A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini (2007)
Read: September 2010
You can't get away from the front-cover statement that this is by the same author as Kite Runner. Everyone raves about the book, so we pick this one up (found it about a year ago, but only just added it to the book shelf).
It sounds a silly thing, but the feel of this book is that it's going to be an easier read than some of the arabic translations I've read. It's a larger page, relaxed cover and not the smallest font size known to man(!) This sort of thing does make a difference when reading a hard text, and some of the translations can be quite wordy. But this isn't actually a translation; it was written in English, so I feel it's very mich directed towards the Western world and giving them an insight; dispelling myths or calling for help I'm not sure.
The book is set in Afghanistan and the narrative follows at first a small girl, but as she is in her teens, the narrative slips into that of the young girl down the road and gradually their stories come together. This narrative device is good and gives a fuller story as it allows both women to show their frustration in their sitaution, even though it takes them longer to convey and share this frustration to eachother.
At first the situation that Hosseini describes is one that I take hope from; a story of a girl abadoned is one that could be taking place in any country. It says to me that religion and political situation don't matter and we are united in the feelings of hope in humanity. But culture and religion does then dictate the next step in the story as Mariam is married off as a young teenager and taken away from any connection she has with people. Here I really felt isolation and frustration for her situation as she is inhibited by her husband from living any sort of life and expression. She becomes functional and only performs routine.
As the narrative changes, so does Mariam, she is no longer the only woman and now has to compete for attention that she doesn't want and alter a routine and life that she doesn't enjoy. This section was a difficult read for me, as I could feel both women's frustrations with the other, their need to stake their territory, but also their terrible isolation. It is with relief that they overcome their divisions and unite, because together they are stronger.
Despite my initial skepticism of the books author, purpose and message I did feel that the story and writing conveyed a perspective that people outside this culture wouldn't otherwise see and should. How prevelent this as an exepereince is I still cannot comment on, but I feel that it is a story that should be read for us to begin to understand something about some women's experiences.
Wednesday, 15 September 2010
Saturday, 11 September 2010
The Eyre Affair by Jasper Fforde
The Eyre Affair by Jasper Fforde (2001)
Read: September 2010
Our Eid holiday at the beach means I can get through a good few books and this is next on the list. We found this in a charity shop this summer and we'd never heard of the book or author before but the write up on the back looked good. It reminded me of the blurb for Aberystwyth Mon Amore so we thought we'd give it a go.
And it is sort of like Aberystwth Mon Amore, except instead of tongue-in-cheek crime it's crimes against literature. In this parallel universe of the 1980's everyone is literature obsessed and the story shows us that you can actually get inside a good book.
It's a very entertaining novel - and I don't always enjoy my fiction, but this really takes me. I think it's because I have to think about it; trying to remember the story of Jane Eyre and other classics helps understanding where the plot is going, but I' also engaged by figuring out how this parallel world works; Special Ops, Tuesday Next etc.
I've just seen that Fforde now has a series of Tuesday Next novels, so I'll def keep my eye out for them when back in the UK. Scotty hasn't read this yet - coz it's already been lent out!!
Read: September 2010
Our Eid holiday at the beach means I can get through a good few books and this is next on the list. We found this in a charity shop this summer and we'd never heard of the book or author before but the write up on the back looked good. It reminded me of the blurb for Aberystwyth Mon Amore so we thought we'd give it a go.
And it is sort of like Aberystwth Mon Amore, except instead of tongue-in-cheek crime it's crimes against literature. In this parallel universe of the 1980's everyone is literature obsessed and the story shows us that you can actually get inside a good book.
It's a very entertaining novel - and I don't always enjoy my fiction, but this really takes me. I think it's because I have to think about it; trying to remember the story of Jane Eyre and other classics helps understanding where the plot is going, but I' also engaged by figuring out how this parallel world works; Special Ops, Tuesday Next etc.
I've just seen that Fforde now has a series of Tuesday Next novels, so I'll def keep my eye out for them when back in the UK. Scotty hasn't read this yet - coz it's already been lent out!!
Friday, 10 September 2010
The Saladin Murders by Matt Rees
The Saladin Murders by Matt Rees (2008)
Read: September 2010
This is the second book in Matt Rees' Omar Yussef novels and I couldn't wait to get hold of it this summer. I'd now got all four in the series, but saved them until back from America and Canada and am still trying to space them out in my reading pattern.
This book follows on from the first book, but some time has elapsed for Abu Ramiz. He is still teaching, but is now an inspected and travelling into Gaza with a UN official to inspect a school there. He isn't actively looking to turn detective, but finds himself doing when a colleague is missing. Omar Yussef uses his position as a Palestinian (his other colleagues are American and Scottish) to delve into the intricacies of police, power and politics to find his colleagues.
Again what I love about these novels is the insight that I feel I get into everyday Arab life and the politics for the everyday people in the region. Seeing who he called "ustaz" and when, seeing who refers to him as Abu Ramiz (father of Ramiz) and when. Omar Yussef is away from his wife as he is on this case, and he starts to show failings as he is attracted to one of the women in the book. But I think this is more that he is missing his wife and she reminds him of her, rather than actively looking for another woman to think about.
In the second half of the book they travel to a Commonwealth War Grave. The description really matches my experience here in Egypt, having visited that in Heliopolis and in El Alamain; a haven of green in a sea of grey.
Read: September 2010
This is the second book in Matt Rees' Omar Yussef novels and I couldn't wait to get hold of it this summer. I'd now got all four in the series, but saved them until back from America and Canada and am still trying to space them out in my reading pattern.
This book follows on from the first book, but some time has elapsed for Abu Ramiz. He is still teaching, but is now an inspected and travelling into Gaza with a UN official to inspect a school there. He isn't actively looking to turn detective, but finds himself doing when a colleague is missing. Omar Yussef uses his position as a Palestinian (his other colleagues are American and Scottish) to delve into the intricacies of police, power and politics to find his colleagues.
Again what I love about these novels is the insight that I feel I get into everyday Arab life and the politics for the everyday people in the region. Seeing who he called "ustaz" and when, seeing who refers to him as Abu Ramiz (father of Ramiz) and when. Omar Yussef is away from his wife as he is on this case, and he starts to show failings as he is attracted to one of the women in the book. But I think this is more that he is missing his wife and she reminds him of her, rather than actively looking for another woman to think about.
In the second half of the book they travel to a Commonwealth War Grave. The description really matches my experience here in Egypt, having visited that in Heliopolis and in El Alamain; a haven of green in a sea of grey.
Thursday, 9 September 2010
The Weekenders: Travels in the heart of Africa
The Weekenders: Travels in the heart of Africa (2001)
Read: August - September 2010
We found this book in Buxton's biggest bookstore - it's on Brierlow Bar as you leave Buxton on the Ashbourne Road. We've passed it a million times, but this was my first visit. We spent longer than planned in here, just browsing the titles, finding books that we liked the look of, then convincing ourselves that we don't really need them and putting them back on the shelves (we ended up bringing 20 books back from the UK this summer!)
This is a compilation of stories written for the Daily Telegraph to raise awareness about the situation in Sudan. The Telegraph took a group of writers to Sudan to inspire them to write a short story and these were published weekly in paper. The writers are very diverse, as our their approaches to the task; Irving Welsh, then Tony Hawkes, Alex Garland and then WF Deedes.
I do like Tony Hawkes' contribution. Maybe because I already like his writing style and non-fiction, reality approach in general. He's brought his guitar to Sudan and plans a collaborative music project. Great idea! Except first he has to convince their guide to take them to places where people hang out, like bars, rather than on a strict itinerary route. This happens and they try the local brew with the locals - my kind of holiday! Before his mission has really started Tony is struck down by the (Nubian) Pharaoh's Revenge and he suffers for the rest of the trip. It's kind of reassuring, as when Rory Stewart was struck down on his journey, that other people get sick like we do!
I enjoy the other short stories too, but get myself a little stuck as I'm not used to reading short stories in quick succession and so find myself needing to turn back a few pages to check the narrative of the one I'm reading and that I'm not getting confused between separate entries! They cover issues of politics, culture and fighting for survival. The messages are the help is needed from outside, but that the help received from outside isn't always what's needed.
I think this book does achieve what it sets out to do, by raising awareness of the culture in Sudan, and importantly the political situation there that needs understanding to begin resolving.
Read: August - September 2010
We found this book in Buxton's biggest bookstore - it's on Brierlow Bar as you leave Buxton on the Ashbourne Road. We've passed it a million times, but this was my first visit. We spent longer than planned in here, just browsing the titles, finding books that we liked the look of, then convincing ourselves that we don't really need them and putting them back on the shelves (we ended up bringing 20 books back from the UK this summer!)
This is a compilation of stories written for the Daily Telegraph to raise awareness about the situation in Sudan. The Telegraph took a group of writers to Sudan to inspire them to write a short story and these were published weekly in paper. The writers are very diverse, as our their approaches to the task; Irving Welsh, then Tony Hawkes, Alex Garland and then WF Deedes.
I do like Tony Hawkes' contribution. Maybe because I already like his writing style and non-fiction, reality approach in general. He's brought his guitar to Sudan and plans a collaborative music project. Great idea! Except first he has to convince their guide to take them to places where people hang out, like bars, rather than on a strict itinerary route. This happens and they try the local brew with the locals - my kind of holiday! Before his mission has really started Tony is struck down by the (Nubian) Pharaoh's Revenge and he suffers for the rest of the trip. It's kind of reassuring, as when Rory Stewart was struck down on his journey, that other people get sick like we do!
I enjoy the other short stories too, but get myself a little stuck as I'm not used to reading short stories in quick succession and so find myself needing to turn back a few pages to check the narrative of the one I'm reading and that I'm not getting confused between separate entries! They cover issues of politics, culture and fighting for survival. The messages are the help is needed from outside, but that the help received from outside isn't always what's needed.
I think this book does achieve what it sets out to do, by raising awareness of the culture in Sudan, and importantly the political situation there that needs understanding to begin resolving.
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