Bout of Books 7.0: The Goals

I've been umming and ahing about how many books I'm going to make it my aim to read during the readathon. My life always seems to be quite hectic between work, training, volunteering, friends, family, boyfriend...but I'm determined to blast this slump once and for all which means getting my butt in gear and making reading my priority for the week. I'm so excited. So, to the goals.

• I aim to spend between 2-3 hours reading a day. I usually read on my lunch break so that's not a biggie but I'm going to get up a bit earlier and read over breakfast and get back into the habit of reading at the gym. Seriously, reading makes the cross trainer far more interesting. I've also been a bit lame recently when it comes to reading before bed. I'm managing a couple of pages before dropping off at the moment so I'm going to try and keep myself awake for a chapter at least (we will see). 
• I want to finish 2 novels and 1 collection of poetry and make a stab at starting one of the many non-fiction books on my pile.
• I also want to join in on twitter, find some new blogs and generally get friendly with EVERYONE. Watch out, I'm coming for you...
• In terms of reviews, I will try and write them as I go along but if that cuts into my reading time they will have to wait. With any luck I'll be able to update daily.

It's going to be a busy week. 

I am planning to read some or all of these:

I am about halfway through Fifty Shades of Feminisim and I have already started The Marlowe Papers. I'll be reading Parade's End on kindle in the gym too. I think this can be done...

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Bout of Books 7.0

The Bout of Books read-a-thon is organized by Amanda @ On a Book Bender and Kelly @ Reading the Paranormal. It is a week long read-a-thon that begins 12:01am Monday, May 13th and runs through Sunday, May 19th in whatever time zone you are in. Bout of Books is low-pressure, and the only reading competition is between you and your usual number of books read in a week. There are challenges, giveaways, and a grand prize, but all of these are completely optional. For all Bout of Books 7.0 information and updates, be sure to visit the Bout of Books blog. - From the Bout of Books team

I'm doing it...

Is it Monday yet?

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Classics Club May Meme

This months meme question is: Tell us about the classic book(s) you’re reading this month. You can post about what you’re looking forward to reading in May, or post thoughts-in-progress on your current read(s).

I've just started to read Zelda Fitzgerald's Save Me the Waltz which I've been meaning to get to for a couple of months now. I've said a little bit about it in this post. When the sun graced us with its presence I sat out in the park near my work and read it over lunch which was amazing. It's so sunny and warm and it really helped me sink in to the American-warmth-sitting-on-porches-and-going-for-drives-with-soldiers atmosphere. It's hard going but I think I'm going to enjoy it. 

My book club are doing a bit of a trip to the local odeon this month to go and see The Great Gastby. I can only imagine how that is going to be. An entire group of book nerds descending on an unsuspecting cinema, chattering excitedly and ready to lay their claim on the film as an American Literary Classic to be admired as such. Considering the average member of the book club, I think it could be fun. Plus, it's Gatsby. Gatsby is also our next read, though it is a re-read for most of us, but the meeting isn't until the end of June so I may not read it until then and distract myself instead with another F. Scott Fitzgerald. Any recommendations between Tender is the Night and The Beautiful and the Damned?

I would like to read perhaps one other from my list seeing as I completely neglected it in April. I'm thinking perhaps A Doll's House but I don't want to tie myself to anything. I'm trying to be a bit more free-spirited with my reading this month. Yes, you heard me, I'm a free spirit this month. But, saying that, I'm planning on participating in the Bout of Books readathon so that could give me the opportunity to be both a free spirit and an organised reader. WE SHALL SEE.

I'm also STILL ticking on with Parade's End. It's so good just so long and I keep forgetting that I'm half way through it. Maybe I'll finish it this month but maybe I won't. It's no biggie either way.

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Review: The Rime of the Modern Mariner

The Rime of the Modern Mariner

Nick Hayes

2011

'Deep in a polluted city, an officer worker escapes for a sandwich on a park bench. But his moments peace is shattered by a stranger - a seaman with a tale to tell...'

As a massive fan of Coleridge's original Rime of the Ancient Mariner I was so excited to find this in the library. Not only is it a modern adaptation but it is also in the form of a graphic novel. I've been meaning to explore graphic novels and this was a brilliant introduction that has made me a bit of an eager beaver to read more. Maus is next on my list.

The Rime of the Modern Mariner follows a similar structure to its original. The Mariner shoots down an albatross and brings what can only be described as a pretty nasty curse down on himself and the ship he's on. He's screwed, basically. Obviously because this is a modern adaptation there are key differences and quite a different theme of morality that revolves around nature, pollution and man's destruction of the natural world. It is beautiful and it makes you think (ah, the ideal).

I love that instead of the original wedding guest, the Mariner stops a divorcee. That just says everything about our society. That, and the fact that at the end the divorcee walks off to a 'world detached of consequence where he would not live for long'. Seriously the writing in this is sparse but breathtaking. Hynes even makes science sound poetic which is something I never thought could be possible.

'And saw we were surrounded by a wash of polythene. Swathes of polystyrene bobbed with tonnes of neoprene and polymethyl methacrylate stretched across the scene.'

It's not just the language that is spectacular, the visuals are impressive. I love the attention paid to typographic details and the muted colour scheme of black, grey, white and shades of blue.

I had a few thoughts whilst I was reading this about remaking or updating a classic and I decided that here it totally works. I think the Ancient Mariner lends itself to this sort of retelling and the sense of environmental doom that pervades the writing and the images makes it a thoroughly modern classic. To put it crudely, the moral of the poem (is that what it is?) is to take care of nature before there is no nature left. Let's do that, shall we?

'And like a negative of pure white milk spilt across the floor, a glossy thick petroleum slick drowned this watery moor.'

'At first it spat and pattered down in peppered punctuation but then it grew into a sluice of dense precipitation.'

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Musing Mondays

Hosted by Should Be Reading

Musing Mondays asks you to muse about one of the following each week…
• Describe one of your reading habits.
• Tell us what book(s) you recently bought for yourself or someone else, and why you chose that/those book(s).
• What book are you currently desperate to get your hands on? Tell us about it!
• Tell us what you’re reading right now — what you think of it, so far; why you chose it; what you are (or, aren’t) enjoying it.
• Do you have a bookish rant? Something about books or reading (or the industry) that gets your ire up? Share it with us!
• Instead of the above questions, maybe you just want to ramble on about something else pertaining to books — let’s hear it, then!

I'm currently reading Save Me the Waltz by Zelda Fitzgerald

Never one to stick to convention, I'm getting ready for the Gatsby release by reading the other Fitzgerald. Finally. I've been saying for a while that I can't wait to read this and then picking up something else. But, no more. I am ready to spread the Fitzgerald lovin'. And lovin' I think it will be. Well, a lovin' of sorts. I started this yesterday evening and I was shocked by the writing. It was not what I was expecting. It is beautiful, so beautiful, but so very dense. I'm going to hold back on an opinion so early on but, like the tease I am, I'm going to leave you with a wonderful quote which I think demonstrates the beauty and the density of Zelda's writing.

'Pomegranates in the leathery lacing of their foliage ripened outside the lattice to an exotic decor. The bronze balls of a mournful crepe myrtle at the end of the lot split into lavender tarlatan gurgles. Japanese plums splashed heavy sacks of summer on the roof of the chicken yard.'

Happy bank holiday Monday to my fellow Brits and a generally happy Monday to everyone else!

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World Book Night Southbank Style

This year I decided to celebrate World Book Night at the Southbank Centre in London. One of my favourite things to do in London, particularly on a sunny day, is to stroll up and down the south bank, perhaps popping into the Tate or spending an excessive amount of time drooling over the tables and tables of books on the stall underneath Waterloo bridge. So when I realised that two of my favourite passtimes, books and the south bank, were converging on WBN I immediatley got myself three tickets and commanded my sister and a friend to book the night off. I can be forceful when it comes to books. In all the months I've been walking along the bank I've never even stepped in to the Southbank Centre or picked up a brochure (massive fail). It does sit right on top of a Foyles so I am generally pretty distracted and twitchy with the need to look at books by the time I get there. Seriously thinking I have an addiction. I'm so pleased I finally made it in to the centre because I pretty much had THE BEST time.

The highlights of the night for me were Mark Haddon and Graeme Simsion's readings and Lemn Sissay performing his poetry. Charles Dance reading an extract from Josephine Hart's Damage was also pretty darn spectacular. I loved Charles Dance as Max de Winter and as Mr Tulkinghorn and he had the most amazing reading voice. I was a bit starstruck. The night was jam-packed with literary royalty including Sebastian Barry, Rose Tremain, Sarah Durant, Tracy Chevalier, Elif Shafak and Victoria Hislop. Each writer managed to bring their novels alive through very short extracts. I think any non-reader would be inspired to start just from listening to the passion that the writers bring to their own work through their readings.

Hardeep Singh Kohli, the host for the evening, was wonderful. His enthusiasm for books and reading was more than evident and he brought a delightful mix of comedy and intellect. After Sissay's energetic performance he reminded us that 'poetry is alive and breathing' and I don't think he could be any more right. My tendency has always been to ignore and neglect poetry a bit but this evening has shown me the error of my ways. Poetry is alive, it is engaging and it is beautiful. The combination of Alice Oswald's reading from Memorial and Sissay's performance demonstrated the variety of poetry that is out there. The two readings were different but both were brilliant.

Running throughout the night and underlying all the readings there was a general exploration of the power of the written word. In her introduction to the evening Jude Kelly, the Southbank Centre's artistic director, talked about art being a window and I couldn't agree with her more. I'd also say that art is a door. With each new book, painting, piece of music or theatre that I see it feels like I'm being let into a new room full of new knowledge and new experiences. I think books in particular let you in to this maze of doors and that to me is why books are so important. Books, words and stories forge connections between people and liven up the world. Books are powerful, they can teach you things and make you feel things and sometimes even change the way you see the world. Bit deep? Bit deep.

The one thing that made the whole experience so wonderful for me was my sister's reaction. Liv has never been much of a reader but since I bought her a kindle for Chritmas a couple of years ago she has slowly started getting into it. I love being able to recommend books for her, books that she usually really enjoys. I would make a very good bookseller I think. People would just buy books to escape from my enthusiasm. Anyway, the day after WBN we popped into Foyles (as you do) for a browse. I came out with two books, Liv came out with five. I think listening to the authors reading their own works or the works of others really brought the books alive for Liv and she was so excited to read some of the list. I bought Alice Oswald's Memorial (such a Troy geek) and Liv bought The Girl with a Pearl Earring, Casino Royale, Mark Haddon's The Red House (seriously, when Haddon came on it was my turn to calm her down and stop her squealing out 'I've actually read that book!') and she also picked up her WBN copy of Sophie Hannah's Little Face. With my sister, at least, WBN has achieved it's goal to get more people reading. I already cannot wait for next year. I hope the Southbank Centre do another event and I'm definitely going to apply to be a giver (be warned, people of England, I can get a little too overenthusiastic).

What did everyone else do for World Book Night? Was anyone else at the Southbank Centre?

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The Escapades of a Lit Nerd

This is going to be a long and rambling post so get prepared. You'll need supplies: tea, cake, biscuits  fruit (if you're that way inclined) and perhaps even a barrier to shield yourself from my general over-excitement (there may be spittle flying and my voice will probably get squeaky). You have been warned.

Last week I had a bit of an adventure. A very cultural (and fattening) London adventure. It was awesome. Ignoring the few pounds heavier bit, I feel like ten times smarter than I did a week ago from soaking up ALL THE KNOWLEDGE.

View on my morning run. I love London.

My younger sister is a chef working and living in London (yes, she is so hardcore). She had an entire week off (mostly unheard of) because she was moving to a new restaurant. Basically, everyone in my family changes jobs by choice or unlucky circumstance with an unsettling frequency. But no, Liv is such an unbelievable amazing chef that she was headhunted to help an up and coming restaurant get a Michelin. Seriously proud sister moment. I'm most excited about the fact that the restaurant is right next to the open air book stand on the South Bank. Goodbye pennies, hello books. Anyway, back to the point, Liv and I decided to spend the week doing exciting things and making the most of her living in London. And we sure did that.

On Tuesday night we went to World Book Night at the Southbank Centre. My sister and her flatmate practically had to pin me to the seat for the entire night I was literally THAT over-excited. So many authors! Reading amazing books! Oh. My. Days! And....breathe.I'm going to do a separate post for this event because otherwise my gushing will bore you and this post will be a snooze-inducing length. So, yeh, get ready for that.

On Wednesday we hit the museums. First we went to the Becoming Picasso exhibition at the Courtauld Gallery. It was an impressive and interesting exhibition and it was lovely to see a couple of his early 'blue period' paintings. My sister was a bit grumbley about the fact that we had paid to go into an exhibition that was only two small rooms...understandably so but for me, art is art and I'd always pay to see it. Although in this case I didn't because I'm a member of the Art Fund. So, technically, Liv paid and had every right to be grumbley. Anyway, I loved the exhibition and the entire gallery. We did have a lovely experience in the gift shop (it's got to be done) though which cheered Liv up. We both bought postcards (it's a tradition) and Liv bought one of a sketch of some pigs by Picasso. When she paid for it we were told that they were actually Gertrude Stein's pigs. I, obviously, got really excited as was like 'seriously?! That's awesome! Gertrude Stein is so cool!' and my sister just turned her blank face to me in semi-disapproval at my outburst. Then obviously I had to tell my sister who Gertrude Stein was then we got onto Hemingway, Paris and same-sex couples in the 20's. What a ball. The other thing the lady in the shop said was that Picasso attempted to write but good old Gerty told him not to give up the day job. Who know, right?

In the afternoon we went to the Life and Death in Pompeii and Herculaneum at the British Museum. Now, I am a MASSIVE Pompeii geek so this was an exhibition I'd be waiting to see since it first was advertised. It was so worth the wait. I mean, apart from the all the people getting in the way and looking at the guide app thingys instead of at the actual objects but still standing in front of the object you are clearly very excited by and just generally being very irritating...Yes, fellow museum-goers irritate me enormously. I loved the way it was set out like a house, the objects were fascinating and the labels gave you just enough information. They even had the resin encased body as well as several other bodies, including a family which was really quite moving. It wasn't quite as exciting as actually being in Pompeii and Herculaneum but it came close and I was in much less danger of boiling alive (as I very nearly did in Italy) in the temperature controlled museum. Win win situation basically.

For Wednesday night I had booked us seats (posh) at The Globe to see The Tempest. I've never sat down there having been rather partial to the cheaper standing position but I thought, it being an evening performance, I'd indulge in seats. We sat on the top tier facing centre stage. It was high. Like, really high. Once I'd had a cider and some liquorice allsorts I calmed down and was able to settle into the play. Prospero was brilliantly magical, Caliban wonderfully gruesome and Ferdinand surprisingly amusing. Liv didn't really get it but was tickled by the drunkards and I adored it from start to finish. Shakespeare is such a babe. And The Tempest really lends itself to The Globe stage and the general outdoors.

Thursday we went to see the new Iron Man which was positively geektastic and nerdgasmic. And on Friday we went to The Starting Line's 10 year anniversary tour of their album 'say it like you mean it'. I pretty much felt like I was thirteen all over again listening to the music and being at a gig with my brother and his friend Pete who took me to my first ever gig. Ah the memories. 

Obviously there were bookshops galore including the wonderful Persephone bookshop and here are the books I bought myself (you will note my restraint):

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