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gerbieThe last books I read during my travels. I didn't make it to a hundred, as I was hoping. I came close though, 99 books in nearly 11 months was unexpectedly much. I didn't realize I was reading into numbers that much. Just knew I always want something to read, not until I started writing these small reports, did it come to me, how big those numbers are. Not that I'm bragging, it's just a pastime, especially while traveling, there is plenty of time for it. Hadn't I taken the time to write 99 reports, I would have gone over 100 easily. But as I enjoy writing them, I will continue, even though I am at home now. I will adapt the numbers, so I can keep track of the books per year of the official calender. First the last two though.
98. Emma Donoghue - Geroerd (01-063)
Original title 'Stir fry'. I bumped into it in the book swap in Jakarta, where I handed in McBain and therefore had some credit. I chose this one, on the morning I was due to leave, there weren't that many Dutch books, only two of them were tempting, this was the cheapest of the two, at the end of my budget a consideration. The book is about an Irish girl who becomes a student and moves in with two lesbians, even though it took her a while before she found out. Coming from a small town, she was obviously innocent and naive when she went to Dublin. In the end the couple splits up and she is living with one of them, as the other moved out, though she just found out that she was actually getting on very well with that one.
It was an interesting read, finished on the airport of Singapore already, not a huge book therefore, but addictive enough to read in nearly one go, just interrupted for leaving the airplane and getting my backpack. I don't know if there are any autobiographical elements in the story, if not, the author makes the confusion of the main character really look natural. The semi open end is good as well, as we never get to find out exactly what does happen, though I guess reading it, most people would come to the same conclusion. The description of Ireland, one of the most old fashioned western European countries seems pretty accurate, though I've never been there, so I might be judging stereotypes here. Especially young girls who are not very sure about sexuality (and who is when they're young) might enjoy reading this book.
99. Mike Gayle - Turning thirty (01-064)
I bumped into Mike Gayle's second book (Mr.Commitment) last year in Mexico, just at a time I was considering where I stood with an ex girlfriend who wanted me back in her life. A lot of it hit home, he's very British, writes with a lovely comical undertone, not taking anything very serious, especially not himself. His main characters in all his novels are always around my age, which makes it easier to relate and face the same problems. Growing up in a world where the lifestyle that their parents chose (marry at early age, get children, a job for life) are the one thing we don't want, but what it is that we do, nobody knows.
This is his third book, which I saw the first time as I had just turned that age myself. As hardbacks have the disadvantage that they are very expensive and also too heavy to carry around in a backpack, I had to wait, but I knew I had to read it. It is not literature, but it is hitting right so often, that it is funny to read. I was on standby in Singapore and left a flight earlier, leaving less than 25 minutes to check in, get through customs and start boarding. But still had a few Singapore Dollars left. I saw the queue for boarding and nipped into the bookshop which luckily was still open at the time. I had two or three books in my hands, this was one of them, and priced at exactly the amount I still had to spend (okay, five cents cheaper) and a book just finished in my hand luggage. Not a difficult choice therefore.
I read it on the way to London and finished it at home, as from London to Amsterdam and the train after wards newspapers took over my reading anger. I loved reading about Matt, who is not afraid to turn thirty, as he has his life sorted anyway. Until a couple of months before his girlfriend and he simultaneously decide to break up. He moves away from the States where he was at the time, back to Birmingham (few people in LJ land might know about the culture shock), before he will continue his job in Sydney. Back home he finds some old friends, has a fling with a girl who was never a serious girlfriend in his life, but has appeared at various stages before. He is starting to look for the whole group of friend who were together during secondary education. But it is not even the story that is that brilliant, it is the way he describes what happens, or what doesn't happen. The emails to Elaine in the US are funny, the conversations between old friends after a decade at least are good, the way their life's have changed in a decade, it is all very recognizable for anybody who is around thirty at the moment. I dare you to read it, if you're in between 25 and 35 and do not recognize any character in the book, who also lives in your own life, you're lying.
98. Emma Donoghue - Geroerd (01-063)
Original title 'Stir fry'. I bumped into it in the book swap in Jakarta, where I handed in McBain and therefore had some credit. I chose this one, on the morning I was due to leave, there weren't that many Dutch books, only two of them were tempting, this was the cheapest of the two, at the end of my budget a consideration. The book is about an Irish girl who becomes a student and moves in with two lesbians, even though it took her a while before she found out. Coming from a small town, she was obviously innocent and naive when she went to Dublin. In the end the couple splits up and she is living with one of them, as the other moved out, though she just found out that she was actually getting on very well with that one.
It was an interesting read, finished on the airport of Singapore already, not a huge book therefore, but addictive enough to read in nearly one go, just interrupted for leaving the airplane and getting my backpack. I don't know if there are any autobiographical elements in the story, if not, the author makes the confusion of the main character really look natural. The semi open end is good as well, as we never get to find out exactly what does happen, though I guess reading it, most people would come to the same conclusion. The description of Ireland, one of the most old fashioned western European countries seems pretty accurate, though I've never been there, so I might be judging stereotypes here. Especially young girls who are not very sure about sexuality (and who is when they're young) might enjoy reading this book.
99. Mike Gayle - Turning thirty (01-064)
I bumped into Mike Gayle's second book (Mr.Commitment) last year in Mexico, just at a time I was considering where I stood with an ex girlfriend who wanted me back in her life. A lot of it hit home, he's very British, writes with a lovely comical undertone, not taking anything very serious, especially not himself. His main characters in all his novels are always around my age, which makes it easier to relate and face the same problems. Growing up in a world where the lifestyle that their parents chose (marry at early age, get children, a job for life) are the one thing we don't want, but what it is that we do, nobody knows.
This is his third book, which I saw the first time as I had just turned that age myself. As hardbacks have the disadvantage that they are very expensive and also too heavy to carry around in a backpack, I had to wait, but I knew I had to read it. It is not literature, but it is hitting right so often, that it is funny to read. I was on standby in Singapore and left a flight earlier, leaving less than 25 minutes to check in, get through customs and start boarding. But still had a few Singapore Dollars left. I saw the queue for boarding and nipped into the bookshop which luckily was still open at the time. I had two or three books in my hands, this was one of them, and priced at exactly the amount I still had to spend (okay, five cents cheaper) and a book just finished in my hand luggage. Not a difficult choice therefore.
I read it on the way to London and finished it at home, as from London to Amsterdam and the train after wards newspapers took over my reading anger. I loved reading about Matt, who is not afraid to turn thirty, as he has his life sorted anyway. Until a couple of months before his girlfriend and he simultaneously decide to break up. He moves away from the States where he was at the time, back to Birmingham (few people in LJ land might know about the culture shock), before he will continue his job in Sydney. Back home he finds some old friends, has a fling with a girl who was never a serious girlfriend in his life, but has appeared at various stages before. He is starting to look for the whole group of friend who were together during secondary education. But it is not even the story that is that brilliant, it is the way he describes what happens, or what doesn't happen. The emails to Elaine in the US are funny, the conversations between old friends after a decade at least are good, the way their life's have changed in a decade, it is all very recognizable for anybody who is around thirty at the moment. I dare you to read it, if you're in between 25 and 35 and do not recognize any character in the book, who also lives in your own life, you're lying.
