Helen Keller by Margaret Davidson

Well I am still in Alabama and whilst I have been sightseeing I thought I might check out a couple of it's past famous residents.

Pages - 95

Published by Scholastic.

The beginning was happy for Helen. She laughed and loved and grew like any other baby. First she crawled, then she walked, and she was learning to talk. Each day was full of adventures.

Then everything stopped. One day Helen laughed and played as usual. The next day she lay tossing and turning in bed. She was very, very sick. The doctor was called. But he could do little to help. A strange fever was burning.

Now I know I could have chosen a more adult version of Helen Keller's biography, but when I saw this one on Bookmooch I knew I had to have it. This was the book I remember my junior school teacher reading to us in class and I remember sitting at the end of the day, cross legged on the carpet, hoping my nan was waiting outside the school for me and listening intently to this story of an amazing little girl. I would say that this book dwells more on Helen's childhood than her adult years, but to me that was when she really discovered what she was capable of. Her childhood was the turning point in her life, with the help of her teacher.

For anyone who hasn't heard of Helen Keller, she is a remarkable woman, who overcame being blind, deaf and dumb to show the world that anything is possible. When she was a child, her parents struggled to cope with her and let her get away with murder. It wasn't until they contacted the Perkins Institute and a Miss Annie Sullivan was sent to teach Helen, that Helen started to experience the world around her. After a struggle, Annie taught Helen how to use braille in order to identify everything. Helen's education progressed by leaps and bounds and she went on to graduate from college.

This is a lovely quick book to read and gives you the bare essentials of Helen Keller's life. If your are looking for more details about her then I would suggest a more weightier biography. I noticed on Wikipedia that Helen Keller published a total of 12 books and even published her own autobiography at 22. Helen Keller also went on to be a renowned world famous speaker. I also didn't realise that she went on to be a suffragette, her political career spanned many of her adult years.

I think I would definitely like to read more about Helen Keller and hope to get hold of her own biography.

Has anyone read any of Helen Keller's books or can anyone recommend a more detailed biography of her life?

Brooklyn by Colm Toibin

Pages - 252

Published by Penguin Books in 2009

Challenges - New York Challenge and What's in a Name Challenge

Eilis Lacey, sitting at the window of the upstairs living room in the house on Friary Street , noticed her sister walking briskly from work. She watched Rose crossing the street from sunlight into shade, carrying the new leather handbag that she had bought in Clery's in Dublin in the sale. Rose was wearing a cream-coloured cardigan over her shoulders. Her golf clubs were in the hall: in a few minutes , Eilis knew, someone would call for her and her sister would not return until the summer evening had faded.

This is the story of Eilis, who unable to find regular work in her home town is packed off by her sister to live in Brooklyn, New York, where it is hoped a new life will await her. Eilis is frightened by the prospect of this new life and the thought of leaving her family, but she doesn't show it and she ventures off to the unknown. Her journey to America by boat, is long and arduous and by the time Eilis arrives, she is exhausted.

Father Flood, an acquaintance of her sister, helps her to settle into her rooms at Mrs Kehoes and takes her to her new job at the department store. At first, Eilis, is living in dream world, yet a few weeks later, homesickness sets in and she begins to struggle with her new life. Father Flood steps in to ease her pain and soon finds her an evening course to keep her occupied. As time passes, Eilis settles well into her new life and soon meets an Italian boy and romance blossoms. As her second year in Brooklyn nears an end, life in Ireland is put back into the forefront of her mind and she knows that she must go home to deal with the situation that has arisen. Will she decide to stay in Ireland or will Brooklyn softly call her name, yearning for her return.

How on earth has a writer as brilliant as Colm Toibin, slipped past my radar. I was utterly gobsmacked by this book. The way it is written is beautiful and within the first chapter, you are lost in the world of the characters. The story is a very simple one and not overloaded with drama, yet it has your attention and your thirst for more, right from the start. I was amazed that Toibin could create such an absorbing book from such a simple story.

The sentences are long and packed full of detail, so you don't feel that you are missing any aspect of the story. Toibin is definitely a very visual writer and his words convey such beautiful and interesting pictures.

Eilis appears at the beginning of the book as very young and naive, but after spending some time living independently you begin to watch Eilis grow into her own personality and become a woman of similar substance to her beloved sister. Eilis knows which direction she wants her life to go and doesn't feel that any of her decisions are hasty, yet one decision really does affect her choices at the end of the book.

I couldn't help but feel that Eilis's mother relied far too heavily on her daughters. Her daughter Rose, pays all the bills and keeps a roof over her mother's head. When Eilis returns, her mother seems to play on her emotions to try and keep her in Ireland and makes decisions for her, rather than allowing Eilis to decide for herself.

I loved the feel of Brooklyn during the 1950's. It sounded so vibrant and full of life and very multi cultural, yet with each group of immigrants keeping within their own groups and bringing a piece of their country to America.

The ending of the book left me in deep thought. I wondered whether I would have made the same decision as Eilis did. I felt that she had been sent to Brooklyn against her will, yet now that her previous life has changed, she is expected to give up her new life and return home. It reminded me of the phrase,'taking candy from a baby'. I felt that she was being treated like a chess piece and her mother could move her around depending on her whim.

This is definitely a book that stays with you once you have finished it. It is over a week since I read it, yet I still keep on returning to scenes in the book in my mind. I kept wondering how Eilis's life would turn out after the decision she made.

I am now an official fan of Colm Toibin and can't wait to read more of his books.

Other reviews of this book

The Literary Stew

Bibliophile By The Sea

Paperback Reader

Monday Mailbox

As I mentioned last week, I won some Amazon vouchers from Melissa at Melissa's Bookshelf a couple of weeks ago. Well this week the books I ordered arrived and here they are.

1) Magic Under Glass by Jaclyn Delamere. I ordered this one for the Once Upon a Time Challenge and is a YA fantasy novel with a paranormal intrigue and Gothic romance.

2) Cover the Mirrors by Faye L. Booth. This was one of my Friday Finds a few months ago and it is a Victorian neo novel dealing with the up rise in seances during that period.

3) Ash by Melinda Lo - another one from my Friday Finds. Described as 'Cinderella with a twist', this one is another ideal read for the Once Upon a Time challenge.

4) Cold Comfort Farm by Stella Gibbons. I have been after this one since Nymeth from Things Mean Alot reviewed it a while back. I have already started reading it and so far I love it.


I also wanted to show you my impulse buy. They look kind of small in the picture but these are about 10 by 10 inch canvas pictures that will eventually be put up in my kitchen. They were a tad expensive, but you know how much I love cupcakes. I just can't get enough of them.

Also a sad buy, but one that had to be done. I hold my hand up to loving the Twilight series - I am not ashamed as without it I don't think I would have been reading so much as I now do. So when the film came out on DVD, I just had to have it.

Please don't think any less of me, because of my love of Twilight. LOL.

So there are all the goodies that entered my house this week. What did you get?

Sunday Salon

Apologies for anyone who actually caught the first version of this post, as it posted accidentally yesterday night, before I finished it. I find if I don't close the post down, it seems to post itself. I am having real trouble with blogger lately with this.

My reading has been really slow this week, but I cannot take the blame. I have had a week of rushing around after my daughters, there social life seems to have taken precedence over my life this week. They have had discos, school concerts and nights out with friends which has resulted in my wearing my chauffeur hat and having to drive my tired little Beetle all over the place.

We went to a school concert on Friday, which was fabulous. My daughters were part of the choir and sang some beautiful songs. There was also an amazing steel band which I could watch forever. They are teenage kids playing the steel drums but they are out of this world.

Yesterday was my husband's birthday and we had a quiet day as my daughters were taking part in a singing course. They had to sing folk songs without music and I have to admit to being quite surprised how well they sang. I am not one of those pushy mothers, I let my children choose what activities they want to do, but they both seem to love singing. One of my girls sings in the shower permanently!

We are going to have more of a birthday celebration for hubby today, as we are going out for a meal. Not sure where we are going at the moment, but I am sure we will find somewhere nice to eat.

So as far as books and reading have gone this week, I managed to finish Brooklyn by Colm Toibin which I loved completely and when I finished I found the need to search out more books by Toibin. I also finished the Helen Keller biography which was rather short and didn't take very long, and I feel I may need to read a longer book about Helen Keller.

I hope to finish Un Lun Dun by China Mieville, but as I have quite a way to go with this book and the search for Dorothy for the Wizard of Oz, is distracting me from my reading. If you are American or Canadian, you probably haven't a clue what I am talking about. England and Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber are searching for an unknown to play Dorothy and the girls performing are superb, I spent most of last night watching it.

I have also just started reading Cold Comfort Farm by Stella Gibbons, which is a book I have wanted to read for ages.

I am not sure if I will get any time to read today, but I do hope I get at least an hour later.

Enjoy your Sunday reading.

Friday Finds

Friday Finds is hosted by MizB at You Should Be Reading and you can find it here. MizB does a fantastic job with this meme every week, so do pop over and pay her a visit.

1) Raven Stole the Moon by Garth Stein - this book seems to be all over the blogging world lately. I know it has had a tour,but I saw that Chris over at Stuff As Dreams Are Made Of reviewed it and loved it and I do trust his judgement. I thought it would be an ideal read for me as it moves to my next stop on my American tour, Alaska.

Here is the blurb from Amazon.

Her upscale Seattle lifestyle lost meaning for Jenna Rosen when her young son drowned in Alaska. On the second anniversary of his death, she impulsively takes a ferry to Wrangell, where she grew up and which is not far from the drowning site. Once there, Jenna often feels menaced; even as a dog appears to protect her, shape-changing kushtaka (Indian spirits) repeatedly threaten her life?corporal and eternal. Her husband, Robert, arrives in Wrangell after he learns from a private investigator that she is living with a young fisherman. Only when a shaman risks his life to save Jenna and to help put their son's soul to rest are the Rosens able to resolve their grief.

2) Wench by Dolen Perkins-Valdez

I found this one over at Diane's blog Bibliophile By The Sea. I was interested in this book after reading that it was based on a true story.

Here is the blurb from Booklist.

Four slave women accompany their masters to a resort in the free state of Ohio in the mid-1850s. Lizzie actually loves Drayle, the father of her two children—a brown-skinned boy named for his father and a girl white enough to pass. Reenie is the half sister of her owner, a cruel man who passes her along to the resort manager. Sweet is pregnant and has a relatively amiable relationship with her master, while Mawu is a wild red-haired woman bent on freedom from a cruel and violent owner. Frustrations mount as they consider their options, tempted to take advantage of the help offered by free blacks and a Quaker woman. But they are guilt-ridden about the prospect of leaving their children behind. The women rely on each other for support as they come together for three summers, catching up on their lives of woe and occasional joy. Drawing on research about the resort that eventually became the first black college, Wilberforce University, the novel explores the complexities of relationships in slavery and the abiding comfort of women’s friendships.

3) Angelology by Danielle Trussoni

Now you know I will read anything with angels in, so this book could not pass me unnoticed.

Here is the blurb from Amazon.

The Nephilim were on the earth in those days Genesis 6:4 When Sister Evangeline finds mysterious correspondence between Mother Innocenta of the Saint Rose Convent and legendary philanthropist Abigail Rockefeller, it confirms Angels walked among us - and their descendants, the cruel Nephilim, still do. Indeed, the Nephilim are hunting for artefacts concealed by Abigail Rockefeller during the Second World War - objects that will ultimately allow them to enslave mankind - and have so far been prevented from reaching their apocalyptic goal by one, clandestine organisation: The Angelology Society. And if the Angelologists are to stand any chance of winning this new battle in the ages-old war, they must find the artifacts first. But their fate rests in the hands of innocent Sister Evangeline, who holds the key to unlocking Abigail Rockefeller’s hiding places … and whose own destiny may yet find her prey to the terrifying Nephilim army, with horrifying consequences for humanity.

4) I am Nujood by Nujood Ali

I found this one over at Alyce's blog At Home With Books. It was part of her Friday Finds last week.

Here is a the blurb from Amazon.

Chosen by Glamour magazine as a Woman of the Year in 2008, Nujood of Yemen has become an international hero for her astonishingly brave resistance to child marriage. Sold off by her impoverished family at the age of 10, continually raped by her husband before she even reached puberty, Nujood found the courage to run away, and with the help of an activist lawyer, sympathetic judges, and the international press, she divorced her husband and returned home. Her clear, first-person narrative, translated from the French and written with Minoui, is spellbinding: the horror of her parents’ betrayal and her mother-in-law’s connivance, the “grown-ups” who send the child from classroom and toys to nightmare abuse. She never denies the poverty that drives her parents and oppresses her brothers, even as she reveals their cruelty. Unlike her passive mother, she is an activist, thrilled to return to school, determined to save others, including her little sister. True to the child’s viewpoint, the “grown-up” cruelty is devastating. Readers will find it incredible that such unbelievable abuse and such courageous resistance are happening now

That's my Friday Finds, what wonderful books did you find lately?

Bibliophillic Challenge Wrap

It is only March and I have completed my second challenge this year. Though as I only had to read three books for it, it wasn't too difficult.

Here are the three books I read for this challenge.

1) Fun Home by Alison Bechdel

2) The Book of Tomorrow by Cecelia Aherne

3) Book Doctor by Esther Cohen

Out of the three books I read for this challenge, I would say that The Book of Tomorrow was my favourite, followed by Fun Home.

This challenge is still running until December 31st, so if you want to join in, then click here.

Book Doctor by Esther Cohen

Pages - 251

Published by Counterpoint in 2005

Challenges - Take a Chance Challenge and Support Your Local Library Challenge

What Harbinger Singh really wanted was a book. Sometimes, when he was being honest, he would admit he didn't care very much about the subject. He wanted a book he had written. He didn't know why, and he didn't much care.

This has got to be the most boring book I have ever persevered with. I read it for the Take a Chance Challenge and since I needed two books with the same word in, I didn't want to give up on it, but oh how I wanted to throw it in the trash.

Arlette Rosen earns her living by helping people develop book ideas. These are normally non fiction books about really boring subjects. Harbinger Singh, a tax lawyer enters her life, wanting to write a book, any book, in order to win back his ex wife. The book follows the growing relationship between the two.

I am not going to make this a long review, because I really don't think this book warrants it. The characters held little interest for me, books were seen as a way of making money and being famous, there was no love for the craft of writing, it was just a means to end. The book ideas discussed were very droll and painfully boring.

The book was meant to be funny, the only time I laughed was with relief at actually making it to the end. It took me for ever to read it, because it just didn't hold my interest at all.

Harbinger is pompous and long winded and I wouldn't want to spend more than a minute in his company. In fact, he reminded me of a distant relative, who spends his time bragging about everything and believing he is superior to everyone else.

The story doesn't go anywhere, in fact you could probably pick a page from the book randomly and be able to summarise the story from that.

This has the title of the worst book I have ever read and for me to say that it has to be bad.

I would only recommend this if you are passing your time,watching paint dry! How scathing is that! I am sorry, I had hoped to love this book, but I hope never to see the cover again.

The Book Of Tomorrow by Cecelia Ahern

Pages - 320

Published in 2009 by Harper Collins

Challenges - Every Month is a Holiday, Young Adult Reading Challenge and Take Another Chance Challenge.

They say a story loses something with each telling. If that is the case, this story has lost nothing, for it's the first time it's been told.

This story is one for which some people will have to suspend their disbelief. If this wasn't happening to me, I would be one of those people.

Cecelia Ahern is one of those authors that seems to change her writing style like the wind. This book was so different from The Gift, and as I understand completely different from her previous chick lit books. The Book of Tomorrow has not been marketed as a Young Adult book, but I would say without a doubt that that is what it is. It is also full to the brim with magical realism.

I picked this book up to read for a couple of reasons. Firstly I needed a book by an Irish author in order to fulfil this month's challenge for Every Month is a Holiday, as St Patrick's Day had been celebrated last week. Secondly I needed to read two books with the same word in the title for the Take a Chance Challenge. So I read this one as well as The Book Doctor which I will review tomorrow.

This book follows the life of Tamara Goodwin, who has recently lost her life of luxury. Her father commits suicide within the first page of the book and you witness Tamara and her mother have to sell off their life in order to pay off all their debts. Tamara and her mother are shipped off to live with her aunt and uncle, who are a very strange couple. Tamara hates life in the quiet little village and yearns the company of teenagers her own age. Her only happiness is the arrival of the good looking guy driving the travelling library. Whilst investigating the library Tamara comes across a large leather bound book locked with a gold clasp and padlock. When Tamara finally manages to open the book, what she discovers in there is unbelievable and shakes her world to the core.

If you are planning to read this then I would stop here and skip the next paragraph, as here comes the spoiler alert.

The book is one that I think if we had one, we would have a love/hate relationship with it. The book is a diary which tells Tamara what will happen the next day in her life. Tamara has to make a decision whether to let the day pan out as described or change the events before they happen. I cannot help but wonder what it would be like to have a glimpse into the future and know what would happen before it occurs.

I found this to be quite an enjoyable book and definitely a page turner once I got a little way into it. It is a bit of a slower burner, which improves with each chapter. I wasn't keen on the main character Tamara to begin with, as she was basically a spoilt brat and a bit of a tart, who really needed some guidance from her parents. I am not so sure she improved as the book went on, but she did manage to solve all the mysteries within the book.

I did find the ending a little annoying as there were definitely some loose ends that I imagine were missed in editing, as Aherne is not an author to write a series of books and the ending was definitely the end of the story. The things I felt that were left unanswered included where this magical book had come from in the beginning, it's existence was never questioned and the character never tried to work out where it had come from. Also within the book, there is a fire and a dead body, the real identity of this dead body is never mentioned, so you are left wondering who it might be. Lastly, the family who owned the castle seemed to disappear into the thin air, the children were still around, but one minute their parents are there and the next they are not. It's magic!! I think it might need just a little editing before the paperback version, in order to fix the loose ends.

Other than that, it was an enjoyable read, it also felt like an original storyline to me, as I haven't read anything like it before, but do let me know if you have read about any magical books like this one. It was quite a cosy read and one that had me completely absorbed. I just would like to see the loose ends tied up to make the story a bit more believable.

Sunday Salon

Good morning Sunday Saloners,

I hope you have had a good week. Spring has finally arrived and the joy I feel is unbelievable. I cannot get over how hard this winter has been and how long it went on for. I know I have no reason to moan, as a lot of you have had constant snow for months, but I just don't cope well with cold anymore. My mother kindly reminded me that at eighteen I thought nothing of going out in the middle of winter, with hot pants and a sleeveless body covered only by a short suede jacket. Now I do layers, I mean, lots and lots of layers, so I end up looking like the Marshmallow man in Ghostbusters.

I managed to go on a really long walk this week, which totalled at 10 and 1/2 miles. It was all along the beach and thoroughly enjoyable. I got to see the actor Martin Clunes filming on our beach, which is always a novelty to see. I didn't realise how popular our beach was for filming. The day after the walk, was a bit of a killer, I actually woke up with my stomach going into spasms where I had walked so much. It was like leg cramps but in my stomach. The best bit was I went to get weighed the next day at Weightwatchers and only lost a measly 1/2 a pound, all that effort for nothing.

Reading wise, I have had a good week. I managed to finish and review Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistlestop Cafe. I also finished The Book of Tomorrow and nearly finished The Book Doctor which both count towards two different challenges - The Bibliophillic Challenge and the Take A Chance Challenge, where I needed to read two books with the same word in the title.

I also managed to finish reading No Plot? No Problem by Chris Baty and I have to say it was one of the most helpful books I have ever read to help with my writing. It made me realise that it didn't matter if my first draft was pants, because every one's first draft is pants. It is about getting the story down and then working on it after. With that in mind, I have furiously been writing and have clocked up 23,000 words in the last couple of weeks. At the moment, I wouldn't even let my dog read it, as the quality is really rather bad, but I am really confident that I will get there in the end. Through the book I have discovered ways to chain my inner editor to the wall and not let her out until first draft is finished. I have worked out how to kick the procrastinator's butt and turn her into a super writing machine. If you are considering writing, then I really would suggest reading this book, to help you jump head first into the writing pot.

I won an Amazon voucher this week over at Melissa's Bookshelf and couldn't wait to buy some books with it. I haven't received them yet this week, but I will show them when they arrive.

Well I am hopefully off for a bit of retail therapy today, doubt I will get much reading done until this evening.

Have a great day.

Fried Green Tomatoes At The Whistlestop Cafe by Fannie Flagg

Well I am still in Alabama today, and as you can see my stomach got the better of me and I stopped by The Whistle Stop Cafe for some Big George's BBQ and Sipsey's Cornbread and Fried Green Tomatoes. Whilst there, I got to meet some mighty fine folk, who told me lots of stories about this quaint little town and it's inhabitants. Why don't you rest your legs awhile and I will tell you all about them.

Pages - 396

Challenges - Flashback Challenge, GLBT Challenge, Support Your Local Library and American Journey Challenge.

Published in 1992 by Vintage.

The Whistle Stop Cafe opened up last week, right next door to me at the post office, and owners Idgie Threadgoode and Ruth Jamieson said business has been good ever since. Idgie says that for people who know her not to worry about getting poisoned, she is not cooking. All the cooking is beind done by two colored women, Sipsey and Onzell, and the barbecue is being cooked by Big George, who is Onzell's husband.


This is one of those books that I had forgotten just how good it is.

The book tells the story through the eyes of Mrs Cleo Threadgoode, an eighty year old woman, living in Rose Terrace Nursing Home. She likes to talk about the past and finds a willing listener in Evelyn Couch, a woman in the early stages of a mid life crisis. Each week, when Evelyn's husband visits his mother at the nursing home, Evelyn's takes lots of edible goodies and goes to listen to Mrs Threadgoode's stories about the Whistlestop Cafe which used to sit right next to the railroad. The book flits back and forth between the present day and the past at the Cafe, where life was never dull and if you looked closely you might just find the occasional murder.

You grow to love the many characters within this book very quickly. They are all warm hearted and caring and will stop at nothing to help someone in need. Even though they are living through the Depression, they all stick together and do what they can to help out. Idgie is full of trouble, yet she only means to help and will fight tooth and nail to protect those she cares about. She has a very strong bond with the people of colour who work for her and will not let them suffer any abuse. She feeds the homeless and makes sure everyone is fed. She is no Angel though, when she goes off the rail, alcohol gets the better of her, but she normally calms back down and helps out again.

The book is full of a mixture of happiness and tragedy, where there is a silver lining, there is also a slither of sadness, when the good comes, the bad will be skulking not far behind and you feel like your emotions are on a constant roller coaster, never knowing how long you will stay happy or sad throughout the book.

I felt that the storyline dealt with racism well, as it showed that not everyone in Alabama during that time felt the same about slavery. Idgie and her family would often risk their own safety in order to help the people of colour working for them and they were treated like family. No one outside of the family would dare to take them on to dispute the way they treated them.

The relationship between Idgie and Ruth is dealt with very subtly within the book and now after reading it both times, I was still struck with whether they were lesbians or not. The main reason why I couldn't make up my mind was because the whole family were so open and encouraging about the relationship between Idgie and Ruth that I wondered whether they were just friends, as during that time period it would not have been easily accepted within the community. I mean the relationship is quite blatant in the book, yet subtle in it's execution. I can now confirm after researching the book a bit, that they were in fact in a lesbian relationship. I wonder if I am the only person, who wasn't quite sure about this relationship.

The friendship between Evelyn and Mrs Threadgoode is really beautiful. Unexpected circumstances brought them together, yet within weeks they are firm friends for life. Mrs Threadgoode helps Evelyn realise that she is menopausal and helps her to claim back her life and become human again, instead of just existing in an empty shell of a body.

This book is full of strong women, who are taking back their lives and making things happen. They all have strong identities and do not suffer fools gladly.

It was an ideal book to complement To Kill a Mockingbird, because the similarities between the two showed the reality of Southern hospitality. It showed the warmth and the human kindness that I wish existed world wide. Unfortunately, both books also showed the strong tendency for racism and slavery in Alabama and they reared their ugly heads throughout the book.

I found the ending of the book quite sad. The last hundred pages made me realise that nothing lasts for ever and everything changes and moves on.

At the back of the book is a selection of recipes from the cafe and I found myself drooling over the cornbread recipe. I might just have to try it and let you know.

I truly loved this book and it is definitely one I would read again and again. I felt like I had stepped into the pages of the book and wherever I turned life in Whistlestop just went on it's merry way around me.

To Kill A Mockingbird by Haper Lee

As you all know, my winnebago has firmly arrived on the soils of Alabama. My American journey has begun and what a wonderful first stop I have made. I will probably stay in Alabama for a couple of months as, it is treating me well.

Pages - 307

First published in the UK in 1960. Republished in 2004 by Vintage

Challenges - American Journey, Young Adult and Support Your Local Library Challenge

The Radley Place fascinated Dill. In spite of our warnings and explanations it drew him as the moon draws water, but drew him no nearer than the light-pole on the corne, a safe distance from the Radley gate. There he would stand, his arm around the fat pole, staring and wondering.

Every so often a book lands in your hands which has charmed its audience for many years and once you have read it you sit and wonder why you never listened to all the voices telling you to read it in the first place. That is how I feel about To Kill a Mockingbird. I was convinced that I wouldn't like it, I had put it in the same bracket at The Catcher in the Rye and thought it would bore me to tears. I am so glad I was wrong.

For anyone on Earth who hasn't read this book yet or has never seen the film, this is a brief summary of the story. The book is written from the viewpoint of Scout, a young girl whose life is turned upside down when her father who is a lawyer, takes on a case to defend a man of colour who has been charged with the rape of a white girl. The book is set in Alabama during the 1930's where people of colour were still treated as second class citizens. When Atticus defends the man, he puts his family at risk of harm as the some of the town react with uproar.

There is a sub plot within the book that looks at Scout and her brother Jem fascination with Boo Radley. A man that lives along there street, but that no one has seen for years.

I felt that with the book being written from the point of view of Scout, it lessened the harshness of dealing with such subjects as rape and racism. Your saw all these things through Scout's eyes and as she wasn't quite aware of what these things meant, it really lessened the blow.

I felt that one of the main themes of this book was dealing with fear, learning to cope with the unknown that came in the guise of change. In Scout's life, she had built up this illusion of what Boo Radley might be like and had literally scared herself silly, yet when she finally meets him, she realises he is just another human being with baggage like everyone else. Within the trial, the town folk and the people watching the trial are frightened what will happen if the accused got away with rape, when it was quite evident that he did not commit the crime. Yet their world would change as a person of colour had yet to be found not guilty within the eyes of the law.

I loved Scout, for her age she was bright and courageous. She had a tomboy streak about her that would have been seen as shocking in those days, when you were supposed to act like a little lady. Her relationship with her father, Atticus, was thoroughly modern. They spent time together, enjoying each other's company and were honest and open with each other. Atticus gave his children a lot of freedom, which was frowned upon by others.

All through the book, I was looking for the connection with the mockingbird, imagining it had a great role within the story, yet it was more a symbol than a storyline. Mockingbirds are harmless birds, who have never taken anything or hurt anyone, they are innocent within the bird world and do not cause any trouble, just sing beautiful songs, so to kill one would be wrong. Tom, the accused, is innocent within the book, so his treatment by white people is wrong, because all he ever did was help others. Boo Radley is also an innocent within the book, the children want to mock him to begin with, but then they realise he just wants to be left alone to get on with his life, he hasn't done anything wrong.

I absolutely loved this book and feel ashamed it took me so long to read it. It is a beautiful coming of age story which brings the reality of slavery through the eyes of the young.

If you haven't ever read it, then I strongly suggest you do.

The Quickening Maze by Adam Foulds

Pages - 257

Published in 2009 by Jonathan Cape

Challenges - Support Your Local Library and Man Book Prize Challenge.

He'd been sent out to pick firewood from the forest, sticks and timbers wrenched loose in the storm. Light met him as he stepped outside, the living day met him with its details, the scuffling black bird that had it's nest in their apple tree.

I picked this book up for a couple of different reasons. Firstly I aim to read the complete shortlist for 2009's Man Booker Prize by the end of the year and I am pleased to say that this is the second one I have read. Secondly, I picked this book ahead of others on the list because it is set in my old stomping ground.

The book is based on real events that occurred in Epping Forest in Essex, back in 1840. I used to live in a little town called Waltham Abbey, which is right on the outskirts of Epping Forest. This book is littered with places that I remember so fondly, High Beach and Woodford, not forgetting the now burnt out shell of Copt Hall, a mansion that is alive in the book through it's parties and shows. This old mansion fascinated me all through my childhood and I only got to visit it up close as an adult.
This is only the second time in my life I have found a book that is set on my childhood town. The other book was James Herbert's book, Lair, which I remember actually reading whilst sat in High Beach and precariously looking over my shoulder, in case a stray rat might appear.

I am totally waffling, I know, but I wanted to share with you a place that I have loved and dearly miss since moving to the seaside.

Anyway as I mentioned before, this book is based on real events and looks at the first incarceration of the poet John Clare. He spent years suffering with alcoholism and depression and was sent to live at the High Beach Private Asylum, which was an institution run on principles now referred to as occupational therapy. During his incarceration, another poet Alfred Tennyson moves into the area to be close to his brother, who is also a resident of the asylum.

The book follows the story of the lives of both poets, as well as the doctor who owns the asylum and various inmates.

I really had wanted to love this book, purely because of it's setting, but I found the book a little dry. I felt that although there was a strong tendency to stick to the facts, they lacked any body to them. I wonder if the author was afraid to stray far from the truth, but I do feel he could have padded out the story a little better.

I found some of the scenes in the book rather disturbing. Some of the more severe patients were treated abominably and it made me feel quite sick. I have heard of other situations where patients suffering with madness and insanity are abused whilst in the care of institutions which you hope will care and protect them and it is absolutely shocking to think that these people in need of desperate care are treated worse than slaughter animals.

Unfortunately, I felt no warmth for the characters at all in this book. Even through their suffering, I felt sorry for them, but that was all. They came across as one dimensional and I felt if I blew at them, these cardboard cut outs would just fall to the ground. I almost wondered if perhaps he had written it as his first draft for NaNoWriMo and forgotten to pad it out with detail and vivid descriptions after.

The only star in the book to outshine the rest was the beautiful and haunting Epping Forest. It ran rings around the rest of the characters and could have had a book devoted just to it, rather than adding a few nondescript characters.

The story has no real plot, it just follows the life of the inmates and family over a period of a year broken down into seasons. I suppose the plot really was the great fall of Dr Matthew Allen, who was only concerned with increasing his wealth rather than the welfare of his patients.

I know I am being really harsh, but this book was one of the shortlisted books for the Booker Prize, it should have been so much better. Were the judges asleep or comatosed when reading it? I don't like to criticize books normally, but this one needs a good editor and and needs to be given a lot more body.

I can see why this one didn't win the Booker Prize, as so far I didn't think it was in the same league as The Little Stranger, but as I have yet to read Wolf Hall, the winner, I can't really make a judgement on it.

Have you read this book, if so what did you think of it?

Two of my favourite annual challenges are back!

It is that time of year that I have been eagerly waiting for which brings the return of two of my favourite challenges from last year.

The Once Upon A Time Challenge enters its fourth year and officially begins on Sunday, March 21st and ends June 20th. There are six levels of participation and I am going for Quest The First. For this level, here are the rules.

Read at least 5 books that fit somewhere within the Once Upon a Time IV criteria. They might all be fantasy, or folklore, or fairy tales, or mythology…or your five books might be a combination from the four genres.

If you are interested in joining in then pop over to Carl's blog Stainless Steel Droppings and join in the fun.

Another one of my favourite challenges is Trish's Non Fiction Five Challenge which begins May 1st and ends September 30th.

Here are the rules.

1. Read 5 non-fiction books during the months of May - September, 2010 (please link your reviews on Mister Linky each month; Mister Linky can be found at the beginning of each month on this blog)

2. Read at least one non-fiction book that is different from your other choices (i.e.: 4 memoirs and 1 self-help)

If you want to join in the fun, then pop over to Trish's blog Trish's Reading Nook and join in the fun.

Monday Mailbox and Library Loot

I know I had new books yesterday for Mothers Day, but I didn't know I was getting them. So before yesterday I had been in the local charity shops and picked up the following books.

1) The Magicians by Lev Grossman - I have seen this one doing the round of the blogging world, so I was intrigued to buy it.

2) New York Mosaic by Isabel Bolton - this consists of three books set against the cocktail parties and genteel society of New York's Upper East Side looking at the failedartistes, socialites and candid children. These books were originally written in the 40's and have been republished by Virago Modern Classics.

3) Surviving The Volcano by Stanley Williams - this is a non fiction book about Stanley Williams who was standing on top of a Colombian volcano called Galeras when it erupted. This is about the escape off the mountain which nearly killed him. With the help of two brave women, they manage to rescue him safely off the mountain.

4) A Gathering Light by Jennifer Donnelly - after reading Nymeth's review last week for this book, I was really please to find this one. This book is an American historical novel based around the Big Moose Lake murder case of 1906, but from the point of view of a young girl who gets caught up in it. I had never hear of the Grace Brown murder before Nymeth mentioned it, so now I want to know more.
5) The Spellman Files by Lisa Lutz - another book I have been after for a while. This is meant to be really funny and follows the life of a family running a private detective agency.

6) The Lovers by John Connolly of The Book of Lost Things fame. This is a Charlie Parker thriller where Charlie seems to be surrounded by ghosts.

7) The Well of Lost Plots by Jasper Fforde - I keep hearing about Jasper Fforde and how wonderful he is, so I was pleased to find this one following the adventures of Tuesday Next, a Literary Detective.

8) People of the Book by Geraldine Brooks. I really enjoyed Year of Wonders last year and couldn't resist picking this one up to try.

Library Loot is a weekly event co-hosted by Eva and Marg that encourages bloggers to share the books they’ve checked out from the library.

I had to take the girls to the library to take their books back, so I struggled to leave without some books of my own.
1) Un Lun Dun by China Mieville - another book I discovered over at Nymeth's blog. A children's book where adventures occur in the strange world below London called UnLondon, where all the lost and broken things of London end up.

2) The House of Lost Souls by F.G. Cottam - another book I have been after for a while. This is the story of a house with a past that has just allowed the evil back into it.

3) Dewey, The Small-Town Library Cat Who Touched The World by Vicki Moran. Who can resist such a beautiful cat and a beautiful story.

4) The Tricking of Freya by Christina Sunley - one of my Friday Finds I have been coveting for a while. Set in Iceland and Canada, this book looks at a young woman's obsession with uncovering a family secret.

5) James and the Giant Peach by Roald Dahl. I wanted a Roald Dahl book to read for a challenge where I need to read Sophie Dahl too. As I haven't read this one before, I thought it would be a good one to choose.

So another bad week for books coming into my house. Now I would just like a couple of life free weeks in order to sit on my butt and read them all!

Sunday Salon - Happy Mothers Day and Competition Winner

Happy Mothers Day to all the mums in England, as I know every where else seems to celebrate Mothers Day on a different day. I am having a lazy day and will be taken out for dinner later, along with my mum and my sister in law, so we all get spoilt together. Now what is the best thing to buy someone like me for Mothers Day, easy, books! We all went to the book store yesterday and hubby and girls helped me pick some books. My daughters thought it was a boring present to buy me, but I personally am thrilled to have more books.

I picked out three books I wanted and hubby found another that I had mentioned to him and purchased it as a surprise with the other books.

1) Brooklyn by Colm Toibin - an ideal choice for the New York challenge and winner of the 2009 Costa Novel Award.

2) Wolf Hall by Hilary Mantel - I am so pleased to see this one finally out in paperback, as I did win a copy before Christmas but I never received it. That has happened to me a couple of times in the last year and it is rather annoying when you win something and it never arrives.

3) Making Rounds With Oscar by David Dosa. This was the one that hubby picked up as I kept telling him about this wonderful cat who helped people by being with them in their last hours on Earth.

4) Of Bees and Mist by Erica Setiawan. Now I saw this recently on some one's blog and I can't for the life of me remember where. I tried finding it on Google Reader, but it didn't come up. It is listed as an adult fairytale, so I am really looking forward to this.

Now I have picked up loads of charity books too this week as well as library books, but I will show those tomorrow, so it doesn't seem like I really had an overload of books entering my house this week.

My reading week began very slowly as we were due to have visitors yesterday and I decided that the house needed a really big spring clean. I went mad, washing sofa covers, cleaning behind and underneath sofas, cleaning kitchen cupboards, even went as far as weeding the garden. The more I cleaned, the more jobs I found, only to discover on Thursday that my visitors could not come until next week now. I was not happy!

So on Friday, I spent the whole day just reading as I was extremely knackered and didn't feel like doing anything else and I have to say it was bliss. It is very rare to give myself a whole day devoted to reading as I always feel so guilty and that I should be doing something else, but on Friday I gave myself the day off. I managed to finish reading To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee, which I adored and nearly finished Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistlestop Cafe by Fannie Flagg, which was also a wonderful book. It was really nice to read to books set in similar time frames in the state of Alabama, as I felt I got a real feel for the place as they dealt with similar issues that were common within the state at that time. I feel like my literary journey of America has truly begun.

I thought I had better announce the winner of Thaw by Fiona Robyn too as I forgot to do this during the week.

I used the randomizer and the winner is

Diane from Bibliophile By the Sea.

Well done Diane, if you send me your address via email I will send the book on to you.

Well I am off to laze around and be spoilt rotten. Have a lovely day everyone.

Saturday Scrapping

Oh my, my scrapbooking is really slow of late. I only seem to manage to make scrap pages one day a month now and that is not good. I really need to fit in a few more scrapping hours. Last Saturday was my scrap day and I managed to complete four pages, but I can only show your three as I have other children in my last layout.
The three layouts below are all from our holiday last October when we went to Fuerteventura. It was our second visit to the same hotel and I have to admit to booking for a third return visit this year. I am not normally a person who goes to the same holiday destination year after year, but this place really got under my skin and I have been so upset the last two times we have come home, so we are going back a final time this year.
One of my favourite parts of any holiday is the fact that I don't have to cook. We eat out for every meal. Hubby has always said it isn't a holiday for me, if I have to cook, so I feel very lucky. The above layout is of our favourite Chinese restaurant on the island, where they are always making such unusual designs out of carrots. The girls had sunburn in these pictures and I feel terrible about it. It is the first time in ten years they have ever had sunburn, even though I plastered them in suntan lotion.

This layout is of a dare. Now I am not usually the type of person to try and attempt to drink any form of alcohol as quickly as possible, but I did on this holiday. Please don't think bad thoughts of me now. I didn't win though, as beer is far too fizzy to drink fast.

This is one of my favourite pictures of me and my girls and one I had as my facebook profile picture for ages. I am wearing the one dress that I love and adore.

So they all my scrapbook pages this week. I will try and do at least a page to show next week.