As much as I have been reaching to find cheap or free fun things to do that celebrate winter, eventually I have to come home! My first love has always been books, and in the winter months I find myself curled up in the easy chair or bed with a good book more often than any other time of the year.
In the last few weeks I have read three very satisfying books that I wanted to mention. I found them all entirely readable and although all three of them had elements I didn't like, the majority of each book was a delight.
The first was a nice thick tome entitled
This was a complex read, taking characters from actual history, characters from Shakespeares plays and mixing in some new plausible characters of his own, and coming up with a lush war history of early Verona, Italy and its surrounding cities. There was too much battle and blood for my preference, but wading through that I enjoyed a nice long jaunt through an interesting and compelling storyline with complex characters doing unexpected things. I got lost in this many times, forgetting all my worries and that friends, is what makes a great book. I found it interesting that the author is first and foremost a stage actor, a fact I didn't learn until AFTER I read the book.
Next I dove into another huge book that I got because the title was intriguing and the cover was pretty.
I found it interesting that I coincidentally picked up these two books the same day at the library, and they both have links to the world of theatre. The author, George Dahlquist is first and foremost a playwrite! Anyway, I can in no way recommend this book without a huge caveat: although it is entirely compelling as a story and is certainly unusual at least from the books I have read over the years, it is somewhat R rated and not entirely plausible. So if you read it, don't blame me if you find it repellent. For my part I couldn't put the sucker down. I was alternately grossed out and fascinated by it, finding it hard to pinpoint the time and location of the story I got completely caught up in the strange world that it presented. The characters were numerous and I feel the author did a good job of making them interesting and deep enough to enjoy. I would read another book by this author I think.
Finally I just recently finished the book England, England by Julian Barnes. I feel hard for Julian Barnes when I read Arthur and George. This is a great fictionalized story about Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, the author of Sherlock Holmes fame, and a little known Englishman named George Edalji, an englishman whose father was native to east India. The story of these two men is woven together in a near genius fasion and I have to say it is one of the best books I've read in a year. What I love about Julian Barnes writing is that he has that double secret that I so seek in any book I read: the ability to dance with language in such a way that I nearly want to read with a notebook at hand to write down all the lovely turns of phrase found within; and a story so compelling that the pen and paper sit dormant and forgotten.
So with that lovely book in mind, I reserved this book:
Which turns out to be a fanciful tale of a powerful man who decided to recreate a recreational version of the country of England more convenient than the real thing. This book fell short of my high expectations, although it is still a wonderful read. The language command was still there, in fact the first two chapers of the book are so quotable and illicit such deep thoughts that I nearly didn't notice that the story itself was a little lacking. Alas, I did in fact notice it in the end though. Still his luscious way with words, puts a smile on your face...you know?
Now I am deep into reading about Walt Whitman, having finished one slim biography and plowed through a more thorough one to about the half way point. I also have three volumes of poetry awaiting me, which I grab a "bite" of now and then through out the day when I need a pick me up!
What are you reading these days?
