sirinrob

a candle before a ....

Albert Camus

no -'The Shadow of the Wind, but i disliked the Diaz effort as much, if that makes any sense.

Edward Lear

just to echo BJ - another Fforde fan - great! The rest of the series is as good, if not better:D As for me - I'm reading 'Northern Shores - A History of the Baltic Sea and its peoples' Alan Palmer. Almost a quarter read and enjoying it:)

February proved to be a productive reading month- 24 books read . mostly fiction, but did manage to read one nonfiction book; 'The Rebel' Albert Camus. Discovered some more authors that I like: Roberto Bola

This book presents in a fair amount of detail, the life and reign of Rudolf II. The style is approachable , concentrating more on the events and how they affected the people over whom Rudolf reigned. It also gives a clear portrait of Rudolf himself. As a ruler in the late renaissance, Rudolf was very much a renaissance man; his pursuit of the intellectual bordering on obssesion. Unusually for a Hapsburg, he set up his court in Prague. This suited him as it allowed him to pursue his interests without the social pressure of Vienna. It was here that he gathered people like Tycho Brahe, Kepler and John Dee amongst others: allowing them to work unhindered. The book details the political and religious pressures that eventually caused his downfall. Notes for each chapter and a select Bibliography are provided. Very good book that sheds light on an interesting man.

Going to finish the book on rudolf 2, and continue 'The Secret River' by Kate Grenville

If the title of this sounds familiar, then don't be surprised. the inspiration for this was 'Our Man in Havana' Graham Greene. There the similarity ends, as the plot of this novel differs greatly from the Graham Greene original. Is GG of the title Graham Greene? Well yes and no. It ll hinges on a case of mistaken identity, a surreal plot involving a porn star, a runaway journalist, the FBI and various gangs in Havana. at best its a diversion, which may kick start the reader into reading Graham Greene. Its direct, vulgar and very OTT, but not that satisfying a read.

Yes , Rasheed and Laila shared a bed, but recall how she used her knife to cut her finger and 'pretend' he had deflowered her. As events unfold, Laila prevents Mariam from being beaten and that same night sleeps downstairs with the baby (Aziza).

I've read it and as far as I'm concerned Jasper has excelled himself. Yes it is dystopian, but there is a humanistic streak in it as well. You'd have to read to understand what I mean... I didn't review it as Chesil said what I felt about the book, so why repeat?

On the Laila/Mariam conflict, I think Rasheed didnt consider Mariam more value than a worm, even before Laila came onto the scene. After her miscarriage, in his eyes she wasn't a woman, she couldn't care for him as he wanted. His attitude is wrong. As it turns out Laila becomes 'available', so he charms her, with the intention of discarding Laila as he does Mariam, so long as he gets what he wants - a son. As far as Rasheed is concerned the only thing that matters is his son, those who bore his son/cared for his son are mere servants at best.

This is in one sense a political satire, in another the story of the struggle of a nation to come to terms with itself and how that struggle affects five peoples lives. The author is a disillusioned Marxist, who was involved in the past with the revolution in Guatemala. When this novel appeared in 1976 it caused a furore in Guatemala, with most of the criticism coming from the revolutionary forces who saw him as a traitor to the cause. Both the form and style of the novel are experimental, influences of Roberto Bola

1. Who was your favourite character and why? Deciding on a favourite character is difficult, so I'm going for three Mariam. Laila and Tariq. Mariam is strong and despite all the happens to her, she protects Laila and Aziza. Laila for being a good mother and supporting Mariam. Tariq for his spirit and enlightened outlook. 2. Was there a particular part you enjoyed/disliked more than the rest? enjoyed the following: Laila protecting Mariam from Rasheed Mariam bonding with Aziza Tariq's return Rasheed's death found these parts saddening: Mariam losing her baby All the abuse Mariam suffered at the hands of Rasheed Mariam's death 3. Was this the first book you've read in this genre/by this author, has it encouraged you to read more? This is the first book I've read by this author. 'The Kite runner' is on my wishlist. 4. Were there any parts/ideas you struggled with? No, as I was aware of the attitudes towards women in the Afghan culture. As Hosseini reminds us, similar attitudes are prevalent in other countries as well. 5. Overall, was reading the book an enjoyable experience? Enjoyable, in that the story was told well and provided an insight to the society and its attitudes. 6. Mariam’s mother tells her: “Women like us. We endure. It’s all we have.” Discuss how this sentiment informs Mariam’s life and how it relates to the larger themes of the novel. Her mother takes a defiant stand to the world, staying as independent as she can. She tries to instil into Mariam the same distrust of the world and men as she feels. Mariam absorbs some of this, as she is somewhat independent and carries on regardless. This spirit of independence helps her cope with the abuse from Rasheed and to support Laila. 7. By the time Laila is rescued from the rubble of her home by Rasheed and Mariam, Mariam’s marriage has become a miserable existence of neglect and abuse. Yet when she realizes that Rasheed intends to marry Laila, she reacts with outrage. Given that Laila’s presence actually tempers Rasheed’s abuse, why is Mariam so hostile toward her? Mariam's outrage stems from two sources. Firstly she feels threatened by Laila, since it appears that Mariam is to be Laila's servant. When she realises that Laila isn't a threat, rather a victim as we find out, then the hostility disappears. Secondly she feels outrage, as she isn't comfortable with the idea of polygamy. Why inflict the misery she puts up with, on Laila. Mariam intuitively knows that Rasheed will end up treating Laila in much the same way he treats her.

not going to to put a split on this . Why? simply because, what I read as 'research', leads to ideas for writing, which leads to enjoyment for me ( and hopefully for others). Also much of the literature I read for pleasure, actually is also research, so one leads to the other , to the other...

Reading 'The Rebel' Albert Camus. Proving to be rather interesting and thought provoking. Should finish it tonight.

I've read about half of this and it is very good, just need to finish it

nothing...

This is a long (730 pages) work of fiction, which is an example of a novel of ideas. It's strong on ideas and plot but rather weak on characterisation. the plot is very intricate. Synopsis from amazon.co.uk On a cold night in Holland, Max Delius - a hedonistic, yet brilliant astronomer who loves fast cars, nice clothes and women - picks up Onno Quist, a cerebral chaotic philologist who cannot bear the banalities of everyday life. They are like fire andwater. But when they learn they were conceived on the same day, it is clear that something extraordinary is about to happen. Their worlds become inextricably intertwined, as they embark on a life's journey destined to change the course of human history. A magnum opus that is also a masterful thriller. I have mixed feelings about this book. The ideas are entertainingly presented, often with sly humour. the author is obviously well read and covers a wide range. Philosophers like Descartes, Spinoza, Hegel, Nieztsche and Camus are mentioned. Areas of theology such as Calvinism, Catholicism and Judaism feature as well. Aspects of architecture and Astronomy are added to the mix. The early conversations between Max and Onno are witty, the best one being a truncated reenactment of the meeting between Freud and Mahler in Leiden. As the novel progressed I found the humour palled, mainly because Onno became a real pain. If the plot had been simplified and more effort put into the characters then this would have been a great book. As it stands it I rate it as good.

Zafon 'The shadow of the Wind' and 'Name of the Rose'. I actually like 'Ulysses' James Joyce (runs away very quickly)...

Immaterial, if it speaks to me then thats all that matters.

I'll add 'Cousin Bette' by Honore de Balzac. Art and social mores. A mature work.

The Vintage Books edition uses the same translation as the Penguin classics, and that is generally regarded as a good translation (I read the Penguin classics edition). I tend to be wary of Wordsworth editions, as the translations tend to be a bit suspect in my experience.

Just thinking here ( half dried pea rattling furiously ) you may like the 'Pendragon Legend' by Antal Szerb, thats full of things that go bump in the night, creaking doors etc.

One you might consider is 'Fathers and sons' Ivan Turgenev - discusses art, philosophy and great ideals