I Capture the Castle

I have just finished I Capture the Castle, a book by Dodie Smith I read a long time ago and had completely and happily forgotten, so it was like reading a new book except I knew I would like it.  It has one of the best first lines: "I write this sitting in the kitchen sink."

Although the setting is romantic - a ruined castle with a poverty-stricken family whose former bread-winner has writer's block - it is the story and developing character of the narrator, 17-year-old Cassandra and her family which is the point of the book.  Cassandra writes in her journal what happens when the family, at their wits' end regarding generating enough income, meet a rich American family who have inherited the local stately home.

Cassandra's older sister Rose is determined to marry for money.  Stephen, almost adopted brother, has fallen for Cassandra.  Topaz is the passionate 'muse' and ex-artist's model who makes for a wonderfully eccentric stepmother.

What I like about these characters is that they are rounded:  although Topaz, for example, goes naked in the rain, she also is very practical about cleaning the house.  Rose isn't completely mercenary either, and Stephen ends up doing something completely different from what you'd expect.

I also loved the description of the seasons in England, and the atmosphere of living in a moated castle.  Also the impression that England and English have on the Americans; Dodie emigrated to the USA from England, so she knows:  one American says that fall is melancholy here and it isn't in the States.  I have had that difference in feeling too, though mine was the other way round, maybe from homesickness.

And then Cassandra falls in love... you'll have to read the book to find out what happens then.

Self-improvement bookpile

This is my bookpile in the kitchen.  It doesn't have any fiction in it - which is what I mainly read.  That pile is in the sitting room and is mostly library books.  This pile has reference books in it - poetry, art, self-help - and is mostly half-finished books.  Maybe my project for 2012/13 is to finish off the half-done ones!  See 'Stuck in a Book' and other book blogs for other 2012 book project ideas.

The Magician's Assistant by Ann Patchett

I liked this book, which was gently readable despite potentially depressing subjects - AIDS, unrequited love, family conflicts. It was good to read a book that dealt with an unusual relationship of a woman who has finally married the man she loves - who is gay and is not in love with her.  His gay partner has recently died of AIDS.  The woman is left to mourn him after his sudden death - and her partnership with him as magician's assistant must also end - though it has future benefits she does not foresee.

Then she is called to Nebraska to meet his relatives, hitherto unknown to her.  Although this could have been the last straw of a painful life, it is not at all - and there are interesting worlds to explore: the sunlit luxury of LA and small-town, snow-bound Nebraska; the making of magic tricks, and the generosity of the family she gets to know. I loved the bits about magic, and the optimism of life moving on and new beginnings.

News re Murder Must Advertise - on BBC 7!

Have just discovered that this last book I reviewed is being broadcast, with the great Ian Carmichael as Lord Peter Wimsey, on BBC 7.  Catch up on episodes with the i-Player by going to this link:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00f9wxy/episodes/player.  There are 5 days left to listen to the first episode.

Murder Must Advertise!

This book is by Dorothy L Sayers and is fresh, funny and relevant today as a critique of advertising, capitalism etc in a humourous way.  The author worked for 11 years as a copywriter so she is questioning rather than biting the hand that feeds her.. and her experience adds to the sparkle and the satire of this very readable detective story.  Lord Peter Wimsey, her creation, part Jeeves, part Wooster - very debonaire and clever, has been invited to work incognito in an ad agency after a suspicious death.  His expensive shoes are remarked on, but generally he disguises his usual suave demeanour and starts to enjoy earning a living.  The plot develops well, with humour, style and good writing and a great cricket match even if you don't have a clue about cricket, though some of the vocabulary needs a glossary.  Read!

Katharine McMahon's favourite books

Hi - I have just read Lovereading's latest recommendations and shamelessly voted for Mary Renault for the 'Lost Booker' prize as I loved her books as a teenager. (I say shamelessly as I haven't read them - and there must be strong competition from Muriel Spark and Patrick White and the others - great reputations as writers.)  'The Bull from the Sea' was the Mary Renault book I remember - about Theseus and Ariadne from A's point of view.

Anyway, Katharine McMahon is guest editor this month, and has chosen her favourite books .  I think 'Stuck in a Book' will like these too! 

I'm reading 'The Road Home' by Rose Tremain right now and enjoying it, though it is a bit close to home as I have some Polish friends - while their story is different, the 'no jobs' situation is the same as the hero of this book.  Let's hope Poland does have jobs from joining the EEC...

I also enjoyed KM's The Rose of Sebastopol and The Alchemist's Daughter (you can find out about those through the link at 'favourite books' and read extracts).

And now the season is almost right for reading outside - have preempted summer by sitting against my apple tree with my book and tea and Hot Cross bun!

A daily book of Buddhist slogans: Always Maintain a Joyful Mind

'Always Maintain a Joyful Mind: and Other Lojong Teachings on Awakening Compassion' by Pema Chodron is very easy to use every day to give you something useful to focus on.  I could say something 'spiritual' to focus on, but that could put people off who don't believe in God - these teachings are useful in taking us outside of our inward-looking selves, our egos, whatever we believe.

It consists of 59 'slogans' or one-line instructions designed to wake you up.  They are ancient Tibetan 'lojong' teachings.  Each slogan occupies a page, and on the opposite page there is a short commentary by Pema Chodron.  The idea is that you open a page every day and let that be the theme for the day.

  

Pema Chodron is a Buddhist nun and teaching director in an abbey in Nova Scotia, who has written many popular books on Buddhist teachings.  She is American; I think she is popular as she can make Buddhist teachings understandable to a Western audience without diluting their power.  For example, the slogan "Don't talk about injured limbs" has her commentary: "Don't make yourself look good by disguising others' weaknesses."  About "Don't be so predictable" she says: "Don't hold grudges against other people."

What I particularly liked about this book is that Pema Chodron emphasises how we ourselves benefit from behaviour that may look purely altruistic: being generous, kind and less reactive decreases our own suffering as well as that of other people.  I guess that's the point of Buddhism: we look at the blissful face of Buddha and think he got that way by meditating, but that's a Western misconception; he got that way by practicing letting go of his selfishness and developing compassion - and became blissful as a result!