Friday 22 June 2012

The High Deeds if Finn Mac Cool - Rosemary Sutcliff

I'm not sure how this Puffin book got onto my bookshelves but suspect that it came from Dads at some point (it's a 1967 edition). John picked it for me to read, and I'm glad he did.

It's really a collection of short stories of the Irish mythical king Finn Mac Cool, telling of his life and adventures, and those of his friends and enemies.

Having visited Ireland (a long time ago now), and some of the places mention it was great to read the stories.

Although connected by the characters, each story is separate, and since this book was, I think, written for children, each is quick and easy to read.  It's made me think that I should look out some folk stories about
England - King Arthur? Robin Hood?

Inherited from Dad
Read June 2012

Sunday 10 June 2012

Times Arrow - Martin Amis

I'd be tempted to say that this book has overtones of 'The Curious Case of Benjamin Button', but that would be unfair as I've not read Benjamin Button, only seen the film. But the device of time moving backwards is used to great affect in both. Times Arrow is narrated by sort of conciousness within the mind of a doctor (when we first meet him), who views the life described backwards - from being a doctor in America, to working in the death camps of Nazi Germany. Although a short book it took longer than usual to read as many of the sections needed re-reading in order to get my head around them, especially the dialogue (which often needed to be read backwards to make sense). The author has clearly thought through many things backwards, descriptions of some bodily functions are not nice to think about! However, the way the narrator sees and understands day to day life is fascinating, the giving of gifts, or administering of medical treatments - think about a person coming to a doctor feeling pleased and well, only to go through an opertation which makes them worse! Although it took a while to get into, and I didn't much care for the character, the unusual method of telling the story kept me gripped. No idea where I got the book, read on John's recommendation. May 2012

The Third Policeman - Flann O'Brien

Jen wrote her MA English dissertation about this book, and when she told me about it I was intrigued.

'Weird' is a good word for it, another is 'Surreal', especially since the book was written in 1939 but not published until 1966 (the writer failed to find a publisher so withdrew the book, it was published after his death).

The unnamed narrator of the book tells the story of his life; being orphaned, discovering the writings of de Selby, breaking his leg (and having a wooden one fitted), returning to his family home to a man who is obviously a crook, murder, a quest for a box full of money, ghosts, policemen, imprisonment, unbelievable things and bicycles.

I'm not going to tell you what happens, it's a short book and well worth a read - very surreal in places, make sure you read the (sometimes extensive) footnotes, and certainly worth the effort.

Green Metropolis
24th January - 3rd March 2012