance Divine (Michael Hughes, August 2016)In 1999, a computer programmer, Chris, is trying to fix the Millennium Bug while also trying to figure out himself and his colleague Lucy, who is working on a mysterious art project. In 1888, Jack the Ripper stalks the back alleys of London, following the instructions of his master. In 1777, William Blake, poet and engraver, has a spiritual vision, and believes that he can resurrect Milton. In 1666, John Milton finishes reciting his epic, by which he will be remembered forever, but the air is thick with Popish plots and Restoration fears, not to mention the smoke from the Great Fire of London.
Five stars. My review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Tell My Dad (Ram Muthiah, June 2016)FBI agent Joshua Theaker is tasked with finding a murderer. This murderer has a specific pattern: he kills paedophiles shortly after they have abducted a child, unties the child and makes sure that they are safe, then calls 911 and leaves, but not before writing the message "Stay away".
Four stars. My review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
The Last Days of Night (Graham Moore, September 2016)May 11th 1888 is a tasking day for 26 year-old lawyer, fresh out of law school, Paul Cravath. First he witnesses a man burn alive in the sky above Broadway, a workman trying to untangle the new electrical wires from the old telegraph wires, then he receives a telegram from Thomas Edison. Edison has won the race to the patent office for the lightbulb, and is now suing his only remaining rival, George Westinghouse, Paul's first and only client, for one billion dollars. It only takes that first meeting with Edison for Paul to realise that he is out of his depth. However, there is one thing which Paul shares with Edison: a compulsion to win at all costs.
Five stars. BOOK OF THE MONTH. My review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Metamorphoses Ovid translated by Arthur Golding, 1567)Metamorphoses (from Greek μετά meta and μορφή morphē, meaning "changes of shape"), is a Latin narrative poem in fifteen books describing the history of the world from its creation to the deification of Julius Caesar within a loose mythico-historical framework. It was described by Ezra Pound as "The most beautiful book in the English language."
Five stars.
An Unsafe Haven (Nada Awar Jarrar, August 2016)Set in contemporary Beirut, An Unsafe Haven focuses on a small group of friends. Hannah, a journalist, grew up in Beirut, where she now lives with her husband Peter, an American doctor whose marriage to Hannah, as a woman, hasn't given him citizenship and therefore he is unable to practice medicine. Maysoun works for Red Cross and moved to Beirut from Baghdad, where her mother still lives, to escape the conflict. Anas, his German wife Brigitte, and their two children live in Damascus, but Anas is visiting Beirut for the opening of his new exhibition. They live closer to the conflict than the rest of the characters, and Brigitte has accused Anas of being willing to endanger the lives of their children, in order to maintain the illusion of Syria as home.
Four stars. My review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
The English Language: A Guided Tour of the Language (David Crystal, 1988)The definitive survey of English in all its global variations. Despite the astonishingly widespread use of English, each speaker makes it his own. Whenever we write or speak we give away a great deal about ourselves by our choices in pronunciation, dialect, vocabulary and grammar. This fascinating book explores the way the language has developed, and examines the factors that unify it and the variations that divide it both nationwide and worldwide.
Four stars.
Doctor Faustus (Christopher Marlowe, 1592)The tale of a learned German doctor who sells his soul to the devil in exchange for knowledge and power. There are florid visions of an enraged Lucifer, duelling angels, the Seven Deadly Sins, Faustus tormenting the Pope, and his summoning of the spirit of Alexander the Great. But Marlowe created equally powerful scenes that invest the work with tragic dignity, among them the doomed man's calling upon Christ to save him and his ultimate rejection of salvation for the embrace of Helen of Troy.
Four stars.
Purity (Jonathan Franzen, 2015)Purity switches between the stories of several characters, whose lives overlap so that the more you read the clearer the overall picture becomes. Purity "Pip" Tyler, cynical and untrusting, stuck in a dead-end job and laden with student debt, knows nothing about her parents except that her mother's name, Penelope Tyler, isn't real. Desperate to find out who her father is, Pip accepts a job offer from Andreas Wolf, the charismatic founder of a WikiLeaks-type organisation, The Sunlight Project, who grew up in East Germany with a less-than-normal childhood. But Wolf, ironically, has secrets of his own, which involve a Denver journalist Tom Aberant. Tom, who, after a distastrous marriage, is in a relationship with fellow journalist Leila Helou, who is still married to an ageing novelist.
Four stars. My review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
The Knight of the Burning Pestle: Francis Beaumont (Francis Beaumont, 1607)Three lines into the play, two outspoken audience members hijack the play and demand a new one, also demanding that the actors incorporate their apprentice, Rafe, into the case. What follows is an absolutely hysterical and absurd forced collaboration of the "old, original" play and the "new one" featuring a grocer turned errant knight.
Four stars.
Total Chaos (Jean-Claude Izzo, 1995)Fabio is walking through the streets of Marseilles with his cousin when two fourteen year-old lads pick a fight with him. They are pulled apart by a stranger. Fabio starts a new school in September, and on the first day the same two lads, Ugo and Manu, walk up to him and shake his hand. They become inseperable, until one day Fabio has a change of heart and leaves a life of crime behind to become a cop. Years later he finds himself standing over the body of Ugo, shot dead by police after gunning down the man who killed Manu. Fabio is the last one left.
Three stars. My review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
August 26, 2016
The last word
For me, the final line of a book is the most important. When I write I often use the title as the final line, as Oscar Wilde does so brilliantly in The Importance of Being Earnest (1895): "I’ve finally realised for the first time in my life, the vital Importance of Being Earnest."Here are 10 (more) of the best final lines in literature:
1. The Great Gatsby, F Scott Fitgerald (1925)
"So we beat on, boats against the current, borne back ceaselessly into the past."
2. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, JK Rowling (2007)
"All was well."
3. The Woman in White, Wilkie Collins (1859)
"Marian was the good angel of our lives—let Marian end our Story."
4. The Handmaid's Tale, Margaret Atwood (1985)
"Are there any questions?"
5. And Then There Were None, Agatha Christie (1939)
"And they will find ten dead bodies and an unsolved problem on Indian Island."
6. Frankenstein, Mary Shelley (1818)
"He was soon borne away by the waves and lost in darkness and distance."
7. The Kite Runner, Khaeld Hosseini (2003)
"I ran."
8. Romeo and Juliet, William Shakespeare (c.1595)
"For never was a story of more woe
Than this of Juliet and her Romeo."
9. 1984, George Orwell (1949)
"He loved Big Brother."
10. The Picture of Dorian Gray, Oscar Wilde
"It was not till they had examined the rings that they recognised who it was."
What are your favourite final lines of literature? And how do you like to end your own writing?
