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Cape Town Book Fair
This next weekend marks the 5th Cape Town Book Fair, being held at the CTICC. (That’s the Cape Town International Convention Centre for those not in the know).
I can’t wait! Last year I went along with The Man and Bean in tow and I had an awful time, I had to rush past stands full of books, stands full of pamphlets, stands full of all things bookish because The Man was grumpy. This year, I am going alone. I am planning an all day event, to browse, to peruse, to gain my full enjoyment of having an entire afternoon dedicated to looking at books.
In the chefs kitchen, Tina Bester will be there at 3pm on Saturday 31st July, and in case any of you are wondering who she is, she is the author of Bake. The most delicious book on baking that one could ask for,and she has a fairly new book out called ‘Comfort’, which I am itching to get my hands on.
Amongst many other authors that I haven’t heard of, I know, bad me! Jodie Picoult will be at the fair doing Book signings. As well as staying at the Mount Nelson Hotel, you can purchase tickets at R165 for a high tea together with Jodie on the 1st August for 10.30am.
Me, I just want to look at books!
For all the info you need head on over here :
http://www.capetownbookfair.com/
and if that doesn’t tempt you, if you use your book shop loyalty card, you can get 50% off the entry price!
See you there?!
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Christmas is coming
As you all know life has been a little busy of late, but I haven’t forgotten about this post. Have you?
If you are still interested, please fill in the Parcel Partner submission form at the top of the page by the 29 July 2010 and we can get cracking on those early Christmas presents!
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Book review – The Kite Runner
I am sure I must be one of the last people on the planet who hadn’t read The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini. Considering it has been made into a movie already! But now I can join the ranks and be one who has officially read it.What an absolutely heartbreaking novel. I have to admit that I had to leave it halfway for a while, it was just a bit too much to deal with all in one sitting (in between I read The Angina Monologues and Sapho’s Leap – review to be up soon) but last night I finished it.
And if you are also one of the last to not have read it, or not even have an inkling as to what it is about, read on:
The story is about friendship. Courage. Guilt. War. Compassion. Lies. It has a heady mix of realism and if you are anything like me, it will be hard reading at times. Set in Afghanistan it relates the time both pre and post-soviet invasion and how the lives of individuals carry on. How the country has changed and the violence that pervades but still there is goodness hidden under the shadows. The story is about familial ties. Inhumanity. Love. Forgiveness. The characters in this novel are bound together in cultural identity, spanning from the 70’s to the 90’s and how the weaving of family and of blood is never truly gone.
Amir is an upper class Pashtun and his constant play mate is Hassan, the son of his fathers long time Hazara servant. The story tells us of how decisions made in a morally testing friendship can have repercussions a longer way down the line than one thinks. That personal character can always be challenged and that it is up to the individual to make a change.
It depicts with honesty the feelings of Amir as we follow him through his life, the pervading sense of guilt and internal struggle but then the justice which inevitably takes place.
It is a sad, breathtaking, heartbreaking yet heartwarming novel. That in amidst the violence and unease, there can exist kindness and joy.
A joy as simple as kite flying.
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Book review – The Angina Monologues
The Angina Monologues by Rosamund Kendal is her second novel(her first being ‘The Karma Suture’) depicting the lives of female doctors doing their first year year of community service in the rural parts of South Africa.The story tells us of the lives of three female doctors finding love, courage and compassion as they do their residency at a rural hospital.
Pampered, spoilt Rachel struggles to establish her independence and learns to love across the cultural divide. Conservative, beautiful Seema struggles to end a relationship that has become increasingly abusive. And street-savvy Nomsa finally learns to accept a past she has spent a lifetime denying.
I really enjoyed this book, as much as I did her first one and it shows the state of rural hospitals in the ‘third world’ How AIDS is still a ’silent death’ and how with compassion much can be overcome.
I urge you to read this book, if only for the ’seeing’ what it is like in hospitals. I know I would not be able to be a doctor, but have huge respect for those that are and the work that they do.
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Book review – Blankets
Blankets by Craig Thompson is a graphic novel of great beauty with sadness in it too.I am not averse to graphic novels, but have to say that they haven’t been high on my list of priorities when choosing a book to read but that has now changed. I discovered a review of this book near the beginning of the year and it apart from the striking cover, the review had only good things to say.
While at the library last week, I had a look in the graphic novel section on the off chance it would be there, and what luck! There it was. It wasn’t what I was expecting, in the first case, it was a thick book! I had envisioned it being thin and large, yet, it was a tome of a book. Great!
I started reading it as soon as I could, and it was another one of those,that I could not put down. I took me a day to read, in amidst looking after a busy toddler- that is one thing that graphic novels have in their favour, they have pictures and few words, perfect for when you don’t have time to concentrate.
The story line is simple and is a coming-of-age autobiography, the book tells the story of Thompson’s childhood in an Evangelical Christian family, his first love, and his early adulthood. Thompson has said that the novel grew out of a simple idea: to describe what it feels like to sleep next to someone for the first time.
The graphics are beautiful and striking, simple and effective. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and would recommend you to read it. It brings back nostalgia for reading picture books, and, that first love.
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Book Review – The Forty Rules of Love
The Forty Rules of Love by Elif Shafak, is breathtaking!
Once I started reading it, I did not want to put it down. It truly is a book that every single person on this planet should read.
The story is a simple one, with a book within a book. Ella is a married housewife with three children who starts a job as a reader for a literary agent. Her first book, is by Aziz Z. Zahara about the fabled poet Rumi and how his world view was transformed by the whirling dervish Shams of Tabriz. Ella begins to correspond with Aziz, bringing about a change to her world view.
This story is written in such a way that it speaks to the average person, there is no judgement, there is only Love. Of course, as one reads, one discovers the ‘Forty rules of love’ , hence the title of this novel.
This is a classic and awe inspiring and it made me feel all warm and fuzzy. Yet, when I got to bed after having finished reading it, it left me pondering about Love. And why we as humans find it so difficult to open out heart. Why there is such fear from ridicule and the thoughts of others. If we all just opened our hearts and lived with Love, then the world would be a vastly different place.
What I enjoyed about this novel is that it struck to the very core of me, and made me realise, that all we have is this present moment.
This book is about Love. About Love of God, and of people. It challenges your opinions on Love and I urge you to find a copy and read it. Now.
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Calling all Book Blogs
So, after being out of the internet loop for so long, I am looking for some Book Blogs to read and I am hoping that with the help of all you lovely readers soon there will be a host of new links for me to peruse.
Firstly, though if any of you know of South African Book Blogs, please leave a link, it would be great to find out what is out there on this side of the world.
Secondly, we need some more international Book Blogs to add to the reading list and if you know of some or are one, please leave your link.
Once I have some, I will then do a post with all the links in one place and the rest of you can all do some perusals. You never know, you may find the exact book you have been looking for, but didn’t even realise it!
On that note, I wish you all a gorgeous Monday, (where I am it is raining, raining, raining and cold) and if you are where it is cold, keep warm!
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APOLOGIES
For lack of book reviews, competitions and give aways, we recently moved house and our internet connection hasn’t been connected for the last month. Luckily for 3G cards, I can be here this morning!
So, in my absence on the internet I have been reading, nothing like being forced into an exhile from blogging… and I have discovered Robert Jordan’s The Wheel of Time series.
I am currently on the second book ‘The Great Hunt’ and have to say I am hooked. I can’t say it will be everybodies cup of tea as it is a fantasy novel and series. But the thing I am really enjoying about it is that it manages to pull you into the world that Robert Jordan has created. In a very similar vein to Tolkien. The characters grow into their respective roles and like most fantasy novels, they do not know that they have special abilities until a catastrophe happens and then their world as they know it, changes forever.
This is a series of 12 books, so it may take me some time to get through them and as I am taking them out of the library, it may take even more time (so far, I have been lucky in the fact that all three books have been in when I have gone in to look for them) I am 3/4 way through the second book so can see myself starting no 3, The Dragon Reborn, after the weekend.
As for other bookish news, I have also recently discovered Louise Bagshaw, she is great for those ‘non thinking’ days that you want something light to read. Sparkles was the first book I read, interesting story line, and light enough to be chick lit. I currently have Glamour on my bedside table, so expect a review of that in the near future!
But enough about me, tell me about you! What books have you discovered in my absence, what have you been reading? Its Winter and I’m sure that most of you have at least one book that is keeping you warm….
I am itching to know!
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Review: The Story of Edgar Sawtelle
Many thanks to Gareth for submitting this review (and apologies for the delay in posting it!).
An Oprah-approved hype magnet that, for once, is worth the praise. Edgar Sawtelle is a mute who communicates with his farmer parents and their kennel of renowned, purebred ‘Sawtelle dogs’ by sign language. Being mute, his powers of observation are finely tuned.
He soon suspects visiting uncle Claude has a hidden agenda that no one else can see – but it’s up to Edgar and his exceptionally loyal pack of pups to prove it. Wroblewski’s writing is unfussy and authentic, credible even when ghosts and the inner thoughts of animals are introduced. A must for dog or literature lovers … and a great Cape winter read!
Anyone else read this? I have to admit that i did take it out of Bookclub, but am yet to read – although now I am more tempted. Thanks Gareth for the review!
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The Travelling Book
A little while ago we asked you to let us know what book was on your ‘must read’ list, that you didn’t already own.
The Elegance of the Hedgehog was on Paige Nick’s list – so off went the book to her.
It is now in my grubby little paws. Am dying to get into it, but have actually just started reading A Million Miles from Normal (Paige Nick) and am loving it. Such an easy read, but so funny. What a sense of humour Paige has. Anyway, i digress slightly.
I shall be reading The Elegance of the Hedgehog next. After that i need to send it on it’s merry way to someone who is chomping at the bit to read.
Any of you out there?
The stipulation is that once you’ve read it, it needs to be passed on. You have to post it off to someone who will then do the same once they are done with it.
Any takers out there?
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Recent Posts
- Cape Town Book Fair
- Christmas is coming
- Book review – The Kite Runner
- Book review – The Angina Monologues
- Book review – Blankets