Posts Tagged ‘project’

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28

The Great Book Project 15 of 20 – Austerlitz by W.G Sebald

Monday, February 28th, 2011

Oh my god. Where the hell do I start with this one? This book was almost the death of my project. I struggled with it so much. But a few days ago I had a chat with a couple of dudes in my work about how I was going to give up on the book – that I was about half way through it and in the depths of dispair. My workmates both gave me a bit of abuse and explained how guff it would be if I threw this book to the side and destroyed the integrity of what I was trying to do. So I just blitzed the final half of the book over the weekend there and today.

Austershitz

There were a few other issues at play here that have all added up to why it has taken me so long to get through it…

I was immediately demotivated my the fact that I couldn’t get this book anywhere in Kindle format. My Kindle has been a great companion to me the last six or so months, so I was gutted when I ended up having to buy this book on ebay for a couple of squid. If you looked at the title of this post you might be fooled into thinking that this is the top 4 book in the Times top 100 books from which I have based my project on, but no, I’ve been putting off leaving my Kindle to the side. Austerlitz is actually number 13. That’s 8 books I’ve read before I’ve had the guts to go back to paper.

Another reason was that I’ve been so busy with Lucid Studio and not had as much time to read as usual. You know what it’s like if you read a book little a bit at a time, sometimes days between reading session. Granted, I would have probably prioritised anything above sticking my nose in this, but I really have been dead busy. Working on my business stuff most nights.

Also, and this might be me getting a bit too personal, I haven’t been 100% the last month or two. Been a bit down so, in my experience, I need to be in the zone emotionally to enjoy relaxing to a book. If I’m feeling down I need to watch telly and veg. Stuff this concentrating palava.

MacBook Pro

Last reason for my book avoiding antics was that I finally got myself a nice shiny new MacBook Pro. You might remember it being on my bucket list. Yes. I finally did it. And as the minutes pass I can’t believe it has taken me so long. Been working on my latest stuff using it and it’s been amazing. I feel so much more productive. I donno what it is about the mac OS, but I just feel it encourages you (subliminally) to do things the right way.

So excuses out the way. What about this god-damn book?

I’m gonna keep this short because the quicker I forget about this the better. Austerlitz is a book written from the point of view of Sebald. It is written as if non-fiction (I’m not sure if it is), and details the life of an architectural historian, named Austerlitz, whom Sebald meets by chance one day in a train station. He portrays this man as an extraordinary human being. Insanely knowledgeable in so many ways. A man who never reached the heights his knowledge should have taken him.

Sadly I found absolutely nothing of interest within the pages. As much as I could recognise the colourful way that Sebald flaunts this geezers knowledge, I couldn’t get through two or three pages without dreaming about giving Angry Birds another shot. I’m not joking here. The WHOLE BOOK is one big paragraph. No chapters. Not one line break. That’s too much for a guy to deal with on the 240 bus at 7:50am.

It’s beyond my intellect to understand how this book made the top 20 of The Times Best books of the decade list.

I’m glad I listened and finished the book for the sake of face, but I’ll be gladly selling this on ebay tomorrow.

Rating: ★★☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆

I’m so near the end now. I’m going to read something outwith the project next. Back to my amazing Kindle. Then its onto Payback: Debt and the Shadow Side of Wealth by Margaret Atwood. See ya soon! (promise!)

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Posted in Life in General, The Great Book Project | No Comments »

23

The Great Book Project 14 of 20 – Suite Française by Irène Némirovsky

Sunday, January 23rd, 2011

Goodreads tells me that I started reading this book on the 19th of December. Which means I flicked through the first few pages when I got a chance over the Christmas period. I didn’t really get swept away by this book until the first week in January.

It’s hard to know where to start with the latest book in my project. This really is an extraordinary story both within the pages and outwith. Suite Française was written during the second world war but was not discovered until the mid 90′s when Irène Némirovsky‘s daughter decided to open the pages of a journal that she presumed was her mothers diary. Instead it turned out to be the manuscript of this book, unfinished, but with notes on where the epic tale was intended to head. Unfortunately Jewish born Irène Némirovsky was murdered by the Nazis in an Austerlitz gas chamber in 1942.

As a result the published Suite Française is the first two novella’s of an intended five. The first tells the tales of many interconnected French civilians as they attempt to flee the invading German Army. The second is set after the invasion and centres around the small town of Bussy where the German occupiers are living alongside the French. There are some overlapping characters in each novella but both could be read independently.

The first story is all about chaos. It reminded me of Lord of the Flies: How the breakdown of society can bring out the best and worse in people. Throughout the whole novella we never encounter a German soldier, there is never a moment you would associate with a traditional war story. What we get instead is various situations where people are in disastrous circumstances not as a result of guns or bombs, but of the breakdown of traditional values and the new rules of survival.

France during occupation

The second part is, in my opinion, far superior. Némirovsky gives us a very real look into what it would be like to live in a small town by an occupying force. Instead of these Nazis being the nasty, murderous types we get used to in war stories, we get a group of men who are charming, completely considerate and determined to win over the hearts of the town and its people.

Also, unlike the previous part of the book, we are not bogged down (at least I was in the first book) with countless characters. This part of the book is predominantly about a young woman, Lucile, and her relationship with a German Officer who is living in one of the rooms of her home. It was great to see how, as their relationship develops, Lucile uses this to her advantage to become one of the more able members of the town.

It is soul destroying to see the way Némirovsky painted the German Soldiers only to be killed at the hands of them in reality.

Another great book. It took me away from the madness of my bus journeys through the east end of Glasgow. Would have been great to see where the next three books would have went.

Rating: ★★★★★★★½☆☆

Next up it’s (rather ironically) Austerliz by W.G Sebald. I ended up having to buy this book on ebay as I’ve been unable to get it for my Kindle. I’ve had enough of war for the moment though so I’m going to read something outwith the project then start this one after.

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Posted in Books, Life in General, The Great Book Project | 3 Comments »

9

The Great Book Project 13 of 20 – The Tipping Point by Malcolm Gladwell

Sunday, January 9th, 2011

Hey folks. Happy new year and all that. Sorry for being away for so long (not that you bloody-well cared anyway). Been a bit hectic over the Christmas period so haven’t had the chance to update my progress on the project.

Had a brilliant Christmas. First as a married man, which was weird, but totally awesome. Got loads of pressies and had [voice of Commandant Lassard] many, many great nights out, including a wedding down in London town.

The Tipping Point

I actually finished this book in the first week of December just before my birthday. That’s how lazy I have been lately (much to the disdain of my business’s clients!). So excuse me if I’m kinda vague when talking about The Tipping Point.

Straight off the bat I can tell you that I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It’s a book of the authors theories surrounding what makes something go ‘viral’. From fashion trends to crime rates to Sesame Street, this book gives us loads of great wee anecdotes to support the rules and strategies. It’s the kind of book that you could have in the toilet and pick up any time. Each little section has enough on its own to keep you satisfied.

When I say Gladwell examines what makes something go viral, he actually investigates the people involved (some people he bloody-well meets in person). He analyses the personality of infectious people and what causes ideas to stick where other ones slide disappointingly down the wall.

Gladwell clearly knows what he is talking about and I found it hard to argue with any of the points he brings up.

It’s difficult not make the book sound like a bit of a drag, but I can assure you that the narrative jumps about enough to make the content very interesting and engaging.

Rating: ★★★★★★½☆☆☆

Something I’d like to point out that I’m discovering through the progress of this wee project; apart from ‘The Rapture‘ I can honestly say that I’ve enjoyed all the books on the list. But I’m noticing that the further I get into the list the less I am being gripped by the books. I don’t know if this is because the books on the list are becoming more refined as we get to the top. Remember, I don’t consider myself to be a literary guru, so I could very well be missing something. I’m also thinking that it’s because I’m learning my own taste now and would rather get through my own ever growing list of books I want to read. We’ll see how I feel as I get closer to the top.

I’ve already started number 14 on my list which is Suite Française by Irène Némirovsky. See ya soon!

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Posted in Books, Life in General, The Great Book Project | 3 Comments »

11

The Great Book Project 10 of 20 – Atonement by Ian McEwan

Monday, October 11th, 2010

Half way there folks. Who would have thunk it? And ultimately, who cares? Haha. Well, I do but, I’m also surprised at the traffic I’m getting to these posts so some people are at least following along. At the beginning of the week I was at a funeral of an uncle and one of my 2nd cousins asked me “How’s your books going?”.

A Pure Stoater

Anyway, enough of me trying to convince myself that these blog posts are worth it.

A couple of years ago I watched the movie of this book. I loved it. Probably the first ‘period drama’ I’ve regarded as completely awesome. The long scene on the beach at Dunkirk comes to mind. As a result in my initial post about this we project I wondered if I should take it off the list. I know what happens at the end etc, etc. But I decided to keep it on and see if the book had anything more to give.

I’m totally glad I did. And at the same time I’m now completely gutted that I hadn’t read the book before seeing the film.

This book really blew me away. It had everything that made the movie great, obviously, but had so much more in the book that sent it to a new level of greatness. I don’t want to give too much away, but I can tell you that Atonement is the story of how an overly dramatic, naive young girl misinterprets a series of events one day during a family gathering. The result has unimaginable consequences for the future of the family. The book’s title Atonement refers to the young girls plight through the rest of her life to make amends for what she did on that day.

I watched the movie again since finishing this book on Thursday last week. It really does the book justice but there are some scenes I wish they had included in the movie (even though I can understand why they ain’t there). The moment in the book where Mace intervenes on the killing of the RAF pilot. The chapter with Emily Tallis having a migraine was one of my favourites in the book yet there is a 10 second shot of her in her bed in the movie. Briony finally having her play performed to her.

If you can’t be arsed reading the book, then please give the movie a bash. Here is the trailer:

Without a doubt my favourite book so far.

Rating: ★★★★★★★★½☆

Moving back to A Heartbreaking Work Of Staggering Genius next. I had to buy this off eBay as Amazon still don’t have it in Kindle format. Back to old paper format. Aww man!

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Posted in Books, The Great Book Project | 4 Comments »

1

The Great Book Project 7 of 20 – Reading Lolita in Tehran by Azar Nafisi

Wednesday, September 1st, 2010

I’m getting into the swing of things now in my new home. Just recently bought a couch set (I’m sure there is a correct name for that, but can’t remember what it is), and been busy doing DIY stuff around the house. It’s hard to find spare minutes for yourself but when I do I’ve been sitting down to read this next instalment in my project.

Hide your Emotions!!!

Reading Lolita in Tehran is a memoir of Azar Nafisi, an English Lit teacher in the Iranian Capital. The book centres around a private book club that Azar organises to allow her more talented students to have more private voice when discussing various works of western literature. This ‘private voice’ is a haven for these young girls. Throughout the book we find out more and more of the tyranny against the Iranian people. Especially the women.

And this is the central theme of the book. The personal and intellectual oppression of the Islamic regime. The very title gives us a hint at this. In Nabokov’s novel (I haven’t read it but I’ve saw Stanley Kubrick’s adaptation), Lolita meets an older man and he falls in love with her. He is so besotted by Lolita that he refuses to let her live the life of a normal teenager. Lolita is forced to find devious ways to rebel against her oppressor and she eventually leaves him.

Much like Lolita, the girls in this novel have to deal with outrageous suppression in their day to day lives. They can’t show their hair (MY SISTER, GUARD YOUR VEIL. MY BROTHER, GUARD YOUR EYES) not allowed to express emotion, they are forbidden to touch another person in public, even to shake a hand. Many people are jailed or executed for showing signs of spontaneity or free expression.

The book is full of personal anecdotes giving us an idea of just how far and away our society is with that of an Islamic regime. I wont go into them here, but if you are remotely interested in the subject then I would wholeheartedly recommend this book.

Azar Nafisi

This book will stick in my head. It was tough going at times but it has given me a great insight into Islam. It reminded me of that video where the Iranian woman was killed at a protest against the election fixing and the constant issues we hear about human rights violations in Iran. Judging by what Azir Nafisi has seen and heard I’d say their is some serious shit going on that has to stop.

Best one in the project so far!

Rating: ★★★★★★★★☆☆

I’m not sure what to do about the next instalment in my project. My Kindle is due to arrive in a few days and the next couple of books on my list are not in the Kindle store yet! What I might do is jump ahead and read the ones that are available and then go back whenever they are released (15,000 new kindle books added a week I’m told!).

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Posted in Books, The Great Book Project | 2 Comments »

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