Salmon Fishing in the Yemen by Paul Torday, is, surprisingly, about just what it says in the title. The improbable story is revealed in a lively mixture of letters, diary entries, emails and interviews.
A fabulously rich Yemeni sheikh, who is a passionate fisherman, believes he can promote international understanding by introducing his countrymen to the sport of angling. A British government research scientist is persuaded to take the idea forward, in unlikely alliance with spin-doctors and property agents. Torday uses enough credible information about the workings of diplomacy, the civil service, and fisheries research to plot what follows, but he does it with a light touch, all in the interests of the unfolding drama.
The book mixes farce and bitter satire in a refreshing way, and as all the main characters’ lives are affected by the project, it also includes satisfying elements of thriller, romance and travelogue with a poignant spiritual dimension.
Friday, 16 November 2007
Divided City by Theresa Breslin
This book tells the story of two teenage boys - one Catholic, one Protestant - who become friends when they play on the same football team, even though they support opposing teams themselves. The author has given a good insight into how sectarianism and its accompanying bias is often passed down through generations - unfortunately it remains a significant problem in Glasgow.
My major problem with this book was the language attributed to the two teenage boys. The author couldn't seem to decide whether they should use phonetic slang or proper English, and the resulting mixture of both did not help the credibility of the characters. One had a parent with a PhD and the other had a lawyer and a dentist for parents - I wasn't convinced that either child would speak in Scottish slang, or that they would use words like lavatory.
The thread about Kyoul, the asylum seeker that both boys try to help, could have been developed more I think. He was little more than a plot device. And while the overall sentiment of the book is admirable (one city, many cultures or whatever), it does seem a bit trite at the end. My own feeling is that the characters just didn't ring true, though many other parts of the book did.
It's an important first however, and I hope that the topic continues to be explored - but it needs to be in a way that is credible to teenagers.
My major problem with this book was the language attributed to the two teenage boys. The author couldn't seem to decide whether they should use phonetic slang or proper English, and the resulting mixture of both did not help the credibility of the characters. One had a parent with a PhD and the other had a lawyer and a dentist for parents - I wasn't convinced that either child would speak in Scottish slang, or that they would use words like lavatory.
The thread about Kyoul, the asylum seeker that both boys try to help, could have been developed more I think. He was little more than a plot device. And while the overall sentiment of the book is admirable (one city, many cultures or whatever), it does seem a bit trite at the end. My own feeling is that the characters just didn't ring true, though many other parts of the book did.
It's an important first however, and I hope that the topic continues to be explored - but it needs to be in a way that is credible to teenagers.
The Book With No Name by Anonymous
Sometimes you read a book that would make a fantastic film, and in this case I wondered whether The Book With No Name had actually been written with a film adaptation in mind all along.
The setting is Santa Mondega, a small town where all strangers are viewed with extreme suspicion, and life revolves around a couple of rough lowlife bars - mainly the Tapioca, which is run by the cowardly Sanchez. Totally reminded me of the bar in From Dusk Till Dawn, or the one in El Mariachi. Five years ago, the Tapioca was the scene of a brutal mass murder, reputed to have been carried out by the mysterious Bourbon Kid, and of which Sanchez was the only survivor (thanks to his habit of cowering behind the bar whenever trouble crops up).
Now, all the signs indicate that the Bourbon Kid may be back in town. Strangers are arriving and asking questions, and there's going to be an eclipse soon. And everyone seems to be VERY interested in a blue stone called the Eye of the Moon. There are Peto and Kyle, the Habal monks who have been sent on a quest to retrieve the stone, and then there's paranormal detective Jensen, who's been assigned to Santa Mondega to investigate some particularly gruesome murders, that may or may not be linked to the Bourbon Kid.
The book abounds with bounty hunters, murderers, thieves, and a beautiful woman or two, and is written in a deadpan way that reminded me of Lemony Snicket (if anyone has a theory on the author, please share!). And finally, of course, there is the Book With No Name. Anyone who reads the book (and they've all checked it out of the Santa Mondega public library from a particularly nasty librarian called Ulrika) is found dead soon after.
This is a real page-turner, with plenty of colourful characters to keep you entertained, and plenty of questions to be answered. On the day of the Lunar Eclipse, everyone in town is in fancy dress, which leads to some very amusing scenes, and it is this mixture of humour and violence and a good mystery plot that kept me reading. Oh, and so far I haven't died yet.
The setting is Santa Mondega, a small town where all strangers are viewed with extreme suspicion, and life revolves around a couple of rough lowlife bars - mainly the Tapioca, which is run by the cowardly Sanchez. Totally reminded me of the bar in From Dusk Till Dawn, or the one in El Mariachi. Five years ago, the Tapioca was the scene of a brutal mass murder, reputed to have been carried out by the mysterious Bourbon Kid, and of which Sanchez was the only survivor (thanks to his habit of cowering behind the bar whenever trouble crops up).
Now, all the signs indicate that the Bourbon Kid may be back in town. Strangers are arriving and asking questions, and there's going to be an eclipse soon. And everyone seems to be VERY interested in a blue stone called the Eye of the Moon. There are Peto and Kyle, the Habal monks who have been sent on a quest to retrieve the stone, and then there's paranormal detective Jensen, who's been assigned to Santa Mondega to investigate some particularly gruesome murders, that may or may not be linked to the Bourbon Kid.
The book abounds with bounty hunters, murderers, thieves, and a beautiful woman or two, and is written in a deadpan way that reminded me of Lemony Snicket (if anyone has a theory on the author, please share!). And finally, of course, there is the Book With No Name. Anyone who reads the book (and they've all checked it out of the Santa Mondega public library from a particularly nasty librarian called Ulrika) is found dead soon after.
This is a real page-turner, with plenty of colourful characters to keep you entertained, and plenty of questions to be answered. On the day of the Lunar Eclipse, everyone in town is in fancy dress, which leads to some very amusing scenes, and it is this mixture of humour and violence and a good mystery plot that kept me reading. Oh, and so far I haven't died yet.
The Book of Lost Things by John Connolly
David is a young boy, who after losing his mother, has to cope with his father re-marrying, a new brother and a move to a strange house in the countryside. War has broken out in Europe and eventually David becomes withdrawn from his family and real life. He finds himself retreating into the books his mother used to read to him, filled with fairy stories and tales of myth and legend. Suddenly the mysterious ‘Crooked Man’ appears and David becomes sucked into a strange and unfamiliar land filled with many unusual characters.
If you can get past the somewhat gory descriptions in the book, this is a great read, evocative of real old fashioned story-telling. Familiar tales from childhood take a spin on the original. Snow White and the Seven Dwarves are nothing like you remember from childhood! It reminded me so much of the irrational fears we experience as children. I loved the way the writer completely sucked me into the thoughts, feelings and fears of our hero David, as the young boy copes with grief and new beginnings, and learns to find himself in a world that is changing. There is a great twist near the end of the book, which I won’t divulge but it gives it a more sensitive and humanistic edge. A very entertaining read.
If you can get past the somewhat gory descriptions in the book, this is a great read, evocative of real old fashioned story-telling. Familiar tales from childhood take a spin on the original. Snow White and the Seven Dwarves are nothing like you remember from childhood! It reminded me so much of the irrational fears we experience as children. I loved the way the writer completely sucked me into the thoughts, feelings and fears of our hero David, as the young boy copes with grief and new beginnings, and learns to find himself in a world that is changing. There is a great twist near the end of the book, which I won’t divulge but it gives it a more sensitive and humanistic edge. A very entertaining read.
The Bad Beginning #1 (Series of Unfortunate Events) by Lemony Snicket
Once upon a time, Violet (14), Klaus (12) and Sunny (2-3?) Baudelaire lived with their mother and father in an enormous mansion with an enormous library. However, this being a bad beginning, there follows a series of unfortunate events that changes their happy lives for the worse. The bad things start when the Baudelaire siblings learn that their mother and father have perished in a fire that also burnt their enormous mansion down to the ground. Things get even worse when the executor of their parents estate finds a distant relative - Count Olaf - to take care of them until Violet is old enough to inherit the family fortune. The Baudelaire orphans are soon very unlucky indeed.
I enjoyed reading this a lot. The author has a wicked way with words that is both suitable for younger readers and amusing for we older readers. He also taps into the fear of young children that something might happen to their parents, whom they depend on for everything at that age. This aspect reminded me of the Grimm fairy tales that I used to find upsetting rather than entertaining as a child, and Snicket has some great pantomime baddies. The Baudelaire children are strong and resourceful though, and they understand that reading will give them knowledge (yay!), and that not all adults necessarily know more than them, which is a scary thing to realise when you're wee.
The worst thing about this book was that it was over far too quickly and I haven't yet bought any of the others. It was gone in one sitting, which is good of course, but also bad. I want to know who Beatrice is, and I want to know what happens next. More!
I enjoyed reading this a lot. The author has a wicked way with words that is both suitable for younger readers and amusing for we older readers. He also taps into the fear of young children that something might happen to their parents, whom they depend on for everything at that age. This aspect reminded me of the Grimm fairy tales that I used to find upsetting rather than entertaining as a child, and Snicket has some great pantomime baddies. The Baudelaire children are strong and resourceful though, and they understand that reading will give them knowledge (yay!), and that not all adults necessarily know more than them, which is a scary thing to realise when you're wee.
The worst thing about this book was that it was over far too quickly and I haven't yet bought any of the others. It was gone in one sitting, which is good of course, but also bad. I want to know who Beatrice is, and I want to know what happens next. More!
Be Near Me by Andrew O'Hagan
David Anderton is a connoisseur of fine food, wine and classical music. He attended Ampleforth public school, studied at Oxford University, and lived in Rome. His father died when he was younger, and his mother is a Morningside lady (a well-to-do area in Edinburgh) who writes novels. He is erudite, thoughtful and intelligent. David Anderton is a Catholic priest.
Father David is working in Dalgarnock, a fictitious town in Ayrshire, Scotland. Many of the parishioners are unemployed, having lost their manufacturing jobs as the local factories closed down. He has a comfortable rectory at St John Ogilvie, and is assisted by his housekeeper, Mrs Poole. Part of his role involves working with pupils at the local secondary school, St Andrew's, and it is here that he meets Mark and Lisa, who take an interest in Father David. A strange friendship grows between the three, as they exchange text messages, and start wandering at night, exploring the industrial estates and wastegrounds of Dalgarnock, where there is little for teenagers to do except numb the boredom with whatever mischief and substances they can find.
It soon becomes apparent that Father David's friendship with Mark and Lisa is ill-advised, though he has been too naive to see this. Having spent a life distracted by art and wine and intellectualism (and a little religion), he is not equipped to recognise manipulation, or to consider how others perceive him and his actions (or maybe he just doesn't want to). Much is made in the book about the differences between Father David's life and the lives of his parishioners. The author writes in great detail about the family lives of Mrs Poole, and Mark, as though he has known people like these. It is not that the author is simply using the other characters as a contrast to Father David. While social class could be argued as a factor in the way that the book's events are played out, I didn't believe that this was a book about class.
For me, this is a heartbreaking and wonderful book about loss, regret and mourning of the path not taken. Others have disagreed, but I think that Father David is written as a sympathetic character - naive, but essentially well-meaning. We learn about his student days at Oxford at the height of political activism in the 1960s, his friendship with the 'Marcellists', a group of Proust followers, and about the tragic events which lead him to decide to join the priesthood. The priest chooses faith in God as a safety net against the pain and loss of loving, and it is his gradual realisation of this I think, that makes the book so tragic.
Father David is working in Dalgarnock, a fictitious town in Ayrshire, Scotland. Many of the parishioners are unemployed, having lost their manufacturing jobs as the local factories closed down. He has a comfortable rectory at St John Ogilvie, and is assisted by his housekeeper, Mrs Poole. Part of his role involves working with pupils at the local secondary school, St Andrew's, and it is here that he meets Mark and Lisa, who take an interest in Father David. A strange friendship grows between the three, as they exchange text messages, and start wandering at night, exploring the industrial estates and wastegrounds of Dalgarnock, where there is little for teenagers to do except numb the boredom with whatever mischief and substances they can find.
It soon becomes apparent that Father David's friendship with Mark and Lisa is ill-advised, though he has been too naive to see this. Having spent a life distracted by art and wine and intellectualism (and a little religion), he is not equipped to recognise manipulation, or to consider how others perceive him and his actions (or maybe he just doesn't want to). Much is made in the book about the differences between Father David's life and the lives of his parishioners. The author writes in great detail about the family lives of Mrs Poole, and Mark, as though he has known people like these. It is not that the author is simply using the other characters as a contrast to Father David. While social class could be argued as a factor in the way that the book's events are played out, I didn't believe that this was a book about class.
For me, this is a heartbreaking and wonderful book about loss, regret and mourning of the path not taken. Others have disagreed, but I think that Father David is written as a sympathetic character - naive, but essentially well-meaning. We learn about his student days at Oxford at the height of political activism in the 1960s, his friendship with the 'Marcellists', a group of Proust followers, and about the tragic events which lead him to decide to join the priesthood. The priest chooses faith in God as a safety net against the pain and loss of loving, and it is his gradual realisation of this I think, that makes the book so tragic.
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