Just Kids by Patti Smith

I happened upon this book without direction for once and was amply rewarded for my gamble (only to realise subsequently how popular the memoir has been!) It is no wonder that such a master of lyricism should produce such a touching and detailed tale of two individuals' rites of passage from obscurity to success. I was gladly drawn in to her world; enticed on every page by the riveting and unusual experiences of her early career.

I found myself feeling very reflective of the time we live in as 1970s New York unfolded before me so vividly. Smith creates an era of experimentation and passion that seems wholly removed from the early stages of the 21st Century. Obviously, having not been there I can't comment upon her realism but the world where Janis Joplin and Andy Warhol breeze through lightly did not fail to fascinate. 

One is forced to suspend this sense of distance from the context as well as their judgement at times. I repeatedly had to quell my occasional good-girl tut-tutting at Robert's debauchery and indulgence (while remaining sceptical that Patti was merely the bystander in the sea of mind-expanding shenanigans that were going on).

I was entirely drawn in by this book, am delighted that I encountered it and hope that my recommendation for all to read it will be but a small contribution toward it's continuing success.

The Hare with the Amber Eyes, By Edmund de Waal

I"ve been meaning to post about this book which I consumed on holidays over Easter. Once again, this was a recommendation worth treasuring.

This is part-history, part-family biography, tracing the author's lineage with the central talisman of the beautiful collection of Japanese carvings. Each phase in the family history is painted with as intricate attention as the craftsmen invested in the tiny netsuke. Throughout the novel you find yourself as easily at home in contemporary London as the decadence of 19th Century Vienna.

Though the language is occassionally over-indulgent (perhaps symptomatic of the author's status as a novice in terms of literature), the thread of narrative is beautifully woven. He has succeeded in portraying the fate of his ancestors which was at times brutal and desperate but also incredibly human and touching.

The different phases of the netsuke as they pass through the generations are, as I've said, fascinating. However, by the time the collection reached Japan, one couldn't help hoping it would finally settle somewhere for good so the story could come to a close!

All in all, I am delighted that this book has received such acclaim and therefore am equally keen to pass on the recommendation.

The White Review Volume 2 Launch

Earlier this month I got a glimpse into another dimension of the world of literature. A new literary journal has been launched and we sipped a glass of wine in its honour on a Wednesday evening. 

The journal itself is resplendent. The volume is richly produced and the content is laden with the both the obscure and the poetic. Yet flipping through the pages I have the strange feeling that I’m not quite worthy enough to partake of what is essentially a piece of art in itself. 

The mandate of the White Review is to promote the work of unsung writers and artists, a laudable aim. One must wonder if these artists, writers and indeed the editors themselves have a clear view of who they wish to promote to. The attendance at the launch (almost as much as the decadent volume) suggested the target audience to be the high literati. And if this is the objective, they seem to this outsider to have been successful in that task.

I can't help but wish that there was something similar aimed at a wider audience. Something that conveyed the power of literature without placing it in the inaccessible reaches of pomp and privilege. And, yes – just as the White Review celebrated early this month – something that brings people together to promote and celebrate new works.

If you know of anything of this kind, I will become their fan and follower without delay ;)

Bookmooch.com

I am so excited about this site. It is basically a swop shop for books online. Such a neat, beautiful idea and a pure example of social entrepreneurship.

You upload books you have on your shelves and want to shift. Each book equals a number of points. The site contacts anyone who has added your book to their Wishlist and they then contact you if they want it. You then pop it in the post to them...

And what do you get in return? A library of wonderful books to browse and bid for. You create your wishlist and once your desired book is uploaded you are contacted and can get 'mooched', i.e. get it sent to you. You can browse by book, by region (London Central, US, UK etc.) or by people. It could be a great way to track people with similar tastes methinks.

I've uploaded four books and seem to not have enough points yet to 'mooch' a book...I would say that the lack of info on how many points one needs is a slight deterrent. I love the concept though and look forward to playing with it more.

Anyway this is just my early musings on this so I will definitely update as I discover more about it. I recommend you give it a look though. The more users, the more everybody benefits.

Moonlight by Harold Pinter at the Donmar Warehouse

Following on from our taste of the Donmar from the King Lear viewing earlier this year, we were so excited to get some much-coveted tickets to this amazing theatre. As a birthday gift to one of the gang, we all benefitted last week by going to Harold Pinter's Moonlight.

This was not your typical festive-cheer lark but rather a poignant exploration of family, madness and death. Our enthusiasm to experience the theatre was not to be swayed- a trip to this tiny space is enjoyment enough.

The play itself proved to be angst-ridden glimpse of a family in despair. You couldn't help but wonder throughout how the parents and their three children came to this point in their lives, and in their relationships. The past weighs heavily in their interactions but at every stage we were kept in the dark.

As a member of the audience you were searching to understand the root of tragedy that is left so consciously unexplained. This uncertainty combined with the intense emotion was heightened by the intimacy of the space (sitting in the front row, our knees were inches away from the actors at one point).

Just at the moment when you felt clarity would dawn and perhaps there would be some release, the play comes to an end. After a brief hour and a half you were left in a limbo trying to figure out the fate of the family. On reflection, this was a masterstroke on the part of the playwright as it mirrors the turmoil each of the characters feel.

So wow, not a lighthearted way to spend 90 minutes but nonetheless enjoyable. I would say don't stray toward Pinter if you're feeling anything in the way of melancholy... but rather in the mood for a good post-show dissection over a drink having been release while its still daylight!

The Donmar is a gem in the West End...I look forward to the no-doubt six month wait 'til I can finally get a seat in there again.

Worth the Wait?

I do sincerely apologise for the long delay in posting- I believe this is the Cardinal Sin of the blogging world and if I"m not unceremoniously given the boot, I promise never to let it happen again.

So what have I been doing all this time? Ploughing through the uninspiring pages of Jo Nesbo's Nemesis is what. All 706 of them. Given that my reading mainly takes place in the 20 seconds before I fall asleep at night you can understand the momentum with which I propelled through the predictable and dull narrative.

I thought it would be extremely poor form to admit defeat however and managed to get through it eventually. And rather than bemoan its shortcomings I am equally determined to draw out what was well done and enjoyable (and therefore won't keep you long ;) )

First the well done- I haven't read the Larsson books and only part of one of the films. But much like the Bourne trilogy, I imagine when these were being created the author had a director's chair, attractive actors and many many dollar signs in mind. And this is what Nesbo seems to be doing. He has written a strong contender for the cinema screens. There is the right mix of action, thriller, cliche lines and customary sexual tension between characters for this to be a blockbuster... except, well, oopsy Larsson beat him to the post.

And now the enjoyable- Jo Nesbo is Norway's answer to Stieg Larsson-a fact blazoned across the cover like a garish medallion-and here we come to why I chose the book. As I was travelling to Oslo for the first time last month, I thought reading a tale set in the city would be a romantically touristy thing to do. And it was wonderful! The scene of the crime was on the street I was staying! After I had left, reading about the main areas of Oslo extended the holiday feeling long into the following week.

I urge you to do the same- reading a book set in the place your visiting is like having a special guide giving away some extra inner secrets you don't find in a guidebook.

So phew, I'm through it. Not inspiring but if you had a loooooong train journey, it could well serve as a distraction.

Throughout the time I was being held hostage by this mediocrity I visited many bookshops, each time looking longingly at books that seem much more promising. You can therefore look forward to more cheery and timely posts in the coming weeks.

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A New Way to Choose a Book

In my searching for all topics literature I have come across a website that I think is fantastic.

Bookmooch.com is an online marketplace for freely exchanging the books you've read. Browse the library other readers have put up there (you can search in your own area or further afield) and request a book. A few days later your book will arrive in the post! Advertise your own books you are happy to part with and you can clear your shelf space for all those new arrivals.

I will definitely be availing of this for my next read and would love to hear if anyone has had experience with it.

The latest Nesbo is consuming my reading time en ce moment- I promise to get through it soon!

What are you reading??

So for this week I am reaching out for your latest brushes with literature. (I'm reading a book, am rather enjoying it, but it is about to come out on film so I've decided it isn't quite the time to bore you all with my thoughts on it.)

Is anyone reading anything of note? Been to a play? Or have any special musings connected with literature?

I would love to hear!

Next week I travel to Oslo and am going to read something by (apparently) the "new" Stieg Larsson...

National Theatre Live's King Lear at The Ritzy Cinema Brixton

This week I attended an evening of Shakespeare in a modern form. No, this wasn't a deathly "modern interpretation" involving a trapeze, electronic music or alternative dance before you collectively gasp. This was a live broadcast of the tragedy King Lear from the Donmar Theatre to cinemas worldwide.

Four of us gathered at the Ritzy early to share a bottle of wine, a quick dinner & quality updates. Little was said of the play beyond reminiscences of when we read/saw it last. One of the party played the part of Cordelia in a school production 10 years ago and thus was eager to see if tonight's youngest daughter would be up to scratch.

Taking our seats in the rather fittingly grand cinema, we didn't know what to expect from a film screening of the classic play. But it worked well. The Donmar theatre is an extemely intimate space which leant itself well to filming. The intensity of the production was easily transmitted onto the big screen and the wider audience was quickly drawn in.

Alas, however, technology of these modern times is a flawed being. Some way in to Act III, as Lear was in full flight of his madness, a technical fault put a temporary stop to the whole show and immediately snapped us back to our detached cinema seats. Cordelia beside me viewed this as an ideal opportunity to re-live her glory days and bring the play to a close with the rest of us as her acting troupe. Though I began to fear being dragged in front of the crowd, the kinks were ironed out and the play resumed and came to its bloody and tragic end as planned.

The play itself is too well known (and too dense!) to delve into here. Suffice it to say that it is one of the most powerful accounts of fierce and devastating betrayal ever created. The masterful acting by Derek Jacobi in the title role reminded me of why I love theatre.

Of course, we had almost as much fun in the aftermath-where we all agreed that the Duke of Cornwall's Liam Gallagher-esque swagger did not quite translate to Elizabethan theatre. And also that Cordelia was a tad to self-righteous for her own good.

A classic play, a hugely entertaining production and fine way to spend an evening.

The Guernsey Literary & Potato Peel Society by Mary Ann Shaffer & Anne Barrows

Ok, so we begin with something light.

This recommendation came to me as I searched for the first book for BookList all the way from Canberra, Australia. I felt this easy read would be the ideal choice to ease us in. And it is a book about loving books. I had to read on.

Framing a story as correspondence between characters has probably been done before, but it certainly was an effective way to keep me engrossed. It almost felt like I was sitting, hopefully waiting for the next letter to arrive.

The story gives endless personal glimpses of German occupation in Guernsey (an accompanying map clarifies the island's location in the English Channel for those who, like me, may be sketchy on its whereabouts and not want to admit it). Such a narrative was as poignant and shocking as any of World War II. All the more so as it seems to give an eerie glimmer of what would have been had the Germans conquered Britain.

Though the ending followed the much trodden path of similar literature of its kind (please note my attempt at diplomacy), the characters had become clear and alive through each letter. And I did give a damn at the end how it all turned out.

This was undeniably engaging in the telling and in the sheer abundance of likeable characters. However, I felt it dissolved into the wholly unremarkable as soon as it leaned too heavily on the common themes of "chick lit". It's almost as if you can tell when one of the two authors had stopped and the other (Jane Austen fan) took over.

In spite of my disappointment I must admit- I think I might just have to pick up a pen and write a letter very soon...

Welcome to BookList!

As I find myself recently emerged from the world of academia, I am relishing the extra guilt-free time spent reading for pleasure! So much so that I thought it worth branching out beyond the quite solitary activity of reading a book, into the range of interactive ways in which one can enjoy literature.

In the coming months I will be going to plays, talks and events, all in some way connected with reading. You'll hear me talk repeatedly about an exciting kernel of an idea to host an "International Book Club"  with my far-flung book-loving friends. And most importantly, again and again I will report back on whatever book recommendation I've received.

Of course, with the aim of igniting discussion on this beloved topic, I would be delighted to hear any recommendations- for anything from the latest unmissable novel to the best place to browse the shelves.

I hope you enjoy!