Thursday, July 26, 2012

The Patrick Melrose Novels by Edward St. Aubyn

Published as five short novels St. Aubyn chronicles the life of Patrick Melrose from a harrowing childhood to a fragile resolution of identity in middle age when his Mother dies. Taken together these novels are a long read but they are worth reading as one.

Each of them dwells on Patrick’s life in an intense, often disturbing way and on the lives of the rich and cruel people that shape his life. I found the introspection a little tedious in places and some of the attitudes, rather comically portrayed but I am sure true none the less, totally outwith my experience. I kept wondering if there really were or are people like St. Aubyn’s characters in this world!!! I fear that there were and still are.  The dialogue in all the novels is engaging, there are some very comic/tragic moments and the development of the story kept me there until the end of the last novel called appropriately At Last.

Now I need to read something lighter, something shorter –a book diet of variety is important for me and St Aubyn’s novels were definitely a rich and heavy main course.  

Wednesday, July 18, 2012

Skippy Dies

Skippy Dies is a wonderful tragic comedy infused with wisdom, hilarity, some deeply disturbing scenes & a real sense of the reality of life. It took me a while to realise that the story is set in Ireland and to warm to the characters and style but I was soon hooked. The title & opening pages rather give away the turning point in everyone's life because, yes, Skippy does die. We then learn about the life for the adolescent boys and girls and their teachers as it was before that event-and I found myself having to be very patient, to wait for what came after. The reward is some very insightful writing about the inevitable impact that Skippy's death and some other very funny events have on the cast of great characters.

In this story the good do not always triumph, the bad get away with stuff they should not escape from -a lot like life really. Murray's look inside a school, it's inhabitants and the way that life shapes their lives is imaginative and at times, heartbreaking.

One of the most enjoyable reads for me this year.

Saturday, July 14, 2012

The Long Song by Andrea Levy

I tweeted a few days ago that reading The Long Song was becoming a long read, well, I've caught up and have now finished this engaging, disturbing and very well plotted book. It's very different to Levy's first success A Small Island and that's great, after who wants to read the next book that is just like the last -not me.

That said The Long Song reveals the author's deep interest in Jamaica, it's people and their history and as she says in the back of the book essay this is history but not as we often read it. It's so much more than history, it's the story of one woman, born to a slave, herself a slave in the context of slavery and it's abolition. And it's more than that, it's the story of reluctance to tell that story and Levy's talent is to also make the way July overcomes that reluctance so much a part of the story.

Overall, a well researched book that didn't feel preachy, that gave voice to a woman whose story was well worth listening to and written in a way that allows the reader to pause for breath and thus absorb the weight of its material. Verdict: a very good read and a book I shall re-read.

Thursday, July 12, 2012

Trying again to blog from the IPad, no photos to add this time but let's celebrate the sunshine that's spilling all around us this early morning! Spent last evening setting up a Facebook group for Best Evidence Medical Education -hopefully this will get some more interest in BEME systematic reviews and the evidence they produce for guiding education decisions. Next task is a BEME twitter account. There's lots of interest in medical and health professional education in the social media community and some very good 'stuff' gets my attention through FB & twitter. My tweets about the BEME FB group have already been retweeted -more of the same would be wonderful, let's spread the word and enable even more effective learning.

Wednesday, July 11, 2012

July blog in hailstorm

Its July, the hailstorm has gone elsewhere, its sunny now and I've given up trying to blog on my new Ipad. Maybe thats not the right tool for the task! So quickly now here's the bag I finished last week. Making this continued my year of small projects, using up my fabric stash and getting things finished. Not sure what I will use it for ... suggestions welcome.

 
 


I'm going back to the Ipad now for more learning what it can and cannot do. I'm sure the bridge app will work and will deal me better hands than I had last evening. With less than five points most of the time I took comfort from the fact I could practice my defence! Maybe Friday's hands will be better.


Friday, July 6, 2012

Projects at the finishing line

Wimbledon fortnight gives me the opportunity to watch some great tennis while sewing or knitting. I’ve been working on a cushion for James’ bed in his new room in France for some time now using a pattern he bought for me in Hawaii.
Now finished it’s a wonderful example of up-cycling  -fabric, beads and buttons from my stash, embroidery thread inherited from my Mum. I had fun quilting ‘the sea’ …so good not to have yards of fabric to roll up out of the way and to enjoy painting with the needle.
P1040732
P1040731
I’ve also finished the trapunto pin cushion started in a workshop at the Sandown Quilting Show.  This was so good to do really small … not sure about anything much bigger!



P1040724
There’s still the finals to go so maybe I’ll finish the Intarsia cushion cover I’ve been knitting for a very long time and perhaps even the quilted bag just started.