He Wishes for the Cloths of Heaven
Had I the heavens' embroidered cloths,
Enwrought with golden and silver light,
The blue and the dim and the dark cloths
Of night and light and the half-light,
I would spread the cloths under your feet:
But I, being poor, have only my dreams;
I have spread my dreams under your feet;
Tread softly because you tread on my dreams.
W.B. Yeats
Very sorry not to have posted recently - it's been a mad few weeks, with family illness and job stress and other things. I've done quite a bit of reading, but have had no chance to talk about it. I was interviewed by Mark Thwaite for The Book Depository - which you can see here.
Wednesday, 28 January 2009
Thursday, 15 January 2009
A surfeit of Mitfords
Can one have too much of a good thing? As a reader, can one read too much of an author and consequently expire as a result? It is certainly the case with Lampreys and Cherries, but I have yet to hear of anyone expiring from a surfeit of Jane Austen.
Having said that, however, I think I am about to put the theory to the test ....
For Christmas I was given a copy of 'In Tearing Haste' - letters between Deborah Devonshire and Patrick Leigh Fermor. In looking at my shelves I discovered that not only were my shelves remarkably full with Mitford novels, history, autobiography and general thoughts, but that I also seemed to be in possession of an excessive amount of their letters. In fact, adding them all together, they account for over 3,000 pages.
So I have decided to go on a romp with the Mitfords. I have always been fascinated with these six sisters, not least because of their differing politics, and to be allowed into their minds, as only letters can really do, will be a formidable and exciting thing. I don't expect to agree with them, and I'm sure some of Unity and Diana's letters will be uncomfortable and probably shocking to read, but then again their letters will no doubt make them more three dimensional, rather than cardboard villains.
I'm very much looking forward to my Mitford romp, and I promise you I shall take great care not to over stuff myself!
Having said that, however, I think I am about to put the theory to the test ....
For Christmas I was given a copy of 'In Tearing Haste' - letters between Deborah Devonshire and Patrick Leigh Fermor. In looking at my shelves I discovered that not only were my shelves remarkably full with Mitford novels, history, autobiography and general thoughts, but that I also seemed to be in possession of an excessive amount of their letters. In fact, adding them all together, they account for over 3,000 pages.
So I have decided to go on a romp with the Mitfords. I have always been fascinated with these six sisters, not least because of their differing politics, and to be allowed into their minds, as only letters can really do, will be a formidable and exciting thing. I don't expect to agree with them, and I'm sure some of Unity and Diana's letters will be uncomfortable and probably shocking to read, but then again their letters will no doubt make them more three dimensional, rather than cardboard villains.
I'm very much looking forward to my Mitford romp, and I promise you I shall take great care not to over stuff myself!
From A to Z - a comprehensive journey through literature
I finally decided where my first bookish journey is going to take me and I've even taken the first tentative steps. In fact you could almost say that I have begun and ended the journey in the space of a week ..... I shall explain.
Staring forlornly at the bookcase which holds my classics, I realised how many of them I had yet to read. I may think myself well read, but when one can state that most of the books on the shelf have yet to be perused, the title of 'well read' looks to be in jeopardy and something must be done, and quickly!
So - as the title of this post might suggest, I have decided to go from A to Z with the authors of the classics and see if I can't remedy my appalling state. I have a few rules: It must be fiction and the author must have written the book over fifty years ago. In the end I had to break this rule for X and Z, but as for the others, I have remained true.
However, I am having a little trouble with U and Y - can't find any possible fits, so I could do with a little help there!
So far I have read two out of twenty six - Markus Zusak's 'The Book Thief' and Jane Austen's 'Northanger Abbey' (This explains my having started and finished the journey, now I just have to fill in the middle. Also, as you can see, I cheated with Z, as Mr Zusak is well and truly alive, but I was having trouble, and as I was reading his book for book club, I thought I could get away with it!
I loved 'The Book Thief' for so many reasons, but mainly because of it's way with a sentence. It's narrated by death, but because it's about a child, there is an artlessness to the way things are described. It's interesting too, with all the films that have come out recently, to read a book set from a German perspective - although the main characters are not typically German, seeing as they are hiding a Jew in their basement. It's a fantastic book though, and truly deserves to be read as soon as possible by everyone!
At the other end of the spectrum, I have just finished 'Northanger Abbey'. I was shocked to discover that I'd not read any Jane Austen for well over four years. How on earth I managed this I have no idea, but I do remember trying to read N.A. when I was 15 and stopping fairly soon as I didn't really find the Gothic irony appealing. More to the point, I don't think I understood it. I won't say that it's my favourite Austen - for that I think is 'Persuasion' - I have a feeling Jane is trying too hard. It's very possibly her first novel to be written, and in attempting the satire of the Gothic novel so popular at the time, she can be a touch heavy handed. I do like the characters though - I would dearly love to give Isabella a good, hard, slap - I think she's even worse that Elizabeth Eliot and Mrs Elton combined (which is saying a lot!), but I don't think I'd want to go out to dinner with any of them (which is always the acid test). Catherine is rather silly (and I suspect would remain so even after marriage), the younger Tilneys are rather aloof, and all the Bath characters are vapid, selfish or just plain boring. I think Catherine's brother might improve on better acquaintance, but we are never given that chance.
That was all a bit vitriolic wasn't it? And I don't mean any true criticism, as it's so interesting to see the earlier Jane. Perhaps my next project should read everything in chronological order to see how she developed ... I've certainly got it all!
Anyway, the A - Z journey has begun. I think I'm going to move on to V next .... but I won't spoil the surprise by telling you who that is!
In the meantime, if anyone could come up with a U or Y (and even a Q, I don't particularly like my choice for that) I would be very grateful!
And I leave you with a shocking piece of news: I'm not going to buy a single book for the next 12 weeks - I've managed two weeks already .... will I manage this? I doubt it, my birthday and the Oxford literary festival fall within this period ......
Staring forlornly at the bookcase which holds my classics, I realised how many of them I had yet to read. I may think myself well read, but when one can state that most of the books on the shelf have yet to be perused, the title of 'well read' looks to be in jeopardy and something must be done, and quickly!
So - as the title of this post might suggest, I have decided to go from A to Z with the authors of the classics and see if I can't remedy my appalling state. I have a few rules: It must be fiction and the author must have written the book over fifty years ago. In the end I had to break this rule for X and Z, but as for the others, I have remained true.
However, I am having a little trouble with U and Y - can't find any possible fits, so I could do with a little help there!
So far I have read two out of twenty six - Markus Zusak's 'The Book Thief' and Jane Austen's 'Northanger Abbey' (This explains my having started and finished the journey, now I just have to fill in the middle. Also, as you can see, I cheated with Z, as Mr Zusak is well and truly alive, but I was having trouble, and as I was reading his book for book club, I thought I could get away with it!
I loved 'The Book Thief' for so many reasons, but mainly because of it's way with a sentence. It's narrated by death, but because it's about a child, there is an artlessness to the way things are described. It's interesting too, with all the films that have come out recently, to read a book set from a German perspective - although the main characters are not typically German, seeing as they are hiding a Jew in their basement. It's a fantastic book though, and truly deserves to be read as soon as possible by everyone!
At the other end of the spectrum, I have just finished 'Northanger Abbey'. I was shocked to discover that I'd not read any Jane Austen for well over four years. How on earth I managed this I have no idea, but I do remember trying to read N.A. when I was 15 and stopping fairly soon as I didn't really find the Gothic irony appealing. More to the point, I don't think I understood it. I won't say that it's my favourite Austen - for that I think is 'Persuasion' - I have a feeling Jane is trying too hard. It's very possibly her first novel to be written, and in attempting the satire of the Gothic novel so popular at the time, she can be a touch heavy handed. I do like the characters though - I would dearly love to give Isabella a good, hard, slap - I think she's even worse that Elizabeth Eliot and Mrs Elton combined (which is saying a lot!), but I don't think I'd want to go out to dinner with any of them (which is always the acid test). Catherine is rather silly (and I suspect would remain so even after marriage), the younger Tilneys are rather aloof, and all the Bath characters are vapid, selfish or just plain boring. I think Catherine's brother might improve on better acquaintance, but we are never given that chance.
That was all a bit vitriolic wasn't it? And I don't mean any true criticism, as it's so interesting to see the earlier Jane. Perhaps my next project should read everything in chronological order to see how she developed ... I've certainly got it all!
Anyway, the A - Z journey has begun. I think I'm going to move on to V next .... but I won't spoil the surprise by telling you who that is!
In the meantime, if anyone could come up with a U or Y (and even a Q, I don't particularly like my choice for that) I would be very grateful!
And I leave you with a shocking piece of news: I'm not going to buy a single book for the next 12 weeks - I've managed two weeks already .... will I manage this? I doubt it, my birthday and the Oxford literary festival fall within this period ......
Thursday, 8 January 2009
Poem of the week
Hysteria
As she laughed I was aware of becoming involved
in her laughter and being part of it, until her
teeth were only accidental stars with a talent
for squad-drill. I was drawn in by short gasps,
inhaled at each momentary recovery, lost finally
in the dark caverns of her throat, bruised by
the ripple of unseen muscles. An elderly waiter
with trembling hands was hurriedly spreading
a pink and white checked cloth over the rusty
green iron table, saying: "If the lady and
gentleman wish to take their tea in the garden,
if the lady and gentleman wish to take their
tea in the garden ..." I decided that if the
shaking of her breasts could be stopped, some of
the fragments of the afternoon might be collected,
and I concentrated my attention with careful
subtlety to this end.
T.S. Eliot
Oh! It's the 8th January already! Sorry about my long absence, but I've not been doing a lot of reading this past few weeks, and I'm having a bit of a battle deciding which route I'm going to travel on my reading journey this year.
Having spent the better part of last year reading new books and mainly fiction, I'm wondering if I should continue in this way, or break out and read nothing but biography for the next few months. No, that doesn't really appeal.
I will say this though. I am not buying anymore books until Easter. Yes, my brain is already scoffing at this idea, but seriously I can neither afford, nor do I need, to buy more books. I have enough to last for many, many years!
So - where will I be taking you this year? Well, I've already promised you a wander round Yugoslavia with Rebecca West, and on top of that I thought we might visit some classics, and go back into history to spend some time with Kings and princes. Also, I have caught Mitfordmania, and will be indulging this with letters from Debo, Decca, Nancy and all the rest. Pictures might be more forthcoming too, as I got a lovely digital camera for Christmas!
So, at the moment, I am reading 'The Book Thief' for book club, which I love, and I'm dipping into 'In Tearing Haste' which conjures bright pictures of life as described by Patrick Leigh Fermor and Deborah Devonshire. I think I shall have to create a reading list, so I don't lose my way over the next few months. Expect lots of classics - actually I think as today is the anniversary of the birth of Wilkie Collins (1824) I should dig out 'The Woman in White'!
Happy reading everyone!!!
Monday, 29 December 2008
End of year round up
I have stolen (gasp) a meme from Simon - here goes!
- How many books read in 2008?
So far 83, although I have a sneaking suspicion I've not updated my spreadsheet recently ...
- Fiction/Non-Fiction ratio?
70 fiction/ 13 non fiction - which surprises me!
- Male/Female authors?
39 women/26 men
-Favourite book read?
Well, that's answered in the post below this one, so I won't repeat myself!
- Least favourite?
I think 'The Ressurectionist' by James Bradley and 'Mauve' by Simon Garfield. The former very grisly and not helped by a first person narrative, the second just interminably dull.
- Oldest read?
I think it must be 'The Elephant Man' by Frederick Treves, but I can't lay my hands on it at this moment to tell you the publish date. It's leather bound though, and I picked it up in Blackwell's second hand department.
- Newest?
Quite a few this year, including 'Daphne', 'Becoming Queen', 'The Tales of Beedle the Bard' and others!
- Longest book title?
'Oscar Wilde and the Candlelight Murders' by Giles Brandreth - surprisingly good.
- Shortest title?
'March' - Geraldine Brooks
- How many re-reads?
Absolutely none - which was my aim this year, and shall continue to be so, until I read all the books I possess (Which at current reckonings of one a week will take me roughly eight years ....)
- Most books read by one author this year?
Daphne du Maurier leads the field with six, closely followed by Agathe Christie with five and a tie between Justine Picardie and Philippa Gregory with three each.
- Any in translation?
'Lovely green eyes' by Arnost Lustig
- And how many of this year's books were from the library?
Seven, although I do have three waiting to be read that need to go back soon enough!
So, there we are .... I wonder how similar my answers will be next year?!
- How many books read in 2008?
So far 83, although I have a sneaking suspicion I've not updated my spreadsheet recently ...
- Fiction/Non-Fiction ratio?
70 fiction/ 13 non fiction - which surprises me!
- Male/Female authors?
39 women/26 men
-Favourite book read?
Well, that's answered in the post below this one, so I won't repeat myself!
- Least favourite?
I think 'The Ressurectionist' by James Bradley and 'Mauve' by Simon Garfield. The former very grisly and not helped by a first person narrative, the second just interminably dull.
- Oldest read?
I think it must be 'The Elephant Man' by Frederick Treves, but I can't lay my hands on it at this moment to tell you the publish date. It's leather bound though, and I picked it up in Blackwell's second hand department.
- Newest?
Quite a few this year, including 'Daphne', 'Becoming Queen', 'The Tales of Beedle the Bard' and others!
- Longest book title?
'Oscar Wilde and the Candlelight Murders' by Giles Brandreth - surprisingly good.
- Shortest title?
'March' - Geraldine Brooks
- How many re-reads?
Absolutely none - which was my aim this year, and shall continue to be so, until I read all the books I possess (Which at current reckonings of one a week will take me roughly eight years ....)
- Most books read by one author this year?
Daphne du Maurier leads the field with six, closely followed by Agathe Christie with five and a tie between Justine Picardie and Philippa Gregory with three each.
- Any in translation?
'Lovely green eyes' by Arnost Lustig
- And how many of this year's books were from the library?
Seven, although I do have three waiting to be read that need to go back soon enough!
So, there we are .... I wonder how similar my answers will be next year?!
Wednesday, 24 December 2008
Top reads of 2008
It's really been an interesting year, book wise, and I think a quite important year too. I've read some things that have really changed my reading tastes, and I started this blog, which introduced me to some really interesting people, not to mention the reads that have been variously recommended.
I was going to do a top ten, but instead I seem to have come up with a baker's dozen ... so in reverse order, here they are!
13. Perfume - Patrick Suskind: A gem of a novel that is quietly twisted. Totally powerful and haunting.
12. March - Geraldine Brookes: I'd never really thought about what happened to Father in Little Women ... this opened my eyes and allowed me to see the dark side of the well known tale. Does the man who went away come back to his family the same? Cleverly worked and well written.
11. Ekaterinberg - Helen Rappaport: Introduced to me by Lynne, I sadly missed Helen's talk at Dartington, but I loved the book. Clever mixing of biography and history, neither being overdone. Haunting reconstruction of the final moments of the Romanovs that stayed with me for days.
10. I am Madame X - Gioia Diliberto: I've always loved the portrait, and the fictionalised account of how it came to be, and who the woman was had me hooked. Loved it - and it was even better to be reading the book at the same time as seeing the actual painting in the Metropolitan museum in New York.
9. The Diary of a Provincial Lady - E.M. Delafield: Combination of Simon raving about the book and Justine raving about the new Virago cover, made me grab this book and I loved every minute of it.
8. The King's General - Daphne du Maurier: I think this might just replace 'Rebecca' as my favourite du Maurier. I adored this other view of Menabilly, and thought the main characters full of the mystery and ability than du Maurier seasons her characters with.
7. England's Mistress - Kate Williams: The little I'd known about Emma Hamilton all came from Vivien Leigh's film, so it was great to put a little more flesh on that illusion. I fell in love with her, and her portraits by George Romney. I think I'd like to have known Emma had I lived when she did.
6. The Behaviour of Moths - Poppy Adams: Another recommendation from Lynne, and it was great to read, if haunting. Well written, and a beautiful cover too!
5. Mrs Miniver - Jan Struther: I was so glad I finally got to read this, and it proved to be just as wonderful as I expected, even if it was nothing like the film. Lots of little gems, and one that can be picked up whenever I need a little common sense.
4. The Spare Room - Helen Garner: I saw this on both Susan Hill's and Lynne's blogs, and rushed out to pick it up in the hopes it would be on the Booker long list. It wasn't, but that didn't stop me reading it in about a day and being moved to tears - which doesn't happen very often when I'm reading! Wonderful writing on a sad and powerful subject.
3. Ferney - James Long: A Lynne/Dartington recommendation. When I heard about the story line I thought that this would be a must read, and I was right. I was enchanted by it.
2. Human Traces - Sebastian Faulks: I read this fairly early on in the year, but it stayed with me, and actually induced a mild case of reader's block, as it was impossible to find anything as awe inspiring as this. Epic in it's nature, yet intensely personal as well - I was simply wowed.
1. Daphne - Justine Picardie: This has to be my top read for so many reasons, but mainly because just the simple act of going to a literary festival event of which I knew nothing made so many other things happen. I adore the triple narrative and the dark places the novel has in it. I love the fact that Justine has turned the missing Honresfeld manuscript into a literary hunt for her readers. Mostly I love how well the genre of biography has been turned into fiction.
So ... there we are, and those last five were quite hard to put into order. I hope that next year brings me some equally stellar reads!
In the meantime, all that remains is to wish a Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night!
I was going to do a top ten, but instead I seem to have come up with a baker's dozen ... so in reverse order, here they are!
13. Perfume - Patrick Suskind: A gem of a novel that is quietly twisted. Totally powerful and haunting.
12. March - Geraldine Brookes: I'd never really thought about what happened to Father in Little Women ... this opened my eyes and allowed me to see the dark side of the well known tale. Does the man who went away come back to his family the same? Cleverly worked and well written.
11. Ekaterinberg - Helen Rappaport: Introduced to me by Lynne, I sadly missed Helen's talk at Dartington, but I loved the book. Clever mixing of biography and history, neither being overdone. Haunting reconstruction of the final moments of the Romanovs that stayed with me for days.
10. I am Madame X - Gioia Diliberto: I've always loved the portrait, and the fictionalised account of how it came to be, and who the woman was had me hooked. Loved it - and it was even better to be reading the book at the same time as seeing the actual painting in the Metropolitan museum in New York.
9. The Diary of a Provincial Lady - E.M. Delafield: Combination of Simon raving about the book and Justine raving about the new Virago cover, made me grab this book and I loved every minute of it.
8. The King's General - Daphne du Maurier: I think this might just replace 'Rebecca' as my favourite du Maurier. I adored this other view of Menabilly, and thought the main characters full of the mystery and ability than du Maurier seasons her characters with.
7. England's Mistress - Kate Williams: The little I'd known about Emma Hamilton all came from Vivien Leigh's film, so it was great to put a little more flesh on that illusion. I fell in love with her, and her portraits by George Romney. I think I'd like to have known Emma had I lived when she did.
6. The Behaviour of Moths - Poppy Adams: Another recommendation from Lynne, and it was great to read, if haunting. Well written, and a beautiful cover too!
5. Mrs Miniver - Jan Struther: I was so glad I finally got to read this, and it proved to be just as wonderful as I expected, even if it was nothing like the film. Lots of little gems, and one that can be picked up whenever I need a little common sense.
4. The Spare Room - Helen Garner: I saw this on both Susan Hill's and Lynne's blogs, and rushed out to pick it up in the hopes it would be on the Booker long list. It wasn't, but that didn't stop me reading it in about a day and being moved to tears - which doesn't happen very often when I'm reading! Wonderful writing on a sad and powerful subject.
3. Ferney - James Long: A Lynne/Dartington recommendation. When I heard about the story line I thought that this would be a must read, and I was right. I was enchanted by it.
2. Human Traces - Sebastian Faulks: I read this fairly early on in the year, but it stayed with me, and actually induced a mild case of reader's block, as it was impossible to find anything as awe inspiring as this. Epic in it's nature, yet intensely personal as well - I was simply wowed.
1. Daphne - Justine Picardie: This has to be my top read for so many reasons, but mainly because just the simple act of going to a literary festival event of which I knew nothing made so many other things happen. I adore the triple narrative and the dark places the novel has in it. I love the fact that Justine has turned the missing Honresfeld manuscript into a literary hunt for her readers. Mostly I love how well the genre of biography has been turned into fiction.
So ... there we are, and those last five were quite hard to put into order. I hope that next year brings me some equally stellar reads!
In the meantime, all that remains is to wish a Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night!
Poem of the Week
In the bleak mid-winter
Frosty wind made moan,
Earth stood hard as iron,
Water like a stone;
Snow had fallen, snow on snow,
Snow on snow,
In the bleak mid-winter
Long ago.
Our God, Heaven cannot hold Him
Nor earth sustain;
Heaven and earth shall flee away
When He comes to reign:
In the bleak mid-winter
A stable-place sufficed
The Lord God Almighty,
Jesus Christ.
Enough for Him, whom cherubim
Worship night and day,
A breastful of milk
And a mangerful of hay;
Enough for Him, whom angels
Fall down before,
The ox and ass and camel
Which adore.
Angels and archangels
May have gathered there,
Cherubim and seraphim
Thronged the air,
But only His mother
In her maiden bliss,
Worshipped the Beloved
With a kiss.
What can I give Him,
Poor as I am?
If I were a shepherd
I would bring a lamb,
If I were a wise man
I would do my part,
Yet what I can I give Him,
Give my heart.
Not exactly a poem, but it is my favourite carol.
I will get around to posting about my top reads of 2008, but today I am taking seven children (I feel like Maria von Trapp) to the pantomime. Oh yes I am! Also it's my sister's birthday, so it's a very busy day!
So, if I don't speak to you all before - have a very merry Christmas!
Frosty wind made moan,
Earth stood hard as iron,
Water like a stone;
Snow had fallen, snow on snow,
Snow on snow,
In the bleak mid-winter
Long ago.
Our God, Heaven cannot hold Him
Nor earth sustain;
Heaven and earth shall flee away
When He comes to reign:
In the bleak mid-winter
A stable-place sufficed
The Lord God Almighty,
Jesus Christ.
Enough for Him, whom cherubim
Worship night and day,
A breastful of milk
And a mangerful of hay;
Enough for Him, whom angels
Fall down before,
The ox and ass and camel
Which adore.
Angels and archangels
May have gathered there,
Cherubim and seraphim
Thronged the air,
But only His mother
In her maiden bliss,
Worshipped the Beloved
With a kiss.
What can I give Him,
Poor as I am?
If I were a shepherd
I would bring a lamb,
If I were a wise man
I would do my part,
Yet what I can I give Him,
Give my heart.
Not exactly a poem, but it is my favourite carol.
I will get around to posting about my top reads of 2008, but today I am taking seven children (I feel like Maria von Trapp) to the pantomime. Oh yes I am! Also it's my sister's birthday, so it's a very busy day!
So, if I don't speak to you all before - have a very merry Christmas!
Sunday, 21 December 2008
Hollywood glamour comes to BBC one
It's over for another year, and has proved to be a controversial one this time around. I'm not really sure if the right person won, but in the end it was too close to call, and I'm very happy for all of the finalists.
Yes, I am talking about Strictly, and Tom's showdance was an absolute joy to watch ... here it is just for you!
Tom's Showdance
*I'm not entirely sure how to embed youtube, so hopefully the link will take you where I want it to!
Yes, I am talking about Strictly, and Tom's showdance was an absolute joy to watch ... here it is just for you!
Tom's Showdance
*I'm not entirely sure how to embed youtube, so hopefully the link will take you where I want it to!
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