Proper mishmash of old and new

I can't believe that I have read five books since my last post. I work full-time and have a garden, and I am trying to learn new crafts, so I don't have much time to read, but I try to read every evening, even for a short while, and I could easily spend the whole day reading! So, to start off with, I found I, Coriander by Sally Gardner, in a charity shop, and it is so interesting. I t is set in London in 1643 and follows the story of a young girl who falls into hard times, being cared for by a wicked stepmother who her father had married to protect the reputation of the family by making sure they live a puritan life, which is difficult for the girl because her mother had a vivid imagination. It is hard to imagine that a country can go from colour to black and white, in terms of lifestyle, just because of a change of ruler. I would really struggle with it! The story has lots of creative twists, but also magic and wonder, and so many lovely - and some not so lovely - characters.

In a previous post, I talked about B.B.'s gnomes, Dodder, Baldmoney, Cloudberry, and Sneezewort. This is  the next installment, Down the Bright Stream, which sees the gnomes and their friends having to find a new place to live because humans have redirected their river for the purposes of industry. They are so sad to leave their new home, but off they go, in their clockwork boat, and undergo lots of adventures and challenges, including a serious betrayal. But the god, Pan, watches over them and keeps them save, and eventually they find a new location in Ireland, to continue living their happy lives with their friends, the owls and the otters, and the squirrel.

The Little Bookroom is another treasure that I have discovered. I have started reading it on several occasions, but I could never get into it, but recently I found it again and just couldn't put it down. It is a series of short stories written by Eleanor Farjeon, and published in 1955. She writes a beautiful foreword about her personal bookroom that she had when she was growing up. The stories are all wonderful so creative! I have read so many fairy tales and it amazes me how there are still more to read, new stories, completely different from all the others. The stories are all wonderful and are suitable for all ages, and they are accompanied by lovely illustrations. I will happily return to this one over and over and am really happy to share it with you.

The next two books are both written by old favourites. I had started French Braid by Anne Tyler before, but I discarded it because the character had been asked to look after a cat by someone who could no longer care for it and as soon as the owner had left, she packed up the cat and took it to a shelter. It made me very sad, so I gave up on it. I don't like that sort of behaviour. But then I was drawn back to it and I pushed through and apart from the cat scene, it was a good read. As per usual, there is a lot of focus on families with certain quirks and the trigger for the story is something that happened years and years ago. I do like her books. They are quite gently, descriptive and easy to read.

And finally, Fannie Flagg's latest book, The Wonder Boy of Whistle Stop, the sequel to Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe, which I read so many years ago, that I am not sure if I have blogged about it before - I couldn't find a post about it. But it is fantastic, and so I will blog about it a bit here too. The first book was published in 1992 and is about a small town which is part of a railroad and the cafe that supports it. The main character is Iggy, an unusual child who grows up into an extraordinary woman who can mesmerise bees, gambles and drinks with the best of them, but cares for the people she loves. There are some dark parts to the story, but it is all about the community. The story is told by an elderly lady living in an old persons home who tells her story to an unhappy middle-aged woman and together they support each other. It is such a wonderful story and I was worried that the sequel wouldn't match it. I mean, after more than 30 years, to write a story as good as the original - what are the odds! But, oh, it is equally as good and returns to the original Whistle Stop Cafe, remembering the original community members, including the youngest who is now elderly and in a care home himself. The book flits between the different generations, with the most amazing story running throughout and culminating in the most wonderful and perfect ending. Fannie Flagg's books are such feel-good books without being too twee and they are such a joy to read, and I have to say, this one kept me on tenterhooks throughout!

A long overdue post, with lots of book reviews!

I always have such good intentions to write a post as soon as I have finished a book, but it just isn't happening. Since my last post, I have read four books.....gosh, at sounds like I am in a confessional! But seriously, I have, and today, as I finish a fifth book, I realise I must write a post, just in case the books I read are of interest to you. Moreover, I have just bought another two books from one of my favourite book shops, the St Ives Bookseller. Therefore, I pledge before I start my lovely, new purchases, to write a new post.

If you read this blog and my earlier blog, Bibliolic, you will know that I am a huge fan of Alice Hoffman. Her books have such magic and eloquence, but recently, I have struggled with her books as she tackles more realistic topics. However, her latest one reminds of my old favourites, The Probable Future, Blackbird House, The River King, Seventh Heaven, etc. Nightbird is about a family, where the eldest male in the family is cursed with big, black wings. He is hidden away, and the rest of the family live a reclusive life, mingling with the community where necessary, but keeping themselves to themselves the rest of the time. Things change when a friendly family move next the cursed family, and the youngest daughters become friends and confide each other, deciding to resolve the curse. It is beautifully written. Gorgeous descriptions, and full of love, friendship, compassion, and of course magic!

Anne Tyler is another of my favourite authors, so when her latest book was published, A Spool of Blue Thread, I grabbed it immediately. Her books are usually set in Baltimore, in America, and focus on generations of family life. This tale is no exception, and focuses on one family who keep aspiring to fit in with the rest of the community. No matter how hard they work, or whatever tactics they apply, they never feel as though they reach acceptance or get what they want. On the outside, it feels to me as though they do, but in the story there is a lot of dissatisfaction, which made me a bit sad. It is a really good story, very well-written, which is why I could sense the unhappiness, but my favourite of her books is still A Redbird Christmas.

Asterix and Obelix......I have grown up with these two Gaulish characters, and have read their books in a variety of languages. It never fails to amaze me, how well they translate in to different tongues. They are so clever, and I could read their tales over and over again, and I do. However, when Rene Goscinny passed away, I thought these stories would come to an end. But no...Albert Uderzo continued to produce these wonderful adventures, in the same creative style. However, the latest one, Asterix and the Picts has been written and illustrated by two new people, with the blessing of Uderzo, Goscinny's daughter. I had my doubts, but they have so been put to rest. This comic book is just as good as the original creators. I loved it, and I am so delighted that they are going to carry on. I am really impressed with the way they have maintained the integrity of the original characters, while injecting new adventures and comedy. Really fantastic, and so talented!

Have you ever read The Neverending Story by Michael Ende? The film is well-known, but the book is wonderful, and goes much further than the book. I highly recommend it. I hadn't realised that he had written another book, called Momo, and it is just delightful, although quite daunting in places. It is about a little girl who appears in a town, with no sign of a family. She takes up residence in the amphitheatre, and the townsfolk all decide to take care of her, making sure she is safe and has food, and in return she helps them resolve any issues and keeps the children entertained with creative games. But a shadow falls on the town, and everyone seems to be running out of time. It seems that some evil men in grey suits are stealing time, and only Momo can save them all, together with her new friends, Professor Hora, and his tortoise. This is such a lovely story, creative and magical and suitable for all ages.

I found my fifth book in a charity shop, and it is called Alfred Hitchcock's Ghostly Gallery. It starts with a fantastic introduction by the great man himself, and then presents eleven short stories by different authors. They are supposed to be ghostly, but some are magical. I only recognise two of the authors. They are all really good, but I especially like "The Truth About Pyecraft", "The Waxwork" and "The Upper Berth". I don't like explicitly, gory horror stories, but these are more suggestive, and really great tales.

Right then...now for my next book experiences! Happy reading!

The Man of My Dreams - Curtis Sittenfeld

This is the second time that I have read The Man of My Dreams by Curtis Sittenfeld, and this blog is an adaptation of my original blog post on my earlier blog, Bibliolic. I have read a couple of the author's other books, Prep and American Wife, both of which are so different, they could have been written by different people. This book was written after Prep, and they are quite similar, in that they focus on youth and growing up. Prep is set in a boarding school, while The Man of My Dreams focuses on the life of a girl who together with her Mum and sister has faced domestic abuse, with her father throwing them out of their house after years of bullying. The story describes her relationships as she grows into adulthood, and her visits to a therapist because she believes she has issues. She feels that everyone else is functional and she is the one who is the problem, but that is not always the case, as she eventually discovers. Her relationship with her Dad remains poor throughout, and this has an effect on her relationships with men and her very low self-esteem. She seems to pick totally unsuitable men, perhaps because she is not ready for a relationship.The main character, Hannah, is quite frustrating sometimes, and often you just want to give her a shake and say, "Why are you like this?" but of course she has her reasons, and also she is quite young and naive. The last section brings everything together, and reminded me exactly why I really like this book.