Piranesi by Susanna Clarke

 “Perhaps that is what it is like being with other people. Perhaps even people you like and admire immensely can make you see the World in ways you would rather not. Perhaps that is what Raphael means.”

 

Giovanni Battista Piranesi, a Venetian artist and architect,  lived in 1700s Italy and is famous for his Caceri or Prisons series of prints that depict strange, impossible, labyrinthine structures.

I've done a little bit of internet research and discovered this great video that epitomises his work.

Piranesi Carceri d'Invenzione from Grégoire Dupond on Vimeo.

Much like the eponymous artist, Piranesi is a fantastically puzzling tale that twists and turns through a strange world before its secrets are revealed. I have to admit it took a long time to acclimatise with the world building of the novel and my confusion and sense of displacement was mirrored by the protagonist in a novel and impressively rendered manner.

Patience they say is a virtue... so hold on tight, keep your mind open and keep reading.This one is definitely a slow build, but worth it. Unlike the absolutely weighty tome that was Jonathan Strange and Mr Norris by the same author, Piranesi is a relatively quick read at under three hundred pages. The rather large gap between novels attributed to the author's ill health according to this interview I tracked down online. I sincerely hope her health improves and we can enjoy more wonderful works in the future.

5 out of 5, disappear into another world.

The Interestings by Meg Wolitzer

“These teenagers around her, all of them from New York City, were like royalty and French movie stars, with a touch of something papal. Everyone at this camp was supposedly artistic, but here, as far as she could tell, was the hot little nucleus of the place.”

Every now and then you pick up a novel and feel understood. Its as if the author has dug into your deepest fears and insecurities and spilled the beans for all to see. Wolitzer is that kind of author for me. The blow is softened by how clever, funny and entertaining she is. The embarrassing or downright mortifying is served up in a neat package that points out the ridiculousness of it all.
Growing up as a complete nerd who always felt like a fish out of water, I could relate to the way Jules is magnetised by her new friends from camp who come from a different world.


The friendships established during that first summer of 1974 have ramifications that reverberate throughout her and her friends lives, There's the uncomfortable comparisons with people living a seemingly 'charmed' life of monied success along with the emotional ties that bind and divide.
I absolutely love the way Meg Wolitzer writes and my hero worship of her began when I attended a panel she spoke at for the Sydney Writer's Festival some years ago. What a woman, what an author, what a mind!!


So far I've enjoyed everything of hers that I've read and this was definitively no exception. I literally devoured its content over 2 days ( admittedly I didn't go to bed on time because I had to finish).
Youth is a time of endless possibilities that narrow with age and I think this is beautifully captured here. Unrequited love, the secrets we keep for our friends, the moral fog that our relationships can draw us into, are all engaging themes that emerge throughout the text.


Can you remain best friends with someone when wealth disparity pushes you apart? The exploration of this tension is particularly enthralling, especially in the impact it can have on partners and family.
The question of what love is- familial obligation, aspirational longing for a true mind/ body connection, or settling for comfort and stillness? Her characters grapple with the gamut of these emotions and are so well wrought that you feel like you've grown up with them from camp teepee discussions through to shared overseas holidays. Personally this novel seems to exemplify that feeling of middle aged ennui and the realisation that the excitement and possibilities that existed in youth have morphed into an existence that you can only try to make sense of.


In case it isn't very obvious by my effusive praise, I absolutely adored this book and was so glad I turned off the television for some dedicated reading time.


5 out of 5 - wild about Wolitzer.

The Meaning of Mariah Carey by Mariah Carey with Michaela Angela Davis

 

"He was fun, fine, and just the thing to lick my wounds."

To be completely honest, this was kind of exactly what I expected. As overblown as a Spanish telenovela with a massive selection of hyperbole. In summary her life was difficult, her first marriage felt like prison ( she calls their house 'Sing Sing') and the last chapter is where the name dropping occurs.

I'm not sure I learnt anything I really wanted to. No dirt on James Packer, only sledging of Tommy Mottola. Everything seemed like a Hallmark Movie of the week and the italicised 'dahling' drove me batty. 

I enjoy more backstage gossip, but Mariah paints herself as more of a bird in a gilded cage who is now breaking free, minus a lot of exciting detail.

1 out of 5 - one for the fans I suspect.

1 out of 5

Dubliners by James Joyce

 

"Well...! That takes the biscuit!"

Hurrah, ladies and gentlemen... I've finished reading my first novel for 2021 and a classic to boot! Ignore the gorgeous pulp themed cover ( it is gorgeous isn't it?). This novel dates all the way back to 1914. A collection of short stories that reads as if you're walking down the streets of Dublin of that time and seeing little vignettes of life. It is almost akin to jumping into the Tardis and then just watching what people get up to.

Much like life offers up flickering images that quickly flee, I didn't retain any of the stories. Rather, I finished this novel feeling like I'd been transported to a place and now only possessed vague recollections.

Looking for further confirmation of my feelings about the book, it was interesting to see it described as

"studies in stark realism", which is exactly how I felt about it. Now if you feel like exploring the book without shelling out for the fancy paperback, you can grab yourself an e-pub at Project Gutenberg.

4 out of 5 - take a walk around Dublin... I aim to some day.

Greenlights by Matthew McConaughey

 

"Sometimes we don't need advice. Sometimes we just need to hear we're not the only one."

Is there anything McConaughey can't do? He can deliver an absolutely unforgettable line "alright, alright, alright", deliver in the serious drama department and convincingly hypnotise us with his dance moves and patter ( hello Magic Mike). Now he's really gone and done it — the man can write too.

Initially I was rubber necking by buying this autobiography / collection of musings and yet I basically couldn't put it down. There are some typically oddball moments such as the way his father dies, and soul searching in the desert, yet in the main, this is great. His writing voice is as affable and endearing as any great appearance on the Graham Norton show or similar.

While McConaughey has always been blessed with good looks, it is his manner that sets his apart from just another pretty boy actor. At 50, he reveals the struggles and adventures that have formed his character and he reaffirms the sense that this is a man who could spin an amazing tale at a barstool near you. 

He's the kind of guy whose positive energy and joie de vivre is magnetic, even if his lifestyle ( I could never live in a trailer) is completely counter to my own. I just wanted to befriend him after reading this, rather than harbouring any latent lusty thoughts care of Magic Mike.

 5 out of 5: green lights only from now on.

Tremor of Forgery by Patricia Highsmith

"A profound bitterness was audible in Jensen's subdued tone. Ingham was at that moment calling himself an idiot for not having realised than Jensen was homosexual."

What's not to love about Patricia Highsmith? The author of The Talented Mr Ripley and Strangers On a Train always delivers. Not only that, but her novels are often set in some pretty impressive locales.This novel is no exception, set in Tunisia, our protagonist is escaping the ghost of his divorce while he crafts a new screenplay for a never to arrive Director.

When his project fails to materialise, Howard decides to stay on, befriending the Danish painter, Jensen. When an intruder to his hotel room comes to a rather permanent end thanks to a thrown typewriter, Howard seeks a less obvious abode with the help of his Danish new friend, while he awaits word from his girlfriend.

Suspense, failed romances, exotic locales, all amount to a damn good read!! While this isn't my favourite of her novels, it makes for an intriguing ride nonetheless.

4 out of 5 - be careful with typewriters... they can be dangerous.

 

Aunts Up the Cross by Robin Dalton

 

"I remember Nana woke me up to announce the news and insisted on cracking a bottle of champagne by my bedside—not in celebration, but as her means of greeting any crisis."

Take a trip back into the cross of the 20s and 30s. Your narrator delightfully regales you with tales of her extended family and their large, eventful house, Maramanah. Her father, her dog Samual Pepys and a large cast of maiden aunts live in a massive terrace at the end of Darlinghurst Road, at the other end lies the "dirty half mile" inhabited by "soiled doves" as her grandmother describes them.

This is really like climbing into a time machine and walking along familiar streets under a very different lens, expressed with a delightfully humorous feel that reminds me of the tales my nana used to tell.

The illustrations in the edition I have adds to the book's charm, as does the forward by Clive James.

4 out of 5, now every time I alight at Kings Cross Station I'll think of it as the former site of Maramanah.

Conversations with Friends by Sally Rooney

 "I'd underestimated my vulnerability. I'd lied to everyone, to Melissa, even to Bobbi, just so I could be with Nick. I had left myself no-one to confide in, no one who would feel any sympathy for what I'd done."

If there's anyone left on earth that didn't watch the miniseries or read the source novel of Normal People, Sally Rooney's other novel, then I feel perhaps that might be the book to start with. This novel predates the more famous one, in fact it was her debut. While its hard not to draw parallels in its reflection of college age complex relationships between the novels, they are significantly different and I wonder if my appreciation of Normal People was greater because it was centred on the main relationships, whereas the waters are far more cloudy here which might have diluted the intensity.

Perhaps where the author is the most successful is in highlighting the discrepancy between the filtered, shiny images we portray of ourselves externally and the dark confusion that reigns inside. The protagonist, Frances, has an intense bond with her best friend Bobbi, who had been her girlfriend and partner in spoken word poetry. The fact that Frances writes all the poetry and Bobbi seemed to hang on her coat-tails was the first indication that their relationship was destined to become rocky.

A meeting with a literary journalist, Melissa, and her handsome, actor husband, Nick leads to friendships and a love affair that will shake the foundations of everyone involved.I read most of this while sweating away in an infrared

sauna and the pages flew by - I managed to not sweat on the pages (it was difficult).

Covid permitting, the BBC has announced that this will also be adapted for television and it will be interesting to see who they cast as the dishy, but troubled Nick. 

5 out of 5, read this before they film it!!

Earthlings by Sayaka Murata

 

"My town is a factory for the production of human babies."

Do not be fooled by the cute hedgehog cover on this interesting novel that isn't afraid to pour on the shock value. From incest to cannibalism, I was ill prepared for some of the content as it begins with a girl who feels like an outsider in a world consumed with marriage for procreation. 

So much of Natsuki's inner dialogue - imaginary friend/god, desire to be understood etc - seems palatable in her youth but goes to extreme as she grows. Well to be fair **spoilers** sleeping with her cousin was totally not okay, but her view of the world as being prepped as a future vessel for children is really disturbingly close to home. The idea that one must conform and live a prescribed life to be socially acceptable,  pure, not too fat or thin, caring but not too intelligent - is a circumstance all women struggle with.

Murata takes these confining social norms and produces an extreme counter narrative in Natsuki.

Her asexual marriage grants her a small respite from the interfering of her family, until, as when most people marry to appease their parents, they  face the prospect of  having to deliver grandchildren.

What her family don't know about is the  good looking school teacher whose unforgivable actions in Natuski's  past serve as confirmation of her fears that women are purely tools in the service of the baby making factory. If I still lived in the suburbs I might share that belief.

Natsuki clings to the hope that the bond she shares with her cousin will help her escape society's demands and then things just take a turn for the weirdness.

I can't imagine anyone making this one into a movie - but never say never!!

4 out of 5 - a fluffy toy can lead you down a dark path.

 

Death of a Typographer by Nick Gadd

"The signage, the menus, even the bloody toilet doors are in a terrible font called Impact. I felt like people were yelling at me from all sides. It gave me a migraine."

When I saw this on my book bestie's currently reading status on Goodreads,  I knew I had to borrow it. Gadd had me at the title alone and when I got to the bit about the sensitivity to ugly fonts I was all in!

Martin Kern - oh come on, even the names are gold - uses his typographic knowledge to solve crimes, but can he solve the infamous mystery of Pieter van Floogstraten?

While the blurb essentially gives away most of the story, don't be dissuaded, this is a truly novel approach to the noir potboiler that pays off. Destined to appeal to graphic designers and those that deal with font emergencies on a regular basis. One of my pet peeves with Blogger is the lack of interesting font choices, however that's not such a problem in the real world with indesign.

The description of a modern office covered in Helvetica made me giggle.

Doesn't pack quite the punch I was hoping for in the end, but enjoyable nonetheless.

 4 out of 5, this might just be your type.
 

Sir Gawain and the Green Knight by Unknown

 

"From his neck to his loins so square set was he, and so long and stalwart of limb, that I trow he was half a giant."

I'm going to be completely honest here. I desperately wanted to reach my goal of reading 100 books last years and was still trying earnestly on December 31. It wasn't enough, I got to 80. This was one of those books I pretty much skimmed through at the eleventh hour.

If you're wondering why I was reading this, you can blame my list ticking obsession. It appeared on Nicci French's Top 10 dinner parties list at The Guardian. 

This just wasn't really my jam.

2 out of 5 - not in the mood for King Arthur.

Life in Pieces by Dawn O'Porter

 

"I am determined to be an embarrassing mother. I have a fantasy in my head of going into the boys' room when they are about fourteen and sixteen and explaining to them how they must be with girls and saying some unthinkable things that mothers probably shouldn't say."

Dawn O'Porter is adorable, her writing is just so honest and delightful. This collection of musings from time in lock down will resonate with a lot of people stuck at home for the second or third time. What a year it was, not only a pandemic but also losing one of her best friends to suicide, it can't have been easy, as her book describes. There is something so reassuring when someone is so unguarded in their writing, it really speaks to the weirdness that we're all going through at the moment.

The quote I've elected above was particularly meaningful because I know that were I to have male offspring I'd feel exactly the same, weighed down by the responsibility of bringing up a better generation of men with a greater respect for women when the world around us consistently seeks to erode those notions.

Dawn is real, vulnerable, imperfect and, by encompassing all those things in her writing, she is phenomenal!

 4 out of 5  - I'd totally want to hang out with Dawn.

Life after Life by Kate Atkinson

 “Most people muddled through events and only in retrospect realized their significance.” 

Perhaps it is no coincidence that I've read a number of books in 2020 that are founded on the concept of alternate lives. After wasting something like four years on an off in a toxic relationship, the idea of an alternate universe with better choices is one that is full of appeal. 

Life after Life has sat in my 'to be read' pile for quite sometime now and I both started, and finished it on New Year's Eve 2020. A baby is born dead in the winter of 1910, her death resets and next chapter the same child lives, so the novel continues with constant death and re-sets with alternate realities. Will she live to kill Hitler or have children in Germany or ??? So many possibilities in a novel that is upwards of six hundred pages.

My reading journey on this one was full of ups and downs and I think that's why I'm not giving it top marks. That is to say I have some reservations, but ultimately its an interesting read. Perhaps my critique stems from reading The Midnight Library which I much preferred in terms of structure and content.

If hindsight is 20-20 then, Ursula can see all through the ages and her journey from Fox Corner is never dull.

4 out of 5 : a journey through the ages.

Rogue Male by Geoffrey Household

 

"The dogs might have found me, but their master, whoever he was, never gave them a chance."

You might notice I've complained about the pacing of a number of novels I've reviewed in 2020. This is the antithesis. Rogue Male is a thriller with a capital 'T'. The pace never lets up and it is almost exhausting to read as you are carried away with the protagonist's escape journey.

A foiled assassination attempt leads to the capture and torture of the would be assassin ( our protagonist), his unlikely escape from the clutches of death begins a relentless struggle for survival that propels the reader further at a startling pace through every page.

Will he make it? Your fingers will be clutching at the pages with intensity, clawing their way forward as your stress levels rise.

The edition I read had an introduction by Robert Macfarlane with spoilers which thankfully advised that they lay ahead and to revisit the introduction after reading the novel - advice which I happily followed and suggest you do too.It notes that the book was adapted in 1941 'poorly' according to Macfarlane as Man Hunt, by Fritz Lang - and I'm eager to see that now to draw my own conclusions.

4 out of 5 - just run!

The Enchanted April by Elizabeth von Arnim

 

“I'm sure it's wrong to go on being good for too long, till one gets miserable. And I can see you've been good for years and years, because you look so unhappy.”

The thought that one can't possibly mimic the travels of Mrs Wilkins and co by answering an advertisement to rent a castle on the Italian riviera for a summer is torture. Putting the potential prohibitive cost aside, the current status of the world makes the idea of travel such an  unattainable one, for who could resist the pull of 'wisteria and sunshine'?

This book represents all that a holiday overseas means to me. An escape, a chance to review one's life and ensure its travelling on the right path, to find or rekindle romance and to enjoy the distance from the everyday ho-hum existence things that drag you down, leaving behind nothing but a lingering scent of acacia ( even if that makes me sneeze like nobody's business - damn hay fever).

Finding friendship, overcoming insecurities and really living, that is what this little book explores in a delightful fashion.In some ways it is the ultimate girls' trip. Like any girls' trip there are some romantic issues that make for interesting plot points.

 5 out of 5 - I miss Italy!!

When We Were Orphans by Kazuo Ishiguro

 “It's all right. I'm not upset. After all, they were just things. When you've lost your mother and your father, you can't care so much about things, can you?”

A rather different detective novel from Ishiguro, this tale set in the 1930s travels between London and Shanghai to unearth the secret that has plagued England's celebrated detective his whole life - the disappearance of his parents.

There is something cinematic about this novel, easy to imagine it on screen with its mysterious locales, interesting characters and continual building of pace. One imagines it as a fabulous Netflix series full of flashbacks of the young Christopher and Akira in the Shanghai of their youth. The author captures a sense of the multiple worlds it inhabits - east and west, affluent repose and the desperation of the streets, particularly in the war-ravaged slums.

While this didn't grab me in the same fashion as Never Let Me Go, upon reflection it is a haunting story which remains with the reader for sometime. The sense of confusion and danger of opening up the past is one that remains.

 4 out of 5 childhood memories are unreliable narrators.

The Midnight Library by Matt Haig

 

"Within the space of a slow blink she saw her father's ghost, in her mind's eye, staring at his stopwatch as if he  was waiting for her to reach him."

So this was my latest bookclub read and it was one of the best things to occur in 2020. Literally the most life-affirming book I've ever read. It is gorgeous and I just love the way Haig deals with a sliding doors scenario through the premise of a library and books as potential lives lived. 

You will cry, you will want to give this book a big bear hug it is so good. I think the notion of changing our mistakes and reliving life changing incidents is one that has universal appeal. I love the world creation and the way it operates, Haig showed similar brilliance in his other novel How to Stop Time  which was almost as enjoyable, but not quite.

5 out of 5 - second best thing to come out of 2020

Suicide Club by Rachel Heng

"Yes, there was meat, live music, and very likely alcohol, but Lea felt herself drawn in, felt the glamour sweep over her like a wave pulling her under."

The scenario that this novel explores is so compelling - what would you do to live forever? Would it drive you mad? Would you still be human? 

As, well excluding pandemics and the like, human lifespans extend and our quality of life past maturity improves, the concept of being rich enough to afford an extend life becomes a science fiction that isn't outside the realms of possibility.

Rachel Heng delivers a world where a genetically predisposed chosen few have the ability to live basically forever provided they possess the right genes, follow the rules and maintain their body. When life is merely following the rules it quickly loses its appeal for many, just as the have nots have their shorter lives and freedom, is it really still living when you've a mechanical heart pumping the blood around your fake skin?

Perhaps the mysterious, eponymous Suicide Club has the answers?

 4 out of 5 - great premise and fantastic debut novel.

 

Going Dark The Secret Social Lives of Extremists by Julia Ebner

"Never before have extreme actors and movements been more internationally networked than today."

This might sound like an odd choice for a relaxing read and granted it was not at all relaxing. It was reviewed in The Guardian, and the premise sounded particularly interesting, so I grabbed a copy.

One can only posit at the intense balls ( for lack of a better word) of the author, whose dicing with death antics include posing as a would be convert to gain insight into the worlds of some rather scary extremists. I mean the word extremist would predictably imply that they were scary. Working at an anti-extremist think tank, Julia Ebner, poses as a would be nazi and a would be jihadi bride to gain a clearer perspective of what goes on behind the scenes of these groups and it makes for fascinating and at times frightening reading. The biggest revelation is that people are people. Even those filled with hatred still go on dates, enjoy the social norms of being part of a group and it is that sense of belonging which often persuades people to take ever darker turns as their perception of what is acceptable shifts.

4 out of 5 - research can be deadly.

The Survivors by Jane Harper

 

"It was a good question. It had been asked a lot over the years, and Kieran was as familiar as anyone in town with the last known movements of Gabby Birch, aged fourteen."

Goodness I read this an age ago. The author of The Dry is back with an unrelated tale and one that I eagerly purchased as a pre-release. The pacing seemed a little off in this one, that is to say it took a long time to gain momentum, but when it did it was worth the wait. 

Set in a small seaside hamlet in Tasmania, the title refers to a statue that pays tribute to a shipwreck near the treacherous cliffside which contains caves which fill up at high tide. The shipwreck is a rather fitting description of the lives of the residents and returning exresidents of Evelyn Bay - so many haunted figures due to the ghosts of the past. A fatal accident and the disappearance of a young girl cast a dark shadow on the town and the author spends a great deal of time setting the scene, before we dive into the buried secrets and final outcome.

Thankfully patience is rewarded and the ending is quite something, which is rather vague I know, but I'm trying to suggest you need to seek it out for yourself.

4 out of 5 incidents don't get washed away.

The Unpleasantness at the Bellona Club (Lord Peter Wimsey #4)

 

"I have a peculiar instinct about pubs. I can find one blindfold in a pea-souper with both hands tied behind me.”

I've been reading this on my phone when I've not had a book to hand for what seems like a century. I'm not sure whether the medium contributed to the lack of pace, but this one really dragged for me. That's not to say it isn't full of some rather amusing quips - one would expect nothing less from the author, and yet I recall enjoying her 'Whose Body' mystery a lot more.

A member of the exclusive Bellona Club is found dead and who else but Lord Peter Wimsey could possibly be on the case? As pompous as ever, our protagonist sniffs out the death as murder rather than natural causes and voila, the game is afoot. I just wish he reached his conclusions at a greater pace.

3 out of 5 - oh do stop being clever and get to the point.

Hollowpox by Jessica Townsend

 

"The dual figureheads of Nevermoor's holiday season, Saint Nicholas and the Yule Queen, were in an Ages-long war over best embodied the spirit of the season."

Waiting for the next instalment of a Morrigan Crow novel seems interminable and yet dear reader I made it and it was worth the wait. I realise that having left my thirties behind, I'm perhaps not the target audience for these fantastic novels and yet I dearly love them. A new threat to wonderful world of Nevermoor is an insidious plague - how appropriate for 2020 - rather than coming from bats this one turns lovely Wunimals into rabid creatures and no-one is safe anymore.

Naturally Morrigan and friends will face off with the evil creatures behind this frightful plague and this reader ecstatically embraced the journey. Sometimes evil wears a smiling face and this volume delves into the notions of power struggles and unlikely allies.

What more can I say? Nothing much other than I want more please!!

5 out of 5 - I never tire of Nevermoor.

Chasing the Light by Oliver Stone

 

"I never did figure out how our picture was paid for; it was a secretive poker game among three parties that was way over my head."

In 2017 Oliver Stone visited Sydney as part of the Vivid festival and I was lucky enough to attend his International Game Changer speech and see this master storyteller up close. As a teller of tales Stone is impeccable both in public and in prose. His latest autobiography which commences with his early life up until he turns 40 is fantastic and definitely one to read for fans (as it deals with Platoon, Salvador, Scarface and Midnight Express).

Memoirs are always intriguing in that they are one perspective that sometimes lacks a broader perspective. This is particularly evident here as we embark on interesting anecdotes with a sense that the emotional journey isn't fully explored. Similar to the public speaking engagement, this is a well versed story teller recounting key tales, bouncing here and there and yet seemingly not giving all of himself. One gets the impression that the dark depths of Stone will remain hidden apart from hints here and there.

That is not to dissuade you from reading the book, it is deftly delivered with a behind the scene peek at the downfall of Charlie Sheen for example. Ultimately this plays just like a great film, where you're unsure as to the veracity of the narrator.

4 out of 5 - Stone was a damn good looking kid.

Alfie by Bill Naughton

 

“I mean the only experience that doesn’t do you any good is the one you learn nothing from.” 

Alfie is a grubbie, sexist pig that epitomises everything that is wrong with the notion of a harmless lothario. In a time before birth control was readily available, he carelessly wanders about stringing women along to get his leg over, while seeming like a complete narcissistic wanker.

Yep, can you tell I hated this book? Without the gleam of a young Michael Caine or a young Jude Law, his wretched personality takes centre stage. Is it well written. I guess so because it made me angry and disgusted at his self entitlement. Alfie is the ultimate tinder f**k boi, before that was even a thing. His pathetic nature is grotesque, reminding  me of a certain uncle who shall remain nameless. He is never as clever as he thinks he is and ultimately gives up any chance at a life with his son through his own deluded self-interest.

While he gloats about his sexual adventures "I believe that for any self-respecting geezer, he needs three birds on the go at any one time", his life is ultimately empty and meaningless. I'd love to see a sequel where his hair falls out and his options run dry. You'll note my score is low because I just hate this character so damn much.

2 out of 5, a hideous character study well wrought.

The Body Keeps the Score by Bessel Van Der Kolk

 

“We have learned that trauma is not just an event that took place sometime in the past; it is also the imprint left by that experience on mind, brain, and body. This imprint has ongoing consequences for how the human organism manages to survive in the present. Trauma results in a fundamental reorganization of the way mind and brain manage perceptions. It changes not only how we think and what we think about, but also our very capacity to think.”

Trauma has a negative transformative impact on our body that for some can last a lifetime. Dr van der Kolk's book provides some hideous examples of treatments gone wrong and the impact of some truly terrible events. He looks at various ways of treating post traumatic stress disorder and reflects on the inescapable connection between mind and body. While there is a lot of guff out there in the world about wellness activities, it isn't until stress or tragedy or emotional torture begin to have a physical effect that many of us really consider what is at the root of our issues.

I found this a profoundly interesting read, at times (due to the subject matter) it was difficult and yet the prose was always engaging and clear. Unlike a dull medical treatise, this is clearly delivered by a great storyteller. The author looks at various treatments and approaches to dealing with trauma from EMDR to yoga, in an open and engaging manner. While this book won't heal your ills, it might start you on a path to locating their source and effectively dealing with it.

5 out of 5, I bet everyone who reads this googles EMDR now.

Life and Times of Michael K by J.M.Coetzee

 

“How many people are there left who are neither locked up nor standing guard at the gate?” 

Honestly 2020 really took it out of me and wasn't the best time to read this book as I found it hard to deal with. You'll notice a swathe of reviews coming up as I attempt to clean out my closet of books read in 2020, before I begin the onslaught of 2021. It has taken annual leave for me to have the time to do so - its either read or review when I'm not working, as work seems to take up the balance of the scales. Ironic then that this book is about a man who is unable to work to support himself without working outside of the oppressive regime in which he's imprisoned.

This is a tale of a life that is so unfair on so many levels. Every time you think there's a silver lining for the protagonist, it is merely another dark cloud. It is undoubtedly well written and deserving of the praise heaped on it since it's release in 1983 (booker prize winner and all that) and yet I found it very difficult to engage with because it just pulled me down into the depths of despair.

3/5 because despite evidence to the contrary I'm not a glutton for punishment.

The Whales' Song by Dyan Sheldon, Gary Blythe (Illustrator)

 

"Suddenly Lily felt the breeze rustle her nightdress and the cold nip at her toes."

My adorable little nephew loves whales, so for Christmas I sought out a story book about them and this one was a delight. Both the amazing illustrations and the touching story had me a little weepy at the end of the 32 pages or so, as it reminded me of the warm hugs of my gonna from many years back.

5 / 5 - a delight.