August 2009
Monthly Archive
18 August 2009
A moment in the dark with light as a blade. That’s how I’d sum up the painting of Caravaggio.
In the Renaissance appear the rather wonderful terms sfumato (that sm0ky blended quality demonstrated by Leonardo da Vinci) and chiaroscuro. Chiaroscuro is that riveting light and dark effect, and Caravaggio (the other Michelangelo of the Renaissance) was its arch exponent.
This light and dark is not limited to his art – Caravaggio was the prototypical art rock star, living fast, dying young. There were art world quarrels, the scandalous circulation of filthy poems, threats directed at a fellow artist for ‘stealing his style’, skirmishes and difficulties with swordsmen and whores, and even killing someone in a gang fight – it was an almost ridiculously dramatic life. Simon Schama’s wonderful Power of Art series features an episode on Caravaggio’s life and there is also a compelling and florid Derek Jarman movie Caravaggio starring Dexter Fletcher, Sean Bean and Tilda Swinton.
His art was just as scandalous at the time – his realism and use of real people as models as striking today as in the 1600s. The paintings have an immediate impact – they look you right in the eye, and grab you by the scruff of the neck. No doubt the man would’ve done the same.
17 August 2009
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Necrology – a list of notable people who have died recently. Now a regular feature on our blog.
- Frank Barlow, 1911-2009
Historian who mastered the medieval biography, bringing to life the Confessor, Rufus and Becket
- Mike Seeger, 1933-2009
Influential musician and champion of American folk music described as a ‘father figure’ by Bob Dylan
17 August 2009
Over the weekend I had a book I couldn’t put down, and that’s exactly what you need in a wet weekend, right? Unexpectedly, as I’m not usually a fantasy reader, I found myself in the fascinating world of an invisible flying lonely boy and was captivated. The curiously named children’s novel The Loblolly Boy is by local author James Norcliffe who is fast becoming one of my favourites. The story is timeless and grounded in the very real fears and emotions of children, and I couldn’t agree more with Margaret Mahy’s endorsement of the book as “a new classic”. I would recommend reading it aloud to the 9+ age group.
Even more impressive is the fact that three years ago I was in admiration of an altogether different kind of work by Norcliffe, a quite different world and much darker altogether, tightly written and intriguing The Assassin of Gleam, which won the won the Sir Julius Vogel Award for the best New Zealand fantasy novel of 2006. I am eagerly awaiting the next in this series.
16 August 2009
Babylon's Ark by Lawrence Anthony
I love National Radio. My dad used to listen to the National Radio all the time and was always talking about interesting tidbits he had heard and recommending books. At that time I was working full-time and didn’t get to listen during a working day and the conversation was largely me listening. Now that I am part-time I get to hear it on the odd occasion – oh Dad, the conversations we could be having.
The other day I was listening to a fascinating man that they were calling the elephant whisperer aka Lawrence Anthony. I was going to say he was amazing but he was a surprisingly down-to-earth man that had done some amazing things. I was completely drawn into his story about rescuing delinquent elephants that were running rampant in a game park in South Africa. The elephants’ fates lay with both game keepers and poachers with guns.
If that wasn’t dangerous enough he also went into Iraq at the beginning of the United States occupation as he was concerned about the welfare of the zoo animals. History had shown zoo animals, in a time of war, are often abandoned and left to die in their cages. So Mr Anthony goes to Iraq to try and save zoo animals in Iran which involved him looting Saddam Hussein’s palace kitchens to feed the animals which he felt fully justified in doing as Saddam Hussein also owned the zoo. I was listening to this man speak (which you can also do if you have an MP3 player or an internet connection by clicking here) thinking – this guy should write a book. Thankfully he has, two even. The delinquent elephant story features in The elephant whisperer and his time in Iraq in Babylon’s Ark. I now have both on order. (Miss you Dad xxx)
16 August 2009
15 August 2009
Who’d have thought libraries or librarians could be so interesting? I am constantly amazed by the number of news stories particularly in the British media about us lowly librarians. We are either irresistibly fascinating or, as I fear is more likely, really newsworthy stories were a little thin on the ground that day. Possibly a case of when in doubt chuck in a heartwarming library tale, take for example:
- The Rose Marie musical score returned after 70 years by the criminal known as Iris Chadwick. 83 years old and showing a remarkable lack of remorse Mrs Chadwick said “I’ve hung on to the book for so long because it was part of my childhood”. Yes part of your childhood Mrs Chadwick but just think of all those library customers who couldn’t tickle the ivories with Rose Marie ditties because you kept your mitts on the score. Just cheeky!
- Lousie Brown from Stranraer in Scotland is on the cusp of borrowing her 25,000th library book, beat that eh? She has read six library books a week since 1946 and enjoys family sagas, historical novels and the odd Mills and Boon. Stranraer in the South-West of Scotland is not noted for either its glorious weather or entertaining night-life so perhaps reading really is the best option. Furthermore Mrs Brown has never accrued a library fine. Mrs Chadwick could take a leaf out of Mrs Brown’s book but on second thoughts maybe not, it might take her 70 years to return it.
- Lastly and more disturbingly Texan lady librarians have released The Tattooed Ladies of TLA, a 18 month calendar celebrating their body art. This is a companion piece to the “Men of Texas Libraries” and designed to raise funds for disaster relief. Men of Texas Libraries, the mind boggles. The Tattooed ladies of TLA is apparently very tastefully done and “allows you to spend 18 months getting better acquainted with these fascinating and dedicated women of Texas libraries”. Go girls!
14 August 2009
Since its publication 
The Thoughtful Dresserby Linda Grant has garnered a bit of feedback. It has been classified as fiction, but when you read the blurb for the book it sounds a lot like non fiction.
The Thoughtful Dresser tells us how a woman’s hat saved her life in nazi Germany, looks at the role of Department Stores in giving women a public place outside the home, savours the sheer joy of finding the right dress.
This is the point where I became very confused. When is fiction not fiction?
Author Iain Sinclair is a bit of an expert on this genre, we have his books but they aren’t exactly what you would call bestsellers, and when he describes his writing you can see why!
Sinclair’s own preferred classification is “documentary fiction”, which allows him plenty of elbow room: “where it needs to be true, it is”. “This is a story of fallible memory, inaccurate or inventive transcriptions, hard-earned prejudices, false starts and accidental epiphanies.”
So it would seem that Documentary fiction is based on fact (sort of) with a fair amount of liberty.
Sinclair in his latest book writes about the suburb of Hackney in London, and the people who inhabit it. Many of the characters in the book are real, (and Sinclair does use their actual names), but they possibly wouldn’t recognise themselves in the way that Sinclair has portrayed them. I find this all very curious. Why not base characters on actual people, (like a lot of novelists do), change the names, elaborate and expand where necessary, and call it fiction?
I would be interested to hear from those of you who had read either of these books to see what you think? Do they read like fiction, non fiction, or perhaps “faction”.
Editor’s note: Jane’s post has raised an interesting issue – some libraries have The Thoughtful Dresser catalogued as fiction, some as non-fiction. We are now moving it into non-fiction, as author Linda Grant has let us know her book is non-fiction rather than fiction.
14 August 2009
Here’s a press release from Booksellers NZ:
“DAD, CAN YOU READ ME A STORY?”
What did your dad read to you?
From much-loved bedtime stories, to well-thumbed chapter books, over the years dads around the country have been patiently reading stories to their kids – over and over again! He has wholeheartedly re-enacted Red Riding Hood’s high-pitched “What big teeth you have!”, woofed along joyfully with Hairy Maclary, and has done his best to get his tongue around ‘Green Eggs and Ham’ after a beer and a long day at work.
In celebration of Father’s Day, we want you, your customers, workmates, neighbours, family & friends to tell us about a favourite book you remember reading with your dad.
WIN! 3 x $100 Book Tokens prizes
3 winners will be selected and each receive a $100 Book Token (in time for Father’s Day)
20 Award-winning books to be given away
All entries will go into the draw to win one of 20 award-winning New Zealand books from the 2009 Montana New Zealand Book Awards (books will be randomly selected – could be a glossy coffee table book or a gripping fiction read).
All entries will be published on the Booksellers NZ website, and the 3 winning stories will be selected and published in the Capital Times in Wellington on Wednesday 2 September – in celebration of books and dads!
13 August 2009
The Minister of Finance and the Export Director of Toyota Sales Co. examining the first Toyota Corona to be assembled in Christchurch
2 February 1967. Harry Lake.
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12 August 2009
Whenever I read a new John Green book I’m immediately struck by how much he understands the male mind. I find that alot of young adult fiction portrays males as either jocks or someone who is out-of-reach of main female character and not someone who I can relate to at all. However, John Green’s characters are usually just normal guys, who are a bit nerdy (the main character in An Abundance of Katherines is obsessed with numbers) and you can really get into their head and understand how their mind works. Looking for Alaska was Green’s first book which was great and was then followed by An Abundance of Katherines a couple of years ago. An Abundance of Katherines is absolutely hilarious with it’s interesting mix of characters. It follows Colin who has only ever dated girls called Katherine. He has just been dumped by his 19th Katherine and so him and his Judge Judy-loving friend, Hassan go on a road trip hoping to prove his mathematical therom that should predict the future of any relationship.
Green’s latest book, Paper Towns is his best so far. Once again, we get a glimpse of life from the perspective of an ordinary guy who lives life under the radar. Quentin lives next door to Margo Roth Spiegleman, a girl he has secretly loved for years. One night, Margo climbs into his bedroom window and drags him off on a revenge mission. However, the following morning Margo seems to have disappeared and it’s up to Quentin and his mates to follow the clues she has left behind and find the girl he thought he knew. The characters are totally believable and there are plenty of hilarious moments, especially on the marathon road-trip to get to Margo.
John Green himself is a really interesting guy and I’d imagine that there is alot of himself in his characters. He has a cool website with info about his books and a daily blog, as well as his Nerd Fighter website that he has set up with his brother, Hank.
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