If anyone were to describe an author or speaker as capable of delivering 200 pages of text on virtually nothing, it would not generally be interpreted as a compliment. Bill Bryson, however, has managed to do just that and it is interesting and informative to boot.
There is very scant information about William Shakespeare in the historical record. Of course, the less information there is, the more room there is for speculation and the theories about Shakespeare's life and works go a long way toward filling out this volume.
Bryson begins with background information about the time, place, and society of Shakespeare's day. We learn about food (only the very poor ate vegetables; tea and coffee were unknown), schooling (early morning to late at night, six days a week), landmarks (London Bridge could qualify as a city on its own), health (or, more accurately, the lack of it), and, of course, entertainment (bear-baiting and other blood-sports were the recreation of choice).
Contrast today's behaviour at St Paul's cathedral with what was standard in the 1600s:
"...the cathedral was an infinitely noisier and more public place than we find today. Carpenters, bookbinders, scriveners, lawyers, haulers, and others all plied their trades within its echoing vastness, even during services. Drunks and vagrants used it...as a place of repose; some relieved themselves in corners. Little boys played ball games in the aisles until chased away. Other people made small fires to keep warm." (pg. 52)
Or compare their badges of affluence to ours: "Such was the popularity of sugar that people's teeth often turned black, and those who failed to attain the condition naturally sometimes blackened their teeth artificially to show that they had had their share of sugar, too." (pg. 55)
Although there is scant information to provide details on exactly where Shakespeare lived or which school he attended, we do have a detailed picture painted of what life was like in his day.
As that picture is revealed, Bryson summarizes the major theories of how Shakespeare might have fit in that world, and then evaluates those theories based on whatever information he has been able to assemble. We are regularly reminded that this is mostly conjecture, rather than knowledge, but we are told why the author endorses some theories and dismisses others.
On the whole, I found this an entertaining book. Although it is packed with information, it is not dry. Bryson has done an admirable job of pulling out memorable details about the culture. The vivid cultural picture not only provides a background for suppositions on Shakespeare's life, but also frames a context for his plays and other works.
Shakespeare : the world as stage by Bill Bryson. Published in 2007 by Atlas Books (HarperCollins imprint) as part of their "Eminent lives" series. ISBN: 978-0-06-074022-1
Showing posts with label biography. Show all posts
Showing posts with label biography. Show all posts
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
Tuesday, February 17, 2009
Old Herbaceous : a novel of the garden
It's the time of year for reading and dreaming about being out in the gardens that are currently inaccessible. When the sleet flies across my window instead of falling down, I have very little ambition to be outside. This is perfect weather for curling up with a gardening story.
Old Herbaceous is a delightful little story about an English manor gardener who rises through the ranks to become head gardener at the manor and a well-recognized figure in horticultural circles. The time spanned runs from the tail-end of the 19th century through to mid-20th century.
Although the gardener's life span matches that of the author rather closely, we are told that the novel is not autobiographical. Author, Reginald Arkell, grew up on an English farm, trained as a journalist, and worked for many years in the magazine industry. He was recognized for his light-hearted plays and his garden poetry long before he started writing books. Arkell was in his late 70s when Old Herbaceous was published.
Having lived through the late Victorian era, two world wars, and the huge changes before and after those wars, Arkell was well-suited to write an old man's reminiscences of the same time period. The story is written as reminiscences but is not sentimental or heavily introspective. It is a crusty country gardener we're reading about, after all.
Classic in style (but not in length or wordiness), the book has recently been re-issued as part of "The Modern Library gardening series" and I'm glad they did that or I would have missed out. Michael Pollan is the series editor. Penelope Hobhouse has written an introduction with information about the author and his work.
If you're looking for a "gentle read", especially one that does not drag on forever, you might want to give this one a try.
Old Herbaceous : a novel of the garden by Reginald Arkell. This edition published in 2003 by The Modern Library. ISBN: 978-0-8129-6738-0.
Old Herbaceous is a delightful little story about an English manor gardener who rises through the ranks to become head gardener at the manor and a well-recognized figure in horticultural circles. The time spanned runs from the tail-end of the 19th century through to mid-20th century.
Although the gardener's life span matches that of the author rather closely, we are told that the novel is not autobiographical. Author, Reginald Arkell, grew up on an English farm, trained as a journalist, and worked for many years in the magazine industry. He was recognized for his light-hearted plays and his garden poetry long before he started writing books. Arkell was in his late 70s when Old Herbaceous was published.
Having lived through the late Victorian era, two world wars, and the huge changes before and after those wars, Arkell was well-suited to write an old man's reminiscences of the same time period. The story is written as reminiscences but is not sentimental or heavily introspective. It is a crusty country gardener we're reading about, after all.
Classic in style (but not in length or wordiness), the book has recently been re-issued as part of "The Modern Library gardening series" and I'm glad they did that or I would have missed out. Michael Pollan is the series editor. Penelope Hobhouse has written an introduction with information about the author and his work.
If you're looking for a "gentle read", especially one that does not drag on forever, you might want to give this one a try.
Old Herbaceous : a novel of the garden by Reginald Arkell. This edition published in 2003 by The Modern Library. ISBN: 978-0-8129-6738-0.
Thursday, January 1, 2009
Same kind of different as me
Big black homeless man meets major league art dealer and helps him change for the better.
Sounds like a feel-good Hollywood production, doesn't it? This is actually a combined biography of two men and the woman who brought them together. Denver Moore, formerly homeless and illiterate co-author, tells a story we don't want to believe could be true - especially not in our "enlightened" times. Ron Hall, the other major player in this book, makes it clear that if Moore is guilty of anything, it is understatement.
We're not talking about the down and out scruffy guy with a heart of gold or a high flyer who just needed a little nudge to fine-tune his focus. We're talking about an ex-con (armed robbery) who hated everyone around him, and an ambitious social-climbing money-hound who sold out or betrayed everyone who mattered to him. Add Hall's wife, Deborah, to the mix and you have a fabulous story of change, love, redemption, forgiveness, caring, growth, healing, trust, and interconnectedness.
The story alternates between Denver's and Ron's viewpoints. I particularly liked that format because it made it easy to compare their early years, and later in the narrative, it was interesting to get the two descriptions of one situation. At times it was hard to believe I was reading about the same event.
Lynn Vincent has done a wonderful job of pulling two vastly different narrative styles together into one cohesive story. Instead of smoothing out the differences, she plays on them and uses them to distinguish between narrators. These men don't have easy stories to tell. It took a whole lot of fortitude to go back through their pasts and lay everything bare for others to gape at, but these men are survivors and their story is inspiring and gut-wrenching all at the same time. Same kind of different as me should definitely be on your reading list for 2009.
Same kind of different as me : a modern-day slave, an international art dealer, and the unlikely woman who bound them together by Ron Hall & Denver Moore with Lynn Vincent. Published in 2006 by Thomas Nelson. ISBN: 978-0-8499-1910-7.
Sounds like a feel-good Hollywood production, doesn't it? This is actually a combined biography of two men and the woman who brought them together. Denver Moore, formerly homeless and illiterate co-author, tells a story we don't want to believe could be true - especially not in our "enlightened" times. Ron Hall, the other major player in this book, makes it clear that if Moore is guilty of anything, it is understatement.
We're not talking about the down and out scruffy guy with a heart of gold or a high flyer who just needed a little nudge to fine-tune his focus. We're talking about an ex-con (armed robbery) who hated everyone around him, and an ambitious social-climbing money-hound who sold out or betrayed everyone who mattered to him. Add Hall's wife, Deborah, to the mix and you have a fabulous story of change, love, redemption, forgiveness, caring, growth, healing, trust, and interconnectedness.
The story alternates between Denver's and Ron's viewpoints. I particularly liked that format because it made it easy to compare their early years, and later in the narrative, it was interesting to get the two descriptions of one situation. At times it was hard to believe I was reading about the same event.
Lynn Vincent has done a wonderful job of pulling two vastly different narrative styles together into one cohesive story. Instead of smoothing out the differences, she plays on them and uses them to distinguish between narrators. These men don't have easy stories to tell. It took a whole lot of fortitude to go back through their pasts and lay everything bare for others to gape at, but these men are survivors and their story is inspiring and gut-wrenching all at the same time. Same kind of different as me should definitely be on your reading list for 2009.
Same kind of different as me : a modern-day slave, an international art dealer, and the unlikely woman who bound them together by Ron Hall & Denver Moore with Lynn Vincent. Published in 2006 by Thomas Nelson. ISBN: 978-0-8499-1910-7.
Friday, December 26, 2008
Lost in the Amazon
I've never wanted to explore the Amazonian jungle and this book has certainly not changed my mind. I enjoy looking at the photos that come out of expeditions like this one but I don't even want to go on a tourist trip there after reading this account.
Stephen Kirkpatrick is an independent wildlife photographer (read "no budget") who is hoping to get some great shots and thereby solidify his career. That career is his driving force and has cost him his marriage. The question he wrestles with in this book is whether or not it will also cost him his life.
Because Kirkpatrick has written (with help) his story, we know he survived the ordeal but he doesn't know that when he's in it. We are privy to his struggles - mental, physical, emotional, and spiritual - while he's lost in the jungle. At least, we're privy to his version of his struggles.
I didn't find myself liking this guy or trusting his impressions of others. While the story was interesting, Steve Kirkpatrick is one of the authors I would rather not meet socially.
If you want a real life adventure story with poisonous critters, nasty food, foul swamps to wade through, isolated natives, and much, much more, you could give this one a try.
Lost in the Amazon : the true story of five men and their desperate battle for survival by Stephen Kirkpatrick as told to Marlo Carter Kirkpatrick. Published in 2005 by W Publishing Group (division of Thomas Nelson). ISBN: 0-8499-0015-8.
Stephen Kirkpatrick is an independent wildlife photographer (read "no budget") who is hoping to get some great shots and thereby solidify his career. That career is his driving force and has cost him his marriage. The question he wrestles with in this book is whether or not it will also cost him his life.
Because Kirkpatrick has written (with help) his story, we know he survived the ordeal but he doesn't know that when he's in it. We are privy to his struggles - mental, physical, emotional, and spiritual - while he's lost in the jungle. At least, we're privy to his version of his struggles.
I didn't find myself liking this guy or trusting his impressions of others. While the story was interesting, Steve Kirkpatrick is one of the authors I would rather not meet socially.
If you want a real life adventure story with poisonous critters, nasty food, foul swamps to wade through, isolated natives, and much, much more, you could give this one a try.
Lost in the Amazon : the true story of five men and their desperate battle for survival by Stephen Kirkpatrick as told to Marlo Carter Kirkpatrick. Published in 2005 by W Publishing Group (division of Thomas Nelson). ISBN: 0-8499-0015-8.
Wednesday, December 17, 2008
The occupied garden
I first stumbled across Kristen den Hartog's fiction as a short story in Canadian Living magazine. I was skimming the magazine while waiting in a doctor's office and was intrigued to see a name I recognized - the den Hartog girls were in school with me and my siblings many years ago.
A few years after reading the short story, I saw one of Kristen's novels at the library and had to see what it was like. I first read her work because I once knew the author. Now I read her work because I enjoy her writing. I'm pleased to see that she's been getting noticed in literary circles.
The occupied garden is a departure from her usual fiction because it's not fiction and it's not written by her alone. The garden is co-written by Kristen's sister, Tracy, and is a beautiful account of their grandparents' and father's lives in Holland around the time of the German occupation.
One of the things I enjoyed most about this book is the parallel drawn between the events and circumstances of the den Hartog household and the events and circumstances of the Dutch royal family at the same time. Getting married and having children at the same time heightens a feeling of connectedness between the two families despite the fact that their lives should be considered a world apart. I also appreciated the view of ordinary people surviving extraordinary times. We're not looking at master spies or war heroes here, but ordinary people at a time when daily life required daily acts of heroism and despair didn't always stay around the corner.
The research was thorough enough to provide insight into several different people's points of view which made this account much more interesting than the narrow view one usually gets when reading biography. It's hard enough to recover personal papers and anecdotes to document a famous person's life, but the authors here had access to letters, journals, and pictures from several of the families in the story, as well as personal interviews with surviving family members and friends, and all for the story of a middle class family. It's a welcome addition to the large collection of World War II stories and you don't have to be a WWII fan to enjoy it.
The occupied garden : recovering the story of a family in the war-torn Netherlands by Tracy Kasaboski and Kristen den Hartog. Published in 2008 by McClelland & Stewart. ISBN: 978-0-7710-2622-5.
A few years after reading the short story, I saw one of Kristen's novels at the library and had to see what it was like. I first read her work because I once knew the author. Now I read her work because I enjoy her writing. I'm pleased to see that she's been getting noticed in literary circles.
The occupied garden is a departure from her usual fiction because it's not fiction and it's not written by her alone. The garden is co-written by Kristen's sister, Tracy, and is a beautiful account of their grandparents' and father's lives in Holland around the time of the German occupation.
One of the things I enjoyed most about this book is the parallel drawn between the events and circumstances of the den Hartog household and the events and circumstances of the Dutch royal family at the same time. Getting married and having children at the same time heightens a feeling of connectedness between the two families despite the fact that their lives should be considered a world apart. I also appreciated the view of ordinary people surviving extraordinary times. We're not looking at master spies or war heroes here, but ordinary people at a time when daily life required daily acts of heroism and despair didn't always stay around the corner.
The research was thorough enough to provide insight into several different people's points of view which made this account much more interesting than the narrow view one usually gets when reading biography. It's hard enough to recover personal papers and anecdotes to document a famous person's life, but the authors here had access to letters, journals, and pictures from several of the families in the story, as well as personal interviews with surviving family members and friends, and all for the story of a middle class family. It's a welcome addition to the large collection of World War II stories and you don't have to be a WWII fan to enjoy it.
The occupied garden : recovering the story of a family in the war-torn Netherlands by Tracy Kasaboski and Kristen den Hartog. Published in 2008 by McClelland & Stewart. ISBN: 978-0-7710-2622-5.
Friday, December 12, 2008
Home : a memoir of my early years
I don't read a lot of show business biographies but when Julie Andrews' memoirs showed up at the library, I had to take it home. Julie Andrews never struck me as typical Hollywood or typical Broadway. As a child, I was sure she was somehow related to royalty. She had that air about her. As an adult, I could take the book home and find out. What a revelation!
If pressed for an answer, I would now have to say that Julie Andrews most reminds me of my grandmother - not in a warm grandmotherly way, or even because they were of the same generation, because they weren't - but because both of them were survivors of very difficult home situations, and both tell their stories with virtually no self-pity or blame.
Julie Andrews' memoir does not come across as a cold re-telling of the past, but it is very matter-of-fact. She writes about her growing up years and early stage career with clarity and detail, but without destroying other people's reputations. The classy persona that you see in public and on stage must be an integral part of her character because it comes through in her writing.
A quick overview might classify this as a typical rags-to-riches story but it doesn't read that way because you get the impression that Julie Andrews doesn't see herself as a star. She certainly recognizes that she has worked with stellar people and performed for big names but she portrays herself as a struggling girl/young woman with an oddly talented voice. It's as if the voice is its own entity and the rest of her life is just there to support it.
The early parts of the book are a little disjointed as we jump from one memory to another. We all know that our earliest memories are flashes and brief episodes, usually unconnected to an over-riding storyline. That's how these come across, but the story becomes more fluid as we move into later years.
I wouldn't put this in my current top 10 list, but I did enjoy reading it and I'll probably read its sequel when it comes out.
Home : a memoir of my early years by Julie Andrews. Published in 2008 by Hyperion. ISBN: 978-0-7868-6565-9.
If pressed for an answer, I would now have to say that Julie Andrews most reminds me of my grandmother - not in a warm grandmotherly way, or even because they were of the same generation, because they weren't - but because both of them were survivors of very difficult home situations, and both tell their stories with virtually no self-pity or blame.
Julie Andrews' memoir does not come across as a cold re-telling of the past, but it is very matter-of-fact. She writes about her growing up years and early stage career with clarity and detail, but without destroying other people's reputations. The classy persona that you see in public and on stage must be an integral part of her character because it comes through in her writing.
A quick overview might classify this as a typical rags-to-riches story but it doesn't read that way because you get the impression that Julie Andrews doesn't see herself as a star. She certainly recognizes that she has worked with stellar people and performed for big names but she portrays herself as a struggling girl/young woman with an oddly talented voice. It's as if the voice is its own entity and the rest of her life is just there to support it.
The early parts of the book are a little disjointed as we jump from one memory to another. We all know that our earliest memories are flashes and brief episodes, usually unconnected to an over-riding storyline. That's how these come across, but the story becomes more fluid as we move into later years.
I wouldn't put this in my current top 10 list, but I did enjoy reading it and I'll probably read its sequel when it comes out.
Home : a memoir of my early years by Julie Andrews. Published in 2008 by Hyperion. ISBN: 978-0-7868-6565-9.
Saturday, December 6, 2008
The wee mad road
"Our children grew up and left home. Before they could come back, we sold the house and ran away to a foreign land." (pg i)
Thus starts the "runaway" adventures of Jack and Barbara Maloney, who escaped from mortgage, jobs, and house in the US to a crofter's cottage in the Northwest Highlands of Scotland. Jack and Barbara realized that they were old enough that their children had left home but young enough that their health was excellent and their parents didn't need special care. If ever they were going to take off on an adventure, this was the time. Jack was a freelance writer so he wasn't completely abandoning his career - just his contacts. Barbara ended up leaving her job at an art gallery. They sold their house and most of its contents, gave away or stored the rest, and headed off to a tiny village called Coigach.
The wee mad road is a reminiscence of their time at the cottage. The basic text is written by Jack with sketches and journal excerpts from Barbara woven in. Having read and re-read Lillian Beckwith's books about her 20 years in the Hebrides, I looked forward to what I hoped would be new but similar stories.
Although the Maloneys will not replace Beckwith, I did enjoy their book. Once again, I felt drawn into a tiny community I have never seen except in my imagination. They spent only 2 years at their rented cottage compared with Beckwith's 20 on Bruach, so there is less time (and fewer books) to get to know the people of the village, but I still feel I know them, nonetheless.
Jack and Barbara were intent on participating in village life and learning whatever new skills that might require. Their willingness to learn without criticising and to look foolish for the sake of helping their neighbours earned them the respect of the locals...and makes for some good stories. I hope you enjoy it too.
The wee mad road : a midlife escape to the Scottish Highlands by Jack and Barbara Maloney. Published in 2008 by Tasora Books. ISBN: 978-1934690024.
If you enjoyed this one, try some of the following titles by Lillian Beckwith: Lightly poached, The hills is lonely, The sea for breakfast, or About my father's business.
The wee mad road is a reminiscence of their time at the cottage. The basic text is written by Jack with sketches and journal excerpts from Barbara woven in. Having read and re-read Lillian Beckwith's books about her 20 years in the Hebrides, I looked forward to what I hoped would be new but similar stories.
Although the Maloneys will not replace Beckwith, I did enjoy their book. Once again, I felt drawn into a tiny community I have never seen except in my imagination. They spent only 2 years at their rented cottage compared with Beckwith's 20 on Bruach, so there is less time (and fewer books) to get to know the people of the village, but I still feel I know them, nonetheless.
Jack and Barbara were intent on participating in village life and learning whatever new skills that might require. Their willingness to learn without criticising and to look foolish for the sake of helping their neighbours earned them the respect of the locals...and makes for some good stories. I hope you enjoy it too.
The wee mad road : a midlife escape to the Scottish Highlands by Jack and Barbara Maloney. Published in 2008 by Tasora Books. ISBN: 978-1934690024.
If you enjoyed this one, try some of the following titles by Lillian Beckwith: Lightly poached, The hills is lonely, The sea for breakfast, or About my father's business.
Tasora Books, 2008 ISBN: 978-1-934690-02-4
Wednesday, December 3, 2008
Bent hope : a street journal
Bent hope is more triumphant than sad but don't try to read it without a box of Kleenex handy. Don't skip straight into the main text without reading the foreword and prologue either. This is a book where every word counts. It may not seem that way at the very beginning, but you'll want to get the full effect.
There are lots of street-worker journals on the market these days and I've read many of them. They are full of stories of survival amidst broken hearts and dreams and frequently feature reminders that, broken as they are, street folk are people too. We are admonished to love them for many reasons - because they have had a rough life, because the system has failed them, because we might just as easily be in their shoes, because love can change a life, because Jesus was poor, because "loving the unlovely" brings blessings, because they've endured great loss, because they're fellow human beings,... but in the end, it is always "us" loving "them." This is the first book that asserts, from the start, that there is no "us" and "them."
"Either we are all beggars, hookers and junkies, or none of us are. There is no in-between...Every day I play the role of a beggar. I look to the charity of others, seemingly wanting something for nothing to feed my ego and the overwhelming need to belong. Every day I play the role of a hooker. I try to sell the words, ideas and actions I think might make me desirable to others, often against my own better judgment, in order to get the emotional validation I need to survive. And every day I play the role of a junkie. I feed my addictions, supplying relentless cravings with products, entertainment, daydreams and relationships that are bad for me." (pg 15) Can you deny it?
Tim Huff respects and learns from the people he meets on the street. He is impressed by the strength and dignity of people who have been dealt unimaginable blows. Pity is not a theme in his writing, although sorrow, anger, and indignation appear. So do humility, awe, and a deep appreciation for relationships without pretense. One by one we are introduced to his friends as Tim shares with us what so impresses him with each person.
I couldn't read this book in one sitting. Each chapter is dedicated to one person's story and I found, especially at the beginning, I could only "meet" one person at a time. It took some time to process that person's story before I went on to the next. Some made me cry, some made me very angry, many made me wish I could meet that person face to face for a big hug. Every story helped chip away at that invisible wall between "us" and "them." I hope it does the same for you.
Bent hope : a street journal by Tim Huff. Published in 2008 by Castle Quay Books. ISBN: 978-1-894860-36-9.
There are lots of street-worker journals on the market these days and I've read many of them. They are full of stories of survival amidst broken hearts and dreams and frequently feature reminders that, broken as they are, street folk are people too. We are admonished to love them for many reasons - because they have had a rough life, because the system has failed them, because we might just as easily be in their shoes, because love can change a life, because Jesus was poor, because "loving the unlovely" brings blessings, because they've endured great loss, because they're fellow human beings,... but in the end, it is always "us" loving "them." This is the first book that asserts, from the start, that there is no "us" and "them."
"Either we are all beggars, hookers and junkies, or none of us are. There is no in-between...Every day I play the role of a beggar. I look to the charity of others, seemingly wanting something for nothing to feed my ego and the overwhelming need to belong. Every day I play the role of a hooker. I try to sell the words, ideas and actions I think might make me desirable to others, often against my own better judgment, in order to get the emotional validation I need to survive. And every day I play the role of a junkie. I feed my addictions, supplying relentless cravings with products, entertainment, daydreams and relationships that are bad for me." (pg 15) Can you deny it?
Tim Huff respects and learns from the people he meets on the street. He is impressed by the strength and dignity of people who have been dealt unimaginable blows. Pity is not a theme in his writing, although sorrow, anger, and indignation appear. So do humility, awe, and a deep appreciation for relationships without pretense. One by one we are introduced to his friends as Tim shares with us what so impresses him with each person.
I couldn't read this book in one sitting. Each chapter is dedicated to one person's story and I found, especially at the beginning, I could only "meet" one person at a time. It took some time to process that person's story before I went on to the next. Some made me cry, some made me very angry, many made me wish I could meet that person face to face for a big hug. Every story helped chip away at that invisible wall between "us" and "them." I hope it does the same for you.
Bent hope : a street journal by Tim Huff. Published in 2008 by Castle Quay Books. ISBN: 978-1-894860-36-9.
Monday, November 24, 2008
The caliph's house : a year in Casablanca
Anyone familiar with Peter Mayle's huge hit "A year in Provence" will know what to expect with The caliph's house by Tahir Shah. At least, the format and situation will be familiar. Shah, a struggling author of Anglo-Afghan descent, uproots his young family from their stifling British existence and moves them to Morocco. What follows is a tale of renovations gone very, very wrong, and a struggle to move with and in and around the new culture without being completely taken over by it.
The author's blurb at the back of the book jacket reveals that Shah and his family still live in Casablanca so you know they stick with the move despite circumstances that would have sent me packing a long time ago.
This kind of writing is less about long-term plot development and more about stories of day-to-day events so knowing the pattern and the outcome don't detract from the reading. If you're curious about life behind the walls in Muslim north Africa, here's a peek at what goes on. Granted, it's from a Western point of view but that only makes it easier for Western readers to understand.
Shah does not write himself in as a hero in this story. In fact, there are times he shows himself behaving badly. There are times I want to wring his neck on behalf of his wife and children but the story itself is fascinating. If you enjoy armchair travel or misadventures of (almost) normal blokes, this could well be the book for you. If you're at all squeamish, there will be some sacrifice descriptions you will want to skim over.
The caliph's house : a year in Casablanca by Tahir Shah, was published by Bantam in 2006. ISBN is 987-0-553-80399-0.
The author's blurb at the back of the book jacket reveals that Shah and his family still live in Casablanca so you know they stick with the move despite circumstances that would have sent me packing a long time ago.
This kind of writing is less about long-term plot development and more about stories of day-to-day events so knowing the pattern and the outcome don't detract from the reading. If you're curious about life behind the walls in Muslim north Africa, here's a peek at what goes on. Granted, it's from a Western point of view but that only makes it easier for Western readers to understand.
Shah does not write himself in as a hero in this story. In fact, there are times he shows himself behaving badly. There are times I want to wring his neck on behalf of his wife and children but the story itself is fascinating. If you enjoy armchair travel or misadventures of (almost) normal blokes, this could well be the book for you. If you're at all squeamish, there will be some sacrifice descriptions you will want to skim over.
The caliph's house : a year in Casablanca by Tahir Shah, was published by Bantam in 2006. ISBN is 987-0-553-80399-0.
Tuesday, November 18, 2008
Walk on : the spiritual journey of U2
You don't have to be a U2 fan to get a lot out of this book. The purpose behind writing may have been to chronicle U2's spiritual journey, but there's a whole lot more at stake here because Walk on takes you on your own journey of spiritual evaluation. Author Steve Stockman, doesn't pull punches when describing U2's relationship with the church.
"The Christian community seems to have confined its definitions of faith to various precise behavioral patterns and cliched statements of faith. In getting caught up in the minutia of behavioral codes that have had more to do with respectable middle-class behavior than biblical guidelines, many have been so obsessed with the cigar hanging out of Bono's mouth that they are missing the radical biblical agenda that has fired his life and work." (pg.3)
It's hard to read words like that without thinking about my own response to taboo behaviour. What's really important? and how well equipped am I to make that judgment on someone else's behalf?
The church isn't the only group U2 has fought. In fact, they've been hit on all sides:
"The press...have been quick to have a go at [Bono] for his do-gooding, telling him to stick to the music. Condemning someone for trying to save lives and help others is a remarkable indictment on third-millennium priorities. It is remarkable how human beings can be so belligerent about people trying to do good. Let us lambaste people who are trying to feed the hungry or fight for drugs for the dying. When did it become a crime for someone, no matter how successful or rich he or she is, to love their neighbor?...How far from the hippy dream has music moved when it is more useful to make a number-one single than keep people alive?" (pg. 193)
I don't know about you, but if I were being attacked on all sides for what I was doing to help someone else, I'd wear out pretty fast. Bono is often characterised as the quintessential brawler - someone who jumps into the fray with both arms swinging and without considering the consequences - but I think he must be a very patient and steadfast man to continue fighting for causes we all know are right while the rest of us would rather snipe at the workers than get our hands (and hearts) dirty by helping.
You don't have to know the music or agree with the methods. The book is still worth reading. It made me think.
Walk on : the spiritual journey of U2 by Steve Stockman. Revised edition published by Relevant in 2005. ISBN: 978-0976035756
"The Christian community seems to have confined its definitions of faith to various precise behavioral patterns and cliched statements of faith. In getting caught up in the minutia of behavioral codes that have had more to do with respectable middle-class behavior than biblical guidelines, many have been so obsessed with the cigar hanging out of Bono's mouth that they are missing the radical biblical agenda that has fired his life and work." (pg.3)
It's hard to read words like that without thinking about my own response to taboo behaviour. What's really important? and how well equipped am I to make that judgment on someone else's behalf?
The church isn't the only group U2 has fought. In fact, they've been hit on all sides:
"The press...have been quick to have a go at [Bono] for his do-gooding, telling him to stick to the music. Condemning someone for trying to save lives and help others is a remarkable indictment on third-millennium priorities. It is remarkable how human beings can be so belligerent about people trying to do good. Let us lambaste people who are trying to feed the hungry or fight for drugs for the dying. When did it become a crime for someone, no matter how successful or rich he or she is, to love their neighbor?...How far from the hippy dream has music moved when it is more useful to make a number-one single than keep people alive?" (pg. 193)
I don't know about you, but if I were being attacked on all sides for what I was doing to help someone else, I'd wear out pretty fast. Bono is often characterised as the quintessential brawler - someone who jumps into the fray with both arms swinging and without considering the consequences - but I think he must be a very patient and steadfast man to continue fighting for causes we all know are right while the rest of us would rather snipe at the workers than get our hands (and hearts) dirty by helping.
You don't have to know the music or agree with the methods. The book is still worth reading. It made me think.
Walk on : the spiritual journey of U2 by Steve Stockman. Revised edition published by Relevant in 2005. ISBN: 978-0976035756
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
