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Ruth - 2014


Ruth

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I read it a couple of years ago. With one or two caveats, I enjoyed it too, although perhaps not quite as much as you. My review is buried away on an old thread, so I hope you'll forgive if I repeat it here: it may be of some interest to you in comparison.

I had started reading Jane Smiley's Moo, but it was dragging a bit, and I dipped into this. Before I knew it, I was engrossed! This has had very mixed reviews, largely on the negative side, and I can see why. It's one of those multi-threaded novels, with several parallel stories running at the same time, the one common point being that they are all based in or around a street in South London, and that all the residents have been subject to some sort of slightly threatening campaign by a mystery individual. There is an irony here, in that the campaign is all about "We Want What You've Got", yet none of the recipients can understand why - they'd happily exchange quite a bit of what they've got for something else!
The problem is, though, that few of the stories every really connect: they largely stay separate throughout. Equally, the characters themselves are all somewhat stereotypical: the banker anxious about his bonus with his shopaholic wife, the Asian family at the corner shop, the last 'original' (I.e. born in the street) inhabitant, the Polish builder, etc et, all a bit superficial. And some fairly obvious things happen (it is all pretty predictable). It's certainly not a patch on some other 'London novels' like Michael Moorcroft's Mother London or Norman Collins's London Belongs To Me (both superb!). And yet.....
And yet, I raced through it, and really enjoyed it. Whilst it was predictable, I still wanted to know what happened and how things were going to turn out; I found most of the characters very 'normal' and likeable (apart from the shopaholic wife!), even if I didn't like individual characteristics. They weren't drawn with any great depth, we didn't get any great insights, but at the end I felt that this what life is like. So, not a great book, certainly not as great as it feels the author is aspiring to with way too many flaws, but an enjoyable, readable one, that I found I wanted to keep reading to the end.
**** / 6 stars

Edited by willoyd
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Thanks Will :smile:  That's a great review.  I do agree with the points you make about the stereotyping and lack of depth, but for some reason this book just kept drawing me in - I couldn't put it down!  As I mentioned in my review, it produced VERY mixed reactions in my face-to-face book group.  I loved it, one other person loved it, a couple thought it was okay, but about four people really really disliked it.  I have heard a few people say that it is along the same lines as A Week In December, by Sebastian Faulks (which I think preceded Capital).  Naturally enough, I went straight out and bought A Week in December  :blush2: I'm also adding the Michael Moorcroft and the Norman Collins books to my wish list.

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Bluestockings: The Remarkable Story of the First Women to Fight for an Education, by Jane Robinson

 

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As the title suggests, this book discusses the first women in Britain to attend university.  Broadly covering from the mid-late 19th century up until the second World War, it describes the opposition faced by prospective students, including doctors who believed that education could cause infertility (!), the belief that men would not want to marry an educated woman, and the widely held belief that women just did not need to be educated, when their sole purpose in life was to marry and have children.

 

Rather than giving a chronological account of how universities came to accept female students (it’s worth noting that Cambridge University would not award degrees to females until 1948, although females were allowed to study there prior to that date – Oxford beat them by 28 years by finally agreeing to award degrees to women in 1920), it focuses instead on what university life was like for women during the period covered, such as when women could only talk to men when there was a chaperone present, people would be expelled for extremely minor transgressions.

 

The book is packed with personal anecdotes, and includes many excerpts from the diaries and writings of former students.  As expected, there are some truly inspirational stories included, as well as some more sombre accounts of student life from those who were not happy with university life, and found themselves ill-equipped to cope with their new circumstances.  There are tales of families who struggled against convention and lack of finances, to send their daughter(s) to university to get an education, and stories of others who found help elsewhere.  It also makes the point that for a very long time, having a degree was not considered any advantage in looking for a career, unless you wanted to be a teacher – indeed it was practically expected that if a woman did pursue a career after her degree, it would be in teaching.

 

The book is inspiring and well written…definitely recommended.

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Great review Ruth  :smile: . I have had Bluestockings on my library wishlist for quite a while (there so many books on the list that it's become so long, that it's intimating now :giggle:

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Great review Ruth  :smile: . I have had Bluestockings on my library wishlist for quite a while (there so many books on the list that it's become so long, that it's intimating now :giggle:

 

Thanks Marie :)  Hope you love it when you read it.  I've also got another book by Jane Robinson about the history of the Women's Institute, which I'm hoping to get to soon.

 

Ruth

You're really coming up with some interesting sounding books lately. Another one to look for on the Kindle list !

 

Thanks Julie :)  Hope you enjoy it - it's a very inspirational and interesting book.

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The Witch's Cradle, by Gillian White

 

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Barry and Cheryl are a young, desperately poor couple, who get picked to appear in a reality television series about poverty in Britain.  Initially, they are taken to the hearts of the public, but predictably the tide of opinion turns – fuelled by a ruthless tabloid press – and they find themselves reviled, hated and scared to show their faces in public.  And then their three children are kidnapped, and events take a truly monstrous turn.

 

This book sums up so much about why I hate (most) reality television.  Such programmes can be exploitative and cruel, making heroes and villains out of ordinary, often vulnerable people.  Barry and Cheryl think that all their dreams will come true by appearing on this programme – and for a while it seems that they are right – but the media care little about them, and encourage the public to vent all their hatred on this young couple, determined to show them as irresponsible and greedy dole-scroungers (if this all sounds familiar, it’s probably because there are programmes that do EXACTLY this, although this book predates many of the current crop of such shows).  The venom with which they are treated – and it is mainly aimed at Cheryl, rather than Barry – is breathtaking and disgusting.

 

The twists and turns come thick and fast, and at times I was not sure who or what to believe.  As the public animosity takes its toll on Cheryl, her thoughts become confused and a sense of paranoia creeps in.  I found the story utterly compelling, although in many ways it was not at all enjoyable.  It was all too believable, and quite accurately reflected how people are worshipped or reviled as a result of their appearance on programmes like the fictional one in this book ‘The Dark End of the Street’ – yet they are not really prepared or equipped to deal with such strong feelings from a public who don’t really know anything of them, other than how the programme makers manipulate their appearances on television.

 

My only real criticism of the book would be the final two pages.  The story is completed by then, and these last couple of pages feel like a clumsily tacked-on, and unnecessary epilogue.  Other than that though, it’s a gripping thriller which can make for uncomfortable reading.

Edited by Ruth
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This sounds interesting, Ruth! Great review :).

 

Thanks :)  If you like thrillers, it's well worth a read.  More of a psychological thriller than a crime thriller, if that makes sense.  I read another book by Gillian White a few years ago, called Copycat.  That was brilliant as well.

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Delusions of Gender, by Cordelia Fine

 

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This book examines whether there really are – as is so often claimed – innate and immutable differences between males and females, in the way that they feel, think and empathise with others.  The author is of the belief that sex differences (which is the term generally used throughout the book) are learned, not innate (or as my old psychology tutor would say, nurtured not natural), and discusses the evidence to support her belief, as well as examining in detail experiments which would suggest the contrary.  The book also takes a special interest in how the belief that men and women brains work differently, leads to sexism in the home, workplace and society in general.

 

The book is divided into three parts – (1) measured differences between the sexes and how best to explain them (2) an ascorbic take-down of many experiments which suggest that sex differences are formed within the brain and are not learned, and (3) how sex/gender differences are learned in early childhood, despite some parents’ best efforts to give ‘gender neutral’ parenting.

 

I enjoyed the book a lot – it is quite science-y, but Fine does a great job of breaking everything down so that it is understandable and relatable in real terms (which is just as well for me, as I – perhaps unwittingly reinforcing the stereotypes which she talks about! – sometimes find very technical scientific terms hard to wrap my head around).

 

Fine is also a witty, wry and sarcastic writer, and her strong opinions certainly come through in her writing.  My favourite section was where she pointed out the flaws in some studies which concluded that sex differences are innate, and (basically) we should all just accept them, and not worry about it.  Some of the methodology was very shoddy – for example, it is hardly fair to draw a comparison between males and females in one test, when only females were examined for it!  I also thought it fascinating how, although by and large, people try not to push males and females into one bracket or another, we still end up unconsciously doing it.  (Example: if you go onto any maternity ward, you will instantly know from the colours of the cards and presents, whether that mother has had a boy or a girl.  Girls will almost certainly be exposed to more pink colours during childhood, and boys more blue.  Is it therefore that much of a shock when at a slightly older age, girls gravitate towards pink and boys towards blue?)

 

This was definitely a book which required concentration, and for the first part I could not read more than about 20 pages a day, to make sure I was taking it in.  But by the end, I was racing through it, because it was just such a fascinating read.  I would definitely recommend it to anyone interested in the differences between male and female brains, in sexism in today’s society, and/or the issue of feminism.

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I'm pleased that you like this one - I've read less than a third so far. Fine's style takes me a lot of effort to concentrate on it, but as you said,"witty, wry and sarcastic" (and excellently done). She has a very good attitude to feminism (IMO), and to society's gender "norms"  . The first chapter is indeed very detailed, isn't it? :hide:  It made me quake, but I must go back to it again now. Your review was excellent too  :smile: .

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Sounds interesting and I have added it to my wishlist. The doll on the cover is freaky though. :o

Ha - yes it is bit freaky. On the back cover is the doll in pink trousers. Hope you enjoy it when you read it and that the cover doesn't put you off too much :)

 

This sounds like an interesting read!

 

P.S. I've always loved blue and have never been exposed much to pink as far back as I remember.

 

Very interesting read - a lot to take in, but definitely worth it. It talks a fair bit about gender neutral parenting, which I found interesting. I much prefer blue to pink too, and never gave any thought as to why (or why not) that should be the case. This book did make me think a lot, which I always think is a good thing :)

 

I'm pleased that you like this one - I've read less than a third so far. Fine's style takes me a lot of effort to concentrate on it, but as you said,"witty, wry and sarcastic" (and excellently done). She has a very good attitude to feminism (IMO), and to society's gender "norms" . The first chapter is indeed very detailed, isn't it? :hide: It made me quake, but I must go back to it again now. Your review was excellent too :smile: .

Thank you :) When I first started it, I was a bit daunted. I thought it would take me ages to read because like you, I really needed to concentrate, but I must have tuned into her writing style or something, because something just 'clicked' and I found myself reading it really quickly. I think - no idea why though - that the fact that a lot of the chapters are relatively short helped as well. Edited by Ruth
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The Shadow Year, by Hannah Richell

 

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This book features two timelines, which eventually connect.  In 1980, five friends fresh out of university, find an abandoned old cottage in the Peak District, and decide to stay there for a year, living off the land, and being self-sufficient.  The group includes Kat, an insecure young woman who is hopelessly in love with another of the group, Simon, a charismatic but arrogant young man, who assumes the role of leader within the group.  In the present day, Lila and her husband Tom are struggling with the death of their baby daughter.  When an old cottage is bequeathed to Lila by an anonymous benefactor, she is puzzled but decides to renovate the property as a way of helping her work through her grief.

 

I have mixed feelings about this book, although generally speaking, I enjoyed it.  The writing was pacey and easy to read, and I particularly liked the character of Lila (she was one of only two characters who I really cared about throughout the story).  The 1980 storyline almost was also quite compelling, especially when the friends’ happiness almost inevitably turned to misery and tension as winter set in, and they found their self-sufficieny harder to maintain.  An unexpected arrival at the cottage creates further tension, and that was when the (1980) storyline really picked up pace.

 

However, I guessed the connection between the timelines and the twists to the story fairly early on; in fact they seemed so obvious that I wasn’t really sure if they were intended to be twists, as they were pretty well signposted.  This didn’t necessarily spoil my enjoyment, but if you like a lot of surprises in your novels, this might leave you feeling slightly disappointed.  (Having read other reviews of the book, I see that I was far from being alone in guessing what would happen).

 

Also, I got very annoyed with two of the characters.  It’s not spoilerish to say that Kat was a complete doormat when it came to Simon, but the way she is written with regard to her lack of self-respect just made her irritating rather than sympathetic.  And as for Simon himself – don’t get me started!  If ever there was a character who needed someone to just stand up to him, it was Simon.

 

I think if you are a fan of psychological thrillers, and don’t really mind the twists being easy to work out, you would probably enjoy this book.

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The Measure of a Man: A Spiritual Autobiography, by Sidney Poitier

 

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I don’t listen to a lot of audiobooks and it’s very rare for me to think that a book is better listened to than read, but in this case, I’ll make an exception.  The Measure of a Man is narrated by Sidney Poitier himself, and he has such a beautiful voice, that it really enhanced my experience of the book.  It also worked really well as an audiobook because he is so conversational in tone – he peppers his narration with phrases like, “You follow?” or “You see?”

 

As for the content itself – wow!  This is a wonderful autobiography and then some.  While Poitier does tell the story of his life, it’s not necessarily a straightforward chronological account of events.  At times it comes across more as a philosophical discussion, where he uses his own life as a starting point.

 

His description of his childhood on Cat Island in the Bahamas was wonderful.  Although his family lived in poverty, he points out that living in poverty on Cat Island was very different to living in poverty in some concrete jungle.  As a child, he lived in a place with a beautiful climate, cocoa plum trees, sea grapes and wild bananas.

 

However, the most interesting – and in many ways upsetting – part of the book was when Poitier described his life in America which started when he moved to Florida aged 15, and then moved on to New York, and eventually started acting.  This was a a time of racial segregation, and he realised exactly what it meant to be classed as a second class citizen.  As an example – he recalled one event when he was already quite well known in films, and he went to a restaurant for a bite to eat.  The black Maitre d’ explained that he could have a table there, but they would have to put a screen around him, for the sensitivity of the white diners.  When offered jobs on certain films, he was asked to sign papers disowning those of his black friends who were campaigning for equal rights (he always refused to do so).

 

Throughout it all, Poitier’s dignity and strong sense of right and wrong shines through.  He speaks strongly of his love for his parents, and how they inspire him in his life – whatever work he does, he does for them as well as for himself and his own family.  He describes how he has always tried to be the best that he can be, his search for answers, his hopes for not only himself, but the world at large.  He’s honest about himself; those parts of himself that he is proud of, and the mistakes which he has made.

 

This is not a revealing, kiss-and-tell autobiography, and it is all the better for it.  Poitier does not delve into the subject of murky or tawdry Hollywood tales, and is respectful of those people who he does mention by name.  He does discuss some of his most famous films – which made me immediately want to go out and rewatch them – and reveals his motivation for playing certain roles, and refusing certain others.

 

Overall, I’d say that this is one of the best autobiographies I have ever read (or listened to).  I would strongly recommend it, not only to anyone with an interest in Hollywood or film-making, but also to anyone with an interest in the civil rights movement.

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Ooh, I've always been a fan of Sidney Poitier, especially in In the Heat of the Night  :wub: . That sounds to be a really good autobiography, and they are rare these days :smile:  .

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The Storyteller, by Jodi Picoult

 

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Sage Singer is a 25 year old baker, from New Hampshire, who wants to hide away from the world, because of the scars, both physical and psychological that she has, resulting from an accident three years earlier.  She is in a relationship with a married man, which is going nowhere, and does a job that allows her to work at night, without contact with others..  When she befriends 95 year old Josef Weber at her grief group, she is able to open up to him in a way that she hasn’t been able to with anyone else, so when Josef tells her that he is a former Nazi, responsible for countless deaths, and requests that she helps him to die, her world is turned upside down.

 

(Don’t worry, all of the above happens very early in the book, so there are no spoilers here.)  I have always found Jodi Picoult’s novels to be compelling and thought-provoking, and this one was no exception.  It is stated early on that Sage’s grandmother Minka was a prisoner in Auschwitz during World War II, and a large part of the book is given over to her description of life during that time.  This may be a fictional story, but Picoult spoke with Holocaust survivors while researching this book, and while Minka may not really exist, the horrors described are all too real, and I was moved to tears while reading about them.

 

I liked and sympathised with Sage – she was a well rounded character, with flaws and insecurities that made her very believable.  The main theme of the book is forgiveness, and Sage’s dilemma in this regard was fascinating.  Her struggle to reconcile the elderly pillar of the community who she had become friends with, with the former war criminal who killed indiscriminately, was interesting and well described.  Can we ever forgive on behalf of someone else?  Does Sage have the right to forgive Josef’s sins – as he asks her to do – when it was not her who was personally sinned against?  All of this crops up throughout the book.

 

I also adored and admired Minka.  I would have liked to have seen more of Leo, the agent who has made a career out of tracking down war criminals and bringing them to justice – while he was immensely likeable, I didn’t feel that he was as well drawn as some of the others in the book.  This is only a slight niggle though, as for the most part, this book was truly hard to put down.

 

The ending was a surprise, and I’m still not sure whether I liked it or not.  I don’t want to give anything away, but it left me feeling slightly unsatisfied.  However, it didn’t spoil my enjoyment of what had gone before, and overall, even though it’s not my favourite by Jodi Picoult (that would probably be Nineteen Minutes) I would certainly recommend this book.

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Nice review.  I bought this the other day (£0.99 on Kindle - bargain!), and will be reading it soon. In fact I was going to start it today, but felt more in the mood for Life After Life instead. I might make it my next read, depending on if I feel like something a bit heavy.

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Hi Ruth, 

 

Not sure why I seemed to have missed a page of your blog! But I was looking at your lists on the front page so I went to seek your review of BlueStockings. It sounds absolutely fascinating and has gone straight onto my wish list :)

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Great review of The Storyteller :)! I'm glad you liked the book, it's great to read your thoughts on it. I agree with you in most aspects, except that I quite liked the ending; I think I can see why it left you unsatisfied though.

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Nice review.  I bought this the other day (£0.99 on Kindle - bargain!), and will be reading it soon. In fact I was going to start it today, but felt more in the mood for Life After Life instead. I might make it my next read, depending on if I feel like something a bit heavy.

 

I have Life After Life on my shelf, waiting patiently for me to get to it - I'll keep an eye out for your thoughts about it, but I've only heard good things from others :)  I hope you like The Storyteller when you get to it.  It's not all heavy going, but the parts where Minka talks about life in Auschwitz was upsetting.  I had to put the book down a couple of times just to take it all in.  It was very well researched, and you can really tell.

 

Hi Ruth, 

 

Not sure why I seemed to have missed a page of your blog! But I was looking at your lists on the front page so I went to seek your review of BlueStockings. It sounds absolutely fascinating and has gone straight onto my wish list :)

 

Ah thanks :)  It was a wonderful book - very readable and interesting.  I hope you like it as much as I did.

 

Great review of The Storyteller :)! I'm glad you liked the book, it's great to read your thoughts on it. I agree with you in most aspects, except that I quite liked the ending; I think I can see why it left you unsatisfied though.

 

Yes, it wasn't one of those endings that spoils the whole book, but I was a bit bothered by it.  Although it wouldn't stop me recommending the book to others, and it was certainly unexpected! :D  

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