Secrets and Lies and a Man to Despise

I've now read six of Winston Graham's twelve Poldark novels, the latest being 'The Four Swans' and I'm already chomping at the bit for both the next book and BBC series.

'The Four Swans'
by Winston Graham
(2008, Pan Macmillan)

Still waters run deep in 'The Four Swans'.  While his mine's prosperity should mean the end of all Ross Poldark's worries, instead the political machinations of others and a naval officer's infatuation with his wife Demelza give him much cause for concern.  George Warleggan looks like he's reaching the heights of power and influence, but Aunt Agatha's final curse has made him doubt the woman he prized and married.  Meanwhile, Demelza's unfortunate brothers Sam and Drake are naively trying to live quiet lives and the lecherous Rev. Osborne Whitworth is failing to practise what he preaches.  As truth, love and lies tangles each relationship, will anyone break free to find happiness?

By its very nature, a series of books must be populated by a swathe of characters otherwise there just aren't enough plot lines to go around.  But it does make summarising what happened in one particular novel quite challenging!  The paragraph above barely hints at what's going on, but, to be fair, all you really need to know is that if you enjoyed the previous books, you'll enjoy this one.

Although...  If you thought Rev. Whitworth couldn't get any worse, it turns out he can.  Never have I wanted a character to come to a sticky end as much as Rev. Whitworth.  I keep being told by people who've read the whole series that he'll get his comeuppance, but I'm not sure how much longer I can wait for it to happen!  I know that Graham is representing 18th century attitudes to women, but rarely has a character made me so angry.  Goodness knows how the BBC are going to cope with his plot line in series three bearing in mind what happened with 'that scene' in series two!

Anyway, overall, 'The Four Swans' is of the same, high quality as the previous Poldark novels and will give fans much to mull over.  It's as engrossing as the other books and progresses the stories of all the key characters.  I ended it wanting more, but that's fine because there are another six books to go!

Now, back to the shelves!

Related Posts

'Ross Poldark' (Book One)
'Demelza' (Book Two)
'Warleggan' (Book Four)
'The Black Moon' (Book Five)

Children of the Evolution

There's nothing quite like a bookshop find.  Spotting something you like the look of.  Moving away from it, going back, your brain telling you you don't need any more books while your heart wails that this could be the best book you've ever read. Ever!

It was in these circumstances that I discovered 'Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children' by Ransom Riggs.  The steampunk-style, grey scale cover got my attention, as did the sulky look of the child in the old photo it featured.  Who was she?  And why did she look so indignant?  My head won in the short term as I borrowed it from the library.  But I knew I'd fallen in love and a purchase followed.

'Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children' is the story of the disaffected American teen Jake

'Miss Peregrine's Home
for Peculiar Children'
by Ransom Riggs
(Quirk Books, 2013)

Portman and how he discovers his world is far from ordinary.  As a child, Jake's grandfather, Abraham, told him stories of his time in a Welsh children's home and the strange talents of the children he lived with; the invisible boy, the girl who could fly, the siblings who could lift enormous boulders.  He proves his tales with his tattered collection of old photographs, but as Jake gets older, he stops wanting to look and to listen.  By the time Jake is 16, Abraham has dementia and no one is listening to him at all.  But when his grandfather is attacked and killed by a mysterious creature, leaving Jake disturbed and frightened, he begins a journey that will lead to a truth far more chilling and extreme than Jake could possibly have imagined...

While I really enjoyed 'Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children', my goodness it's dark!  It's classified as 'young adult' book, but I think if I'd read it as a youngster it would've given me nightmares!  Then again, perhaps, as an adult, I'm reading more into it than your average teen, such as hearing echos of the Holocaust and feeling a pang of sadness at the lost identities of the photographs' sitters. (The book developed from the author's collection of unwanted old photos, bought at flea markets and often without any clue as to who they show.)

Overall, I found 'Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children' to be a tense thriller, even though it's set on the very edges of reality.  Many older readers will see the plot twist coming a mile off, but there's enough originality and detail in the characters and their back stories to make this a very engaging adventure that feels genuinely frightening at times.  So, weirdly, while I wouldn't recommend it for the young people it's actually aimed at, I suspect many adults will enjoy 'Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children'.  I just hope that the next book is as good as this one!

Now, what next...?

A Note on the Film

Almost as soon as I'd finished reading 'Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children', I started seeing adverts for the Tim Burton film.  "Brilliant!" I thought "I can't imagine a better person to direct it!"  Unfortunately, I found it incredibly disappointing.  I could list so many things that felt wrong about the film, but ultimately, I think it was a case of trying too hard to squeeze a quart into a pint pot.  By its nature, this first book in the series includes many characters, all with back stories, plus a plot to bring them all together.  Perhaps it would've made a better TV series or it should've aimed at a slightly older audience, like the later Harry Potter films.  I'm no purist and can name films that are better than the books as easily as books that are better than the films, but on this occasion, I'd stick with the book.  I'm so glad I read it first.

No Smoke without Fire...

As you've probably noticed, I'm quite easily distracted, especially by books.  This month, my eye was caught by Robert Harris' latest (bright red) novel, 'Conclave', and its excellent reviews.  "Well," I thought "it's not got that many pages..."

As you might expect, 'Conclave' is the story of a fictional pope's election.  Like its secular counterparts, this election is divisive and hard fought, so it takes a strong, steady hand to keep proceedings on track.  This unenviable task falls to Cardinal Lomeli, Dean of the College of Cardinals, who finds himself caught up in the machinations of the four leading candidates: the Italian traditionalist Tedesco, the liberal Bellini, the imposing African Adeyemi and the ambitious Canadian Tremblay.  While the world waits for the white smoke that signals a decision, over 100 cardinals pray and plot behind the conclave's sealed doors.  But even here they find they cannot escape the material truths of human frailty, weakness and sin...

Mr Harris has a reputation for complex political thrillers, so, while I was curious about this book, I was also a bit daunted by it.  As it turned out, I needn't have worried.  I struggled to put this book down and found it, for want of a better phrase, an easy read.

From what I've heard, I suspect that many of Mr Harris' other books are more challenging, so if you're a fan of his work, this may not be enough of a toughie for you.  For me, there was something of the Dan Brown holiday read about it and I found it entertaining and just believable enough.  Often these things are about expectations, however, so if you're expecting a hard-nosed, complex story, you may be disappointed.  If you're after a tense yet entertaining read, you probably won't be.

Despite its setting, this isn't really a book for those with a traditional view of religion.  The most senior religious characters are riddled with pride and hypocrisy, or consumed by doubt.  A more liberal view of faith in the modern world is favoured, culminating in the slightly weak ending.  But this wouldn't be such an easy (or short) read if it took on the more complex issues of faith in the modern world.

Overall, I really enjoyed 'Conclave' and hope to read it again when it comes out in paperback.  It's a great holiday read, a page-turner, and (for me at least) the encouragement I need to read more by Robert Harris.

Now, what next...?

Dressed to Empress!

Mention the Empress Josephine and the first thing that comes to mind is 'Not tonight, Josephine.'.  The second thing would probably be Napoleon and the third... erm...

This embarrassing lack of knowledge led me to the wonderful 'Josephine: Desire, Ambition, Napoleon' by the even more wonderful Dr Kate Williams.

'Josephine: Desire,
Ambition, Napoleon'
by Kate Williams
(Arrow, 2014)

Born on a plantation in Martinique in 1763, no one could have imagined that Marie-Josephe-Rose de Tascher would become the greatest jewel in the French imperial crown.  The wild little girl, who ruined her teeth gnawing raw sugar cane, became a romantic teenager, dreaming of the glamour of France and its court.  When her aunt decided she should marry her lover's son and move to Paris, Josephine thought her chance had finally come.  But the marriage was a ploy to keep wealth in the family and Josephine's husband, Alexandre, proved adulterous, suspicious and vile, while she found her lack of education and social graces made her the laughing stock of those she admired.  The French Revolution brought horror and death, but also opportunity.  Her husband was executed and Josephine narrowly escaped a date with the guillotine, but she became a streetwise survivor, determined to live by any means possible.  She rose to become a star of the new debauched France that seemed desperate to wash away the blood with wine and live life to the full in defiance of death.  When she caught the eye of a young Corsican soldier called Napoleon Bonaparte, her latest lover ordered her to keep him happy.  Thus one of history's great partnerships was born...

I adored this book.  I found it so interesting and learned so much that I was astounded that no one has made a TV drama about Josephine.  Hers was an amazing personal journey, shaped by circumstance as much as desire and survival as much as ambition.  Dr Williams' book is studded with fascinating gems of information that really made her subject come to life.  From Josephine's terrible teeth to her love of exotic plants, her naive spending habits to her diplomatic skills, each snippet brings Josephine out of Napoleon's shadow.  Above all, far from being Napoleon's chattel, Dr Williams shows that one of history's greatest couples were most successful when working as a team and that at least part of the General's success relied on his wife's ability to handle the more touchy-feely aspects of being a ruler.  Even the man himself recognised this, although far too late.

'Josephine: Desire, Ambition, Napoleon' has a highly accessibly style to it, full of an almost gossipy energy.  The author clearly has great passion for the subject and reading the book is much like sitting down with a friend who can't wait to tell you all the news.  I loved the way letters and other sources were quoted too, so while the whole thing had authenticity, I didn't feel bogged down and the book didn't loose its readability.  If you were doing an academic study on Josephine, you would obviously want more original text, but for someone like me, this was perfect.

Overall, I would really recommend 'Josephine: Desire, Ambition, Napoleon' to anyone interested in history and particularly women in history.  It's not just about the battles on the field, people!

STOP PRESS!!

Not long after finishing this book, I had the great pleasure of seeing Dr Williams talking about her new novel at Yeovil Literary Festival and this led to some amazing news.  A drama based on this book is actually being made!  Sounds like it's going to be a bit saucy in places, but so long as the series is true to all aspects of Josephine's story, I'm sure it'll be amazing.  It's currently at script stage, but hopefully we'll hear more soon!

Two for the Price of Bond!

Are you sitting comfortably?  Then I'll begin.

As the regular readers among you will know, I've been working my way through the AudioGo 007 Reloaded series of James Bond audiobooks over the past few years.  I've now listened to 13 of the 14 unabridged recordings of Ian Fleming's original novels read by different actors.  At time of typing, I'm just two CDs away from finishing the whole series, so watch this space!

Back to back, I recently (ahem) finished 'You Only Live Twice' (read by Martin Jarvis) and 'The Man with the Golden Gun' (read by Kenneth Branagh).

'You Only Live Twice' by Ian Fleming
and read by Martin Jarvis
(AudioGo 2012)

In 'You Only Live Twice', Bond is a broken man.  His wife is dead, murdered by criminal mastermind Ernst Stavro Blofeld, and Bond's spirit seems to have died with her.  But while 007 is ready to give up, M is prepared to give him an opportunity to live again.  Sent to Japan, Bond receives his deadliest assignment yet from Tiger Tanaka, head of the country's Secret Service.  A suspicious foreigner has created a 'Castle of Death' where too many people have lost their lives in mysterious circumstances.  Tanaka charges Bond with infiltrating the castle, but first of all, 007 has to learn how to be Japanese...

'You Only Live Twice' is followed by 'The Man with the Golden Gun'.  Missing for over a year following his Japanese adventure, Bond makes a sudden re-appearance in London, brainwashed by the KGB to assassinate M.  Fortunately, the attempt fails, but to prove his loyalty, Bond is sent on an impossible mission; to find and kill the notorious hit man 'Pistols' Scaramanga.  But does the world-weary spy have what it takes to assassinate the legendary Man with the Golden Gun?

'You Only Live Twice' by Ian Fleming
(Penguin Modern Classics, 2004)

'You Only Live Twice' and 'The Man with the Golden Gun' are the last Bond books written by Ian Fleming before his death at just 56 years old in 1964.  They're full of references to previous events, locations and people, so you need to be aware of their predecessors' plots.  The events of 'You Only Live Twice', for example, only make sense if you've read 'On Her Majesty's Secret Service' (unfortunately, the only one in the series I didn't have!).  Don't make my mistake, read Fleming's novels in order!

Of the two, I felt 'You Only Live Twice' was the weaker.  I've often got the feeling that Fleming would learn something or meet someone, become fascinated, stew for a bit, then, when the time was right, sit down and write a Bond novel.  Unfortunately, this got in the way a bit with this book.  The theme here is Japanese culture, but so many pages are devoted to Tanaka teaching Bond how to be Japanese that it dispels the tension in the lead up to the mission itself.  Plus, although I know these books are fiction, imagining the bullish Britisher James Bond could masquerade as a Japanese man felt a bit too far fetched.  Underground lairs?  Yes.  Gold smuggled as car parts?  Obviously.  A bit of make up and some coaching to completely change culture?  Hmm, not sure.

Once it did cut to the chase, however, the reader was back on safe ground.  The mission in the 'Castle of Death' has all the hallmarks of a classic Fleming thriller and there's a brilliant cliffhanger ending (although there's a loose end connected with the love interest which is never resolved and will torment me forever!).

'The Man with the Golden Gun' by
Ian Fleming and read by Kenneth Branagh.
(AudioGo, 2012)

'The Man with the Golden Gun' is far more tense and arresting throughout.  Once the initial hurdle of Bond's brainwashing is out of the way, we find ourselves in what would otherwise be a great standalone Bond story.  This is thanks to Scaramanga, a mysterious and unpredictable villain who seems much like a wire that could snap at any time.  Throughout the book, it feels like it's the baddie who has the upper hand and Bond could be unmasked at any moment.  Even when you think it's all over... well, it isn't... quite!

One unexpected negative to 'The Man with the Golden Gun' was its narrator, Kenneth Branagh.  He's such an amazing actor and director and I was really excited to be listening to a Bond book read by him.  Unfortunately, the performance felt really rushed, almost as though he'd squeezed it in between two of his other many projects.  It was such a shame, especially as many of the other 007 Reloaded readers have added so much to the books with their recordings.

'The Man with the Golden Gun'
by Ian Fleming.
(Vintage, 2012)

'You Only Live Twice' and 'The Man with the Golden Gun' both feature great characters, old and new.  I'm sure Dikko Henderson, Bond's Australian Secret Service contact in Japan, must be based on someone Fleming knew.  The guy just leaps off the page!  Felix Leiter and Mary Goodnight also make welcome re-appearances and we find out what happened to a number of other characters too.

Interestingly, the man we find out most about is probably James Bond himself.  When he goes missing in 'You Only Live Twice', Bond's obituary is published - a great read for trivia addicts!

Overall, despite having my disbelief suspended a bit higher than normal, I did enjoy both these stories and they are great additions to the Bond canon.  On the whole, I think it's a case of if you enjoyed one, you'll probably enjoy them all.

Now I've nearly finished them all, I'm actually feeling quite sad that there weren't more.  I know other writers have picked up the pen and continued where Fleming left off, but there is a big part of me that can't help thinking that nobody does it better.

Now, what next...?

Related Posts

'Casino Royale'
'Live and Let Die'
'Moonraker'
'Diamonds are Forever'
'Goldfinger'
'From Russia with Love'
'Dr No'
'For Your Eyes Only'
'Thunderball'
'The Spy who Loved Me'
'Octopussy, the Living Daylights and Other Stories'

The Reading Paradox

Not the latest Dan Brown, as I'm sure you all thought, but the conundrum I've found myself in over the past few weeks.

Normally, the warmer months are a great time for me.  What reader can resist a pleasant summer afternoon outdoors, sunscreen-covered nose in a book? (That's how we bookworms preserve our appropriate pallor - industrial quantities of factor 50.)  For some reason, this year hasn't quite panned out like that.  In June/July/August 2016, I only read four books, compared with eight in 2015 and a whopping 11 in 2014.  Not only was it very odd, but it also left me without much to say to you!

September was a bit more successful, but led to the opposite problem.  While other years have seen a lull around the end of summer, this year I got through five and a half books.  "Really?"  I hear you cry "Why haven't I heard about this?!"  Well, it turns out that if I read too much, I don't have time to blog!  Who'd have thought it?

I think what I'm trying to say is, yes, I am still here, I am still reading and I am still blogging.  I've got a handful of posts in the pipeline about some of the great things I've read recently, plus I've had some trips to bookish places that I'd love to tell you all about.

So, let's get cracking!

Coming soon (hopefully)...

• A glamorous French empress!
• Two secret missions!
• And a peregrine on a Welsh island!

Do Not Adjust Your Specs

I know you shouldn't judge a book by it's cover, but how cool a job have the graphic designers done on Sue Perkins' memoir 'Spectacles'?  I mean, just look at this cover.

'Spectacles: A Memoir'
by Sue Perkins
(Penguin/Michael Joseph, 2015

 There aren't many people who can be recognised through just a few brushstrokes.  Alfred Hitchcock and Adolf Hitler are about the only ones I can think of, but the less said about that the better.

Anyway, then you get to look inside the book and... wham!  More specs than you can shake an optometrist at!  Shame they didn't make this into wallpaper or fabric or something, I have a friend who would've loved it.

And just as you think it can't get any better, you arrive at the book itself!

In 'Spectacles', Ms Perkins takes us on an entertaining, whistle-stop journey through her life (or at least a version of her life - as the disclaimer says "Most of this book is true.").  We get to know her potty but lovely family, the friends that inspired her and her partner-in-prime time Mel Giedroyc.  (Wouldn't be surprised if the latter is brewing her own memoir in retaliation...)  There are demanding dogs, car-related calamities and an unexpected encounter with Esther Rantzen, as well as behind-the-scenes looks at 'Maestro', 'World's Most Dangerous Roads' and, of course, 'The Great British Bake Off'.

This is a charming book, full of energy and humour, much like you hope the author herself to be.  'Spectacles' is heartwarming, heartfelt and at times heartbreaking, as the anecdotes make you laugh at life's absurdities and shed tears for its cruelties.

This book may be filed under non-fiction, but like all autobiographies it's a version of the truth told to us as a kind of collaborative lie.  But unlike many celebrity memoirs, at least this one is self-aware and more about entertaining the reader than making the author look perfect.

'Spectacles' begins with Ms Perkins describing her wish to be a writer.  I think her understanding of her audience shows that she is.  I hope this is not her last book.

Curiously Contrasting Cornwall

I've loved visiting Cornwall ever since I can remember.  Every year, millions of visitors are drawn to the county so picturesque it feels like it was designed by one of its many resident artisans.  But alongside beautiful countryside and charming seaside towns, there are also the rugged moors and sharpened cliffs, tearing through land and sea from unseen depths.  The contrasts in the landscape also show in the population; the fly-by-night holiday makers and weekend second homers existing alongside the tough, local fishermen, battle-hardened by decades at sea.  Looking around at the ice cream chomping, sea gull dodging holiday crowds, you can't help but start wondering where the real Cornish are.  These guys clearly have nothing to do with the boats in the harbour or the noise in the back street pubs.  It's something that must've intrigued Gavin Knight too, as he's made the natives of Cornwall's Penwith Peninsular the subject of his latest book, the engrossing and atmospheric 'The Swordfish and the Star'.

'The Swordfish and the Star'
by Gavin David
(Chatto & Windus, 2016)

'The Swordfish and the Star' lifts the lid on the Cornwall that's there all year round.  It tells stories of the people who live and work there, who are both proud of the region's popularity, but rightfully resentful of the effect it's had on life in this corner of the country.  The author has absorbed the interwoven histories of the innovative, the opportunistic, the commercial and the lost, of the dangerous, competitive and compelling draw of the sea, the age of the artists of St Ives and the hopes that technology may bring the area a future.  Through these narratives, a picture is painted that helps us look beyond the sunshine and summer clichés and start to see a community that works hard and plays hard, even if we never knew it was there.

Although I found the writing style a bit hard to get used to at first (The author reflects the staccato, plain speaking style of many of his interviewees.), I absolutely fell in love with this book.  It answered something I'd been curious about for a while and I'll never look at Cornwall, or indeed any coastal region, in the same way again.

I became absorbed in the lives of the people depicted and found myself rushing back to 'The Swordfish and the Star' at every opportunity to find out how they were getting on.  I felt like I was sitting in one of the pubs of the title, listening to the banter and soaking up the atmosphere.

It's not all fun, however.  'The Swordfish and the Star' relates many tales of the dangers of a life in a seafaring community, of horrific injuries, vicious commercial rivalries, criminality and death.  Believe me when I say you won't look at your cod and chips in the same way ever again.  And I don't think that's a bad thing.

This is a book of contrasts and Cornwall is a county that is always hustling, always looking for that next opportunity so it can keep its head above water and stop its young people from ebbing away as they have to find work elsewhere.  As well as tales of the risks and rewards offered by a career in the fishing industry, Mr Knight explores the potential provided by innovative companies and new technologies that are opening up a virtual world of possibilities.

Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed 'The Swordfish and the Star'.  It rescues Cornwall from its Brigadoon-esque role - there during the summer months, then out of sight and out of mind the rest of the year except in memory and literature.  If you're the curious sort who has also wondered what goes on when the tourists have left, then I reckon you will enjoy this book too.

Moon, Light, Shadow

It's been a while since I last read a Poldark novel ('Warleggan' back in July 2014).  I knew that I wanted to read them all, preferably before they're all filmed by the BBC, but was so appalled and shocked by Ross' behaviour in book four that I couldn't quite bring myself to do it.  I have now, however, finished 'The Black Moon' by Winston Graham.  It was so good, I've pretty much gone straight on to book five.

'The Black Moon' begins with Elizabeth, lost love of Ross Poldark and now wife of his enemy George Warleggan, giving birth to a baby boy.  While George rejoices at having

'The Black Moon' by
Winston Graham
(Pan Books, 2008)

 a son, the ancient Aunt Agatha quickly points out that the child has been born under an ominous black moon, a very bad omen.  But for the time being the bad luck shadows others in the household.  Elizabeth's cousin, Morwenna, tutor to Elizabeth's son from a previous marriage, falls in love with Drake Carne, brother of Ross' wife Demelza, sparking a new enmity between the Poldarks and Warleggans.  And Ross has much on his mind already, including the fate of the unfortunate Dr Enys imprisoned in revolutionary France...

This, like the other Poldark novels I've read so far, is absolutely absorbing.  Reading Winston Graham's work is like being launched through time and space into rural Cornwall, but without the travel sickness and overcrowding by holiday-makers.

Having said that, there's always a risk with family saga novels that, as they progress, the number of characters becomes a bit overwhelming and you start needing a list in order to keep track.  I did begin to feel a bit like this when reading the first few books, but Graham seems to have recognised the potential problem and there was enough explanation of who's who to jog my memory without over doing it.  To be fair, there were 20 years between 'Warleggan' and 'The Black Moon', so original readers would have needed some help too!

'The Black Moon' had me on the edge of my seat.  I laughed at Demelza's encounter with French exiles at a dinner party, I sighed at Drake and Morwenna's falling in love, I cheered as Ross sought justice once more, I cried and I gasped at... well, I don't want to give all the details away.  Suffice it to say the fact I couldn't stop myself heading straight for the next book says a lot.  I'm just relieved that I don't have to wait as long as fans in the '70s!

Reader, Digest

As regular readers of this blog (hello, lovely people!) know, I have an eclectic appetite when it comes to books.  Though I enjoy a lot of non-fiction, Science is something that rarely appears on the menu.  When I saw 'Gut' by Giulia Enders and Jill Enders in my local bookshop, however, I couldn't resist!

'Gut' by Giulia Enders,
illustrated by Jill Enders
(Scribe, 2016)

'Gut' is the story of the human digestive system, from mouth to... err... the other end.  Written by a German medical student and based on her prize winning presentation on the same topic, 'Gut' puts what happens when we eat centre stage, exploring the latest ideas and research about everything from the best position to sit on the loo to the influence of gut bacteria on obesity and food cravings.

I absolutely loved this book.  It's playful and accessible, but manages to stay the right side or twee or patronising.  The author is very reader-conscious and the text is rooted in the idea of personal experience and understanding our bodies better.  Best of all, she's clearly very enthusiastic about her subject and it shows in every morsel of this book.  It makes it very hard not to become enthusiastic in turn.

My only real criticism is that 'Gut' does seem to finish mid-meal and left me feeling a bit dissatisfied and far from sated.  It really needed some sort of conclusion, possibly with some recommended further reading or websites which offer more information.

Overall, I really recommend this book and hope that it's not the last from the future Dr. Enders.  I'm sure that there must be other, similar books out there and I intend to keep an eye out for them in the future.  Although I wouldn't want to gorge on too many too soon!

Year Five: A Reading Renaissance

I've heard it said that birthdays become less important when you get older and it looks like it was true of my blog's birthday this year - I totally forgot about it!  Nevermind, less than a month late, so the cake won't be too stale nor the champers too flat.

To be fair, the reason I lost track was because I was doing what I was supposed to be doing (reading, just in case you were wondering!).  After a very quiet patch at the start of this year (four books in four months - rubbish!), I've suddenly read four books in a month.  Amazing what some nice weather and longer days can do for finding time to read.

But there is more to it than that.  Despite my best intentions, I've always found it hard to buy fewer books and concentrate on just reading the ones I've already got.  And, to be honest, the self-inflicted pressure and guilt was getting me down.  On the one hand, I wanted to read what I'm lucky enough to already have, but, equally, brilliant things are being published all the time.  My love of reading comes from curiosity and I simply couldn't help being interested in what various new publications had to say.

So I've come to a decision... to go a bit easier on myself.  Rather than worrying about what I'm reading, my new focus is on just... reading.  It's better for me to be spending time reading something that I really, really want to read than struggling distractedly through something just because I've had it for a while.  As I'm sure you've found, every book has it's day and while you may not be in the mood for something one week, you may be the next.  I picked up 'The King's General' by Daphne du Maurier three times before I read it all the way through and then I absolutely loved it.  But I wasn't in the right frame of mind during attempts one and two.

I have read 26 books over the past 12 months, 24 of which I've posted about.  About 12 of these titles were published since I started this blog, but I will always find it hard to resist a new Bernard Cornwell ('Warriors of the Storm'), Caitlin Moran ('Moranifesto'), Neil Gaiman or Philippa Gregory.

Hopefully you've found something interesting among what I've been reading lately.  I'm nothing if not varied!  Sixteen titles were non-fiction, including Antonia Fraser's biography of Marie Antoinette (only took me seven years to finish, partly because it's such a heartbreaking story, partly because it's flamin' massive.), 'It's All in Your Head' (Fascinating book about psychosomatic illnesses which has started off an interest in science that has lain dormant since school) and 'My Grandfather would have Shot Me' (Thought-provoking story of a black woman who discovered her ancestor was a notorious Nazi concentration camp commandant).  The ten fiction books I've read included favourites such as short stories and historical fiction, but I'm glad to say I finally got around to 'To Kill a Mocking-Bird' (recommended to me by so many people I've lost count) and 'Pet Semetary' (incredibly waiting to be read for nearly 15 years).

Unusually, I had three absolute favourite books this year.  As well as 'It's All in Your Head' and 'My Grandfather would have Shot Me', I absolutely loved 'Animal QC' by the most unlikely barrister around, Gary Bell.  His story is, without a doubt, completely nuts, but is also one that shows what you can do with drive, focus and hard work.  Call me old fashioned, but I like stories which remind us success is not just about getting the girl/boy, passing that exam or winning a competition.

I also dipped my toe once more into a bit of travel writing in 2015 and the resulting post, 'In Search of Wuthering Heights', is far and away the most popular piece I've ever posted.  I'm really glad you enjoyed it, it was hard work walking up that hill!  It really was a fantastic day out and I'd thoroughly recommend it to Bronte fans and people who like getting some fresh air once in a while.  I've got a couple more pieces about book-related places in the pipeline, so watch this space.

Well, it looks like I'm going to have plenty to read and tell you about for a long time yet!  Thank you so much for joining me in this project and I hope you keep enjoying the blog for a long time to come.

Now, back to Poldark 5!

The 500 Books Blog: Selections from 2015/16

May
'Marie Antoinette' by Antonia Fraser

June 
'In Town' by Mark Steel

July
'It's All in your Head' by Dr. Suzanne O'Sullivan
'My Grandfather would have Shot Me' by Jennifer Teege
'Diamonds are Forever' by Ian Fleming

August
'The Spy who Loved Me' by Ian Fleming
'In Search of Wuthering Heights'

September
'The Kingmaker's Daughter' by Philippa Gregory

October
'The Library of Unrequited Love' by Sophie Divry
'Just a Phrase I'm Going Through' by David Crystal
'Sandwich Man' by John Montagu, Earl of Sandwich

November
'A Book for Her' by Bridget Christie
'Jeremy and Amy' by Jeremy Keeling
'Warriors of the Storm' by Bernard Cornwell

December
'Pet Sematary' by Stephen King
'Animal QC' by Gary Bell

January
'Little Tales of Misogyny' by Patricia Highsmith

February
'The Rendezvous and Other Stories' by Daphne du Maurier
'Wishful Drinking' by Carrie Fisher
'To Kill a Mocking-Bird' by Harper Lee

April
'Moranifesto' by Caitlin Moran

Previous Birthday Posts

2015
2014
2013
2012
2011

The Rising Son

As you've probably worked out by now, I'm quite a slow (but determined!) reader.  So it tells you something about 'Not My Father's Son' by the actor Alan Cumming that I read it in less than three days.

'Not My Father's Son'
by Alan Cumming
(2015, Canongate)

Alan Cumming may be a star of stage and screen, but this is not your average celebrity memoir.  'Not My Father's Son' is a book about family, physical abuse and the need to understand.  Mr Cumming and his brother, Tom, grew up in fear of their violent father, their childhoods overshadowed by his explosive rages, their adulthoods hastened by a desire to get away as quickly as possible.  Eventually, Alan was able to accept the reality of his traumatic past, through therapy and the support of friends and loved ones, but one day his long-estranged father contacts his sons with news that threatens everything.  This is the story of a defining period in Mr Cumming's life, during which he not only confronts the horrors and mysteries of his own past, but coincidentally those of his maternal grandfather too.

This is a beautifully written book.  Instead of being melodramatic, self-indulgent or a 'misery memoir', it reads more like a subtle suspense-thriller as Mr Cumming searches for the truth behind his ancestor's death (with the help of the BBC's 'Who Do You Think You Are?' programme) in parallel with trying to understand his father's behaviour and its affect on his own character.  By moving between the past and the present, he drip feeds information and builds a tension that makes this a real page-turner.  

The key theme is understanding.  It's not about vengeance, it's not about pity or 'poor me', it's not about abuse voyeurism, although it could so easily have become so in the hands of another writer.  I admire Mr Cumming for managing to stay focussed on the story he wanted to tell rather than slipping into sensationalism.  The plain English used keeps the book simple and factual and it works.  'Not My Father's Son' is heartbreaking, thought provoking, analytical and hopeful.  It also acknowledges that there were good times too, although they were often overshadowed by the fear of abuse yet to come.

Overall, I would recommend this book.  Mr Cumming is brave to tell this story and to do it in this calm and honest way, especially as many fans would want a more glamorous tale littered with celebrity names and showbiz anecdotes.  Instead, Mr Cumming uses the voice his success has given him to talk about something that happens at all levels of society and show us all that victims shouldn't be ashamed.

Now, back to the books.

An Audience with Brian Blessed

I nearly called this post 'A Quiet Night in with Brian Blessed'.  Ha!  Who am I kidding?  For a start, I don't think I've ever finished a book in one evening, and for a finish, I doubt Mr Blessed has ever been quiet in his life!

Last week, I was distracted by 'Absolute Pandemonium', Brian Blessed's latest autobiography.  I was looking for something entertaining, read the first few pages and was hooked.

'Absolute Pandemonium'
by Brian Blessed & James Hogg
(2015, Sidgwick & Jackson)

'Absolute Pandemonium' is an energetic romp through Mr Blessed's life, full of love and passion and deftly linking more subjects than you can vigorously shake a stick at.  From his childhood and school days in South Yorkshire, to boxing and acting, Peter O'Toole and Katherine Hepburn, the tribulations of falling in love, 'Z Cars', 'Star Wars', the return of Hong Kong to China, death and, of course, 'Flash Gordon', every chapter brings a fresh avalanche of stories that entertain from beginning to end.  Far from the standard celebrity biography, this is a book built on themes and anecdotes that lifts the spirits with an infectious lust for life.

As you can probably already tell, I really enjoyed 'Absolute Pandemonium'.  Near the start, Mr Blessed encourages readers to imagine he is in the room telling them his story, so they should hear his voice in their head while reading.  As if I could do anything else!  The writing style is colloquial enough to be personal without becoming unreadable and adds to the energy of the text itself.  It really does feel like you have an audience with one of our most idiosyncratic national treasures!

Mr Blessed has lived a wide and varied life (so far, although I don't think hitting 80 will stop him!) and I was pleasantly surprised by the range of stories in 'Absolute Pandemonium'.  When I started reading, I never expected to hear about Katherine Hepburn, for example.  Equally, I never thought I'd find myself enjoying reading about boxing, so hats off to Mr Blessed for that!  This wondrous variety does mean that I think many people will find much to enjoy in this book.

Although I loved the style, however, it may not suit everyone.  Mr Blessed's passion can manifest in choice vocabulary that some may find offensive, but he makes clear from the introduction what kind of book you hold in your hands.  Let's face it, if you find yourself po-faced at the Everest-poo story that introduces the book, then you might want to try something else.   

Overall, I would heartily recommend 'Absolute Pandemonium'.  It's full of bounce and go and you really do feel like you've spent time with the author by the time you reach the end.  It was almost exhausting, but what a ride.

Now, back to Poldark!

Ginger Noted

I have a confession to make.  It's hard to say it, but you had to know some time.  Now, please, try not to judge me.  I'm hoping you won't, I mean, after all you're lovely, book-reading types, aren't you, you wouldn't get all judgy on me now, after nearly six years, would you? Oh no, I'm babbling now.  OK, well, here goes.

I'm a redhead.

Yes, folks, I'm a redhead.  Titian gold.  Carrot-topped. Ginger.  A Pre-Raphaelite stunner!  And that's why 'Red: A Natural History of the Redhead' by Jacky Colliss Harvey recently caught my eye.

'Red: A Natural History of the Redhead' is... erm... all about redheads.  It covers the subject from a range of angles, drawing on science, history, art, fashion, advertising and more to try and make sense of the stereotypes and attitudes attached to the small but noticeable percentage of the world's population with hair of a red or orange tint.  Why are redheaded men and redheaded women seen differently?  Is red hair really becoming scarcer?  And what the heck are all those redheads doing in Breda each year?

I was really excited about this book.  To be honest, I've never really taken much notice of my hair colour (well, you don't really if you've got your nose stuck in a book), although others with the colouring have always stood out for me in popular culture (think Elizabeth I, Satine in 'Moulin Rouge' and Elizabeth Siddal in John Everett Millais' 'Ophelia' to name just three.)  I hoped that this book would provide some insight into what it means to be a redhead.

Well, it does and it doesn't.  On the one hand, it has clearly been very well researched, so draws on everything from recent medical studies of links between hair colour and pain tolerance or certain illnesses, such as Parkinson's disease, to historical references to redheads in Greek and Roman texts.  On the other, for some reason, hardly any of the information seemed to stick or be funnelled down to the personal level.

While the book is highly readable, it does feel detached and like an A Level essay.  It starts with the genetic origins of the hair colour and keeps going until the present (skipping most of the 1700s, perhaps because not much was happening on Planet Redhead).  I think this may be part of the problem.  Perhaps the book would've worked better if grouped by themes rather than chronology, allowing the author to cherry pick the most interesting information and set the pace herself rather than having it set for her.  The issue of prejudice against redheads comes up a number of times, an issue she clearly cares about, but the topic feels shoehorned in.  A different structure might've allowed her some room to manoeuvre, as well as translate her wonderful research into something individuals can relate to more easily.

The amount of research by the author shows that she has a real passion for the subject, but somehow I felt that it was lost in the published text, possibly because of the time-based structure.  My favourite sections drew on her personal experience, for example, when she visited the redhead festival in Breda, Holland, or talked about attitudes towards her related to her hair colour.  Unfortunately, there weren't many of these sections.  This made everything feel more abstract and separate, like the book was ABOUT redheads rather than FOR redheads.

On the whole, this book was a bit disappointing, not just for me as an interested reader, but because it's clear a lot of work has gone into it and it didn't quite work, for me at least ('Red: A Natural History of the Redhead' received excellent reviews when it first came out.).  I'd really like to see something on the same subject that has more of a factoid-based structure, so that I find myself thinking "That's interesting." every other page.  Unfortunately, 'Red: A Natural History of the Redhead' isn't it.

Carmilla Cameleon

Like most normal people, the minute the days start getting sunnier and warmer, I get an incredible yearning to read horror novels.  As such, I recently read 'Carmilla' by Joseph Sheridan Le Fanu, one of the unholy trio of classic 19th century vampire novels in my collection. (The others are Bram Stoker's 'Dracula' (1897) and Dr John Polidori's sideswipe at Lord Byron, 'The Vampyre' (1819).)

Published in 1872, 'Carmilla' is the story of a young aristocrat named Laura and the mysterious Carmilla.  Living in a remote castle with her father and two governesses, Laura feels the bite of her isolation keenly and longs for more contact with those of her own age.  Her prayers seem to have been answered when her father offers refuge to a young woman, Carmilla, involved in a dramatic carriage accident nearby.  But the dream soon becomes a nightmare as Carmilla proves an idiosyncratic house guest, prone to passions and melancholies and unexplained nocturnal absences...

As you know, I often struggle with 'classic' books and, even though I hate to admit it, my blood often runs cold when I think about reading them.  'Carmilla' surprised me because I found it highly readable, a page turner even, and I really wanted to keep reading it right until the end.

The classic vampire is an aristocratic male, so I was curious about a story with a female revenant.  It's interesting that whether villain or villainess the overall structure of the vampire tale and a number of traditional features are pretty much the same.  For example, when Carmilla is at her most obsessive about Laura, there is a definite sexual energy and her femininity and animal magnetism save her on a number of occasions.  She's also charming, aristocratic and able to appear in animal form.  There are predictive dreams, mysterious deaths, a historic back story and an expert in vampires who helps sort everything out.  Basically, there's everything you'd expect.

Overall, I'd say that this book is worth a read, although, like any vampire tale, it's teeth are probably blunter because variations on the story have stolen its originality over the past 150 years ago.  As well as the female vampire, I think it is Laura who makes the difference.  Her honesty, naivety and vulnerability made it hard not to root for her and hope things turn out well.  It's a compliment to the writer that I didn't think her a sap!

In many ways, Carmilla's changeable personality made me think of the complexities of growing up and being a teen, so perhaps this is something teenaged readers might relate to in particular.

'Carmilla' is ripe for a new TV adaptation.  We've seen Dracula and other vampires revived so many times on screen, it would be interesting to see what the female of the species has been up to all this time.  The New Year slot seems to have become the home of gothic dramas, so perhaps 'Carmilla' will turn up there in a few years time.  One thing I am sure of - she's far from dead and gone.

Vote Moran!

I had a lovely surprise recently - I won a competition I'd forgotten I'd entered!  This is how, thanks to Ebury Publishing, I ended up with a signed copy of Caitlin Moran's latest book, 'Moranifesto'.  And because it was something I really wanted to read, I'm afraid I went off list again...

'Moranifesto' by Caitlin Moran
(Ebury Press, 2016)

In 'Moranifesto', Ms Moran eases to the fore the more political aspects of her writing.  This is a woman who manages to cover both 'parties' (Noun: Social gatherings or celebrations, often involving food, music and copious amounts of gin) and 'parties' (Noun: Collections of people with shared political ideologies and aims, usually to get elected and/or bring down the PM/tease Jeremy Corbyn).  As a result, this book covers everything from hipsters, the uncooperative nature of printers, fame, TV, the Olympics and the Queen's Diamond Jubilee to feminism, tax, social mobility, FGM, the ruling elite, equality, wind turbines and more.  It is indeed as wide, varied and potentially powerful as a manifesto, full of energy and ideas.  If only manifestos were this grounded and readable.

There are three things I want to get out of the way first:

1. This book is too expensive.  I thoroughly enjoyed Ms Moran's previous collections and was thrilled when I found that another was out, but going into the bookshop and seeing a price tag of £20 made me baulk.  If I hadn't been given a copy, this review wouldn't have appeared until after the paperback was published or I'd got a copy from the library.
2. This book is too long.  While I enjoyed so much of this book and respect that there was a delicate balance going on, where the editors were trying to ease fans of the funny, everyday, social observation pieces into the tougher, witty, political and polemical parts, I do feel some sections didn't really work.  And. weirdly, although they only happened four years ago, the Diamond Jubilee and London Olympics already feel like ancient history, unlike the contemporary commentary offered by most of the articles.
3. The typos were distracting.  Publishers: If you can't afford proofreaders, there are plenty of people like me out there who would quite happily read your forthcoming books and point out any errors.  And I bet a lot would do it in exchange for free books.  It's the barter economy.  (Honest.  I'm not really just looking for a new way to get free books.)

So, now I've got that off my chest, I can go back to waving a banner in support of Moran.  I really liked 'Moranifesto'.  It made me laugh, it made me cry, it made me cheer.  It drew a link between the ordinary and the powerful that needs to be reasserted so that ordinary people can re-engage with politics in a meaningful way.  At its best, this is a book of thoughts and ideas representative of a wider discourse that is happening in homes, pubs, staff rooms, cars, streets all over the UK.  It's echos are even being heard on radio and TV.

The news can often make it seem like we're small and insignificant, swept up on a tsunami of decision making designed to fuel a better future for other people, while drowning out all opportunity and hope for us and the people we love.  It's books like this one that make you realise that you're not alone or imagining it, that other people, with voices in the media, are also going "WTF?"

So, while I would've liked this book to be a bit braver and unembarrassed by being political, I do feel it's another step in a march towards a greater debate.  It's books like 'Moranifesto' which will inspire and motivate the politically alienated and apathetic in a way carefully rehearsed, PR-approved speeches and dense, complicated manifestos never will.  Whether you agree with it or not, it will get you thinking and, hopefully, talking.

Look!  It really is a signed copy!

What would I like Moran to do next?  I'm tempted to say "Deeds not words", but that's easier said than done, isn't it?  It's one thing to stick your head above the parapet and say things aren't right, but quite another to come up with practical ways to change things.  But getting people talking is a start.  And giving me a copy of the book definitely got me talking.  On top of that, I'll share and debate this book with other people too.  I've heard that's how revolutions happen.

Speaking of which, I wonder how Ross Poldark is getting on in revolutionary France?  Time to get back to 'The Black Moon'...

Related Posts

'Moranthology' by Caitlin Moran - Starts with one of the funniest things I've ever read.
'How to be a Woman' by Caitlin Moran - Common sense feminism for the everyday.

The Best of Birds

Book recommendations are a bit of a mine field.  On the one hand, I love to hear about the great books other people have discovered and hear them talk enthusiastically about how stories have changed their lives. But I'm also very aware that reading is subjective and it's not possible to like absolutely everything, no matter how much you may want to.  So many people I know love Dickens or Austen, but I have to make polite excuses worthy of a Regency heroine whenever they're mentioned because I just don't get on with them at all.

One book that has come up many, many times over the years is 'To Kill a Mocking-Bird' by the late Harper Lee.  So many friends had recommended it, including local legend Len Copland, that I was really apprehensive about reading it.  I finally picked it up last month and boy I needn't have worried.

'To Kill a Mocking-Bird'
by Harper Lee
(Arrow Books, 1997)

'To Kill a Mocking-Bird' is a modern classic.  Set in the Deep South of the 1930s, it is a story of innocence, justice and prejudice told from the perspective of a young girl, Scout.  Scout, her older brother Jem and summer time friend Dill watch the grown up world with wide-eyed fascination, trying to make sense of the apparently irrational adults around them.  When Scout and Jem's lawyer father Atticus Finch volunteers to represent a black man accused of raping a white woman, they are inadvertently caught up in a series of events that will crystallise the contradictions of the adult world and bring unexpected dangers.

Having read it, I now completely understand why 'To Kill a Mocking-Bird' was such a staple of English Literature classes in UK schools.  Scout's voice and worldview are perfectly portrayed, meaning children can identify with it immediately, while adults soon slip back in time and begin remembering how it felt to be her age in a big, bewildering world.

'To Kill a Mocking-Bird' is a book which will keep me thinking for a very long time.  It is also on a very elite list of books which I definitely want to read again.  Ms Lee has written something succinct rather than short, crafting a plot that diligently leaves a breadcrumb trail for us to follow until the bitter end.  The more I think about this book, the more I want to know and the more I want to return to its pages and check what I missed first time round.

Ms Lee herself is one of the book's most interesting features.  'To Kill a Mocking-Bird' draws very obviously from her own experiences, including life in a small town in the southern United States and being the daughter of a lawyer.  Ms Lee passed away while I was planning this post and the question on many people's lips seemed to be 'When she could write like this, why didn't she write more?'.  I suspect a lot of people are hoping something will be found, in a vault, under the bed, in a box of trinkets.  Regardless, by writing just one book (and such a well-loved one at that), she's left readers with no where to go once they've finished it and it's draft ('Go Set a Watchman').  I for one will be looking out for a biography of this enigmatic writer.

Overall, this is a book that grows with the reader.  Those who read it as children can return to it as adults and read it anew.  It's engaging and thought provoking on a range of themes and topics.  It cannot and should not be reduced to the story of a court case.  There is so much more going on, much like there is so much more happening outside of Scout's field of understanding.

Thoroughly recommended.

Princess Leia-ed to Death (Sort Of)

I've always liked Princess Leia.  Despite all that nonsense with gold bikinis and Chelsea bun hair styles, she still kicks ass.  A leader, a hero and no-nonsense defier of intergalactic dictators - and all in a terribly impractical white dress.  Hurrah!

I thought it might be interesting to find out more about the lady that brought the nearly queen to the screen, so I got myself a copy of 'Wishful Drinking', the autobiography of Leia-player Carrie Fisher.

'Wishful Drinking' by
Carrie Fisher
(Pocket Books, 2009)

Based on her one-woman stage show, 'Wishful Drinking' is a swift scamper through the life of actress and author Carrie Fisher (Duh!).  Born to Hollywood nobility Debbie Reynolds (best known for 'Singin' in the Rain') and Eddie Fisher ('50s crooner), Carrie Fisher's life was never going to be ordinary.  Getting her big break at 19 in 'Star Wars', possibly the biggest film (then franchise) of all time just made it even less so.  Alongside entertaining stories of sci fi strangeness, the complex connections between the celebrity classes and the highs and lows of her relationships with family, friends and lovers, Fisher also talks about her manic depression and drink and drug issues.  Following electroconvulsio therapy (ECT) to treat her illness, Fisher has forgotten much of her incredible past.  'Wishful Thinking' is how she's reacquainting herself with it, in her own funny, cheeky and irreverent way, and we're all invited along for the ride.

This is a book that feels like exactly what it is - a novelisation of a stand up show.  It's fast, loose and slap dash, but instead of leaving me disappointed, it left me wanting to know more.  (It also left me wanting to see the stage show, but since it's not available in a non-US format, I'll have to make do with wanting more and few clips on YouTube.)

It's a book with energy that sparks off every page, but aside from the great anecdotes, I felt that the most interesting bits were where Fisher talked candidly about what it feels like to be bipolar, including dealing with diagnosis and how it linked with her addictions.  On the one hand, I wanted more than just a few glimpses of this sort of insight into being a human being, but equally I knew it would take away from the overall bump and go of the narrative.

This is a short and highly readable book (though I'm not sure that the prim Princess would always approve), a woman's view of what often feels like a man's galaxy far, far away.  I definitely want to read more by Ms Fisher in the future.

The Good, The Bad and the Ugly

Hello folks!  After the Christmas break, New Year, a stomach bug and a stinking cold, here I am, back at the blog after what feels like far too long.  I have three books to talk about, so let's get cracking!

The first book I finished was a collection of short stories by one of my favourite authors; 'The Rendezvous and Other Stories' by Daphne Du Maurier.

'The Rendezvous and
Other Stories' by
Daphne Du Maurier
(Virago Press, 2006)

'The Rendezvous and Other Stories' includes fourteen tales of deep secrets, dark passions and dubious motives, exploring the flawed characters and gothic themes for which Du Maurier is most famous.  A bored husband plans his escape; a faithful wife see what she wants to see; an arrogant author believes his own hype; a theatre actress plays politics to preserve her career; a happily married woman kills herself for no apparent reason.  Du Maurier has cast her sharp eye over those around her and used their shades of grey to bring her characters to life.

I really enjoyed 'The Rendezvous and Other Stories' and feel it's the best collection of Du Maurier's work that I've read so far.  It begins with the most heart-wrenching story, 'No Motive', the tale of a happily married and pregnant woman who, for no obvious reason, shoots herself one morning.  This story goes for the jugular and will stay with me for a long time.

This collection includes a range of stories from throughout Du Maurier's writing career, so, while they're all excellent, some feel less confident and comfortable with the dark side of human nature and these are often the ones I liked the least.  For example, 'The Fairytale', the story of a gambler's wife and how he makes amends, showed an optimism that felt at odds with the hard-nosed pessimism of many of its companions.  This mix does give the book added appeal, however, as it should make it of interest to writers interested in exploring how Du Maurier's own style developed.

Overall, I was engrossed by 'The Rendezvous and Other Stories' and would thoroughly recommend it to fans of short fiction and the gothic genre.  I don't need to recommend it to Du Maurier fans as they've probably already read and enjoyed it!  I hope you do too.

The Princess Tried

As you may have gathered by now, it's really unusual for me to finish a book in less than a day.  One work that has managed to fall into this elite category, though, is 'Little Tales of Misogyny' by Patricia Highsmith, author of 'Carol' (AKA 'The Price of Salt') and 'The Talented Mr Ripley'.

Published in the early 1970s, 'Little Tales of Misogyny' is a collection of (very) short stories, each exploring a particular female stereotype prevalent at the time.  We meet manipulative coquettes, perpetual mothers, unfaithful wives, disposable sex objects and innocent-looking psychopaths.  They can be passive, compliant or silent, principled, vocal or bossy.  With calm cruelty and dark humour, Highsmith takes the tracks onto which females can be tied, then follows them to apparently inevitable endings.

This book is a very interesting exploration of the female identities that women might choose, or feel expected, to fulfil.  It's the sort of book that would have fascinated me as a teenager, negotiating what sort of woman I wanted to be in a world of conflicting instincts, expectations and media messages.

'Little Tales of Misogyny' is essentially a collection of adult fairy tales, controversial because of the way they reduce their subjects to black-and-white stereotypes fixated on an acceptable female role and invoke murder and rape in cold, matter-of-fact ways, as though they are the inevitable results of being a certain type of girl/woman.  There are times when I was wondering whether the author actually hated women and this was her way of ridiculing and punishing them and their follies.  In the end, however, I finished the book feeling that it was more a frustrated cry to draw attention to the ridiculous way women can behave and be treated by men, each other and themselves.  

As with traditional fairy tales, I'd like to think that they represent something historic and long gone, that many of these stereotypes no longer exist in the 21st century, made irrelevant by increased opportunities and better education for women.  But it is often easier to slip into the role that's expected of you rather than push for something else and not every girl is fortunate to grow up in an affluent country which recognises the importance of equality and fulfillment for all its citizens.

Overall, I think 'Little Tales of Misogyny' is an interesting read for anyone interested in feminism and women's roles and aspirations.  While it isn't the usual taut suspense thriller that Highsmith is famous for, it does feature her sharp character portraits and dark edge.  An interesting and thought provoking read indeed.