extremely close and incredibly loud

I finished my July book last night – I had only read a couple of pages throughout July, so last night I decided not to go straight to the computer when I got home, and instead sit down and read. I read from when I got home at 6:45 until 9:50 when I had finished the book – I couldn’t put it down. The book was hard to get into initially (hence why it took me so long to start) but once I got going I struggled to even put it down to get my dinner.

The book centres around a young boy who had lost his dad in the 9/11 terrorist attacks. A couple of years after his death he finds a key in his dad’s closet and sets upon a journey to discover the lock it matches – his only clue being the word ‘Black’ written on the envelope it was contained in. I believe that this has been the only book that has actually made me cry, and although it did so, I really enjoyed the read.

As with some of the other books I have read – I did a quick google search on other reviews. Apparently this book wasn’t very well received in the literary community and his first book (Everything is Illuminated) was more popular. I did find out they are making a movie of the book (which seems to be happening with nearly every book I have read in the past few months) – I am not sure how they would tackle this as the book is written from multiple points of view.

My next book on the list is the Time Travellers Wife – I haven’t seen the movie of this one yet so I am going in with an open mind.

Have you read any good books lately? Any other suggestions to add to the list?

a belated feeling bookish

I unfortunately forgot to post my feeling bookish yesterday – my sister messaged and I ended up heading to hers after work to help with a job application. Any who – better late than never I suppose.

This edition of feeling bookish covers last month’s book club book, Beatrice and Virgil, and also the Life of Pi – both by Yann Martel.

Beatrice and Virgil was a very easy to read book – it is quite slim also, so it is definitely not a tedious read. It is based around an author, who after the rejection of his holocaust novel, begins a relationship with an animal taxidermist who is writing a play around Beatrice, a donkey, and Virgil, a howler monkey. I found it a gripping read, with the taxidermist making a very intriguing character. The ending however seems too swift and somehow unfinished, it left me feeling slightly wanting. Overall however I enjoyed the book – so much so that I bought Yann Martel’s first book, The Life of Pi to read as well. I must mention, before venturing onto the next book, that after finishing Beatrice and Virgil, I did a quick google search on other readers opinions of the story, and I found many scathing reviews of this book – maybe I am too simple a reader, but I didn’t agree with many of their criticisms. Have you read it? Did you enjoy it?

Life of Pi received world-wide acclaim by winning the Man Booker prize in 2002. Compared to Beatrice and Virgil, the Life of Pi is a much longer read – although the story is so gripping I managed to finish it on day. It has been a very, very long time, since I have enjoyed a book so much that I have had to continue reading until the end without putting it down. I much preferred Life of Pi over Beatrice and Virgil, and thought the ending here was perfect, where it was lacking in the latter.  I won’t go into the story line of Life of Pi – as I believe it is best to be read. But for those who aren’t readers I have just discovered they are working on a movie, due for release sometime in 2012.

Let me know if you have read any good books lately? Or maybe you had different opinions to the books I have reviewed above? Let me know!

#3 update

Just a quick update on #3 on my list – reading a book a month – I have finished in the past week The age of innocence by Edith Wharton, this was my May book but it ran over slightly, and Beatrice and Virgil by Yann Martel. I enjoyed both books, but the The age of innocence was definitely a harder read than Beatrice and Virgil. I am looking forward to discussing the latter at the Vogue Book Club this Saturday – there have been some scathing reviews of it online, so I am interested to hear everyone else’s opinion.

Have you read any good books lately? I need a suggestion for July’s read.

white tiger

My trip to Japan provided me a perfect excuse to buy another book out of the 1001 books to read. I have always preferred having something to read on the plane over games and music – especially since take off and landing you’re not allowed to use either. The day before I was due to fly out I headed to the shops for some last-minute supplies (winter socks, plane lollies, cheap ballet flats), included in these was a book for the plane. I rushed home after work and did a quick search through my 1001 book – one of the more recent entries was White Tiger by Aravind Adiga. I must admit it was the cover of this book that grabbed my interest (and I do stand by judging a book by its cover - some books you can just tell are not for you) – it was graphic and colourful and full of intrigue. After quickly writing down its details on a post it (as well as a secondary option Interview with a Vampire – which I did not know was a book before the successful movie) I headed to the shops. I was rather unimpressed as I realised my local shopping centre only had a Collins Bookstore – I often find their range limiting. Luckily White Tiger was not only considered a good read (well according to 1001 books anyway) it was a popular seller, I had no trouble finding multiple copies in the store. $24.95 later I was irked I didn’t forward plan and buy it off The Book Depository – which currently has it going for $6.98 AUD!

On its return home the book was promptly packed into my carry on luggage – in wait for the flight the next day. Now I must admit I am a fast reader – not so much because I can read any faster than normal, but because I have a tendency to skim read a lot, reading every other line and putting it together. I am not sure why I do this, but I have been caught out, getting to the middle of the book and being completely confused about whats going on. Even with this in mind, I was surprised that I finished White Tiger only a few hours after take off. The book was very easy to ready, not because it wasn’t complex or simply constructed, but it just flowed really well, and encouraged you to keep on reading. I think I only put down the book twice in the flight, once for food, and another to attempt to sleep. Although it’s not a book I would usually consider, I am glad I picked it out – which is why I am doing this whole 1001 books to read in the first place – to get me outside of my reading comfort zone (if such a thing exists) and read what is considered to be some of the best literature of our time. I unfortunately don’t have a picture of my own to post, since I lent the book to Jane after I completed it and she got sucked in as well – she’s currently finishing it whilst snowboarding in Japan.

I’ll leave it at that today – but tomorrow I am hoping to post the success (or failure) of tonight’s dinner. My team at work is headed out to the Oriental Tea House in Melbourne to farewell some of our members – I have been there before and absolutely loved it! Hopefully tonight will be just as good. I am hoping once The Age’s Cheap Eats 2010 comes out I can begin to work my way through some of Melbourne’s restaurants – yet another list to work through – yay!

I am also hoping that the gizmo technician will be able to fix my laptop tonight – it gave up the ghost before I left to Japan and I am desperate to get my photos on my comp – fingers crossed!

the shining…and cat

the first book of the rank – the shining by Stephen King.

the book and the cat

I had seen the Jack Nicholson movie years and years ago – and all I could recall from it was the famous ‘here’s johnny’ scene, probably because it has been referenced in a lot of other popular culture. I knew Stephen King’s books were supposed to be scary, but I never believed that a book could be scary, but I must say this book certainly does get under your skin. It tells the story of Danny, the son of Jack Torrance, a disgraced lecturer forced to take a job at a the Overlook Hotel. The book explores the winter that the family is cut off in the Hotel due to the winter blizzards – the hotel is haunted with its past guests, that they slowly reveal themselves to Danny, with their purpose to kill him.

All in all, the book truly did give me shivers – even the cynic in me was feeling the horror of the paranormal activity in the hotel. This book well deserves a spot on the 1001 list – I couldn’t put it down, mainly because I had to find out the end before I freaked myself out too much! A highly recommended book – even if you have seen the movie.