I got some extra gifts this week in the shape of three more orphan books that were escorted to my house by my Christmas visitor. There is still lots more to come where they came from! It's a good thing that from the ones still residing in Holland there is a very easy way to determine which ones I have actually read and which ones are still to be read. I used to be a spine cracker and gave up the habit about 10 years ago. Therefore all the ones that have a cracked spine have been read and all the ones that are still pristine(-ish) have not.
These additions bring the new total of books to be read to: 145
I'm off to catch up on some reading!
Sunday 29 December 2013
Friday 20 December 2013
A human story
This has been a week of many pre-Christmas celebrations, both big and small. It started with a very nice dinner with some friends from jobs gone by. Then went on to a lovely Christmas lunch with the new job lot. Followed the day after by a nice lunch with one of my old mates and rounded off nicely yesterday by a staff Christmas celebration at work. All this has made me stop and realise how grateful I am for the life I have. I have good friends, people to share celebrations with and I really don't have a lot to complain about.
It also makes a nice change to be working for a company that tells you to make sure you take the time off over Christmas to reflect, recharge and relax... to ensure that you get to rest and not just spend time running around after others and thinking about getting back to work.
I have a very special guest coming over for Christmas and am going to make sure I am going to enjoy the time we have together. Christmas dinner is going to be a bit of a lucky dip dinner I am afraid... best laid plans are there to be changed I guess. Still planning to do some of the traditional stuff but am letting Fate decide on the rest of it... who knows what we'll end up with...
#### SPOILER ALERT ####
The Human Factor - Graham Greene
Every time I read one of Graham Greene's books I am reminded of why I love this man's work so much. He never lets me down and always delivers on story, characters and humanity in his books. This one is no different. Once again with Greene there are some familiar themes in this story: loss, hiding, deception, pretending to be something you are not, faith, trust.
In this tale we find ourselves in the shadowy world of the secret agents once again only this time we are getting a look into the lives of the office bound administrators of the world's secrets. We meet our main man Maurice Castle (solid, reliable, dependable), Arthur Davis (the lone wolf, careless, lazy, chasing after rainbows and skirts) and their boss Mr Watson (uncomfortable with people and life in general, distant even from those he loves). Very soon we find out that there is a suspected leak somewhere in the department that Castle works and the brass is on a mission to find out who it is. For this they call upon the services of the good doctor Percival who has the ear of the big boy upstairs (Hargreaves - pompous, rich and probably a bit bored with his life). After some intensive vetting and snooping some conclusions are jumped to and the matter is dealt with with as little legal fuss as possible. However... things are never that clear cut in the Secret Service and we soon find out that they actually got the wrong man. I have to say it did not come as a surprise to me that they did.
From the start there seems to be something off about Castle. Why does he go to that book store and why does he always gets two copies of every book. Allegedly one for him and one for "his friend" yet Castle seems the most friendless man I have ever known. Why does he seem so interested and even anxious in getting hold of the shop owner's son? All Castle ever seems to do is go to work and go home... and go to the bookshop. Castle is clever and very observant, he seems to be on the lookout for what other people know and can tell him. He also seems to be a man with a hidden agenda... there are little hints that all is not what it seems with Castle. At home he has a wife (whom he met in Africa and saved from harm) and a son (who turns out not to be his). Castle also is a man who is not where he wants to be. He seems to be remembering times gone by when he was in a better place, when things were better for him and he believed in what he was doing.
Little by little you find out that Castle was working as a spy in South Africa and when things got hairy he had to get out and he got help from an unexpected source. You learn that his now wife, Sarah was working for him as an agent and had to get out too as she had been feeding him information. Sarah was also more that just his agent. The two were lovers and then married. Things get even more interesting when you learn that Castle was not just talking to the English about what he found out but that he got turned and worked for the Russians as well. As the story develops you get to know more and more little bits about Castle and his life as a double agent. You also see the toll it takes on him and his family.
In the end Castle's downfall is inevitable. He has put himself in an impossible position and he loses his job (no great loss to him), he loses his Russian contact (a loss to him) and he loses his family... that is perhaps the greatest loss of all. I am not sure that Castle was really prepared to make that sacrifice when he started his double life but it is the sacrifice he ends up having to make to stay alive and have any chance of getting his family back.
What I liked about the story is that you really get to know who Castle is and what makes him tick. You get to know his world, his beliefs, what he treasures more than anything in the world and how he copes with the loss of it all. At first Castle seems to be the man who has it all but in the end that is only on the surface. What is more.... he is the one who loses everything for an ideal he doesn't even really believe in. He never calls himself a communist and seems to be in it for some (possibly) misguided loyalty to an old friend.
The award for Nasty Character in the book is a close run case between the callous Doctor Percival and the South African Muller. Castle likes neither and I don't either. Percival has no conscience, thinks he knows best and can do whatever he wants. He is ruthless when it comes to getting what he wants and will use whatever means to get his way. Muller is whatever you want him to be and therefore a man with no morals and no honesty or dignity.
Saddest scene in the book? Well, there are a few. One sad moment is when Castle goes to see Davis' body. he knows they have the wrong man and knows that Davis died and it should have been him. Then there is the scene when Castle makes his escape and has to get rid of the dog... sad.
Great book, great story, wonderful characters.
Title: The Human Factor
Author: Graham Greene
265 pages
Penguin Books
ISBN# 0-14-00-4956-8
Books to be read: 142
It also makes a nice change to be working for a company that tells you to make sure you take the time off over Christmas to reflect, recharge and relax... to ensure that you get to rest and not just spend time running around after others and thinking about getting back to work.
I have a very special guest coming over for Christmas and am going to make sure I am going to enjoy the time we have together. Christmas dinner is going to be a bit of a lucky dip dinner I am afraid... best laid plans are there to be changed I guess. Still planning to do some of the traditional stuff but am letting Fate decide on the rest of it... who knows what we'll end up with...
#### SPOILER ALERT ####
The Human Factor - Graham Greene
Every time I read one of Graham Greene's books I am reminded of why I love this man's work so much. He never lets me down and always delivers on story, characters and humanity in his books. This one is no different. Once again with Greene there are some familiar themes in this story: loss, hiding, deception, pretending to be something you are not, faith, trust.
In this tale we find ourselves in the shadowy world of the secret agents once again only this time we are getting a look into the lives of the office bound administrators of the world's secrets. We meet our main man Maurice Castle (solid, reliable, dependable), Arthur Davis (the lone wolf, careless, lazy, chasing after rainbows and skirts) and their boss Mr Watson (uncomfortable with people and life in general, distant even from those he loves). Very soon we find out that there is a suspected leak somewhere in the department that Castle works and the brass is on a mission to find out who it is. For this they call upon the services of the good doctor Percival who has the ear of the big boy upstairs (Hargreaves - pompous, rich and probably a bit bored with his life). After some intensive vetting and snooping some conclusions are jumped to and the matter is dealt with with as little legal fuss as possible. However... things are never that clear cut in the Secret Service and we soon find out that they actually got the wrong man. I have to say it did not come as a surprise to me that they did.
From the start there seems to be something off about Castle. Why does he go to that book store and why does he always gets two copies of every book. Allegedly one for him and one for "his friend" yet Castle seems the most friendless man I have ever known. Why does he seem so interested and even anxious in getting hold of the shop owner's son? All Castle ever seems to do is go to work and go home... and go to the bookshop. Castle is clever and very observant, he seems to be on the lookout for what other people know and can tell him. He also seems to be a man with a hidden agenda... there are little hints that all is not what it seems with Castle. At home he has a wife (whom he met in Africa and saved from harm) and a son (who turns out not to be his). Castle also is a man who is not where he wants to be. He seems to be remembering times gone by when he was in a better place, when things were better for him and he believed in what he was doing.
Little by little you find out that Castle was working as a spy in South Africa and when things got hairy he had to get out and he got help from an unexpected source. You learn that his now wife, Sarah was working for him as an agent and had to get out too as she had been feeding him information. Sarah was also more that just his agent. The two were lovers and then married. Things get even more interesting when you learn that Castle was not just talking to the English about what he found out but that he got turned and worked for the Russians as well. As the story develops you get to know more and more little bits about Castle and his life as a double agent. You also see the toll it takes on him and his family.
In the end Castle's downfall is inevitable. He has put himself in an impossible position and he loses his job (no great loss to him), he loses his Russian contact (a loss to him) and he loses his family... that is perhaps the greatest loss of all. I am not sure that Castle was really prepared to make that sacrifice when he started his double life but it is the sacrifice he ends up having to make to stay alive and have any chance of getting his family back.
What I liked about the story is that you really get to know who Castle is and what makes him tick. You get to know his world, his beliefs, what he treasures more than anything in the world and how he copes with the loss of it all. At first Castle seems to be the man who has it all but in the end that is only on the surface. What is more.... he is the one who loses everything for an ideal he doesn't even really believe in. He never calls himself a communist and seems to be in it for some (possibly) misguided loyalty to an old friend.
The award for Nasty Character in the book is a close run case between the callous Doctor Percival and the South African Muller. Castle likes neither and I don't either. Percival has no conscience, thinks he knows best and can do whatever he wants. He is ruthless when it comes to getting what he wants and will use whatever means to get his way. Muller is whatever you want him to be and therefore a man with no morals and no honesty or dignity.
Saddest scene in the book? Well, there are a few. One sad moment is when Castle goes to see Davis' body. he knows they have the wrong man and knows that Davis died and it should have been him. Then there is the scene when Castle makes his escape and has to get rid of the dog... sad.
Great book, great story, wonderful characters.
Title: The Human Factor
Author: Graham Greene
265 pages
Penguin Books
ISBN# 0-14-00-4956-8
Books to be read: 142
Sunday 15 December 2013
Close to home
My house is finally getting into the Christmas spirit and I am getting there myself as well. Only a week or so to go until the big Ho Ho Ho. The new job has been going well and the second week was considerably less tiring than the first. Also, I have been getting back into the routine of reading in bed again. Get in there early, get reading and relax that brain!
#### SPOILER ALERT ####
Cold is the Grave - Peter Robinson
This was my second encounter with Mr Banks and it was another pleasant one.
This is one of those stories that starts out with two seemingly unrelated events and in the end it turns that investigating case 1 helps out case 2. You have (partly) the same group of people involved in both cases which makes for a conveniently tight group of characters and suspects. There are a few more developed characters around which makes reading he stories a bit more interesting, some of them are recurring so it is nice to meet them again.
At the start of our adventure Banks is called upon to do a favour for his Chief Constable (Riddle). A case of his young daughter Emily/Louisa gone a bit wild and trundled off to the big city and could Banks please see if she is okay. He would do it himself but he has his career to think about you see. It seems simple enough and Banks grudgingly agrees to look into it. The girl is suitably not please to see him or to hear that her family are concerned about her. Her boyfriend is suitably obviously bad news and her friends from London are both suitably weird and slightly suspicious. In the end it all seems to work out well and Banks get her home safe and sound so he can get back to his day job of finding out who murdered a local security guard.
Then she turns up dead in a nightclub and the brown stuff starts hitting the fan. The list of suspects is not too long but the fact that the parents hide information from Banks does not help the case. Nor does the fact that he is supposed to be investigating this other random murder f a night guard who went for an involuntary "long ride". Thankfully he has his crack team and Annie to help him (yes, she is back... no, I still do not know why we need her as a love interest!). They way that the story develops is actually quite satisfying and I kind of enjoyed the contrast between the two murders Banks was investigating he is having to shift between two cases and you feel the tension that it brings with it. In a way the two murders Banks is investigating are linked and in a way they are not. The girl was involved with some bad people who happen to be involved with the other murder. In a way, looking into who might have murdered her helps the investigation into the other case... and vice versa. Emily was not involved in the copying of illegal CDs but someone she knew was. Also, it seems that killing someone by adding a lot of strychnine to coke is the mark of a different kind of animal than one that is interested only in making money. Once Banks gets the motive clear of the murder of the guard he realises he needs to find a new suspect for the girl's murder.
I have to say that I kind of figured out who the murderer was in Emily's case. As soon as Emily's mum mentioned a daughter she gave up for adoption and we found out who her father was it was not that big a stretch to put two and two together. Maybe I am finally getting better at this detective story business? Nonetheless, the final reveal in the interview room though is very powerful and slightly harrowing and you get a really good insight into what moved the murderer to act in the way they did. It is a chilling tale of a sociopath who feels everything bad in her life was all down to this young girl and she had to pay with her life. One of the saddest things in the book is that things do not end well for Mr Riddle, the dad. He decides that a date with a hose at the end of an exhaust pipe is to be preferred over a good talk over a glass of whiskey... shame. Not sure if it is the scandal over his daughter's antics or the loss of his political career that drove him to it but it leaves his wife and young son to pick up the pieces and carry on. This is another strength of the book. You not only see get to see the murder, you also get to see some of the fall out in the family. This makes sure you are more involved and invested in wanting to get justice for Emily.
Good story, well structured. Liked the fact Banks went to Stony Stratford which is just down the road from me, still amazed how a guy can be that good a detective and then not see that his marriage is sooooo over and still not sure it needs the Annie love interest angle but hey... I am willing to give him another book to prove me wrong.
Title: Cold is the Grave
Author: Peter Robinson
455 pages
Pan Books
ISBN# 0-330-48216-5
Books to be read: 143
#### SPOILER ALERT ####
Cold is the Grave - Peter Robinson
This was my second encounter with Mr Banks and it was another pleasant one.
This is one of those stories that starts out with two seemingly unrelated events and in the end it turns that investigating case 1 helps out case 2. You have (partly) the same group of people involved in both cases which makes for a conveniently tight group of characters and suspects. There are a few more developed characters around which makes reading he stories a bit more interesting, some of them are recurring so it is nice to meet them again.
At the start of our adventure Banks is called upon to do a favour for his Chief Constable (Riddle). A case of his young daughter Emily/Louisa gone a bit wild and trundled off to the big city and could Banks please see if she is okay. He would do it himself but he has his career to think about you see. It seems simple enough and Banks grudgingly agrees to look into it. The girl is suitably not please to see him or to hear that her family are concerned about her. Her boyfriend is suitably obviously bad news and her friends from London are both suitably weird and slightly suspicious. In the end it all seems to work out well and Banks get her home safe and sound so he can get back to his day job of finding out who murdered a local security guard.
Then she turns up dead in a nightclub and the brown stuff starts hitting the fan. The list of suspects is not too long but the fact that the parents hide information from Banks does not help the case. Nor does the fact that he is supposed to be investigating this other random murder f a night guard who went for an involuntary "long ride". Thankfully he has his crack team and Annie to help him (yes, she is back... no, I still do not know why we need her as a love interest!). They way that the story develops is actually quite satisfying and I kind of enjoyed the contrast between the two murders Banks was investigating he is having to shift between two cases and you feel the tension that it brings with it. In a way the two murders Banks is investigating are linked and in a way they are not. The girl was involved with some bad people who happen to be involved with the other murder. In a way, looking into who might have murdered her helps the investigation into the other case... and vice versa. Emily was not involved in the copying of illegal CDs but someone she knew was. Also, it seems that killing someone by adding a lot of strychnine to coke is the mark of a different kind of animal than one that is interested only in making money. Once Banks gets the motive clear of the murder of the guard he realises he needs to find a new suspect for the girl's murder.
I have to say that I kind of figured out who the murderer was in Emily's case. As soon as Emily's mum mentioned a daughter she gave up for adoption and we found out who her father was it was not that big a stretch to put two and two together. Maybe I am finally getting better at this detective story business? Nonetheless, the final reveal in the interview room though is very powerful and slightly harrowing and you get a really good insight into what moved the murderer to act in the way they did. It is a chilling tale of a sociopath who feels everything bad in her life was all down to this young girl and she had to pay with her life. One of the saddest things in the book is that things do not end well for Mr Riddle, the dad. He decides that a date with a hose at the end of an exhaust pipe is to be preferred over a good talk over a glass of whiskey... shame. Not sure if it is the scandal over his daughter's antics or the loss of his political career that drove him to it but it leaves his wife and young son to pick up the pieces and carry on. This is another strength of the book. You not only see get to see the murder, you also get to see some of the fall out in the family. This makes sure you are more involved and invested in wanting to get justice for Emily.
Good story, well structured. Liked the fact Banks went to Stony Stratford which is just down the road from me, still amazed how a guy can be that good a detective and then not see that his marriage is sooooo over and still not sure it needs the Annie love interest angle but hey... I am willing to give him another book to prove me wrong.
Title: Cold is the Grave
Author: Peter Robinson
455 pages
Pan Books
ISBN# 0-330-48216-5
Books to be read: 143
Monday 9 December 2013
Best laid plans
I had planned to re-dedicate my Sundays to keeping up the posts on my blog, however..... I had forgotten that starting a new job can be quite tiring and spent my Sunday relaxing, doing a small food shop and making a start on another puzzle. But I am quite happy to report that at the start of week 2 at my new job I have managed to find some time to do a little update.
#### SPOILER ALERT ####
While the Light lasts - Agatha Christie
Another happy return to the work of one of my favourite authors.
Point to note: normally I am not one for reading forewords or afterwords but it was worth it for this collection of stories.
House of Dreams
I liked the fact that this one was unlike anything I have ever read by Christie. It is sort of a ghost story or a supernatural mystery. A young man falls in love with a girl who cannot marry him because of a deep dark family secret (much to the relief of another interested female party). The young man keeps seeing a house in his dreams and in the end it is his downfall and he gets lost looking for it.
The Actress
Nice little story about a woman rising to the occasion with an Oscar winning performance when it matters most. There is the threat of blackmail but in the end we have the con who is being conned. You think you know what is going on but Christie twists it round on you with a nice little reveal at the end. The bad guy gets his just deserts and the lady actress is left to live her life as she pleases.
The Edge
Set in a small village where we find a thwarted lover, an unforgiving soul bent on vengeance.
Clare was hoping to be the next lady of the Manor but she was passed up for an out of town girl in the shape of Vivien. By chance Clare gets a comes across Vivien's secret and uses it to torment her. It seems that all is going well for Clare but then she crosses a line and pushes Vivien too far. But... what goes around, comes around.
Christmas Adventure
Mr Poirot is spending his Christmas re-uniting a pair of lovers and solving the mystery of the Christmas Pudding... oh and there is something about a rogue and an diamond but don't let that spoil the story for you.
This is a nice, tight little mystery for Poirot. It is light and fluffy and totally enjoyable to read.
The Lonely God
The statue of a small god is the meeting place of two strangers who become much more than that. Then fate intervenes and pushes them apart, however, it inspires our man, Frank to make a true work of art himself. In the end and the lovers are re-united but it is a fitting end although a bit soppy.
Manx Gold
Please don't do what I did and not read the foreword on this one... READ IT! the whole thing makes more sense if you do. This is a nice little story about two young people who go on a quest to find a treasure left to them by a relative. Others are trying to get to the treasure to so it is a race to see who gets the loot.
The story was used in a treasure hunt to improve tourism in the Isle of Man.... hope it worked as it is a lovely idea to have treasure hunt with clues designed by Christie. Awesome.
Within a Wall
A kind of serious story about art, survival and whether or not you sell your soul and turn a blind eye to the truth for the "love" of a beautiful woman. An artist seems to do some paint by numbers works but is also truly inspired by someone who he seems to almost hate or resent. His wife seems to have more of a need to keep herself in dresses than her child in decent clothing or to inspire her husband's work and even the help of a long suffering friend is not enough to make the lady happy.
It ends badly for the friend and you get the feeling our painter is not far behind as the lady devours everything around her to satisfy her own needs.... wonder what becomes of the child?
The Mystery of the Bagdad Chest
Another nice little mystery for Poirot to resolve.
He comes to the aid of a man who seems to be obviously guilty of murder but it turns out to be a bit more complicated than that. A nice little mystery involving a big chest, a body and a bit of smoke and mirrors from a vengeful, jealous husband.
While the light lasts
A woman meets the man she loved before and he hopes to pick up where they left off all those years ago. She seems to be bit more ambivalent to changing her life around again and with words left unsaid things take a dramatic turn for the worse for the old lover.
This was a really nice collection of stories from Christie and the nice thing was that there several different genres in this collection. They were all little gems and it was nice to have the variation and to be able to see what Poirot could do in only 10 or so pages.
Nicely written, well paced stories, a great read and as I mentioned nice to have a little extra information on each story about how it came about and/or what it was based on.
Title: While the Light lasts
Author: Agatha Christie
252 pages
Harper Collins Publishers
ISBN# 0-00-715485-2
Books to be read: 144
#### SPOILER ALERT ####
While the Light lasts - Agatha Christie
Another happy return to the work of one of my favourite authors.
Point to note: normally I am not one for reading forewords or afterwords but it was worth it for this collection of stories.
House of Dreams
I liked the fact that this one was unlike anything I have ever read by Christie. It is sort of a ghost story or a supernatural mystery. A young man falls in love with a girl who cannot marry him because of a deep dark family secret (much to the relief of another interested female party). The young man keeps seeing a house in his dreams and in the end it is his downfall and he gets lost looking for it.
The Actress
Nice little story about a woman rising to the occasion with an Oscar winning performance when it matters most. There is the threat of blackmail but in the end we have the con who is being conned. You think you know what is going on but Christie twists it round on you with a nice little reveal at the end. The bad guy gets his just deserts and the lady actress is left to live her life as she pleases.
The Edge
Set in a small village where we find a thwarted lover, an unforgiving soul bent on vengeance.
Clare was hoping to be the next lady of the Manor but she was passed up for an out of town girl in the shape of Vivien. By chance Clare gets a comes across Vivien's secret and uses it to torment her. It seems that all is going well for Clare but then she crosses a line and pushes Vivien too far. But... what goes around, comes around.
Christmas Adventure
Mr Poirot is spending his Christmas re-uniting a pair of lovers and solving the mystery of the Christmas Pudding... oh and there is something about a rogue and an diamond but don't let that spoil the story for you.
This is a nice, tight little mystery for Poirot. It is light and fluffy and totally enjoyable to read.
The Lonely God
The statue of a small god is the meeting place of two strangers who become much more than that. Then fate intervenes and pushes them apart, however, it inspires our man, Frank to make a true work of art himself. In the end and the lovers are re-united but it is a fitting end although a bit soppy.
Manx Gold
Please don't do what I did and not read the foreword on this one... READ IT! the whole thing makes more sense if you do. This is a nice little story about two young people who go on a quest to find a treasure left to them by a relative. Others are trying to get to the treasure to so it is a race to see who gets the loot.
The story was used in a treasure hunt to improve tourism in the Isle of Man.... hope it worked as it is a lovely idea to have treasure hunt with clues designed by Christie. Awesome.
Within a Wall
A kind of serious story about art, survival and whether or not you sell your soul and turn a blind eye to the truth for the "love" of a beautiful woman. An artist seems to do some paint by numbers works but is also truly inspired by someone who he seems to almost hate or resent. His wife seems to have more of a need to keep herself in dresses than her child in decent clothing or to inspire her husband's work and even the help of a long suffering friend is not enough to make the lady happy.
It ends badly for the friend and you get the feeling our painter is not far behind as the lady devours everything around her to satisfy her own needs.... wonder what becomes of the child?
The Mystery of the Bagdad Chest
Another nice little mystery for Poirot to resolve.
He comes to the aid of a man who seems to be obviously guilty of murder but it turns out to be a bit more complicated than that. A nice little mystery involving a big chest, a body and a bit of smoke and mirrors from a vengeful, jealous husband.
While the light lasts
A woman meets the man she loved before and he hopes to pick up where they left off all those years ago. She seems to be bit more ambivalent to changing her life around again and with words left unsaid things take a dramatic turn for the worse for the old lover.
This was a really nice collection of stories from Christie and the nice thing was that there several different genres in this collection. They were all little gems and it was nice to have the variation and to be able to see what Poirot could do in only 10 or so pages.
Nicely written, well paced stories, a great read and as I mentioned nice to have a little extra information on each story about how it came about and/or what it was based on.
Title: While the Light lasts
Author: Agatha Christie
252 pages
Harper Collins Publishers
ISBN# 0-00-715485-2
Books to be read: 144
Monday 2 December 2013
New discoveries
Today I started my new job. It was both a very interesting and tiring day but that was to be expected. Starting at a new job usually means settling into new routines and getting used to new responsibilities. I have a 4 week induction program and this will give me plenty of time to get used to the new environment. It is only a 10/15 minute bike ride to the office and on the way in most if it is downhill and easy coasting. So far, so good.
Before I started work again I did manage to squeeze in a few more books and this is the review of the first one.
#### SPOILER ALERT ####
Dubliners - James Joyce
What a fabulous book this was!!! Absolutely loved it.
Amazing tales about people. To me the stories were like snapshots into people's lives. You get a little look into their lives and then drift onto the next story. You come across all kinds of different situations and meet all kinds of people who share a little of their life with you. A book about human beings and the relationships they have with one another in various areas and stages of life.
The Sisters
In essence this story is about a visit by a boy and his aunt to a dead man and his two surviving sisters who are now having to deal with the death. But it is about a bit more than that really. Hidden in it you get the hint of a man who saw promise in a young boy, a possibly wasted life and society's attitude that being educated is a waste of time.
An Encounter
Two boys go on an adventure of a lifetime down by the river and meet a bit of a weirdo. And he is a real weirdo... it starts out all innocently with the boys going on a jolly little trip but after they meet the guy by the river the atmosphere changes and a cloud forms over their adventure. You definitely get the feeling that perhaps the boys would be better out getting out of their very quick smart once the conversation turns to boys and girls and punishment! Interestingly there were supposed to be three of them on the trip but the one who was usually all bluster and defiance did not even show up for the trip.
Araby
A sweet story about a boy and his first love. He is way to shy to talk to her and decides to day it with a gift but that adventure does not end well. He is probably still pining away at a distance.... poor little lad.
Eveline
This was a lovely story about the thoughts and feelings of a girl who is considering leaving here family and running away with the man she loves. The way she evaluates her life so far and determines that her life would be better if she left is intended to make you think it is all sorted out and at the same time gives you the feeling that it isn't quite the clear cut for her. The man she loves is willing to take her away and star anew.... but she just couldn't do it. I felt really sorry for her as she deserved a chance of a new life and a better future for herself but she seemed to lack the courage to give herself that.
After the Race
Boys having a good time. They are ringing in the changes. They are the next generation that is going to outdo the old one in absolutely everything. They will have as a given the privileges that their parents had to work hard for. The are able to indulge their every whim and fanciful ideas. And... if if does not work out, there is always daddy's cheque book to fall back on.
Two Gallants
Should probably be called "two rogues". Two drinking buddies talking about women and how they might be able to squeeze a bit more than just a kiss from them.
The Boarding House
A woman has managed to escape her violent husband and is now running a boarding house. She has landed herself a profitable business and her daughter a husband. What is left kind of unsaid is how much manipulation went on in getting the husband. A very interesting story about women. One powerful and strong who knows where it's at and the other more inexperienced... or is she?
A little Cloud
A man meets and old friend who seems to have it all and thinks that perhaps life has passed him by and that he deserves better. In the end he realises that perhaps things have turned out for the best after all.
Counterparts
A man likes his pints a bit more than his work. Ends up drinking away his pay with his good for nothing buddies and then goes home drunk. The man feels hard done by, blames others for his own incompetency and thinks that the answers to life are at the bottom of a pint or 10. Once he had his fun and the money is about gone he goes off home and takes out his frustration out on the ones he should be protecting. This time the kid got it... next time probably the wife.
Clay
Maria enjoys a nice evening out with her friends. She is almost apologetic about intruding in their family life and possibly for being alive at all. She comes across as a small, little woman who has been left on the shelf and has seen life pass her by and lives with it. She has been invited into a family home but you can almost feel the pity for her from the family members as they try make her feel included in all the evening's festivities.
A Painful Case
A gentleman meets a married lady and forms a friendship with her. They seem to be two like minded souls but he breaks things off when she seems to want more than he. The woman ends up dead and it is kind of clear that it may have been a suicide. He holds himself responsible but manages to get on with life nonetheless.
Ivy Day in the Committee Room
Lovely little story about a group of men discussing an upcoming election and the fact if they are going to get paid for all their hard work or not. As always everyone has an opinion and there is some great banter going on. Also good for learning a whole new way to get the corks out of bottles without a corkscrew.
A Mother
By being overbearing and thinking she is doing the best for her child a mother probably scuppers the daughters chances of ever making a career as a musician. The poor girl does her best but with mum on the warpath and money involved there is no way this is going to end well.
Grace
A number of men gently conspire against one stray lamb and manage to get him to agree to taking the first step to a sober life.
The Dead
At the Morkan's annual Christmas party things are all jolly and festive with songs, drinks and good food. Once the celebrations come to an end not everyone's thoughts turn to the positive. One lady remembers her first love and how he was lost to her... kind of dampens the mood with her amorous husband.
Joyce writes like a dream. He is accurate in his descriptions and characterisations of the people you meet and sometimes in one sentence he can in part so much information.... one sentence will tell you all you need to know about the relationship between people or the character of someone. Brilliant use of language... well chosen words, ordered perfectly. Absolutely amazing book and I am going to keep a look out now for Ulysses.
Title: Dubliners
Author: James Joyce
255 pages
Penguin Books
Books to be read: 145
Before I started work again I did manage to squeeze in a few more books and this is the review of the first one.
#### SPOILER ALERT ####
Dubliners - James Joyce
What a fabulous book this was!!! Absolutely loved it.
Amazing tales about people. To me the stories were like snapshots into people's lives. You get a little look into their lives and then drift onto the next story. You come across all kinds of different situations and meet all kinds of people who share a little of their life with you. A book about human beings and the relationships they have with one another in various areas and stages of life.
The Sisters
In essence this story is about a visit by a boy and his aunt to a dead man and his two surviving sisters who are now having to deal with the death. But it is about a bit more than that really. Hidden in it you get the hint of a man who saw promise in a young boy, a possibly wasted life and society's attitude that being educated is a waste of time.
An Encounter
Two boys go on an adventure of a lifetime down by the river and meet a bit of a weirdo. And he is a real weirdo... it starts out all innocently with the boys going on a jolly little trip but after they meet the guy by the river the atmosphere changes and a cloud forms over their adventure. You definitely get the feeling that perhaps the boys would be better out getting out of their very quick smart once the conversation turns to boys and girls and punishment! Interestingly there were supposed to be three of them on the trip but the one who was usually all bluster and defiance did not even show up for the trip.
Araby
A sweet story about a boy and his first love. He is way to shy to talk to her and decides to day it with a gift but that adventure does not end well. He is probably still pining away at a distance.... poor little lad.
Eveline
This was a lovely story about the thoughts and feelings of a girl who is considering leaving here family and running away with the man she loves. The way she evaluates her life so far and determines that her life would be better if she left is intended to make you think it is all sorted out and at the same time gives you the feeling that it isn't quite the clear cut for her. The man she loves is willing to take her away and star anew.... but she just couldn't do it. I felt really sorry for her as she deserved a chance of a new life and a better future for herself but she seemed to lack the courage to give herself that.
After the Race
Boys having a good time. They are ringing in the changes. They are the next generation that is going to outdo the old one in absolutely everything. They will have as a given the privileges that their parents had to work hard for. The are able to indulge their every whim and fanciful ideas. And... if if does not work out, there is always daddy's cheque book to fall back on.
Two Gallants
Should probably be called "two rogues". Two drinking buddies talking about women and how they might be able to squeeze a bit more than just a kiss from them.
The Boarding House
A woman has managed to escape her violent husband and is now running a boarding house. She has landed herself a profitable business and her daughter a husband. What is left kind of unsaid is how much manipulation went on in getting the husband. A very interesting story about women. One powerful and strong who knows where it's at and the other more inexperienced... or is she?
A man meets and old friend who seems to have it all and thinks that perhaps life has passed him by and that he deserves better. In the end he realises that perhaps things have turned out for the best after all.
Counterparts
A man likes his pints a bit more than his work. Ends up drinking away his pay with his good for nothing buddies and then goes home drunk. The man feels hard done by, blames others for his own incompetency and thinks that the answers to life are at the bottom of a pint or 10. Once he had his fun and the money is about gone he goes off home and takes out his frustration out on the ones he should be protecting. This time the kid got it... next time probably the wife.
Clay
Maria enjoys a nice evening out with her friends. She is almost apologetic about intruding in their family life and possibly for being alive at all. She comes across as a small, little woman who has been left on the shelf and has seen life pass her by and lives with it. She has been invited into a family home but you can almost feel the pity for her from the family members as they try make her feel included in all the evening's festivities.
A Painful Case
A gentleman meets a married lady and forms a friendship with her. They seem to be two like minded souls but he breaks things off when she seems to want more than he. The woman ends up dead and it is kind of clear that it may have been a suicide. He holds himself responsible but manages to get on with life nonetheless.
Ivy Day in the Committee Room
Lovely little story about a group of men discussing an upcoming election and the fact if they are going to get paid for all their hard work or not. As always everyone has an opinion and there is some great banter going on. Also good for learning a whole new way to get the corks out of bottles without a corkscrew.
A Mother
By being overbearing and thinking she is doing the best for her child a mother probably scuppers the daughters chances of ever making a career as a musician. The poor girl does her best but with mum on the warpath and money involved there is no way this is going to end well.
Grace
A number of men gently conspire against one stray lamb and manage to get him to agree to taking the first step to a sober life.
The Dead
At the Morkan's annual Christmas party things are all jolly and festive with songs, drinks and good food. Once the celebrations come to an end not everyone's thoughts turn to the positive. One lady remembers her first love and how he was lost to her... kind of dampens the mood with her amorous husband.
Joyce writes like a dream. He is accurate in his descriptions and characterisations of the people you meet and sometimes in one sentence he can in part so much information.... one sentence will tell you all you need to know about the relationship between people or the character of someone. Brilliant use of language... well chosen words, ordered perfectly. Absolutely amazing book and I am going to keep a look out now for Ulysses.
Title: Dubliners
Author: James Joyce
255 pages
Penguin Books
Books to be read: 145
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