What I've been reading

The Blind Assassin
by Margaret Atwood

"As Iris Chase Griffen, the sole surviving descendant of a once-distinguished Toronto family, recalls the events of her life and the pivotal death of her sister Laura in 1945, we simultaneously read Laura’s posthumously published novel. In that novel within a novel there is yet another narrative."

When I first read this nearly six years ago (how can it be six years!?!) in audiobook format I resolved to get a copy in print so that I could flick back and forth to see the clues to the ending that had been given throughout, but in a way intended to deliberately deceive the reader the first time round. So this time in print I remembered one of the two twists while I was reading, but she still got me with the other. It stands up to a second reading too.

A History of Britain: At the Edge of the World? 3000BC - AD1603
by Simon Schama

narrated by Stephen Thorne

"Change - sometimes gentle and subtle, sometimes shocking and violent - is the dynamic of Schama's unapologetically personal and grippingly written history. At its heart lie questions of compelling importance for Britain's future as well as its past: what makes or breaks a nation?"

History at school was complete waste of time. I don't know whether it was the fault of the teacher(s), but suspect not. I think I just didn't see the relevance of knowing what happened when the Romans were here. I didn't have enough life experience to put ANYTHING into context. So they had great baths - they still looked pretty primitive to me compared with my bathroom, and they built roads and walls - big deal. So what. But now, now I know that history is everything. History is politics and religion and geography and masculinity and patriarchy, and most of all, power. At least, the history in the history books, which is all about the people who were in charge. The ordinary people - well, they worked hard getting food out of the ground and avoided early death if they were lucky. Now I can put history into context, even though it's mostly about subjugation and political strategy. This book ends with the death of Queen Elizabeth I, and I've started the next volume already.

The Poet
by Yi Mun-Yol

"When a governor to the King falls into rebel hands, he switches sides to save his skin. When later he is captured by royal troops, it is not only he that is condemned to death as a traitor but his sons and grandsons too. They survive by subterfuge, but though they keep their lives, they have lost their place in society."

I can't remember where this book came from, but I was interested in reading a Korean book, even though it was about a poet. Well, there's really no need for me to do that again. Not my kind of thing at all, and I know barely anything about Korea or its poetry so I couldn't relate to that side of it either.

Leave it to Psmith
by P. G. Wodehouse

narrated by B. J. Harrison

"The idyll of Blandings Castle is about to be disturbed, for the Hon. Freddie Threepwood is poised to make his debut as a jewel thief. Freddie, however, is not alone: Blandings is simply brimming with criminals and impostors all intent on stealing Aunt Constance's £20,000 diamond necklace."

The third time I've listened to this book - twice in the Jonathan Cecil narration (in 2008 and 2009) and this time in podcast form by my regular US podcast narrator. It's a fine book.