Un-Review: "As I Walked Out One Midsummer Morning" by Laurie Lee

'As I Walked Out One Midsummer Morning' is the second part of an autobiographical trilogy by the author Laurie Lee. I ended up reading this book first because I had designated it as my holiday read, and I didn't want the experience tainted by the pure unadulterated, routine-laden English-ness of our flat/lives. This was the correct decision because, as I sit thinking about the book, I can see the beach, feel the salt spay, and can't escape the heat. I had better take of this cardigan and put my cuppa down for a sec.

Also, to clarify, when I say 'holiday read' I am not lumping the novel in with the swathes of generic seasonal fiction, but rather identifying the book as a means to improve your holiday. Yes, a holiday is mainly about the experience itself but, in those moments of relaxation, when a lot of us inevitably reach for reading material, it is books like this that that spring you to life and find the adventurer hidden within. When I think of the holiday where I read this book, I think of the way the book made me feel as I sat on the beach first, before any actual holiday events, that's how good it is.

The novel basically documents the authors trip across England and Spain in the late 1930's. Our protagonist leaves home with nothing but a few coins, a violin and a sense of naive freedom, with the aim of seeing the real world and avoiding his version of the real world (a job as a clerk - you can't blame him). If I were a man this book would make me yearn for simpler times such as this however, inevitably, I would have been one of the poor sods he left behind crying. Sigh.

The book is beautiful, and so painfully well written that it is hard to compare it to anything else. I am English and do sometimes yearn for this escapism and adventure into other cultures (though invariably yearn for home), so the story probably speaks to that part of me - but don't we all have this part of us? Assuming the book will touch the same part of your soul as it does mine, you will absolutely not find a better written version of this coming of age story anywhere. I don't know how Laurie Lee achieved it, but the novel somehow reads as idealistic, romantic and naive but gritty, authentic and cutting - all at the same time.

Author Spotlight: Haruki Murakami

Finding the new Haruki Murakami book, 'Colorless Tsukuru Tazaki and his Years of Pilgrimage', waiting on the doorstep on my return from holiday has inspired me to write my first Author Spotlight post. Hopefully there will be more to come should I feel equally as inspired. I have actually been too busy reading the book to write this post until now, attempting to savour the novel rather than binge read the hell out of it (very much against my nature when it comes to Murakami).

I thought the best way to assess the Murakami situation was to highlight all of his books and write a mini 'un-review' for the ones I have read. I am so glad I have yet to read my way through his back catalogue, as my Amazon wish list would be so lacking without them sitting there. Again, they are there to be savoured not binged through. I suppose one day seeing them all on my bookshelf will also be a pretty nice feeling.

In chronological order:
Hear the Wind Sing/Pinball, 1973 - Two books you say? His two first books to be exact, published in 1979 and 1980 respectively, and the start of what was to become the 'Trilogy of the Rat'. These two books are out of publication and difficult to find in Japanese let alone English, with translated texts currently on eBay for hundreds of pounds! Apparently Murakami isn't hugely proud of his early attempts at writing, and we are unlikely to see the reappearance of these books any time soon. I might hunt for pdf versions online one day for posterity, but reading them this way wouldn't give me the pleasure of a 'proper' book. 'A Wild Sheep Chase' completes the 'Trilogy of the Rat' (with the book 'Dance, Dance, Dance' included in the series to a lesser extent), and is considered Murakami's first real novel.

What I Want To Read (that isn't already on my TBR shelf).

As seen in this post, my 'to be read' bookshelves are already relatively excessive and ever increasing. I am not a hoarder or overly materialistic in any other way - I am just obsessed with books. We all have our vices. I decided to pool my messy Amazon wish list into a few nice neat little piles here, and possible even prioritise (hahaha - failure guaranteed).

List 1: Pre-ordered books/Coming Soon -
'The Paying Guests' by Sarah Waters - I have read 'Fingersmith', but little else by Waters, and this books appearance on my list is mainly due to word of mouth and the promising premise.

'The World of Ice and Fire' by George R. R. Martin et al - I am full on obsessed with this series. Fantasy is rarely this well written, and the whole world and every character in it utterly enthralling. I am also lying in wait for the release of 'The Winds of Winter' by George R. R. Martin, the next book in the series proper, though no release date has been set so, I wont hold my breath. The release dates are as unpredictable as the books themselves and Oh Lord, I can't wait.

'Colorless Tsukuru Tazaki and His Years of Pilgrimage' by Haruki Murakami - Murakami is one of my favourite authors, and is certainly the author that makes the most appearances on my bookshelf. I have yet to read a book of his that has not been completely original in every way. This will also be the first book of his I have pre-ordered and waited for, as his back catalogue has easily been sustaining me until this point. This new book has been compared to his masterpiece 'Norwegian Wood', so it's fair to say I am pretty excited.

Twitter Reading Inspiration

I am/have been attempting to take part in a few 'challenges' on twitter recently in the hope of both gaining and inspiring reading over the summer months. I love reading in the sun but work does inevitably drag you down in these lazy months and it can be difficult. As with exercise, you always feel so much better once you have 'broken the seal' and dived straight in (the internet is telling me that 'dived' is used correctly here but it really doesn't look right does it?).

My daunting but wonderful 'to read' shelves. Soon to be diminished (and immediately replaced).

Un-Review: "The Silkworm" by Robert Galbraith

This is the second detective/crime novel to feature Cormoran Strike as the protagonist, and is written by Robert Galbraith/J. K. Rowling.

First of all, I love detective fiction. Poirot, Marple, Rebus, Agatha Raisin, Charlie Parker, Evadne Mount - I have burned my way through the lot (near enough). Detective fiction can be, and usually is, relatively formulaic, but I often find this comforting. I also rarely guess the killer/bad guy as I just allow myself to enjoy the ride for what it is, and these Cormoran Strike novels are no exception.

For me, there is something about the way J. K. Rowling writes, whether it be for children or adults, that is so personal. I have read all of her books and every single character, big or small, has depth and realism. I feel like she cares about her characters as if they were real people, with stories to tell that we just don't get to hear about in the short novel. This quality cannot be taught or faked and I think it is a rare thing indeed.

It is for both of these reasons that I was super supremo excited about this book being released. I genuinely thought we would not be getting a second Cormoran Strike novel, as J. K. Rowling obviously writes only for fun nowadays, what with her being a billionaire and such. She must like the characters as much as me. You cant buy good taste!

Audio Book Un-Review: "Northern Lights" by Philip Pullman

As I have said before, I do love a good audio book, particularly when I am working. The aim of the game is escapism, whilst still keeping approximately 25% of my brain on my work.

I decided to work my way through His Dark Materials in audio form because, like most people my age, I binged my way through the books in high school and have huge amounts of affection and nostalgia for the series. The fact that the audio book is effectively a re-read means that I can afford to only keep one eye open (metaphorically), but could also lead to disappointment in the cold light of day/adulthood.

Do I need to give a synopsis? I am nothing if not current, so surely everyone has read this already? Surely? If not, go and read it for God's sake, it's a modern classic, the new black (where black is The Chronicles of Narnia with a bit of sex thrown in).

Un-Review: "PopCo" by Scarlett Thomas

In the absence of any real inspiration from the books I have read recently, and as my blog is so new to the world, I decided that I fancied 'reviewing' a favourite of mine.

It is difficult to explain why I adore Scarlett Thomas' books so much, though as I read one of them (any one of them), I have the overwhelming feeling that this is THE book I would write if I could. It is a very personal, emotional feeling which I hope everyone can feel when reading the books of at least one author.

I chose 'PopCo' to review, rather than any of her other novels, as the protagonist is the most like myself than in any other. I definitely get the feeling that in Scarlett Thomas' early works, particularly the Lily Pascale series, the protagonist is portrayed idealistically, and how I would want to be, rather than as a version of how I really am. I can only assume this is the same for the author, as her confidence as a person and author increased and she strayed away from idealistic characters and genre fiction.
'PopCo' and 'The End of Mr. Y', my favourites, fall somewhere in between genre fiction and pure literature. Original, thought provoking, fantastical stories, backed up by authentic, memorable prose - perfect.