An interesting book perhaps not what I would normally have read but that is the reason for the book club.
"A Rose for Winter" was one of Laurie Lee's early books and I personally feel it shows. The book is essentially a travelogue illustrated through very detailed and carefully crafted pictures painted in words. It felt like a blind person who had suddenly discovered colours and wanted to use the entire palette at once and as such was a touch over powering. I found at times I was reading the book for the words and not the picture, places and people he was describing.
The book is essentially a return to Spain after the civil war to revisit some of the towns he visited on his walk through the country when he was a younger man. As consequence I think I expected to read something of the aftermath of the war and the effects on the country but in fact I found virtually none.
Currently I am reading the prequel "As I walked out one Midsummer Morning" which was written much later and I do not get the same overpowering feeling, the palette has been toned down.
None the less "A Rose for Winter" was a good read but the prequel for me is proving it's superior.
Tuesday, 23 February 2010
Monday, 22 February 2010
"A Rose for Winter" by Laurie Lee
We read this book in early January 2010. I chose this short travel story because it is short but well written, and we didnt have much time to read and prepare. It provides an interesting contrast to The Road. The travelogue is the story of Lee's return to Andalucia in the mid 50's with his partner. They visit half a dozen towns and villages that he first discovered just before the outbreak of the civil war. Lee is another poetic writer who captures mood of place with just a few words. In this book however it is the dramatic colours of southern Spain filled with high emotions that prevail.
We read this book in early January 2010. I chose this short travel story because it is short but well written, and we didnt have much time to read and prepare. It provides an interesting contrast to The Road. The travelogue is the story of Lee's return to Andalucia in the mid 50's with his partner. They visit half a dozen towns and villages that he first discovered just before the outbreak of the civil war. Lee is another poetic writer who captures mood of place with just a few words. In this book however it is the dramatic colours of southern Spain filled with high emotions that prevail.
22 February. London
A belated thought on "The Road": I found this a beautifully written book, poetic even. One of the bestw ritten books I have read in recent years. But, but the subject is gruelling, and although I looked for and found something uplifting elements in the story, I cannot say I really enjoyed the story. I had to read it in one sitting. But it was tough. I have no interest, for example, in seeing the film, which is showing all over London at the moment. I am tempted to read other McCarthy books now.
A belated thought on "The Road": I found this a beautifully written book, poetic even. One of the bestw ritten books I have read in recent years. But, but the subject is gruelling, and although I looked for and found something uplifting elements in the story, I cannot say I really enjoyed the story. I had to read it in one sitting. But it was tough. I have no interest, for example, in seeing the film, which is showing all over London at the moment. I am tempted to read other McCarthy books now.
Monday, 11 January 2010
So what are you reading now?
What is on your current reading list and why did you chose that particular book? Why not let the rest of into your secret book life.
Wednesday, 6 January 2010
Saturday, 2 January 2010
THE ROAD by Cormac McCarthy (2006)
Chosen by Peter Tampin, but why?
The book was originally read by my step son in Australia who then sent it to his Dad in UK he passed it on to his other son and thence to his mother. She said she couldn’t read it because as it is a tale about a Father and son relationship and because it had been passed between the sons and their Dad it felt as though she was intruding on them. So fortunately she gave it to me to read.“The Road” was first published in 2006 by the American author Cormac McCarthy and was awarded the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction.
“The Road” has now been release as a film adaptation of the original book. Directed by John Hillcoat and written by Joe Penhall the film stars Viggo Mortensen and Kodi Smit-McPhee as a father and his son in a post-apocalyptic wasteland and is said to be faithfull to the original story. It was released in the UK in early January 2010.
For this first meeting we were very lucky to have with us François Hersch who translated the book into French and who has met Cormac McCarthy on several occasions.
My thoughts on the book…..It is on the face of it a dark and dire story of a world in the aftermath of some apocalyptic event, you never quite know what it was but from some dialogue perhaps a nuclear holocaust. The story is about a father and son who’s names are never known on the road seeking “the good guys” and a warmer climate in which to survive. The story follows their often horrific experiences with lack of food, other people and a world were nothing grows and the human race has descended into brutality and cannibalism!
To some readers this is perhaps not a comfortable read given the picture it paints of despair and depravity in a world where everything is scorched, decaying and dead.
I feel however you can read this story in a different way, a story about hope and survival of the human spirit where it is still possible to retain ones humanity albeit with some innocent help. To me the road was a metaphor for life with all its challenges and temptations where it is easy to loose ones way and descend into darkness. “The boy” I saw as the conscience of “the man” constantly reminding him of his humanity through his innocence and kindness and prompting him to consider the other way.
It is a story which I feel prompts you to question yourself and examine your own humanity.
Once I picked this book up and started to read it I could not put it down, but I think I will need to read it again to continue what became a voyage of discovery of myself.
– Peter T
The book was originally read by my step son in Australia who then sent it to his Dad in UK he passed it on to his other son and thence to his mother. She said she couldn’t read it because as it is a tale about a Father and son relationship and because it had been passed between the sons and their Dad it felt as though she was intruding on them. So fortunately she gave it to me to read.“The Road” was first published in 2006 by the American author Cormac McCarthy and was awarded the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction.
“The Road” has now been release as a film adaptation of the original book. Directed by John Hillcoat and written by Joe Penhall the film stars Viggo Mortensen and Kodi Smit-McPhee as a father and his son in a post-apocalyptic wasteland and is said to be faithfull to the original story. It was released in the UK in early January 2010.
For this first meeting we were very lucky to have with us François Hersch who translated the book into French and who has met Cormac McCarthy on several occasions.
My thoughts on the book…..It is on the face of it a dark and dire story of a world in the aftermath of some apocalyptic event, you never quite know what it was but from some dialogue perhaps a nuclear holocaust. The story is about a father and son who’s names are never known on the road seeking “the good guys” and a warmer climate in which to survive. The story follows their often horrific experiences with lack of food, other people and a world were nothing grows and the human race has descended into brutality and cannibalism!
To some readers this is perhaps not a comfortable read given the picture it paints of despair and depravity in a world where everything is scorched, decaying and dead.
I feel however you can read this story in a different way, a story about hope and survival of the human spirit where it is still possible to retain ones humanity albeit with some innocent help. To me the road was a metaphor for life with all its challenges and temptations where it is easy to loose ones way and descend into darkness. “The boy” I saw as the conscience of “the man” constantly reminding him of his humanity through his innocence and kindness and prompting him to consider the other way.
It is a story which I feel prompts you to question yourself and examine your own humanity.
Once I picked this book up and started to read it I could not put it down, but I think I will need to read it again to continue what became a voyage of discovery of myself.
– Peter T
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