avatiakh’s 2010 challenge thread – part 3

My 2nd thread is here
My 1st thread is here

Planned September Reads include:
Take It or Leave It (TIOLI) Challenge: September: Madeline's main challenge: Mockingjay, The Tango Singer Chunkster: The Sunne in Splendour; Paranormal Being: Curse of the Wolf Girl; Retellings of myth, fairy tales:Baba Yaga laid an Egg; Urania's Read an old book Challenge The Caine Mutiny, The Lion
Finish: The Bone People

Currently Reading:
The Bone People by Keri Hulme - stalled
The Tango Singer by Tomás Eloy Martínez
World Cup Wishes by Eshkol Nevo
Inferior by Peadar O'Guilin
Snow Crash by Neal Stephenson - iPod

Highlights from the 1st Quarter here:

Highlights from 2nd quarter:

Nonfiction:
Tschiffely's Ride: Southern Cross to Pole Star by AF Tschiffely (Argentina)

Fiction:
The Year of the Shanghai Shark by Mo Zhi Hong (NZ)
Hideous Kinky by Esther Freud (UK)
Came a Hot Friday by Ronald Hugh Morrieson (NZ)
Flaubert's Parrot by Julian Barnes (UK)
The Three Musketeers by Alexandre Dumas (Fr)
Nada by Carmen Laforet (Spain)
American Gods by Neil Gaiman (US)
Tu by Patricia Grace (NZ)
Adjusting Sightsby Haim Sabato (Israel)
The White King by György Dragomán (Hungary)

Short Stories & Essays etc:
Apples from the Desert by Savyon Liebrecht (Israel)
The man who fell into a puddle: Israeli lives by Igal Sarna (Israel)

Children’s & YA fiction:
Odd and the Frost Giants by Neil Gaiman (US)
Will Grayson Will Grayson by David Levithan and John Green (US)
Moribito: Guardian of the Darkness by Nahoko Uehashi (Japan)
The Prince of Mist by Carlos Ruiz Zafon (Spain)
Emil and Karl by Yankev Glatshteyn (US/Yiddish)
The Limping Man by Maurice Gee (NZ)
Over a thousand hills I walk with you by Hanna Jansen (Germany)
Chaos Walking 3: Monsters of Men by Patrick Ness (UK)
Toby Alone by Timothee de Fombelle (France)
Centre of my world by Andreas Steinhöfel (Germany)

101) Centre of my world by Andreas Steinhöfel (1998 German ed) (2006 Eng translation)
YA fiction, Germany
Read for the June TIOLI Read a translated YA or children’s book challenge.
This is a beautifully written coming of age novel for older teens and adults that delves into the human need for relationships and love. Phil is 17 and along with his twin sister has always been considered an outsider in the small German town that they grew up in. This is because of their mother, Glass, an American, who arrived to the town the night they were born. She’s inherited Visible, a grand old home though in complete disrepair and always lived fast and loose with the men in her life to the disapproval of the townsfolk, the Little People, Those out There. Now Phil must negotiate the tricky path of first love with Nicholas, a boy that he adores, but does Nicholas feel the same about him, does he have to?
This is a sumptuous novel that takes its time for the reader to relish the setting, with unusual characters who seem to be contemporary but live almost in an otherworld. The house, Visible, looms large in the narrative, at times glorious and at other times almost menacing.
The setting reminded me at times of I capture the castle with an outsider family living in a dilapidated but grand home. The plot, with its intense examination of character and relationships called to mind Aidan Chambers’ style especially his The Toll Bridge.
‘Sometimes it was easy to escape from reality. I could totally cut it out for days, sometimes for weeks on end. The books I borrowed transported me into adventures that were as vivid and different from one another as the tales of the Thousand and One Nights, and always had the same effect: they enveloped me like a protective cloak and hid me from the Little People, from the world out there. This was the reason I loved the library. For me it was the centre of the world.’ Pg 134

102) Cucumber King by Christine Nöstlinger (1972)
children’s fiction, Austria

Read for the June TIOLI Read a translated YA or children’s book challenge & my '1001 children’s books you must read before you grow up' 1010 challenge category.
This was quite humorous to read though it touched on some serious topics and had the utterly bizarre element of animated vegetable royalty.

School isn’t going well for Wolfi and he’s scared to tell his problems to his father because then he won’t be allowed to go to swimming club. His father is very strict, dictating who can do what; Mum is stuck at home though she’d prefer to be out working; Martina isn’t allowed to go with her friends to the cinema or café; and Grandpa would rather spend Sundays with his friends than at Church; only the youngest, Nik, seems happy. Then one afternoon the cucumber king arrives up from their cellar – his subjects have revolted, his courtiers run away and he’s looking for somewhere new to live and rule. This is a lighthearted look at facism at work.
The bit that jarred for me was that the parents had separate bedrooms, which seems extremely unusual for a normal family (the cucumber king shared a room with the father and plotted with him), there just didn’t seem to be enough rooms in the house.
Nöstlinger won the Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award in 2003 and IBBY’s Hans Christian Andersen Medal back in 1984.
I also have her Fly away home which is about her own experiences as a 9 yr old in the last year of the war in Vienna.

103) A Parcel of Patterns by Jill Paton Walsh (1983)
YA fiction

Read for my '1001 children’s books you must read before you grow up' 1010 challenge category. Mall, a young village lass, tells the story of the plague coming to Eyam in Derbyshire in 1645. I’ve been meaning to read this ever since I read Geraldine Brook’s Year of Wonders. This is a much more straightforward telling of how the village sealed itself off from the neighbouring towns so the plague would not spread. Mall is separated from her sweetheart and hope they'll have a future together if and when the plague finishes its deadly course.

104) A Seat at the Table: a novel of forbidden choices by Joshua Halberstam (2009)
fiction
You can’t help comparing this to Chaim Potok’s The Chosen and while lacking Potok’s finesse it is a highly enjoyable read. It’s the sixties – jazz, Vietnam War, long hair, pot and free love; Elisha is growing up in Brooklyn’s devout Chassidic community. He’s curious about the world around him and wants to explore more than just his faith. Halberstam takes the reader into Chassidic tradition, sharing their wisdom and stories while Elisha discovers Kafka, Coltrane and friendship with a girl.
I thought Halberstam did a wonderful job of balancing Elisha’s predicament; his naïve impressions of the ‘outside’; the growing dilemma he feels about his family, faith and traditional life, as he risks becoming an outsider to both worlds.

Wow! You have been busy lately Kerry. The BlackHole is expanding.

A Seat at the Table sounds very interesting; I'm adding that to my wish list.

I'm adding book 103...

Happy Sunday to you!

I don't think I can pass up The Centre of my World

I'm so, so behind on here but I have read very quickly and have added A Seat at the Table to my wishlist because I loved The Chosen. Have you read his Wanderings? It's one of those books I bought long ago - maybe even 15 years ago - and haven't read yet.

Also, sorry you didn't like Death at La Fenice. I did, and really enjoyed my second one too, but they are much lighter than the Andrea Camilleri one that I've read.

I love The CHosen too. When I have my whole library with me, it's a frequent read along with others books by him (which all seem fairly similar... But I still read 'em).

12> Cushla - I loved The Chosen though it's so many years since I read it, I'm fairly sure I've read it more than once. I read most of Potok's fiction novels around the same time and also have a copy of Wanderings but haven't read it.
I decided that Donna Leon just isn't for me, although I'm usually lapping up books set anywhere in Europe. I'd rather use that relaxed reading time for catching up on fantasy or scifi. There are a couple of other crime writers I've still to check out, Fred Vargas is one.

13> Susan - Potok is one of my favourite writers, though I don't do rereads that often and really I should.


105) Tigers at Awhitu by Sarah Broom (2010)
poetry, new zealand

I can put this in the TIOLI challenge with an ISBN ending in 4, but the main reason I picked it up was joannasephine's sparkling review on her thread earlier this year. Again I enjoyed my dip into the world of poetry and I'm not even going to try to express my emotional reaction to Broom's poems except to say - they spoke to me. Especially memorable were: Fosterling, because the world can do that to you & Rain.
I'm going to have to get my own copy of this as well as joannasephine's The Summer King.

I have also discarded two books of poetry this year, both were older poets whose work is highly respected here in New Zealand - CK Stead's Dog (I love the book cover) & Elizabeth Smither's The year of adverbs.

an excerpt from Broom's poem Three Birds:
The grey gull circles
in the bleached sky.
When a tune or story
splits you cleanly
like an axe to white pine,
that’s when the grey gull
spirals down and you turn
your head, you turn
to see a sudden sea
behind you, vast and dark,
and the forgotten waters move
and wash over your feet
and you are unmoored,
bewildered and eased.

Two more poems are here



106) The Last Elf by Silvana De Mari (2004 Italian) (2007 Eng)
children's fiction

Published in the States as The Last Dragon this is a delightful standalone fantasy for older children. Some reviewers have described it as an allegory or fable as the elf is the last of his people after a systematic genocide by a dictatorial human who herded the elves into camps. The elf is still a child and sole survivor of the floods that swept away the last camp. He has some unusual ideas about humans, so isn't sure what to expect when he runs into a woman with her dog. There's lots of humour, a little magic, a prophecy and a dragon as well as one of the cutest heroes I've come across in a long time.

I like the way you describe your latest read. It sounds so fun!

Linda - it was fun. There was a particular scene with the elf having to wear a wedding dress, but not knowing what it was that still makes me laugh!

ok then, I'm adding yet another of your recommendations to the tbr pile....

I am adding The Last Dragon/The Last Elf to the BlackHole. It sounds too good to pass by. Thanks for the recommendation, Kerry.

I've added it too! Looks like a fun read.

Warning..Warning. This thread is dangerous to the tbr pile.

>20 Whisper1: What you said, Linda!

Hi Kerry, lots of terrific reads here. I'm adding A Seat at the Table. It sounds very good.

Happy to be adding to the reading piles of others, as you are all leading me astray on a daily basis.


107) Brainjack by Brian Falkner (2009)
YA scifi thriller, new zealand

This is a fastpaced adventure revolving around hacking and cyberterrorism. I think Falkner's writing improves with every book and this is a big story that I demolished in just a few hours.
Sam is a 16 year old schoolboy with great hacking skills, in fact he's one of the best, and after his latest adventure in cyberspace the Department of Homeland Security Cyber Defence Division turn up on his doorstep, and why wouldn't they, Sam has just hacked his way into the White House. It's set slightly in the future with a new technology and a nuked Las Vegas.

Edit: add that I read this for the TIOLI 'book with a bodypart in the title' challenge as well as my 1010 challenge.

#23: you are all leading me astray on a daily basis.

At least I know I am not guilty of that!

I will check out the Falkner book. It looks like one I would like.

Stasia - I do add quite a few of yours!
Brainjack is a good entertaining read especially for boys and makes a nice break from more demanding reading. Brian got himself a US agent and a great publishing deal a couple of years ago, so has started Americanising the settings in his books. He runs a Story Sports competition for schools and one of the great prizes children can win is to have their names used for characters in his novels - there are six in this book.

#25: But not daily, lol!

I checked to see if my local library had Brainjack but they do not. I hope that I come across some of his books here now that Falkner has an American agent.

Stasia, that's only 'cause you post the titles weekly!

hi Kerry

I am finally cathing up on some threads and have added The last elf to my library list.
Christine Nöstlinger wrote some beautifull books, I own two and liked them both.

Anita

#27: I know, but it counts! lol

108) Going to Egypt by Helen Dunmore (1992)
YA fiction

Read for the TIOLI book with an ISBN ending in 4. This was Helen Dunmore's first published work and it's a fairly forgettable storyline but with well drawn interesting characters.
Colette is on holiday with her father in a forgettable small seaside town. She would love to be off travelling somewhere far more exotic especially since there is a school travel writing competition to enter. Then she meets the two boys riding horses on the beach.

#30: I think I will skip that one.

Definitely one to skip, it's not bad just not a 'must read'. It was the first 'ISBN 4" book I picked up when I was looking for Madeline's challenge. Still one more from my tbr pile bites the dust.

#32: one more from my tbr pile bites the dust.

Considering that is what the TIOLI challenge is for, the book served its purpose!

I hope you enjoy your next read more, Kerry.

I'm enjoying Leviathan very much and have also started another interesting read based on a true event - The Wave. Then I must tackle all the library books as their due dates are starting to flash red!

#34: I bought Leviathan recently after Richard's review. One of these days, I may actually read it!

I know what you mean about library due dates . . . unfortunately.

I had Leviathan on preorder, and am only getting to read it now, Richard's review did spur me on. Did you buy the hardcover edition, it really is beautiful, I followed Scott Westerfeld's blog last year as he was releasing the illustrations from time to time in the build up. I decided that I must read it before I tackle Boneshaker and Malinda Lo's Ash which are due back at the library next week.

#36: Yes, I did buy the hardcover.

I will be reading Boneshaker this month too. We can compare notes! lol

> 13, 14

I was just talking with a friend about The Chosen today. It's a book that's been around a long time, but it's always nice to read again. It's that good. It's also one of the few books that my husband has that he will not let me bookcross! :)

109) Leviathan by Scott Westerfeld (2009)
YA steampunk

Loved this and so glad that spurred on by richard's glowing review I finally read it. I had the book on preorder and then just kept bumping it for other less worthy reads. Silly of me as I've yet to find a Westerfeld book I haven't enjoyed. Now I just have to read his Risen Empire which is a scifi novel for adults and I think it predates all his teen writing.
Darwinists versus Machines in an alternate setting for the opening days of World War One is one truly exciting read for budding scifi enthusiasts.



110) The Wave by Morton Rhue (1981)
YA fiction

I came across this book on a recent meandering around the web after reading Auslander and it looked interesting enough to track down a copy. The book is a novelisation of a teleplay based on a true incident at a Californian high school back in the late sixties. A young history teacher's practical inclass experiment to teach his students about how fascism took hold in Germany went out of control when the students became swept up in his movement.
The prose is far less than ideal, but the idea behind the story is so compelling that you do disregard that. There are several websites exploring what actually happened with 'The Third Wave' incident. Also I think the recent review by farfromkansas on the book's LT page is spot on.
In 2008 a German movie, Die Welle, based on the book was made and probably stirred a lot of debate in schools over there. Trailer here

Hhmmm, I'm trying to decide if I should seek out Leviathan or not. On one hand, I've enjoyed the two "steampunk" novels I've read, but I'm not sure they're really representative of the genre (the Parasol Proctorate series). Darwinists sound fascinating, but I'm afraid it would be too ... mechanical? ... for my liking.

Luxx - it's very much an adventure story and is targeted at younger teens. Best to visit Westerfeld's blog and have a read there as he writes about other steampunk novels including those for adults such as Boneshaker.
I've just started reading Boneshaker at the moment and it hasn't got a steampunk feel to it yet, and most of my experience of steampunk has been through YA fiction such as Philip Reeve's Mortal Engines books.

Thanks for the tip! I'm going to go check out the blog now.

#5 -- I'm obviously playing catchup here -- but just a note to say that everything I have read by Jill Paton Walsh I have loved. She's very eclectic, writing everything from children's/YA books to more literary adult novels (eg A Desert in Bohemia, a short series of very good mysteries (which I may have to re-read now I've reminded myself of their existence) and even two "sequels" to Dorothy Sayers's Lord Peter Wimsey series, based on outlines that Sayers left behind. IMO, she's one of those overlooked writers.

#39: Glad you liked Leviathan, Kerry. Behemoth comes out in October!

as I've yet to find a Westerfeld book I haven't enjoyed.

Even ... Pretties and Specials? *blinks in disbelief*

#45> Yes, I enjoyed them too, though I wouldn't rate them as his best efforts.

110) Ash by Malinda Lo (2009)
YA fiction

This is a dreamy romantic retelling of the Cinderella story but with a rather different twist. Aisling, (shortened to Ash) falls for the King's Huntress rather than the prince. The novel advances at rather a slow pace and includes aspects of the faerie world. Overall a lovely read.
Ash is Lo's first novel and was shortlisted for several awards.

I discussed Ash a little with my daughter this morning, and while I'd still say it's a lovely read I think that the more interesting characters in the book were the hunters, especially the Huntress and her apprentice, though they weren't developed fully. Ash, herself, was lost most of the time in her own dreamworld of faerie. The story might have had more pace if she aspired to be an apprentice Huntress rather than just the love interest of the current one.

The sequel -- due next spring -- is titled "Huntress," so I'm hoping Lo will explore the world of the hunters a little more in the next one.

That sounds better. I was intrigued by the hunter's song that was sung at the Yuletide celebrations and thought wrongly that it would be part of the resolution. Now there's a chance for it to feature again.

Catching up! I've added The Last Elf to the wishlist. Glad you enjoyed Leviathan, that's been on my list for a while.

#39 Re The Wave - I'd no idea that there had been a novelisation of this, but I saw the (German) film when it came out and it's well worth seeing - sounds like it might be better to see that than read the book (can't think of the last time I said that!)

#47 Ash sounds intriguing...

I just added books 103-106 to my wish list and I'm considering adding Leviathan. Thanks for the reviews.

>47 avatiakh:. I have Ash on my wishlist, I might have to bump it up the buying list a bit!

I love fairytale retellings.

51: Heather - The Last Elf was a delight.

52 & 54: Ash was quite a good read, though the pace was slow and I felt Lo ignored the more interesting characters. Her next book is not a sequel but is set in the same world and about the original huntress. I will be reading that one. I visited Lo's website and it was interesting to note how the love interest developed as she wrote the first few drafts.
It was on the shortlist for the Mythopoeic Fantasy Award for Children’s Literature which was announced a couple of days ago. The winner was Grace Lin's Where the Mountain Meets the Moon, so I've got that home from the library as well.

Hanna - I have Thornspell by Helen Lowe to read as well, it's a Sleeping Beauty retelling but from the POV of the prince.

flissp - I'm keen to see Die Welle, it looks far more brutal and grim than the book was.

#53> Kelly - I hope you enjoy them. It's worth a visit to Scott Westerfeld's website/blog to see some of the great artwork in Leviathan and the sequel. I never mentioned the illustrations in my comments but they are a stunning addition to the writing.

I'll recommend it, although I seem to remember that it didn't hit home quite as much as I expected it to...

flissp - I've really enjoyed the German movies I've seen lately, so hopefully will just appreciate the cinematic experience.



111) Boneshaker by Cherie Priest (2009)
steampunk

Read for the TIOLI 'title with a body part' challenge. It's a steampunk adventure set in an alternate 1880s Seattle that's been poisoned by blight, and overrun with zombies. I wasn't as taken with this as much as other readers have been. At times I felt like I could be in a FPS computer game, and the story was small - get in, find him, shoot the enemy and get out. Though overall I think I'm just not a big fan of steampunk.

#57: I am a big fan of steampunk, so I hope I like Boneshaker more than you did, Kerry.

I hope your next read is better for you!

Oooh, which ones? Have you seen "Lola rennt"/"Run Lola Run"? ...because if you haven't, I highly recommend it...

Stasia - I'm probably being harder on it than it deserves, but when you are rushing to meet a library due date it does colour your thinking a little! I thought I did like steampunk but I haven't fallen for this or The Anubis Gates, but I've loved the YA steampunk that I've read so I'll keep trying.
Well, I better make a start on The Lacuna this weekend.

#60: I am reading The Lacuna this month as well, although I am not sure when I am starting on it.

Ahh The Lacuna, now you're talking. Hope you enjoy it Kerry although there's a lot of American politics in it.

#59 flissp - missed your post earlier on. We own a copy of 'Run Lola Run' so I've seen it several times. Last year I finished a big run of watching Spanish movies and moved on to German ones. Downfall, The Counterfeiters, The Lives of Others, Goodbye Lenin, The Edukators, Mephisto, The Miracle of Berne. Gosh, I just went to the Fatso website to check their films and I feel like renewing my subscription, they have so many new and interesting dvds. It's amazing how each country seems to strike a certain mood with their films.
I've requested the dvds from my library for Die Welle and also My Boy Jack which is about the search for Kipling's son who was killed in WWI, I read Kipling's Choice last year so this will be an interesting follow up.

#62 - Mexican politics I can handle, we'll just have to see how I do with the US Congress. Thanks for the warning.

Quote from my current read:

"There were no lions any more. There had been lions once. Sometimes in the shimmer of the heat on the plains the motion of their running still flickered on the dry wind — tawny, great, and quickly gone. Sometimes the honey-colored moon shivered to the silence of a ghost-roar on the rising air." Russell Hoban's The lion of Boaz-Jachin and Jachin-Boaz

#63 Other good German films are "The Princess and the Warrior" (also Tom Tykwer) and "The Baader-Meinhoff Complex".

> 63

The quote from your current read makes me sad, Kerry. I worry about our earth and its animals.
:(

>65 SqueakyChu:: I feel the same way.

Just yesterday or the day before there was the story that made the Most Viewed lists about all the new fish that were found under the Great Barrier Reef. The subtext was that the study was done to try to record what was there since the reef is being killed by pollution and heating.

#66: Caty posted a link to the pictures of the fish on the Kitchen thread. Fascinating.

#64> Ian - I want to see both those movies, I'll have to renew my subscription to the dvd rental site as my library doesn't have a great selection.



112) Eep! by Joke van Leeuwen (1996) (2010 English translation)
children's fiction, Netherlands

Eep! won several awards in the Netherlands and has only just been translated to English by a great little publisher, Gecko Press, here in New Zealand that specialises in translating award-winning children's books from around the world. They have excellent production values and all their publications are irresistible.

Warren and Tina are a childless older couple, Warren spends his days birdwatching, with his book of birds and binoculars. One day Warren comes across something strange - is it a girl in the form of a bird or a bird in the form of a girl. He takes her home and they call her Beedy, but Beedy has wings and needs to fly. Accompanying the story are delightful illustrations by van Leeuwen.
I'd describe this as quirky and heartwarming.
Anita and I did a shared read of this as she has the original in Dutch and it's one of her favourites. One of the reasons I fell for this book is that my now 18 year old son, Yaron, used to say "eep" all the time when he was 3 or 4 to annoy us or whatever, so when I saw the title I had a 'lovely' flashback.

113) Lost Children of the Empire by Joy Melville and Philip Bean (1989)
nonfiction

This is a history of the forgotten children - the child migrants, some as young as 4 yrs old, who were sent to the colonies from Britain from 1618 right up to 1967. The postwar period saw child migrants as 'good white stock' for the colonies and many thought they were sending the children to a bright new future from the slums and gutters where they had been abandoned. The authors use the testimony of many of the child migrants who as adults contacted The Child Migrants Trust which was established in 1987. This was the first time for that their side of the story was able to be told and chilling tales they are indeed.

In Canada, the children were seen as a cheap source of labour by farmers, the Home children were considered lower than the low - they were underfed and ill-clothed for the harsh Canadian winters. When they turned 14 and had the right to earn a wage the farmers often returned them to the home with a complaint that they were proving unsuitable and then took a younger child.

He hung up his stocking on Christmas Eve along with the farmer's own children and excitedly waiting for the morning. While the other children were pulling out toys and candy from their stockings, George found only a rotten potato in his.

These children grew into stunted adults who had never known affection, never been hugged or given words of encouragement as children. As adults they had no identity, they were unable to fill out simple forms as they did not even know their full names or dates of birth or names of their parents. They did not know their rights and had no family to fall back on in hard times. Each was alone in the world.

The story of the British child migrants sent to Australia has been described as a history of lies, deceit, cruelty and official disinterest and neglect.
Before being shipped out to Britain's distant dominion, many of the children were told their parents were dead, and that a more abundant life awaited them in Australia.
Most were deported without the consent of their parents, and commonly, mothers and fathers were led to believe that their children had been adopted somewhere in Britain.
On arrival in Australia, the policy was to separate brothers and sisters.
And many of the young children ended up in what felt like labour camps, where they were physically, psychologically and often sexually abused.

(BBC News Nov 2009)

I've read a couple of YA novels set in New Zealand about child migrants but this was my first nonfiction read on the subject. I also have Empty Cradles out from the library but will probably read it at a later date as this book has made me quite upset at the whole affair.

Children's and YA novels I've come across that deal with the subject include:
Flower by Irene N Watts (Canada)
Orphan at My Door: The Home Child Diary of Victoria Cope by Jean Little (Canada)
The Parkhurst Boys by Margaret Beames (New Zealand)
Land of Milk and honey by William Taylor (New Zealand)
Home boys by Bernard Beckett (New Zealand)
Alone on a wide wide sea by Michael Morpurgo (UK)
I'll be asking an Australian friend for any children's books published there to add to this list, so far I'm not aware of any.

edit: fix touchstone
add: Gordon Brown apologises in Feb 2010 for the 130,000 children sent abroad

#69: To be honest, I had never heard of child migrants. I will add Lost Children of the Empire to the Black Hole. Thanks for the recommendation, Kerry.

#69 I had also never heard about the child migrant situation until the BBC news article you referenced last year. I was actually talking about this with my parents about this at the weekend and they were completely unaware about it. It's something that seems to have completely escaped most people's notice here which is shocking really.

You should post your review to the book page. I will be looking out for a copy of Lost Children of the Empire. Would you particularly recommend any of the novels you listed?

Hi Heather - I knew about it a little but didn't know much about the abuse till I read Land of Milk and Honey and then Home boys. Both are good but probably not easily available in the UK. I've just realised that Michael Morpurgo's Alone on a wide wide sea is about a child migrant who goes to Australia and Morpurgo is always worth reading - I'll add it to my list.
As far as adult novels go, I haven't looked for them as my interest is in children's lit.

Empty Cradles is by Margaret Humphreys, who is the social worker from Nottingham who first uncovered the mess back in 1986 when she was first contacted by a woman seeking info on her family. Up till then it had been a conveniently forgotten corner of history (that some people were still living).

I'm intending to post a review of Lost Children of the Empire - I just have to rejig what I wrote above into review mode.

What resparked my interest in the subject was Linda's recent review of Into the arms of strangers about the kindertransport and her comment - 'the people of England opened their hearts and home', and I immediately thought of all those UK children who had been shunted off so abruptly and without love - a source of cheap labour, and a 'whitening' of the colonies.

Hi Kerry! I don't know if I've ever mentioned it to you, but a large part of my PhD is on home child narratives. I know I have told you how much I adore Land of Milk and Honey, I think it's perhaps the best in the field. Having said that, I've never read The Parkhurst Boys, so I don't know how it compares to that.

Alone on a Wide Wide Sea is an extremely interesting book - well, at least I've gotten several conference papers out of it! I got to chat to Michael Morpurgo about it, but I think it's a more complex novel in my mind than it is in his. There was also a BBC Radio 4 book group broadcast about it in Sept/Oct 2008, recorded as part of the Bath Children's Literature festival that year. I'm useless at links, but if you want it later on down the road I'm sure I could try to point you in the right direction.

I have a few more texts to add to your reading list:
Home Child by Barbara Haworth-Attard -Canada, but one of the very early texts about the subject
A Bushel of Light by Troon Harrison - also Canada, another very interesting take on the story
Charlie. A Home Child's life in Canada by Beryl Young, which I bought recently in the Pier 21 Immigration Museum in Halifax, through which many of the children entered into Canada. I had to post it home before I got to read it though, as I'd over-indulged in book-buying and my luggage allowance couldn't cope. It was new to me though, I hadn't come across it in my earlier research.
Move Smart, Boy! by Louise Ravenhill, which is an interlibrary loan kind of book, worth it for a detailed study but not necessarily for the story itself.

(Sorry, two messages because of loading difficulties!)

I'd be interested in knowing what texts your Australian friend suggests. There were also a fair number of children sent to South Africa, but I've yet to find a South African fictional treatment of their stories. Understandable, perhaps, given the unique nature of SA childlit, but I'm still keeping my eyes peeled.

It's interesting that you came back to the subject through the idea of the kindertransport (a huge scrapped chapter of my PhD - oh, the tears that I shed over that!). I tend to consider the stories in relation to those of English wartime evacuees, both internally within the UK, such as Carrie's War, and to the colonies, as in Kit Pearson's Guests of War Trilogy. I think it's such a dynamic area to read and work in, but I am biased! Very few happy stories though, but some beautifully-told ones.

Kerry, I think it's unlikely to be possible, but: Go here!

Hi Eimear - thanks for adding to my list. Actually there don't seem to be as many novels as I thought there would be but I'll keep adding to it as I come across them. You did tell me about your research topic - hope it is going well. Shame about your kindertransport chapter especially if you'd done a lot of work on it.

I've just read The Parkhurst Boys, it has such an unappealing cover that I never felt much like reading it before. It's about two boys, from Parkhurst Prison who are trained as apprentices, given their freedom and sent out to New Zealand in the 1840s. It's based on true events and quite a pleasing story, nowhere near the impact of Land of Milk and Honey. Eve Sutton's Tuppenny Brown is another one about a Parkhurst boy.

I haven't heard of the Kit Pearson books, so will look them up. I find this a fascinating subject too, though don't have the professional interest that you have!
Not quite on topic but I was really moved by the speeches a few years ago at the launch of Stefania's dancing slippers which took place at our local Polish Museum and read one of the memoirs that Jennifer Beck used to research the story. It's now available online so you might like to take a look at it - The Invited - The Story of 733 Polish Children who grew up in New Zealand, an interesting snippet of history.

I have a couple of nonfiction books to browse through about the Polish children at Pahiatua and then I'll have to read Alone on a wide wide sea as it has just gone to the top of my tbr pile.

113) The Parkhurst Boys by Margaret Beames (1986)
children's fiction, new zealand

Overall quite an engaging story of two boys given a chance of a better life as free 'men' in New Zealand after being sent to Parkhurst Prison for stealing an orange in the 1840s.
Beames has based the story on true events - in 1842 the St George sailed for New Zealand with 92 boys from Parkhurst Prison on board. On arrival the local population did not take kindly to the arrival of 'convict boys' even though they were free and had trained in various apprenticeships. Several ran off and lived with the Maori or worked in the copper mines on Great Barrier Island.
I was guilty of judging this book by the cover and so have only now got round to reading it several years after I should have.



114) The Last Black Cat by Eugene Trivizas (2001) (2005 Eng transl)
children's fiction, Greece

This is a continuation of my children's fiction in translation focus and it also fitted this month's Reading Globally theme.
A fantasy for older children by Eugene Trivizas, one of Greece's leading writers for children (and also the most frequently performed writer of plays for children in Greece). I haven't read much if any children's literature from Greece before this. I've just read up on Trivizas in Wikipedia to discover he is firstly a sociologist publishing extensively on many aspects of criminology and based for many years in the UK.
The Last Black Cat was translated and published in English in the UK (2005) and is a book for older children as it contains a large number of innovative and tortuous deaths of poor moggies. The Guardians of the Good Luck have rounded up their supporters and declared open season on black cats - harbingers of bad luck. Backed by the island nation's politicians (who need someone to blame for their ineptitude at governance), plus some scheming businessmen, the 'black cat eradication' scheme is soon backed by the superstitious island population.
One can sense with the mindless violence against the innocent black cats, picked on because of an old superstition and the colour of their fur, that there could be a rather moralising tone to the story, but there is enough action, torture and humour to carry the tale forward without feeling any sort of didactic lesson. And I must add that some of the killings are quite brutal, sensitive younger readers should beware, for most cats there is no escaping their fate.
Overall I enjoyed this foray into a darker children's fiction.

Trivizas's most well known book is the fabulous The Three Little Wolves and the Big Bad Pig.

#77: I cannot do The Last Black Cat, but the Beames book looks right up my alley. Thanks for the recommendation, Kerry.

It's not as bad as I've made it sound, it's told from the POV of the last black cat and overall is rather a fun read.
I think the Beames book will be hard to track down - it would have had a small print run.

#79: I tried to add the Beames book to my wishlist, but could not find it either on Amazon or the LOC to be able to do so.

>47 avatiakh:. Haha, I know this is a bit late but I just finished Ash by Malinda Lo and I didn't find it very Cinderella-y! It was okay, a quick read, but I wasn't enamoured of it.

I found the Huntress to be more interesting than Aisling, much like everybody else, I think.

I felt the 'love' interest would have worked better as a 'hero worship' relationship, especially if Aisling had more spunk and wanted to be a hunter. But Lo was writing a Cinderella retelling....

But surely a Cinderella retelling needs a Prince? Surely if you're going to rework a fairy tale, the original needs to be at least vaguely recognisable. I just don't feel it linked back enough.

On her website she did have it angling for a romance with the prince in the first draft, but even she found the huntress irresistible. Well, the essence of Cinders was there with the stepmother and step sisters and the ball. My favourite retelling is Napoli's Bound, though I haven't read that many.

My favourite Cinderella retelling is Phoenix and Ashes by Mercedes Lackey. I love all of her retellings, she uses elemental magic to make them that bit more unique.

I don't know. I do think there should have been a glass slipper, or at least a search to discover her identity after the ball. I know she left her cape behind, but it was just casually handed back to her the next day.

And there were stepsisters, but she made friends with one of them!

It was a refreshing take after the other retellings I've read, I just think it would have worked better if she'd made it a unique story instead of working in a Cinderella aspect.

All these Cinderella retellings that I've never heard off! I think I just added 4 books to the TBR list. Sigh...

Hi Avatiakh, have seen you comments all over the place and just found your thread and I am blown away by the range of amazing reads you've been immersing yourself in. There are too many books that interest me to talk about but I had to laugh at the Brian Faulkner book, I hadn't heard about him until recently when he spoke to my kids at their college - coincidence Apparently he was very interesting and my Little Miss 11 is planning to get his books out from the library.

#85 "I do think there should have been a glass slipper" - others knowing better will probably put me right, but I think that the glass slipper wasn't actually in the original story (although there was a search)? I'll have to have a browse.

My favourite retelling of Cinderella (although I don't know many) is actually Confessions of an Ugly Stepsister by Gregory Maguire (in fact, of his books that I've read, it's also my favourite - the others, even Wicked, don't come close).

I suppose Cinderella was never one of my favourite fairy tales, so I loved the alternative take. I shall have a look out for Bound and Phoenix and Ashes!

Dangerous thread, you have here! I've added a few to my wishlist but especially intrigued by Lost Children of the Empire. It is a subject I'm not familiar with so I look forward to tracking that one down.

#88: It's hard to say what the "original story" was, since it was already a very old story when the Brothers Grimm recorded it. In that version there was a slipper, though it was golden.

Here is the fairy tale from the Kinder- und Hausmaerchen, with an English translation.

I enjoyed Ash very much, though I agree it isn't a "retelling." I'd call it a "subversion," and found it an effective one. There was a prince, but Ash rejected him. That's okay: it's not like she needed him for a "happily ever after" anyway.

Edit: I've just been corrected on the source for "Cinderella": the Brothers Grimm did record a version, but Perrault's story "Cendrillon" precedes it, and does include a glass slipper. It's Perrault's version rather than that of the Brothers Grimm that informs the Disney version we all know and ... well, however we feel about it.

Hmm, I seem to be having difficulty posting. Ah well, third time's the charm!

I always thought that the original story had some form of fur footwear instead of a glass slipper, but I don't know where I got from.

I still think Cinderella stories should have a glass slipper or something similar. It might not be as the original, but it is traditional :)

I've been lurking in your thread ....but had to delurk because I've been fascinated by all the Cinderella posts. I wasn't aware that there were retellings of the story. Now I'm curious to find the books and read them.

*raises hand and bounces in seat*

Ooh, ooh! I know! Pick me, Miss, I know!

The fur footwear and glass slipper come from the French vair (squirrel) and verre (glass), which sound the same. Squirrel fur was one of the clothing materials regulated by the medieval sumptuary laws, which is to say only people of a certain (high) social status were permitted to wear it.

See here for more!

I'm just going to add a link to the Cinderella page on the Surlalune fairytale website. It is an annotated telling which gives you the original source info on the story. Surlalune is the place to go for anything fairy or folktale related.

>94 Eat_Read_Knit:. CatyM, I think I love you :)

And to add also that Ella Enchanted is a fun retelling that I'd forgotten about. Shirley Hughes did a picturebook retelling - where Ella chooses the delivery-boy over the Prince - Ella's Big Chance.

Oh, I read Ella Enchanted years ago. I think I have it somewhere still, I remember really liking it.

I'm still trying to imagine how fur slippers could be made to look dainty, though I suppose glass slippers aren't that practical either.
Now I've just had to google 'fur shoes' and there are some amazing creative shoes out there, I had no idea. My toes are curling up at the thought of wearing some of these.

#85& #88> Added Phoenix and Ashes and Confessions of an Ugly Stepsister to my tbr pile.

Hello to you!

>99 avatiakh:. Oh good lord, those rat shoes are horrible. I'd never want anything like that near my feet.

If you like Phoenix and Ashes, the same author has written a fair few fairy tale retellings.

>99 avatiakh: The rat shoes are bad, for sure but I wouldn't want to wear the ....wait for it..............fish flops either.

#87 - hi KiwiNyx - welcome to my thread! Brian Falkner is a really good speaker at schools etc. He used to do a fun coca cola taste test when he was promoting his The real thing, my son did one at a Storylines event a few years back, the winners got their names used as characters in his books.

Great Cinderalla discussion! Many books added to the wishlist...

Enjoying the Cinderella discussions - and thank you avatiakh for the Surlalune fairytale website link - I'm definitely going to have to go away and peruse that...

I know that the Grimms versions weren't always the originals, but I keep thinking that I must get out my complete works some time soon. I just love how grizzly some of them are (all those barrels lined with nails and doves pecking eyes out. Lovely.)

I wonder how many retellings of Cinderella there actually are. I saw the Ella Enchanted movie with my girls and really liked it (never knew it was a book also) but really loved the Ever After telling with Drew Barrymore. I just adored how they worked in the brothers Grimm, the glass slipper, the myth and Leonardo da Vinci. Fantastic.

106- I loved Ever After as well...especially the 'strong' cinderella who could take care of herself! :)

#106 & 107 - I really liked Ever After as well.
kiwinyx - Here's a link to the SurLaLune Cinderella page that lists most of the retellings available.

I'm listing my TIOLI August list here:
#1: Among the Hidden - Margaret Peterson Haddix
#2: The Borribles - Michael De Larrabeiti - first in the trilogy
Celestial Globe Bk2 Kronos Chronicles by Marie Rutkoski (shared read)
Consider Phlebas by Iain M Banks (I've wanted to return to the Culture World ever since reading The Player of Games)
Silverhorse by Lene Kaaberbøl - first in trilogy
The Thin Executioner by Darren Shan
Thornspell by Helen Lowe - sleeping beauty retelling
Un Lun Dun by China Miéville (shared read)
#4: The Girl with Glass Feet by Ali Shaw
#6: Far away and long ago - W.H. Hudson (shared read)
#15: Madame Proust and the Kosher Kitchen - Kate Taylor (shared read)
Would love to add a couple more to my list including Marge Piercy's Body of Glass (He, She and It - US title) & Pullman's The Good Man Jesus and the Scoundrel Christ. I'll see how I go.

Thanks for that link, really interesting, we even have a few of those books.

Your planned August reading is pretty impressive, good luck. I have to check out this TIOLO thread, it looks really good.

Just got to say that The Player of Games is one I enjoyed as well, in fact I own every book Iain Banks has written except his 2010 new culture novel Surface Detail. Highlights from the sci-fi novels for me were also State of the Art and Against a Dark Background. The author himself considers The Bridge to be the best of his books and I have to say, it is very good also.

Er, Surface Detail hasn't been published yet, so I'd be surprised if you did own a copy. AFAIK, the publishers haven't sent out ARCs yet -- in fact, I don't recall them doing so for any of his novels in the past.

I hope you do get to He, She and It. I read it years ago and really like it, but I'm wondering how well it has held up.

Yeah I just discovered Surface Detail has only just been finished, hence why I don't own it yet but it does look good. What is an ARC?

Oh and forgot to say Avatiakh, I hope you get round to reading the China Mieville, I'd love to know what you think. The premise almost reminds me of a YA version of Neverwhere.

ARC - advanced readers copy. Publishers send these out to reviewers, bookshops etc etc to get feedback, reviews, blurbs etc before the book is published.
I've read Neverwhere and am looking forward to Un Lun Dun. The Borribles is also set in an alternate London.

#112 "The premise almost reminds me of a YA version of Neverwhere." - it's interesting you say that - that was my initial thought when I first picked it up but actually, it ends up going off in a completely different direction, you'll be pleased to hear!

...I should add that I love Neverwhere, but it would be a shame to repeat it!

115) The Lion of Boaz-Jachin and Jachin-Boaz by Russell Hoban (1973)
fiction

I decided to read this while tracking down a copy of his Riddley Walker novel. This is Hoban's first adult novel and the first novel of his I've read. I was familiar with his children's books - Bread and Jam for Frances, How Tom Beat Captain Najork and His Hired Sportsmen and have seen the animated movie of The mouse and his child.
This is a story about a father-son relationship and set in a world similar to ours except that lions are extinct and rather legendary. Somewhere in the Near East, Jachin-Boaz is a mapmaker and shows his son, Boaz-Jachin, his legacy - a mastermap that he's been preparing for him. He asks Boaz-Jachin what he'd like to find, and the reply is a lion. But there are no more lions. Jachin-Boaz in despair takes the map and sets off on his own journey of discovery leaving his son and wife behind to run the business. Boaz-Jachin later sets out to find his father, reclaim his map and become a man. There is also a magnificently angry lion at the centre of the story.
I found this an entrancing thoughtful read with steady dashes of humour and fantasy.

There is only one place, and that place is time. (p. 51)
"Why did my father never talk to me? Why did he always seem to be talking to a space that I hadn't moved into? Why was he always holding up an empty suit of clothes for me to jump into? He talked to clothes I never did put on." (p. 135)

There were times when it seemed to him that the different parts of him were not all under the same management. (p. 75)

...'I am glad to hear that,' said Jachin-Boaz, 'because the past is the father of the present, just as I am your father. And if the past cannot teach the present and the father cannot teach the son, then history need not have bothered to go on, and the world has wasted a great deal of time.'
Boaz-Jachin looked at the maps on the walls. 'The past is not here,' he said. 'There is only the present, in which are things left behind by the past.' (p. 13)

edit: remove link that LT put in by itself!?!

#116: That one looks good. I will see if I can track down a copy. Thanks for the review and recommendation, Kerry.

116) Stoneheart by Charlie Fletcher (2006)
Stoneheart Trilogy Bk1
children's fiction

This was for the July TIOLI bodypart challenge and also on a list of 'alternate London' fantasy reads that I'm doing this year.
While on a school trip to London's War Museum, George is punished and left on his own. He inadvertantly damages a stone carving. Suddenly he's in a nightmare of living, fighting statues - Spits against Taints. He teams up with the Gunner from Hyde Park and Edie, a runaway girl who also sees this 'otherworld' come alive.
George is a very reluctant 'hero', he doesn't want to be part of this adventure but as he triggered this conflict he has to participate. While the first part of the adventure concludes at the end of the book, there is a bigger premise waiting to be explored and Edie's past still to be revealed. Riveting stuff.

#118: My local library has that one so I will be able to give it a try.

117) The Scent of the Night by Andrea Camilleri (2000) (2005 Eng)
fiction, Italy

Added to July's TIOLI book with 'day' or 'night' in title.
Book 6 in the Inspector Montalbano series and I've already had to get the next one out from the library. A rogue financial advisor has gone missing along with several billion lire belonging to local investors. Montalbano's second in command Mimi is having second thoughts about his impending marriage and Fazio is once again perfectly efficient.


118) Blood Red Snow White by Marcus Sedgwick (2007)
YA, historical fiction
I'm steadily making my way through all of Sedgwick's books and I had this in the TIOLI 'ISBN ending with 4' challenge for July. This is quite an achievement, Sedgwick has taken the recently released papers on Arthur Ransome's time in Russia as a journalist and suspected spy and written about the Russian Revolution. He's woven the first part, a background on preRevolutionary Russia a time of riches, poverty and tsars, into a fairytale story which echoes Ransome's own Old Peter's Russian Tales, before going on to the Revolution, Trotsky and Lenin and Ransome's acts of 'spying'. There is also rather a sweet love story of how Ransome got to live happily ever after with Evgenia, Trotsky's first secretary.
At first I wasn't sure how to take this ambitious novel for teenagers, but I was soon absorbed into the intricacies of keeping both sides happy and Ransome's attempts to achieve personal happiness.
A recent biography of Ransome, The last Englishman : the double life of Arthur Ransome by Roland Chambers would be worth looking into.

119> Stasia - I'll be reading Ironhand and Silvertongue as soon as I can. The magic is really interesting - all the statues have aspects of their creators in them. George's father was a sculptor, so there's something in George's family background that's important to the magical world and gives George some power.

119) Hey, Dollface by Deborah Hautzig (1978)
YA fiction

This was read for my 1010 challenge as it's included in the 1001 books you must read before you grow up. This is about the adolescent friendship between two girls, Val and Chloe. As their friendship progresses Val becomes unsure of her feelings towards Chloe - is it an attraction. Should she act on it and risk losing her only friend? Who can she get advice from? This could be considered dated as the discussions of sexuality and prejudice are definitely from the 1970s, and today's teens are more informed. But Hautzig's portrayal of Val's feelings is so honest, with all the confusion, turmoil and unsophisticated angst that surely there are still teen readers out there needing a book like this.
And oh yes, I love the cover.

Cloud Tea Monkeys by Mal Peet & Elspeth Graham (2010)
illustrated story

Mal Peet has collaborated with his wife to bring us a delightful modern fable set in India's tea plantations. When Tashi's mother is too ill to take her basket to pick tea leaves there will soon be no money to buy food. So Tashi takes the basket to the plantation but is too small to reach the bushes. She sits with her monkey friends under the shady trees and wishes for a miracle...
Delightful illustrations by Juan Wijngaard.


The Wildest Brother by Cornelia Funke (2006)
picture book
A celebration of a child's imaginative play that starts off a bit slow but soon hits its stride. I wonder if it reads better in the original German.

120) The Lacuna by Barbara Kingsolver (2009)
fiction
I read this for the TIOLI Orange July challenge and just managed to finish in time. An extremely rewarding read that demands some perseverance in the initial stages. This was my first Kingsolver and now I'll be moving her The Poisonwood Bible up my tbr pile. It was interesting to meet up with Trotsky again after having him as a character in Blood Red Snow White. Recommended.


121) How to ruin a summer vacation by Simone Elkeles (2006)
YA fiction
I noticed that this YA was set in Israel so had to have a look. 16 yr old Amy is looking forward to a summer of shopping malls, boyfriend, camp and good times in Chicago, when her estranged Israeli father turns up. His mother is terminally ill and he wants Amy to spend the summer with him in Israel on a moshav. No matter how resentful Amy is at being dragged to a war zone by the 'sperm donor', she discovers she has cousins who equally resent her easy US lifestyle. There are large dollops of humour, laughter and honesty in amongst the angst and romance. Recommended for showing a surprisingly 'real' look at teen life in rural Israel.
There are two sequels and I already have them from the library - How to ruin my teenage life & How to ruin your boyfriend's reputation.

Read for the July TIOLI Book with 'summer' in the title challenge.

Book 121 sounds very interesting -- I'll definitely keep an eye out for that one.

You have certainly been busy. I am intrigued enough by reading about How to Ruin a Summer Vacation to give a try.

#120 Kerry - Well, you're two books ahead of me in the Montalbano series!

I keep promising myself one of these guilty little pleasures, then find myself picking up some 800+ page biography of some long-dead US president! However, on Monday, I did pick up books 8 & 11 in the series - i.e. The Patience of the Spider (2007), and The Wings of the Sphinx (2009) - to fill a couple of empty spots in my collection.

Now, I await the October release of book 12: The Track of Sand (2010), with the promise of "The Potter's Field" (Il campo del vasaio (2008)), and "The Age of Doubt" (L'eta del dubbio (2008)) to follow.

122) Among the Hidden by Margaret Peterson Haddix (1998)
Shadow Children Bk 1 of 7
children's fiction
I read this for the August 'National Book Festival author' challenge.
It's an exciting read set in a dark future with population control and totalitarian rule. Luke is an illegal third child and no one outside of his immediate family can know of his existence. Haddix depicts a bleak unlikeable future. And for Luke, there is no chance to experience life, he's forced to stay indoors hidden away from prying eyes and the unforgiving population police. Another series I'm going to have to read more of.


123) The boy with a cuckoo clock heart by Mathias Malzieu (2007) (2009 Eng)
gothic punk novella

Read for the TIOLI 'Genre Seldom Read' challenge.
I initially came across this book as I was looking at the work of translator, Sarah Ardizzone, having reading her translations from French of Toby Alone and Just Like Tomorrow.

I loved this bittersweet fairytale read, (think Pinocchio meets Tim Burton). When Jack is born, his heart won't beat, so the midwife hurriedly fixes a cuckoo clock to his chest and the steady ticktock helps his weak heart to function. As he grows, she warns him to be wary of falling in love because his heart couldn't stand to be broken.
Malzieu is lead singer/musician in a French rock group, Dionysos, and the story has inspired a song and animated movie.

Kerry or Peter, what's book 2 in the Montalbano ones? (I could just look online...)

I laughed when I saw Hey Dollface. I got it out of Dunedin Public Library when I was about 10 or 11 I think - can't remember exactly when. I've told this story on LT somewhere already, so I hope I'm not repeating myself... Mum found it and was SHOCKED AND APPALLED and I remember being mortified because she complained to the librarians about it. (I sometimes wonder how we are related!!) I definitely need to read it properly, even if it's dated!

#129 Cushla - I could just look online... - Good grief, why would you want to do that, when you have Kerry or me? ;)

Book 2 = The Terracotta Dog

-----------------------------
My review from last year (for what it's worth)...

The Terracotta Dog by Andrea Camilleri
The second book in the superb Inspector Montalbano series opens with a meeting between Montalbano and mafioso Tano the Greek. Feeling like a dinosaur, out of touch with modern ways, this leading and feared member of the Mafia establishment wants Montalbano to stage a fitting arrest so that he can retire in safety, with his honour intact. Together with a mysterious supermarket robbery, and the puzzling death of an 80-year old fascist, there seems little to link these disparate threads. But with Tano's eventual deathbed confession, a cave filled with weapons is uncovered and the links all lead to the cracking of a major weapons running racket.

However, these events, while seemingly at the center of this mystery, all soon become incidental to another more compelling mystery in Montalbano's eyes; with the discovery of two bodies entwined like lovers in a second cave, behind a sealed entrance in the first. Dating from the Second World War, they lay on a rug with a water pot and a bowl of coins anchoring the two upper corners, while a terracotta dog lies at their feet. A bizarre burial, for which finding the answer becomes an all consuming obsession for Montalbano, leading to the commissioner's admonishment, "...what you're engaged in is not an investigation, but an act of mental ma*turbation" (p. 198).

Salvo Montalbano's colleagues are all back, as is his largely absent girlfriend Livia, as well as Ingrid from The Shape of Water. Corporal Anna Ferrara reappears and is still habouring illusions about her relationship with Salvo - a situation that comes to a head in a cruel but necessary move by Montalbano in a bedroom scene on pages 184-185. Combining Camilleri's sharp wit, the Sicilian setting, and the myriad of minor characters that populate the fictional seaside town of Vigata; this is a fascinating and engaging mystery that does not disappoint in the wake of the superlative first novel.

125 & 126> How to ruin a summer vacation is a fun read. Amy is a spoilt brat, but because she knows she's a spoilt brat you have to like her. And how can you not like a book that has a puppy in it that barks - arrgh arrgh!

127> Peter - my only problem with Montalbano is that they are so quick to read. Good to know that he's still churning them out. I'm going to try the Bruno, chief of police that Suzanne has been recommending.
I'm reading Far away and long ago which is a childhood memoir of WH Hudson, a famous 'birder' & naturalist who grew up in Argentina's pampas in the 1840s. He founded the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds in England. Well, anyway you probably know more about him than I do!

See, I knew that would happen! Thanks. I remember your review and the name now - might have to buy it on Book Depository.

#131 Kerry - I have the first two books in the Bruno, Chief of Police series; but then again, Euro-Crime is one of my weak spots!

Re: W.H. Hudson - a digitized collection, or perhaps a LibriVox recording of "Far Away and Long Ago".

#132 Cushla - :)

129> Cushla - you made me laugh. There is nothing untoward in the book, just the ideas swirling around on the page.

Peter - thanks for those links, I might try a couple of chapters of the audio. I came across Far away and long ago when I was looking for books set in and about Argentina.

#134 Kerry, no, no it mentions tampons. That would have done it. (I come from the Karen Kay Women's Weekly school of sex education.)

Geez, I hope nobody finds this thread on google.

Ok - well 'mentions' must be the operative word. Karen Kay Women's Weekly school of SE we thought we were so modern back then! when!
I remember at high school getting a book at the city library that we were all borrowing - it had pages of the word 'f**k' all through it. Some US anti-establishment anti-censorship hippie book. We were amazed that we could find such a book in a library!!

I keep forgetting to list the books I got at a charity book fair I went to last week. I went on the first night so paid an entrance fee but do feel I did rather well.

Imagined London by Anna Quindlen
The Slap by Christos Tsiolkas
This Boys Life by Tobias Wolfe
The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao by Junot Diaz
The Feast of the Goat by Mario Vargas Llosa
The Siege of Krishnapur by JG Farrell
Knowledge of Angels by Jill Paton Walsh
The Colour by Rose Tremain
Music and Silence by Rose Tremain
Bruno Chief of Police by Martin Walker
The Rings of Saturn by WG Sebald
Audrey Hepburn's Neck by Alan Brown
French women don't get fat by Mirielle Guiliano
The seven sisters by Margaret Drabble
Voice of our shadow by Jonathan Carroll
The Drawing of the Dark by Tim Powers
Swordpoint by Ellen Kushner
Margaret Mead and Samoa by Derek Freeman

Penguins:
The Prince in Waiting trilogy by John Christopher
The Woman Warrior by Maxine Hong Kingston
Gidget by Frederick Kohner
As I walked out one midsummer morning by Laurie Lee
A time of gifts by Patrick Leigh Fermor
Fire from heaven by Mary Renault
The bull from the Sea by Mary Renault
Don't Look Now by Daphne du Maurier
The Parasites by Daphne du Maurier
Vanishing Cornwall by Daphne du Maurier
The house on the strand by Daphne du Maurier
As I lay dying by William Faulkner
Dark Quartet story of the Brontes by Lynne Reid Banks
The Seeds of Time by John Wyndham
Love of Seven Dolls by Paul Gallico
4x Dorothy Sayers

#116 Hmmm. I'm not sure whether I want to explore that one or not. It's been a while since I read anything by Russell Hoban though, so maybe...

#120 Re Blood Red, Snow White - what an interesting premise for a story! I shall have to investigate that...

#128 I will definitely be getting a copy of The Boy With the Cuckoo-Clock Heart - thank you for the recommendation!

#136/7 I've never heard of "Karen Kay Women's Weekly school of sex education"!

#138 Oh what a wonderful haul! Of those that I've read, I particularly enjoyed This Boy's Life - heartily recommended... The Sees of Time also...

#138 I'd say you did *very* well!

Thirded! What a great collection...

26 posts when I logged in today???? What on earth? But lots of books and very productive! I will have to check out Stoneheart for sure. And several of the others sound tantalizing.

Of your book sale haul, I can strongly recommend Tim Powers and his The Drawing of the Dark. I enjoyed the John Christopher books many years ago when I read them, but can't say how they have stood up over time. Same for the Mary Renault books. Probably 35 to 40 years since I read them.

#138: Wow! What a haul. Congratulations, Kerry!

Trying to catch up here Kerry and wowo oh wow! What a fantastic haul! And look at all the du Maurier!! Nice job:)

Also, you've been doing some great reading here.

Thanks everybody, I'm still glowing about the great books that just seemed to jump out from the table at me. All this book talk on LT just made me more aware of certain authors and I quickly grabbed them from under the noses of all the dealers browsing alongside me.
It's always a mad rush at these sales, the scifi/fantasy books get picked over very fast and I just grabbed two Fantasy Masterworks books (Voice of our shadow & The Drawing of the Dark) and later on found Swordpoint, which I was happy about as my library culled their last copy. I didn't even bother with the children's books, there were so many people there filling box after box.
I even managed to pickup a well thumbed copy of The Slap so I'll probably give it a try - it was first published in Australia & New Zealand in 2008.
The Penguins are mainly old but mostly have interesting coverart.
Btw here's a link to some great Penguin coverart: http://www.penguinsciencefiction.org/

#142 Roni - I'm looking forward to reading another by Tim Powers

I read this morning that Steven Spielberg will be filming Michael Morpurgo's wonderful War Horse in Devon soon.

Wow! What a fantastic haul! And I enjoyed reading your reviews.

I'm dizzy from all this activity, must lie down...

Oooh I love all those old orange Penguins - the nice ones can be very hard to find these days though, so I'm very jealous!

I love them too. The cover of Gidget is pretty nice. Back to your post #134 - I'd go with Hoban's Riddley Walker as that's the one mentioned by Ness. I'll be reading it pretty soon.
Here's a good article about Sedgwick's fascination with Ransome.
I like these quirky little books like The boy with the cuckoo clock heart, most reviews have been positive though the woman at the Guardian slaughtered it.
I wasn't quite sure who Karen Kay is/was, but the Women's Weekly used to be the staid conservative magazine our mothers loved to read, now it's just another gossip rag.
I've been after a copy of This Boy's Life for ages.

Kerry, that is an amazing list of books - well done! I've just bought The Siege of Krishnapur from Book Depository.

#139 fliss, Karen Kay wrote the advice column in the NZ Women's Weekly in the early 1980s.

#148 - Goodness - Gidget! - I've never read the book, but doesn't that name bring back a flood of childhood memories - midday movies on lazy summer weekends - Sandra Dee and Sally Field - the all-original beach bunny! Ahhh...

I haven't read the book either but couldn't resist this original Penguin cover - I'll have to read it now. For me, Sally Field is The Flying Nun. I'm more for remembering The Beach Boys than Sandra Dee (I only know the Olivia newton-John version).

124) Thornspell by Helen Lowe (2008)
YA fiction

I read this for the TIOLI Other World challenge. This is a retelling of the Sleeping Beauty fairytale and it works beautifully. Lowe has imagined a much bigger story around the tale of Aurora, in fact, the story is not about the princess, it is all about the chosen prince, Sigismund. Sigismund has grown up protected by those around him and knows little of the sleeping castle in the nearby woods. There is a curse on his family and an elaborate spell that only he can break at a chosen time or the human world will fall under the control of the ambitious and evil faerie, Margravine. Rich in detail, there are dreams, adventure, heroism and tales of dragons from long ago. Our hero, Sigismund is brave enough to take the action into his own hands rather than wait for a prophecy to unfold.
Lowe is a New Zealand poet and this is her first novel, it won the Sir Julius Vogel Award 2009 for Best Novel: Young Adult.
Here is a bit of trivia for those unfamiliar with awards here in New Zealand -

The Sir Julius Vogel awards are our national science fiction and fantasy awards, Sir Julius Vogel was a Prime Minister of New Zealand, and wrote in 1889 what was probably the first full length Science Fiction novel by a New Zealander, Anno Domini 2000 - A Woman's Destiny.
This book was strongly centred around New Zealand, and was a utopian view of the future in which women would hold many positions of authority. "Predictions" which have come true...

Lowe's latest book, Heir of the Night, first of four, is due out in a couple of months and already on my reading radar. I was reminded to read Thornspell when joannasephine wrote a fabulous review of Heir of the Night having been lucky enough to receive an ARC.

Irresistible! Had to add it to the wishlist immediately.

Among the Hidden sounds like a fascinating book!

#152: Into the BlackHole it goes!

155: Among the Hidden is a great children's book!

I'm still glowing about the great books that just seemed to jump out from the table at me. All this book talk on LT just made me more aware of certain authors and I quickly grabbed them from under the noses of all the dealers browsing alongside me.

I feel the same way when I'm circling the bargain tables. Before I joined LT, it would have been a real cr*pshoot for me, but now I have dozens (well, actually, about 340) books to be on the look out for thanks to LT.

Wow, where do you fit all that reading in? Being a very slow reader, I just can't imagine finishing more than 2 books in a week but thanks for all the write-ups, quite a few are now flagged for my next library visit, especially the Russian one.

On another vein, I was very interested to hear there is a list of alternative London reads. There is something quite magical about London that makes it so easy to believe other worlds could easily exist there.

>69 avatiakh: re: child migrants. One of the books I finished yesterday does include the story of one such boy who was sent to Canada. Yes, Mama shows the difference between what they were promised and what they got and that the kids were really left on their own. In this case, happily, the fellow managed to make a good life despite it all.

Hoban's book looks interesting! Those quotes are great. TFS

re: your book haul. THe only Daphne Du Maurier I've read and enjoyed (and re-read) is THe Glassblowers. Somehow got my hands on it as a kid and it's stayed in my library since. :)

Kerry, are you the gal who does fiber art? I only remember that it was one of my "A" contacts?! (My brain's like a sieve...)

125) The Celestial Globe by Marie Rutkoski (2010)
Kronos Chronicles Bk 2
children's fiction

I read this for the TIOLI Other World challenge. The Cabinet of Wonders was set in Prague and offered up a very interesting magical world. This one leaves Bohemia for Elizabethan London and the political intrigue continues. While I enjoyed this one, I won't be reading the next book. It just feels too much like a mix of Pullman, Stroud and a couple of others.


126) Silverhorse by Lene Kaaberbøl (1992)(2007 English)
YA fantasy, Denmark

I read this for the TIOLI Other World challenge. This is an exciting fantasy adventure for younger teens involving remarkable silver horses - hellhorses only ridden by the trained bredanari, keepers of the peace. Once Kat sees a hellhorse for the first time, she longs to ride it and dreams of becoming a bredanari like the scarred woman rider who arrives at the family inn.
Katriona, lives in Breda, a land that has always been ruled by women, where only women can own property and men live a nomadic life, only able to stay put with the permission of the local maestra. Tess, Kat's mother is maestra of Crowfoot Inn, far from the capital. Kat is unruly, has a fiery temper that is always getting her in trouble especially with her stepfather, Cornelius. Kat is amazed when her mother chooses to send her away in order to keep peace at the inn.
This is the first of a trilogy and I have book 2 8145333::Midnight ready to go. Kaaberbøl translates her own work into English and is best know for her Shamer Chronicles.

#159: Well, my local library has The Cabinet of Wonders, so maybe it will eventually get The Celestial Globe as well. No luck at all with the Kaaberbol books though.

I like the sound of Silverhorse - onto the list it goes!

I enjoyed The Cabinet of Wonders, especially the magic. I read it a couple of years ago mainly because it was set in Prague but I found the sequel is less convincing.
I had to buy the Kaaberbol books so I was pleased to enjoy this one. I find the cover pic quite stunning.

Like everyone else here's my list:

Describe yourself:

How do you feel: so punk rock

Describe where you currently live: Hicksville

If you could go anywhere, where would you go: Far away and long ago

Your favorite form of transportation: Tschiffely's Ride

Your best friend is: The old man who read love stories

You and your friends are: The Three Musketeers

What’s the weather like: Storm Front

You fear: Emergency Sex

What is the best advice you have to give: how to ruin a summer vacation

Thought for the day: we are all made of glue

How I would like to die: An Innocent Soldier

My soul’s present condition: love songs for the shy and cynical

#162: I love doing that quiz! Nice answers, Kerry.

Fun answers to the quiz!

I've added 3 books to the TBR list and am happy to hear that Cabinet of Wonders is a fun read... I bought that one on a whim earlier this year but haven't got around to it yet. I'll keep in mind your comments about the second one, though.

I'm a little bit worried about the idea that I may be made from glue. What type of glue are we talking here - because if it's Pritt Stick, bits are going to start dropping off any day now...

It all made perfect sense when Marina Lewycka talked about it!

I'm excited because I read today on the Chasing Ray blog that there's a sequel to Lonely Werewolf girl. Millar is a true world-creator, populating Curse of the Wolf Girl with a universe of characters: fashion-designing werewolves, cross-dressing werewolves, and neurotic, psychotic, and erotic werewolves, as well as fairies, Fire Elementals, and good ole humans. Can't wait to get hold of this.
And two children's books from established fantasy writers to come out Oct/Nov - Charles de Lint's The Painted Boy (love the cover) and Jasper Fforde's The Last Dragonslayer.

Hmmmm. Must bump Lonely Werewolf Girl up the list before the new one comes out. Maybe I'll get it while I'm in Edinburgh....

What a great haul -- all those du Mauriers will be fun! I'll be interested to hear what you think about Vanishing Cornwall, which is a cherished part of my library. And I hope you like A time of Gifts and Bruno, Chief of Police as much as I did!

Do you recommend the Camilleri books? A friend of mine recently returned from Sicily and now is helping to plan some gastronomic tours there with a tour company buddy that will revolve around some of the restaurants and menus that the main character enjoys. So now I'm curious about the books...

Suzanne - the Camilleri books are very good, I think you'll enjoy them. I found out about them first through the Italian tv series, I didn't realise when I started watching that it was based on the books. I love the writing style, the characters and their eccentricities. Camilleri balances everything so well. Dealings with the local Mafia are deliberately low key and feel authentic. Montalbano is one of my favourite detectives, he loves good food, his girlfriend lives at the other end of Italy which suits him down to the ground and he also loves a good book. Sicily comes across as a little bit old world. My other favourite has to be DI Rebus up in Edinburgh.
In the tv series Montalbano is played by Luca Zingaretti, the settings are picture perfect especially Montalbano's home by the sea. I had read that the tv series especially had increased tourism to the area. I'd love to visit, though anywhere in Italy is fine by me.

Kerry, you've been reading some great books. I am finally caught up and have added to many to mention to my wishlist! Will try not to get so far behind in future...

(I found my fiber artist with the "a" name -- arubabookwoman)

Hi Susan - I was meaning to come back in here and answer a few of the posts up above including yours. No, I'm not a fibre artist but am intrigued by the idea of it and will have to have a look some. Most I've done is a few screenprinting classes and have a few screens here at home and love having a play.

I too find it intriguing. The closest I've come is designing my own crosstitch -- and that's a long way from fiber art! :) Of course I have boxes of supplies, but that's all they are...

127) Almost Dead by Assaf Gavron (2006) (2010 English)
Israeli fiction
UK title: Croc Attack

I've added this to the TIOLI Overlooked challenge as there are only 22 copies on LT. Recommended by bookaholic13 over on the 1010 challenge who has pointed several great reads my way over the past months. This is a contemporary Israeli novel that looks at the topic of terror and the second intifada from both sides of the divide with a great dollop of black humour.
Meet Eitan (Croc to his friends) who somehow manages to survive three terrorist attacks in a row and becomes a mini-celebrity. Now meet Palestinian Fahmi, vegetating in a coma, whose meandering thoughts look back at events leading up to his current situation. Told from these alternating viewpoints their stories inevitably converge. Strongly recommended for how successfully Gavron binds humour and pathos into such a political story.
Next up from bookaholic13's recs is Eshkol Nevo's World Cup Wishes. (I'm so lucky that my library has these books).

#174: I will have to see if my local library has Almost Dead. Thanks for the recommendation, Kerry!

#166 I saw a review of Curse of the Wolf Girl which made me decide to add Lonely Werewolf Girl to the evergrowing wishlist. And I am excited about The Last Dragonslayer!

#167, 176: So popped in to Borders today and what do I see - Curse of the Wolf Girl sitting on the new arrivals table and me with a 30% discount coupon (you know the ending of this story!). Just have to finish Un Lun Dun, which starts to feel like the neverending read.
And I've had to add a whole bunch of Australian YA to my tbr after reading the Misrule blog today.

128) Far away and long ago by W H Hudson (1918)
nonfiction, memoir

Read for the TIOLI no 'e' in the title challenge & the reading globally August 'Nature' theme.
This is a memoir of the writer's boyhood years growing up on the pampas in Argentina in the 1850s. Hudson was a writer, naturalist, and ornithologist who lived in England and was a founding member of the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds, he wrote this memoir when recovering from illness in his old age. Hudson's recollections of his neighbours and various other characters are fascinating; Spanish aristocrats, gauchos, impoverished English settlers, and ranchers alongside roving wanderers, soldiers, schoolmasters and priests. He describes his forays into the natural world of the pampas with its wondrous flora and fauna in the many seasons, the ongoing battles and civil war, his stays in Buenos Aires and his parents attempts to educate their tribe of unruly children.
Petermc pointed me in the direction of the LibriVox audio version of the book so I ended up listening to the book which made an enjoyable change.

129) How to ruin my teenage life by Simone Elkeles (2008)
130) How to ruin your boyfriend's reputation by Simone Elkeles (2009)
YA fiction
I can put these two in the TIOLI starts with 'H' challenge. Well, I enjoyed the first book in the series enough to request these two from the library and as they are so popular figured I'd read them quickly and get them back. While I'm not the target audience I like to keep tabs from time to time on what's popular for the age group. Anyway these two weren't as entertaining as the first book.
Amy returns to Chicago and is now living with her Israeli father and must adjust to her mother's marriage and the upcoming birth of a half-sister/brother. Various typical teen misunderstandings etc etc.
Book three is really weak as Amy is now acting like a typical American J. princess. She signs up with her friends to attend a military boot camp for Jewish teens at the same Israeli army base where her Israeli boyfriend is doing his military service. The laughs are just not funny and the book is too contrived.

#178: I found a copy of Far Away and Long Ago available for the Nook, so I am going to download that one. Thanks for the recommendation, Kerry. I have never read anything by Hudson other than Green Mansions, so I look forward to the read.

I think I will skip the two Elkeles books.

I had fun doing this meme with books I've read so far this year:

In school I was: among the hidden

People might be surprised I’m: Centre of my world

I will never be: hideous kinky

My fantasy job is: dreamers of the day

At the end of a long day I need: Apples from the Desert

I hate it when: News from a foreign country came

Wish I had: Miss Smilla's Feeling for Snow

My family reunions are: almost dead

At a party you’d find me with: The Reformed Vampire Support Group

I’ve never been to: Winter in Madrid

A happy day includes: Hunting and Gathering

Motto I live by: Eep!

On my bucket list: Over a thousand hills I walk with you

In my next life, I want to be: Coming up roses

On a sadder note, one of my cats, Mitzi, passed away yesterday after being under the weather for several weeks. She was 15 years young and had lots of attention and cuddles these past couple of weeks.
edit: touchstones disappeared

I am sorry to hear about you cat, Kerry. I am glad she got some extra loving the past couple of weeks.

I am going to try that quiz when I am home from work. I love quizzes like that.

Sorry to hear about your cat Kerry.

>180 avatiakh: Oh Kerry, I am so sad for your loss. Had Mitzi been with you most of those 15 years? It's miserable to say goodbye to a dear friend. {{{Kerry}}}

And, a note in a happier key, my birthday yummies arrived and I can't thank you enough!! The selection is delightful. I can't WAIT to start slurping them up! *smooch*

Thanks everyone, I still have Mitzi's sister, Reggae, who is a very robust bundle of grey. We got them as kittens ( we couldn't choose between the two so ended up with both) and they never grew into full sized cats. Down from the heady heights of 4 cats and 2 dogs of a few years ago to one of each, which suits me fine.

Richard - good to hear that it arrived safely - happy slurping! On the same note, I received a delightful surprise bundle from Israel, the day after I sent yours off.

Sorry to hear about Mitzi... At least you still have one feline ball of fluff to keep your feet warm and entertain you with bizarre antics.

Hey, Kerry, thanks for visiting my thread. Sugar is Honey's sister, age 14, and that is what is worrying about her lack of appetite, among other things. Sorry about Mitzi, but hope Reggae stays healthy for a long time.

Sorry to hear about Mitzi, Kerry.

Sorry about your cat, Kerry. 15 years is a long time to be part of the family. I cannot imagine having 4 cats and 2 dogs!!

I'm sorry to hear to hear about Mitzi, Kerry.

Kerry, I am sorry you lost Mitzi.
((((hugs)))) for you and Reggae!

So sorry to hear about your Mitzi, Kerry. Our pets bring so much joy into our lives.

I loved the answers to your latest quiz. I'll be sure and look for you at the Reformed Vampire Support Group...LOL!

131) Un Lun Dun by China Miéville (2007)
children's fantasy
Read for the TIOLI Other World challenge. I ended up loving my first foray into Mr Miéville's world and am looking forward to his adult work. Confident young fantasy readers will love this, but the length and at times slow pace will put off readers wanting lots of action.



132) Midnight by Lene Kaaberbøl (1994 Denmark)(2009 English)
YA fantasy
This is the sequel to Silverhorse which I read earlier this month and while in the original Danish it is a trilogy, I understand that the publishing deal for the English translation has seen it condensed to only two books which is a shame as Kaaberbøl has introduced the reader to an interesting world and political/social setup that I'd like to stay in a bit longer. I still haven't spent enough time with the hellhorses and wonder if the condensing has been at their expense.
I've only read First Test by Tamora Pierce, but I think fans of her books will like these two.
In this book Kat must bond with her hellhorse, pass her first year of Law study when she discovers another political intrigue that puts her in peril. Very exciting and added to the TIOLI Other World challenge.


133) The Girl who could fly by Victoria Forester (2009)
children's fiction
Read this for the Dream TIOLI challenge. I just looked at the other book covers here on LT and can't believe what I see - one of the covers is a major plot spoiler!
This is about a girl who floats as a baby and teaches herself to fly as a child. The cover of my book led me to believe that I'd be reading a delightful childish story, but this turned into a sinister scifi read that was quite a treat.


134) Consider Phlebas by Iain M. Banks (1987)
scifi
Read for the TIOLI Other World Challenge. This is my second Culture novel, I read The Player of Games about 2 years ago and have been keen to come back into the world of Culture ever since. In this book the Culture is engaged in a war with the Idirans and the story revolves around Horza, a Changer who works for the Idirans, a Culture Special Circumstances agent, Balveda and a mercenary crew of pirates on a ship called Clear Air Turbulence. Enjoyable scifi.

The book title is from T.S. Elliot's The Wastelands and I was amused to find the same quote in Andrea Camileri's Rounding the Mark as Montalbano faces yet another bureaucratic hurdle.

I have a few more August TIOLI books to get through. Currently trying to finish Madame Proust and the Kosher Kitchen and The Borribles.
I have to mention last Sunday when I was a volunteer at our annual Storylines children's literature festival and for the first time I was rostered to look after writers and illustrators. So I was Joy Cowley's minder for the morning and we talked about The Elegance of the Hedgehog among other things and then Gavin Bishop's minder as well as helping Heather Arnold. I found time to get a book signed by James Norcliffe and had a wonderful day surrounded by families, books and loads of book-related activities. It sure beat last year when I spent all day helping with an origami activity.

#192: Wow, sounds like you had a geat time at the children's literature festival, Kerry!

Yes, it was great. There's always lots to do for the children and all the activities and performances are free. I was on the planning committee for many years but have stepped back these past couple of years. I don't mind where they put me to be honest but it was lovely to escort two of our most esteemed writers around the place. Joy is a wonderful person and I loved watching her interact with the children. Margaret Mahy was also there for a limited time, she is looking quite frail but thrives on meeting her fans and the other writers.

I bet the writers get as big of a kick out of it as the children and adults do.

Cool!! I've been to 2 of them in Wellington and we loved them. Our son got very scared of the big human Hairy Maclary last time (he was 4 and the dog was BIG).

Glad you had a good time at the festival! For some reason when you said you were Joy Crowley's minder I got this image of you as a big bouncer type in a suit with sunglasses elbowing the crowds out of the way for her...

135) Madame Proust and the Kosher Kitchen by Kate Taylor (2003)
fiction
Read for Suzanne's TIOLI 'Book whose title contains the name of an author etc' challenge. Suzanne has done a great review on her thread so I'm only going to say that I enjoyed this novel. It follows three narrative threads that are loosely interwoven similar to the structure of The Hours. I have also developed a stronger interest in reading Proust, I'll get there someday. Her second novel has just been published and delves further into the Dreyfus affair and I'll definitely be adding that to my tbr list.


136) Beggars in Spain by Nancy Kress (1993)
scifi
I have to say that if I was reading this I might not have got through it, but I enjoyed logging in to my iPod for my daily 30 mins or so of the audio version. An ambitious undertaking that explores political and ethical themes of citizenship, social diversity, economic issues etc etc. The story spans about 90 years from about 2008 and is about America's growing divisiveness when a first generation of genetically modified children are born who do not sleep and have superior intellects. Resentment of the Sleepless, a superior minority, by the Sleepers causes both sides to take measures. The book is in at least three parts and in the beginning focuses on Leisha, one of the first Sleepless who has a twin who is a Sleeper.
Overall I liked the book enough and am glad to have 'read' it, but I wouldn't rush to recommend it to all.
From wikipedia: Nancy Kress has explained that the book, and the trilogy generally, grapples with the conflicting principles of Ayn Rand on one hand and Ursula K. Le Guin's picture of communist-like community on the other.


137) The Borribles by Michael De Larrabeiti (1976)
fantasy, urban
Read for my TIOLI Other World challenge. This was a dark bit of fun to read. The first in a trilogy, I own the omnibus edition of all three books and have been wanting to read this since it hit my list of alternate world-London reads. The Borribles are streetkids who after successfully staying clear of the woolies (police) and social services for a time grow pointed ears which they hide under knitted hats and stop growing older. The Battersea Borribles find a Rumble in their territory one evening (The Rumbles are from Rumbledom, rat-like with large snouts and an obvious send-up of the Wombles). Their leader Skiff, decides that once and for all the Rumbles need to be taught a lesson and so begins the preparations for the Great Rumble Hunt.
The trilogy was quite controversial when it was published as it has a strong anti-authoritarian flavour and a new publisher had to be found for book 3. I understand the books get darker as they go along. I'll be diving into book 2 fairly soon.
Michael De Larrabeiti also wrote many travel features for The Times.

I already have Madame Proust in the BlackHole after Suz's glowing review, have already read Beggars in Spain, so the only new one to add to the BlackHole is The Borribles. Thanks for that recommendation, Kerry.

Hi Kerry, looks like you had a great time at the children's literature festival. Lucky you, it seems you have so many opportunities to enjoy these great literary experiences where you are; much more so than I do.

196> The Wellington event always sounds like fun. I know we had problems getting a suitable venue for the event. In Auckland, The Edge supports our event and we get the use of the Aotea Centre for the day. Those costumed animals can scare the very young! The Hairy Maclary outfit is only allowed to be worn by someone with drama training and they must stay in the personality of HM whenever in public.

200> Thanks Bonnie, we're lucky here that our Writers & Readers Festival is timed so it runs the week before the Sydney Festival so we get a lot of great writers who attend both. The Storylines Children's Literature Festival has been running for 16 years and started from a group of writers and illustrators who wanted to have events where they got together and were more accessible to children, it's grown over the years and relies heavily on volunteers. The underlying principle of the event is that it must remain free so all children have a chance to attend, and this concept is hard at times to get across to some of the funding organisations.
Currently there's a Going West literature festival running as well and I might get across the city to an event.

Today is the first day of spring, and it looks like being a beautiful day. For the past few weeks we have been enjoying new arrivals on our neighbour's property, so anyway this is the view from our driveway this morning.

What a great view!

Just caught up!

I'm very sorry to hear about Mitzi, but it sounds like she had a happy life, with all those cuddles. Glad to hear Reggae is still going strong.

Definitely going to be doing that thingy in #180 in a minute... ("Motto I live by: Eep!" - hee hee!)

#192 What you say about China Miéville is interesting as I had a similar experience with Un Lun Dun - and, in fact, with The City and The City. I ended up very much enjoying both (particularly Un Lun Dun, but both meandered at points. Did you like the Binja?! ;o)

Glad to hear Silverhorse's sequel is good - it's just arrived at my local library for me, so I shall look forward to reading that.

#198 Aha, I've found your "sleepless" book comments! Hmmm. I'm not sure that one would be for me, but it's an interesting idea.

The children's book festival sounds like great fun and very well planned - one of these days I'll be over again - I shall have to try to coincide!

Love the bouncing lamb photo - what a wonderful capture!

I picked up the second novel by Kate Taylor when I was in Toronto; glad you enjoyed Madame Proust and the Kosher Kitchen as well! It got a great reception in Canada, I think, but hasn't been widely read here, or at least there hasn't been much buzz about it. I'm hoping #2 is as good...

Suzanne> I came across it by chance so had a copy of the book but wouldn't have thought about reading it so soon except for your challenge. It won Best First Book for its region in the Commonwealth Prize Awards which has been an award that I have started taking note of.


138) Rounding the Mark by Andrea Camilleri (2003)(2006 Eng)
fiction
Inspector Montalbano Book 7. This even fits Madeline's TIOLI challenge so I can add it to the wiki.
I'll say it again, I love my doses of Montalbano and I love how translator Stephen Sartarelli manages to capture the spirit of the original especially those exchanges between the long suffering Montalbano and the ' soft-hearted, language-mangling' Catarelli. The plot here revolves around illegal immigrants and Ingrid makes another appearance.
Wikipedia: The name Montalbano is an homage to the Spanish writer Manuel Vázquez Montalbán; the similarities between Montalbán's Pepe Carvalho and Camilleri's fictional detective are remarkable. Both writers make great play of their protagonists' gastronomic preferences.

Awww lookit those tiny sheepies!!! How adorable, what a great driveway view! :D

Hi, Kerry! So envious of your experiences at the children's book festival. (I'm a proud owner of books by many of those authors, btw.) You've inspired me to get some of our local literary and arts festivals onto my calendar, so I don't miss them again this next year. So what if my kids are almost 33 and 24? The positive energy absorbed there can keep you happy for days!

P.S. Love your answers to the questionnaire. :-) And so sorry about your cat! My cat had an extremely healthy life until the last few weeks of her life, but that was so hard (she kept having seizures) that I keep putting off getting a new kitty.

Kerry, I know Auckalnd's not on the South Island, but I surely hope that none of your family or friends has been affected by the South Island quake!

Sending safety waves for you all....

What Richard said; saw it on the news tonight.

We're all fine here in the north, it is the South Island and lower North Island that felt it. Group members from Christchurch include Lidbud, and joannasephine.

Love the beautiful photos!...

Happy Spring to you!

Glad you and yours are OK, Kerry!

139) The Thin Executioner by Darren Shan (2010)
YA fantasy
Shan has left demons and vampires alone this time and written a standalone fantasy with a few slightly macabre edges to it. "Author Sarwat Chadda recently described the book as like "Pilgrim's Progress but with decapitations". from The Book Zone (for boys). I'd say overtones of Huckleberry Finn as well.
Jebel is the youngest son of the Chief Executioner of Wadi. While his brothers are tall and strong, Jebel is weedy and thin, he's also arrogant and annoying. When he's not mentioned as one of the possible successors to his father's position he feels slighted and decides rather impulsively to go on the Quest, a legendary journey to a faraway mountain, the home of a god who can make a successful questor invincible. But there are rules to this quest. Jebel is not a likeable character to start with but as the journey progresses he does begin to reevaluate his values and goals. While set in a fantasy land there is definitely the feel of the arid Middle East to this story.


140) Suddenly in the depths of the forest by Amos Oz (2005) (2010 English)
fable for all ages

Amos Oz has written a dark little fable set in eerie silence in the middle of a far away forest where there is a village without animals, birds or any living creatures only the human inhabitants. At night all the doors are locked and windows barred in case Nehi the Mountain Demon walks through.The pace and use of words is just right in this story, though I found the ending slightly disappointing.

I already have The Thin Executioner in the BlackHole - just found out it is available for the Nook - which reminds me that I still need to finish up Shan's Vampire's Apprentice series.

I've still got the last 2 or 3 from the Demonata series to read - not because I find them riveting, more just to assess the content.
I'm currently racing through Mockingjay and Where the mountain meets the moon.

I have not read the Demonata series. I better wrap up the Vampire's Apprentice one before I give that a go (if I can locate the books.)

I am ignoring all reviews of Mockingjay until I get a chance to read it, but I look forward to your review of Where the Mountain Meets the Moon.

That's one of the reasons I'm reading Mockingjay now, I'm tired of having to avert my eyes.

I am tired of averting mine as well, but Carolyn and I are going to read the entire trilogy together, so I am waiting on her.

OK, it took a little time to get back into the world I must admit. I'd forgotten some of the characters and what happened at the end of book 2.

I never read book 2 once I heard it ended on a cliffhanger, so I have only read book 1. Since Carolyn has not read any of the trilogy, I will be refreshing my memory before tackling the 2 unread books.

Good idea, but I'm too impatient to do that.

LOL! Believe me, if I were not waiting for Carolyn, I would have devoured the entire trilogy by now.

OK - a picturebook that needs mentioning but before that a little vid on metafiction for children: a user's guide that is worth a look.


Mirror by Jeannie Baker (2010)
sophisticated picturebook
Jeannie Baker's work is always well worth seeking out. She combines exquisite complicated collage art with powerful ecological themes that require no text - you read the pictures. This time she has been inspired by cultural differences and has produced a book with a difference - it opens to a foldout format and & 'reads' both ways simultaneously. Compare and contrast the lives of two boys from opposite points of the world. On one side an Australian boy goes shopping with his Dad for an exotic carpet for their home and on the other side a North African boy & his father come to a busy market to buy a computer and link up to the internet.

The artwork is now part of a travelling exhibition and is currently being exhibited at the Museum of Sydney.

Artist’s statement:
The idea for this work came from my delight in travelling in a country very different from my own. At the time in my own country there was much political poisoning of attitudes towards foreigners and foreignness. But travelling alone in remote Morocco, a woman ‘stranger’ myself, I was met with much friendliness and generosity from ‘strangers’. The idea for the work was right there: that outward appearances may be very different but the inner person of a ‘stranger’ may not be a stranger at all. We all live to be loved by family and friends and to be part of a larger family, a community. Inwardly we are so alike that it could be each other we see when we look in a mirror.
The settings I chose for the families in the story are the Valley of Roses (famous for its rose perfume) in southern Morocco and my home in Sydney, Australia.

I've reserved all three books in the Hunger Games trilogy from the library. Now I'm worried that the second book is going to come before the first because I'm 11th in the queue for book 1 but only 2nd for book 2 (and 44th! for book 3)

#223 Wow! That picture book looks amazing!

#223: That is so cool looking! Even though I never look at picture books any more, I will have to look for that one.

#224> Oh the dilemma! I'm 331 out of 408 in line for the latestRobert Muchamore book, Shadow Wave which I'd like to review for a Christmas book list.
#225> Her work is quite something.

#226> that top image shows both the front and back cover, as book can start from both sides.

#223: Thanks for posting the link to the metafiction video too, Kerry. I enjoyed watching it.

Okay, I've just done a massive catch-up, and the TBR list has grown considerably. I'm embarrassed to say that I had missed this whole thread.

I just got notification that Catching Fire has come in for me at the library (though of course I'm out of town for the weekend), and I figure if it's good enough then I'll just buy Mockingjay, since Amazon is offering such a good discount.

Hudson's book has such a lovely cover!! And those frolicking sheep are one of the cutest things I've seen in a long time. Thx.

I haven't watched the video yet, but I've just put another book by Jeannie Hudson (Where the Forest Meets the Sea - it was only 6 Euros!) into my Book Depository shopping cart. Thanks, all her books look great.

#227 That puts my waiting list problems into perspective!

229> Stasia - I really enjoyed it too and now have a list of picturebooks I want to check out.

230> Zoe - my apologies for adding to your TBR list, one of the pitfalls of visiting threads. I'm about halfway through Mockingjay and loving it.

231> Susan - the lambs are so sweet, we can hear them calling to each other all through the night, it's a very comforting sound.

232> Cushla - Where the Forest meets the sea is stunning - there is a short film clip for it on her website

233> Heather - I just have to be patient at least I've read all the others.Hunger Games is the sort of book that readers fly through so hopefully your dilemma will work out.

141) Where the mountain meets the moon by Grace Lin (2009)
children's fantasy

Loved loved loved this one. I was interested to read this as it won the 2010 Mythopoeic Fantasy Award for Children's Literature ahead of Malinda Lo's Ash which I read back in July and I have to say it is a worthy winner. This was written for a younger age group than Ash was, and has all the hallmarks of becoming a classic. Referenced by the traditional Chinese folktales Lin read in her childhood, this is an adorable, enchanting story about Minli, a resourceful young girl, who goes on a journey to find the Old Man of the Moon to ask how she can change her family's fortune. Especially delightful throughout the book are the tales told by various characters to Minli, starting with her favourite night time story told by her father.
The book is beautifully illustrated by Lin.

#235: Jenn (nittnutt) also loved that one. My local library has a copy, so I will have to get to it soon!

And I missed one book from a few weeks ago:

142) The Pasta Detectives by Andreas Steinhöfel (2008 German ed)(2010 Eng)
children's fiction
This is the first of three books about Rico and Oscar to be translated into English. Meet Rico, he’s a ‘proditty’, "a bit like being a child prodigy, but also like the opposite". He thinks a lot but not so quickly. His new friend Oscar is a child prodigy and can solve problems very fast. Together they manage to solve the biggest child kidnapping case Berlin has see in many years. Steinhöfel’s unlikely hero, Rico, is a very endearing character. He’s resourceful and brave, determined to overcome his constant confusion.
I enjoyed this, Rico is an unusual character because his thinking works in such a different way. I wanted to read more by Steinhöfel after finishing his YA novel Centre of my World.

#237: The Pasta Detectives is not available to me, but Centre of My World is available for the Nook, so I will check into that one. Thanks, Kerry.

Centre of my world was sumptious and the Grace Lin book won't disappoint.What a great cover too!

I agree completely about the cover of the Lin book!

A Q & A that's doing the rounds:

1. The last book you gave five-stars to: Where the mountain meets the moon
2. The last book you were unable to finish: Death at La Fenice
3. The last book you bought: Down the Garden Path by Beverley Nichols
4. The last book that made you cry: The Boy with the Cuckoo Clock Heart sort of
5. The last book you borrowed: Death of a Dutchman
6. The last book you received as a gift: Tales of the ten Lost Tribes from an Israeli bookfriend
7. The last book you found disturbing: The Lacuna - the politics
8. The last book you read that made you laugh:Rounding the Mark by Andrea Camilleri
9. The last book you really felt you got lost in (the good kind of lost): Silverhorse and went straight into the sequel Midnight
10. The last book you reread: I hardly ever reread but a couple of years ago I reread Genesis by Bernard Beckett

I had fun with that one too. I think I could be perfectly happy doing nothing but filling out book quizzes all day long :)

>213 avatiakh:: Suddenly in the depths of the forest sounds interesting...I really like modern fables and fairy tales.

Mockingjay...everyone is talking about this book. I know it was a big giveaway on LT but is this series really that good?

Tad - the Amos Oz book is enchanting, the ending was just openended or something. I've taken the book back to the library or I would reread the last chapter or so. It is a slim little edition. Have you looked at the Canongate Myth series?

I think The Hunger Games books simply deliver a good exciting story.

>244 avatiakh:: Kerry, I've read The Penelopiad and have Baba Yaga Laid an Egg sitting here on the pile. That's it so far.

I've seen The Pasta Detectives at my local bookshop (in English) - might buy it for our son.

Most of my answeres for that quiz would have the same answer!

245> Tad: I'm reading Baba Yaga laid an egg sometime this month for one of the TIOLI challenges. I picked up Dream Angus at the library today and might read that too.

246> Cushla - it was a bestseller in Germany. I liked it, but I think I'd also consider Emil and the detectives though it's been so long since I read this, I just remember as a child being totally besotted with this story.

>248 avatiakh:: It will be interesting to see what we think about Baba Yaga.

Emil and the Detectives—it was a childhood favorite that I haven't thought of in a long while!

Tim read Emil and the Detectives to F earlier this year and he loved it! I think I read it when I was little too, but I wasn't crazy about it.

Kerry, your thread is dangerous! Where the Mountain Meets the Moon has gone on the wishlist and I'm seriously tempted by the Canongate series.

Heather - the Canongate series has all gone on to my Mt TBR!!
Where the mountain meets the moon is definitely a children's book (8+), that will be enjoyed by adults and loved by children. I found it totally enchanting.

Keeerrryyy...oh Keeerrryyy...this is the New Thread Siren...join me, Kerry...in New Thread Land....

I saw that Richard's was the last post... had a feeling it would say what it does LOL

My new thread is here: http://www.librarything.com/topic/98177