Welcome to Everytown - Julian Baggini

'A journey into the English mind' - says the cover, but to be honest I'm not convinced, unless the 'English mind' it means is the middle aged, male, liberal from the south.

Don't get me wrong, I did enjoy this book but I'm not sure that it would have been quite so interesting if I hadn't had a vague idea of the places mentioned, and if I hadn't known that he makes some really sweeping generalisations about the average person in the UK.

The premise of the book is that Baggini decides to go and live in the 'most typical postcode in the country' - this is the area that had the closest match of household types to the country as a whole, the place that has the most typical mix of wealthy pensioners, struggling families, aspiring singles etc......and it turns out to be S66 in South Yorkshire.  Maltby near Rotherham in fact.

Although his thoughts on what the 'average' person eats, drinks, does for leisure, where they shop or go on holiday, or what car they drive are interesting, I have to admit to hoping for a bit more of an insight into the people he met and their views and lives.  Instead the book seems to be about him, his prejudices and stereotypical assumptions about working class northern England.

Of course the 'average' English man (or woman) doesn't exist, and anyway it's necessary to realise that despite the fact that Baggini spent six months there he really was only seeing things from the outside.  He didn't appear to work for a living so I can only assume that those he got to know were aware of his 'project', and of course he saw everything through the lens of a middle aged man............

He also seemed to compare Rotherham unfavourably with other places - but not on a like for like basis.  Rotherham is a small ex-industrial town - not a city or university town - like Bristol (where I think he came from).

In comparison to a book a read a few years ago, also looking at the poorer inhabitants of South Yorkshire - Below the Breadline, this book seemed to lack something for me, perhaps it was that I found it difficult to identify with the author - or perhaps it was that I couldn't shake the feeling that quietly he was looking down on those he lived amongst for six months.

Bought on Green Metropolis

1st - 25th August 2011

Fahenheit 451 - Raymond Bradbury

Montag lives with his wife, he's not contented in his marriage but seems satisfied with his job, he's a fireman.

But the world in which he lives is in the future (the book was written in 1953), and things are slightly different. People watch television screens the size of a whole wall - sometimes on all four walls, and books are banned.

Because they contain ideas that might influence the population, books are burnt, and it's the job of firemen like Montag to do the burning when they get the call about illegal books - but not just the books, but also the home of the owner.

But Montag starts to feel differently, and to question received wisdom, and his role as a fireman.

I've been meaning to read this book for years, I love books about books and I'm a bit of a closet sci-fi fan.

What really struck me about the story is how plausible the whole thing is, but also how even more scary real life is. It's unlikely that governments will ban books - after all if they are able to control their content that is a much better way of controlling the population. No, what is more likely is that the population are going to lose interest in books and reading - in favour of the giant tv screens that are almost like those in the book.

This was a short book, easy to read but a slow burn (every pun intended!), it took me a while to get into it.

I'm keen to see the film now, although I don't expect it to be as good as the book.

Bought from a book sale at Maltby Council offices.
19th - 31st July 2011

Ghostwritten - David Mitchell

His first book, but the second that I've read (after Cloud Atlas, which I loved). 

Nine chapters about different people across space and time, all subtly connected.  Since each chapter appeared to be a story in it's own right I think it fair to say that I enjoyed some more than others; just as I enjoyed some characters more than others.

In a way some of the stories I would like to have seen expanded slightly; the woman in the tea shack on the Japanese hillside, and the final futuristic chapter with the night-time DJ.

If you liked Cloud Atlas I can be pretty sure you'll like this book, but I still think Cloud Atlas was a better read in totality.

Borrowed off Liz Jones

10th - 25th June 2011

The Bird Artist - Howard Norman

I picked this book up at the cottage we were staying in in France - not sure if under normal circumstances I'd have done so, but I did really enjoy it.

Set in Newfoundland around the turn of the century (19th - 20th) the story is told bey the main character, Fabian Vas, a bird artist. It's the story of his life, the lives of those who live in the small coastal village of Witless Bay, and in particular his confession of murder, and how it came to happen.

I know nothing about the location, or the place, but the descriptions were fascinating, and Fabian's story is compelling in a quiet understated way.

If I had a criticism of about the book it is more with the publisher than the author; it would have been a lovely addition, and in keeping with the story, to have included some drawings of the birds that are talked about - a missed opportunity.

Temporarily borrowed from 'The Old Bakehouse', Plaigne
9th -10th June 2011

Shades of Grey - Jasper Fforde

I've been looking forward to this book for sometime, and had almost decided to purchase it in hardback when it became available in paperback and popped up on Green Metropolis.

Wow - it really was worth waiting for. Fforde has started, hopefully, a new series in a whole new world.

And this, for me, is where his genius lies. In his ability to create future or parallel worlds that are wholly believable, very recognisable, yet slight not 'right'.

Set far in the future, and as commented on in the blurb on the cover, with sting overtones of George Orwell's 1984 (one of my favourite books).

So, it's a love story between two people from different backgrounds, and the role of authority in the everyday lives of citizens. But a world based on colour, and people's ability (or not) to see certain colours.

Little details make this a joy to read. The world of colour hierarchies is based on a rule book, The Book of Munsell - fantastic! People are kept within their colour 'families' by the need not to dilute the colours, or mix up the palette.

I'm not going to give anymore detail about the story, but suffice to say, I LOVED this book and can't wait for the next one.

Bought on Green Metropolis
6th - 9th June 2011

The True Deceiver - Tove Jansson

Tove Jansson is best known for her children's books about the Moonins, and I'd hazard a guess that most people would be surprised to learn that she wrote adult books.

I'm at a bit of a loss to describe this book; it appears to be about a woman and her brother's relationship with an older woman who is a children's book illustrator (it did cross my mind that it might be part biographical, but having finished it I think that's unlikely).

Like other Scandinavian novels I've read, and films I've seen, the author seems to feel no need to give her characters any depth, no history or back story.

I still don't understand (or really care if I'm honest) the motives for any of the things the characters do, or really what the book is about.

If I were to hazard a guess I'd say it's about truth, lies, deception and the gullibility of people.

I know that John enjoyed this book, but I'm not sure I'll be rushing to read another Tove Jansson book, having finished this I'm left feeling unsatisfied and with lots of unanswered questions.

Bought by John from Amazon.
21st May - 6th June 2011

Chasing the heretics - Rion Klawinski

In the summer of 1999 with my then boyfriend, Rob, we made a sort of pilgrimage to the Languedoc region in Southern France.

I say pilgrimage as for Rob it was. Having seen a Channel 4 documentary about the Cathars and their subsequent demise in the 13th century, he had decided to write a book about them; they were mainly based in the Languedoc region.

So returning here in 2011 I was keen to find out more, and also visit some of the sites and towns I'd been to previously.

On arrival I discovered a library of books in the house we'd rented. Amongst these was 'Chasing the heretics', lauded in the house visitors book as a 'good read' - I agree!

It's taken me 24 hours to read this part history and part travel journal around the region and story of the persecution and eventual eradication of the Cathars.

I knew the basics; of the glossy and unjust attack on Bram, of the blood thirsty land grabbing by Simon de Montfort, and the beliefs of the Cathars themselves.

In my first year at university I'd even written a short essay on the Albigensian Crusades - although it was probably completely crap!

But this book put much of it in order for me, and located it all in the landscape we were staying in on a recent trip to France.

The modern visits by Klawinski are interesting (despite to being that well written), and show how little remains of a very troubled time in the region. But the historical sections were of most interest to me - even if I am unsure of the academic rigour of what is written.

The book uses as it's main sources two books that I am aware of but haven't read - 'The Albigensian Crusades' by Jonathan Sumption (1978), and 'The Albigensian Crusades' by Joseph R Strayer (1971) - I wonder if anything has been written more recently?

It's fired my interest again, and I'm keen to visit some of the sites mentioned.

Borrowed from library of rented cottage in France.
3rd - 4th June 2011