BookieMonster’s Unappreciated Classics: The Known World by Edward P. Jones

 Posted by  Comments Off
Jan 212010
 

So way back in… oh my… July I reviewed March by Geraldine Brooks and suggested a better read would be The Known World by Edward Jones and that I would do an Unappreciated Classics post on the title … aaaand here we are. Only, much like The Road, it turns out The Known World is perhaps not so unappreciated after all, having been named in TIME’s Ten Best Books of the Decade. Which, along with Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro being named at no. 1, made me very fluffily pleased inside. The Known World is set in the American South 20 years before the Civil War and details a lesser-known aspect of slavery – at its center is the story of the plantation of Henry Townsend, an educated slave-owning black man. The story begins with Henry’s death and takes us back into his past, detailing his loyalty to his [...read more...]

Writing your fourth book of fiction?

 Posted by  1 Response »
Jan 202010
 

I just have to draw your attention to this brilliant and funny post by Garth Risk Hallberg on The Millions about literary prizes, and their proliferation. His solution is a work of genius. Plus this: From across the bookstore, it flashes at me like the plumage of a wild bird seeking a mate: one of those small gold circles indicative of acclaim. And, frankly, I’m a little turned on. I already know I like shiny gold things; could this be a PEN finalist? A Pulitzer Prize winner? made me LOL so hard. The Millions is fast becoming a must visit every day for me!

Laid Bare : A no-holds-barred expose of prostitution in New Zealand by Rachel Francis

 Posted by  3 Responses »
Jan 182010
 
Laid Bare : A no-holds-barred expose of prostitution in New Zealand by Rachel Francis

Part-memoir, part-autobiography and a big part titillating and gossipy (and I mean that in a positive way), Laid Bare recounts Rachel Francis’ two decades in the New Zealand prostitution scene and covering one of the biggest social changes to happen in New Zealand in recent times – the decriminalisation of prostitution. No, this isn’t a work of high literature, but it’s highly readable and often a lot of fun. The book’s biggest asset is Francis’ enthusiasm for her life and her former line of work. She obviously had no compunctions entering prostitution and her honesty and zeal for the work clearly paid dividends with the respect of family and acquaintances, as well as with clients and in the business. There is lots of nuggety information here about the prostitution business in New Zealand, its history throughout the 80’s and 90’s, and the ins and outs…errr…nuts and bolts… oh hell, puns [...read more...]

A couple of highlights in stock this week

 Posted by  2 Responses »
Jan 182010
 
A couple of highlights in stock this week

I am ridonkulously excited about this new arrival in stock – The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman. Yes, I nabbed a copy for myself, obviously. Yes, I will be reviewing it when read (which since I’m reading the large Wolf Hall will be in a little while). Yes, I have heard amazing things about this book. Yes, Neil Gaiman is going to be here, in our country, very shortly. Yes, it’s just $19.95!! $19.95! Go, go, buy, buy! And speaking of Wolf Hall by Hilary Mantel (last year’s Booker Prize winner) – yes we still have stock and yes it’s still $22.95 – oh my. Cheap literary thrills I tell you. And, on a totally different tack – Charles Kingsford Smith and Those Magnificent Men by Peter Fitzsimons – a satisfyingly hefty biography of the great Australian aviator and a 2009 release. Our price – just $34.95! That’s just three listings [...read more...]

What’s BookieMonster Reading? Magpie Hall by Rachael King

 Posted by  2 Responses »
Jan 152010
 
What's BookieMonster Reading? Magpie Hall by Rachael King

Grappling, grappling, grappling. I am grappling with writing this review, and also I really like the word “grappling”. Most satisfactory. So, let’s just dive right in, shall we? Magpie Hall tells the tale of Rosemary, grappling (appropriately) with the death of her grandfather, the writing of a thesis and a dying love affair with a married man. She returns to the family home of her grandfather, Magpie Hall, and from there we delve into her family history,  including the stories of her great-great grandfather Henry and his first wife Dora, with added ghostiness and twistyturniness. (I continue my tradition of crap snyopses.) There are many, many things to like about this novel. From a personal point of view – taxidermy, medical curiosities, a cabinet of curiosities – say no more, I’m sold. Beyond this: the writing is excellent, believable, highly readable and the research behind the technical and historical aspects [...read more...]

 Older Entries  Newer Entries