Brian's Books 2011

[chaliepud]

Memoirs of a Geisha is a beautiful book, definitely in my top ten of all time!! :-)

[Brian.]

Day 06 – A book that makes you sad

Eyewitness Auschwitz by Filip Muller. This book was written by a guy who was send to Auschwitz on one of the first transports in 1942. Somehow he managed to survive until the end of the was and remains one of the few people who saw the gassings at first hand and lived to tell the story. This is a seriously harrowing book to read. I've leant it to a few people over the years and everyone has felt really crappy after reading it.

[Brian.]

Day 07 – Most underrated book

I'm going to pick a book which is in '1001 Books You Must Read Before You Die' by Peter Boxall but I've never seen mentioned outside this list. It may be that I don't frequent the right places to see it mentioned though. The book is Stone Junction by Jim Dodge. I bought it purely because of its cover about 4 or 5 years ago assuming that due to the cover it would be an American western tale or something baes in Vegas. I really should have read the blurb because its anything but this.

The story focuses on Daniel Pearse who's mother is killed and he is taken under the wing of the AMO - Alliance of Magicians and Outlaws. Under their guidance he learns magic, how to play poker, how to make himself invisble and how to crack safes. I think over time it has become a bit of a cult hit but it should have been read by far more people.

[Easy Reader]

Day 07 – Most underrated book

Stone Junction by Jim Dodge.

The story focuses on Daniel Pearse who's mother is killed and he is taken under the wing of the AMO - Alliance of Magicians and Outlaws. Under their guidance he learns magic, how to play poker, how to make himself invisble and how to crack safes. I think over time it has become a bit of a cult hit but it should have been read by far more people.

 

I have never heard of it bur your review has got me interested I shall have to add that to my list.

[julie]

Brian

I happened to see on one of Janet's post that she mentioned A Fine Balance as her favorite book this year, which got me thinking about you and your enjoyment of Kite Runner .

If you haven't yet tried it, grab it and give it a shot if you are looking for another really good book .

Set in India ,by Rohinton Mistry . 5 Gold Stars ..

[chesilbeach]

Day 07 – Most underrated book

I'm going to pick a book which is in '1001 Books You Must Read Before You Die' by Peter Boxall but I've never seen mentioned outside this list. It may be that I don't frequent the right places to see it mentioned though. The book is Stone Junction by Jim Dodge. I bought it purely because of its cover about 4 or 5 years ago assuming that due to the cover it would be an American western tale or something baes in Vegas. I really should have read the blurb because its anything but this.

The story focuses on Daniel Pearse who's mother is killed and he is taken under the wing of the AMO - Alliance of Magicians and Outlaws. Under their guidance he learns magic, how to play poker, how to make himself invisble and how to crack safes. I think over time it has become a bit of a cult hit but it should have been read by far more people.

 

I've not read this book, but I have read Fup by Jim Dodge and really enjoyed it - worth looking at if you haven't already read it. Here's the blurb from amazon: "In the coastal hills of northern California live three larger-than-life characters: two humans and one duck. There's Granddaddy Jake Santee, 99 years old, an unreformed gambler, cranky reprobate and fierce opponent of the work ethic. And Tiny, adopted at the age of four by Granddaddy Jake, he's a giant young man as gentle as Jake is belligerent. And then there's Fup, an uncompromising twenty-pound hen mallard, whose unique presence imposes a sense of order on the Santee household. Hilarious, heartwarming and magical, Fup is a contemporary fable that inspires an almost evangelical fervour in all who read it."

[Brian.]

Easy Reader - Be sure to let me know what you think of it when you get round to reading it.

 

Julie - Thanks for the recommendation, I shall add it to my wish list and check it out. I'll let you know what I think of it when I do.

 

Chesilbeach - I've not read any of Jim Dodge's other books but the blurb for Fup sounds utterly bonkers. Its got me intrigued, I'll have to see if my local library has it or can get it in.

[Brian.]

Day 08 – Most overrated book

This is a tricky one as it inevitably turns into 'what book did you not enjoy that others like'. I'm going to have to choose American Psycho by Bret Easton Ellis. I just did not get on with this book at all and it took some effort on my part to get through it and I really wanted to enjoy it. I didn't get on with his writing style and thought that it was plain nasty in a lot of places needlessly.

[Brian.]

Day 09 – A book you thought you wouldn’t like but ended up loving

My choice is The Reader by Bernhard Schlink. I managed to get this from BookMooch and picked it up out of desperation because there was nothing I really wanted available. I saw that it was part of the '1001' list so reluctantly went for it. Upto that point I had never read a fiction title by a German author and really didnt think I could get into fiction at all.

I'm still not sure how but the story drew me in and I was really fascinated. The 2 main characters were captivating and the story a really great one.

[Brian.]

Snow by Orhan Pamuk

 

 

 

 

Synopsis

As the snow begins to fall, a journalist arrives in the remote city of Kars on the Turkish border. Kars is a troubled place - there's a suicide epidemic among its young women, Islamists are poised to win the local elections, and the head of the intelligence service is viciously effective. When the growing blizzard cuts off the outside world, the stage is set for a terrible and desperate act . . . Orhan Pamuk's magnificent and bestselling new novel evokes the spiritual fragility of the non-Western world, its ambivalence about the godless West, and its fury. (Taken from Amazon)

 

 

 

My Thoughts

I'm not sure where to start with this book. It's another one of the '1001' list titles that I've had sitting on my shelf for a while and read it at the suggestion of people on here. The book has been rattling around my head ever since I finished it, this rarely happens for me. I've never read anything quite like this before so I'm not sure how it sits with me.

 

It took me a long time to get into the story, 200 pages in fact and in most cases I would have given up after 100. I decided to stick with it as I knew a few people on BCF wanted my opinions on it (I'm honoured). I felt the story wasn't really going anywhere and was really turgid. This isnt a book to pick up and read quickly, I found it required some effort initially to stick with it. I also couldn't help but feel slightly hamstrung by the fact that I'm not familiar with Turkish customs and culture. For example, the characters seemed to cry far too much for me and provintial Turkish life is completely alien.

 

I also read afterwards that the names in Turkish are quite symbolic to the the story. For example, the main character (Ka) has a shortened name that would never be found in Turkey. As a further exmaple, the city the story is set is called Kars, Kar being the Turkish for 'Snow'. The main events in the story are symbolized by events in a theatre, the main thing being the stuggle between the secular state and the Islamic government. This is all tied in with poverty, isolation and odd love stories.

 

It's this symbolism which probably caused me the most problems as not knowing the story behind the symbolism made it hard to grasp at times. I suspect though that this in large part due to my inexperience in dealing with this kind of fiction. Like I said it required me effort to get through some early parts of the story but it was worth it in the end. I would have probably prefered a more straight forward story but that's personal preference.

 

All this probably sounds like I felt negatively towards the book but I didn't, I just feel like I should be as thourough as I can. The two main things that stuck me about Pamuk's writing are his environment and his characters. He made the city of Kars feel hugely isolated and oppressive. His use of the city helf to seige by the snow creates a wonderful effect of total isolation. The constant snow feels like the un-relenting drip drip of life breaking you down. It's effect is mirrored by the people who live in Kars, largely un-employed and really down trodden about life.

 

His characters are also a bit odd. His descriptions lean far more towards the intangibles of the characters rather than their physical attributes. Its like he uses emotion to build a spirit of person rather than the person of person if that makes sense. Due to this and their unique Turkish ways it was hard to relate to individual characters but I suspect they were symbols of group sentiment rather than people in their own right.

 

One last thing I would say is that when the main event happen, especially the first it completely surprised me and I didn't see it coming at all. I found this to be an enjoyable book of a little hard in places. It doesn't make me want to read anymore Orhan Pamuk soon but certainly doesn't put me off reading his other books at some point in the future.

 

 

6/10

[julie]

Hi Brian

Terrific review of the book,SNOW . So glad you were able to stick with it and finish it . It definitely sounds as if I will need to wait for the proper mood to begin it,since it sounds like it takes a lot of concentration to understand the names, symbolism and customs . Don't feel bad if you know little about the customs in Turkey. I'm sure I know a lot less than you. I can't recall ever reading a book set there or by a Turkish author .

I think you did a wonderful job at reviewing it, though .

Thanks very much --

[Brian.]

Thanks for the kind words Julie, being in the correct mood is certainly a must in my opinion.

 

 

Day 10 – Favourite classic book

I'm going to have to pull a bit of a fast one with this and choose a modern-classic instead of a bonifide classic. I have a pretty good reason for this, I've probably only read 2 or 3 old classics. Anyway, my choice is Animal Farm by George Orwell. I never thought that this kind of fiction would appeal to me but I loved it. It's one of the first novels I had ever read which relies strongly on an allegorical story.

[Brian.]

Day 11 – A book you hated

Simple, Tess of the d'Urbervilles by Thomas Hardy. In my English Literature lessons at school I got to read Macbeth, Midsummer Night's Dream which I enjoyed. Sadly I was forced to read Tess as well and I hated it. Part of me wants to read it again to see if I hate it as much now but I remember it being torture at the time. Forcing school kids to read classics is not a way to encourage an interest in Literature in my opinion.

[Brian.]

Fremder by Russell Hoban

 

 

 

 

Synopsis

Fourth Galaxy, 4 November 2052: in the black sparkle of deep space a figure in a blue overall tumbles over and over as it drifts towards the planet Badr-al-Budur. No space suit, no helmet, no oxygen. He can't be alive, can he? But he is. First Navigator Fremder Gorn is the only survivor when the Corporation tanker Clever Daughter disappears. Nobady knows how he did it, and everybody, including Fremder himself, wants to know. Caroline Lovecraft, Head of the Physio/Psycho unit at Newton Centre, Hubble Straits finds that intimacy doesn't lead to answers and Fremder's own memories are resolutely obscure. Fremder's name means stranger, and his story, as one would expect from Russell Hoban, is full of strangeness and brilliant imagery. (Taken from Amazon)

 

 

 

My Thoughts

I decided that it was about time I took a look at some sci-fi, a new genre of fiction for me. I picked this up the other day at a charity store based entirely on the cover and the blurb on the back. I didn't know what to expect and came out pleasantly surprised.

 

The story has some nice twist and turns throughout and remains engaging. Its only a short book at 180 pages but that feels about perfect, anymore would just be filling. Strangely after reading it feels as though there is so much more to the whole story though, almost like this episode 1 of a series.

 

Apart from that, there isnt a lot more I can say, I enjoyed the story and the writing evoked a lot of good imagery in my mind. I thought that the use of classical music and paintings was a little overdone but not to the detriment of the storyline. I will certainly be hunting out some Hoban in the future.

 

 

7/10

[Brian.]

Day 12 – A book you used to love but don’t anymore

Bravo Two Zero by Andy McNabb. It was one of the first books I asked for as a kid and I got it for my birthday and I really loved it at the time. I must have read it over and over again then out it away for ages. Last year I decided to re-read it and although the story remained pretty good the writing jumps out at me now as being really poor.

[Brian.]

Slave Girl by Sarah Forsyth

 

 

 

 

Synopsis

Sarah Forsyth has spent most of her life in fear. Born in Newcastle in 1976, from the age of three, the very people who were meant to be looking after and protecting her were sexually abusing her. Somehow overcoming the hurt and heartbreak of this horrific childhood, Sarah managed to build a new and happy life for herself as a nursery nurse. Then, one day, Sarah spotted a newspaper advert for a job in a creche in Amsterdam. Thrilled by the prospect of a fresh start away from Newcastle and all the memories it held, she eagerly signed up. But within minutes of stepping off the plan in Amsterdam her life began to fall apart. There was no creche and no job: Sarah was a victim of sex-trafficking. That night, a just twenty-one years of age, her life - her real life, her life as Sarah Forsyth - ended. Fed cocaine and cannabis, and forced at gunpoint to work as a prostitute in the Red Light District of Amsterdam, Sarah was turned from a young innocent English girl into a desperate and terrified crack 'lady of the night'. Riddled with fear about what her pimps would do to her if they caught her trying to run away, it took Sarah almost a year to find the strength to fight back and escape. But, unlike many of the girls that she was forced to live and work beside, she did get away. Sarah Forsyth is a survivor. This is her heart-rending story. (Taken from Amazon)

 

 

 

My Thoughts

I like a good bit of true crime and over the past few years I've read a good few titles and particularly enjoyed 3,096 Days by Natascha Kampusch at the start of the year. Based on this and the great reviews this got on Amazon I decided to read this. The book is the true story of Sarah, a British woman who is kidnapped and forced into prostitution in Amsterdam. She was also abused by her father and by a care system that was meant to protect her.

 

I found it to be a very fast read but I have to say that I am at a loss to how it got such good reviews. There is nothing wrong with it in particular but it brings nothing new to the table in my opinion. The writing is particularly weak, perhaps understandable for Forsyth but Tim Tate worked as a researcher and part of the Roger Cook investigative team. I assume he was brought on board or took the decision to write the book due to the fact that this is his field. If I compare it to 3,096 days the writing is years apart.

 

The story is wretched and pretty horrific but I just can't help but feel they missed a trick. Occasionally emotion creeps in but its far too occasional. Also unlike 3,096 Days we don't get behind Forsyth's thought process during the experience but perhaps I am being too harsh, she was a drug addict at the time. The flow of the book is a bit of a mess as well, it follows a time line but its a bit all over the shop. I had far higher hopes for this book than it delivered and I would be unlikley to recommend it to anyone. It could have been so much more than it ended up being.

 

5/10

[Janet]

All Quiet on the Western Front - Erich Maria Remarque

The Old Man and the Sea - Ernest Hemingway

These were both good. Unfortunately my former dentist gave away the ending of All Quiet... after he saw me reading it in the waiting room. I was not amused!

 

I'm trying to be very careful about not posting any plot spoilers so that I don't spoil it for other people. To this end, I'll skirt over the ending a bit and just say that I thought the ending was perfect. Had it been done in another way I think it would have spoiled the overall tone of the book. This makes me really want to read A Thousand Splendid Suns because I've read that a lot of people think it's even better.

I'm so glad you enjoyed it. I'd have probably never read it if it wasn't a book club choice. I think I did prefer A Thousand Splendid Suns - but it was very close!

[Brian.]

These were both good. Unfortunately my former dentist gave away the ending of All Quiet... after he saw me reading it in the waiting room. I was not amused!

Is that why he is your former dentist?

 

Day 13 – Your favourite writer

I would say probably Robert Harris, I love the way he mixes fiction with history. I can't wait for the 3rd Cicero book to come out as I loved the first two. I never would have expected to like Roman politics in a novel but he makes it work and keeps it really interesting. I also really liked Fatherland, which is a novel set in post war Germany as if Hitler had won the war, a real fascinating idea.

[Brian.]

Day 14 – Favourite book of your favourite writer

Umm, this is a really tricky one to answer. I guess I will pick Lustrum. I've reviewed it recently so I wont add much extra here. Needless to say, its a great read and mixes Roman political history and drama really well. Its a great second book in the series and I can't wait for the last one to be written.

[Brian.]

The Old Man and the Sea by Ernest Hemingway

 

 

 

 

Synopsis

A novella, The Old Man and Sea tells the story of an old fisherman, Santiago, and his long lusty struggle isn't so much over one fish, but the act of living—living fully, actively, robustly. (Taken from Goodreads)

 

 

 

My Thoughts

My first dip into some Hemingway and I decided on something short in case I didnt like it. I shouldn't have worried because I enjoyed the book. I have to admit I am a little surprised at the really high acclaim that this is held in by some. I found it to be a good story but not much else. One thing I did really like was the simplicity of the writing, it wasnt over the top.

 

There is little else for me to add, excpet for the fact I will be searching out some more Hemingway soon.

 

 

7/10

[Brian.]

Day 15 – Favourite male character

I was trying not to pick a character from a book I've read this year and its proving tricky. So I've given up on that idea and I'm going to pick Cicero from the books by Robert Harris. He isnt a character in the truest sense as he did exist and his exploits are documented. Harris fleshes out the character very well and I really like the way that his failings are exposed as well as his triumphs.

[Brian.]

Day 16 – Favourite female character

Easy, Lisbeth Salander from the Millenium Trilogy. I loved the books and a huge part of that is down to the character of Lisbeth Salander. I really like everything about her, the broken childhood, being an outsider, brooding, the tattoos everything. The balance of her against Blomkvist is great. I was a little sad to reach the end knowing that there are no more books.

[Brian.]

Day 17 – Favourite quote from your favourite book

I don't remember any quotes from books at all. I've always found it a little odd that people do but it seems to be quite a common thing so maybe its me thats odd in that respect. I admire a turn of phrase or a piece of monologue from time to time but never enough to lodge it in my brain for any period of time.

[Brian.]

Ooops, I seem to have let this slip for a day or two, time for an update.

 

Day 18 – A book that disappointed you

American Psycho, I really wanted to like this book but I felt really felt let down by it. I didn't like the writing style particularly and I felt that at times the sexual violence had no purpose except to shock and that it was very over the top.

 

Day 19 – Favourite book turned into a movie

The Whale Rider. I think I've already mentioned this book in an earlier question, its that great. The movie is a perfect accompaniment to the book. It uses native actors for the vast majority of the parts and this lends big deal of authenticity to it.

 

Day 20 – Favourite romance book

I haven't read any romance books so I can't give an answer.

[Brian.]

Day 21 – Favourite book from your childhood

I have good memories of an old book that I used to read in bed every night when I should have been sleeping. It was an old battered green hardback called The Adventures of Brer Rabbit. At the time I had no idea who it was by but research leads me to believe it was by Julius Lester. I still don't know where it came from and neither do my parents.