Poppyshake's Reading Year 2015

[poppyshake]

Oh dear, you really didn't like Gone Girl. Entertaining review, as usual, though!

 

I'm one of the ones who enjoyed Gone Girl (though I didn't like the film). I enjoyed the twists and turns, and got completely taken in by them....didn't see them coming at all. Like a lot of people, I disliked the ending and thought it was silly. Interesting on the comparisons to (or contrasts with) The Girl On The Train, which I am making my next read. I wonder if I will enjoy that one as much as I'm hoping to.

Ah .. I saw that you didn't enjoy The Girl on the Train bobbs .. sorry to hear that It's quite possible that lovers of one will be haters of the other Their similarities are few .. even though they are often linked. I do wonder how much the (audio) reading enhanced my enjoyment of TGotT  .. but then equally I listened to GG and that was well read too so I don't think it was that.

Hope you enjoy your next book xx  A disappointing read should always be followed by an enjoyable one

[poppyshake]

Balzac and the Little Chinese Seamstress

Synopsis: 1971: Mao's cultural Revolution is at its peak. Two sons of doctors, sent to 're-education' camps, forced to carry buckets of excrement up and down mountain paths, have only their sense of humour to keep them going. Although the attractive daughter of the local tailor also helps to distract them from the task at hand. The boys' true re-education starts, however, when they discover a hidden suitcase packed with the great Western novels of the nineteenth century. Their lives are transformed. And not only their lives: after listening to the stories of Balzac, the little seamstress will never be the same again.

Review: What a great book! Despite the grim, grim, setting, it's a story full of beauty and humour. The author was sent to a re-education camp when he was a teenager so this is very much written from experience. It's mainly a story about storytelling .. what could be better? Books were banned in Mao's Cultural Revolution but as we all know stories are great places to escape to. Luo and the (unnamed) narrator are in dire need of some escapism (and so would you be if you had to carry overflowing buckets of excrement up and down a mountain .. just to prove your worth!) When they discover that their friend has a hidden suitcase full of great Western novels they are determined to get their hands on them .. but apart from one book (Balzac's Ursule Mirouët) lent to them in payment for a favour .. their friend is reluctant to part with any. For one thing it would be dangerous, they mustn't be discovered by the authorities. For another they are far too precious to be parted with. But the boys .. having had a taste of what's in store .. are determined to get their hands on the rest. They have a further reason to wish for the books .. the beautiful little seamstress has also become enraptured by the stories they've recounted and they are eager to tell her some new ones. These boys are used to thinking on their feet .. they had managed to save their trusty violin from the bonfire by convincing the village headman that the tune they are playing is 'Mozart is thinking of Chairman Mao' so they put their heads together and cook up a rather risky plan.

A beautiful, thought provoking and poetic book. It's only a short story (170 pages) .. I would have happily read four times as much again. Many thanks to frankie for choosing it for me xx Loved it!

[muggle not]

Ah .. I saw that you didn't enjoy The Girl on the Train bobbs .. sorry to hear that It's quite possible that lovers of one will be haters of the other Their similarities are few .. even though they are often linked. I do wonder how much the (audio) reading enhanced my enjoyment of TGotT  .. but then equally I listened to GG and that was well read too so I don't think it was that.

Hope you enjoy your next book xx  A disappointing read should always be followed by an enjoyable one

Ahhh, I have The Girl On The Train on hold at the library. It is a big hit in the U.S. and I hope that I like it when the kindle book is available.

[chesilbeach]

I've seen Balzac and the Little Chinese Seamstress and never picked it up, as I don't know why, but the title nor the cover appeal to me.  I wish I'd had a look now, as it sounds fantastic and I've missed out on a gem.  Definitely adding to the wish list.

[bobblybear]

Ah .. I saw that you didn't enjoy The Girl on the Train bobbs .. sorry to hear that It's quite possible that lovers of one will be haters of the other Their similarities are few .. even though they are often linked. I do wonder how much the (audio) reading enhanced my enjoyment of TGotT  .. but then equally I listened to GG and that was well read too so I don't think it was that.

Hope you enjoy your next book xx  A disappointing read should always be followed by an enjoyable one

 

I wouldn't say I out and out disliked it, but there were things that annoyed me greatly. I think with a few small changes, I would have really enjoyed it. And although many things about it bothered me, I still found it very easy to read, and didn't dread picking it up. In fact I was quite hooked on, which is quite strange considering I didn't love it.

[poppyshake]

Ahhh, I have The Girl On The Train on hold at the library. It is a big hit in the U.S. and I hope that I like it when the kindle book is available.

Hope you enjoy it muggle not .. seems to be selling like hot cakes everywhere .. bet the author is over the moon!

I've seen Balzac and the Little Chinese Seamstress and never picked it up, as I don't know why, but the title nor the cover appeal to me.  I wish I'd had a look now, as it sounds fantastic and I've missed out on a gem.  Definitely adding to the wish list.

I'll put it on the pile Claire

[poppyshake]

I wouldn't say I out and out disliked it, but there were things that annoyed me greatly. I think with a few small changes, I would have really enjoyed it. And although many things about it bothered me, I still found it very easy to read, and didn't dread picking it up. In fact I was quite hooked on, which is quite strange considering I didn't love it.

Not a disaster then .. that's good. Look forward to reading your review bobbs

[chesilbeach]

Hope you enjoy it muggle not .. seems to be selling like hot cakes everywhere .. bet the author is over the moon!

I'll put it on the pile Claire

 

You're not going to be able to carry that pile soon …

[poppyshake]

You're not going to be able to carry that pile soon …

  True! I'll have to bring along a really strong chap! 

[bobblybear]

Not a disaster then .. that's good. Look forward to reading your review bobbs

 

It may take me a while. I'm so so behind!

[poppyshake]

It may take me a while. I'm so so behind!

Me too. I started off well and now am on the slippery slope  

[poppyshake]

My Dear Bessie: A Love Story in Letters Edited by Simon Garfield

Synopsis: The wartime correspondence which first warmed people's hearts in Simon Garfield's To the Letter, now available in a single volume for readers to follow their wonderful and life-changing journey. Chris Barker joined the Post Office at fourteen, working as a messenger boy and then as a counter clerk, becoming an active trade union member. He served as a signalman in North Africa during the Second World War. Bessie Moore was a colleague of Chris barker's at the post Office, before working at the Foreign Office, using her training in Morse code to translate intercepted German radio messages. She was thirty when twenty-nine year old Chris first wrote from North Africa.

Review: A book to make you feel sad that we don't write to each other like we used to. Chris's letters to Bessie aren't romantic to begin with .. he believes her to be in a relationship and is writing to her and her partner but once he finds out that she is unattached .. things hot up It's probably a sign of the times and the conflict they were living through that things did seem to heat up particularly quickly. I couldn't help but admire Chris and how much he was willing things along whilst, at the same time, keeping one foot on the ground so to speak. He had a particular fixation with Bessie's breasts (though I think it's fair to say that he just liked breasts in general  ) He hadn't really ever seen Bessie or her breasts. They met a long time before these letters start and he only has the vaguest recollection of her .. it's a long time before he even has a photo to go on. Still, at the time of first writing, Chris is twenty-nine, a virgin and living in the searing heat of N. Africa and Italy .. it's no wonder his dander is up! You have to make allowances. For a start he didn't know we would read all about his longings and for another he didn't know when his number might be up (though in truth, for the most part, Chris was as safe as houses .. Bessie in London was far more at risk.) so he was just laying it all out on the table. He's not crude though .. he manages to relay his feelings to her in a way that is direct but also quite tentative (in an 'I'd like to do this .. would you mind awfully?' type way.) All the same I was a bit worried about what Bessie was making of it all so it was a lovely surprise to eventually (about a third of the way through I think) read some of her replies and find that Chris had been getting plenty of fuel for his fire I believe Chris destroyed a lot of Bessie's letters as he was moving around a lot and needed to travel light (a great shame .. I would have loved to have read more of her replies) plus he was hiding the relationship (to begin with) from his brother who was constantly with him.

 

I was quite anxious about the first photo's sent and the first meeting etc but it all goes swimmingly and the letters probably get less amorous and much more loving thereafter .. though the breasts didn't disappoint I'm glad to say Their meetings are very rare though so they set about asking all sorts of questions in their letters .. all about their favourite this and that (books for a start!) and what size shoe they take etc. Chris is able to procure many things and send them home to Bessie .. the mind boggles at some of it (carpet for a start which seems odd and stockings of course though for some reason, which I didn't quite fathom, he sent them home one leg at a time and one of them got lost )

It felt a bit like eavesdropping .. but so lovely and so gorgeously romantic. The photo's they sent to one another during this time are also included. Apparently Benedict Cumberbatch read these letters on Radio 4 recently. I need to see if I can catch up with that  *hot flush*     Liked it!

[poppyshake]

Have not chosen from the jar in a while  I do intend to it's just that newer books keep calling. I will definitely pick from it next time (and I hope it will be good to me and not make me regret it   )

Reading is going more slowly this month but that's okay .. I'm still loving it .. it's just that there's been some warm weather and I've been out and about more .. mostly with Al and he demands attention

 

Received a lovely booky prezzie from Kylie this week which so cheered me up on what was a rotten day. I'd had bad news about my uncle and so was just sitting about moping when a knock came at the front door. I am a bit reckless with my book buying but I do know when and what I've ordered so I knew I wasn't expecting anything but here was a packet from the Book Depository   I opened it up and found John Steinbeck's The Grapes of Wrath You may remember me lamenting the fact that, although I'd bought a set of John's books, it didn't include The Grapes of Wrath and having heard it was his best I was annoyed. Bless Kylie .. she read it too and like an angel came to my rescue .. it was no co-incidence that it came to me on a very sad day It has the most lovely bookmark with it too .. the BD bookmarks are always lovely and this one has postmarks from literary places all over it (like Narnia and Neverland  ) .. so magical.

I did take a pic (of course I did ) but have forgotten how to upload from my new phone but will do so once I've sought advice  

 

Thank you lovely Kylie xx   xx

[muggle not]

Have not chosen from the jar in a while  I do intend to it's just that newer books keep calling. I will definitely pick from it next time (and I hope it will be good to me and not make me regret it   )

Reading is going more slowly this month but that's okay .. I'm still loving it .. it's just that there's been some warm weather and I've been out and about more .. mostly with Al and he demands attention

 

Received a lovely booky prezzie from Kylie this week which so cheered me up on what was a rotten day. I'd had bad news about my uncle and so was just sitting about moping when a knock came at the front door. I am a bit reckless with my book buying but I do know when and what I've ordered so I knew I wasn't expecting anything but here was a packet from the Book Depository   I opened it up and found John Steinbeck's The Grapes of Wrath You may remember me lamenting the fact that, although I'd bought a set of John's books, it didn't include The Grapes of Wrath and having heard it was his best I was annoyed. Bless Kylie .. she read it too and like an angel came to my rescue .. it was no co-incidence that it came to me on a very sad day It has the most lovely bookmark with it too .. the BD bookmarks are always lovely and this one has postmarks from literary places all over it (like Narnia and Neverland  ) .. so magical.

I did take a pic (of course I did ) but have forgotten how to upload from my new phone but will do so once I've sought advice  

 

Thank you lovely Kylie xx   xx

What a nice gift!! You are fortunate to have a friend as nice as Kylie and we are fortunate to have her as a moderator. :)I am sure that you will enjoy the book. The Grapes of Wrath had a big impact in the U.S., You will know what I mean after reading the book. What other books do you have by John Steinbeck?

Edited April 24, 2015 by muggle not

[poppyshake]

What a nice gift!! You are fortunate to have a friend as nice as Kylie and we are fortunate to have her as a moderator. :)I am sure that you will enjoy the book. The Grapes of Wrath had a big impact in the U.S., You will know what I mean after reading the book. What other books do you have by John Steinbeck?

I am definitely extremely fortunate to even know Kylie let alone be a friend .. she is amazing!

The other books I have are .. The Red Pony, Cannery Row and The Pearl .. I've just read East of Eden and before that Of Mice and Men  I'm looking forward to The Grapes of Wrath .. I've heard so many good things about it

[poppyshake]

My pictures are all square at the moment .. thanks to my current obsession with Instagram! 

 

Here's a pic of the beautiful book Kylie sent me .. isn't it gorgeous?! It matches my others perfectly and so automatically looks at home   Also included is a pic of the bookmark which shows passport stamps of fictional places .. Platform 9 3/4, Cair Paravel, Mermaids' Lagoon, Emerald City and Wonderland Which would I most like to visit? Hmm .. tough one as they're all places fraught with danger. Think I would choose Platform 9 3/4 as long as it was taking me to Hogwarts or Cair Paravel .. as long as I'm just having tea and toast with Mr Tumnus

 

Thank you lovely Kylie  

[poppyshake]

The book jar has spoken (book jar pick no. 17) and chosen ..

 

Hitler: My Part in His Downfall by Spike Milligan   Spike's war recollections are of course, like nobody else's. He does tragicomedy so well ... he can't ever be entirely serious but there's no doubt that his experiences affected him profoundly. Enjoying it immensely so far but he writes like he speaks .. with incredibly rapidity so if you're not careful the jokes can fly over your head. 

[Athena]

I hope you enjoy your new book !

[Kylie]

Thanks for your lovely comments, Kay and Muggles. 

 

I haven't yet read anything by Spike, but I do have this book on my TBR pile. I hope you enjoy it! Is his humour anything like Groucho Marx? I do hope so.

[poppyshake]

I hope you enjoy your new book !

Thanks Gaia I did

I haven't yet read anything by Spike, but I do have this book on my TBR pile. I hope you enjoy it! Is his humour anything like Groucho Marx? I do hope so.

It's not particularly similar .. Groucho's is more like dry wit .. Spike is more absurd! I liked it but a lot of it sailed over my head   

[poppyshake]

East of Eden by John Steinbeck

Synopsis: An epic allegorical novel chronicling the fortunes of two families as they try to escape the sins of their forbears, the "Penguin Modern Classics" edition of John Steinbeck's "East of Eden" is introduced by David Wyatt. 'There is only one book to a man,' Steinbeck wrote of "East of Eden", his most ambitious novel. Set in the rich farmland of the Salinas Valley, California, this powerful, often brutal novel, follows the intertwined destinies of two families - the Trasks and the Hamiltons - whose generations hopelessly re-enact the fall of Adam and Eve and the poisonous rivalry of Cain and Abel. Here Steinbeck created some of his most memorable characters and explored his most enduring themes: the mystery of identity; the inexplicability of love, and the murderous consequences of love's absence.

Review: A brilliant story. I was daunted to begin with and didn't particularly relish the thought of reading it (so well done book jar! ) .. it's quite a tome but I really didn't notice the pages flying by .. I was gripped more or less from the first page. It wouldn't normally be the sort of book I'd read. If I read the synopsis above I wouldn't be that eager to pick it up but Steinbeck is such a great storyteller that .. like Dickens but in a totally different way .. he paints vivid pictures with his words and his characters just come alive. I particularly liked reading about the Trask family which is just as well as the story mainly concentrates on three generations of them.

There was one character in particular that kept me turning pages and that was Adam Trask's wife Cathy. What a brilliant literary character. She's absolutely evil  The other Cathy .. the Wuthering Heights Cathy (who keeps turning up in my reviews lately .. she should stick to her own book!! ) .. has nothing on her. She's a real pussy cat compared. A black shadow fell over the book whenever this Cathy appeared .. I was scared to death of her. She takes the absolutely evil literary woman crown but this made her infinitely readable.

It's so hard to put into words what it is about this story that just captures the imagination. It's his writing of course, he makes even the humdrum sound interesting (whilst I am managing to do the complete reverse here ) The allegorical element is fascinating .. it's easy to see the parallels but it's cleverly done and not at all heavy handed. It's the sort of book where you get so involved with the characters that it pains you when one of them makes a false step or is crushed by adversity.

I'm really impressed with both of the books I've read of his so far, and look forward to the others. When people talk about epic stories then this is what they mean. It's huge and sweeping and magnificent. It's not a feel good book, it's a feel quite depressed book but that's fine. This is life laid bare and these are (mostly) damaged people. It's the age old tale of good vs evil told wonderfully well. Loved it!

[bobblybear]

Great review! I must read more Steinbeck. I loved The Grapes of Wrath, but that's the only Steinbeck I've read (aside from The Red Pony at school, which I can't recall at all, so doesn't really count ).

[Athena]

I don't own this one, but I'm glad you enjoyed it . I have two books by the author on my TBR. Great review!

[muggle not]

Great review. I am glad that you enjoyed East of Eden, it is a great book.

 

Some of Steinbeck's other books, Tortilla Flat, Cannery Row, and Sweet Thursday  are more humorous in a way but are also like you said...."life laid bare" of the specific people in that location.

 

Steinbeck is my favorite author but Charles Dickens is catching up.

[Kylie]

It's not particularly similar .. Groucho's is more like dry wit .. Spike is more absurd! I liked it but a lot of it sailed over my head   

 

Ah, OK. Thanks!

 

Great review of East of Eden. I never knew it was an allegory, so I'll keep that in mind when I read it. And I absolutely love reading sweeping epics, so now I'm even more excited to read it.