In search of Archer's Goon

Posted by Jenny | Posted in Uncategorized | Posted on 19-12-2009

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Now, the reason I have been away from blogging is because I was cast away to the depths of the countryside with no internet, for a training course. What can I do?
I came back last night, full of Christmas cheer, and ready to start the Christmas preparations. Only to be met with doooom: my boyfriend has been struck down, in the prime of his festive feelings, with swine flu. [Pause for sympathy.] 
Now, when one has the flu, reading a hefty tome just doesn't seem like the most appealing of plans. In fact, sometimes all your brain can manage is some literature for Young Things. This prompted much discussion between the two of us about Diana Wynne Jones – an author we both loved when we were young* – and her best book.
I personally have a soft spot for Tale of Time City, a time-travel adventure with a World War II evacuee being scooped up and taken to the future (by mistake) for some danger and mayhem. Wynne Jones is brilliant: she creates magical worlds and objects, often juxtaposed with 'reality' (see also Black Maria, and Howl's Moving Castle) for extra added 'oomph', but what makes her books really stand out is that blended along with the fantastic are some quite serious themes of friendship, loneliness, family, and old age.
Josh's choice was Archer's Goon, a book I know little about, having never read it. So I sallied forth to procure a copy for the invalid, but alas, I was thwarted at every turn. Not only were there no copies of Archer's Goon in our corner of London – for full disclosure, I went into two proper bookshops and several charity shops – there were no Diana Wynne Jones books stocked at all.
I was actually very surprised. There was plenty of Jacqueline Wilson, Jill Murphy (of Worst Witch fame) and the notorious Stephanie Meyer; but no Diana Wynne Jones. In fact, one of the shop attendants hadn't even heard of her. Distressed, I left the shop with her name and earnestly recommended that they consider stocking her books ("She's not just popular with the kids, she's good!").
I am, though, forced to conclude that Diana Wynne Jones is just not 'hip' any more. A thought that fills me with woe. So I urge you to remind your local bookshop that Diana Wynne Jones is for life, not just for Christmas (in 1985).
P.S. I'd also recommend the film of Howl's Moving Castle. It barely resembles the book (and sometimes suffers for it), but it's nonetheless a beautifully made and very entertaining film.

* I blogged about having found one of her books in a charity shop the other week, so perhaps this post is slightly melodramatic. But I stand by it! Just as one swallow a summer does not make, one Diana Wynne Jones book is simply not enough.

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New York Review of Books: the classics

Posted by Jenny | Posted in Uncategorized | Posted on 08-12-2009

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Now, I love my classics. The ones I've read, at any rate, I don't profess to have an encyclopaedic knowledge, and certainly there are some classics that I've been intending and wanting to read and just… haven't got around to it yet (e.g. War and Peace, my secret shame).

Great as those are, though, those books that are generally held up to be 'classics' are not the only kind of worthy literature and there are some absolutely wonderful books of all stripes which don't get touted about quite so much. As this article gleefully points out, sometimes it's delightfully refreshing to be faced with a list of 'classics' that isn't the usual list of: Dickens, Austen, Dostoyevsky, Shakespeare. 
So thanks, Chris Cox of The Guardian! I've been perusing the New York Review of Books' list of 'classics' with interest that borders on the excessive. I confess to having almost none of them, but have come to the conclusion that there aren't too many books on the list that I don't want to read (although I'll give the gardening ones a miss, thanks). A couple of them have already been on my reading list, for which I give myself a pat on the back, and it's reminded me that I wanted to read something by Tove Jansson; but other authors I haven't even heard of and now desperately want to know more about. Surely, the essence of a good book list?
It covers novels, history, journals, travel writing… a whole wealth of genres, styles and you-name-its. Which means that this is going to be also pretty good for giving me some good Christmas ideas for some of the people who've made it onto my Christmas list. Just call me Santa Claus.

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Where book sales are, there I'll be

Posted by Jenny | Posted in Uncategorized | Posted on 02-12-2009

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I know I've made it very clear just how I feel about Borders, which a few days ago went into administration, but I'm wise enough to recognise that even in the most soulless of bookshops, you can find good books. And when those good books are half-price, it can be worth holding one's breath and diving right in.

Of course, this is just a fancy way of legitimising my trip to Borders today, to take advantage of their closing down sale. There are sales across the store of generally 20%-30% which isn't too bad. What got me hooked in, though, was the enticing 50% discount in the Politics section. Ah, lovely.
So I dived into the carnage, and rescued two gems from the rapidly sinking ship:
This is actually written by the author of the book that I'm currently reading, Politics of the Ancient Constitution. I was most gleeful to find this little treasure sitting on the shelf. One thing I do love about Glen Burgess is that he devotes his time to writing about some of my particular points of interest.
Or, perhaps more appropriately put, I have a keen enthusiasm for the subjects of his books. 
This one has discussions of resistance and the Marian exiles (gits), the divine right of kings, the Levellers (not the band), and Thomas Hobbes, and all the political, theological and legal dialogue and theories of resistance that went along with it. Wonderful. 
This truly is about as happy as a book can make me. 
Really, I could have stopped right there. But I am, above all things, a book-glutton. So I couldn't resist picking up Frantz Fanon's Black Skin, White Masks. Fanon was born in Martinique, and wrote this during his experiences of living in France. 
I read a couple of chapters of this at university for a class, and it was brilliant. I never got beyond that reading, although I always meant to; unfortunately, there were always more classes, and ever more reading (not that I was complaining). Then, horror of horrors, I left university to become a 'grown-up' – and if ever there were a laughable concept, that would be it – and my access to vast reams of excellent books dried up rather.
So I was really pleased to see this. I remember being fascinated by his reflections on language. The specific substance I can only vaguely remember as it was a long time ago, but it was all very exciting.
I feel as though I have done well today.

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When in need: read.

Posted by Jenny | Posted in Uncategorized | Posted on 01-12-2009

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Today was a rough day. The kind of day that makes you mewl woefully and wish it were bedtime already. So, I did what I always do when times get rough: I made straight for the first charity shop and picked up some new, entirely unnecessary books. 

Welcome to my (already, admittedly over-large) collection! I didn't previously think that you could get 'variety' with only two books, but I think I may just have achieved it here.
The Romantics
The Romantics
Pankaj Mishra



















On one side, we have Diana Wynne Jones. She who wrote some of the best books of my childhood. Sometimes, just sometimes, it's nice to recapture those days. She is also legitimately a good writer, and I still enjoy her books today. I don't think his can even classify as a 'guilty pleasure'.
On the other side, a newcomer in the ring. I saw this and thought it looked dashed intriguing. It's a first novel by Indian writer Pankaj Mishra. I haven't read this one before, so can't offer a review, but I will comment that if you do come across it, it does look like an interesting one. 
You know what? I do feel better. 

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