I was interested in reading "Wayward Heroes", because I have spent time in Iceland, and also 'Wayward Heroes' by Halldór Laxness
4.5 stars/ 9 out of 10
I was interested in reading "Wayward Heroes", because I have spent time in Iceland, and also have read and enjoyed Independent People by the same author.
This is a new translation, direct from Icelandic, by Phillip Roughton, (an earlier English translation by a different translator having been from a Swedish translation), to be published in October 2016.
I thought the translation was excellent. The descriptions were vivid, and used colloquial language where appropriate. The character and place names were given in the Icelandic alphabet; once I had checked out how to pronounce these, they felt completely natural to me.
This story of the exploits of Þorgeir and Þormóður, sworn brothers, inspired by old Icelandic Sagas, was adventurous, humorous and moving. I liked that Laxness had adopted a tragicomical approach to them. The two men seemed very true to life. The other characters in the novel were also well rounded. I liked how several of the women were such strong characters.
I found "Independent People" very good, but also almost unremittingly gloomy, so it was a pleasant surprise to find humour in "Wayward Heroes ". At times it seemed like a cross between Don Quixote and Jason and the Argonauts.
I am really pleased that I read this translation of "Wayward Heroes", and will definitely read further works by Halldór Laxness.
Thank you to Archipelago and to NetGalley for an ARC.
Merged review:
'Wayward Heroes' by Halldór Laxness
4.5 stars/ 9 out of 10
I was interested in reading "Wayward Heroes", because I have spent time in Iceland, and also have read and enjoyed Independent People by the same author.
This is a new translation, direct from Icelandic, by Phillip Roughton, (an earlier English translation by a different translator having been from a Swedish translation), to be published in October 2016.
I thought the translation was excellent. The descriptions were vivid, and used colloquial language where appropriate. The character and place names were given in the Icelandic alphabet; once I had checked out how to pronounce these, they felt completely natural to me.
This story of the exploits of Þorgeir and Þormóður, sworn brothers, inspired by old Icelandic Sagas, was adventurous, humorous and moving. I liked that Laxness had adopted a tragicomical approach to them. The two men seemed very true to life. The other characters in the novel were also well rounded. I liked how several of the women were such strong characters.
I found "Independent People" very good, but also almost unremittingly gloomy, so it was a pleasant surprise to find humour in "Wayward Heroes ". At times it seemed like a cross between Don Quixote and Jason and the Argonauts.
I am really pleased that I read this translation of "Wayward Heroes", and will definitely read further works by Halldór Laxness.
Thank you to Archipelago and to NetGalley for an ARC....more
'Curious Encounters with the Natural World' by Michael Jeffords and Susan Post
5 stars/ 10 out of 10
The description in the foreword of this book is app 'Curious Encounters with the Natural World' by Michael Jeffords and Susan Post
5 stars/ 10 out of 10
The description in the foreword of this book is apposite; that this book is a museum of interactions of life in the world at large.
There is a very interesting introduction by both authors regarding cabinets of curiosities, both historical and personal. Then follow ten themed chapters, of related text and photographs.
I think the photographs in this book are outstanding, especially those of butterflies, and of birds of all shapes, sizes and colours.
For me, the best photos of all are the photo of the hoodoos in Goblin National Park and the photo of Zion National Park.
This is an excellent book, that deserves to be dipped into again and again. The authors can be very proud of their achievement.
Thank you to University of Illinois Press and to NetGalley for an ARC....more
I read this for my face to face book group. I enjoyed each chapter of it. Near the end I thought it was becoming rather formulaic, but that didn't st I read this for my face to face book group. I enjoyed each chapter of it. Near the end I thought it was becoming rather formulaic, but that didn't stop it being a good read. ...more
'For Isabel: A Mandala' by Antonio Tabucchi, translated by Elizabeth Harris
4 stars/ 8 out of 10
I have read other novels by Antonio Tabucchi, so was i 'For Isabel: A Mandala' by Antonio Tabucchi, translated by Elizabeth Harris
4 stars/ 8 out of 10
I have read other novels by Antonio Tabucchi, so was interested in reading this latest work, which was published posthumously and has now been translated into English.
The volume starts with 'Justification in the Form of a Note'. I recommend reading this both at the beginning of and on completion of the book.
As you would expect from Tabucchi, there is much in this novel about existence and about time. At times the novel, told as a first person narrative, reads very much like a detective story. At other times it moves into fantastical and thought provoking directions.
Much of the novel is set in Tabucchi's beloved Lisbon, which is a location that I always enjoy reading about. His writing is as concise and well expressed as usual. It feels as if the translation is sticking very much to the author's original text and meaning.
I intend to re-read this novel. I have a feeling that there is much more that I could get out of, it on a second time of reading it.
Thank you to Archipelago Books and to NetGalley for an ARC....more
I enjoy reading poetry, so was interested in reading this book. The author, Holly McNish, received the Ted H'Plum' by Holly McNish
4 stars/ 8 out of 10
I enjoy reading poetry, so was interested in reading this book. The author, Holly McNish, received the Ted Hughes Award in 2016.
The poems included in this volume have been written by the author from her early years up to the present day, and cover a wide range of topics. I enjoyed the explanations that accompanied many of the poems. I found many of the poems thought provoking, and could imagine several of them being performed.
My favourite poems were 'Language Learning', 'Beautiful' and 'Call On Me'.
I very much enjoyed reading this book of Holly McNish's poems. In fact, I enjoyed it so much that I have just bought a ticket to see her perform 'live' in a fortnight's time.
Thank you to Pan Macmillan (Picador Poetry) and to NetGalley for an ARC....more
'Silence' by Erling Kagge, translated by Betty L. Crook
3 stars/ 6 out of 10
The whole subject of solitude and silence is of great interest to me, and I 'Silence' by Erling Kagge, translated by Betty L. Crook
3 stars/ 6 out of 10
The whole subject of solitude and silence is of great interest to me, and I have already read several books on this topic. I was interested in reading this new book by Erling Kagge, the Norwegian explorer and adventurer.
The main body of this book consists of thirty-three sections, which look at various aspects of the 3 questions that Kagge raises: 'What is silence? Where is it? Why is it more important now than ever?'
The examples in his answers are taken from many sources, ranging from businessmen to philosophers.
I'm pleased that Kagge looked at both aspects of silence; both of actual silence, and of the silence that we can find, even when surrounded by noise. I have always found the latter more of an asset than the former.
I found the book interesting enough as an overview. I think if a reader wanted to look at the subject in depth, there are other books that would provide more a more detailed insight.
Thank you to Viking and to NetGalley for an ARC....more
'A Horse Walks into a Bar' by David Grossman, translated by Jessica Cohen
3.5 stars/ 7 out of 10
I was interested in reading this book, because it is on 'A Horse Walks into a Bar' by David Grossman, translated by Jessica Cohen
3.5 stars/ 7 out of 10
I was interested in reading this book, because it is on the shortlist for the Man Booker International Prize 2017. It is the first book that I have read by David Grossman.
The book is told in the first person. The narrator is in a club watching a standup comedy performance by a childhood friend, whom he has not seen since their teen years. The comic has phoned him and asked him to attend the performance.
I found this a difficult book to read. Difficult, because it was edgy and unsettling. Throughout the book, I felt that the things that would unfold would be disturbing. In the event, they were less disturbing than I expected. It's a testament to David Grossman's writing, that the book unsettled me so much.
I thought the language and style of writing were excellent. I read an article concerning the difficulties in translating the book, owing to the number of 'in-comments' etc. It feels as if the translator has done an excellent job. However there were still many Israel-specific references that I did not 'get'.
Although this book was not for me, I will definitely look for further books by David Grossman to read.
Thank you to Random House UK, Vintage Publishing and to NetGalley for an ARC....more
'Illuminating Women in the Medieval World' by Christine Sciacca
4 stars/ 8 out of 10
This is a very nice book. It has been issued to support an exhibit 'Illuminating Women in the Medieval World' by Christine Sciacca
4 stars/ 8 out of 10
This is a very nice book. It has been issued to support an exhibition at the J. Paul Getty Museum, but works equally well as a stand alone book.
It is short, but has much of interest in it. It is arranged in 4 chapters, along with an interesting introduction and epilogue.
The commentary is both interesting and informative. I was especially interested in reading about the roles women played in commissioning, making and reading books.
The illustrations are lavish and full of detail. Many of these are from the J. Paul Getty Museum itself.
Christine Sciacca has done a good job here of collecting and using relevant images to back up the overview that she has provided.
I'm pleased that I read this edition. At last, I have a bit of an understanding of Emily Dickinson's poetry. This edition has a very clear in3.5 stars
I'm pleased that I read this edition. At last, I have a bit of an understanding of Emily Dickinson's poetry. This edition has a very clear introduction, which puts her into context. It also explains a bit about why capital letters and dashes, including sometimes using a – at the end of a poem, are used by her in her poetry.
In addition to containing a variety of her poems, arranged by poem number, it also has a complete fascicle, as she called it, fascicle number 17. My favourite poem of all is number 511. You'll need to look this up if you want to see the content of it!
I have always enjoyed browsing in bookshops, which immediately interested me in reading this b'Browse' edited by Henry Hitchings
4.5 stars/ 9 out of 10
I have always enjoyed browsing in bookshops, which immediately interested me in reading this book.
'Browse' is a very nice book!
There is an excellent introduction by the Editor, Henry Hitchings, followed by fifteen sections relating to bookstores and books. Several, but not all, of these sections were written by authors already known to me, such as Ali Smith and Juan Gabriel Vásquez.
I found all of the sections of interest. My favourite section was that entitled 'All That Offers a Happy Ending is a Fairy Tale' by Yiyun Li.
If you enjoy browsing in bookshops, then this book is for you.
Thank you to Pushkin Press and to NetGalley for an ARC....more
'Seven Steps to Managing Your Memory' by Andrew E. Budson and Maureen K. O'Connor
3 stars/ 6 out of 10
I was interested in reading this book to find out 'Seven Steps to Managing Your Memory' by Andrew E. Budson and Maureen K. O'Connor
3 stars/ 6 out of 10
I was interested in reading this book to find out more about how memory works, why it may deteriorate as one ages, and what can be done about this.
The authors have designed the book so that there are scenarios relating to some fictional individuals to introduce each section. These are followed by more factual information.
Descriptions in the book are clear and straightforward. There is a lot of repetition of information, which for me was overkill, but which others might find helpful.
The book appears aimed at an American market, and the descriptions of procedures are specifically related to the situation in that country. Readers from other countries may find it more productive to look for a different book on the same topic, that will relate more to their personal situation.
I thought the most interesting section was the one about strategies to help improve memory in everyday life.
Thank you to Oxford University Press and to NetGalley for an ARC....more
'The Poetry of Impermanence, Mindfulness and Joy' edited by John Brehm
4 stars/ 8 out of 10
I have always been interested in poetry, so was interested i'The Poetry of Impermanence, Mindfulness and Joy' edited by John Brehm
4 stars/ 8 out of 10
I have always been interested in poetry, so was interested in reading this themed anthology.
The book opens with an interesting introduction by John Brehm, and then leads into three sections of poetry, arranged by the themes outlined in the title.
I enjoyed the wide selection of poetry in this volume. There were authors I already knew such as Elizabeth Bishop and Pablo Neruda, and also many that were new to me. I liked the fact that so many of the poems were in translation (primarily from Japanese, Chinese and Polish).
My favourite poems were 'The Day Lady Died' by Frank O'Hara and 'Aware' by Denise Levertov. I was very pleased that there were poems by Wisława Szymborska. There were several poets whose work I will now follow up.
The book ends with an appendix regarding Mindful Reading, followed by very interesting and detailed biographical notes about each of the poets whose work appears in this anthology.
Thank you to Wisdom Publications and to NetGalley for an ARC....more
My experience of reading this play was enhanced by listening to a 'Great Courses' 30 minute chapter about Christopher Marlowe in general, an3.5 stars
My experience of reading this play was enhanced by listening to a 'Great Courses' 30 minute chapter about Christopher Marlowe in general, and this play specifically....more
'Images of the Past: The British Seaside' by Lucinda Gosling
4 stars/ 8 out of 10
I have always enjoyed trips to the seaside, and so was interested to r 'Images of the Past: The British Seaside' by Lucinda Gosling
4 stars/ 8 out of 10
I have always enjoyed trips to the seaside, and so was interested to read this book with its historic photographs of the British Seaside.
This book is divided into sections, with topics ranging from 'The Beach' to 'Travel and Accommodation'. Each section has a short introduction, followed by many photographs relating to that topic.
I enjoyed both the photographs, and the short comments under each of them.
My favourite section was that entitled 'Entertainment'.
The book was an interesting look at this aspect of British life.
Thank you to Pen and Sword, and to NetGalley for an ARC....more
I have visited Iceland, and have read both fiction and nonfiction relating to the count 'Out of the Blue' edited by Helen Mitsios
3.5 stars/ 7 out of 10
I have visited Iceland, and have read both fiction and nonfiction relating to the country; so was very interested in reading this anthology of short stories written by Icelandic writers.
This volume consists of 20 short stories, each by a different Icelandic author, with a variety of translators. There was an interesting foreword by Sjón, and short biographies of all the authors at the end.
I had expected all of the stories to be set in Iceland, but many were not. I was disappointed by this.
My favourite story was 'Scorn Pole', which was arranged around the theme of building a turf house. Other stories that I enjoyed included 'Afternoon by the Pacific' (which I found funny) and 'Killer Whale' (which I found very moving).
Thank you to University of Minnesota Press and to NetGalley for an ARC....more
In recent years, I have read several reworkings of stories from the Greek. I have also recently re 'House of Names ' by Colm Toíbin
4 stars/ 8 out of 10
In recent years, I have read several reworkings of stories from the Greek. I have also recently read The Oresteia by Aeschylus, so I was very interested to read this reworking by Colm Toíbin.
This novel follows the general plot of the original story ie Agamemnon murders/sacrifices his daughter Iphigenia; Clytemnestra, his wife, plots and kills Agamemnon on his triumphant return home (with Cassandra); the two surviving children, Electra and Orestes are faced with how to respond to this.
The new, and fascinating, twist that Toíbin give to the tale, is to have first person narratives from both Clytemnestra and Electra. The story of Orestes is narrated in the third person. I thought the first person narratives were extremely successful. My favourite parts of the book are the sections narrated by Clytemnestra. I felt that these gave a real insight into her personality and her motives. I found her views regarding the Gods and their role especially interesting.
Toíbin's writing style is as rich as ever. He is always a pleasure to read.
When I read 'My Name is Lucy Barton' last year, I gave it 5 stars. What a pleasure it w 'Anything is Possible' by Elizabeth Strout
5 stars/ 10 out of 10
When I read 'My Name is Lucy Barton' last year, I gave it 5 stars. What a pleasure it was to read this book, and to discover that it is even better.
Elizabeth Strout has published here a collection of stories, all relating to various people who appeared in the earlier novel. She shares the life of this small group of people in a compilation of intermingled stories that form this novel.
Each story has its own virtues. In the first story, 'The Sign', we meet Tommy, who had been the maintenance man at Lucy's school when she was a child. We find, both in this story and later in the collection, just what a kind man he is.
In later stories, we learn about various facets of different people, and begin to partly understand the nuances of their characters.
We even meet Lucy Barton herself, in 'Sister'. This story not only reveals further distressing information about the childhood of Lucy and her siblings; it also emphasises how important the ties of family can be.
'Anything is Possible' is an excellent read, and can be appreciated whether or not one has read the earlier novel.
Thank you to Penguin Books (U.K.) and to NetGalley for an ARC....more
I have read several earlier novels by Helen Dunmore, and so was interested in reading this latest 'Birdcage Walk' by Helen Dunmore
3 stars/ 6 out of 10
I have read several earlier novels by Helen Dunmore, and so was interested in reading this latest novel of hers.
The novel is set in Bristol, England, at the time of the French Revolution. The main character in the novel is Lizzie, daughter of a radical mother (whose life and activities remind me of Mary Wollstonecraft) and wife of a builder (whose views are very different from those of Mary's family).
Although this novel is interesting enough, I don't feel that is up to the same high standard as some of Dunmore's earlier novels, such as The Betrayal and The Siege. The part that I found most interesting in this book was not, in fact, linked in any way to the political situation being described therein. Instead it was the relationships that Lizzie had with her mother and her mother's friends, juxtaposed with her relationship with her husband, and how she managed any conflicts between the two, and how she developed as a person throughout the book. I also thought the descriptions of nature in the book were very good.
One aspect of the book that I was rather surprised by, is that Dunmore, near to the beginning of the novel, clarified something that could in fact have been an interesting mystery throughout the book. I don't really understand her reasons for doing this; I think it would interesting for the reader to try to solve this mystery.
Thank you to Grove Atlantic and to NetGalley for an ARC....more
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