Greetings loved ones! As many of you know, regardless of how hard I try to disguise it with my attempts at cool music and occasional forays into fashion; I am, at heart, a geek. Although I do try to name drop cool bands casually into conversation, it’s quite obvious that I have no idea who they are, usually because I get their name mixed up – my incredulity at PJ & Duncan being on the Mercury Prize shortlist this year being a classic example. (For any fellow geeks out there, it was PJ Harvey on the shortlist, as I wouldn’t wish those howls of laughter on anyone.)
So I may not know too much about music, or fashion, or have my finger on the art house film pulse (Dirty Dancing rocks in my opinion) but I don’t think that makes me completely out of touch with current events and culture – my secret? I’ll whisper it. I read. I know, I know – it’s controversial. It’s old fashioned. Except it’s not. I think the art of reading books is the key to our past, it’s the way we make sense of our present and how we’ll forge a better future. I don’t think it’s a small coincidence that the rioters, thieves and arsonists who attacked our cities last week left the bookshops well alone.
There has been so much speculation as to the “type” of people who were raiding the proverbial cookie jar of our high streets – black, white, poor, uneducated, children of single parent families…the list goes on. The uneducated label strikes a chord, but somehow I don’t buy it – it is a right in this country to have an education up to at least the age of 16, so that theory doesn’t really stand up. The majority of the rioters will have received some kind of formal education (obviously the nine year olds who were lobbing missiles were at a slightly…ahem…earlier stage in their school careers) so where does that leave us? I feel that because everyone has the right to education and most children between the ages of 5-16 “have” to go to school, it is forgotten that this right is also an immense privilege; and one not enjoyed (or endured, if you’re that way inclined) by children worldwide.
Phew. Rant over – be honest, you missed it, didn’t you?
The point of this rant post was not to read the riot act on the youth of today (or to sound like I’m 87 years old) but actually to talk about something else that I would happily protest about (I said protest, not riot) – the closure of our libraries. I read a terrific piece by Caitlin Moran via the site Nosy Cow at the weekend which tackled the issue in a fair bit of detail; have a read if you fancy it. Naturally, I agreed with pretty much everything that was said, not just because I worship every genius syllable she utters, but because I feel that by closing these institutions we are opening ourselves up to more events like the ones we all witnessed last week; not because the lunatics who attacked our communities will themselves be up in arms because they can’t have free access to Dickens and Tolkien – but because other people, other readers, other literary explorers won’t have access. And it’s these people who we rely on; to learn the lessons, to spread the word, and maybe, letter by letter, chapter and verse, to change the world.
For that reason - and to give something back to you guys for reading my drivel - I’d like to offer up a little reading related competition – with a prize and everything. It can be a recommendation for a book (with a mini-review if you don’t mind), a little comment on why you like to read or perhaps, to share a memory (OMG this is turning into a self-help group) on reading as a kid; it could even be your favourite author. Perhaps you see your childhood through Enid Blyton-tinted spectacles – personally mine was a bit more Roald Dahl’s Revolting Rhymes, but hey. Either way – the prize is a £50 Amazon voucher for the winner to spend however they wish (you don’t have to spend it on books!) so just enter your reading related entry in the comments section of this post - you could even sign up to the blog at the same time (just click on the Join this Site button on the right sidebar), though that won’t necessarily help your chances of winning – yeah right. Happy reading!
PS Closing date for the competition is midnight, Monday 29th August.
Err cant say I do Dickens or the like! But just finished a book by John Van Der Ruit "Spud Learning to fly" Certainly wont make one a Dr. of Philosophy but you will piss your pants reading it! :) If I win the wooden spoon prize please donate to a charity of your choice!:O)
ReplyDeleteHi everyone! Just to get things started - to enter the competition, click on "Post a Comment" or the number of comments, e.g. "3 comments" at the end of the post, then select "Name/URL" and enter your name. After that, write your comment/entry and click "post comment". Hope this helps :)
ReplyDeleteMy favourite book in the world is a battered copy of Matthew Reilly's 'Temple'. It did not start out as a battered paperback losing it's cover, pages warped by accidental spills and swimming pool water, but the many holidays it's been on and re-reads it has encountered have taken it's toll. But it never fails to disappoint.
ReplyDeleteDeep emotional undertones; undulating, multi-layered and intertwining story lines and soul-wrenching character development are certainly not how I would describe this book. Matthew Reilly has been quoted as saying that he would rather let his character's actions depict their motives and morals rather than delving deep into their psyche.
And Action is where it's at. Think of a multi-million dollar action movie in book form and this is where Reilly takes you. On a non-stop rip-roaring ride with epic boat chases, ancient giant killer cats, and a super bomb capable of destroying the planet.
The main character, a University Ancient Languages professor William Race is thrown into a race between the three arms of America's defence, Navy, Airforce and Army with the added villainy of New-Age Nazi's intent on seeing the world ended rather than under the continued control of America.
The modern day story runs in parallell with the translation of an Ancient Manuscript by Race from Incan times, tracking the component required to complete the bomb, the Inca's sacred statue made unknowingly from a fallen meteorite.
Reilly is not known for keeping his character's alive and there is plenty of death to keep you guessing the whole way whether the ever decreasing number of heroes will survive long enough to save the planet.
It is the mixture of history and science fiction, action and adventure and simple constant pace of the book that keeps me wanting to read it again and again. Many times you can relate to Race as a character totally out of his depth and you often feel like you hope you would act in a similar fashion were you in the same predicament.
I shall finish this review with a question, what would you do if you were falling from the sky at terminal velocity, trapped in a mammoth super-tank facing a ticking bomb capable of destroying the world completely?
It is this question that makes me want to read Temple again and again.
Right I'll try again!! I've been obsessed with reading since I could read basically. I now see it was a form of escapism. When I lived in Germany I ended up going to many different schools (13 in 11 years) and although I didn't have a problem making friends and had a surprising amount (facebook keeps reminding me!) books and my parents were my only constant I guess. My first grown up books were handed to me from a friend of my dads. Dad didn't know who Stephen King was, but I was never scared, I just loved reading. The first time I heard Insomnia by Faithless I was reading Insomnia by Stephen King =) I'd managed to stay up and was listening to a DJ called Charlie 2000 (he only started his set at midnight). ANYWAY... When I first moved to England I had to live with my Grandparents for 6months. The only thing that got me through the boredom and loneliness was the local library. Thankfully I moved again before I started reading all of their books for a second time. Over recent years I've regleted my reading quite a bit, but since moving I have rediscovered my passion, and now realised that reading is my therapy. Who needs prozac when you have a book and a good bottle of wine =)
ReplyDeleteWell, growing up on a small island and a avid reader of a mother made sure books were a part of my childhood. I had a really hard time with this decision, and I couldn't come up with just one. I have three. First off, I remember reading a book called the seven year old wonder book, it was faded and worn, my mom and I read it together in bed at night. It was about a young girl and all sorts of fantasy. I think it started me on my addiction to getting lost in books. Next, my humor was healthily twisted by Roald Dahl. I've read them all but the one that I loved the most was 'The Twits'. Such simple justice. Brilliant imagery. I still picture the crows glued to the trees. While my pre-teens were filled with lots of trashy formula 'young adult' fiction, I did still find a few good books to read. One that stuck with me as well was, 'A Wrinkle in Time' by Madeleine L'engle. These books all formed my love of reading, my twisted sense of humor and my imagination and wonder of the world. I think I may even just go re read them now....
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