Book Meme - Day 11 - A book you hated

This had to be By Grand Central Station I sat down and wept by Elizabeth Smart. Image courtesy of Amazon

Back in 1994 I was living in South East London and undertaking an English Literature module at the Middlesex University. This was one of the standard set reads.

Maybe, I am a philistine, but I simply do not get the book. Another read on Amazon as I write this post, and I can see from the reviews that it is referred to as a "timeless classic", and I still feel that I don't understand the book. 

Just to be fair to the author I am going to add this to my library list and have another read of it and see if anything clicks with me this time.

Fingers crossed!  Has anyone else read it, and what were your views?

Book Meme - Day 10 - Favorite classic book

My favourite classic book has to be A Room with a View by E. M. Forster.

The image here is courtesy of Amazon, but replicates my copy here. According to the receipt inside I purchased from Waterstones at Guildford for £4.99!

I love the story, the setting and the characters. The film was made in the late 1980s and featured Helene Bonham Carter and Maggie Smith, two amazing actresses. It was filmed in Surrey and I have my original video of the film and a newer DVD version. I am sure that I should part with the video, to perhaps the charity shop as I don't really need two copies of it. Why do we hoard such things?

Book Meme - Day 09 - A book you thought you wouldn’t like but ended up loving

I heard lots of hype over the Outlander Series by Diana Gabaldon. The hype both on line and off, I could not even go to the doctors without one of the receptionists asking if I had ever read the series. Well, I hadn't even heard of the series.

I located a copy of the first in the series  - titled Cross Stitch. This first book is set just after the Second World War. Nurse Claire is reunited with her husband. They are together in Scotland, rekindling their romance, whilst dealing with the mental images of war. Quite by chance Claire stumbles into a stone circle in the Highlands of Scotland and all of a sudden is plunged into the early 1740s in Scotland - here she faces Jacobean Scotland and is about to "see" the Battle of Culludon. She also meets Jamie Fraser......

These are a great series of books, not my usual cup of tea, but the research undertaken by the author is amazing. A consequence of all this research is that there is usually a wait between books in the series! Definitely a recommended series.

Book Meme - Day 08 - Most overrated book

I am probably going to be fairly controversial here, but, I think The Sense of an Ending is an overrated book. The storyline is about three lads who form a friendship and are then joined by a fourth lad. This is the story of their friendship and the parting, as three of them go off to University and the fourth goes to work for his father. It is the story of a girl and boy friend situation, with lots of exploring not the sexuality of such a relationship, but of their emotions and manipulations of young love.  It is that young love that is perhaps shattered as the young girl in the story love and then moves onto one of the other lads and loves again. It is also the story of memory. Of how, as we age we perhaps romanticise events from our youth. There was a twist that I simply did not see coming. It is a good book, but for me overrated.

Book Meme - Day 07 - Most underrated book

This is a tough question to answer; in fact, I am not sure that there is an answer, as this is subjective to the book matter and the reader.

The success of a book is to me the following -

1. Unable to put down, and begrudging putting the book down if I have too!
2. A book where the storyline remains with me long after I have finished it
3. A book that I want to tell everyone about
4. A book where the storyline can either parallel something in my own life or that I can identify with or perhaps that I want to explore further.

Casting my mind back over the course of recent years. Books that have fitted into my own criteria are as follows

1. Home: The Story of Everyone who ever Lived in our House by Julie Myerson
2. Stasiland: Stories from behind the Berlin Wall by Anna Funder
3. The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas by John Boyne
4. A Thread of Truth by Marie Boswick

Book Meme - Day 06 - A book that makes you sad

I could have chosen any one of a number of books that I read over the last few years of the Second World War and the harshness that war brings - the Holocaust and the harsh Eastern European Regimes.

The concept of this book was that there should have been five parts to the book, instead there are only two.

The author was a Ukrainian born Jew and did not survive the Second World War. For me, that was an incredibly powerful set of statements, as indeed was the book. To have lived in a Country occupied by another is incomprehensible, and very thought provoking.

Book Meme - Day 05 - A book that makes you happy

I am going to cheat for this question. A book that makes me happy is the Omnibus edition of books by Helene Hanff.

The Omnibus edition contains -

1. Underfoot in Showbusiness
2. 84 Charing Cross Road
3. Apple of my Eye
4. The Dutchess of Bloomsbury Street
5. Q's Legacy

From an blog post written by me in 2006 about Apple of my Eye.

In this one, Helene tours New York, and sees places that she has never seen before, despite living in the City. With her she takes a friend, Patsy, who she had lost contact with, but who she had ran into a week or two before, and together, the two of them tour the city and explore their friendship. On page 32 there is a great description of the World Trade Centre, which for those of us who have never seen the building, never will, so the book, in its own way creates a peice of history.

Having read the book, and not knowing New York (although I would love to visit) I've since revisited the book and read it clutching a New York map. I'm one of these visual people and I want to "see" the areas that Helene and Patsy walk as they prepare for the book.

I especially enjoyed the details about Ellis Island (pg 118-120). Like so many, my husband has relatives that entered the United States through Ellis Island and if you stop and think about it, those who entered into the US through Ellis Island had closed one chapter of their life and were hopefully opening another. An interesting site about Ellis Island with links to search for those entering through into the US is Here

Book Meme - Day 04 - Favorite book of your favorite series

My Favourite book in the Elm Creek series is book 7, The Sugar Camp Quilt.

Although fictional, a great deal of research has gone into the storyline of this book.

The book is set in the fictional town of Creek Crossing, Pennsylvania in the time leading up to the American Civil War. The fascinating story that quilts played in American history as the historical struggle between freedom and slavery waged on, and the assistance that others gave to slaves on the run to freedom.

Book Meme - Day 03 - Your favorite series

I have a few books that are part of a series that I collect, but I think my very favourite is the Elm Creek series by Jennifer Chiaverini. Here is a photo of a few of the series.

The series of books features around a group of women who are participants in a quilting group, started by a lady called Sylvia who uses her family home to host the group and quilting business.

There are currently 18 books in the series, not all follow on in order, some drop back featuring on a more historical event, so they can be read as stand alone books, but my advise is to start with the first book published and carry on. They are addictive and a lovely set of books, both in terms of story line and to look at. The author's website is HERE

Book Meme - Day 02 – A book that you’ve read more than 3 times

There are quite a few books that I had read more than once, but one that stands out has to be A Town Like Alice by Neville Shute. Here is a photo courtesy of Amazon.

I have a rather aged copy, that I must have had for at least 25 years. I remember buying it at a fabulous bookshop called Thorps in Guildford second hand.Thorps was an institution and I was very sad when it closed a few years ago.  I can't lay my hands on my copy at the moment, otherwise I would show you all a photo of the book, which now looks slightly tatty, but a replacement just would not have the same appeal. The book is a lovely story and I have read a few books by Neville Shute since, but this is an absolute favourite.

About 15 years ago I was about to board a train. It was early in the morning, a bit after 6am. Anyway, I boarded the train and about to arrive at my destination I bent down to put my book in my bag to find that I had no bag. I had a handbag and briefcase, but no overnight suitcase, with book size side pocket. At that time in the morning, there was still very few people on the train, and we had not stopped much since I had got on the train, so I asked my fellow passengers. Had they seen my case? No one had.

I alighted a case lighter and the station police phoned the station that I had travelled from. No suitcase. I claimed against my house insurance as the contents of the overnight case was a few hundred pounds. The operator at the insurance company was very understanding and I think I may have detected a slight smile in his voice as I announced the reason for my claim. Even now, when I hear the security announcements requesting that unattended bags are reported and that they maybe destroyed I think of my missing suitcase. Did someone enjoy the contents, has it spent the last 15 years in a lost luggage department or were knickers involved in a controlled explosion by a security expert?

Oh, the book in question, was A Town Like Alice by Neville Shute!

Book Meme - Day 01 – The best book you read last year

Oh, this is a tough question. Last year I was in a fairly dark place professionally and read relatively few books because I spent nearly every waking moment at work and when I was home all my thoughts were work related. It was a spell of sickness that took me to realise the inner battle that I had been having with myself for months and I finally left my last job, before it almost finished me off.

What I did read was easy reads - books that allowed me to not think or analyse the storyline, but to simply disappear into a world that was absolutely not mine. I re read a lot of old faithful books. So, I guess rather than name a title, that if a book, even a re read allowed me to escape into a book world then it achieved what I wanted it to; and turn what was a dark year into something a little brighter.

Sunday Salon - New Additions.....

I nipped into the library on the way home from work last week, grateful of the extended opening times, only to discover that Devon County Council has sliced just over 8 hours from the opening times at the library. I am still very lucky that the library remains opens and whilst it does not extend beyond 6pm it does still open Saturday mornings. Sign of the times I guess.

I found a few interesting books -

Researching British Military Medals by S. Dymond
The Last Letter from Your Lover by Jojo Moyles
Requium for a Mezzo by Carola Dunn

Then, I was reading a posting on a fellow book blogger's blog, (where else!) and spotted a challenge, which has definite bookish appeal! - The 30 day book meme. Now, that sounds great!

Here are the prompts:

Day 01 – The best book you read last year
Day 02 – A book that you’ve read more than 3 times
Day 03 – Your favorite series
Day 04 – Favorite book of your favorite series
Day 05 – A book that makes you happy
Day 06 – A book that makes you sad
Day 07 – Most underrated book
Day 08 – Most overrated book
Day 09 – A book you thought you wouldn’t like but ended up loving
Day 10 – Favorite classic book
Day 11 – A book you hated
Day 12 – A book you used to love but don’t anymore
Day 13 – Your favorite writer
Day 14 – Favorite book of your favorite writer
Day 15 – Favorite male character
Day 16 – Favorite female character
Day 17 – Favorite quote(s) from your favorite book(s)
Day 18 – A book that disappointed you
Day 19 – Favorite book turned into a movie
Day 20 – Favorite romance book
Day 21 – Favorite book from your childhood 
Day 22 – Favorite book you own
Day 23 – A book you wanted to read for a long time but still haven’t
Day 24 – A book that you wish more people would’ve read
Day 25 – A character who you can relate to the most
Day 26 – A book that changed your opinion about something
Day 27 – The most surprising plot twist or ending
Day 28 – Favorite title(s)
Day 29 – A book everyone hated but you liked
Day 30 – Your favorite book of all time

Doesn't that sound great? I am pondering on completing the meme through November 2011. Does anyone one to join me?