Love Medicine - Louise Erdich and Death in Summer - Willam Trevor

Well, I've read two books since writing last. Both very different but really good reads. I don't know what it is at the moment with my book choice but I'm pretty much loving everything that I manage to get my hands on at the moment. (Having said that, I meandering my way begrudgingly through "Psychological Testing and Assessment" at the moment for uni so it's not all good).

It might be that my mother has recently leant me a bag of books of those she's recently read. Isn't that just the best idea? A book bag. Ask me to define manna from heaven- a book bag. Anyway, so far all inside that I've read have been fantastic.

Death in Summer by William Trevor comes from a good friend of mine Elisabeth whose favourite authors are Trevor and Alice Munro. I'm due to receive some Munro today on loan which I'm terribly excited about. (See above reference to "Psychological Testing and Assessment).

Love Medicine was rich and polemic. I swam through it. I was going to say race but that was accurate enough. You can't race because it's just so layered and textured. I'm a fast reader (I think I've said this) and am prone to 'skim'. But again, with this book, I had no inclination to. Erdich manages to evoke these individual and unique characters that form a backdrop scenery to the novel. Her use of voice is remarkable and on top of all of this, the story is multi layered and compelling. All of this and it was her first novel at 29!! Can you believe it? I'd not read her before although "Tracks" was on a reading list I had at uni. I'm interested to read another book by her so if you have any recommendations, let me know.

Death in Summer by William Trevor was quite different. His writing is considered and sparse but beautiful. As I told my friend Elisabeth while I enjoyed it and finished it in about 3 hours, I did find it somewhat bleak. I am keen to read another of his to see if this is his style or if just the particular novel. The characters were more subtle than Erdrich but deft. I enjoyed the descpriptions of and references to gardening thoughout the novel.

True Pleasures: A Memoir of Women in Paris - Lucinda Holdforth

Well I just finished this book - and I mean literally. I've walked from my bed to the computer, which is all of 10 metres and started to type. What a joy!!! I so thoroughly enjoyed this book for so many reasons.

Not only is it well written, it is lively and keeps a good pace. It combines history, intellectual ideas, memoir, feminism, and good narrative. Holdworth provides interesting tidbits about significant women in French hisotry. In particular Parisian history. I should say that the women are not necessarily significant in a political or even an intellectual sense, they are important in the book more so from their capacity to design their own life and lead it with flair, sexual confidence and indulgence and with a thirst for conversation.

There is an interesting discussion of the Parisan woman's fixation with the aesthete. I thought I'd be bored and started to flip the pages. I have no interest in the appreciate of 'nice' things based upon their financial price or weighted label. However, Holdforth manages to introduce another perspective. One that examines such appreciation as one smiliar to art - paintings, drawings, even music.

I was fascinated by Holdforth's account of Nancy Mitford having recently read "Love in a Cold Climate" and "The Blessing". What a laugh; what a woman. She was fun. That sounds like 'nice' but I think it is interesting she was English. She did not (and it would seem, could not) conform and had to move to Paris (France) in order to live as she chose

I was also introduced to Germaine de Stael. And learnt more about Colette. I've not read anything by her but will appreciate the background when I do. Holdforth's account of Coco Chanel and her entry (and re entry) into fashion was also of interest.

I must admit that I was touched by the book because it allowed me to fly away from my smaller life as a new mother in inner Sydney and dream of living life in Paris as a woman, free, rule-breaking, with style and personal enlightment; indulging in the wonders of such a beautiful city.

I'm well aware that Holdforth romanticises not only her own experience of Paris but that of the women she discusses, but to be fair, it's believable and it seduced me. She deftly draws attention to the (same) romanticising Australian women are prone to. I think she's right. In a potential cultural vacuum such as ours (and yes I'm aware that such a comment is not completely fair), one tends to dream of the potential of beauty, culture, sophistication of ideas and indulgence in talk of talk's sake.

I've been to Paris once, last year. I too was mesmerised by its beauty, its culture and its diehard idiosyncracies. But the Parisian experience remains just that. I don't think its 'transportable' and that the ruminating Holdforth indulgences in while swanning through Paris just wouldn't occur elsewhere, particularly at home. That is part of her point I think - she had to go to Paris and experience it via the women in whom she held significant interest. It is this that leads to the enlightment she was searching for at the beginning of the book.

I appreciate Holdforth's own journey of self-discovery. It came at a good moment for me as it gave me a sense of 'what could be' and reminded me that only I can control that.

This post has become self-conscious and self referential so I'm going to go. Anyway, really enjoyable read. Nice glass of champagne, strawberries and lie on the chaiz lounge to read this.

The Secret Life of Bees - Sue Monk Kidd

I finished this over the weekend and what a delight! I'd heard reports of the general love affair book clubs were having with it and for that very reason I think I avoided it. Not on the basis of any intellectual or cultural superiority but because so often I am disappointed with the few themes that seem to be continually recycled and rehashed in the books that get snapped up by reading gurus and book stores.

This novel was a breath of fresh air. I suspect neither the structure nor the plot were particularly innovative but the use of bee keeping as a way of moving the story along was clever. So often I find authors use something like bee keeping as a way of structuring the plot unimpressively. It tends to look contrived and self conscious as though it provides the novelist (and the story) more credibility. But in this novel, it was used interestingly and strategically. I was genuinely interested in the detail Monk Kidd provided about this issue and enjoyed relating the information with the story.

While the characters were empathetic and likeable, I must say none fascinated me. The were solid and shiny characters and I was in the mood to like the people I was reading about.

Above all, it was Monk Kidd's writing which provided me with such delight. Sentences can be taken and read on their own and give as much meaning as they hold within a paragraph or page or chapter. I'm a fast reader and I know I tend to skim read (although I often try very hard not to) but with this novel, I had no impetus to move quickly through the page.

I thoroughly recommend this book. Choose a slow weekend in late spring, early autumn, opt out and sit down with this book, honey toast with lots of butter and a big mug of tea.

Nine Parts of Desire - Geraldine Brooks

I'm not introducing this as the first book. Mainly because I'm almost finished and it takes the excitement out of deciding on the first book and embarking on the journey I've envisaged. Having said that, I want to write about it because it's churned me up. Half way through the book, I realised I'd read it before but it musn't have had the same relevance previously because I've failed to remember big chunks of it.

It's more pertinent now and I'm fascinated by the judgements made by Brooks in her account of women and Islam. However, I'm concerned about Brooks' sweeping comments throughout her book. In addition, I can't help but feel that this wasn't an investigative piece. She'd made up her mind prior to beginning the book and searched for examples thoughout the Middle East to support her judgements. It's made all the more fraught by her conversion to Judaism (FOR HER HUSBAND!!!!).

Hmmmm......interesting given her comments about Islamic women's choice to adopt (or interpret) various teachings of the Koran. Ultimately, I think the central tenet of her book is that such women are not making choices. They merely adopt the decisions of the men in their religious society.

I'm not sure that I agree with this conclusion. I'm saying this based solely on my reading of her book, not as a comment generally. The stories she uses, the relationships she comments upon, the women (and even some of the men) she portrays, suggest to me an empowered position some women in Islamic countries believe they have.

I'm in no cultural or religious position to comment upon Islam, its teachings, its moral messages, its men or its women. So I'm not going to start. Something just sticks in my throat as I read this book.

But, I'm enjoying it. She writes well and I'm fascinated. I don't even like non fiction (not sure though how far from part fiction this is). She's a lively writer and I'm fascinated with the life she was living at this stage of her career. May I make comment however, that she was in the Middle East because of her husband and his work.

The book is well paced and well edited. I am enjoying it more than Year of Wonders and having avoided March (its subject matter feels turgid) I can't comment. I'm well aware that reports all round on this book are great - don't get me wrong. I just found "Wonders" a little patchy; interesting but with a few holes.

I'd love to hear your thoughts on "Nine Parts of Desire" and post this as a disclaimer - I am making no comment on Islamic practices. I'm discussing the book and Brooks' comments therein.

Begin at the beginning - talking books in Australia

I've been perusing the wide world of weblogs, fascinated with the conversations about books that are going on around the world - namely in the US. While the conversation is interesting and the dialogue engaging, they're mostly discussing books we don't even sell over here. To say that I'm jealous of the contemporary fiction, you yanks have access to is insufficient.

So, I thought, by starting one in Australia, those in this country interested in talking about books would at least have access to them. This does not mean that I want only to discuss Australian books, no way. I'm thinking we'll discuss anything we can find in Australian book stores or libraries. In addition, I want everyone to join. I'm not isolating the discussion to the southern hemisphere. No way.

Anyway, where to start? Well, I envisage a book a fortnight. Am I being to bold? Am I silly? Over conscientious? Too enthusiastic in my beginning blog? Maybe....probably....let's try anyway. We can always change it later.

When, or more specifically, if there appears to be a following we can select books together. Thus far, it's just my choice. I should revel in it while it lasts!

So, welcome to anyone who's interested. Lovely to meet you.