Blog Post Resurrection

Absence makes the heart grow fonder, so I hope you're all feeling very fond of me by now! Apologies for the extended hiatus, my excuses include:

For Every Book I Read, I Add Another 3 to My List

'Once and Future King' is finished, closed, done and dusted! And now, naturally, I need to know more about King Arthur, Camelot, the Knights of the Round table (or as my daughter calls them, the 'noses lala table'), Lancelot, Guenever, etc. Whilst the book was a wonderful read it has unfortunately ignited a latent passion for historical-cum-fantasy fiction in the literary heart of yours truly, forgotten since I last read Homer's 'The Iliad' or 'The Odyssey'. Although a story which seems familiar, with familiar characters and a generally well known plot may seem as exciting as watching paint dry, just flesh out the characters, breathe life into the setting and fill in the sketchy details with twists and turns and suprises, and voila! CAPTIVATING! 

Get Reading! The Government says so...

First up, to my lovely, supportive encouraging friends: THANK YOU. I did try to enter the book review comp on The Book Depository but all my reviews hover around the 1,000 word mark and the limit was 200 words. And after a while of heavy handed editing (which was like choosing which of your limbs to cut off, I might add), I realised that the competition closed at 5:00pm today. *Sigh, ah well! Next time (hee hee, secretly pleased! It's one thing to do a blog because you want an outlet, and you know that friends will read it, it's another to put it out there in the big bad literary world).

Review: A Christmas Carol

A Christmas Carol – Charles Dickens

One of Charles Dickens' best known books is certainly also one of his most memorable, poignant and best loved works. I am, of course, referring to 'A Christmas Carol'. Its influence is easily seen throughout modern Western culture in one form or another (particularly during the festive season); in dozens of theatre productions, in silver-screen movies, as an opera, and most prolifically in film including adaptations such as 'The Muppet Christmas Carol', 'Mickey's Christmas Carol', 'Ghosts of Girlfriends Past', and most recently 'A Christmas Carol' starring Jim Carrey.

What impact does this extensive media exposure have for the first-time reader?

Boo ya! (Got your attention)

There have been very few times in my life where I have been able to say this with any sincerity: I have nothing to say. No new news! 


I finished book two of George R.R. Martin's 'A Song of Ice and Fire' series - an epic fantasy series, compelling reading - but I can't bring myself to read book three. I literally feel sick at the graphic descriptions of wounded/maimed characters, and the inclusion of a character who is known for his penchant for 'flaying' his victims (ie: skinning them alive) makes me feel woozy. 
I'm reading 'The Once and Future King' by T.H. White, which is immensely enjoyable! But I can only read it

Eh heh heh...Ooops?

It's been two weeks since I last wrote anything, and although I can legitimately plead a hectic schedule the truth is...I have nothing much to say. I'm supposed to be reading 'The Life of Pi', and I do (sometimes), but I seem to inexplicably be consumed by George R.R. Martin's 'A Clash of Kings'. I can't put it down. I keep thinking about it. I've dreamt about it (well, more truthfully, I've dreamt that I was a dragon in it). What is wrong with this picture? It's a brilliant book, but it's not pleasant reading. 
In fact, I am at an impasse with all of the books I have in my bedside table

Printed books, wherefore art thou?

ARRRGH! Book lovers, to arms! Kindle and its kin are taking over the universe! Well, okay, maybe not. But it's just a matter of time before the practical appeal of e-book readers conquers the romantic notions of the printed word. 
So what if an e-book saves space? I love bookshelves crammed with tomes. So what if they'll save us heaps of money when, for example, we travel to Tasmania to buy vintage volumes by the dozen and have to spend almost as much money shipping them back home to Victoria (hypothetically speaking, of course)? I don't care if downloading books onto an e-reader spares me the expense of shipping, or worse, the extra baggage fee at the airport. So what if you can download thousands of out-of-print books for free? I'm sure buying and shipping the book itself wouldn't be that expensive...hmm. And so what if it saves the trees from being cut down to make paper to print books? What have trees ever done for us? Except, you know, give us oxygen and wood and shade...totally beside the point!
The point is,

Questions, questions and congratulations

On my bedside table at the moment is 'The Life of Pi' (chosen via the last poll, by my husband who voted twice), the second book in George R. Martin's 'Song of Ice and Fire' series 'A Clash of Kings', and the sequel to 'Assassin's Apprentice' (by Robin Hobbs) 'Royal Assassin'. All of these books are engaging and interesting in their own right, and yet which fourth tome trumps them all in the bid for my attention? Yup, 'Jane Eyre'. Still! I've put it back on the bookshelf several times, and somehow, miraculously, it appears by my bed each night, my own personal loaves and fishes miracle! That, or I keep retrieving it. One or the other. 

Get Your Heart Pumping...with a book?

I LOVE 'JANE EYRE'! With both my sick hubby and our littlie in bed early tonight, I thought I'd have a minute to myself for a cuppa and a quick skim through an old lit fave, 'Jane Eyre' (by Charlotte Brontë, for those not yet in the know). It never disappoints. Every time I open the cover, I swear my heart starts beating a little bit faster, my little hands tremble and my veins glow with the anticipation! It's not just the quality of the writing that has me all aflutter, but the story is so damn good! And I mean, Mr. Rochester? The chemistry between him and Jane? Wow. Electric!

Review

Assassin's Apprentice – Robin Hobb

The cover of my edition of 'Assassin's Apprentice' has a quote from The Guardian stating “Hobbs is a remarkable storyteller”, and I wholeheartedly concur. She is unquestionably talented and manages to infuse this book with a modicum of originality, which is something virtually unheard of in the fantasy genre these days. In question then, is not the author's storytelling abilities, but the quality of the story itself.

Fitz is many things: our protagonist, our narrator, the bastard son of the King-in-Waiting of the Six Duchies (Prince Chivalry) and an assassin. When his father learns of his existence, he nobly (or should that be chivalrously?) abdicates his right to the throne, leaving little six-year old Fitz to be raised by Chivalry's former retainer, the stoic Burrich. His childhood is spent around the stables of Buckkeep under Burrich's guardianship, with precious little companionship beyond the animals under his care, some of whom he has a special affinity for by way of the Wit, an ancient beastial magic, now forbidden.

Revolutionary Road, done and dusted

As you can see below, the review for Revolutionary Road is up. I had a bit more trouble writing this review than I did with 'The Lovely Bones', because I feel so conflicted about the book. In terms of how it is written, it's enough to make me drooool, but the storyline (although good) is not compelling. So I've actually rated it on those two separate categories : literary content and story. I hope you enjoy the review!
Got the Robin Hobb's review of 'Assassin's Apprentice' coming along, and then I'll review 'A Christmas Carol' by Charles Dickens. Incidentally, I'm now reading the second of Hobb's Farseer trilogy, 'Royal Assassin' and the second instalment of George R. Martin's series A Song of Ice and Fire, called 'Clash of Kings'. Please vote on the poll for the next literature book to tackle, or I'll just do a blind pick (ie: eeni meeni myni mo)! -L

Review

Revolutionary Road – Richard Yates 

Since it was first published in 1961, Revolutionary Road was widely hailed as a masterpiece, and is acknowledged to be the finest work of its author, Richard Yates. It is an intense portrayal of the tumultuous relationship of a young couple, Frank and April Wheeler, who live a comfortable life in a comfortable suburb and are yet deeply dissatisfied with their lot in life. Convinced that their discontent is the fault of a consumer-driven 1950's American culture, they become equally convinced that their only salvation from the 'hopeless emptiness' of suburban life lies in Europe. A plan is formed; they will move to France with their children (yes, they have two kids) and April will support the family at a dull day job, whilst Frank 'finds himself'.

Review

The Lovely Bones - Alice Sebold

"My name was Salmon, like the fish; first name, Susie." Thus begins Alice Sebold's poignant novel of tragedy and loss, familial love and life after death - for both 14-year-old Susie and those she leaves behind on Earth. Susie herself is our posthumous narrator, watching from her own sterile, personalised heaven as her family and friends continue to live their ruptured lives after she herself is gone; raped and brutally murdered by an eccentric neighbour in a quiet American neighbourhood in 1973. 

HELP!

Drumroll please.....I've finished Revolutionary Road! I've been emancipated from the self-absorption of the Wheeler family, and I'm ready to review it. One problem. My grand plan for this blog was to have a page ('Read, Reviewed and Rated') where I posted my reviews. Ideally, it was to have a list of titles which could be selected when you wanted to read the full review. My problem? I have no idea how to do this. Google is no help, nor is the blogger help page, so I beseech you - O mighty computer-literate people - tell me how! Or, any suggestions on how else I could post multiple reviews? Help me, help me! - L 


Ahem...Thank you to Nicki for her sage advice, which worked! See comments below. Thanks again Nicki, crisis averted!

Ripped off and...um...annoyed

After an absence of a year or more, I decided to reacquaint myself with the Berwick Market at Akoonah Park this weekend, my motivation being to trade in some unwanted books for some second hand copies of other books on my list. The stall owner gave me a $10 credit for some of the books I traded in, and with the help of some of our own dosh, I walked away with second hand copies of the following:

A Brief Word (yes, I am capable of it)

Just a quick pic, this is my 'mini library' (or as I like to think of it, my library in the making). The sacred spot in our home where my growing collection is housed and plundered

Distracted

So far, I've received four of my books from bookdepository.co.uk, and have been able to exercise restraint...for three of them. I may have begun reading T.S White's 'The Once and Future King', and I may be slightly addicted to it after 50 or so pages of skimming (read: proper reading).

Excitement!

First up, it's not my fault. I defy any book-lover to spend any reasonable amount of time on bookdepository.co.uk and NOT buy a dozen or so books. That said, ... I've got a dozen (or so) books winging their way to me as we speak! So exciting!

In the next week, I'll hold in my hot little hands the following literature: The House of Mirth, Edith Wharton
Ethan Frome, Edith Wharton
The Awakening, Kate Chopin
The Tale of Genji, Murasaki Shikibu
The Metamorphosis, Franz Kafka
Heart of Darkness, Joseph Conrad
A Christmas Carol, Charles Dickens

The Challenge

Well, this may be Day One in the blogosphere, but it's about 6-7 years into this challenge for me personally, and progress is sporadic. Particularly since my daughter E. was born. Parenthood (in the early years at least) seems to be incompatible with voracious reading.

Also, friends have introduced me to new books/series, which has sent me