Summer Reads in Sixty(ish) Seconds

I love the summer holidays because you can sit and read a whole book in one sitting and not feel bad. Except for the inevitable numb bum, but it's sort of an okay pain.

First up this summer;

Counterfeit Gods by Timothy Keller

My rating: ***** 5 stars

I'd been recommended this book for a long time. Perhaps my friends all think I need to get my priorities sorted! Anyway, as much as I'd love to prove them wrong, they totally hit the nail on the head. This is a challenging and very very readable book, asking us to take a look at the things in our lives which all too often take the focus away from God - the only God who deserves our time, money, enthusiasm, respect, pursuit, dedication and love. Keller deals with all the main contenders for our attention; money, relationships, status, approval. And it's an eye opener.

Next to be curled up in a beach bag and filled with sand;

Mud, Sweat and Tears by Bear Grylls

My rating: **** 5 stars

Make no mistakes, I am a big big fan of Bear Grylls, but I wasn't quite sure what to expect when I picked up his autobiography. Would it be all about his rise to fame as an extreme survival expert, or a how-to-survive book? Actually, I was pleasantly surprised as I read a very honest, sometimes very funny account of Bear's childhood and formative experiences growing up. From tales of evading a lashing at school, to climbing on rooftops, failing at getting girls and travelling on the long and painful road back from a serious spinal injury, this book is jam packed with stories and lessons which completely explain how Bear Grylls can do what we see on our TV screens today. The guy is a nutter, a gentleman and a true inspiration.

And finally, for a change of direction;

Running Wild by Michael Morpurgo

My rating: **** 4 stars

Yep, it's another kids book. You'd be silly to think it's an easy read though. Morpurgo has done it again - successfully writing a children's book that had me enthralled from the start and sobbing by the end. Inspired and shocked by the Boxing Day tsunami of 2004, the Iraq war, and the rising problems of deforestation and illegal animal trade, Morpurgo tells the story of one boy who finds himself at the centre of all of these huge issues. The jungle comes alive through his brilliant descriptions, and the characters (including that of the wonderfully maternal Oona the elephant) are vivid. For me, the ending came too abruptly, though I understood why he did this, and that is certainly not enough to put me off recommending this book to Morpurgo fans and newbies!

And that's all my summer reading so far. Just over 2 weeks left, and I'm sure I'll fit some more in!

Books: The Alchemaster's Apprentice

The Alchemaster's Apprentice

Author: Walter Moers

Success! I have now read all but one of Walter Moers wildly imaginative jaunts in Zamonia, and it was a classic. In short, Echo is a Crat (yes, Crat) who, when faced with starvation, strikes up a bargain with a dangerous and sinister Alchemist called Ghoolion; in exchange for abundant and extravagant food and lodging, at the next full moon Echo must be boiled down for his fat. Of course.

The book is, of course, brimming with Moers' brand of description which so seamlessly blends scientific facts and completely imaginary nonsense. The Alchemaster treats the crat to the most wonderful array of the world's cuisine, as well as providing Echo with some out-of-body experiences under the influence of some rather powerful potions. Though the book seems to trundle along, taking in the sights and sounds of the Alchemaster's laboratory, the threads are gently being woven together and the final climactic scene is quite spectacular.

City of Dreaming Books is still my favourite Zamonian tale so far, but this one is pretty close. Funny, intruiging and mind-boggling bizarre, there really is no other storyteller like Moers.

My rating: **** 4/5 stars

Recommendation: As a stand alone this is a great book, not mentioning too much of Zamonia's other stories and anecdotes. Definately start with Captain Bluebear if you want to get stuck into this guy's writing.

Redeem the Time...

I've been challenged by a friend who thinks that I am too verbose and use too many commas in my blog posts. They reckon it should take 60 seconds to review a film, book or CD. 60 seconds cuts out the crap, waffle, and jargon. 60 seconds gives a clear idea of the pros and cons. 60 seconds is long enough to make up your mind about something. If I can't convince you of a film's brilliance, a band's ineptitude or a writer's genius in 60 seconds, it's not worth your while to read it.

So, the gauntlet is thrown.

Stopwatch at the ready...

It's Oscars Week!

That's right, the countdown has officially begun. The Oscars are in 6 short days and I would not like to be a nominee up against Colin Firth or Natalie Portman right now.

You can get a full list of the nominees in every category over at The Official Oscars Webpage.

Now, I'm not normally the gambling sort but if I was, here's where my money would lie:

Best actor - Colin Firth, The Kings Speech
Best actress - Natalie Portman, Black Swan
Best film - Inception
Best Supporting actor - Geoffrey Rush, The King's Speech

Pretty standard, all. I'd like to see The Social Network get some recognition because it really is an excellent movie, but not enough to defeat King Colin and company! Sorry.

Coming up this week:
Movie reviews - The Social Network (saw it ages ago but forgot to blog), The King's Speech, True Grit
Music Reviews - Gungor, The Shelter (Jars of Clay)
Book reviews - The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, The Alchemaster's Apprentice, Billionaire Boy.

What? It's half term, of course I'll have time for all of these! Well, okay, I'll see how it goes.
Be back soon!

Books: A 5 Minute Summer Review

Back from Bulgaria, I actually may have developed eye-strain from squinting at my books in the insanely bright sunshine!

In an attempt to save time (but mainly because I'm feeling a bit lazy) I'm going to combine three book review here. It's a whistle-stop tour and I hope that I can do them justice! Here goes.

1. Alone on a Wide Wide Sea - Michael Morpurgo

I read this book with a view to read it with my Year 4s as part of our WW2 topic. I won't be doing that because it veers quickly away from the war as a topic. This aside, the book is interesting and engrossing (as I have come to expect from Morpurgo!). The story is split into two narratives, each with its own pace and style. The second half of the book mostlt taking the form of a series of emails sent back and forth from the narrator to her mum as she embarks on a round the world sailing journey. All of the characters are well developed and I found myself very satisfied with the ending. It seemed like the right way to end the story. My favourite part of the book was, however, in the first narrative section in which I felt much more attached to the characters and concerned about what would happen to them.

Though written for younger readers, the book does not shy away from sadness and injustice as was exeprienced by people who really lived the experiences written about. It is very realistic (no elephants to be found here!), witty and at times tragic. Morpurgo still has it. And I would like to know where he got it.

*** 3/5 stars

2. No and Me - Delphine De Vigan

This is a very sweet little book. Both profound and simple, it stayed with me long after reading. Through the narrative voice of the 12 year old Lou, who, distanced from her depressed mother and exhausted father, finds solitude in her 160pt IQ and the Gare Centrale in Paris. Here she meets No, a homeless 16 year old girl and they strike up an unlikely and, at times, unstable friendship. The two girls begin to share their stories with each other until Lou finally musters the courage to ask her parents if No can move in with them. Unbelievably, they agree. The story follows the two friends through the highs and lows of their relationship, and sheds light on a hugely relevant social problem that exists not only in Paris but in every large city in the western world. Lou has a unique view of the world and I spent a large portion of the story wishing I'd kept a pencil handy for underlining her little nuggets of wisdom.

On final thought, though, and I'm not going to lie. I hated the last page. I loved the ending of the story, but I hated the last page. It could easily be torn out...

**** 4/5 stars

3. The Princess Bride - William Goldman

The film adaptation of this book is one of my firm favourites, so I came to the novel expecting to enjoy it. Interestingly, Goldman also wrote the screenplay for the movie, which explains why much of the dialogue in the book reads exactly as in the film. I could imagine the actors saying their lines. Hilarious. However, to say this is 'just as good as the film' would be to sell it short. In its own right, this story (an abridged and translated version of the original by S. Morgenstern) is brilliantly satirical, full of adventure, romance and delightfully colourful characters.

As the 25th anniversary edition, this copy also afforded me an insight into the film making process, and Goldman also goes to great lengths to explain why this story was so important to him as a young boy suffering with pneumonia. There are little italic inserts throughout the text where Goldman steps in to justify why he has cut certain sections of the story (usually because he felt Morgenstern was babbling about trees or the monarchy!). From the hulking giant Fezzik, to the vengeful Spaniard, Inigo, and dashing Westley (aka Farm Boy aka Man in Black aka Dread Pirate Roberts) to the terrifying Prince Humperdink, there is not a single character that could be cut or watered down. This book offers something for everyone - off-the-wall humour, action, adventure, romance, swashbuckling, a miracle man, giants, princesses and evil six-fingered men. It should be a firm favourite on every bookshelf.

***** 5/5 stars

Done. Films coming soon. Click on the words in red to find out more about the books/films mentioned.

I Know What You Did Last Summer...

No, no, no I will not be reviewing that awful film or any of its self-indulgent sequels!

Last summer, I read a good few books and watched quite a healthy dose of movies and episodes of The Waltons...oh dear...

So, having just got back from Colwyn Bay 3 venture camp - amazing fun, see my blog - halfway through two books I thought I'd pick up three new ones in Waterstones just in case the pool side becomes a regular feature of my trip to Bulgaria!

The List of Summer Reads:
The Boy in Striped Pyjamas - John Boyne (I know, I'm soooo behind!)
No and Me - Delphine de Vigan
The Princess Bride - William Goldman
The God I Don't Understand - Christopher J H Wright
All Alone on the Wide Wide Sea - Michael Morpurgo

Bring it!
Hope you're having a grand summer so far. I'm off at 2am for Gatwick airport - joy!

See you in 8 days!
Bx

Books: The Elephant in the Garden

The Elephant in the Garden - Michael Morpurgo

What I love about Michael Morpurgo is that he writes wonderfully real, moving stories and then something wacky, like an elephant for example, turns up. Morpurgo has long been a firm favourite of mine amongst the children's literature canon. The first time I read Private Peaceful I was absoltely stunned by its simplicity, emotion and boldness. I love his style of writing and the delicacy with which he deals with big subjects, many of which would be entirely alien to many of his young readers.

And so, The Elephant in the Garden (Or Elephant as I will now call it) is set in Dresden, Germany and follows a small family - and their elephant - as they must travel to find shelter after their house is destroyed by RAF bombers. The story is narrated by Lizzie, now an old woman in a home, retelling her story for her carer and her son, Karl. Dismissed as slightly batty, Lizzie's stories about keeping an elephant in her back garden has been dismissed by the carers at the home. When Karl visits, however, he believes instantly. Eventually persuaded to listen, Karl and his mother sit together with Lizzie as she tells the story, from her time before the war, through family arguments about the Hitler uprising, the dreadful and hellish Dresden bombings and into post-war life.

Morpurgo creates the beatufully vivid characters of Karli, Mutti, Papi, Lizzie and Peter, the rescued canadian RAF navigator, and inserts them into the real events of that horrendous allied attack on Dresden. I cared about the characters. I wanted them to survive the bombings. And then there's the elephant. Named after Marlene Dietrich, the family will not go anywhere without their pachyderm companion (adopted by the Mutti who works at Dresden zoo). Remarkably, it is Marlene that diverts attention from the fact they are harbouring an RAF serviceman, as every policeman and refugee they encounter believes their story about rescuing the elephant from certain death at Dresden zoo. The journey is not without its obstacles but Marlene's persistance, solidarity and strength carries the tired travellers to their eventual destination.

It is a lovely book, beautifully written in a way that will interest children. It is bold to write a WW2 story set in Germany and from a German's perspective but Morpurgo is, as ever, sensitive with his subject matter and characters, and therefore with his readers.

My rating **** 4/5 stars

Recommendation: Read the Morpurgo back catalogue. I suggest Private Peaceful, The Butterfly Lion and Warhorse (soon to be a Spielberg smash hit!).

Books: The Twilight Saga

The Twilight Saga by Stephanie Meyers; Twilight, New Moon, Eclipse, Breaking Dawn
Okay, I'm feeling sheepish. The bandwagon definately passed me by, it's passengers waving and hollering in a cloud of dust. Twilight simply did not exist for me until a few months ago.

I have just finished reading the final book in the Twilight Saga. I am completely sold.

I could write a review of each separate book, because, like most Twi-fans, I have my favourites. But instead I've decided to give you a brief rundown and then let you go discover them for yourself. Feel free to check back and let me know which book you liked best!

Likened to a modern Romeo and Juliet story, the Twilight saga basically centres around two teenagers who fall in love, despite the fact that one is a human and the other a vampire. Of course, their relationship quickly becomes the catalyst for a lot of tricky situations, including the restoration of several age-old legends, truces and rivalries.

Bella Swan moves to the small, rainy town of Forks, Washington to live with her dad. Life is dull an repetitive until she encounters the Cullen family. It takes little time for Bella, to realise there is something different abouth this family and, as Edward swoops in to save her from a car accident, their lives become unavoidably linked. Bella starts to put together the pieces; stunning beauty, impossible strength and speed, ice-cold skin. A book of Quileute legends hands her the only possible explanation - he is a vampire. Bella is single-minded in her love for Edward, however, and can't begin to imagine life without him. So, despite his craving for her blood, and the scathing looks from his siblings, Edward and Bella stay together.

Lucky for Bella, the Cullens are a family of "vegetarian" vampires, choosing to feed only on the blood of animals rather than humans. While Rosalie takes an almost instant disliking to Bella, the others, Emmet, Jasper and Alice, all seem very welcoming. However, with Bella, a human, knowing about the Cullen's secret, it is hard for them to stay protected for long. Throughout the saga, they have to take on various formidable foes including expert tracker vampires and ancient and powerful vampire royalty, The Volturi.

Throughout the saga, Bella's close friendship with her best friend Jacob is also put to the test, particularly when he begins to turn into a werewolf. You'd think Bella could handle another dose of the fantasy world, but it's complicated. Werewolves happen to be the sworn enemies of the vampires, and will die to protect the people of Forks from the Cullens. Of course, Bella's new 'family' have no intention of hurting any people in Forks, but their regular brushes with the darker side of vampirism even begin to throw a strain on that.

A brief not about book two, New Moon; imagine a 500 page transcript of a teenage hissy fit. It's redeeming feature is the introduction of the werewolves. Read it and move on!

Book three, Eclipse, is my hands down favourite. This is mainly because we get to see a lot more of the Cullen family (I'd join them at the drop of a hat!). The werewolf situation is fully developed and we now have a pack of at least 6 ready to defend the humans. Age-old truces and animosity however become faded and blurred when Jacob's love for Bella and the threat of a coven of vicious and bloodthirsty 'newborn' vampires see the old enemies finally and reluctantly united.

The stories are almost entirely written from Bella's PoV which is just as well, as Edward can read minds and that would make for tricky reading. However, this does occasionally border on clumsy as she dedicates pages to the powerful beauty of Edward Cullen. I can forgive this though as Meyers allows conversations to run just as they would in life, and makes great effort to bulk out the characters and their motivations throughout the series. Because of this, the characters are very 3 dimensional and you become quite easily attached. Which probably explains the insane levels of fan-dom which accompany the books and now film franchise.

It is as simple as this. Mom's love Twilight because it is about abstinence. Girls love Twilight because Edward is basically the most perfect, polite, caring, protective man ever. Boys love Twilight because it is full of action, vampires and werewolves.

Rating: Twilight - ***** 5/5 stars
New Moon **** 4/5 stars
Eclipse ***** 5/5 stars
Breaking Dawn **** 4/5 stars
Other books by the author: The Host
Recommendation: You may need to clear your diary because if you're anything like me, these bookds will have you hooked. Don't do any internet research before reading - there's a lot out there and spoilers will ruin it and make you sad!

Books: The Book Thief

The Book Thief by Markus Zusak


"1939 - Nazi Germany - The country is holding its breath. Death has never been busier.

"Liesel, a nine-year-old girl, is living with a foster family on Himmel Street. Her parents have been taken away to a concentration camp. Liesel steals books. This is her story and the story of the inhabitants of her street when the bombs begin to fall.

"Some important information - this novel is narrated by death. It's a small story, about: a girl; an accordionist; some fanatical Germans; a Jewish fist fighter; and quite a lot of thievery.

"Another thing you should know - death will visit the book thief three times."

With a blurb like that, how could you not be interested? I loved this book for all of its quirkiness, originality, comedy and tragedy. It is a truly unique story, written from the point of view of Death. Death sees humans in various colours and he becomes, however reluctantly, engrossed in the life of little Liesel. The story follows Liesel's life as she grows up on Himmel Street, suffering the depression of the war years. She dabbles in a little light thievery with her best friend Rudy, who will not stop asking her for a kiss, but she only finds real joy when she holds a book between her hands.

This story is about the redemptive power of words and books, which allow Liesel to both escape and come to terms with the chaotic and colourful life that surrounds her. Somewhere between beating up a school bully, joining the Hitler Youth and befriending a Jew in her basement, Lisel becomes a young girl empowered by the printed word.

Having Death as a narrator continues to bring something uniquley sombre and matter of fact about the sheer number of human lives lost during the wars. Death's little notes and observations intermittently break up the narrative, allowing you to briefly step away from the difficulties of Liesel's young life. This book is a valuable addition to the Holocaust literature canon as Death, rather than separating the faces of suffering Jews and those men simply fighting for their countries, merely sees colours and lives ending. The Book Thief certainly shows the inhumanity of the Holocaust but instead chooses to focus on the power of relationships, conversations and words to overcome. After all, Death sees death all the time, so our narrator is interested only in the little flashes of humanity that manage to colour the blood red landscape of Nazi Germany.

Rating: ***** 5/5 stars
Recommendation: A must read, particularly if you have an interest in Holocaust literature. Also suitable for teenagers.

Books: The 13 1/2 Lives of Captain Bluebear

The 13 1/2 Lives of Captain Bluebear - Walter Moers

I don't even know where to begin with this book. It is like a humungous sardine tin rammed full of literary genres, crazy characters, emotions and wonderfully surreal illustrations.

Translated from the orginal German, this is a fantastical tale of Captain Bluebear, a furry blue bear (keep up!) with 27 lives in total. We are witness to just 13 1/2 of these lives in this book. The story takes place in the curious imagined world of Zamonia, where a blue bear can stow-away with a band of MiniPirates, strange creatures dwell in the Demerara Desert and wizened old men live in the eye of a tornado. It is sci-fi, fantasy, adventure, comedy, children's book, fairytale. It is simply brilliant!

Each of Bluebear's 'lives' could stand alone as an individual story but it is not until the final few chapters of the 704 page tome, that you realise the threads have all been leading towards the ending. Characters that you had forgotten 400 pages ago suddenly reappear to the aid, and occasionally chagrin, of the protagonist. The entire text is broken up at intervals by the Professor Nightingale's Encyclopedia of Zamonia which, at first, makes for slow reading. You get used to this, however, and soon find yourself waiting for the next information download from Bluebear's teacher. Moer's sensational writing is complemented and added to by his completely surreal illustrations throughout the text. If you are left with any doubt after his introductionof a new character or setting, the accompanying illustration will make it almost jump off the page.

Do not be put off by the size of this book. It is a world waiting to be delved into, and does not disappoint. There are some truly inspired characters and situations portrayed in the book, and some very definate laugh-out-loud moments.

My rating: ***** 5 stars
Recommendation: Try not to put this book down between reads. Get stuck in and refuse to come out!
Other books by the author: Rumo, The City of Dreaming Books, The Alchemaster's Apprentice, A Wild Ride Through the Night