Blast from the past

One of my earlest blog posts. I found it interesting that I mention Russia and the unlikelihood of ever visiting there. Even more unlikely now. MONDAY, DECEMBER 05, 2005 What I've been reading lately... "A Map of Glass" by Jane Urquhart Deserves much better reviews than it's been getting although I confess I am a fan. Perhaps a bit overwritten initially but I was very engaged with the characters especially Sylvia. I felt her "condition" which was probably autism was very well presented. And the image of the hotel being covered in sand due to the silt building up because all the trees were taken down and the landscape altered to such an extent was excellent. As usual, all sorts of complex images - how Sylvia "remembered" the stories of the Alzheimer patient, etc. (Good lord, I wrote this in my little book journal in October when I finished the book and now I haven't a clue what that refers to!) "The Remains of the Day" by Kazuo Ishiguro Reading the book does make one realize what an excellent movie it was. I liked the beginning discussion of what made Great Britain "great" and Stevens deciding it was because its beauty was "restrained" whereas the beauty of places like Africa and America were too " demonstrative". Certainly Stevens inability to be "demonstrative" and his valuing of restraint are key. The topic of "bantering" is developed quite brilliantly I think. Stevens makes quite an effort to learn to do this and his mechanical way of going about it (realizing that smiling and indicating you made a joke are as important as the content) makes the reader think that perhaps part of his problem is a mild autism. At the end he makes this realization: "After all, when one thinks about it, it is not such a foolish thing to indulge in - particularly if it is the case that in bantering lies the key to human warmth." An interesting contrast to all the discussion of dignity, greatness, contribution to world affairs especially when his employer turns out to have backed facism and his realization that he had not served such an honorable man after all. "Arthur and George" by Julian Barnes This is a novel we listened to on the BBC Radio 4 "Book at Bedtime" (with high speed you can pick this up whatever time you want...they keep the episodes quite a while). Based on the true story about Arthur Conan Doyle and George Edaljis false accusation--case that played a pivotal role in the creation of the Court of Appeal in Britain. Jim's a bigger fan of Barnes than I am but I enjoyed this one a lot. "Seven Sisters" by Margaret Drabble. Not great literature by any means but relatively entertaining. "The Lighthouse" by P.D. James What a treat to have another one of hers to read! Perhaps not quite as good as some of her wonderful middle period ones such as "Devices and Desires" and "A Taste for Death" but a delight all the same. "A Wall of Light" by Edeet Ravel.

The beginning sentences of this novel are quite amazing: "I am Sonya Vronsky, professor of Mathematics at Tel Aviv Universtiy, and this is the story of a day late in August. On this remarkable day I kissed a student, pursued a lover, found my father, and left my brother." A really neat interweaving of letters from 1957 of Sonya's mother to her lover in Russia, narrative from the present from Sonya, and diary entries from the 80's of Noah, a nephew of Sonya's. Makes one quite interested in this fascinating part of the world...given the situation I imagine this is the only way I'll be experiencing it.