Christmas Gift Guide 2015

This one is longer my average post so sit back and relax. Since Christmas is right around the corner and I know there’s at least one person reading this that still needs to go shopping but there options are limited and I’m sorry if your local bookstore doesn’t have these books it’s not my fault you left it too late.

ONE LINE A DAY

I received this as a gift for my birthday last year from my dear sister. The premise is simple; you’re given a short space to write each day for 5 years. At first it seems like a big commitment but after a few days it becomes automatic. I started mine last January and stuck with it, I’m not looking forward to starting back at page one for 2016.

TWITTERATURE

Admittedly this was a present from me to me. I know myself fairly well so this was a good pick [pats self on the back]. This book retells the classics through the medium of twitter. Take for example Orwell’s 1984 “@Ratatouille PS. By ‘Love’ they mean imprisonment, execution, and unspeakable torture. In that order. Like I said, opposites are the new white.” I find it funny but be warned if your bookworm isn’t into the classics they won’t be interested.

NOTHING RHYMES WITH ORANGE

A present from Santa (thanks Mam) I got a few years back. If your bookworm is also a writer (and if they tell  your they’re not their probably lying) this book if perfect. It’s a ryming dictionary with a bit of style. Not as boring as the OED. (I’m repent praise the OED)

 

MORE WEIRD THINGS CUSTOMERS SAY IN BOOKSHOPS

Shout out to my Godfather for this one. It’s almost like a joke book. It’s full of short tales (about 5 lines long) of outrageous things overheard in bookshops. For example a woman who thinking the Hunger Games is a dieting novel. (Nice New Year’s resolution!) And what’s even better is the title suggests there’s a first edition of this book too so if you think your bookworm would be into it why not get them both! (Here’s why; you’re in college now you can’t afford it)

A SUBSCRIPTION TO AUDIBLE

I feel cheated out of money for putting this in here, since everyone else in the world is sponsored by Audible. This is an online service that provides audio books and it’s great for your bookworms on the move. Stuck in traffic or on a bus with no lights for three and a half hours and you want to drown out your bus driver’s funky foreign pop music… all I’m saying is it’s a good option! I’ll plug this more if audible wants to give me money. Regardless it’s worth looking into if your bookworm is a mover. Or if they go to the gym hahahaha!  This is also really good if you’re reading this on Christmas Eve because you could buy present for them online RIGHT NOW.
This isn’t the last you’ve heard of me this festive season. Strap in because I’m just getting started.

Other Culture Break: Podcasts Part 2

I got a great response to my previous post about podcasts so I thought I’d keep the ball rolling and write another. If I didn’t hook you last time and you don’t have time to browse around for other options here’s some more to try.

If the sound of “Serial” tickled your fancy last time, you’ll love “Criminal“. Each episode is approximately 20 minutes long so it’s perfect for commuting or listening to before you go to sleep.

If you’re an avid reader (and I hope you are) “The Literary Salon” should be right up your alley. Hosted by Damian Barr, past guest include Jojo Moyles and Helen Fielding. Authors read from their upcoming works and share their own personal stories

If you like the book by Stephen J. Dubner and Steven D. Levitt you’ll love “Freakomonics Radio“. This podcast gives and economists view on everyday life matters from parking to advertising. I promise it’s more exciting than it sounds.

I’ve been listening to “Stuff You Should Know” since I get my iPod Nano Generation 3 from Santa for Christmas of 2007. There’s hundreds of episodes which explore topics ranging from history and politics to music and geography.

“Love + Radio” is one I’ve downloaded more recently. Luckily I didn’t download this one when I first got my iPod because the content is aimed at a more mature audience. I would also like to add a trigger warning to this podcasts as some episodes contain graphic violence and explicit language.

So that’s covers almost every podcast I listen to on a regular basis so if you’re anything like me you’ll find something here. Let me know what you want me to discuss in September’s “Other Culture Break”

Henry’s Demons: Living with Schizophrenia, a Father and Son Story

I don’t normally indulge in hardback books but I found this gem at  the Tipperariana Book Fair last February. The original price was €22 but second hand it was only €8, and with a smile I managed to take it home for €5. In other words it was cheaper than a paperback. (That’s the beauty or secondhand book buying)

“Henry’s Demons” is a brutally honest account of one young man’s battle with mental illness. It raises important issues and sometimes controversial opinions of the mental health system. It brings to light an unfortunate realization: in terms of mental health case we are still in the stone age.

One night Henry disappears into a nearby estuary and nearly drowns. Voices lead him to the water. “Henry’s Demons” follows the next eight years of Henry’s life as he is diagnosed with schizophrenia and spends his time in and out of mental hospitals.

Told mostly by his father Patrick we see the life of troubled parents who’s son often disappears or escapes from hospitals for days at a time. Often they’re unsure weather he will be found dead or alive.

What I found most fascinating about this book is that there are also several chapters written but Henry himself. From an outside perspective it’s easy to see that Henry is suffering from acute psychosis, however from Henry’s point of few he isn’t ill at all. He relishes his experiences of talking to trees and hearing whispers in the wind on a spiritual level.

I became instantly enthralled in this book and read it in only two days. Albeit it was not as easy going as any of the other books I’ve previously reviewed it was the most compelling.

It’s not too hard to find a book about depression from “The Bell Jar” to “Thirteen Reasons Why” you’ll easily find one in your local bookshop. “Henry’s Demons” stood out to me because I’ve never before found a book that gives a first hand account of such intense physios.

Get Back Into Reading Part 2: Bruised

So I haven’t convinced you to take up reading yet? Well the Summer’s certainly not over yet. There’s still a good three or four weeks before it’s time to wrap up. My goal by then is to have you reading by the fire.

The most common excuse I hear for people not reading is “I’m too busy, I don’t have time” I don’t want to judge your time management skills so let me compensate! How about something short? I read -Irish Author- Siobhan Parkison’s novel “Bruised” in just one sitting. It’s just under 200 pages with wide spacing and a nice size font. Just look at that slim spine!

Parkinson is a Children’s Author however I have some misgivings about this book’s YA classification. Although the narrative is simple, the subject matter is quite perturbing.

Bruised follows the story of Jono and Julie, the Children of an alocholic mother and a father who’s left them. Their caring grandmother has recently died and now it’s up to Jono to take care of his little sister.

What I enjoyed most about my book is the narrative. It’s narrated my Jono who’s fourteen and is taking creative writing tips from his English teacher. It’s not often I use the phrase but: you won’t be able to put it down.

So in the spirit of reading briefly, I’ll leave it at that. Now go get a book!

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Look Who’s Back

Don’t judge a book by it’s cover – is a saying which most defiantly does not apply to this book. One glimpse of it’s cover and I was hooked. (Such fantastical minimal graphic design!)  This books it exactly what you would expect from cover to cover thanks to Munich based  graphic designer Johannes Wiebel. I’m not one to gush about a book cover but this is just beautiful!

So let’s get down to the contents. “Look Who’s Back” was originally written in German by Timur Vermes, but after selling two million copies has been translated into English by Jamie Bulloch. (Fear not, no humor has been lost in translation.)

In this book we follow  Adolf Hitler – not through World War II but rather through the present day. He has woken up in 2011 to find the world around him has changed immeasurably since 1945 – “and he’s Führious.” As he discovers the technological advancements since his alleged suicide he’s mistaken as an impersonator and becomes a YouTube sensation.

As it’s told from Hitler’s perspective it has the potential to be offensive, however through out the entirety of the book the reader is left not laughing with Hitler but at him.

Although there is obviously a lot of historical references (but you don’t need to be a history buff to appreciate the satire) I felt this book thought me more about the time we live in – by seeing it through the eyes of an outsider exploring today’s culture and observing how much the world has changed in just a little over 60 years.

I think this book is the most universally accessible book I’ve reviewed so far. So if you’re not at “Indiependence” this weekend use your saved money to toddle into Easons and grab a copy. (There’s enough for everyone I checked today!)

Other Culture Break: Podcasts

I personally feel that podcasts are the most underrated medium for absorbing culture. I am continually shocked by the amount – or lack of – people who listen to podcasts. It’s no longer the case where you need an Apple device and an iTunes account to download podcasts. Now more than ever they’ve become more accessible. Even if you’re an Android person (like me) there’s a multitude of apps that will allow you download and listen to podcasts on your smart phone or tablet.

Obviously if you run with Apple you can just download any podcast of your choice directly from the iTunes store. My Android app of choice is Podcast Addict -which is aptly named because I listen to four or five podcasts on a daily bases.

In a previous post I mentioned “This American Life“. This award winning podcast is more polished and professional than most, so it’s a great place to start. Each episode is based on a theme and consists of two or there stories based on that theme. It’s one of the more widely known podcasts and probably the first you’ll come across if you’re looking to start listening to podcasts. A new episode is released every Monday.

In October 2014 “This American Life” debuted a spin-off podcast called “Serial“. Over twelve addictive episodes “Serial” investigates the 1999 murder of Hae Min Lee and the conviction of her former boyfriend Adnan Syed . Season 2 is set to follow a new story and will be premiering in Autumn of 2015.

Much like books, blogs or television: it doesn’t matter what you’re interested in you’ll find a podcast to match that interest. Crime, science, politics, sports, comedy, animals, music, fashion, food – the list is endless.

And did I mention it’s free? You’re welcome to make donations to most podcasts but you’re not obliged. So as well as providing hours of entertainment podcasts are 100% free!

Caitlin Moran

I wanted to review Caitlin Moran’s “How to Build a Girl” and “How to be a
Woman” separately but honestly, the differences are few and far between. Both protagonist were raised in a council estate in Wolverhampton with a seemingly unending supply of siblings. Despite their financial situation and questionable parenting they become a music journalist and move to London.

Moran has worn the plot line thin, branding one as fictitious and the other as autobiographical. Of course names are changed but other than that there’s little disparity between the two.

All that being said though, I did enjoy these books. Perhaps the reason being is that I read the novel first and by then moving on to Moran’s true story I felt as I’d been presented with the door leading to the authors inspiration.

“How to Build a Girl” is brilliant and hilarious I thoroughly enjoyed the first two-thirds of this book. However as the ending dawned as did  two of troubling realizations. First of all I realized that for the most part of the book the protagonist -Johanna- seems to have been measuring her worth against her sexual appeal to the men around her. Second of all, the scene that is refereed to as “the most inept self-harming session ever” is extremely alarming. I feel it’s  reference in the blurb doesn’t act as a strong enough trigger warning. It was not only uneasy to read but I found my self disgusted by the encouraging nature of the writing, so much so that for my readers sake, I don’t even want to make direct quotes to the text.

“How to be a Woman” is Caitlin Moran’s feminist manifesto. She explores issues such as puberty, body image, motherhood, strip clubs and how the media treats women. It doesn’t have the same “problems” as “How the Build a Girl”

Overall it’s easy to feel that “How to Build a Girl” was composed from notes and anecdotes that Moran’s publishers disallowed in her former book “How to be a Woman.” I would recommend one or the other, there’s no need to read both.

Let’s Explore Diabetes with Owls

David Sedaris’ most recent book debuted at number one on the New York Times Bestseller List.  Let’s Explore Diabetes with Owls is a collection of essays with a mix of both fiction and non-fiction stories. 

Even though collection books obviously don’t have the same page-turning appeal as a novel, I found myself devouring this book fairly quickly. This because even though each chapter differs, the narrative voice in each is equally strong and capturing while the content is comical and thought provoking.

The opening story entitled “Dentists Without Boarders” explores the difference between the attitudes of the American and French healthcare systems. Sedaris moves on to map out his troubling relationship with his father. The book ends with a poem “Dog Days” which leaves you with the final rhyme:

He poops a stool, then, though it’s heinous,

bends back down and licks his anus.

It’s admittedly a cheap laugh but is keeping with the crude humored nature of the book. In his personal life Sedaris is a middle class, self-deprecating homosexual with an tendency towards obsessive behaviors which previously included drug use; and all of these qualities shine through in his work

So beware of politics:  Sedaris’ boasts a liberal agenda which  at times may be offensive to his more conservative counterparts. However, I found the satire hilarious.

My relationship with David Sedaris sprung from listening to This American Life (which I will be discussing in the future.) I found one of his earlier books in a charity shop one day, borrowed a few more from the library and received this book as a gift. Although reviews I’ve read of Let’s Explore Diabetes with Owls have been mixed, for me, it did not disappoint.

Get Back Into Reading

I need to make a confession: as of January 2015 I’ve read one book. However I’ve rectified the situation as of the previous week, I pulled out a book as a travel companion last Thursday and I’m currently making steady progress through my third book since.

If you’re a student like me you undoubtedly have copious amounts of time on you’re hands at the moment. If I’d picked up Ulysses in an attempt to rekindle my love of books I doubt I would have gotten very far, so I want to talk about the book I think can help you get back into reading.

Mogan Matson’s Since You’ve Been Gone follows all the traditional tropes of a good YA novel: lists, road trips, friendships and romance. It’s obviously not very highfalutin but it’s fun.  

Over the last two years Emily has relied on her friend Sloane to bring her to parties and socialize for her while she teetered at the peripheries. However, when Sloan disappears she is forlorn,until she receives a list in the post: dance until dawn, kiss a stranger, go skinny dipping (and so on and so forth)

I don’t want to rate any book on a star rating system. Different books are written for different purposes. This book is not meant to be awfully thought provoking it’s meant to be fun. Take it to the beach, on a plane, on a train, into the garden where you have no WiFi. I guarantee after the first few pages you wont put it down.

The specific stand out point for me here was how Matson deals with the protagonist’s relationships , romantic or otherwise. After reading a lot of Ya (you’ll notice this in most movies too) the authors depictions of relationships is often hugely unrealistic. Matson doesn’t making her characters fall in love or become best friends after 5 minutes, she gives them time to connect and explore the foundation and ruin of their relationship.

Did I mention this book is fun? If you get to the end and you really liked it I’ve found most copies you buy have a preview of one of Maton’s other two novels. You will never escape.

That’s all for now folks, happy reading.

Preface

Once upon a time, in a far away land, a young woman finished her Leaving Cert. In a quest to continue the practice analytical reading she decided it would only be apt to start a blog, and so it began…

So here’s what to look out for: book reviews, book discussions and other book related banter. I might occasionally post under the title”Other Culture Break” where I’ll talk about movies, theater, music or podcasts.

I’m most fond of reading fiction, classics and YA. I’ll try and mix it up between the three. I’m not a huge fan of fantasy or sci-fi but you might find one or two references to dystopian novels (maybe)

My first post will appear next Friday so watch this space!