Month: October 2009

Other

Book dating – is a shared taste in books important?

Post author By Jackie
Post date October 16, 2009
99 Comments on Book dating – is a shared taste in books important?

A few weeks ago there was a discussion on twitter (#bookdating) about using books to judge whether a potential partner was a good match for you. I was shocked by the responses to this question:

Which books would be a dating deal breaker for you?

If a man turned up on a first date clutching a book, then there are very few which would make me walk straight out of the door. The only ones I can think of are those which indicate an undesirable side to his character. He would need to have a very good reason for bringing any thing which showed a fascination with violence to a first date with me:

My husband has a very different taste in books to me. He tends to read books which I tease him as being about “wizards in woods”. They are a light fantasy series in which every story seems to be very similar. I don’t enjoy reading them, but this doesn’t affect my love for him. I would love to be able to share my favourite books with him, but we share so many other common interests that it doesn’t really matter that we both curl up on the sofa to read different books in the evening.

I was shocked that 90% of people said that some form of fiction would be a deal breaker. I find it hard to believe that people would rule out a potential partner just because they happened to be reading something written by Dan Brown.

Would you rule out a potential partner because they were reading a book you dislike?

Do you think reading taste is an important factor in finding a partner?

2009 Non Fiction

Modern Delight – Various

Modern Delight is a collection of short essays by some of today’s eminent authors, artists, actors, politicians, comedians and celebrities on what gives them delight. The inspiration for the book came from JB Priestley’s Delight which has been re-released to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the publication.

The book gave me immense pleasure – I read a few ‘delights’ each night and frequently found myself laughing, or sharing quotes with my husband. Even the ones which weren’t funny left me with a warm, glowing feeling.

My favourite essay was the one in which Harry Hill (a British comedian) delights in the tormenting of telemarketers.

‘Brrrring! Brrring!’

‘Hello?’

‘Hello, to who am I speaking please?’

‘To whom.’

‘Hello?’

‘It’s to whom am I speaking. You could say “Who am I speaking to?” But not to who am I speaking please.’

‘To whom…I mean, who am I speaking to?’

‘To whom am I speaking?’

‘I’m calling from – Replacement windows.’

‘At last!!’ (as if calling to someone in another room) ‘Darling! fantastic news! – Replacement windows have called us!’

The mad conversation continues and I was crying with laughter by the end.

If you aren’t a fan of comedy then there are a lot more serious, thoughtful delights. I loved Lionel Shriver talking about ‘when anything goes right’ and agree completely with Clive James’s delight in the second-hand bookshop, but one of the most amazing delights was Charley Boorman talking about harvesting potatoes with his motorbike for which he thought after reading at Motorbike Sport. I wasn’t sure this was possible, so was very excited to see this video, proving it to be true!

There are over 80 contributors and I think this book would make a lovely gift. All profits raised from the sale of the book will be donated to Waterstone’s charity partners, Dyslexia Action and the London Library. Unfortunately, this book is only available from Waterstones in the UK, but if you are able to get hold of it, then I’m sure you will be delighted!

Have you read the original Delight?

What would your modern delight be?

2009

Her Fearful Symmetry – Audrey Niffenegger

Post author By Jackie
Post date October 14, 2009
69 Comments on Her Fearful Symmetry – Audrey Niffenegger

The Time Traveller’s Wife is one of my favourite books, and so I was very excited about the release of Audrey Niffenegger’s second novel.

Her Fearful Symmetry is set in London and focuses on a set of mirror twins who inherit a flat from their aunt, which overlooks Highgate Cemetery. The twins are excited about moving to England, but wonder what secrets lie within their family’s past. Through meeting the friends of their deceased aunt, they begin to build a picture of her, and slowly realise that the ghost of their aunt still lives in her flat.

I loved the first third of the book – the tension was built up amazingly well; the emotion equal to that she achieved in The Time Traveller’s Wife. Unfortunately the emotion failed to be maintained throughout the rest of the book. The plot took over, and although I enjoyed reading it, the special emotional tension I love was lacking. I didn’t really care about the twins and although I loved the ghostly aunt, I found that I couldn’t really engage with her either.

I also felt that parts of the book were over researched. I know that Highgate Cemetery is a fascinating place, but if I wanted to know everything about it then I’d go on a tour. Audrey Niffengger did an admirable job of writing the entire book in British English, but I wonder if she went too far. I’d love to know whether people from other parts of the world were mystified by some of the obscure references to specific UK personalities/products (which I also think will date the book very quickly).

I am being a bit harsh. The Time Traveller’s Wife was such an amazing book, my expectations were probably too high. Her Fearful Symmetry does have a very good plot and the settings are meticulously described. It is a gentle, mildly spooky ghost story, which will appeal to fans of The Little Stranger – the perfect book for Halloween.

Recommended.

Did you enjoy Her Fearful Symmetry or are you looking forward to reading it?

Did you prefer Her Fearful Symmetry or The Little Stranger?

Other

An evening with Audrey Niffenegger

Post author By Jackie
Post date October 14, 2009
62 Comments on An evening with Audrey Niffenegger

I am finally back home after 10 days of excitement. Hopefully things will get back to normal soon and I’ll be able to catch up with all your blogs in the next few days. I had a very good time at the Cheltenham Book Festival and hope to write a few posts about what I saw in the next few days.

Last night I went into London to see Audrey Niffenegger talk about her new book, Her Fearful Symmetry, with Claire and Rachel. We had a wonderful evening and I thought I’d let you know a few of the most interesting things that Audrey Niffenegger talked about.

The title of her book came about as she loved the sound of Philip Pullman’s title, His Dark Materials, and wanted to find something with a similar ring. She found the right words in William Blake’s poem, The Tiger.
Her Fearful Symmetry is written in British English and it took her a long time to get used to the differences between American English and British English.
While researching the book she worked as a guide in Highgate Cemetery.
Audrey Niffenegger is a big fan of graphic novels and her favourite is Fun Home by Alison Bechdel. I loved it – if you haven’t read it then I recommend you try to get hold of a copy soon.
Her favourite novel is The Turn of the Screw by Henry James. I haven’t read it yet, but on her recommendation I plan to get a copy soon. Have you read it?
She is currently working on a new book called The Chinchilla Girl in Exile which centers on a nine-year-old girl with hypertrichosis, a genetic condition that causes her face and body to be covered with hair.
She hasn’t seen the Time Traveller’s Wife film and has no plans to do so. She had no involvement with the making of it and was quite upset that it was filmed in Toronto instead of Chicago.
Her disappointment over the filming in Toronto means that she hasn’t sold the rights to Her Fearful Symmetry yet. She wants to ensure that any filming would take place in Highgate Cemetery before an agreement can be reached.

I was very impressed with Audrey Niffenegger. She answered every question thoughtfully and with an honesty I haven’t seen with other authors. If you get the chance to see her then I recommend you grab the opportunity – she remains one of my favourite authors!

Come back later for a review of Her Fearful Symmetry.

Have you seen Audrey Niffenegger?

2008 Audies Audio Book Booker Prize Other Prizes Recommended books Thriller

Child 44 – Tom Rob Smith (Audio Book)

Post author By Jackie
Post date October 12, 2009
44 Comments on Child 44 – Tom Rob Smith (Audio Book)

Child 44 was longlisted for the Booker Prize in 2008 and it’s presence on the list caused a lot of controversy. I had heard so many different reactions to it that I really didn’t know what to expect. I was planning to read it, but when I saw that it won thriller of the year at the Audies I decided to listen to it instead. I am very pleased I made that decision as it is one of the best audio books I have ever listened to.

The book is set in Stalinist Russia during the 1950s and follows Leo, a state security agent, who slowly realises that the system he is part of arrests and tortures innocent people. He decides to work alone, risking everything to find the identity of a man who is murdering children across the country.

I loved every moment of listening to this book – I was gripped throughout. The complex plot was perfectly paced, the characters believable and packed with layers of emotion which were gradually revealed over the course of the book.

I can see why many people objected to this book’s inclusion on the Booker list – it is not literary fiction and contained no symbolism or hidden meanings buried in the text. It is simply a very good thriller, so anyone after a book to study for hours would be disappointed. As a thriller I can’t fault it – the twists were surprising and well thought out, the dilemmas the characters faced were thought provoking and tragic, and the cold, icy setting was perfect for adding to the chilling atmosphere.

There were a few gruesome scenes, so the squeamish (especially those who love cats!) should proceed with caution, but I thought the violence was appropriate and was needed to emphasize the difficult circumstances the Russian people had to endure on a daily basis.

I highly recommend this book, especially the expertly narrated audio version, to anyone who loves engaging thrillers.