BOOK: The Bone People by Keri Hulme

1985 Booker Prize Winner




The Awards Challenge began July 1, and this was my first read. I hope all the books will be this good. It wasn't an easy read, with characters like Kerewin, Joe, and Simon and their somewhat unorthodox relationship. In addition, the prose was unique and could be difficult, but for some reason, I easily let myself go and floated along on the lyrical, magical words. I quickly understood who was thinking or speaking in the unusual style of Hulme's writing. The Maori words and phrases list at the back also helped, but didn't need to look that often as the meaning was usually clear.
Joe is a widower and foster parent to Simon, a mute child with severe behaviour problems. They suddenly enter Kerewin's life and Tower home which is all the more amazing as she is an artist and hermit, happily miserable in her own world. This unusual threesome quickly bond, but it is a difficult relationship as all three seem used to pushing people away. It is a difficult life to read, with much violence and drinking.
Overall, I really liked the book. The writing especially carried me along, and even when the book became mystical and, to me, vague, I still was able to feel connected to the story. A line I particularly liked was

A hook to his jaw and a hook in his thumb and a kind of hook in my heart, by God

And while I can't say the characters were terribly likeable - there were mean streaks in each of them, I still rooted for the three of them together. There was about much Maori legends and the New Zealand setting was powerful. Hulme does a great job of bringing the reader to her land and her Maori culture. This was a book unlike any other I've read.

Here's the wikipedia link with some great info; I didn't see all the parallels to Christianity when I read the novel, but the information might be spoilerish if you haven't read the book yet.

BOOK: Alentejo Blue by Monica Ali

I just spent a lovely week in the Alentejo region of Portugal, living among the locals, as well as with a few British tourists, and a few ex-pat Brits as well. Each person I met told me a little about their life, but it's funny how they see each other. It is so easy to label someone as 'trouble', or 'know-it-all' or 'nosy' based on a few characteristics. Once you meet the person, and realize why they are, or are not, the way they are, it all changes. As Joao, an old wise man of the village said, "There's more than one way to look at it."
I stayed until the fall festival occurred. At the same time, Marco, a cousin and former resident returned home, successfully from abroad. It was a great festival, lots of food and music, but everyone was there and there were some personality fireworks. Some people stayed, some people left, and then, life continued.

BOOK: Zlata's Diary by Zlata Filipovic

Zlata's Diary: A Child's Life in Sarajevo was my fourth book in the Nonfiction Five Challenge. I originally planned to read one nonfiction a month, but I got crazy in June and read three. This was a children's book and a quick read, but it certainly was powerful, making me appreciate the peaceful atmosphere we live in. It's one thing to live in fear of terrorists, but to live in a war zone is quite a different matter all together.
Zlata was eleven when she began writing in her diary. Soon after, was broke out in Sarajevo. The entries in her diary change from homework, music and friends, to cities being bombed, no water or electricity, and keeping track of family and friends as they flee or are killed. Even visiting relatives across town is dangerous due to the snipers and bombing. The entries continue for two years as Sarajevo is destroyed and Zlata's life becomes smaller and smaller. Nothing to do, nothing to eat, nowhere to go.

As a book, this was OK. Written by an eleven year old, telling about her life, it was rather repetitive. However, the book is still very powerful in giving an insider and child's view of living through a war zone. Not pretty. She is compared to Anne Frank, and she herself talks about being like Anne so from the beginning there is an awareness of writing about war. About three quarters of the way through, her diary began to be published, and I found it so strange that the journalists would come to interview her, bring her some food and then leave. Zlata and her family were left to listen to the bombs and try to find food, water and heat. Eventually, Zlata's family was removed from Sarajevo and the war did eventually end. I know Canadian peace keepers spent a while in Sarajevo and I would like to read more about what happened there. The Serbs, Croats and Muslims were fighting, killing each other and this is where Slobodan Milosovic (almost convicted of war crimes) spread his good cheer. So much to learn about. This nonfiction challenge is just adding to my reading list.

BOOK: The Translator by Leila Aboulela

The Translator is a simple love story, about finding faith and about the life of an exile. Sammar is a Sudanese widow living and translating in Scotland. She begins coming out of a four year mourning period due to the attention of Rae, an expert on Islam and the Middle East. Sammar has been, I hesitate to say living, but going through the motions in Scotland while her aunt/mother-in-law raises her son in Sudan. Rae begins to bring her back to life and Sammar begins to come alive. Her faith in Islam is a stumbling block and the book details her awakening as she returns to Sudan, but she doesn't fit in there either.

I felt so much sympathy for Sammar as she tries to fit in everywhere - she never fit in to Scotland, and her return to Sudan is rough as they see her as an outsider. The writing was lovely and the two countries are wonderfully described. This is a gentle story, more of a character study, but the settings are important too. I prefer a little more story, less lyrical writing, but I enjoyed the book each time I picked it up, and I really enjoyed Sammar and would have liked to know her. She was a strong woman, but her life is so different from mine, in so many respects. I would like to read more about Islam and I enjoyed how her faith guided all her decisions.

BOOK: The Swallows of Kabul by Yasmina Khadra

I picked this little book up at the library. It was very depressing, but nicely written. The setting of Kabul, Afghanistan during the Taliban reign which is not a nice time or place to be. The story is slight, following two couples as they struggle to survive and deal with their life, especially the women. This is a city where the Taliban have a woman stoned to death in the street for being a prostitute. The story is really about Kabul, and its character and ruin dominate the novel. This was once a beautiful city, full of life and now it is a pile of rubble. The characters were often describing how dishelveled the city had become, and this mirrored their descents into depression as well.

The more I read about Afghanistan and how the Taliban changed life there, the easier it is to understand why our Canadian soldiers are over there, fighting for the Afghan people. The misogyny under the guise of Islam extremists scares me. The female character in this book had been university educated and working before, and then could not leave the house except in a burqa, could not touch her husband on the street, and had absolutely no rights. Sad story, but moving and enlightening.

BOOK: Half of a Yellow Sun by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

I read several reviews over at NYT Notable Books for this book and it did not disappoint. This book has been short listed for the Orange Prize and I am very glad to see that, unlike other award winning literature I've tried to read, this book was extremely readable. Adichie has created characters and a setting that was very easy to be immersed in. And that isn't necessarily a good thing, as Nigeria circa 1967 was involved in a bloody civil war and that is never good for anybody.

To witness the descent that Olanna, her twin Kainene, Olanna's husband Odenigbo, the houseboy Ugwe and Kainene's partner Richard fall into is scary and disturbing. From a comfortable middle class, university life to barely surviving in refuge camps, this novel shows how devastating and quickly war can change everybody's lives. People have to do whatever they can to survive. It was a great reminder that when we see refuge camps on television, each person there had a home, a life, a job before they were displaced. I was thinking about Nigeria while I read this, but also Dar fur, Rwanda, Somalia, Afghanistan and these places we see from a distance. And it is so upsetting.
This novel reminded me of several other books: the opening part of the book, before the war started was much like Reef, with the houseboy fitting into a middle class household, with an academic life; and the spirit of the characters reminded me of A Fine Balance by Rohinton Mistry, a novel somewhat about attitude and dealing with what life throws at you. And you can never believe how awful things get for the characters and how they keep surviving.

To summarize, Half of a Yellow Sun was an excellent book, although the material was disturbing since it details the atrocities civilians and soldiers have to deal with during a civil war. The writing and the characters were enjoyable and I'd like to read the other book by Adichie, Purple Hibiscus.

BOOK: Reef by Gumesh Gunesekera

The tumultuous history of Sri Lanka, formerly Ceylon, is the backdrop to the story of Triton, a young houseboy. The novel begins in the present day England, where Triton meets a new refugee from Sri Lanka, and as he tells the clerk that he has been in England for twenty years, the story shifts back to him as an eleven year old, arriving to work as a houseboy, to Mr Salgado, a privelged member of society. Salgado is a marine biologist studying the reefs off the coast, and the symbol of the reef, possibly destroyed with the slightest change in the environment, parallels the change due to unrest in the country.

The novel, short listed for the Booker, is also about cooking and food, as Triton is eventually the cook and chief bottlewasher in the household. Meals are wonderfully described, and I want a new cookbook to try some of the dishes, seafood and curries and limes. The prose is easy to read, and there is probably some wonderful imagery and mood, that I absorb but couldn't exactly put into words, I just know that I liked it. I would like to read Gunesekera's first collection of short stories about Sri Lanka, Monkfish Moon. And wasn't that the point of the Reading Across Borders Challenge? To discover new authors and perspectives.

BOOK: The Baron in the Trees by Italo Calvino

"I too have lived many years for ideals which I would never be able to explain to myself; but I do something entirely good. I live on trees."

This was an interesting book. I borrowed it from the library, looking for an Italian book, and even though I'd already read The Shape of Water, I find it really difficult to not read a library book, especially with a due date looming. It's the story of a Baron in late 1700s Italy who decides to live in the trees, never touching the ground again. It was a cute story, easy to read, and just follows the life of the Baron from age 12 when he goes up until he dies, some fifty years later.

The point of view is from the younger brother, and this caused some problems for me. Because he is just observing, we never get a feel for the Baron's feelings, or rationale for living as he does. There must have been a reason, and I know that the 'age of reason' and Voltaire had something to do with it. ( The Baron read a lot of philosophy and corresponded with great minds of the late 18th century) I just never felt, for example, that the great romance between the Baron and Viola was fully developed, because it was just observed. As well, the brother has to put his judgement on situations and I never felt like I understood the Baron at all.

"Rambunctous and impetuous youth led Cosimo into the trees (he was only twelve when he took to the branches), but his ideals, once established, kept him there the rest of his life. All of us make descions in our youth that we either follow through with or abandon. Cosimo never abandoned his decision, for good or ill."

The purpose of the Reading Across Borders was to expand perspective and read different books, which for me means not North American novels or British mysteries. I certainly feel that I am accomplishing this, and the fact that I liked this book, even thoughit smacks of real literature and I still enjoyed it, means my horizons are being broadened. But I'm not ready to climb up some trees.

BOOK: The Stranger by Albert Camus

The Stranger, published in the 1940s, was my entry for the 15 books/15 decades challenge. And it is also a French book for the Reading Across Borders Challenge, as it is translated from the French by Stuart Gilbert. I requested this book from the library since it was in storage. And it was really cool, because it was a really old, hardcover book, with a hint of mustiness odor. And the card in the back was first stamped March 24, 1959, almost exactly 48 years ago.

For the first time, I looked up the Sparks notes as I read a book. I'm glad I did, because the themes that are explored, and the symbolism, were much easier to understand. Camus wrote the book with the "absurdist idea that the universe is indifferent to human affairs and that life lacks rational order and meaning." I found the book enjoyable, reading it along with the analysis, because I usually just enjoy plot and characters, and this book had much more. The absurdist philosophy and the irony of the story were explained in a way I would never see myself.

The story is simple; the narrator, Meursault, has just discovered his mother has died. This sets the premise of his indifference to people, as he barely reacts, and his interactions and lack of feeling with other characters. He continues to live, gets a girlfriend, and yet he has friends, even with his lack of empathy. Eventually, a crisis happens that I don't want to give away and the rest is Meursault's observations of life around him.

I liked the story, and liked reading it, with the analysis. The narrative was very detached, since Meursault didn't make judgments on people or situations, just observations. Classic story, and set in Algiers, a colony of France. Kills two birds (challenges) with one read.

BOOK: The Shape of Water by Andrea Camilleri

The First Inspector Montalbano Mystery
a novel of food, wine and homicide in small-town Sicily

I picked up another book by Camilleri (The Voice of the Violin) on the $5 table at Indigos and took it with me on my trip to Italy last summer. It was a great read - cranky Inspector Montalbano, twisty mystery and of course the setting. I love to find a good mystery series that has several other books already written; it makes going to the library easier. This book will be for the Reading Across Borders Challenge as well, but I'll probably get another of these, so I'm not really expanding my reading by settling into a series. However, I greatly enjoy the setting of Sicily and the politics of Italian bureaucracy as well as the mystery.
Montalbano is a flawed main character; he goes outside the law if he feels he needs to, he has little patience for many of his colleagues, his love life is complicated and he is quite selfish. But, he is also very loyal to his friends, reads people well, and is very smart at solving mysteries.
My view of Italy as a place where there are many layers of government and trying to get things done without red tape is difficult has not been altered by these books. Montalbano has to go through many people while solving a case and it is difficult to keep track, as we wouldn't have the corresponding bureaucracy. But that is part of the fun as Montalbano has to go around certain people to accomplish things.
Great read; bring on more Salvo Montalbano.

BOOK: On the Water by H.M. van den Brink

Quiet little story, set in Holland at the end of the World War II about a young boy, Anton, and his maturing and learning about himself. He is remembering a summer from five years previous, a summer where he and another boy, David, were rowing on the river and forming a friendship. Anton is from a lower class family, afraid to dream, to be happy, to dare to be. His partner is a more affluent, assured Jewish David has everything, and of course in 1939 Holland, will lose everything. But the story is very quiet, very descriptive and, with history that the reader knows as the backdrop, only focuses on that summer as they work together and become a great team of rowers.
It wasn't the easiest story to get into, and I found it hard to start. However, by the end, and it was only 130 pages, I was engrossed in the final race for the championship, as Anton is waiting for the liberation in 1945. His naivite and unawareness of much beyond his own house makes it easy to see how some things could have happened in Europe during the war.
The point of this challenge was to expose myself to different cultures and stories. I'm glad I read this, although it was a little arty, and it is hard to know how much the translation affects the mood and story.

BOOK: Ignorance by Milan Kundera

I read this book for my Reading Across Borders Challenge. Ignorance is set in France and Czech and written by Milan Kundera, who also wrote The Unbearable Lightness of Being. This was my first book of his and I quite enjoyed it.

Following the story of Odyssey, Ignorance follows the return of two people to their Czech homeland after the fall of Communism. I thought it could have been called Memory or Nostalgia because he delves into those themes and I liked that aspect of the story better.

From the cover: We always believe that our memories coincide with those of the person we loved, that we experienced the same thing. But this is just an illusion. [Memory] records only "an insignificant , miniscule particle" of the past "and no one knows why it's this bit and not any other bit." I've been thinking about this lately, how in a family we all have different memories, but we think everyone remembers the same incident or event the same. But we each bring our own perspective to our memory.

I really enjoyed the book, the snippets of life he showed that I identified with, and the larger themes of memory, ignorance, and family he tackled. The story was told in third person, but the third person interupted now and then to comment, or add an aside (a mystery: how is it that women not listening to one another can laugh at what the others are saying?). I would certainly be interested in reading other books by Kundera

CHALLENGE: Reading Across Borders Challenge

I started this challenge a month or so ago. The Challenge is to read books from outside your geographical comfort zone, or books that have been translated. I'm cheating a bit, because I read a few last year that would count, so unless otherwise noted, all books are read in 2007.

Afghanistan: The Kite Runner - Khaled Hosseini (2005)
The Swallows of Kabul - Yasmina Khadra

Southern Italy: The Shape of Water - Andrea Camilleri (translated by Stephen Sartarelli)

Nothern Italy: The Baron in the Trees - Italo Calvino ( translated by Archibald Colquhoun)

Turkey: Istanbul: Memories and the City - Orhan Pamuk
Other Colors - Orhan Pamuk

Spain: The Shadow of the Wind - Carlos Ruiz Zafon (2006)

Germany: Night - Elie Weisel

Mexico: Pedro Paramo - Juan Rulfo

Czech : Ignorance - Milan Kundera

Holland : On the Water - HM van den Brink

France: The Stranger - Albert Camus

Sri Lanka: Reef - Romesh Gunesekera

Nigeria: Half of a Yellow Sun - Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

Sudan: The Translator - Leila Aboulela

Australia: I Am the Messenger - Markus Zukas

Bosnia-Hercegovinia: Zlata's Diary

England: Arthur & George - Julian Barnes

India: The God of Small Things - Arundhati Roy

New Zealand: The Bone People - Keri Hulme

Portugal: Alentejo Blue - Monica Ali

Sweden: The Princess of Burundi - Kjell Eriksson




I have a big list picked out at the library to request. ( I just searched 'translated' ) This will be an ongoing challenge, with no preset number of books. Just as I read them, I'm adding them to the list. I didn't officially join; this is just for me.

EDIT: I am expanding this challenge, to be "Around the World in 80 Countries". I think I can find 80 countries toread about. I'll keep my running total and future plans at raidergirl3 blog on my dashboard.

BOOK: Pedro Paramo by Juan Rulfo

I decided to try to read books for a Reading Across Borders Challenge - books outside your usual comfort zone or geographical zone of reading. I've read a few in the last year or so anyway and I've really enjoyed them. Books such as Shadow in the Wind, The Kite Runner, and Istanbul were excellent stories.

When will I learn to stay away from books described as 'great literature' ? Pedro Paramo was, different. I could be flip and say there were too many pronouns and I couldn't figure out who anyone was. The story is told in the past and present, in first and third person, interchangably. There is a dead town, inhabited by ghosts telling their story, and the same people, maybe, are telling a story from the past. I could understand some parts, but it was like grabbing a wisp of smoke because I could almost see it or understand, but then I would lose it. I think I could follow parts of the story another time, but it took a lot of effort, and I don't like to put that much effort into a story.

To summarize, I just didn't get it. It was short (120 pages) so I didn't mind investing the time to finish it, but I guess I needed the Cliff notes to understand the plot and imagery. I like the setting in a small village in Mexico and some of the story and characters. But I needed more details.