Book Review: Running The Rift, by Naomi Benaron

Genocide is a difficult subject to write about, but Benaron has done a good job here.

The story starts with Jean Patrick, a young Rwandan boy, deciding that he will become a runner and his goal is to represent his country at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics. However, Jean Patrick is a Tutsi (the minority ethnic group in Rwanda), so the way ahead will never be smooth. We follow him through secondary school and university as he gets ever closer to his dream, running Olympic qualifying times with ease and meeting the Rwandan president. At the same time through other characters we hear of the growing unrest in the country and the underlying tensions between Hutus and Tutsis which are continually threatening to bubble to the surface. Jean Patrick, however, is content to bury his head in the sand when it comes to politics and focus on his Olympic goal. He believes that if he can just keep running and represent Rwanda in the Olympics he will have done his bit for national unity and everything will be ok. Then there comes a day in April 1994 when the Rwandan president dies and hell is unleashed within the country. Genocide (the systematic slaughter of Tutsis by their Hutu neighbours) begins and Jean Patrick and everyone he has ever cared about are caught right in the middle of it.

Obviously, with such a stark and harrowing subject matter this is not an easy book to read, but it is a rewarding one. There is a huge amount of background information, about the events in both immediate and colonial and pre-colonial history which eventually led to the genocide in Rwanda, woven into the story and I was very grateful for this insight. I knew about the Genocide and how it unfolded prior to reading this, but not the reasons why it happened. Mercifully for the reader, the section describing the genocide is relatively short but Benaron does not shy away from describing what happened and makes it very clear that people were being killed by people they had previously considered neighbours and even friends. The subject matter is dealt with with humanity and compassion without ever seeking to sanitize what happened. 

The novel ends 4 years after the genocide, with some of the main characters attempting to come to terms with what happened and move forward with their lives. There is a real sense of hope as the novel draws to a close, although the reader is left deeply affected and desperately hoping that lessons have been learnt from this bleak period in recent history.

This is a novel about genocide, yes, but it is also a novel about humanity (finding the humanity in every person), forgiveness, identity and ethnicity, and about love. I think Naomi Benaron has achieved a lot with this novel. She writes beautifully and really manages to transport the reader to the Rwandan hillsides she describes, as well as making the reader feel at home with Rwandan culture and customs. She uses two American characters to continually question the validity of her writing and even her right to write about Rwandan society as an outsider looking in. Susanne, the American woman, often makes naive statements and assumptions about Rwanda that make the Rwandans bristle as in the following exchange:

"Aren't they sweet? They go to primary school near my project slopes, when they're not too busy helping in the fields. I wish I could adopt everyone of them,"

Bea stiffened. "Probably they are happy where they are." Susanne had stumbled into another sin, but she didn't seem to notice.

The interview with the author, in my edition of the book, is particularly interesting and she explains this when asked if it gave her pause to assume the perspective of another culture:

It gave me pause everyday while I was working on the novel and it continues to give me pause today. The situation is particularly complicated because it is not just one person assuming the perspective of another. It is, in fact, a political question, because it involves the appropriation of a colonised culture by someone who stands for the coloniser. As much as I would like to refuse this label, I could not be honest with myself if I did not come to terms with it. This meant that I had to approach Rwandan culture with humility, respect and honesty; I had to be vigilant to avoid stereotypes and false representation.

Also contained within my edition is an essay by the author entitled "Fiction and Social Responsibility: Where do they intersect?" which addresses the idea of whether fiction is even a suitable medium to be discussing such huge issues as genocide, or whether it in fact demeans them. This is a very interesting and insightful read and the message of it rings true with me as a reader. We cannot turn away from these powerful, brutal and often unpalatable issues, but fiction makes more people able to grasp the reality of events such as the Rwandan genocide and therefore be affected by and act upon the injustices they read about. To quote Naomi Benaron one last time:  The literature of social justice changes the world one reader at a time.

This is a powerful, affecting and unsettling book, but you should read it.

5 incredible books about Africa (non-fiction)

I have always been fascinated by Africa. I first visited the continent on honeymoon 14 years ago, have visited a total of 7 African countries to date and have now been living in Kenya for nearly 3 years. 

I was attracted by the wild beauty of many of the countries, the vast swathes of empty space and of course the iconic wildlife. As I grew older and a social and political consciousness began to kick in I became interested in the development of the nations on the continent,  their move from colonialism to independence and their current economic situation. I also began thinking about the history and the future of Europeans in Africa - a difficult, emotive and politically sensitive area. 

The books I have chosen below touch on all these areas and have all moved me and left a lasting impression on me. I am not normally a lover of non-fiction but these books are all very readable - in fact more than that they are highly addictive and totally unputdownable. Please read them. You will want to talk about them (and the issues they raise) with everyone you know once you have finished!

And if you have read any other great non-fiction books about Africa, please comment and recommend them - I am always looking for more to read!

Blood River, by Tim Butcher

It is a few years now since I read this book, but I still think about it. It tells of the author's journey through the Democratic Republic of Congo, a journey that he was warned was madness to attempt as the country was in an on-off state of civil war and one of the most dangerous countries in the world. Alongside this journey the reader also learns the story of the intrepid Victorian explorers who first travelled the length of the Congo River, and of the heartbreaking history of the country. Butcher's journey is contrasted by details of a journey along the river that his mother took in the 1950s. The comparison between the Congo of the 1950s and the Congo of the early 21st century were the most fascinating and eye opening parts of the story for me. The idea of the jungle claiming back all the previous development is a powerful one, and one that has certainly stayed with me.

The story of Butcher's journey is gripping and he does not shy away from acknowledging his fear and vulnerability when reflecting on the dangers he may face. He describes his interactions with the ordinary Congolese with warmth and empathy and the reader is left really feeling for these people who are forced to go about their every day lives under immense hardship.

Of course the reader is forced to think about colonialism and its impact on the state of the nation today and is left wondering what can be done to help these ordinary Congolese people. It is certainly bleak at times but if you like a book to get you thinking and inspire you to find out more then you will really enjoy this book.

Don't Let's Go to the Dogs Tonight and Cocktail Hour Under the Tree of Forgetfuless, by Alexandra Fuller

Alexandra Fuller is my absolutely favourite discovery of the last year. I just love her writing - the warmth, humour and love that infuse her prose and make you feel as if you are really there alongside her, seeing and feeling the things she describes. Her family begin to feel like old friends and I was very sad to finish both of these books, knowing I would actually miss the people in them!

These books are both memoirs. The first deals with Alexandra's childhood growing up in war-torn Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe) and her memories of this period are so sharp and her childhood voice completely authentic, even though she is writing many years after the events. Some truly shocking events are described and I could not believe that all this was such recent history and yet I had no real idea of the war fought as Rhodesia became Zimbabwe, let alone how people on both sides of the conflict were affected. After I finished I was left with the feeling that I simply must find out more about the history of Rhodesia and Zimbabwe. It is perhaps the only book I can think of that I have read more than once in the space of a year. I am just totally in love with the author's writing and her voice. I really feel as if she is an old friend I have known all my life. That explains why upon finishing I had to immediately embark upon the second of these memoirs "Cocktail Hour Under The Tree of Forgetfulness".

This book concentrates much more on the author's mother, and complements the first book brilliantly as many of the same events are described, but this time from the adult perspective of her mother instead of her own childhood voice. Again the beautiful writing is incredibly evocative of time and place and the sights, sounds, people and scenery of central Africa just come alive for the reader. This is a desperately sad book but also full of humour, and most of all, love. Fuller's love for Africa and her parents, and their love for each other are the real stars of this book. It is much more reflective in tone than "Don't let's go to the dogs tonight " and as such I found myself examining my own conscience and attitudes much more, particularly as a white person currently living in Africa.

Very powerful and thought provoking books. Please read them. Then you will want to tell everyone you know about them too!

The Last Resort, by Douglas Rogers

I devoured this book in one sitting - completely hooked from the very first page. This is an account of the author's parents struggle to stay on their farm in Zimbabwe in the first decade of the 21st Century amid Robert Mugabe's land reform policies. It is utterly gripping as there are many times in the book where real danger is faced by the author and his family, particularly as they go on the election campaign trail with the opposition party; exchange money on the black market; try to secure a new passport on the black market when his mother's passport is cancelled by the government, effectively rendering her stateless; and never knowing whether their farm will be the next one to be forcibly seized.

It is a powerful example of ordinary life continuing in extraordinary circumstances. And the circumstances certainly are extraordinary! At times it is hard to believe that these things were (and still are) actually happening and the documentation of the economic decline of Zimbabwe is terrifying. There is much food for thought here, particularly surrounding identity and whether these white farmers who have lived in Africa for generations really have the right to call themselves African. I would urge everyone to read it... and then discuss it. 

The Shadow of the Sun, by Ryszard Kapuscinski

Ryszard Kapuscinki, a Polish foreign correspondent with forty years experience of Africa has written an engaging, atmospheric and insightful book consisting of a series of snapshots from his time on the continent. We travel with him from Ghana at the dawn of independence through places as diverse as Uganda, Tanzania, Liberia, Mali and many others, trying to understand the essence of Africa, whilst also pointing out that trying to think of "Africa" and "Africans" is an unhelpful generalisation. All the time, the emphasis is on the small details, the everyday struggles of life for the average citizen, coping with poverty, corruption and  revolution. His incredible writing make the people and places leap off the page and the reader truly becomes immersed in Africa and all its vibrant, noisy and colourful details. It is obvious that the author feels a real affection for the continent. The reportage is good but his analysis is what sets this book apart and really got me thinking and questioning my assumptions as a reader. Never, have I underlined so many passages and made so many notes in a book!

Here are a couple of quotes that really sum up the book for me. First describing how the world often views this continent:

Today, as in the past, Africa is regarded as an object, as the stomping ground of colonisers, merchants, missionaries, ethnographers, large charitable organisations...

And secondly the author's observations about the little things:

The world of the average African is different indeed. It is a lean world, of the very simplest, most elementary sort, reduced to several objects: a single shirt, a single bowl, a handful of grain, a sip of water.

There is so much food for thought in this book and so much to gain from reading it - not least you will be completely transported to the Africa Kapuscinki describes. Read it and savour it.

I wanted to end with this quote from another book by Alexandra Fuller: "Scribbling the Cat: Travels with an African Soldier", which sums up for me how my vision of Africa will always be different to the majority of Africans and reminds me that although I live here, my views and opinions will always be those of a privileged outsider.

It was a land of almost breathtaking beauty or of savage poverty; a land of screaming ghosts or of sun-flung possibilities; a land of inviting warmth or of desperate drought. How you see a country depends on whether you are driving through it or living in it. How you see a country depends on whether or not you can leave it, if you have to.

Book Review: Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi

This novel is epic in scale - spanning seven generations of one family. Beginning in the 18th century, in the African Gold Coast (now Ghana) two sisters suffer very different fates - one is sold into slavery and the other becomes the wife of a slave trader.  What follows shows the consequences for subsequent generations and how the slave trade of the 18th and 19th centuries is still affecting people today. Though each chapter covers just a small snapshot in the life of each character, you still feel you get to know those characters. Sometimes the things that happen to them to shape both their lives and the lives of future generations are truly shocking and the book becomes more harrowing and thought provoking as it moves on through the generations and the reader begins to realise the impact of the slave trade on those subsequent generations. There is much for the reader to learn from this book, both in terms of history (the book as a whole tells us about the history of Ghana and it's struggle for independence; and slavery, emancipation and the civil rights movement in the USA) and the more subtle themes of race and identity and the way our history affects us all.

A very powerful and thought provoking read that I would highly recommend.

Best books for 1 year olds

I love reading with one-year-olds. They are just starting to really take an interest in the story and pictures and may even be joining in with a few words. That is why repetition is the key in books for this age group. In fact, thinking about what makes a good book for one year olds I would say: repetition to encourage language development; flaps (nice sturdy ones that aren't going to get damaged by over-enthusiastic toddlers)for interaction and developing hand-eye co-ordination; a fun story; and colourful, interesting illustrations. The following books contain all or most of these elements and are tried and tested (and loved!) in our household of 4 children.

Children of this age don't need a vast library of books as they adore having the same story again and again, so a small number of good quality books is all that is necessary and these four titles would make a solid start to your home library.

I hope you enjoy reading them with your children and please comment with your own suggestions of fantastic books for one-year-olds.

Dear Zoo, by Rod Campbell

Large, bold illustrations in the centre of a white page really draw the eye to the animals in the pictures of this charming story. A child wants a pet and writes to the zoo. The zoo send him a variety of packages - lift the flap to discover what is inside each package - but each each one gets sent back as they are unsuitable. Until the zoo sends a puppy. Children love lifting the flaps and soon learn to join in with the words about why the animal was sent back - too big, too tall, too scary etc- and with the refrain "I sent him back". Really good fun and excellent for building vocabulary. 

Where's Spot?, By Eric Hill

Another lift-the-flap book, loved by generations of children. The puppy Spot has gone missing and his mummy is looking for him. Children lift the flaps to see if Spot is in each place and every time another animal is behind the door, under the bed, inside the clock etc and the answer is always a resounding "no!". This book was the first one that my daughter started joining in with, with a loud and clear "no!". Of course, Spot is found in the end, but with much fun along the way. 

Hippo has a hat, by Julia Donaldson

Characterised by Julia Donaldson's fantastic rhyming text and the bright and fun illustrations by Nick Sharratt, this book is sure to become a favourite. It is a delightful romp through a clothes shop with a group of animals trying on different clothes as they prepare for a party. It is great for building vocabulary (particularly animals and items of clothing) and is sure to make both child and reader giggle. It even finishes with the superb line "let the party start!". Great fun!

Peepo!, by Janet and Allan Ahlberg

This has been a firm favourite in our house since the birth of my first child nearly 10 years ago. There is more text than in the other books suggested here, but the memorable rhyming text; repetition of key lines such as "here's a little baby, 1,2,3" and of course the iconic "peepo!"; beautifully detailed illustrations; and the clever hole in each page for you to peep through, manage to keep a child interested throughout what is actually quite a long book. This makes it a great book for encouraging an increased attention span in your child, at the same time as developing observational and vocabulary skills from looking at the gorgeous pictures. This is great fun to read together and talk about, but be warned: the rhyme will stay in your head for a VERY long time!

Book Review: I let you go, by Clare Mackintosh

It is quite difficult to write a review of a thriller without spoilers, but I will do my best! This novel opens with a harrowing description of a hit and run accident in which a 5 year old boy dies. Straight away the reader is hooked! 

We then cut to the story of a woman running away from something in her past and starting a new life in a remote Welsh coastal community. This setting is brought beautifully to life and you can almost hear the waves and feel the spray from the sea which is ever present in this part of the book. 

A third story is also woven into this book - that of a violent relationship between a husband and wife, told from the husband's viewpoint. 

Interspersed with these stories is the work of the two police officers investigating the hit and run and the developing relationship between them.

So you can see that this novel, has a fairly complex plot structure, but it works. In fact I think it is very effective. The reader is drip fed small pieces of information from each strand of the narrative, helping them to gradually make up the whole picture, but not without some brilliantly unexpected plot twists! There is a huge twist in the plot at the end of part one, and I really did not see it coming. Then in the second part of the book the tension really mounts as we learn more about the abusive relationship and the reader begins to fear for the safety of the man's wife.

The main characters of Jenna, and the two police officers, Kate and Ray, are well drawn and though their flaws are entirely believable they remain very likeable.

This book won the Theakston Old Peculiar Crime Novel of the Year Award in 2016 and I can see why. It is a well-written, suspenseful thriller with a clever structure and plot. It also explores the difficult topic of domestic violence and its long-lasting effects on the people involved. If you like thrillers, this is a good example of the genre and definitely worth a read.

This was Clare Mackintosh's debut novel and her second novel "I See You" was published in 2016. I will definitely be reading that too!

Must-Read Australian booklist for Australia Day.

Today is Australia Day - what better way to mark it than recommending some great books about Australia and my favourite Australian authors??

English Passengers, by Matthew Kneale

This is a stunning book. Kneale writes about the whole Vctorian period, summing up racial, social and religious beliefs of the time, through a journey from England to the colony of Tasmania. Parallel to the story of the journey is the story of the Aboriginal people of Tasmania and their brutal treatment at the hands of the colonists. This strand of the novel is shocking and incredibly sad, but this is balanced, and somehow emphasised, by the humour (at times of an almost slapstick quality) that is prevalent though out the book. This book made a lasting impression on me when I first read it 14 years ago, and I would definitely recommend it.

The Thorn Birds, by Colleen McCullough 

I am sure that the seventies tv show did not do the reputation of this book any favours.... When you think of the Thorn Birds, most people think of a slightly trashy, overly romantic epic series that their mum used to watch and obsess about. However, if you can move past that, this is a fantastic book. I first read it as a teenager and I really fell in love with the Australia described by McCullough - the vast open spaces of the Outback where the family ranch lies. This book alone evoked a desire in me to visit Australia and see this incredible landscape imprinted in my mind from this beautiful book, and I am pleased to say that I travelled to Australia in 2000 and was indeed moved by its awesome landscape. A re-reading last year confirmed for me that the sense of place and the setting of the novel are the real stars of this book, but the plot of this epic family saga spanning several generations certainly makes for a gripping read. It is very long and there are very many characters (almost too many, as I felt at times that some of the characters were a little one-dimensional), but definitely worth reading, to totally lose yourself in another world- the beauty, splendour and isolation of the Australian Outback.

Red Dog, by Louis de Bernieres 

Any dog lovers out there should definitely read this book, and have the tissues handy. It is a very short book recounting the life of Red Dog who travels around the unforgiving Pilbara region of north-west Australia (a little like the Littlest Hobo) and the relationships he forms with the various people he adopts. Louis de Bernieres manages to make both the landscape and the people come alive and he writes with a great deal of warmth and affection. A little gem of a book.

The Slap, by Christos Tsiolkas

This book is fairly controversial and has provoked polarised opinions in reviews. Personally, I thought it was great - uncomfortable to read, yes, and it does not do much to promote your faith in humanity but compelling none the less. 

At a barbecue in suburban Melbourne, a 4 year old child is slapped by someone who is not his parent. The fallout from this is huge - a court case ensues and marriages, friendships and families are divided over which side to take. 

There is a very large cast of characters and each chapter is told from the viewpoint of a different character so the reader views events in many different ways. Several of the characters are deeply unpleasant and their actions at times repellent, but in an almost voyeuristic way, you have to keep on reading. 

This is a very thought-provoking novel touching on issues such as: identity, racism and how it feels to be an immigrant trying to integrate whilst holding on to your own culture and traditions; corporal punishment; different  parenting styles and the right of people to parent in the way they see fit; and the difficulties of marriage and family life. I think it is definitely worth a read, but afterwards you may not be able to say that you "enjoyed" it.

Now for my 2 favourite Australian authors - I would pretty much recommend anything they have written, but describe a couple of favourites here....

Peter Carey:

True History of the Kelly Gang - this won the Booker prize in 2001 and it's easy to see why. It is a novel unlike anything else, where Carey completely transports the reader to the 19th Century and the life of the notorious bush ranger, Ned Kelly. Carey has written in the voice of Kelly, uneducated and barely literate and this is what helps to totally immerse the reader in the time and place, but also means that it can be hard to get into. A page turning adventure and a mind-blowing accomplishment from this talented author.

Oscar and Lucinda - Another Booker prize winner. This time an epic story of undeclared love between two very unusual characters (Oscar and Lucinda!) spanning two continents and most of the 19th century. It is the beautifully drawn characters that really make this novel. It is rather long, but stick with it, the writing is fabulous!

30 Days in Sydney: a wildly distorted account - Carey returns to Sydney after a seventeen year absence and writes about his experiences, trying to find the essence of the place. It is very readable and as someone who has visited Sydney at around the time he was writing this I found it very interesting. This short book is hard to categorise - it's not a memoir and it's not a travelogue or guidebook, but the personal stories share space with the history and geography of the city. Sydney is a unique city and this book manages to convey a real sense of the place and its diverse inhabitants. 

Kate Grenville:

After reading The Secret River, I was hooked by Grenville's writing and went on to seek out as many of her other books as I could find. The Secret River and Sarah Thornhill are 2 of my favourite ever books. They deal with culture clashes between early white settlers and the the indigenous people on the banks of the Hawkesbury river in the18th and 19th centuries, and are described in detail here:http://thisreadingmummy.blogspot.co.uk/2017/01/ten-books-i-would-recommend-to-everyone.html

I was then inspired to read Searching for The Secret River,which is Grenville's fascinating account of how she researched and wrote The Secret River and how the book grew from research about her own ancestors. It is not often that a reader gets a glimpse into the mind and process of a writer and this is a real treat, allowing a little understanding of how an idea becomes a novel. Very readable and enjoyable and compliments the novel perfectly. 

The Lieutenant is another novel by Kate Grenville set in Sydney at the time it was first established as a British settlement. The eponymous lieutenant is Daniel Rooke, an astronomer sent out with the First Fleet, who is uncomfortable with the way his colleagues attempt to interact with the local Aboriginal people. The novel documents his burgeoning relationships with the Aborigines and how this is viewed by his military colleagues. It is interesting to learn that the character of Daniel Rooke is based upon the real person William Dawes. 

With The Idea of Perfection Grenville proved to me that she could write about subjects other than the early colonisation of Australia. This novel tells the story of the unlikely romance blossoming between Douglas Cheeseman and Harley Savage, two people who have given up on love. The setting is an eccentric small town in rural NSW and both the setting and characters are wonderfully drawn. Grenville brings their awkwardness, embarrassment and affection vividly to life in this touching and gently humorous tale.

I'd love for you to comment and share your own Australian favourites.

Some literary love for Valentine's Day

It can't have escaped your notice that today is Valentine's Day, so I decided to wrack my brains for my favourite literary love stories. This list probably doesn't contain the normal literary greats and epic love stories but they are here because they are my favourites and I love the 2 central characters and the relationship that is portrayed. I have read each of these books many times and never fail to be moved by the love! Give them a try.

Pride and Prejudice, by Jane Austen is  a novel that you probably would expect to turn up on a list like this. It's an iconic story of love between 2 people who don't realise that they love each other for quite a long time. The relationship between Elizabeth Bennett and Mr Darcy is a slow burner full of false starts and setbacks and surrounded by other people's mistakes in love. A gentle story full of wit and humour and some very likeable characters. If you have never read Austen and you fancy some romance on Valentine's Day, this is a great place to start. And, as my husband pointed out, this is the only novel on my list with a happy ending so a nice feel-good book too, the literary equivalent of a hug!

Cold Mountain, by Charles Frazier is set during the American Civil War and describes the perilous journey of Inman, a wounded soldier who deserts the battlefield and tries to get home to Cold Mountain and Ada, the woman he loved before the war began. In parallel to Inman's story we hear of Ada's struggle to make a living from her father's land following his death. Neither Ada nor Inman knows if the other is still alive but their memories and thoughts of their imagined future together are what keeps them going through hardship and adversity. Frazier's writing is lyrical and beautiful and the time and place really comes alive. A truly haunting novel. 

The Constant Gardener, by John LeCarre is probably not what you think of when you think of great love stories in literature but Tessa and Justin Quayle are one of my favourite literary couples. Theirs is not a happy story, as the novel begins with Tessa's death and the rest of the novel follows Justin's all-consuming quest to uncover the conspiracy she had stumbled upon that led to her death. However, the story of their relationship is beautiful and Justin's loyalty in the face of much criticism of both Tessa and their relationship is truly moving. This novel is a fast paced thriller and a real page turner but also a heart breaking love story. 

Atonement, by Ian McEwan is an epic novel, spanning most of the twentieth century and begins when 13 year old Briony Tallis witnesses an encounter and the beginning of a budding relationship between her older sister Cecilia and Robbie Turner, the housekeeper's son. The way she interprets what she sees has far reaching consequences that mean that, despite their love, Robbie and Cecilia will be unable to be together. This is an incredibly moving examination of love, war and regret and a book that will stay with you for a very long time.

 Captain Corelli's Mandolin, by Louis de Bernieres is a stunning novel - unusual in both form and style and sweeping in scope. It takes place during the Italian occupation of Cephallonia in the Second World War and tells of the blossoming love between Italian army Captain Antonio Corelli and his Cephallonian host Pelagia. Another tragic story, with an ultimately uplifting ending and writing so beautiful and lyrical that quotes are often used in marriage ceremonies.

Love is a temporary madness, it erupts like volcanoes and then subsides. And when it subsides you have to make a decision. You have to work out whether your root was so entwined together that it is inconceivable that you should ever part. Because this is what love is. Love is not breathlessness, it is not excitement, it is not the promulgation of promises of eternal passion. that is just being in love, which any fool can do. Love itself is what is left over when being in love has burned away, and this is both an art and a fortunate accident. Those that truly love have roots that grow towards each other underground, and when all the pretty blossoms have fallen from their branches, they find that they are one tree and not two.

This really is a must-read.

What is your favourite love story?

3 Awesome Books Set in Japan

 February 11th is Japan National Foundation Day, so I am marking this occasion by recommending 3 awesome books set in Japan. All 3 of these books have that magical ability to transport the reader to another time, place or culture, and all 3 are completely and utterly absorbing. Try them - you won't be disappointed. And you will definitely want to visit Japan.

Memoirs of a Geisha, by Arthur Golden

This book truly provides a window on another world. It begins in 1920s Japan and follows the life of Chiyo a young girl from a small fishing village whose life changes forever when her mother dies and she is taken to become a geisha, eventually becoming the famous and celebrated geisha Sayuri. Beautifully written, fascinating, moving and incredibly evocative of time and place. This book will stay with you.

The Thousand Autumns of Jacob de Zoet, by David Mitchell

The Japan described in this novel is so different from anything imaginable to modern western culture - completely closed off from the rest of the world, except for the man-made island of Dejima in the bay of Nagasaki, a trading post between Japan and the Dutch. 17th/18th Century Japan really comes alive off the page, thanks to Mitchell's incredible writing. The opening chapter describes a birth in riveting detail and the details are what makes this novel so special. It is long, but gripping, moving and total immersion for the reader. One of the best novels I have read in a very long time. Read it and be transported.

A Tale for the Time Being, by Ruth Ozeki

A package containing a diary washes up on a Vancouver Island beach and is found by Ruth. The diary is that of a teenage girl Nao, charting her troubled return to school in Japan after a period living in America. She is bullied and her father is depressed, so the subject matter is bleak and reveals some unsavoury aspects of Japanese culture. The narrative switches between the story of Ruth, a Canadian writer of Japanese heritage who becomes obsessed with finding out if the events and people described in the diary are true, and Nao's diary, where she tells about her grandmother Jiko, a 104 year old nun and her kamikaze pilot great-uncle, in addition to her own story. Again, this novel immerses the reader in Japanese culture, but of a totally different kind to the previous novels recommended. This is a very rewarding, multi-layered book which also touches on quantum physics, French philosophy and Zen Buddhism. This is a book of many emotions, deeply shocking, tragic and thought provoking. It truly stretches the mind and is definitely worth the read.

Have you read any awesome books about Japan? Or any Japanese authors? Please tell me about them and make your own recommendations...

Ten books I would recommend to EVERYONE

This was a difficult list to compile. As someone who reads upwards of 50 books a year, narrowing it down to recommend just a few out of all the books you have read is really hard. But these books all moved me, spoke to me, taught me things, shaped my world view or simply made me so lost in a different world that I actually grieved when the reading experience was over. And of course these books have stayed with me, some of them for many years. Some have been re-read time and again, but for others the emotions evoked still feel so raw and I still feel so involved with the characters that I don't feel I can go there again...yet. I hope you are inspired to read any you haven't already read and I hope you are as affected by these books as I have been. And please, please comment and leave some recommendations of your own!

To Kill a Mockingbird, by Harper Lee

I first read this book for my English GCSE course and I have re-read it countless times since. There is something very powerful about the story of the prejudices of a town in the American Deep South during the 1930s, being told through the eyes of a lovable, innocent 8 year old child. Reading it as the teenage product of a sheltered, rural English upbringing I realised along with Scout just how awful humans can be to each other and also started to question why this might be. This book was a real eye-opener for me at the time of first reading, but I have continued to come back to it because I love the character of Scout and the way she is not afraid to question what is happening in her hometown. It is funny, touching, moving and thought provoking - a must-read for everyone.

In Cold Blood, by Truman Capote

This is another book that I first read at school, this time as part of my A-level English course, and have revisited it many times. It tells the story of a real-life crime - the brutal murder of an entire family in their remote Kansas farmhouse - and follows the investigation, culminating in the capture and eventual execution of the two men responsible.  This book became an obsession for Truman Capote and the resulting work haunts the reader too. It is a meditation on the nature of crime and punishment and what causes people to commit such terrible acts. It is also a powerful argument against capital punishment and as such it really makes the reader question their fundamental beliefs about the value of human life. Powerful stuff. Read it.

Room, by Emma Donoghue

I think this may be the most affecting book I have ever read. Yes, that sounds like hyperbole, but I honestly could not stop thinking about the two main characters for many months after reading this, always wondering about how their lives had panned out. It is about a woman and her son who are held captive in a tiny room for many years. It sounds horrific and it is, but it goes so far beyond this. What I took away from this novel was a message of love. I felt that in particular it was about a mother's love for her son, the bond between them and ultimately what it means to be a mother. 

We Need to Talk About Kevin, by Lionel Shriver

This is another book with bleak and shocking subject matter. There's no getting away from the fact that it is an uncomfortable read, but it is also utterly engrossing and compelling. It is about a mother who struggles to bond with her child and the shocking acts that child goes on to commit. The mother always believes her child is capable of evil, but her husband refuses to believe her. It is told through a series of letters to her husband in the aftermath of the terrible event perpetrated by the child. It is very cleverly constructed and the whole novel is fraught with tension, building to a devastating and unexpected conclusion. Whilst bleak and uncomfortable to read  it is also an exploration of the nurture versus nature debate causing the reader to reflect on whether a person can be innately evil; an examination of motherhood and the role a mother plays in the development of her children; and a look at perception and the way in which events can be viewed in completely contrasting ways by different people involved in them. Uncomfortable, but thought provoking, affecting, and worth it.

The Woman Who Walked Into Doors, by Roddy Doyle (and it's follow-up Paula Spencer)

This novel tells the story of Paula Spencer a woman living with domestic abuse. It is somewhat bleak and has even been described as depressing, but the feat of writing is extraordinary. Roddy Doyle not only manages to find a totally convincing voice as a woman, but he is also able to infuse this bleak tale with life, humour and hope. Paula's voice is strong and you begin to empathise with her, like her and have hope for her future. 

In the second novel time has moved on and Paula is on the road to recovery. The two novels together show just how far Paula has come, though she is still the flawed but likeable woman from the first novel. Together the novels also make an interesting study of the economic ups and downs of Ireland during the 1990s and on to the boom years of the early 2000s, particularly through the lives of its working class people. A very emotional read (although at times laugh out loud funny) but ultimately uplifting and redemptive, finding hope and the indomitable human spirit in the bleakest of situations.

Americanah, by Chimamanda Ngozie Adiche

Themes of race and identity are uppermost in this novel, which follows the story of a young Nigerian woman who moves to America and blogs about her experiences. It is very readable and Ifemelu is a very likeable character - the reader is completely drawn into her life. It is an eye-opening account of life in America, in particular what it means to be black in America and what it means to be an immigrant in America. Powerful and unforgettable.

The Secret River, by Kate Grenville (and it's follow -up Sarah Thornhill)

This novel explores colonialism and its brutalities and injustices, along with the personal moral quandries faced by the colonialists themselves. It follows a family of early settlers along the Hawkesbury River in New South Wales, Australia, describing their struggles to cultivate the land in an unfamiliar environment, their interactions with the indigenous people already living there and the moral compromises they make in order to be successful and fit in with the settler community. It is beautifully written and the harsh existence of these early settlers in the spectacular but uncompromising landscapes of 18th century  New South Wales is brought vividly to life. While reading I was completely immersed in another time and place. There are times when the subject matter is brutally shocking and other times when it is heart-wrenchingly sad, but it is always compelling.

In the second novel, the eponymous Sarah Thornhill is one of the daughters from the original settler family. It traces her life and marriage and the guilt she feels when she uncovers the truth about how her father built his fortune. The exploration of colonial guilt and whether people truly can be held responsible for the sins of their fathers is what makes this novel stand out for me. 

The Kite Runner, by Khaled Hosseini

This is an epic story of friendship and loss and how one moment can change lives for ever. It is incredibly sad, but beautifully written and the sense of place created is so strong. It also charts the destruction of Afghanistan from a relatively developed country in the 1970s, through the Soviet invasion and Taliban rule, when it becomes a failed state. I found this aspect of the novel incredibly interesting and almost as sad as the personal story being told. It is a book that the reader becomes totally immersed in - impossible to but down.

Our favourite counting books

My children love books. I have 4 kids and they all love books, reading and being read to. I want to share the love, so I am recommending our favourite counting books to read together.

There are many, many, generic counting books that contain pictures on each page of so many items that you are meant to count together with your child. But these are not the ones that set my world on fire. I like my counting books to have a story to go along with them so that the counting is almost incidental and you can still get caught up in the story. These choices all have a story and are all accompanied by amazing illustrations with many fun details to spot and talk about as well as named objects to count.

My one year old daughter loves all these books, for the rhythm of the story and for the pictures. She does not have many words yet but she does make noises to the rhythm of counting as we read these books and 'count' together. But these books really come into their own when you have a preschooler who is actually learning to count with 1-1 correspondence and they will properly count along with you.

My Granny Went to Market: a round-the-world counting book, by Stella Blackstone and Christopher Corr (Barefoot Books)

This book is wonderful on many levels. The story is fun and quirky - who wouldn't love a granny who flies around the world on a magic carpet collecting a variety of interesting objects? The pictures are intricate, colourful and detailed - my children spend a very long time analysing the details in each one and my one-year-old particularly enjoys searching for the different animals in each picture. 

Discussions about geography and different cultures and countries of the world are also bound to arise from this book. The first time we read it my older children rushed to get a map and trace Granny's journey and then a lovely discussion ensued about which countries we would travel to on our own magic carpet. My eldest (9) was even inspired to write her own version of the story. Definitely a favourite in our house!

One Ted Falls out of Bed, by Julia Donaldson and Anna Currey

The story is what drew us into this one. It is an exciting recount of a bear who falls out of bed and all the other toys in the room rush to help him back into bed before the child wakes up and they are discovered. It is great for reading aloud as there are many sound effects to be added! It is characterised by Julia Donaldson's fantastic use of rhyme and rhythm and the beautiful drawings of Anna Currey. This is a really fun book to read and my children get very caught up in the dilemma of whether Ted will make it back into bed or not.

The Very Hungry Caterpillar, by Eric Carle

This is a book that I remember fondly from my own childhood, but which is definitely still loved by children today. The interactive nature of the pictures is what does it for me, how you can put your finger through every single thing that the caterpillar eats (great for counting with 1-1 correspondence) and the bright and colourful illustrations. 

The story of the caterpillar who eats more and more outrageous things each day, before turning into a chrysalis and then a beautiful butterfly, is captivating for young children and again provides opportunities for so much more learning and discussions. You can use it to talk about life cycles, days of the week, or simply to expand vocabulary (particularly of fruit and other foods). A brilliant book.

One Mole Digging A Hole, By Julia Donaldson and Nick Sharratt

Another Julia Donaldson classic! This time her characteristic rhyme is accompanied by the bold and colourful illustrations of Nick Sharratt. My children find the exploits of the animals in this book, who are all gardening in some way or another, very amusing and there is always something to talk about in the pictures. 

Do check these out, and please recommend any of your own favourite counting books.

Happy Counting!

In praise of Kindles (other e-readers are available!)

I LOVE books. That's no secret and I am a bit of a technophobe, so I always said that I would never own a Kindle and that I didn't "agree" with them. I am a purist who loves holding a book, smelling a book, turning the pages and really engaging with the physical book. Libraries and bookshops are two of my favourite places to spend time, and I love to browse the bookshelves of my friends. For obvious reasons, if everyone owned and used e-readers then bookshops and libraries would become very different places and the pleasure of perusing acquaintances' bookshelves to discover if you have a connection through your literary tastes would be lost.

However, 2.5 years ago I moved to Africa. Where there are no libraries and precious few bookshops (we have to drive for 3 hours to reach anything like a proper bookshop). I knew that if I was going to keep up my reading habit I would have to buy a Kindle. So I moved over to the dark side and now I can honestly say that I love it and couldn't be without it. Mine is a bog-standard bottom of the range Kindle, with wi-fi access and buttons to turn the pages (newer models have touch screens to turn the pages, but I like the buttons as it makes reading with one hand much easier - the buttons are on both sides of the Kindle, so you can hold it in either hand.)

So, what's so great about it? Well, it is light and portable and easy to operate with one hand which is a real bonus as a breastfeeding mother.

It fits in the smallest of handbags (I never leave the house without a book, so this is a massive advantage!) and of course since it holds multiple books (108 on mine at the last count) you never have to face the "I have nearly finished my book, but can't fit two in my handbag" problem.
Similarly, they are great for holidays. Instead of lugging a suitcase full of books on holiday, or worse still restricting the number of books you take with you, just pack your kindle which is smaller and lighter than just one book!

You can also change the font size which is very useful when putting small children to bed in dark bedrooms if you have to stay with them until they are fully asleep.

Plus, there are some very stylish accessories available. I really like my new cover....
                                             
                                                  

Are there any disadvantages then? There are three main ones for me: you can't read in the bath (or on a lilo in the swimming pool!) and my children can't see what I am reading. As a parent, I really believe that the way to encourage a love of reading in your children is to model it for them, and with my kindle my children cannot see what I am reading or how quickly I am getting through books, so some of that modelling is lost. Of course the cost is also a disadvantage - you have the initial outlay for the device itself and then you have to continually buy books (no lending between friends or second hand options!), which can get pretty expensive.

But these are minor disadvantages and I really would not be without it now. It was definitely the single most useful purchase I made whilst preparing for my move to Africa. So the long and the short of it is, if you are waivering because you really love books, but you travel a lot or lack space for books then don't be put off. Try it and I think you'll be converted - you can still read real books when opportunity allows!