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Revenge of the Bookworm

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I just lost my sleeping pattern simply because I could not put down Robert A. Heinlein's Glory Road. It had me giggling all through the night. It must have been quite contemporary in its time, and I confess that in my ignorance I sometimes didn't know who he was referring to. But when I did, it really hit a note in me and on I sniggered. And there was a twist, too. Twists are good, especially when not of clichéd nature. And it was one of those good old science fiction books that was so old that the line between fantasy and sci fi had not yet been drawn - it had elements of both. Magic and technology. But also the "real" world.

Anyway, enough about that. Originalism tagged me again. Thanks.

A book that changed my life:

Burning Issy by Melvin Burgess

Issy dreams every night that she is burning. This is England in the age of the witch hunts and her special powers make the villagers call her evil. Issy herself doesn't know who she is, or where she came from, but she knows she must escape the witch-finder.

Sorry about the lame blurb. I can't find my copy anywhere to pick and select a proper quote. It's quite good despite the 2-dimensional nature of the outline. This one came in one of those womens' magazines. My mother took one look at it and gave it to me - I don't think it interested her in the least. I was skeptical at first but soon found myself fascinated. I can remember reading this one in the attic of the shed. I really should read this book again. It made me realize that I didn't need to be a Christian. I could be a good girl and more caring if I was more true to myself and put things I really valued as important first. It also was my first view into the realization of how cruel religions have been to each other in the past. It took this book for me to realize how ignorance breeds fear and hatred and how closed-mindedness can make perfectly intelligent people completely stupid. It's a book with witchcraft. Yes, it may have made me drop my Christian charade (please - don't misunderstand me. I have nothing against Christians - it just didn't feel like my cup of tea) but it did not turn me into a Wiccan.

A book I've read more than once:

The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar (and six more) by Roald Dahl

Like an executioner approaching his victim, the policeman came strolling slowly towards us. He was a big meaty man with a belly, and his blue breeches were skintight around his enormous thighs. His goggles were pulled up on the helmet, showing a smouldering red face with wide cheeks.
We sat there like guilty schoolboys, waiting for him to arrive.

To be honest, I could have chosen absolutely any Roald Dahl book here. As a child, I read, re-read, and then read them all a few times more - even the ones for adults. But I've selected this book because it isn't one directed at kids or at adults - it's the only 'inbetween' one I know of. And like the adult stories, it's a collection of short stories. Each of these stories is quite dark. They go against the grain. Sure, they may have a moral, but the "what if" of each story is presented in such a twisted way that I can't help thinking of the Brothers Grimm.

A book that made me laugh:

Good Omens by Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman

The whole business with the fossilized dinosaur skeletons was a joke the paleontologists haven't yet seen.
This proves two things:
Firstly, that God moves in extremely mysterious, not to say, circuitous ways. God does not play dice with the universe; He plays an ineffable game of His own devising, which might be compared, from the perspective of any of the other players, to being involved in an obscure and complex version of poker in a pitch-dark room, with blank cards, for infinite stakes, with a Dealer who won't tell you the rules, and who smiles all the time.
Secondly, the Earth's a Libra.
The astrological prediction for Libra in the 'Your Stars Today' column of the Tadfield Advertiser, on the day this history begins, reads as follows:-
LIBRA. 24 September-23 October.
You may be feeling run down and always inthe same old daily round. Home and family matters are highlighted and are hanging fire. Avoid unnecessary risks. A friend is important to you. Shelve major decisions until the way ahead seems clear. You may be vulnerable to a stomach upset today, so avoid salads. Help could come from an unexpected quarter.

This was perfectly correct on every account except for the bit about the salads.

Terry Pratchett is good. But Neil Gaiman is even better. No, no, don't contradict me here - this is simply my opinion. Here the delightful wordplay of Pratchett meets the evil humor of Gaiman. I have never read anything by Pratchett that rivals this work, except possibly Small Gods. It's so good that I could probably open it onto any random page and get instantly stuck with my nose in its pages. So many books deal with the end of the world and the battle of ultimate evil versus ultimate good. This takes a rather more human version of it. It's so quirky I can't help loving the characters. And I couldn't resist putting in almost half a short chapter as the quote. You MUST read this book!

A book that made me cry:

Truth be told, a lot of books make me cry. Glory Road made me cry. Probably even Burning Issy made me cry. In fact, if the book kills a character I like or has a long distance relationship in it, I will split like a waterballoon. I can't help it. I'm a wimp. If you take me to the movies, however, I will stoically swallow my tears. And they just don't work the same way as books. While everyone sobbed in Titanic, I laughed.

I can't decide. If I read a book in the near future that makes me bawl my eyes out, I'll make sure to post it.

A book(s) I've been meaning to read:

The Kalevala. As a Finn, I should read the national epos. As a lover of mythology, I should read the Kalevala. As someone curious, I need to read it. I'm just worried that my Finnish isn't up to par and that I'll have to read it in English.. how shameful. I think that's what's keeping me from dipping my nose in this one.
I've also gotten hooked on the Coq Rouge series by Jan Gillou. Take James Bond, turn him into a Swedish socialist, and then throw him into the 80's Stockholm. The result is pretty darn fun to read. And surprisingly intelligent.

02:31 - 31.8.2006 - post comment

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Revenge of the Bookworm

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