Nacropolis – Jeet Thayil

Posted on September 28, 2012 by

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NarcopolisREAD FOR BOOKERTHON

A story set over three decades about a Bombay opium den and the diverse cast of characters who frequent it.

© “The main character in Narcopolis is Rashid who owns an opium house in Bombay. We meet him first in the 1970s, entertaining a variety of guests with pipes prepared by a eunuch called Dimple. Over time Rashid moves from opium to heroin, then cocaine becomes popular.

The book is written in a meditative, dream-like style, narrating not only the story of Rashid and the opium den but also the lives of those who frequent it as they recall their pasts in clear drug-induced reminiscence. This includes a former soldier who tells of fleeing communist China in the late 1940s,  as well as bohemians and hippies living in the moment.

The people, their stories and their woes are indicative of the state of the world outside the opium doors. The politics, addictions, poverty, conflict and relationships of the outside world are replicated indoors on a micro scale. As the city thrives, plummets and changes, so too does the business within the opium den.

Because now there’s time enough not to hurry, to light the lamp and open the window to the moon and take a moment to dream of a great and broken city, because when the day starts its business I’ll have to stop, these are night-time tales that vanish in the sunlight like vampire dust.

The book contains a combination of events, both real and imagined and is quite addictive and soothing in itself. The author has said he lost 20 years of his life to addiction and while that is of course a travesty, this book does demonstrate the difference between a book written from experience and one written from research. Rachel recommends not rushing this one. Suzy says let yourself go and be prepared to be taken along on the ride.

—–

Published 2012
Penguin Books
304 pages

Umbrella – Will Self

Posted on September 20, 2012 by

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UmbrellaREAD FOR BOOKERTHON

Apparently, the plot of Umbrella revolves around psychiatrist Zack Busner who works in Friern mental hospital. One of his patients, Audrey Death, has been catatonic for 50 years. The doctor recognises that she and several other long-term patients may be suffering from encephalitis lethargica, rendering them asleep rather than mad.

This is effectively the story of neurologist Oliver Sacks who awakened a ward full of post-encephalitic patients from the 1920s with new drug L-DOPA in 1969.

The other plot strands take us into the past, to hear Audrey’s wartime experiences, and into the future with Busner as an old man looking back on his life.

Umbrella, named for a line from James Joyce’s Ulysses (A brother is as easily forgotten as an umbrella) sounds interesting but the style is not as simple as the plot sounds. The book is 416 pages in stream of consciousness style. Not only are there no chapters, but there are barely paragraphs breaks, and sentences are long and cluttered – sometimes the narrative can jump between the three strands of time in the same sentence.

…catching a glimpse of his rather hippyish form in a mirror, he wonders at this atavism of apparel, is it an inversion of foetal ontogeny, in which the phenotype passes through previous fashion stages? Soon there will be gaiters and gloves…I will probably die, he thinks, clad in animal skins.

Kudos, you’d have to be brilliant to be able to write something of this scope, but we both agreed that most of the time we did not have a clue what was going on. There were sections that made sense and were interesting but as a whole it’s not something either of us would recommend to the average reader.

—–

Published 2012
Bloomsbury Publishing
416 pages

Swimming Home – Deborah Levy

Posted on September 12, 2012 by

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Swimming Home PB SHORTLISTEDREAD FOR BOOKERTHON

Poet Joe Jacobs’s family vacation is interrupted by a fanatical reader who wades, naked, out of their swimming pool

© Joe Jacobs is a Polish poet living in Britain, holidaying with his family and another couple in the South of France. One day a naked girl, called Kitty Finch, wades out of the swimming pool, naked and in search of the slightly well known Joe. She has written a poem called ‘Swimming Home’ with which she hopes to impress Joe.

Joe’s wife Isabel invites Kitty to stay and she does, comfortable in her habit of strolling about undressed. Her quiet, naked presence causes everyone to examine themselves, their relationships, and the way in which they view others, Joe especially who is the object of Kitty’s fascination and struggling with his own marriage.

Each of the characters tries to dominant or exert control over the others. Joe, a Polish emigrant who had to change his name, his wife a former war correspondence with worldly experience, Kitty with her anonymity and allure.

… to be forceful was not the same as being powerful and to be gentle was not the same as being fragile.

Rachel thought, in the end, the book was about the search for acceptance. She found it beautifully paced with fantastically mixed up characters who keep her guessing. “Unnerving but fulfilling.”  Suzy liked the mystique of the characters and the unusual relationships that formed, but found a sense of messiness about the presentation of the plot. All in all, something we would both recommend to readers who love making sense of the intrigue and mystery in their minds as they read.

—–

Published 2011
Faber & Faber
176 pages

Selected Poetry II

Posted on September 11, 2012 by

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sylvia-plath-quotes-3Theme: Ways To Be A Successful Woman

Poetry studied:

Slyvia Plath:
Disquieting Muses
Arrival of the B Box
Lady Lazarus

Adrienne Rich:
Orion
Diving Into The Wreck
The Mirror Into Which Two Are Seen As One

Orion by Adrienne Rich:

Far back when I went zig-zagging
through tamarack pastures
you were my genius, you
my cast-iron Viking, my helmed
lion-heart king in prison.
Years later now you’re young

my fierce half-brother, staring
down from that simplified west
your breast open, your belt dragged down
by an oldfashioned thing, a sword
the last bravado you won’t give over
though it weighs you down as you stride

and the stars in it are dim
and maybe have stopped burning.
But you burn, and I know it;
as I throw back my head to take you in
and old transfusion happens again:
divine astronomy is nothing to it.

Indoors I bruise and blunder
break faith, leave ill enough
alone, a dead child born in the dark.
Night cracks up over the chimney,
pieces of time, frozen geodes
come showering down in the grate.

A man reaches behind my eyes
and finds them empty
a woman’s head turns away
from my head in the mirror
children are dying my death
and eating crumbs of my life.

Pity is not your forte.
Calmly you ache up there
pinned aloft in your crow’s nest,
my speechless pirate!
You take it all for granted
and when I look you back

it’s with a starlike eye
shooting its cold and egotistical spear
where it can do least damage.
Breath deep! No hurt, no pardon
out here in the cold with you
you with your back to the wall.

The Bell – Iris Murdoch

Posted on August 14, 2012 by

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the bellREAD FOR BOOKCLUB
Chosen by Jo

A lay community of mixed-up people is encamped outside Imber Abbey, a home of sequestered nuns. An old bell is rediscovered, causing change in everyone.

© “A former teacher establishes a sanctuary for those looking for a “refuge from modernity”. Dora Greenfield is one such soul searcher, returning wearily to her unhappy marriage. Like other Murdoch books, The Bell provides a well-considered social commentary on people, on how they treat themselves and one another as they search for the meaning in life. Here they are also attracted to a spiritual bucolic life amongst the transforming world of the 50s.

“Despite all this substance, the novel does not read as serious and moralistic, but rather has a lively style and characters who are equally endearing and maddening. The Abbey is well detailed and a strong backdrop for the myriad personalities.

“Amongst the character studies is a simple plot where the original bell from the bell tower is discovered in the lake. Its discovery,  while a new modern bell tolls in its place, has a kind of power over the people of the sanctum, providing clarity of mind in order to seek dramatic change.

Toby had received, though not yet digested, one of the earliest lessons of adult life: that one is never secure. At any moment one can be removed from a state of guileless serenity and plunged into its opposite, without any intermediate condition, so high about us do the waters rise of our own and other people’s imperfection.

“This is another moving tale from Murdoch about the fragility of human life but also the drama and inconsistencies that make us all human. For this reason it appealed to us all as something we enjoyed and would recommend. No complaints this month!”

—–
Published 1958
Chatto & Windus
319 pages

Tropic of Cancer – Henry Miller

Posted on July 17, 2012 by

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tropiccancerREAD FOR BOOKCLUB
Chosen by Rachel

The Tropic of Cancer was published in 1934 and was widely banned for its explicit sexual content, including for a 27 year period in the US. Its protagonist is a struggling writer living in Paris and is named for the author. The book is considered more than a novel, rather autobiographical fiction written as a collection of essays, anecdotes, poems and notations.

At the time, Henry Miller, both author and protagonist, is married to an American woman who lives in the US and of whom he thinks of only occasionally. Instead he ogles and makes reference to many other women, often in an objectifying manner. Instead of returning to his wife, Miller decides to remain in Paris, because the Parisian culture of the day and his attitude towards sexuality meshed well, as opposed to the American culture which was a lot more prim.

In Paris, Miller lives on the good will of others, taking advantage of people by begging for enough food and shelter to enable him to keep writing. Yet he manages to accumulate bohemian and beatnik friends, women of all walks of life, plenty of alcohol and fancy French food with ease. He is constantly writing about, thinking about or having sex, balancing the fine line of freedoms and restraint.

You can forgive a young c**t anything. A young c**t doesn’t have to have brains. They’re better without brains. But an old c**t , even if she’s brilliant, even if she’s the most charming woman in the world, nothing makes any difference. A young c**t is an investment; an old c**t is a dead loss. All they can do for you is buy you things. But that doesn’t put meat on their arms or juice between their legs.

Individual liberties and freedom of expression are thematic constructs but because his emphasis is an erotic expression his book has had a wide range of reactions. This includes how the four of us felt about it too. Some of the comments that flowed at bookclub were “narcissistic”, “tornado of destruction”, “revolutionary”, “controversial”, “anti-hero”, “offensive”, “rule-breaking”, “arsehole”. While the presentation and content could be appreciated as unique, it was hard to like Henry Miller the character when he was so clearly Henry Miller the person who treated people like this.

—–

Published 1934
Obelisk Press
318 pages

The Parihaka Woman – Witi Ihimaera

Posted on June 19, 2012 by

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parihaka womanREAD FOR BOOKCLUB
Chosen by Suzy

A fictionalised account set amongst the atrocities that occurred in Parihaka, Taranaki during the 1870s

The Parihaka Woman tells the story of Taranaki iwi who fought back against settlers and the confiscation of their lands with a programme of passive resistance. This grounding in fact is offset by the creation of protagonist Erenora, a heroine who takes on the Odyssean-type journey of rescuing her husband, Horitana, from capture.

Horitana is held in various prisons, providing a journey around the country, and a pacy saga with a cast of interesting side characters.

After receiving criticism for his previous novel, The Trowenna Sea, for apparent plagiarism, Ihimaera (Te Aitanga-a-Māhaki) has in this novel used a history teacher as a narrator, who quotes from reliable works to help explain the story of colonialism and atrocity in 1870s Taranaki. Thus the elements of fact and fiction are both clear but also woven together for a good yarn.

© I am always gobsmacked that the Parihaka story does not have more recognition in New Zealand. It is uplifting and devastating all at once. One of my favourite authors tells a stunning story of Parihaka and the good vs evil sentiments are strong. – Suzy

© I enjoyed reading more about one of the more reprehensible episodes in our country’s history and learned a lot. I did feel the story became too far-fetched as it neared its conclusion, however, it didn’t stop me turning pages! Excellent pace, well-crafted characters, historical accurate – definitely worth a read. – Rachel

—–

Published 2011
Vintage
318 pages

Selected Poetry I

Posted on May 22, 2012 by

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DSC03356Theme:
Favourite NZ poems

Poems studied:

Rain – Hone Tuwhare
No Ordinary Sun – Hone Tuwhare
Jerusalem Sonnet 1 – James K Baxter
In A Minute – Anna Jackson

Fantastic insight into these poems by Sophia. Everyone gravitated towards towards Rain, for some a long held love, for others a new awakening.”

Rain by Hone Tuwhare

I can hear you
making small holes
in the silence
rain

If I were deaf
the pores of my skin
would open to you
and shut

And I
should know you
by the lick of you
if I were blind

he something
special smell of you
when the sun cakes
the ground

the steady
drumroll sound
you make
when the wind drops

but if I
should not hear or
smell or feel or see
you

you would still
define me
disperse me
wash over me
rain

 

 

Under The Net – Iris Murdoch

Posted on April 24, 2012 by

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under-the-netREAD FOR BOOKCLUB
Chosen by Jo

A 1954 book about struggling writer Jake Donaghue sponging off his friends and hunting for a missing manuscript.

The Hospital was deserted, yet strangely alive. I could hear it purring and murmuring like a sleeping beast, and even when at times there came as it were a wave of silence I could still sense within it its great heart beating.

© “I loved the ridiculousness of Jake Donaghue’s rambling life of youthful irresponsibility – as far as main characters go he is definitely likeable despite his obvious failings. This book is packed with humorous situations (e.g. dog napping and pub crawls) as well as addressing philosophical questions (e.g. the trap of language) and the fast pace will keep you guessing about what will come next. Iris Murdoch constructs beautiful sentences and defines distinct characters. I loved this book but feel I need to read it again to fully understand and appreciate the philosophical themes as well as the topsy-turvy plot.” – Jo

© “Jack Donaghue exasperated and entertained me in equal measure – like all Murdochian characters!. A broke writer, always in search of a few pennies to buy a drink, Jake sponges off everyone in his life, bouncing around from one person to the next. Jake gets involved in a number of fantastical capers as he hunts down the missing manuscript, which are all laugh out loud and written with perfect timing and tension, but never predictable. A lot happens in what is a short novel.” – Rachel

© “A big and adventurous read – as a reader you’re taken along on a whirlwind with all sorts of implausible coincidences and twists and turns. Because it is Iris Murdoch though it’s all wonderfully done and thoroughly readable and enjoyable. The Sea, The Sea is still my favourite Iris Murdoch novel, but Under the Net was a great read. Mars the dog is a stand-out character.” – Suzy

—–
Published 1954
Chatto & Windus
286 pages

Slaughterhouse Five – Kurt Vonnegut

Posted on March 27, 2012 by

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slaughterhouse fiveREAD FOR BOOKCLUB
Chosen by Rachel

Kurt Vonnegut writes of his own experiences as a World War II prisoner in Slaughterhouse Five, in particular the bombing of Dresden.

On February 13, 1945, only months before the end of World War II, the Allies undertook a two-hour bombing of Dresden, Germany, an unarmed, historic city of no military importance. The attack killed 135,000 people. Vonnegut and other prisoners were held captive in an underground slaughterhouse there, the only reason they survived.

The novel’s protagonist, Billy Pilgrim, undergoes the same fate, coming to ground to find a flattened city. As a result Billy becomes unstuck in time and begins time travelling, a metaphor for his post-war PTSD.  With­out any forewarning, he finds himself suddenly transported to traumatic moments in his past or future.

At several points in the novel, including all of the opening chapter, Vonnegut addresses the reader directly, mentioning his own real-life experiences as a POW and discussing the difficulties he has had in writing about his war experiences. He also tells of his visit with fellow prisoner, Bernard O’Hare and how O’Hare’s wife urges Vonnegut not to glam­orise war in the book he is writing. He promises that he will not.

As well as travelling to other moments in his life, the book’s protagonist Billy also travels to a fictional planet called Tralfamadore after being kidnapped by aliens. This mythical world is a product of Billy’s innocence and insanity and provides him a safe place in which he can escape the memories of humankind’s willingness to destroy itself.

And Lot’s wife, of course, was told not to look back where all those people and their homes had been. But she did look back, and I love her for that, because it was so human. So she was turned into a pillar of salt. So it goes.

This book was affecting for us all to read. It is cleverly written and there is much to admire stylistically. The autobiographical passages bookending Billy Pilgrim’s post-traumatic stress are constant reminders that fact and fiction are interwoven, giving the story more punch and grim effect. The fact that the author and protagonist are doomed to re-live terrible moments of their lives over and over, represented by Billy’s time travelling, is desperately sad but the author has ensured they are satirically comic at the same time. We couldn’t help but be touched.

—–

Published 1969
Delacorte
215 pages

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