sneha
I didn't enjoy this as much as the sequel “Love Among the bookshelves”.
For me, the main highlight for these books has been Buskin Rond's stories about his literary adventures. The snippets he shares is often of secondary importance to me.
This is mostly because I pick this book to read Mr Bond's words and not necessarily the authors he wishes to share. The latter requires a certain mindset. It's hard to switch the reading mood from enjoying Ruskin Bond to Jack London to Joseph Conard. You need to be in a certain state of mind to read and appreciate William Saroyan or H.G.Wells. Personally, the switch from the tone of one author to another is hard for me to make.
Another quirky thing about this book is the lack of female or authors of colour. I understand that since these chapters often feature stories read by Ruskin Bond while he was growing up, they are focused around a certain “type” of a writer. But it would be nice if the third instalment (if he chose to write and I'd absolutely love that) would feature a more diverse range of authors.
I'd recommend reading this book but treat it more as a collection of short stories and not a book to devour in a road trip in one go.
I tip my hat to you, Ms Christie.
My first experience with a Christie novel was ... less than pleasant. It was a summer school assignment. Read “A Mysterious Affair at Styles” and create a book report on it. I distinctly remember reaching out to the teacher to confirm if the book report had to be positive. She said, “Be honest and just write about your experience with the book” and boy was I honest about how much I despised it.
My early teen self was quite critical of her work and her flimsy approach to “murder mystery”. I am not sure why but I had a much greater expectation and demand from the book. I recall while researching supplementary material for the report that Styles was her first book, written as a challenge with her sister who thought she can't write a murder mystery. Ms Christie claimed to have won the challenge but I'd have contested that victory. Since that experience, I stayed off the famous murder mysteries of Agatha Christie and the eccentric adventures of Hercule Poirot.
Until last year, when I thoroughly enjoyed the audiobook of The ABC Murders. I thought it was the dramatic radio show enactment that made is enjoyable. In the spirit of a new year, I wanted to give Agatha Christie and her work a fresh start. When I picked up “And Then There Were None”, mostly because it was heavily discounted at a local bookstore, I was not expecting to enjoy it this much. I read the book in three sitting on a weekday after work. And supplemented that with the BBC mini-series. Both were such fantastically executed. I understand why this was voted as the favourite Agatha Christie Murder Mystery. And you bet I am going to read the other two on that list.
Murder of Roger Ackroyd, here I come!
** I don't think I was the right audience for this book**
I didn't particularly enjoy this book. The 3 stars are for the content and the lovely graphics but I have a ton of issues with this copy.
This book is essentially an essay stretched into a hardcover. It packs some quality wisdom and advice for young writers who want to get creative. It is practical, refers to classic works of literature from the yesteryears. The tone is inviting and breeze. It also shares actionable steps on writing your first piece of fiction. Overall, if you're a teen, go for it!
But if you're slightly older and are aware of the basics of writing, this will just feel bland and toddler talk. Go for a more serious writing book like “On Writing Well” by Willaim Zinsser. It's a personal favourite and a book you'll often revisit for it packs a punch.
Lastly, this is a note for the publisher, not the author. If the material is an essay, publish it as an essay. Please don't make font super big and add a ton of free space and doodles to justify it as a book. Mr Bond writes plenty of meaningful material to convert them into valuable books. This just felt like someone finishing an assignment the night before.
If you were to read one book on nonfiction writing, let this be it.
I don't think I can say anything new about this book. It's widely acclaimed as the “best book on non-fiction writing”. It is a heavy one! While Mr Zinsser writes effortlessly, each page is packed with information and learning. My copy has so many notes and highlights and I see myself referring back to them soon!
I keep my copy on my desk, just an arms reach away because there is no bad time to revisit basic lessons on writing well. :)
PS I edit my text messages based on the learnings from this book, its that powerful!
I really did want to enjoy the book. Altho I entered with a bit of a “this might be hippie-creative stuff from the magic book” skepticism, I tried my best to keep an open mind.
The center ideas were simple
1. Let your fears coexist with your passions.
2. Give yourself permission to create.
3. Keep your day job to fuel your creative affair.
That's it.
I didn't enjoy the writing one bit. The whole “we were friends and lemme tell you secrets and anecdotes from my life like a friend would” style just doesn't work for me. It's a personal preference. I am sure this style and approach might resonate well with some readers but it really didn't work for me.
I appreciate the emphasis that the book placed on showing up, having a routine and grinding to create quality creative work. The book tries to provide a blueprint of how to live a creative life but rely goes into the details for them. The main advice were solid but the content could be more crisp.
I was expecting more concrete actionables and focused discussions on the various challenges and rewards of living a life of creativity.
** probably the least favourite sherlock holmes collection I have read (so far this year) **
And I have read 6 Sherlock Holmes books in the last 40 days. (is this a cry for help? maybe)
Return of Sherlock Holmes starts with such a bang, we have the elusive and charming detective coming in from the cold. The tempo range of the mysteries seems to have increased. The bad guys are smarter, trying to provide a better match to the detectives genius, and yet the book feels like its written without its soul.
In the foreword, Stephen Fry mentions that one of the reasons Sir Arthur Conan Doyle killed Sherly's character was to experiment and focus on his historical fiction writings. He wishes to expand his portfolio but they didn't quite fetch the readership (and revenue) as that of the detective. So the Return of Sherlock Holmes was a bit of fan pandering, of sorts? The writing and mysteries felt a bit repetitive and half-hearted. Or maybe I am overdosing on murder mysteries and find myself unamused.
** the kind of conservations I want to footballers to have **
I feel that the title of the book is slightly misleading. Written especially raising funds for the UNHRC Refugee Crisis, this book brings in the big names in contemporary footballer to have important conversations about the world around us. Amy Raphael brings in an interesting and diverse ensemble of men and women of the footballing world to talk to individuals from various other fields. Paired together for their shared love and admiration of a club, these conversations are never boring.
They share personal stories, opinions on political events, ideas on the evolution of the game and footballing industry and discuss immigrants and the world in the aftermath of Brexit. While the theme of the book is to promote conversations about Brexit and immigration in Europe, the tone and discussions always feel very organic. Not once I got the sense that they were talking because they were forced to do so.
While I was excited to hear, I thoroughly enjoyed all these little personal anecdotes that were shared between celebrity fans and football personalities.
It was quite delight reading Guardiola's take on the Catalonian independence (I read this before the FFP ruling and his reaction to it so.. ), Klopp reinforced his “cool uncle” image for me and seeing him be as loud and vocal on Brexit as on pitch was fun. His conversation on the problematic past of Germany and its future discourse on immigration was also worthy of notice. Steve G and Frank Lampard discussing the impact of immigration, now as managers, was a mood. Reflecting on their time as players for the national team and compete for titles with their clubs and now shifting focus on mental health and navigating the labyrinth of managerial life was entertaining. Ferdinand and Wright's discussion focusing on racism in the game and the evolving role of social media was important. I was also delighted to pick up further readings form their conversations on these topics. Gary Lineker's convo with Fahd Saleh was of supreme importance, highlighting the real reason why individuals leave their country and how war tears their entire lives apart and what it means for them to find asylum in a new stable state. Vivianne Miedema, Lucy Bronze, Clare Balding and author Amy Raphael's conversations on Women's football was a bit of a surprise as found a new mindset to approach the game and found a better understanding of the reality from the point of view of women who are pioneers in the game. Eric Dier's conversations with David Lammy was filled with surprising revelations about both personalities. As a Spurs fan, it was entertaining, informative and had me walking away with a newfound respect for the centre back.
Having said all that, the book could have done a bit more. It felt like the owners of talking about race fell on the shoulders of players of colour, only women discussed the victories and challenges of women's football and so on. But I loved the concept and the implementation and would love to read more work that shows these sports celebrities as actually thinking social beings and not reduced to the stereotypes of fast cars and flashy clothes.
- I guess this is what therapy would feel like *
It took me almost two months to finish this 240 page book. Why? Because it was bloody intense!
all about love as the name suggests talks about all of our ideas, preconceptions, practises and biases around love. It doesn't focus only on romantic love or do a weird sexist gimmicky thing on ‘men are from mars and women are from venus' BS.
Bell Hooks talks us through her ideas, while also quotes various other philosophers and thinkers, discussing various dimensions and ideas around both the concept and practise of love. Her writing is deeply personal and empathetic, making the book feel like a great storyteller and a listener. It's weird because I never felt that way with a “self bettering” book before. I never felt like it was listening to my thoughts and reactions to the words printed on the paper.
Bell Hooks, being a feminist thinker, also brings forward our societies naturalisation of various misogynistic behaviour associated with the act of loving and nurturing. While also suggesting how to alter certain toxic behaviours and ideas to live (and love) your best self.
This book also gave one of the most accurate and precise definition of love that I have learned to adapt and add to my personal dictionary. It goes, “Affection is only one ingredient of love. To truly love we must learn to mix various ingredients—care, affection, recognition, respect, commitment, and trust, as well as honest and open communication.”
Personally, this book did feel a little too idealistic in some parts. Certain aspects felt unrealistic to implement or experience in the long term. Nonetheless the ideas and learnings from this are something I see myself revisiting.
My highlights and notes with this one are dense, hoping to convert it as a blog post soon.
- it was a free audible original, so why not *
I was curious about how this collection would merge real-life “spy stories” with “self-help”.
TL;DR It was meh.
Apart from the chapter on “Deception” and “Self-Discipline”, the content felt like it was trying really hard to make the whole “being a spy and being a better version of you” theme work.
Served as a decent white-noise while doing lame mindless tasks around the house. I didn't particularly enjoy this.
** mixed feelings about this one **
This was my first ever audible original and it was some experience. Not gonna lie, I clicked download on this because Andrew freaking Scott . That man has the most beautiful voice, I can float around my daily life with his voice narrating every bit of it.
The story is a very clichéd MI6 drama chasing the bad boys. They hit all your classic casts of “enemy of Great Britain” starter pack. Bad bad fundamental Muslim? Check. The shady double-crossing Russians? Check. Sneaky spying Chinese that we can't trust? Check. Them bloody labour party members selling away the country to immigrants? Check check check.
At some point I wasn't sure if they were making the story ironically cringy or such was the plot to hit your tired lame terrorism meets assassinations meets destruction of the whole nation plot-line.
All said and then, the ten parter Audible original drama wasn't too painful to listen to as I unpacked the contents of my dorm into my childhood house. Made the process less painful and voice of Andrew Scott as Alex Cartwright was soothing-ish. The end was, argh, so Dan Brown. Like why? That's all I'll say.
- not a bad starting place for re-evaluating digital relationship *
I read Cal Newport's Digital Minimalism last year, and it made me question a lot of subconscious actions I had developed with my digital tools. While Newport focuses on minimising the overall digital dependencies across various tools and platform, Catherine Price's book tries to focus on phone and how one can alter the relation with it.
The first half of the book discusses various design aspects that make the device addictive, sharing the research and stats on average humans phone usage. The whole book, like these chapters, felt a bit generic - regurgitating a lot of facts that we all know about phone usage. The second half, while serving as a practical 30-day follow guide, didn't surprise me.
It truly isn't a bad start if one seeks to alter their behaviour with their phone slowly over time. I felt that I was following many of the said pointers and found Newport's book to serve as a better motivator to define a more precise “why” on re-evaluating the dependency on our digital devices.
If you want an easy, quick to go through, step by step guide, pick this one but for a more long term sustainable practise, I'd suggest Newport's Digital Minimalism.
- football: a game of two halves and its interconnectivity to politics and wider society *
Simon Kuper's book, I believe, was the first proper anthropological account of a game beloved by millions. I read this for The Athletic's Book Club for June. It talks about the deep routed affect the social, political and economic systems have on football and how it has been used as a tool of revolution and human rights over the years, across the globe. Some stories are heartwarming, some are heart-shattering. And I really enjoyed it.
Let me get the sucky bits out of the way first. I couldn't find a copy of “Football Against the Enemy” so had to settle for “Soccer Against the Enemy”. If you've read my review on Rudd Gullit, you might know about my annoyance of the global usage of the term soccer just to accommodate American readers. But the problem with “Soccer Against the Enemy” is that whoever was in charge of the changes did a global search and replace of the word football with soccer and it didn't work in so many places. It took me around 100+ pages to get immune to seeing the term and it really felt like a hurdle in the process of reading. Secondly, it is an old book so few stories feel dates but a lot of stories and comparisons remain relevant. But I felt that chapter on Africa was written with a lack of empathy that I find non-fiction writers perform while discussing difficult social issues. (again, this is my opinion) I am unsure if this is was a stylistic choice. Kuper was in his 20s when he wrote this so it could be a result of his age? I dunno.
okay, now to the things I loved.
I like his whole “shoestring football wanderlust” style. I was a bit surprised as to how well received and invited he was at so many clubs. It was nice that the (most) officials and staff members welcomed him and shared their stories in detail. I wonder if something similar can be done in the current time if someone were to attempt it? (is it even possible?) I did feel that he has a bit of an anti-English bias, again, just my opinion. His chapter on Gazza, juxtapositioned with the Thatcher rule felt a bit forced. Even his chapter on criticism of Bobby Robson felt unfair. (I adore Robson so maybe it's my bias, I dunno)
The chapters on Berlin and East Germany was nothing like I have read before. But my favourites were the ones on Soviet Russia. That is one region who football and politics is something I am broadly uneducated in and therefore reading these fantastic stories Mr Kuper uncovered through this extremely intimate conversations were infortainment. The chapter on Helenio Herrera was another charming piece. Altho now, every store with footballing books has shelves crowded with pieces on Barcelona, I believe Kuper's piece was one of the early ones to discuss the relation of the club with the Catalan independence and chart the rivalry with Real Madrid through the dictatorial regime of Francisco Franco. The chapter on Argentina was all flavours of anger, frustration, sadness and hope. So many spectacular stories. I find myself tempted to give Jonathan Wilson's Angels with Dirty Face a solid try sometime this year. The story of Celtic and Rangers is also quite well known and yet it was nice to read about authors experience over there. The last chapter made the journey a bit sombre but also pulled focus on how big the game has become over the years. I think with the involvement of shady money deals ranging from Russian Oligarchs and Saudi national funds and violation of UEFA rules * cough * this chapter can get a revamp with spicy new content, starting debates on the value of ownership of clubs.
All being said, I loved the whole “football from an anthropological perspective”, thoroughly enjoyed it. I would love to read more such books by authors focusing on the socio-economic impact of PL going so global (with foreign takeovers and Brexit and such).
Oh lol, I completely forgot that I had read this book before.
* maybe the only Agatha Christie book I didn't completely hate (so far) *
I found a free audiobook of The ABC Murders on YouTube. The cast and their voices indeed added a certain charm to the story. Even if it meant, playing to the stereotypes, it was intelligent and entertaining. If you have read my previous Agatha Christie review, you'd know that I am not the biggest fan of her work and often find myself annoyed by her brand of “murder mystery”. In my constant search to understand the hype around her writing and stories, I am exposing myself to various “Christie Classics” (is that a real thing?). I am happy to report that my findings on this #13 by Poirot were mostly pleasant, this AG murder mystery experience was the best so far.
The story didn't pack unnecessary fluff; the ending didn't peak its head early on. The characters and their motives were fleshed out well over time, and I enjoyed the general tone and vibe of Poirot in this one. Crisp writing overshadowed your garden-variety murder cliches and kept me entertained for its duration.
On to, and then there were none .
** nuggets of wisdom but from a very witty friend who is like an elder sister with high emotional quotient **
I heard about this book in passing in a random YouTube video and not gonna lie, I was intrigued by the cover. I am def that person who judges books by their cover. I have simple reasoning for it. A book is a labour of love. Every author puts an incredible amount of effort to write and edit it to perfection, publish and market it. So if an author who cares so much would also put in a significant amount of thought and effort in bringing forwards a book cover that is in line with the values and theme of the book. I feel a book's cover is a good proxy of what the book's vibe would be, followed by a blurb. I read this book online (and I wish I had the hard copy for this). This one is definitely the one for annotating and revisiting in bits.
The first 100 pages just felt like a confessional/romanticised chronicle of drug and alcohol use. I pushed through it because it felt like an interesting study of the cultural traits of a British teenager. I could not relate to it one bit. It was the style, the humour and the (lack of) structure of the book. The more the author ventured into her 20s (it's a memoir, if you didn't know), I felt more invested.
It takes courage to recognise and write about your flaws, insecurities, mistakes and bare it all out. For May, the act of facing the truth is hardest, let alone write and publish it for millions to read it too. She is compassionate while she talks about love, loss and friendship. She is witty when she discusses sex, alcohol, drugs and parties. She is wise when discussing adulting, relationship and career. The tone syncs well with the theme and it all flows so effortlessly as a giant big story.
It is like a fun, engaging and non-preachy TED talk from your friend, delivered over multiple cups of coffees. I think this one is worth a repeat telecast and I see myself referring to some of my highlighted bits now and then to remind myself of what's important.
I still don't know who Dolly Alderton is, apart from the 300-odd pages I read about her and I am fine with it. This felt like a more laid-back, chiller version of Tina Fey's Bossypants. (highly recommend the book if you haven't read it)
I love women telling personal stories where they provide a deeply flawed person erring and fixing and still succeeding, makes them feel real (while providing assurance that I am not a complete failure and it's never too late).
I'll end with one of my favourite quotes from the book (there are many).
“I finally grasped the machinations and subtext of that phrase the year I turned twenty-five. When you begin to wonder if life is really just waiting for buses on Tottenham Court Road and ordering books you'll never read off Amazon; in short, you are having an existential crisis. You are realizing the mundanity of life. You are finally understanding how little point there is to anything. You are moving out of the realm of fantasy ‘when I grow up' and adjusting to the reality that you're there; it's happening. And it wasn't what you thought it might be. You are not who you thought you'd be.”
Excerpt From: Dolly Alderton. “Everything I Know About Love”.
** literally woke up at 5.30 AM for a week to read this without being judged for constant giggling and boy was it worth it **
You know what I love? Benedict Cumberbatch, yes. But also, books that make a claim, deliver on that and go above and beyond. Peter Crouch's How to be a Football is blockbuster entertainment. It's hilarious without trying hard. Dishing out spicy gossip without ever being mean, spilling the tea without feeling like a TMZ paparazzi. All the while staying true to his skills and love for the game.
It's not your average, borderline narcissistic footballing autobiography. It's heartfelt with stories from his youth club; covering the stories of him being signed for the first time, being let go by another club, dealing with the imposter syndrome of not being good enough and having dry spells of not scoring (goals, not girls or as Crouchy would say “If I wasn't a footballer, I'd be a virgin.)
His writing is so effortless and almost like a seasoned professional (making me wonder if he got any help). He is known for his humour and always seen as someone who doesn't take himself too seriously. He calls out some of the ridiculous attitudes and actions of footballer while also reminding the readers what the sport is truly about. I personally felt that he hit the balance between personal anecdotes through behind the scene and autobiography through factual accounts really well.
It took me mere two pages to feel connected and to feel like he is my bestie (heck, I even DMed him on Instagram like we play 5-a-side on the weekend). What an entertaining work, I am already ready with I, Robot part 2 of how to be a footballer.
Crouchy you're a beaut.
P.S. The last chapter is literally the cutest love letter to Steven Gerrard and it's so all kinds of adorable and beautiful. I admire Gerrard for the player he is, Crouchy made me love him for the man he is. Such adorable bromance, I can't even.
note: I woke up early because due to the pandemic, I moved home and it's really annoying to read something funny, have a chuckle and then be asked “what's written, why you laughing” by everyone else at home. Also, waking up early is fun. No? Just me? Cool cool cool.
** If Knives Out was written after a bottle of whiskey two hours before the deadline **
medium: audiobook
I was 13 when I read my first Agatha Christie novel for a summer book review project. It was The Mysterious Affair at Styles . I absolutely hated the book then; unable to understand why it was such a hit and considered as an iconic detective murder mystery story. Ten years on, I still feel that way with Ms Christie's works.
I listened to The Unexpected Guest over a week while cooking my meals and prepping the veggies. A little over 3 hours, it's a fairly short book and quite a breeze to go through. Originally written as a play, the entire book unfolds in one room over a few days. The remarkable voice of Hugh Fraser is the only saving grace. The plot is predictable from the first scene and despite being a short book, I felt like it dragged on too far. It hits every murder mystery cliche like a winning bingo ticket. If someone figures out by Agatha Christie is considered the queen of murder mystery and mayhem, please let me know. I am searching for the answers harder than Poirot the culprit.
I have started Death on the Nile and let's see how that unfolds. (I think I just want to listen to Hugh Fraser's voice)
I
<< misleading title and messy structure but it's solid average read >>
First of all, it's pretty annoying that Goodreads has only one title option, it's How to Watch Football, not soccer. Gah. Now that's out of the way, let's talk about this book.
I started and stopped this book thrice. And after having finished it now, I think I know why that was happening. If you think reading this book would improve your football viewing experience, you're in for a disappointment. This book makes certain claims that it does not deliver on.
Rather than being a Football 101 book, it's an autobiographical account of Gullit's life where the fundamentals of the game are discussed through various aspects of his playing and managerial career. The anecdotes are very personal, and contextual to his career. This book requires a decent amount of pre-requisite knowledge about the game and the drama of European football. The characters or the situations are particularly explained but rather you're dropped in the middle of it. If you're aware of the key figures and their ideologies in the work of football, this is quite a decent read but if you're thinking of starting out, you'll be left quite overwhelmed.
My second issue is with the characterization. A decent chunk is spent with Mr. Gullit explaining his life and many of his “hot takes” are biased from his experience. The “theoretical” bits are a bit chaotic. The systems and style of play are covered in detail before discussing the positions. Certain portions discussing “the reality of sport” felt like a Sunday gossip column, certain reminiscence of “the good times” felt confessional.
I did enjoy the chapter on footballing cultures around the world and how the ideologies have affected the quality of the national squad, but again, I'd take that with a grain of salt. I felt like I needed to keep a skeptical view throughout the book, and that wasn't much fun.
That is not to say I didn't learn new things. I definitely picked up better insights on certain formations and got a gentle nudge on the styles of play. There were some random stories peppered around that I ate up like a juicy burger but overall I felt very underwhelmed by this book. It made heavy promises that it wasn't in the position to pull off.
Jonathan Wilson's Inverting the Pyramid is a better footballing book to check out (and Wilson is a journalist, not a player, so he tends to be a bit less biased).
** 94-page rollercoaster **
I have certain rules when it comes to reading books. Well, not rules, but general guidelines I follow. Don't pick up the latest release unless it's from an author you've read and loved before. Don't jump on the popularity bandwagon right away. Don't purchase books because someone recommended to it to you once. And I have pretty good reason to follow them but more often than not, I'll end up buying the book and it'll stay on my shelf. While there is nothing wrong with it, at the end of 2018 I decided that one of the first steps to reading more was to have a short reading list. I had also developed a bit of a book ownership problem. Buying more books than reading (which is always), was an unsustainable model. I was often left with mediocre works that now collect dust, and I hate dust.
When my friend's latest blog post A poetry competition and a few beetles in the walls talked about this Indian author at length, I was intrigued. I loved the snippets I read in his blog and proceeded to click on the Kindle sample review. Next thing I know, I am left wanting to read more. I purchase the ebook and start savoring it. The short stories themselves don't have a revolutionary plot but the writing is so easy, crisp, and vibrant, it doesn't matter. The characters feel familiar and you're emotionally invested, all in less than 3 pages. How Eshna manages to do this is a matter of skill, practice, and a lot of talent.
I have never been someone who loves poetry, especially the modern, instagramy poetry. I like the old English poets of yesteryears, maybe its Stockholm Syndrome from English classes. But I do not like this idea that breaking a sentence into multiple lines makes it poetic. Eshna's work is different. Quality poems; easily accessible while encouraging moments of introspection.
Not going to lie, as a 23-year-old, this girl gave me a mini-existential crisis. But I am happy and hopeful that we have such talented writers in the country; creating excellent work. :) The book is less than a dollar on Kindle store, I'd suggest you pick it up for a nice quarantine read.
Looking forward to reading more of her works!
** it breaks my heart. okay? okay. **
I still remember the first time I read this book. It was a birthday gift, I was 17. In the middle of the most stressful summer, the summer before our JEE exams (Indian kids, can I get an amen?) my friend gifted me this. The first page is signed by all the kids in my class, wishing my a very happy birthday and on the last page is a message from my friend, right next to a beautiful doodle she made. This book is a bulky memory. The doodles and the wishes summarise my two years of senior secondary school. So when I picked this up in the middle of feeling lost and anxious (queue: the pandemic), I was transported back not only in the familiar story of the characters but also back to a much simpler and carefree time.
A lot has changed since the first time I read the book. For starters, I am not longer best buds with the woman who gifted me the book. I have read far more John Green and I don't have the optimism and the enthusiasm of my 17 y/o self. When I first read it, I loved Augustus' character. I wanted to be him; always the bright side, always high energy, always carpet diem-ing. But 6 years on, I am more Hazel. Pragmatic, cynical, and still low-key hoping for a love story. My favorite bits from the book have changed. I longer like the poetry bits (17 y/o Sneha was way more pretentious than the 23 y/o ).
What has not changed is the bittersweet cry at the end. I still enjoy the picture of Amsterdam that Green painted for me. I still think kissing in Anne Frank's house is rude. I still find comfort and bizarre solace in this book. Amidst my perpetual state of overwhelm, I paused and tried to empathize with these fictional characters rather than worrying for me, and that felt nice. I still relate with Holden Caulfield (from The Catcher in the Rye)when he said, “... a book that, when you're all done reading it, you wish the author that wrote it was a terrific friend of yours and you could call him up on the phone whenever you felt like it”. J.Green, can I have your number? I promise to not call in the middle of the night.
** all we need is a little love (and food, shelter, money, medicines) but yeah, human companionship **
I was so worried that this was going to be a case of “over-hyped books that are actually just average.” Happy to report I was only 27% right. This book apparently made it to Reese Witherspoon's book club and thus causing a riot. (later part may need fact-checking)
I have been wanting to read the book for over a year now. I saw this popping up everywhere. On my Instagram page, recommended by Bookgrammers, overpriced airport book shops, in newsletters of artists I respect and admire. Heck, a stranger even raved about it in one of my book club visits.
So last week I decided, Eleanor Oliphant it is! Since I can't buy stuff right now and Amazon won't deliver (read: national lockdown), I got an ebook on my iPad. I firmly believe that if I had read this as a paperback, I would have enjoyed it 13% more. (Don't ask me why I know I would have).
I start very slow, I felt a bit lost, but the simple fluid writing got me through it. It was very reminiscent of Rosie Project by Graeme Simsion. The first 100 or so pages felt very average; it wasn't a badly written story - I just didn't see the mass appeal around it. But as Eleanor's character grew, so did my interest and involvement with the book. Her character arc is paced very well, and Gail Honeyman did a bloody good job with it, more so since this is her debut novel. You're with Eleanor as she goes through the ebb and flow of growing, hurting, learning, and growing a bit more. I did feel the musician story arc was a bit rushed and ended a bit abruptly since it was presented as a singular focus of the protagonist for most of the first half of the book. But I nitpick.
It was an absolute joy and delight to see how many genuinely nice human beings through the book. All these characters - strangers, trying to be kind, supportive, warm, friendly, and overall decent human beings. With all the hard work and kindness of essential works and healthcare staff in our current times, this just restored my faith in humans even more. The central theme of the book is the value of fostering deep human relations - the introduction of which causes Eleanor's life to change for the better. It's visible with characters like Raymond, Sammy, and Laura.
Can we talk about Raymond for a hot second? Let's do that. Raymond, you gem of a human being. Anyone who knows me well has been an audience to my “nice guy” rant at least once. I hate the “nice guy” trope. I despise it when men are all “nice” and “sweet” and “helpful” but also dorky in their own adorable way but whine when they don't get the girl (read: Brian Jackson from Starter for Ten) feeling that they were entitled to it be with her, to begin with. Like, nuh-uh, ain't nobody got time for that drama. Raymond was a refreshing character. He is genuinely a nice human being. Ladies and Gentlemen, news flash, a real nice guy won't tell you he is one every five seconds - his actions speak for him.
The plot could have very easily divulged into a rom-com story but didn't, instead of celebrating the power and grace of a healthy, positive friendship. We don't see Raymond or Eleanor trying to do nice things to get into each other's pants, but just do them for the sake of it. Raymond is your classic gentleman - goofy, a little shabby, big-heart, pragmatic, but also pushing boundaries. His efforts to support Eleanor through her trauma and pushing her out of her comfort zone, sometimes through mundane acts like grabbing lunch or a pint, is truly nice. Being nice is when you do things without expecting something in return, and that's what my man Raymond does. It is just so comforting to see two individuals of opposite sex helping one another and enabling their growth because they are “pals” and “that's what friends do” without forcefully driving it into a romantic direction. YES - need more of this, please.
This book deal with some weighty issues - childhood trauma, gaslighting, domestic abuse, chronic depression, toxic relationships. But as a reader, not once did I feel like Eleanor was a “victim.” As she declares in the last chapter, “I am a survivor!” - heck yes, you are! We are delicately guided through Eleanor's trauma and adversities while giving us space to deal with our own reality. I saw a very non-fluff, a non-romanticized depiction of therapy in this book. It is slow; it is messy, and once your hour's up - you could be a hot crying mess but will still be guided out of the room. Getting help for mental health is neither shown as shameful, not glamorous, just like getting help for a physical alignment and for that, kudos.
Now, more than ever, since we are all isolated some comforting human connections, maybe this book will remind you to reach out to your friends and have a heart to heart.
It's a solid book with a slightly predictable storyline, but the stellar set of characters make it worth reading. Yes, it was slow to grow one, but by the end of it, I had a big fat smile on me ‘ol face. (argh, I am reading too much British fiction)
- what a fun, breezy, dreamy read about the Rome in 1950s - oh and Mario Lanza's songs *
when a book ends, you hold it - think about it for a while and carry on with the day. but sometimes, when it ends, you hold onto it, let it marinate in your brain because it fluttered too many emotions and you don't know what to do with it.
I didn't expect When in Rome to be special or unique. I was expecting some cliched love story set in Rome. I was surprised by the story tho. It was a love story, sort of but it was so much more than that. We have our heroine, Serafine. The quite, dotting daughter and later loyal, caring house servent. But through her eyes and narrative, we realise that maybe Mario Lanza is the true protagonist of this book. I learnt so much about Rome from this book, really wasn't expecting to. I found out about the opera culture, the fantastic sounds of Caruso, the dorky Americanised rom-com. I felt the intimacy sitting next to fontana di trevi, the flavours of gelato on a summer day, the bustle and grandeur of Via Veneto. I loved touring Trasteverini and peaking into their lives.
The story hit differently. Her admiration and affection for Mario was just <3 I felt it. What a bittersweet feeling I had when I read the last line. Argh, thanks Ms. Pellegrino, for this book.