Some interesting additions to my shelves this week. Firstly Perfect Match by Jodi Picoult arrives courtesy of a quarterly reading magazine and I will be moderating an online discussion of this one for an article in the next issue.
Passion by Jude Morgan has surfaced on the not_trollope online reading list. Certainly not Trollope but it looks like a fascinating historical novel that explores the lives of Byron, Shelley and Keats through the eyes of the women who knew and loved them.I knew the minute I heard about it that I would want to read it and it will be great to chat online about this one with people reading it all over the world.The Ballad of the Sad Cafe by Carson McCullers, a SHill recommend and there's really no arguing with her, she is very persuasive in the nicest possible way.I've read it already, report to follow.
The Tattooed Girl by Joyce Carol Oates, and thanks to ExLibris blogger and fellow bookaholic Sharon in Ohio for this.We have a little cross-cultural book exchange thing going, quintessential English in exchange for likewise American reading.Elizabeth's Taylor and Von Arnim pass JCO & Co somewhere over the mid-Atlantic.
Then finally some books to start my next planned literary journey.My armchair reading passport was stamped with excursions to Canada and Russia last winter, next trip is to Japan.This is probably in part down to Amelie who has given me a flavour of Japanese culture that begs to be explored through the literature.
Jane Smiley is to blame for The Tale of Genji by Murasaki Shikibu, written a thousand years ago and the first of her 100 books you must read in 13 Ways of Looking at the Novel. I'd spotted it in Waterstone's on several occasions but couldn't actually lift it off the shelf. Weighing in at 3lbs 8ozs, not a book for the work bag, in fact it's small baby size and could do with a crib of its own.It will need judicious propping if I'm not to cut off the circulation to my legs. So far I am pleasantly surprised,it is wonderfully readable and in daily, chapter at a time instalments I am being gently initiated into court life in medieval Japan.
Junichiro Tanizaki was lurking in the 'T' section of my Book of Books with The Makioka Sisters and I added in Some Prefer Nettles as the reviews looked promising and why waste the free postage once you've hit the figure? Quick background research on Tanizaki looks fascinating and more suggestions welcome, I know I get some visitors here from Japan. The CanLit crowd were more than generous with their suggestions when I put out the plea on librarything and my journey through Canadian literature was all the more fulfilling as a result.
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