Categories
2014 Chunkster Recommended books Science Fiction

The Book of Strange New Things by Michel Faber

The Book of Strange New Things

Five words from the blurb: missionary, leaving, wife, adventure, worlds

The Book of Strange New Things is an impressive book. It is nearly 600 pages long, but the intensity of the emotion means that it never drags and so seems much shorter.

The book centres on Peter, a missionary who travels to another planet to teach Christianity to a strange new species. He leaves his wife Bea on Earth and the pair communicate via an electronic system. Bea struggles on her own, especially as things on Earth begin to go wrong. The book shows how their strong relationship begins to falter as Peter finds himself increasingly absorbed by his work.

Not much actually happens in this book, but I was completely absorbed by the couple. Having had a long distance relationship I found their shifting emotions scarily accurate.

He sighed, squeezed her hand. What was he going to do without her, out in the field? How would he cope, not being able to discuss his perceptions? She was the one who stopped him coming out with claptrap, curbed his tendency to construct grand theories that encompassed everything. She brought him down to earth. Having her by his side on this mission would have been worth a million dollars.

The world-building was fantastic. The vivid descriptions enabled me to visualise the new planet and I found the quirky differences between our world and theirs entirely believable. The alien species were particularly well observed and I loved the way the human’s interactions with them highlighted the problems within our society.

My only issue with the book was the occasional excess of religious quotation. I thought the discussions on faith were well done, but my eyes tended to glaze over when the bible extracts became excessive. Luckily this only happened a handful of times and I suspect that anyone with an interest in Christianity will find these much more inspiring than I did. 

Overall this was a fantastic book. I loved the fact I didn’t know where the story would take me and found the ambiguous ending particularly satisfying. Recommended to those who enjoy vivid character studies, packed with emotion.

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The thoughts of other bloggers:

The real problem, it dawns on you as you read, is that Faber just isn’t that interested in his alien Others. Sibilant Frictive

…one of the best novels I’ve read this year. S Krishna’s Books

In fact, The Book of Strange New Things is a novel that skirts the edge of one cliché after another only to either bypass them or—more impressively—reinvest them with emotional significance. Reading in the Growlery

Categories
2014 Non Fiction Recommended books

Cooked by Michael Pollan

1. A Creamy AVOCADO TOAST

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Avocado toast is basically the easiest thing in the world to make, and good for you thanks to avocado’s plentiful Omega-3’s. But it tastes so luxurious, you’ll feel like you’re cheating at life when you eat one. It’s also, BTW, very chic. Improve your dietary results by reading these proven pills reviews.

A simple avocado toast is just toast (stick with whole grain for more fiber and nutrients) + avocado (sliced or mashed) + sea salt + red pepper. But that’s just the beginning; you can top it with an egg, a drizzle of nice olive oil, or try this avocado + feta + pomegranate toast for a sweet and savory mix. The options are endless. Go crazy. Run free.

2. Nutritious OATMEAL

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Hot oatmeal on a cold morning is a winter survival necessity. It’s also a great way to stay full until lunch and an excellent source of soluble fiber, the kind that helps keep your cholesterol levels down. You can make it on the stove, in the microwave, or in a slow-cooker. In warm weather, you can make overnight oats in the fridge without lifting a finger. Get lots more smart oatmeal tips here.

3. A Filling GREEN SALAD

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If you think salads are for rabbits, you haven’t met the right one yet. A few tips: Use fresh vegetables — anything canned should be an add-on, not the main event, or you’ll end up with a soggy, sad salad. Add a little bit of protein like meat, eggs, beans, nuts, if you want the salad to be a full meal. Make sure you give yourself a good mix of crunchy ingredients, like raw cabbage, cucumber or nuts, and soft ones, like tomatoes, cooked vegetables or beans, check out the latest Biotox gold reviews if you are looking to improve your healthy dietary habits.

The most important step is to make your own delicious (and healthier) homemade dressing. A simple Dijon vinaigrette always works, but feel free to try something more adventurous, too. If you’re looking for a full recipe to get inspired, try this kale and Brussels sprout salad or this Asian chicken salad.

4. Smooth HUMMUS

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Hummus, which happens to be full of protein and fiber, is basically the perfect food. You can dip carrots or celery in it when you’re looking for a healthy snack, or spread it on a sandwich instead of mayo. You can also just dip your finger in it and eat it plain.

To make it yourself, you just throw a few basic ingredients (chickpeas, tahini, garlic, lemon juice and salt) in the blender and process. Get the recipe for classic, extra-smooth hummus here, a stepped-up roasted red pepper version here, or a powerhouse protein edamame hummus recipe here.

5. A Big Pot of VEGETABLE SOUP

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When it’s cold out, a big pot of hot soup is literally the most beautiful thing in the world. You can make it with just vegetables, or add in protein like chicken or beans. This recipe is mostly vegetables but uses a little bit of pancetta and a parmesan rind for flavor.

But you don’t really need a recipe. You can just chop up whatever vegetables you have around and sauté them in some olive oil in a big pot with the seasoning of your choice. (If you’re using chicken, chop it up, and sauté that first.) Add a can of rinsed beans and sauté for another minute or two. Add stock, bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to simmer, cover, and allow to cook for about 20 minutes. If you want noodles, cook them separately and throw them in at the end. Ladle into (big) bowls and enjoy.

6. Crispy ROASTED VEGETABLES

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Roasting vegetables is one of the easiest, most reliable ways to cook them. Turn your oven up to 450°F. Chop your vegetables, with the harder ones, like carrots and potatoes, cut up into smaller pieces than soft vegetables like broccoli and squash. Toss them all with some olive oil and kosher salt. Spread on a baking sheet or two – don’t crowd! – and roast for about 30-40 minutes, or until they look and taste good.

Here’s a basic recipe to get you started. Once you’ve got roasted veggies, you can toss them in some pasta, a salad, put them on a sandwich, or obvs, eat them plain.

Categories
2014 Novella Other

Two Disappointing Novellas: The Day of the Owl and The Guest Cat

The Day of the Owl

The Day Of The Owl by Leonard Sciascia

Translated from the Italian by Archibald Colquhoun

Five words from the blurb: Sicily, murder, mafia, investigation, cold

The Day of the Owl begins with a man being murdered in front of a bus load of people. The sawn-off shotgun used in the attack suggests that it is a mafia killing, but no one is willing to admit they saw the shooting so the investigation runs cold.

This book is an examination of the mafia presence in Sicily. I found it interesting to read about this topic/setting for the first time, but most of the book did nothing for me. I think the problem was my unfamiliarity with the subject matter. The subtlety of the political messages went over my head and the large number of Italian words frustrated me. I only finished the book because it was so short.

Recommended to those with a knowledge of Italian political history and its connection with the mafia.

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The Guest Cat

The Guest Cat by Takashi Hirade

Translated from the Japanese by Eric Selland

Five words from the blurb: couple, writers, cat, visits, together

The Guest Cat is a quiet book about a couple who work from home as freelance writers. Beautifully poetic writing describes their everyday lives and the interactions they have with a cat that decides to visit them.

Unfortunately, perhaps because I’m more of a dog person, this book did nothing for me. The couple’s life was boring and I failed to see the attraction of reading endless descriptions of what the cat did. I normally love Japanese books, but this one didn’t contain any of the usual culinary, cultural or mythological aspects of Japanese society that I enjoy reading about.

If you love cats and enjoy vivid descriptions of how they wander in and out of people’s lives then this is for you, but if you’re after any plot or emotion then I’d avoid it.

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Categories
2014 Other

Three Abandoned Books: The Bone Clocks, Steppenwolf and Random Family

Random Family: Love, Drugs, Trouble and Coming of Age in the Bronx

Random Family by Adrian Nicole LeBlanc

Five words from the blurb: ghetto, poverty, mother, drugs, violence

I bought a copy of Random Family after reading a recommendation from Andrew Solomon, one of my favourite authors. Random Family is a fantastic snapshot of a community. It took 10 years of research and the result is a detailed insight into life in the Bronx. The families have to deal with violence, gangs and drug use and this book enables the reader to understand exactly what everyday life is like for them.

Unfortunately I found the text a bit too academic for my taste. Too many people were introduced and I found it impossible to keep track of them all. The detail was overwhelming and reduced the emotional impact of the horrors they were experiencing. It is perfect for anyone looking for a anthropological study, but it was too dry for me.

DNF

Steppenwolf (Penguin Translated Texts)

Steppenwolf by Hermann Hesse

Five words from the blurb: strange, man, society, sensual, depressive

Translated from the German by David Horrocks

Steppenwolf  is about Harry Haller, a man who feels he doesn’t belong in the world. The book follows his aimless meandering and shows his depressive outlook on life. The writing was of a good quality, but I failed to connect with Harry. The endless bleakness of the text bored me and I wished that the plot was stronger. Much of the book reminded me of Hunger by Knut Hamsun, so if you enjoy one of these books I’m sure you’ll appreciate the other, but it was too depressing for me.

DNF

The Bone Clocks

The Bone Clocks by David Mitchell

Five words from the blurb:  adolescence, shadows, strange, world, mortality

I’ve enjoyed all of David Mitchell’s previous books so was looking forward to reading this one. Unfortunately it didn’t really work for me. There were some great individual passages, but I couldn’t connect with the book as a whole. Much of the dialogue felt very ordinary and it didn’t have the special spark that was present in Cloud Atlas. I found myself skimming large sections and never understood the purpose of the book. It was too disjointed, but this bothered me in a way it hadn’t with his earlier books because the individual stories weren’t interesting enough.

Disappointing.

DNF

 

 

Categories
2014 Memoirs Uncategorized

Black Rainbow by Rachel Kelly

Black Rainbow: How Words Healed Me: My Journey Through Depression

Five words from the blurb: depression, world, collapses, poetry, recovery

I hadn’t heard of this book until an unsolicited review copy popped through my letterbox, but I started reading and couldn’t put it down. Black Rainbow describes one woman’s decent into depression and how she recovered by using poetry and other literature.

Parts of the book frustrated me as I could see what she was doing wrong and became angry at the selfishness and lack of understanding shown by individual members of the public, but as the book progressed Rachel’s confidence improved and I found the scientific information about the causes of depression very interesting. I was also aware of the position of privilege Rachel was lucky enough to be in. She was able to pay for nannies to look after her children and buy private therapy as needed. It is sad to know that this isn’t possible for many. One of my friends has been waiting 18 months for the therapy Rachel was able to purchase instantly. You can learn more here about the best physical therapy. I hope that those in charge of NHS budgets read this book and realise how important mental health care is. Please don’t feel offended or ashamed of the terms women’s mental health, when being applied to you/us specifically. After age 40 so much is happening to us, so many changes and transitions. We don’t understand what is going on in our bodies. This means the physical, mental, emotional and spiritual parts of our bodies. Cognitive behavioral therapy is a psychotherapeutic approach that aims to teach a person new skills on how to solve problems concerning dysfunctional emotions, behaviors, and cognitions through a goal-oriented, systematic approach. This title is used in many ways to differentiate behavioral therapy, cognitive therapy, and therapy that is based on both behavioral and cognitive therapies you can read more information about it Health Blog. There is empirical evidence that shows that cognitive behavioral therapy is quite effective in treating several conditions, including personality, anxiety, mood, eating, substance abuse, and psychotic disorders. Treatment is often manualized, as specific psychological orders are treated with specific technique-driven brief, direct, and time-limited treatments.

The emotional power of this book was impressive. It is rare to discover a book that allows the reader to completely understand another person’s mind, but this book gave an unflinchingly honest insight into the thoughts and feelings of a woman battling with mental illness. You can check out our naturopath doctor in Alberta, AB – Neurvana Health, for a womans health.

Rachel was a busy journalist, but after the birth of her second child she became anxious and unable to sleep. This triggered a breakdown of scary intensity. Her friends and family were unable to reach her and she became increasingly isolated. She was prescribed a series of medications that set her on the road to recovery, but poetry seemed to be the real healing power.

I would also repeat endlessly certain phrases and images from ‘The Flower’, another Herbert poem. One of my favourites was ‘Grief melting away/Like snow in May’……There were certain lines that spoke so powerfully to me it seemed as though they had been injected into my body.

I’m afraid I’ve never been a fan of poetry and so her examples did nothing for me, but I suspect they will be a real comfort to those who appreciate it.

Black Rainbow was well-written and had a strong narrative drive. I learnt a lot about depression and have a new understanding of the best way to interact with those who are suffering. This book is an important one and, in an ideal world, it should be read by everyone but especially those whose lives are touched by depression.

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Categories
2014 Uncategorized

The Rosie Effect by Graeme Simsion

The Rosie Effect 

Five words from the blurb: marriage, irrational, challenge, life, disgrace

I LOVED The Rosie Project so was very excited about trying the sequel. Unfortunately the two books were very different and The Rosie Effect failed to repeat the magic of the first.

The Rosie Project was special because it was the only novel I’d read which depicted Asperger’s in a positive light. I loved the way it showed the problems faced by those on the spectrum in an amusing manner, without being condescending or judgmental. Unfortunately The Rosie Effect didn’t follow the same formula. Instead it seemed to highlight all the negative aspects of the condition, leading me to become depressed and (occasionally) angry. 

The Rosie Effect begins with Rosie discovering that she’s pregnant. Don worries that he’ll not be a suitable father so sets out to research the best way of dealing with the pregnancy and the arrival of a new baby.  The question of whether someone on the autistic spectrum would make a good parent is a sensitive and divisive subject. Everything written in the book was technically accurate, but I felt it was handled in a bad way. Some of the scenes, particularly those involving Lydia, the social worker, made my blood boil.

I also found that Don had become the typical stereotype of those on the spectrum. His wonderful quirkiness had been reduced to a set of behavioural traits. It was frustrating to see such a fantastic character reach such lows. It is useful for those who know little about autism to be informed about the darker side of the condition, but for those of us who are well aware of the problems it made a difficult and emotional read.

I recommended The Rosie Project to everyone I knew withing the autism community. Unfortunately I’ll be advising those same people to avoid the sequel. I want to give it a low star rating and tell you not to read it, but that isn’t fair because Graeme Simsion is a talented author. This book is gripping throughout and I couldn’t wait to see what happened in the end. It is just a shame that the subject matter was so negative.

I can’t decide whether to give this stars1 for making me so angry and upset or  for being gripping and provoking so much emotion.

What do you think?