Clothes, Clothes, Clothes, Music, Music, Music, Boys, Boys, Boys

This book is a remarkable account of a period of music history that was the birth of British punk from Viv Albertine's perspective. I couldn't put it down - an honest account of her life, music, relationships and the difficulties in navigating the male dominated music industry, from 1975 right up until today. 

There is much sadness in this book but also a great deal of perseverance, vulnerability and hope.  Even if you aren't a fan of punk, read the book. A fantastic piece of history.

Spotted and hearted at the NGA

The best dressed dame at Omar Musa's book launch at the National Gallery of Australia.The hat was purple plaid which match perfectly with the knitted jumper. Just lovely.

The Book Thief

Hats off to the brave person who came to see this movie with me. After reading and sobbing throughout the book I gave plenty of warning that this movie watching could involve two long hours of crying. But in the end, I was brave the mojito, banana choc top, and giant glass of shiraz proved to be a sufficient distraction. I only cried four times.

When I first saw this had been made into a film, I was disappointed it wasn't in German and worried it would follow the likes of many others - set in Germany with a bunch of actors speaking in English with no believability around the characters. Nup. While there was only a smatter of German, the accents where so authentic that the fact that everyone was speaking English in Nazi Germany was not distracting at all. And the little things like the linen, the kitchen, the music, the landscape - all bang on the money. 

I did shed a little tear when I heard the main character sing 'Guten Abend, gute Nacht, mit Rosen bedacht' in one of the early scenes. My Mami used to sing that to me and I bet she used to have had it sung to her pretty much around the same era the book was set. Hence my sadness as this story and my own do intertwine. 

One day I hope to understand more of my family history, but what I do know is that for my mother her past involved the war, Stalingrad,foster homes and missing siblings still today. Her story is like a big puzzle impossible to solve because it's full of emotion, faltering memories and half truths. I'm not sure if I'll ever get to know what happened but there is no denying that it shaped the woman she is today - a juxtaposition of a determination with an emotional vulnerability like no-one else that I know.

The author, Markus Zusak's, parents migrated to Australia around the same time as mine and I suspect his parents were able to tell him more of their past. Or maybe he was just better at recording and remembering it? I'd like to do that when the time is right, but for now I shake my head in wonder because this story is my history too - a world away from my little yellow house life in Canberra.

After the film, there was a medicinal whiskey to reflect on what was then and to talk about what is today, in the context of war. The book (and the film) reminds us there is a beauty in the words and the strength and braveness of everyday people. It's sometimes hard to remember that when thinking about the horror and pointlessness of war.

The Young Space Traveller

Nearly 52 books in 52 weeks

Would you believe I came so close to doing this, but because I was so dedicated to hitting the target I just didn't have time to write about it...True!! I did get 3 books finished and 49 partway finished. In addition to this I read lonely planet guides to the Philippines, Turkey, and India. I also read 3 cookbooks, and a design book about sheds. Aside from books I have read 43 blogs regularly, so I believe folks, by my calculation this exceeds the original target. Success!

Reading...not....books

I know I'm doing terribly at my 52 books in 52 weeks. Expect a massive catch up in the second half of the year, unless I'm able to include some of the interesting reports I've been reading through the evenings. You interested in hearing about literacy and numeracy in trades? Or maybe you'd like a summary of a peak bodies submission into sustainability? Not tempted? Really?

Stay tuned for the end of July, where I will be squeezing about 49 books into 20 odd weeks.

52 Books in 52 weeks - # 3 Breakfast at Tiffany's

If I'd only read the back of the book - or at the very least wikipedia, I would have saved myself a whole lot of grief. Why? This is what wikipedia says.

Breakfast at Tiffany's is a novella by Truman Capote published, along with three of his short stories, in book form by Random House in 1958

Coincidentally it isn't dissimilar to what the back of the book says. What is the crucial piece of information? Can you guess? Let me tell you what happened and see if you can work it out.

Reading story. Enjoying story. Story hits a sad part. Story gets marginally happier. Story moves to a completely unrelated plot line. This ends suddenly and then another unrelated plot line occurs. I am so distracted trying to work out how these 'chapters' fit into the story that I lose track of the whole thing. By the time the final chapter comes - I'm up to a third unrelated story line and I begin to get cranky.

Finish book and think the first half was excellent but the ending let it down, because quite frankly the last bit didn't make sense. Casually turn to the back of the book and skim the blurb about the book and author. Turn book the right way around and whack myself in the head with it.

52 Books in 52 weeks - # 2 Sizzling Sixteen

From one extreme to another.

A Fine Balance - a sensitive, beautiful novel...to, how should I put it? A piece of crap that you can read in one sitting (which is pretty much why it was read next. I'm not dumbs. It is February and I'm only up to book two).

Don't get me wrong - I love Janet Evanovich. Trashy trashy reads. Formula writing about Stephanie Plum the bounty hunter. Will she fall for steady, reliable Morelli, or succumb to the dangerous Ranger's charms? Or will Janet write another 27 books where both relationships remain unresolved, but there is still enough spark for the reader to read the next book (just in case Stephanie finally flipping decides which man she will settle with).

Actually when you think about it, Stephanie is a little skinny, pony tailed tramp.

I'm sorry - next time I'll read something a little more high brow.

PS - the book I read was written in normal size print. Promise.

52 Books in 52 weeks - # 1 A Fine Balance

I've decided to give up pay tv, which is a bold move - but not really seeing I haven't turned the tv on in over a week...Instead of watching tv I'm going to read, which is something I have forgotten I enjoy doing. And a book a week can't be that hard, surely?

I started with A Fine Balance by Rohinton Mistry. It is an amazing book set in India during the mid 70's, and follows the story of four characters from very different backgrounds. It provides a wonderful illustration of Indian culture, the government during those troubled times and the injustice of the caste system. I couldn't put it down. It will make you laugh and it will shock you, but you should read it. Plus it did make me crave Indian food - but that's just because I'm shallow and uncultured and motivated by food more than I should be.

The Walking Dead

Charlie Virtue and Taffy love this publication. When Charlie went way away, Taffy was sad that he wouldn't have anyone to talk to about it. I said I'd read it, and to be honest when I saw the cover and title I wasn't sure if I'd like it.

But the thing is I do. I love how you can read it quickly. I love the drawings. I also love that although it is a series of illustrations with not much text, you are somehow still drawn in, and are engaged with the characters.

In a world ruled by the dead, we are forced to finally start living.