Arthurian Challenge - Take Two!

As you all know, I suck when it comes to challenges (see post below and almost every other challenge post!), and yet I find it incredibly addictive. I feel compelled to sign up so more and more and yet I seem to read everything but the books on my challenge lists! I think it must be the sense of community I get when I join in on a group activity. Well, at least I keep telling myself that.

Anyway, on that note. I failed miserably at the Arthurian Challenge. I read only two books all the way through and started a third. Despite buying or borrowing most of the books on my list. So I've decided to jump at the chance to start again with the uber-flexible Arthurian Challenge 2009-2010, hosted by Becky.

The rules:

When: April 2009 through March 2010
Goal: To read books starring characters found in or inspired by Arthurian legends. (King Arthur, Guinevere, Lancelot, Merlin, Lady of the Lake, etc.) There are no set amount of books. Read one or two. Or read a dozen. You set the amount that feels good to you! Sign up on the challenge page here.

No lists are necessary. You can change your mind on WHAT you reading or should that be WHO you’re reading at any time. If at any time you dislike a book, then feel free to discard it and pick up another. Don’t feel obligated to push through a book you don’t like on my account!!!
What about movies? What about graphic novels? What about comics? What about audio books? Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. All of those things count. So though it says 6-12 books. It can be a variety of things–book, movie, tv show, comic book, graphic novel, etc. Kids books. YA books. Adult books. All count.What about series books? Or series books in all-in-one editions? I’m leaving it up to you. What about short stories or poetry? Yes and yes. Anything really can go. What about rereads? Sure why not!

So rather than beginning a new list or floundering in swamps of yet more books, I shall stick with some of my (un)reads for the last challenge and hope that I get further this time with less pressure!

Isolde: The Maiden of White Hands - Rosalind Miles
Isolde: The Lady of the Sea - Rosalind Miles
The Once and Future King - T.H. White
The Winter King - Bernard Cornwall
Enemy of God - Bernard Cornwall
Excalibur - Bernard Cornwall
Mists of Avalon - Marion Zimmer Bradley
Guenevere: Queen of the Summer Country - Rosalind Miles
Le Morte D'Arthur - Sir Thomas Malory
Idylls of the King - Alfred Tennyson

Herding Cats II - Attack of the Hairballs

I know I know. I said I wasn't going to do any more challenges, and I have been quite rubbish at the ones I have signed up for. But let's just admit that I have a problem and move on...

I really enjoyed the Herding Cats challenge last year, mostly because it was a wonderful way of getting so many recommendations and finding other great bloggers. So many thanks to Renay for hosting this fabulous challenge again.

Here are the rules for Herding Cats II (April 1st, 2009 - December 31st, 2009):

1. Make a list of five books you love. Directions:

• Five. I'm as serious as a beached whale.
• All titles must be books you've read in 2007, 2008 or 2009.
• Please don't list a series; just the first book. If you really want to list a book in the middle of a series, you can, but it has to be that specific book.
• Feel free to share why you're putting the book on your list, because I am nosy.

2. Post your list:

• In your own journal, in the comments here, whatever is fine. Share the list here.
• Lists should be public (no locked entries, no logging in to view).

3. Browse the new book list. Stay a while. Read a few (eta: if you want; not even reading is required this time around if you don't have time to commit to a new challenge but still want to share your favorites).

4. If you review your books, you can share the reviews. You know, if you want. No pressure. Definitely not.

My list of five are a rather eclectic bunch of books, and by no means my favourites of the last couple of years, but books that have really stood out in my memory for whatever reason:

Skellig - David Almond. Because I want everyone to read this beautiful beautiful little book in the vain hope they may be moved as much as me.
The Ice Queen - Alice Hoffman. Another heatbreakingly beautiful read that I have recommended to many friends since. Wonderfully lyrical and inspiring.
Lorelai's Secret - Carolyn Parkhurst. A very difficult and tragic book, struggling with loss, frustration and anger. More than a little disturbing, but has really stayed with me.
Moondust - Andrew Smith. This completely reinvigorated my passion for space travel. I could not have wished for a more informative, entertaining and sometimes moving biography of the Apollo missions and the men that flew them. Worth a read even if you have no interest in space!
The Swarm - Frank Schatzing. A German friend recommended this to me and I ordered several into the shop as soon as it was translated. A gamble to be sure, but oh how it paid off. Part science, part global catastrophe and ultimately a ridiculous but entertaining adventure story. This will appeal to fans of so-called environmental thrillers, though be warned, it does get rather silly. But hey, humpback whales leaping out of the water to destroy small aircraft...thats got to be worth a read! I can only imagine how they'd make a movie out of this one!

So, I've had a browse at the selections of others and the following have already caught my eye...

Garden Spells - Sarah Addison Allen
Tender Morsels - Margo Lanagan
Norwegian Wood - Haruki Murakami
Nation - Terry Pratchett
The Watermelon King - Daniel Wallace
The Thirteenth Tale - Diane Setterfield
The Shadow of the Wind - Carlos Ruiz Zafon

The Good Fairies of New York - Martin Millar

Possibly one of the oddest books I have ever read, this had me chortling all the way to London and back on the train.

The Good Fairies of New York is a story of many, many characters. Right from the off, we meet Morag and Heather, two Scottish thimble fairies, who are transported to New York while escaping the old country and the chaos they left behind them. After a rather amusing and vocal disagreement, the fairies go their separate ways; Heather with the unsociable, ungracious and musically untalented Dinnie, and Morag with the sweet but self-centred Kerry, who suffers from Crohn’s disease. It turns out that Morag and Heather are not the only fairies in New York, in fact the city is rather heavily populated by many races and cultures, just as with the humans. These other fairies aren’t too impressed with events that proceed, Morag and Heather cause many a scene, followed by the tumultuous arrival of other Scottish, English and Irish fairies, hot on their trail.

I won’t give any more details, as it is difficult to summarise the story without utter confusion. As you can imagine, the story descends into absolute chaos, with alcohol, magic mushrooms, music, adventures, fights and laughs aplenty. Good Fairies was a surprisingly quick read and perfect for my frustrating journey to London, keeping my mood light with many a giggle and guffaw. Needless to say I received many a bewildered look from other passengers.

This latest addition has an entertaining introduction from none other than the great Neil Gaiman, and with an endorsement like that, how could not enjoy it. Martin Millar is actually British, which comes across in his knowledge of Scottish lore and his style of humour, despite the story being set in New York. I shall definitely be reading more of Millar’s work and highly recommend this to anyone who enjoys fantasy, humour and music.

Other blog reviews:
Stuff as Dreams are Made On

Skellig - David Almond

I owe this entirely to Nick Hornby. Skellig was always a book that jumped out at me when I was working at the bookshop, but despite it being very short, I somehow never read it. Until Nick Hornby, self-confessed YA fiction-phobic author extraordinaire wrote his fabulous review in one of his Believer columns (Shakespeare Wrote for Money).

Skellig is the tale of love, loss and hope. It is the story of Michael, a young boy whose prematurely born sister is fighting for life in a hospital incubator while he and his family move home to try and make a new start. Michael loves his sister, feels an strange and strong connection with her, but he also feels lonely and detached from the events taking place. His parents attentions elsewhere, Michael spends his time exploring the new house and garden, and becoming friends with Mina, the home-educated girl next door. But it is the crumbling run-down garage that Michael discovers Skellig, a strange ailing creature huddled in the dark, living off scraps. Is he a man, an owl? Or something very very different?

Skellig could not have been more beautiful if David Almond had tried. It was perfect. A perfect, special tale that brought a tear to my eye and a lump in my throat. I could do nothing after putting the book down but sit and smile to myself, bathing in all Skellig's tender glory. Certainly one of the most beautiful books I have ever read, I bought a copy for a friend right away and heartily recommend it to everyone. Thankfully, this is part of the school curriculum for Year Five and Six (9-10 yrs old) in the UK, so most children will get a chance to enjoy Almond's wonderful writing. As for myself, I shall thank Nick Hornby for this one and will be reading more of the great David Almond's work in future.

Skellig has been performed as a radio play, on stage in London and Broadway as an opera, and has recently been made into a television film, starring the indescribably wonderful Tim Roth and will be airing sometime over Easter on Sky One. I for one will be tuning in.

Other blog reviews:
Valentina's Room: "A short novel that feels like a little treasure, special and rare."
Penny's Pages: "This book leaves you with a sense of wonder and hope, because of the mystery it creates."

(let me know if I missed yours)

(p.s. dear readers, please note that I have not used the adjective "gentle" in this review once. surely that deserves a cookie?)

Library Loot

The Perks of Being a Wallflower - Stephen Chbosky
Twilight (audiobook)
My Swordhand is Singing - Marcus Sedgwick
Leviathan - Philip Hoare
Inkspell - Cornelia Funke
How I Live Now - Meg Rosoff
Graceling - Kristin Cashore
Dream Angus - Alexander McCall Smith

I tend to borrow one or two books every couple of weeks from the library, just to satisfy my craving for introducing new books into my home, as I'm still adhering to my book buying ban. This week's is the largest booty I have returned home with, most due to the Once Upon a Time challenge, and other recommendations from bloggers. I've already started on Inkspell!

Once Upon a Time III

I had the pleasure of participating in Carl V's wonderful RIP Challenge last year, so am jumping at the chance to join his other annual challenge, Once Upon a Time. This challenge is about fantasy, fairy tales, folklore and mythology

fan⋅ta⋅sy: a genre that uses magic and other supernatural forms as a primary element of plot, theme, and/or setting.(Wiki)
fairy tale: a fictional story that may feature folkloric characters such as fairies, goblins, elves, trolls, giants, and talking animals, and usually enchantments, often involving a far-fetched sequence of events. (Wiki)
folk⋅lore: the traditional beliefs, legends, customs, etc., of a people; lore of a people; The traditional beliefs, myths, tales, and practices of a people, transmitted orally. (Dictionary dot com)
my⋅thol⋅o⋅gy: a body of myths, as that of a particular people or that relating to a particular person; a set of stories, traditions, or beliefs associated with a particular group or the history of an event, arising naturally or deliberately fostered. (Dictionary dot com)

This is the third year of this challenge, which begins today, Saturday, March 21st and ends Friday, June 2oth. There are many reading options for this challenge, including the very flexible "Journey", so head on over to Carl's site to choose your path and sign up to the challenge!

As I am so rubbish at challenges, I am following Carl's suggestion and will post a “pool of potential reads” rather than a list, although I may well deviate from them anyway! I will be following:

"Read at least 5 books that fit somewhere within the Once Upon a Time III criteria. They might all be fantasy, or folklore, or fairy tales, or mythology…or your five books might be a combination from the four genres."

My pool of potentials (for now!):
My Swordhand is Singing - Marcus Sedgewick
Inkspell - Cornelia Funke
UnLunDun - China Meiville
Dream Angus - Alexander McCall Smith
Dreams Underfoot - Charles de Lint
The Wood Wife - Terri Windling
Tam Lin - Pamela Dean
I am Morgan Le Fay - Nancy Springer
The Complete Fairy Tales - Hans Christian Anderson
The Faery Reel - Ed. Ellen Datlow & Terri Windling
Graceling - Kristin Cashore
Strange Roads - Peter S Beagle
American Gods - Neil Gaiman

Happy reading!

Shakespeare Wrote for Money - Nick Hornby

What a delightful surprise. For some reason, I assumed Housekeeping vs The Dirt contained the last of Nick Hornby's beloved columns for the Believer. So you can imagine how pleased I was to discover that he had continued writing for the literary magazine for two more years (albeit with a little break), and thus another collection had been produced.

What I love about Nick Hornby's columns is that ultimately, he is one of us. Book lover, geek, afficionado. However you want to think of it. He is someone who gets excited about the prospect of going hunting for books, who buys far more than he ever plans to read, someone who can't help himself...just like us. It is this, along with his hilariously witty writing, that makes his columns so readable.

Shakespeare Wrote for Money is a highly enjoyable return to Hornby's wit and honesty, and wonderfully random detours into complete nonsense. Standout moments in this book are Hornby's discovery of young adult fiction, abandoning a month of reading to watch and rant about the World Cup, discovering how ants find their way home.

However, I did not find this collection quite as engaging as Hornby's previous work for the Believer. I did not find as many side-splitting laughs as before, and a lot of the books reviewed did not interest me as much. But that is personal preference of course, and I did pick up several recommendations from this collection, some of which I was already thinking of reading:

Skellig - David Almond
The Accidental - Ali Smith
Field Notes from a Catastrophe - Elizabeth Kolbert
On Chesil Beach - Ian McEwan
Poppy Shakespeare - Clare Allan
The Road - Cormac McCarthy
American Born Chinese - Gene Luen Yang
Tom's Midnight Garden - Philippa Pearce
The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao - Junot Diaz

Definitely worth a read, though I recommend the other two collections even more! Nick Hornby, the worst bad bloggers of all! We'll miss your columns.

Other blog reviews:
Things Mean a Lot

(have I missed yours?)