I'm always a bit sceptical about books about fitness, health, lifestyle changes etc. In this case I was even more dubious, when I saw that 3 of the boI'm always a bit sceptical about books about fitness, health, lifestyle changes etc. In this case I was even more dubious, when I saw that 3 of the book's 5 star reviews on Goodreads were from the book's publishers.
However, I found the book interesting and I liked its approach. It also had several references that looked interesting, that I am following up. Will it help me develop a lifetime habit? I hope so. ...more
'The Conversation Yearbook 2016' edited by John Watson
4 stars/ 8 out of 10
I have relatives living in Australia, so I decided to read this book in orde 'The Conversation Yearbook 2016' edited by John Watson
4 stars/ 8 out of 10
I have relatives living in Australia, so I decided to read this book in order to have a better understanding of their life there.
The book is divided into 8 sections, each containing articles relating to a specific broad theme. All these articles have appeared in 'The Conversation' during 2016.
There were many articles here that were of interest to me. Amongst these, I was especially interested in the articles about Turnbull. There were also thought provoking articles about urban density, and about the benefits of urban greening. There was an excellent and informative article about Afghanistan and Iraq. The article that shocked me most was 'The Untold Story behind the 1966 Wave Hill Walk-off.'
I have also learnt several new English words that I have never heard before e.g. spruiking!
This was a very interesting and informative book. Until I read this book, I had never heard of 'The Conversation'. I have now found their website, which contains a mass of very interesting articles. I now intend to look at the website on a regular basis.
Thank you to Melbourne University Publishing and to NetGalley for an ARC....more
In 'Caught in the Revolution', Helen Rappaport provides a detailed account of the 191 'Caught in the Revolution' by Helen Rappaport
4 stars/ 8 out of 10
In 'Caught in the Revolution', Helen Rappaport provides a detailed account of the 1917 Russian Revolution, as seen through foreign eyewitness accounts.
Many years ago, I read 'Ten Days that Shook the World' by John Reed, and hence was interested to see whether this account based on many eyewitnesses would provide a more rounded picture. I was especially interested in reading the sections relating to the journalists, Donald Thompson and Florence Harper.
This is a very detailed book, with much that I found interesting. The first thing that struck me was the affluent lifestyle of the diplomatic community, compared to that of the majority of the Russian people. I was very moved reading about the release of political prisoners. Other sections that were of great interest to me related to the role of the Cossacks, the storming of the Astoria Hotel, the events of 23rd March, the return of Lenin, and the women of Petrograd. The most fascinating section for me was that relating to the visit made by Mrs Pankhurst, which I knew nothing about.
I found this an informative and gripping read. At no stage was I bored by it.
Thank you to St Martin's Press and to NetGalley for an ARC....more
I was attracted to this nonfiction book by the description provided by the publisher, 'Gutenberg's Fingerprint' by Merilyn Simonds
4 stars/ 8 out of 10
I was attracted to this nonfiction book by the description provided by the publisher, and I was not disappointed.
I found this book by Merilyn Simonds to be an interesting mixture. It is part memoir, part informational and historical, part musings. Simonds looks in turn at paper, type, ink and press; and explains and examines the importance of each of these in the process of producing the final version of a book. She follows each of these through historically; from the centuries before Gutenberg and his printing press, right up to the digital production of reading material.
I learnt a lot from reading this book, and it also raised many interesting questions that I am still pondering. Parts that especially stick in my mind include: the making of endpapers using plants from Simonds' garden, the reasons why paper took over from vellum, the whole section about ink (including e-ink and LCD displays), the fascinating history of colophons, bookbinding etc etc.
Having found this book to be an interesting and informative read, I will now be looking to obtain copies of some of the other books that Merilyn Simonds has written.
Thank you to ECW Press and to NetGalley for an ARC....more
I read a lot of poetry, but have not previously read anything by Mary di Michele.
This book c 'Bicycle Thieves' by Mary di Michele
3.5 stars/ 7 out of 10
I read a lot of poetry, but have not previously read anything by Mary di Michele.
This book contains an interesting selection of poems, linking di Michele's Italian roots with her Canadian present.
My favourite section in this poetry book is the one entitled 'Life Sentences', which consists of 100 three-line poems, within which di Michele tells the story of her life. The poems appear deceptively simple; however I am in awe of what di Michele has achieved here. This section illustrates what a good poet she is.
Other poems I enjoyed include 'Forgetfulness' and 'Di Sica's Ladri di Biciclette.'
Thank you to ECW Press and to NetGalley for an ARC....more
I didn't like this one as much as the rest of the series. Maybe the author felt pressure to tie up the loose ends, but there were a couple of3.5 stars
I didn't like this one as much as the rest of the series. Maybe the author felt pressure to tie up the loose ends, but there were a couple of people whom I felt acted out of character in this final volume.
Notwithstanding that, this is an impressive series of 5 books, which I am very pleased to have read. I'll miss reading about the people in these books!...more
This novel is set in New York in the 1970s. Paul and Elsa are a middle aged, well o 'The Hothouse by the East River' by Muriel Spark
3 stars/6 out of 10
This novel is set in New York in the 1970s. Paul and Elsa are a middle aged, well off couple. Much of the opening sections relates to their need of and time with analysts.
The main sign at this stage that the novel is not going to proceed in a usual fashion, is when Paul notices something strange about Elsa's shadow. As the story proceeds, there are links to World War 2 and espionage, and a several unusual characters are introduced. There are many conflicting versions amongst the characters about what has or hasn't happened in the past/what is or isn't happening in the present.
I found this a confusing book, but I think it is probably meant to be confusing. There are things that become clearer by the end of the novel, but I'm not adding detail here because it will detract from reading the earlier sections of the book.
My favourite part was the part with the silkworms.
I found this shortish book quite interesting to read as an example of a surreal novel. I don't know how typical it is of Muriel Spark's work, and will look into this further.
Thank you to Open Road Literary Fiction and to NetGalley for an ARC....more
I found this novel (it is fiction despite the title) interesting, but written in rather a matter of fact style.
I read it for a group read on GR, and tI found this novel (it is fiction despite the title) interesting, but written in rather a matter of fact style.
I read it for a group read on GR, and the group discussion together with following up on the internet regarding the author and background to the book, really enhanced this for me. I now have a much better appreciation of the novel....more
I visited New York for the first time recently, so was interested in reading some fictio 'New York Stories' edited by Bob Blaisdell
4 stars/ 8 out of 10
I visited New York for the first time recently, so was interested in reading some fiction relating to the city.
This collection of 'New York Stories' contains 14 stories that take place in New York. Each story is preceded by some interesting information concerning the author and the story.
The book starts with 'Bartleby the Scrivener' by Herman Melville, which I have wanted to read for some time. Another thirteen stories follow, with authors including Edith Wharton, Willa Cather and Junot Díaz.
My favourite story was 'The Aunt and the Sluggard'. This was the first work by P. G. Wodehouse that I have read, and I will definitely be reading more by him.
This book is a good introduction to New York, as it is portrayed in literature over a period of more than 150 years. I recommend it.
Thank you to Dover Publications and to NetGalley for an ARC....more
'The Disappearance of Émile Zola' by Michael Rosen
3.5 stars/ 7 out of 10
I was interested in reading this book because recently I have completed readin 'The Disappearance of Émile Zola' by Michael Rosen
3.5 stars/ 7 out of 10
I was interested in reading this book because recently I have completed reading the 20 volumes in the Rougon Macquart series by Émile Zola, and hence was looking forward to extending my background knowledge of Zola's life.
I found this book to be interesting. It added a lot to my knowledge of this period in the life of Émile Zola.
The parts I especially enjoyed and found interesting related to Zola and photography, to Zola and his previous visit to London a few years earlier, and to the issues leading to the trial and imprisonment of Henry Vizetelly. It was also interesting to read about the various links to the author's family. The only negative for me was that I felt that there was too much detail relating to Zola's correspondence with Jeanne.
I think that the book will be best appreciated and enjoyed by those who are already interested in Émile Zola and/or the Dreyfus Affair. I am a bit doubtful as to whether it will be of great interest to a wider audience.
Thank you to Faber and Faber Ltd and to NetGalley for an ARC....more
I have read several books by Beryl Bainbridge in the past, so was pleased to have the opportuni 'Sweet William' by Beryl Bainbridge
4 stars/8 out of 10
I have read several books by Beryl Bainbridge in the past, so was pleased to have the opportunity to read this novel.
'Sweet William' tells the story of Ann, a rather naive young woman, whose life is turned upside down on meeting William, a self declared playwright. The story is told primarily from Ann's point of view, but the reader, again and again, suspects (and eventually knows) just how much she is deluding herself.
Bainbridge writes with wit and verve. I found the account of the harvest festival very funny, and the description of Ann's Christmas with her parents displays Bainbridge's acerbic wit to its full.
Yet Bainbridge still allows us to develop sympathy for many of the characters in the novel.For example, Ann's mother, whilst she has many unsympathetic characteristics, provides several poignant moments.
It was a pleasure to read this book, and I am glad that it has been republished.The section at the end of the book containing photographs of Beryl Bainbridge is a bonus.
Thank you to Open Road Integrated Media and to NetGalley for an ARC....more
'Speaking in Cod Tongues: A Culinary Journey Through Canada' by Lenore Newman
3.5 stars/ 7 out of 10
I have relatives in Canada and have visited there o 'Speaking in Cod Tongues: A Culinary Journey Through Canada' by Lenore Newman
3.5 stars/ 7 out of 10
I have relatives in Canada and have visited there on several occasions; hence I was attracted to this book by its subject matter.
There was quite a lot of academic and theoretical background in the first couple of chapters of Part 1 of this book.
I found the book more interesting from Chapter 3 onwards, when Newman began looking at specific regions and foods in particular. This chapter contained interesting details about foods such as pemmican, wild rice etc.
Newman states in Chapter 4 that seasonality is a lasting and growing element of Canadian cuisine, illustrating this initially in relation to berries. She continues to explore this in the rest of the chapter by examining a range of seasonal food, and then following this up with a deeper theoretical examination.
Other chapters in the book have a similar format, covering a range of topics including maple syrup, salmon and poutine. Newman also includes an interesting section on Canadian cookbooks and food writing. Part 2 of the book looks at Canada region by region, in relation to the links between place and food. Part 3 ponders the future of Canadian cuisine.
Lenore Newman has a pleasant writing style, and although this book had more of a theoretical approach than I had expected, I found it an interesting and informative read.
Thank you to University of Regina Press and to NetGalley for an ARC....more
'City of Lions' by Jósef Wittlin and Philippe Sands
3 stars/ 6 out of 10
The preface to the book by Eva Hoffman is very interesting, and there are some 'City of Lions' by Jósef Wittlin and Philippe Sands
3 stars/ 6 out of 10
The preface to the book by Eva Hoffman is very interesting, and there are some excellent photographs by Diana Matar, and also by Iryna and Ihor Kotlobulatov. Jósef Wittlin's essay (originally entitled 'My Lwów') is translated by Antonia Lloyd-Jones.
The book consists of 2 essays, written nearly 70 years apart, about the city of Lviv, as it is now known.
Jósef Wittlin's 1946 essay looks back with nostalgia at the city (then named Lwów) where he grew up, and which he left in 1922. It also looks at the fate of the Jews who lived there during the Second World War.
Philippe Sands' essay (entitled 'My Lviv') looks at the current situation in the city, and also traces the lives and fates of his ancestors who were living there during the Second World War. He also comments on, and adds to, Wittlin's account of life in the city.
I found the book interesting, and it gave me an insight into the varied history of this city.
Thank you to Pushkin Press and to NetGalley for an ARC....more
Rachel Cusk is a name that I know; however I have not read anything by her previously.
'Outline' is a short 'Outline' by Rachel Cusk
3 stars/ 6 out of 10
Rachel Cusk is a name that I know; however I have not read anything by her previously.
'Outline' is a short novel. In it, the narrator travels to Greece in order to teach a writing course. The major part of the novel details the people that she meets and the tales that they tell her. As the book progresses we learn more, by implication, both about these people and about the narrator.
I quite liked reading this book, especially initially. Its style is quite different from the majority of present-day novels.
However, the many occasions on which I was reminded of W.G. Sebald's writing proved distracting for me. As the book progressed my main thoughts became less about this novel, and more about how much better I felt Sebald's work to be. I'm not clear whether or not Cusk intended her readers to make this connection; when it came to the point that the narrator talks about the feeling of Vertigo (this occurs more than once), the similarities became too strong for me. I feel that Sebald's writing is so much stronger and more meaningful than Cusk's.
There were aspects of Rachel Cusk's writing that I was taken with. I would try another book by her, in the hope that she develops/writes in a more personal style.
Thank you to Random House UK and to NetGalley for an ARC....more
I was interested in reading this novel, because I enjoyed 'Empire Falls' by the same author. 'Everybody's Fool' by Richard Russo
2.5 stars/5 out of 10
I was interested in reading this novel, because I enjoyed 'Empire Falls' by the same author. Also I have enjoyed novels about small town America by other authors. However I have not read Russo's earlier novel, 'Nobody's Fool', set in the same town and featuring many of the same characters.
At times I felt engaged with this novel. However at other times it felt long winded, and that there was overmuch detail concerning the minutiae of day to day living. My favourite character was Gus, but I didn't feel interested in the outcome for many of the characters in the novel.
Thank you to Allen and Unwin, and to NetGalley for an ARC....more
Margaret Drabble's novels formed the backdrop to my teen and university years, then to m 'The Dark Flood Rises' by Margaret Drabble
4 stars/ 8 out of 10
Margaret Drabble's novels formed the backdrop to my teen and university years, then to my adult family life, and, in her latest novel 'The Dark Flood Rises', she approaches issues relating to ageing.
The book consists of the interlocking histories of several characters (many of whom are elderly) and some of their friends and relatives. As the book progresses, Drabble subtly reveals more and more information about each character.
Fortuitously, several of the locations where this novel takes place are ones that I know. This added an additional layer of interest for me. There were a lot of current and 'historical' references and comments that I enjoyed, though I wonder whether younger readers may find them less pertinent.
One of the aspects of Drabble's writing style in this book, is the use of the omniscient narrator. This is not very fashionable nowadays, but it is put to good use by her and adds greatly to the story.
There were times whilst reading this that I laughed out loud; there were also many poignant and thought provoking moments. It was definitely a 'Good Read'.
Thank you to Canongate Books and to NetGalley for an ARC....more
I have read very few books set in Argentina, so was interested to read this novel, first 'Death Going Down' by María Angélica Bosco
4 stars/ 8 out of 10
I have read very few books set in Argentina, so was interested to read this novel, first published in 1955. This 2016 translation into English is by Lucy Greaves. The translation reads very well.
The story starts with the discovery of a dead body in a lift, in an apartment block in Buenos Aires. Was it suicide or was it murder? Whichever it was, in the spirit of all good detective novels, all the residents of the apartment block seem to have secrets to hide.
I enjoyed reading this book immensely. The story had enough action in it right from Chapter 1 to keep the reader's attention, and there were often elements of humour. All the characters were well delineated. I especially liked the detectives, Ericourt and Blasi. I enjoyed the insight into life in Buenos Aires following the Second World War.
I understand that this is the first detective novel that was written by Mariá Angélica Bosco. If further novels of hers are translated into English, I will definitely read them.
Thank you to Pushkin Press and to NetGalley for an ARC....more
I enjoyed Part 1, about the childhood of the 2 boys, and thought there were enough hints in this part, to3.5 stars
Hmm. I found this book very patchy.
I enjoyed Part 1, about the childhood of the 2 boys, and thought there were enough hints in this part, to suggest that the rest of the book would be very interesting. But I didn't find Part 2 particularly interesting or well-written. Part 3 was at times plodding, and at other times surprising. At times Part 3 had the best written moments of the whole novel....more
I decided to read this book, following recommendations from 2 friends. I was not disappointed. In this n 'Lions' by Bonnie Nadzam
4.5 stars/ 9 out of 10
I decided to read this book, following recommendations from 2 friends. I was not disappointed. In this novel, Bonnie Nadzam has produced a work of beauty and of mystery, of sadness and of wonder. Her descriptions are amongst the most evocative I have read for a long time.
The basis of this story is about the small town of Lions, Colorado, at a time when most of its inhabitants have left or are thinking of leaving. There is a ghostly, decaying air in Nadzam's descriptions of the town. In my opinion, the town itself is the main character in the novel.
There are only two young people still living in Lions, Gordon and Leigh. It's about how what seem like simple events trigger a train of further events, that could never have been predicted; and how life for Gordon and Leigh, and many other inhabitants of Lions, turns out differently from what had been expected.
This is a haunting, mysterious story that leaves many questions unanswered. I will definitely re-read this beautifully written book.
Thank you to Grove Atlantic and to NetGalley for an ARC....more
I liked that it was based on a historical incident, and I enjoyed reading about life at that time in a countr3.5 stars
Some thoughts, no real spoilers:
I liked that it was based on a historical incident, and I enjoyed reading about life at that time in a country I know little about. I thought some of the descriptions of the countryside were lovely.
I'm not religious, so some of it felt irrelevant to me, but I am very interested in the role of Judas, whether to defend your beliefs at cost to other people etc etc, so I found that interesting.
I understand that Endo was strongly religious?? That might explain why it felt different to me from Graham Greene's novels; his work so often reflects the doubts he felt and had fought with throughout his life. The work of his it reminds me of is The Power and the Glory, which I much prefer.
The book it reminds me of most is Darkness at Noon, which raises many of the same issues, in relation to Soviet Russia....more
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