Literature Q&A

I enjoyed reading Caitlin's version of this tag, so finally got around to jumping on the bandwagon (check out her post if you want to play by the rules).

What are you reading right now?

All Blacks Don't Cry by John Kirwan.

Do you have any idea what you’ll read when you’re done with that?

Yes, Dad's leant me New Zealand aviator Jean Batten's autobiography Alone in the Sky (which is a revised edition of My Life).

What 5 books have you always wanted to read but haven’t got round to?

From my goals list, I want to read Charles Lindbergh's biography by A. Scott Berg, but also Autobiography of Values when I find a copy of that. I also have George Orwell's 1984 and Wally Lamb's The Hour I First Believed to read - I've read about half of the latter but found it kind of dragged... I was recommended it though, so will get around to finishing it some day. I want to read A Clockwork Orange by Anthony Burgess - I started it in high school after seeing the film for the first time but never finished it. That's five. There are screeds of titles I could list. Come to think of it, I should list them at some stage. Especially at work, I'm really bad about hearing excellent reviews or author interviews and then totally forgetting their names the next time I have some spare cash for books.

What magazines do you have in your bathroom/lounge right now?

Neither of us really spend money on magazines... I think the last one I bought was a Cosmo months ago for a train trip. I do have a stack of overpriced fashion/art magazines in the lounge which are all like five years old - my favourite is the issue of Another Magazine from 2007 with Christina Ricci on the cover.

What’s the worst book you’ve ever read?

This is tricky... I know I read many terrible books when I was a kid/teenager, but most of them I loved at the time. I read the first Harry Potter book and didn't like it... but it's not terrible at all, just totally not a genre I enjoy.

What book seems really popular but you actually hated?

Harry Potter. But 'hated' is harsh. Also, I've read probably five Jodi Picoult books and while I totally don't hate them, she's so unbelievably popular (here at least) and I kind of don't get why. I think the plots of several of the books I've read by her sound great, but then I read them and they just seem to drag on and on... a bit like this post, hey.

What’s the one book you always recommend to just about everyone?

House of Leaves by Mark Z Danielewski (photo of my copy above). I mean, I don't go around urging everybody to read it, but that's what I'll always say if someone asks for a reading suggestion. It's just a total work of art, so creepy and intense and bizarre. And unbelievably full of information - so much so that you can read it multiple times like I have and still not absorb everything... just flick through a copy to see what I mean.

What are your 3 favourite poems?

My favourite poem is Rives' performance piece Compliment, it's so adorable. I don't really read poetry, apart from Sylvia Plath, I have heaps of her collections and books about her. Yeah, my picks are pretty hipster because I'm not really into it.

Where do you usually get your books?

I love browsing bookstores and mostly go to Arty Bees and Pegasus Books in Wellington, but I usually buy books online if I'm looking for a specific title because it's cheaper and more convenient. I always try Trade Me first because I've picked up some excellent bargains from there, and Fishpond is good too. But I just Google around to find the best price.

Where do you usually read your books?

On the couch or in bed.

When you were little, did you have any particular reading habits?

Oh my gosh, anyone who knew me as a kid would say I was freaking always reading. We would check out like 20 books from the library every week and I'd just devour them in every spare moment I could... I guess this was pre-internet haha. I think Mum used to give my sister and I a limit on how many books we could get, and I remember we had a plastic crate to carry them all in. But yeah, I used to take a book with me everywhere, even if we were visiting people, so if I got bored I could sit in the corner and read. And I would sneak a torch in my bed so I could finish a book after bed time.

What’s the last thing you stayed up half the night reading because it was so good you couldn’t put it down?

American Psycho by Bret Easton Ellis.

Have you ever “faked” reading a book?

I'm not sure this is what the question means, but in high school there were couple of books I couldn't be bothered with so I watched the movies instead and Googled to check if there were any variations in the book etc. English remained my best subject, so it worked!

Have you ever bought a book just because you liked the cover?

Definitely, but only from second hand stores. I only buy books brand new if I've been recommended them, or already read a review.

What was your favourite book when you were a child?

So many... I can't really think of my favourite picture books at the moment, though I will write about them at some stage in the future when I help Mum sort through all the stuff I have stored at my parents' house. During primary school I loved The Babysitters' Club and Sweet Valley the most. Early high school I loved the Replica series by Marilyn Kaye, the Tomorrow series by John Marsden, and the Noughts & Crosses trilogy by Malorie Blackman. Also Children of the Dust by Louise Lawrence and Black Like Me by John Howard Griffin.

What book changed your life?

I don't know that a book has ever changed my life, but The Journals of Sylvia Plath has some fantastic entries and letters that totally make a teenage girl think zomg, this is so me.

What is your favourite passage from a book?

I have so many, but the one that springs to mind was the easiest to find and type out, from House of Leaves:

"Come play with me Daddy."

Navidson lifts his daughter onto his lap.

"Okay. What do you want to play?"

"I don't know," she shrugs. "Always."

"What's always?"

But before she can answer, he starts tickling her around the neck and Daisy dissolves into bursts of delight.

Despite the tremendous amount of material generated by Exploration A, no one has ever commented on the game Daisy wants to play with her father, perhaps because everyone assumes it is either a request "to play always" or just a childish neologism.

Then again, "always" slightly mispronounces "hallways".

It also echoes it.

I think this was the only excerpt I read before reading the book itself, and it intrigued me. When reading it in context? So, so creepy.

Who are your top five favourite authors?

I'll just list my top five books and their authors because I don't often read multiple books by a single author: House of Leaves by Mark Z Danielewski, The Journals of Sylvia Plath, The Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger, Mother Tongue by Bill Bryson, and the Noughts & Crosses trilogy by Malorie Blackman.

What book has no one heard about but should read?

I'm not sure that no one has heard about it now - I saw it in Whitcoulls recently - but I got sent After You'd Gone by Maggie O'Farrell from this blog and it was pretty good. I'm not sure I've read any obscure titles. I guess lots of my peers haven't read Black Like Me, which I found pretty fascinating as a teenager.

What are your favourite books by a first-time author?

I have no idea if any of my favourite books are debuts.

What 3 books are you an “evangelist” for?

HoL, you know this by now. The Noughts & Crosses trilogy. And Mother Tongue. 

What is your favourite classic book?

I don't know what counts as a classic... does Lolita count?

Leisure

I feel like I haven't written anything of substance in quite a while, so I'll attempt to change that some time this week! Although I suppose it's kind of a good thing, because it means I don't have anything to rant about. For now, here are a few things I've been keeping busy with lately.

Game of Thrones

Charlie watched the HBO series Game of Thrones through in about a week, and is now reading his way through the books. I've watched about five episodes so far. It's definitely not my genre of choice- I don't really enjoy any kind of medieval nor fantasy entertainment. It's well made, and there are some brilliant characters, but it's definitely not a series I would have sought out if Charlie didn't have it. I will keep watching though, because I do want to know what happens! Also, I realise it's her title, but 'Khaleesi' is such a pretty name. And Maisie Williams as Arya is adorable, her eyebrows are fantastic. If medieval fantasy is your thing, then I'm certain you'd adore this show.

Breaking Bad

I've also been watching the new season of my favourite show ever, Breaking Bad. Waiting for each Monday (New Zealand time) to swing around is torturous, although I guess it makes the whole back-to-work thing less painful. Intense, intelligent, tragic drama- that's definitely my preference. I won't spoil anything for those of you who haven't been watching (watch, watch!) but this season is sooo good! Aaron Paul's acting is mesmerising, as always. I'm not really siding with any particular character so far this season, I just love them all and want shit to go downnn!

I've been doing some work on my Monthly Painters' Challenge submission as the reveal date is next week. Definitely have a lot of work left to do but I'm confident I'll make good progress over the weekend. Check back here next week to see it, or 'like' the MPC Facebook page to stay updated about everyone's work.

While working on my painting I've been listening to Kimbra's debut album Vows which was finally released last week. I was considering going all out and writing a proper review of it, but it seemed a little redundant to write an album review on the internet. Surely it's easier for you to click some links to YouTube and listen to it yourself? I've listened to it about 10 times since I got it, and her singles are still my favourite tracks. The album version of Settle Down is even better than the version on YouTube in my opinion, and I also love Cameo Lover and Good Intent.

And lastly, I'm reading Divergent by Veronica Roth- following Lauren's recommendation on this post, I ordered it on Trade Me. I've only just started, currently on chapter two. I guess when I say I don't like fantasy it's not entirely true- I definitely enjoy futuristic worlds, dystopian fiction... oh, and films about aliens. Anyway, so far so good with this book, and I'll definitely write a review once I've finished it. I know Lauren's blog is well-followed, so is anyone else reading this book at the moment (or already read it)?

Image source one.
Image source two.

The Final Testament of the Holy Bible

Warning: Possible spoilers. Depends how picky you are. And contains a touch of crude language. 

I first read James Frey's A Million Little Pieces in 2007, which was after the Oprah controversy (read about that here). I agree with Oprah that he was dishonest, but I didn't care whether it was fact or fiction- really, what difference does it make to me? Worse things than his invented experiences happen every single day. In saying this, I wouldn't name it among my favourite books (which are here, if you're curious). It was a great story, but did drag a big, and his writing style irks me a little- lack of punctuation especially, as well as left aligned pages. I know it's intentional, but unlike the brilliant sporadic punctuation and unconventional format in House of Leaves, I just don't see the point in omitting all quotation marks from character dialogue.

Despite these mixed views on AMLP, I was really looking forward to the release of Frey's latest novel The Final Testament of the Holy Bible. I ordered a copy from Fishpond a couple of weeks ago, and sat down to read it the moment it arrived. Before I get into the actual story, I'd be curious to hear from anyone else who has the paperback edition like me- the cover image is extremely shitty and pixelated (for want of a better technical term) though not so much that it seems intentional. Has anyone else seen this? Did I get a dud?

But hey, I refused to negatively judge the book by its cover... I did, however, make the mistake of getting excited over the synopsis, which shouts

THEY SAY THE MESSIAH IS ALIVE.

HE IS LIVING IN NEW YORK.

SLEEPING WITH MEN.

IMPREGNATING WOMEN.

EUTHANASING THE DYING.

HEALING THE SICK.

DEFYING THE GOVERNMENT AND CONDEMNING THE HOLY.

IF YOU MET HIM AND HE CHANGED YOUR LIFE, WOULD YOU BELIEVE?

To give you some background on my lack of religion- I wasn't baptised, but did go to a Catholic primary school (not something I resent at all- I feel I recieved a brilliant education there), then grew up and realised I didn't believe a word being spoken in mass. I wouldn't call myself an atheist or an agnostic... I honestly just don't really care about religion, and in turn it doesn't really bother me what faith anyone else has. I do however love blasphemous art, I love a bit of controversy, and the concept of the Messiah returning to modern Earth sounded like a brilliant drinking-round-a-campfire conversation, extended into a literary work of art.

The book started off by meeting my expectations. Like the Bible, not a word is told from the "Messiah" Ben Zion's perspective, but through the eyes of twelve other characters. The initial mystery surrounding Ben Zion was effective, and chapters told through the eyes of Mariaangeles and Charles were brilliantly written. In Charles' chapter, Ben Zion is involved in a horrific accident... and everything starts to go downhill from there, until the final few chapters when the story becomes, frankly, ridiculous. Halfway through I could almost hear the screaming I am James Frey, and I got totally got off over offending people on Oprah! How to shock more people? Let's turn the second coming of the Messiah into a satyromaniac!

After about the fifth sexual encounter, it stopped being edgy and challenging and became desperate. The faux preaching dragged on so long near the end, that I started skim reading pages. It was so frustrating to me, as there were brilliant moments scattered throughout the book, such as the following quote (which I cannot be bothered finding in my copy right now, so am trusting the website I found it reproduced on is accurate):

"And that the Catholic Church, filled with celibate men who have no experience with it, has no right telling other people how to love or who to love or what kind of love is right or wrong."

What did I miss? I wanted to like this book so badly, but it was such a disappointment. I'm not one to return a book, whether I like it or not. But I think it's safe to say it won't be emerging from my bookshelf in my own hands any time soon.

Bookshelf

In order to procrastinate from washing my hair, I am putting together this post of all my favourite books. Not included in this list is the Tomorrow series, but I think you get it by now that they ARE FANTASTIC. So, in no particular order other than that which was easiest in MS Paint, I introduce to you my favourite books.

The Flying Book by David Blatner
As you may know, I like planes and airlines. A lot. If I could have any job, starting tomorrow, I would be a flight attendant. But regardless of your level of interest in aviation, I would recommend this book to anyone who travels on airlines, particularly those who are afraid of flying. It's a small, hardcover, non-fiction book, and it's just full of facts about flying. It writes in very clear language, all about what happens during a flight, explaining every beep and bump. Check out the (rather ugly in comparison to the actual book) website here.

The Journals of Sylvia Plath edited by Karen V, Kukil
Not going to lie, I am a bit of a 20-something female cliche. Sylvia Plath blows my mind. I was first introduced to her work in high school, when we read Mirror in a junior English class. Since then, I have collected a bunch of her poetry books and a couple of her novels, but this big fat book of her journals from 1950-1962 has pride of place on my shelf. I've only read it from cover to cover once, but it's a book I can pick up frequently, turn to a random page, and read a few paragraphs of genius. My copy has a bit of underlining, so it's not in great condition. So many fantastic quotes. "What is more tedious than boy-girl episodes? Nothing; yet there is no tedium that will be recorded so eternally." I have a pretty battered copy of The Bell Jar, which is being made into a film starring Julia Stiles as Esther... ah mah gahhh...

The Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger
I would hope that if you are female of similar age to me, you have already read this book or at least seen the movie. I didn't hate the cinema adaptation, but it's just nothing compared to the book. I didn't feel much attachment to the characters on screen, whereas in the book I was sobbing out loud for them. Yeah. Have read this book at least five times, and always cry. If you haven't read it, do so as soon as possible. It's literally about a time traveler (and his wife), but it's a total love story, with minimal science fiction.

Looking for Alaska by John Green
To be honest, I bought this book after I saw a .jpeg of this quote on a Tumblr: "I wanted so badly to lie down next to her on the couch, to wrap my arms around her and sleep. Not fuck, like in those movies. Not even have sex. Just sleep together, in the most innocent sense of the phrase. But I lacked the courage and she had a boyfriend and I was gawky and she was gorgeous and I was hopelessly boring and she was endlessly fascinating. So I walked back to my room and collapsed on the bottom bunk, thinking that if people were rain, I was drizzle and she was a hurricane." That is probably the best paragraph in the entire book, but it's still pretty great, especially for teenagers. ALSO, in true 21st century style, it looks like it's heading for Hollywood.

Mother Tongue by Bill Bryson
I've read quite a few Bryson books, but as an English nerd, this one is far and away my favourite. It's a non-fiction, written in his almost-conversational, easy-to-read style, but absolutely packed with the fascinating history of the English language. Yes, fascinating.

After You'd Gone by Maggie O'Farrell
This book is one I got through this blog, and you can read my review on it here.

House of Leaves by Mark Z. Danielewski
This is almost definitely my favourite book of all time. It is a novel about a tattoo artist who finds a manuscript of an academic study written by a dead blind guy of a documentary which doesn't exist. Keep up. It's the most bizarrely formatted, fascinating, skin-crawling book I've ever read, and the most terrifying moments are about a house. I don't know what else to say about it while keeping this to a paragraph; there's just too much. I found it quite hard to find when I bought it in 2007, and there are a lot of different versions. It wasn't cheap either, when I finally tracked down a copy. But it's absolutely worth it, I promise. Read it in winter.

Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close by Jonathan Safran Foer
I heard about this book when it first came out, on Newstalk ZB of all places. When I worked at a bookstore in 2007, I bought it with my staff discount. It's a post 9/11 story told through the eyes of a little boy named Oskar, whose father died in the Towers. It's not the most fantastic book I've ever read, but it sure has its moments. It is definitely super duper quotable, and surprise surprise, it's been made into a film. "Songs are as sad as the listener."

Noughts & Crosses, Knife Edge and Checkmate by Malorie Blackman
When I worked at that bookstore, this trilogy was flying off the shelves. I bought all three books and was blown away. The author is English, but the story is set in a non-specific country of some sort of parallel universe, where the dark-skinned "Cross" people are rich and powerful, and the light-skinned "Noughts" and peasants and servants. It follows a family from each race, who are intertwined through several generations. Again, these are books for teenagers, so they are an easy read but with some pretty powerful content.