Small Island by Andrea Levy

In a nutshell, a story about WWII times in England when a (white) woman, Queenie, takes in a few black lodgers and all the racism that was going on during the time. It's very bizarre considering the fact that the men from Jamaica were coming over, as volunteers, to help England fight the war, and yet they were still fighting a war in this country because the English couldn't accept them.

In actual fact, I never thought there could be as much racism in England during that time as there was in America. I mean there is still lots of racism around now, but it just never crossed my mind that it could be like that back then.

There were a whole lot of emotions while reading this book. If there is anything I hate, it's racism. It makes me sick. It makes me more sick to read about it. So I did quite angry when reading some of the book, at the some of the language that was used. I suppose that is what makes it such a damn good book, that it could make me feel like that.


But if you can't be bothered to read the book, then you can always watch the TV drama that was done on BBC. Doubt it will do the book justice.

The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time

Well it literally took me only 6 hours to read this book. It's very easy to read, but quite insightful!

It's about a 15-year old boy, Christopher, who has Asberger's Syndome. The book starts with him finding his neighbour's dog murdered (with a garden fork) and sets out to solve the mystery. He's goes on a mini-adventure which ends up him discovering more than he bargained for. I really enjoyed reading it, quite funny at times. Though I'm not sure that the bits that were funny, should have been as they had to do with his Asberger's, such as him not liking the colours brown and yellow and screaming everytime someone touches him. It gave a whole new perspective on the world and the way things are as people with Asberger's see the world quite a lot differently- at least that is what I understood from the book.

Definitely going to have a look into reading Mark Hadden's other book...

Last few books...

So I've been really lazy and not bothered to update on the books I have been reading. And then I sucked myself into watching Grey's Anatomy for a good few weeks and went off reading. Seem to have periods of overdosing on something I enjoy doing and then go off it for awhile, which happened with my reading. Keeps me sane I suppose.


Brief update on books I've read since last blogged:

Cider House Rules

Such a very strange book, but so good! I think it only took me a week to read it because it was just that good. It's a story about a young man named Homer Wells and his life growing up in an orphanage where he becomes an apprentice in abortion and birth. Then by fate he meets a young couple, who come from a very wealthy apple orchard family and have come to the orphanage for an abortion. Homer thinks it's time to experience the world outside the orphanage and takes up the offer of working on the apple orchard in a cider-making factory. And basically the story goes on of his life there as well and about his strange relationship with the wife of his best friend (the young couple).

My explanations suck, but it's actually really good. There was even a film too- so you know it's got to be good.



Though not sure I like the fact that Michael Caine is in this film...isn't he a bit too English for such an American film? I may have to watch it now....


The Long Walk- actually a true story


Its 1939 and a polish cavalry officer has been captured by the Russians. He's put through quite a bit of torture and long, pointless trial in which he is sentenced 25 years. For 3 months he and other prisoners take on a gruelling trek through north Russia in mid-winter and finally reach their destination of a desolate camp. The story goes through his planned efforts of escape with 5 others and their successful escape from the camp and their epic trek from north Russia all the way to India.
I have to say at some points I got a bit bored as I wasn't sure where the book was going, but from the point of reaching the camp and then on I was gripped. Quite a lot of description, but just so interesting to read and to actually know he made it through all of that!- from the coldest of winters to the hottest of deserts to the climb through the Himalayas.


Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass




There's not really much that can be said about Alice's Adventures in Wonderland. I enjoyed it so much, mainly because I'm quite familiar with the story from different version films of the book. I didn't enjoy Through the Looking Glass too much as I didn't really know the story, but could see that the Disney cartoon film definitely used some of the characters in that book to create a rather different story for the film...not sure if I liked that in the end. Also found it at times difficult to read with the millions of songs/poems which I can't actually stand....but nevertheless it's something to cross off having read.

Although I am still trying to figure out how Tim Burton came up with the story for his version of Alice in Wonderland, I could point out a few characters and references in Through the Looking Glass that were in the film, such as the Jaberwocky.


I remember going to the theatre when at college to see Alice in Wonderland- it was nearly a damn pantomime!- but it was quite good. The costumes were so colourful and attractive and the way it was staged was so really creative in trying to portray certain points in the story such as Alice drinking the liquid that makes her massive and then the eating of the cake which makes her really tiny. I can't exactly remember it now but I remember it just 'wowing' me.


Also to add- love the illustrations...

Update on Books to Read

The Queen and I
The God Delusion
The Cider House Rules
One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest
Captain Corelli's Mandolin
Empire of the Sun
Enduring Cuba
The Book Thief
The Long Walk
The Road
The White Tiger
Small Island
Dissolution
The Lovely Bones
The Olive Grove- Travels in Greece I actually really didn't like this book at all so it's off the list
Second Chance- Jodi Piccoult
Choke
Sacred Hearts
Lord of the Flies
Dying to Please
The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas Watched the film so now see no point in reading the book..
Her Fearful Symmetry
The Secret Diary of Anne Frank- would like to read again
Catch 22
Pride and Prejudice
Catcher in the Rye
War & Peace
The Bell Jar
Harry Potter Series
Great Expectations
True Blood series
Alice in Wonderland
Through the Looking Glass
A Brief Guide to Greek Myths
The Iliad and the Odyssey
Men are from Mars, Women are from Venus
The Curious Case of the Dog in the Night-time
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
The Host

Captain Corelli's Mandolin- Louis de Bernières

A very good book indeed! I had heard that the film was really good, though never having seen it I thought I would read the book instead. At first I wasn't too enthusiastic about the book as I found some of it quite boring and a bit confusing with each chapter jumping from a different character or situation, but after 6 chapters soon got the hang of it. I suppose most of the beginning really was to create some context. However, anything to do with war and those fine details I find excruciatingly boring and find my mind drifting into other thoughts.

Slightly disappointed at the fact that Nicholas Cage would be given the role of Antonio Corelli as he really does repulse me. So I tried not to imagine that character being Antonio Corelli in my mind.

But other than that it was a thrilling and moving read! My hands and eyes were just glued to the book and its pages. The ending was slightly predictible but not as such where the couple, Corelli and Pelagia lived happily ever after- in fact it leaves room for you to imagine what could happen next.

Definitely one I may read again in many years time or to even watch the movie.

The Book Thief- Markus Zusak

This is one book that I never thought I would end up liking. I had always seen it in the bookstore for the past year, and would always consider it, but then after reading the summary on the back, I feel disinterested in the book. It wasn't until my mom had read it and recommended reading it, that I gave it a chance.

It's about a young German girl, Liesel, who goes to live with foster parents after her own parents are sent to a concentration camp in 1939. The book is narrated by Death (yes, random I know) and follows 5 years of Liesel's life living in Nazi Germany. It took a couple of chapters to really get into it as I wasn't really sure as to where the book was going. I actually enjoyed it by the time I got to the end of the book. I had gotten so wrapped up in the story and this fictional girl's life and at times I felt quite emotional.

Really, I do seem to get quite emotional when it comes to stories about WWII. I know most people now are pretty bored of hearing these stories, fictional or non-fictional, but I find it fascinating and also disturbing that a certain race of people could be treated the way they had been. Although the story follows a German, non-Jewish girl, it still crosses over with the story of the Jews suffering under the hand of Hitler. I suppose that is what makes the story unique to others based during this era, that it brushes on the story of the Jews but focuses on a German girl who has to experience all of this at such a young age.

I may have to look into more books based around this era too. There's just so much to learn from what happened, I don't see how anyone could get bored of it.

Enduring Cuba- By Zoe Bran

This is one that I had finished last night. I was a bit unsure of picking this one out of my mom's library of books, but I thought I would give it a go. My first thought was that it was going to be oen of those boring historical books about Cuba. But actually as soon as I started to read it, it was more than just that.

Sure it gave some history into Cuba such as Velazquez and Columbus (they're the only ones that I remember at the moment!), but it gave a detailed insight into the lives of Cuban people and theire day-to-day life. Even though it was a book published in 2002, I wouldn't be surprised if a lot of the problems raised in the book are still around today. It is still a communist society, as far as I am still aware anyway. It's hard to keep up with politics in Hispanic countries when living in England though...

Though the strange thing is, although according to the book, people were always complaining of their lifestyle and always wanted more, they all seemed to be very patriotic and love the fact that they are Cuban. I suppose the issue at hand, is that they feel that they have nothing material-wise, not the fact that they live in Cuba. You can still love your country, but hate your government at the same time.

Actually, when thinking about it, I did watch this tv programme while at my mom's over Christmas about Cuba. It doesn't actually seem all that mmuch different to what I read from this book that was published in 2002.

Cockfighting
This was certainly one bit of the book that I didn't enjoy reading. Although I am not a vegetarian, I felt absolutely disgusted by this hobby and form of gambling and taking advantage of these animals. Though to be fair, I don't think you need to be vegatarian to care for animals. I can recall when I went to Spain in summer 2008 and watching the bull fighting. I nearly wanted to cry watching this poor animal suffer for a pointless, human sport. Yes, it may be tradition and so forth- but shouldn't we really be modernising our ways. It is 2010. Though I suppose it is a completely different country from here and not too much different fromt he fox hunting that takes place here in some places .


Loads of references on Hemingway and his timeless book, the Old Man and the Sea. I can't recall reading this book, I think I was quite young when I did and I didn't really enjoy it. Though Hemingway actually based this story on a real person, a Cuban person, LIVING IN CUBA, that he knew personally.



There was also a bit about Bran witnessing a Santeria sacrifice of a goat. It sounded just horrible. Something I hope to never witness myself.










And then of course there is Ernesto "Che"Guevara. A Cuban icon. Although not actually cuban, Che was actually Argentinian. I never knew that until watching the film 'The Motorcycle Diaries' about 5 years ago. There are tons are references to Che in the book.

I think the thing that I enjoyed the most about this book is that Cuba is somewhere that is familiar to me. I have never been there but I do know lots of people who are or whose heritage is Cuban. So for me it is a really interesting read. It's close to home as well, seeing as though Cuba is only 90 miles away from Florida!

I have just recently bought The Olive Garden: travel through Greece which is also a part of the Lonely Planet publications, as is Enduring Cuba. I'm looking forward to that one.