This was an interesting read, if somewhat unsatisfying. These are short stories which almost read like morality tales. The foibles of flawed humanity are explored. Often they revolve around mis-communication or lack of communication. The one I liked best which illustrates this is the powerful story "Perfect Crime" in which a wife pushes her husband off a cliff. She is accused of murder and remanded for two years, in which she professes her innocence. In that time she tells over and over the story of her happy life and happy fulfilled marriage to a great man. In the telling she convinces herself she didn't really do it, but mostly she finds it hard to understand why she could have done it. And it stems from her suspicions of a too happy life and a noxious friend who is a gossip monger. When she finally gets her hands on her husbands possessions, which she thinks will reveal his unfaithfulness and duplicity, she discovers he has a secret... which I won't spoil.
The style isn't all that fluid and I think it is because of the translation. I imagine it reads beautifully in the original.
Worth a read but won't be for everyone.
Wednesday, August 10, 2011
Friday, August 5, 2011
Homecoming | Bernhard Schlink
I've really enjoyed reading this new (for me) author and have just started a second book by him. The reason I picked this one up is because Schlink wrote "The Reader", the movie of which I thoroughly enjoyed.
In this novel, homecoming as a theme is explored through the main protagonist, Peter Debauer. He explores his childhood mystery regarding his absent father, a figure he only knows through brief details from his mother and a wonderful relationship he has with his paternal grandparents.
The Odyssey forms part of the story's structure as we compare its journeys and homecomings and the one WWII soldiers had to endure. As Peter explores both he begins to look for his father and travels around Germany and eventually America to make contact with him.
It is a scholarly work, a lot of classical references and a whole lot on law and justice. Neither is surprising given Schlink's background as law professor, judge and crime writer.
It could have been a heavy dry read, but it isn't . I really enjoyed it, the writing is superb, and even though in translation, it's an excellent read.
In this novel, homecoming as a theme is explored through the main protagonist, Peter Debauer. He explores his childhood mystery regarding his absent father, a figure he only knows through brief details from his mother and a wonderful relationship he has with his paternal grandparents.
The Odyssey forms part of the story's structure as we compare its journeys and homecomings and the one WWII soldiers had to endure. As Peter explores both he begins to look for his father and travels around Germany and eventually America to make contact with him.
It is a scholarly work, a lot of classical references and a whole lot on law and justice. Neither is surprising given Schlink's background as law professor, judge and crime writer.
It could have been a heavy dry read, but it isn't . I really enjoyed it, the writing is superb, and even though in translation, it's an excellent read.
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| Buy at Fishpond.co.nz |
Sunday, July 10, 2011
Just a Little Run Around the World | Rosie Swale Pope
This is a remarkable book because it is about a remarkable woman. Unbelievable in the face of hardship, grief and the astounding round-the-world-run is Rosie herself. I kept on reading and turning each page in wonder as Rosie tells us of her desire to honour her husband by doing something momentous. He died of prostate cancer and Rosie wants to encourage people globally to get checkups so as to pick up any early warning signs of the disease.
Most of us would plant a tree or donate to a charity, Rosie runs. She sets off with the support of friends and family from Teny, Wales. She is determined and succeeds thanks to the amazing people she meets in every country and her supporters who meet up with her to deliver her next pair of Sauconys, or PHD designed extreme exploration gear, or villagers who dried her stinky socks along the way.
Rosie runs through Europe, Russia, Syberia in winter, Iceland and Greenland...Alaska in winter...you name it, she ran through, consecutively. The sheer determination she shows is an inspiration.
We are going through tough times here in Christchurch right now and Rosie has helped to grasp the bigger picture, what is within our grasp even in hardship. Mostly she shows an attitude of great thankfulness and humility at people's ability to give, to help and to encourage.
Read this book, be encouraged. Check out her at http://www.rosiearoundtheworld.co.uk/
I would like to read of her other adventures, including her solo sailing round the world, her 26 marathons in 26 days to raise funds for hospices in the UK.. Boundless energy!
Most of us would plant a tree or donate to a charity, Rosie runs. She sets off with the support of friends and family from Teny, Wales. She is determined and succeeds thanks to the amazing people she meets in every country and her supporters who meet up with her to deliver her next pair of Sauconys, or PHD designed extreme exploration gear, or villagers who dried her stinky socks along the way.
Rosie runs through Europe, Russia, Syberia in winter, Iceland and Greenland...Alaska in winter...you name it, she ran through, consecutively. The sheer determination she shows is an inspiration.
We are going through tough times here in Christchurch right now and Rosie has helped to grasp the bigger picture, what is within our grasp even in hardship. Mostly she shows an attitude of great thankfulness and humility at people's ability to give, to help and to encourage.
Read this book, be encouraged. Check out her at http://www.rosiearoundtheworld.co.uk/
I would like to read of her other adventures, including her solo sailing round the world, her 26 marathons in 26 days to raise funds for hospices in the UK.. Boundless energy!
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