My Thoughts: The Long Way Down by Charley Boorman and Ewan McGregor

Having previously read The Long Way Round where this pair motorbiked from the UK overland to New York I was egar to get this book as soon as it came out, and so I did. A christmas present back in 2007 yet I've only just read it (I haven't read any of the other books I recieved that year or any of the ones I recieved this year - despite wanting to read them all!).
In the Long Way Down the pair motorbike from Scotland, through Europe and then through Africa right o Cape town. The book is told from both of the men's perspectives, each talking about their experiences and emotions of both riding and the sights, history and people that they meet.
Having read this I'm now itching to get out and find out more about Africa, its somewhere I'd love to go and teach for a month or so (China and Canada are on my list too). Its good to read a book that highlights the problems but also presents a positive picture from those haunting images I remember of Ethiopia from my childhood.

Challenges:
Non-fiction 5
999 (tbr pile)

My Thoughts: Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson

I finished listening to this audiobook late last night, the book is read by Mandy Siegfried who has the most fantstic voice I could listen to her reading the back of a cereal packet.
Speak is a YA novel, the main character is struggling in her new school as her old friends have all abandoned her. It is rumoured that she called the cops to a teenage party, noone knows the real reason she picked up the phone and dial 911.
At the new school she is largely abandoned, her grades fall and she starts playing traunt. She also falls out with her parents as they cannot understand the change that has come over their daughter.
Read it! Or better yet listen to it.

Challenges:
YA 2009

Summer reading

Over the last few weeks I've been daydreaming about all the freetime I will have in the next few weeks and how I'm going to enjoy using it to attack mount tbr. I have 6 and a half weeks off, I'm getting paid to do some extra school work and doing a bit of tutoring but generally I'll be pottering around, 2 of my best friends are travelling so I'll have way too much time on my hands.

So, in the book geekiness that is common to many book bloggers (i hope), I have been making a pool of books at the foot of my stairs, and I thought I'd share it with you.

To finish:
The Piano
Dr. Johnson and the Extraordinary Story of the Book that Defined the World, Hitchings
A Long Way Down, Ewan McGregor and Charlie Boorman

The Pile:
Bitter Fruit, Achmat Dangor
Out of Africa, Karen Blixen
My Name is Red, Orhan Pamuk
A History of the World in 10 1/2 Chapters, Barnes
First They Killed my Father, Loung Ung
The Radetzky March, Joseph Roth
The Emigrants, WG Sebald
Koroko, Soseki
We, Zamiatin
Z for Zachariah
The White Tiger, Aravind Adiga
The 19th Wife, David Ebershoff
Whole of a Morning Sky, Nichols
The Caliban Shore, Stephen Taylor
Love, Toni Morrison
Cry, The Beloved Country
A Town Like Alice, Nevil Shute
The Sound and the Fury, William Faulkner
Nation, Terry Pratchett
Lost in a Good Book, Jasper Fforde
A Year in Green Tea and TukTuks
Magic Seeds, V.S Naipaul
A Few Short Notes on Tropical Butterflies, John Murray
Tuk Tuk to the Road
The Swarm, Frank Schatzing
Water Music, TC Boyle
Assassins Apprentice, Robin Hobb
Sardines and Oranges: Stories from North Africa
Fear and Trembling, Amelie Nothomb
Mudbound, Hillary Jorday
The Secret Life of Words, Henry Hitchings

As I said this is a pool rather than a list, I'd be happy if I read two-thirds of the pile.
The house rabbit, Alba only managed to nibble the side of a bookmark - she's looking pretty grumpy now temtation has been move to a safe place

The Sunday Salon: Bog Child by Siobhan Dowd

One more week of school left before the holidays start - lets hope that this week my patience goes back up to its normal high level, the kids were made last week, swine flu arrived in school and the teachers were all on a short fuse.
This week I have to be observed teaching my weakest class, last week they became unbearable - they scwabble, answer back and cry at the slightest thing. I've also taught them all of the curriculum so have no idea what I will be teaching them in 13hours! Wednesday I'm off to a theme park with 300+ kids lets hope the weather improves!

I had a lazy afternoon finishing Siobhan Dowd's Bog Child, a book I was asked to read as the resisdent YA/Childrens book reader in the department - we're looking for new books to teach, I made my recommendations and then was given this to consider.
The Republic of Ireland is at a pinnacle moment in its history, bombs are going of and the political prisioners are on a hunger strike.
18 year old Fergus' brother is in prison on political charges, his mum is praying for his release and his safety, his Dad is busy drinking the town on the edge of the border is in turmoil as more and more of its young men are caught up in the troubles. Fergus has a lot going on, he is in the middle of his A Level exams and then while digging illegally on the other side of the border he discovers the Bog Child, Mel. Her body has been preserved by the marshy ground. Cora and her mother tun up to determine Mel's origins and the cause of her death and love errupts for Fergus.
I loved this novel, there does seem to be way too much going on in this boys life though, I'm not sure how he managess to stay sane. Alongside the story of Fergus Mel's voice creeps through into his sub-conscious and we discover more and more about her life.
This book just like Dowd's A Swift Pure Cry is well worth a read for both adults and teenagers.

Challenges:
YA 2009
Orbis Terrarum
999 (New Fiction)

My Thoughts: Being Emily by Anne Donovan

Being Emily is a novel about love, growing up and family. Fiona starts off as the quiet child in a busy family, a child with an obsession about Emily Bronte who just doesn't quite fit in with her busy family. As she gets older she moves off to a new school and widens her interests to include art. When her mother dies she is left in charge of the family home while her dad tries to kill his pain with whiskey.
Jas, her boyfriend is her only escape until she meets his older brother. After that her life spirals in many different directions.
Set in Scotland this novel has a warm feel,the dialect is recreated producing the feel of a northern family. This novel, although not my normal type of read is warm and secure, something I'd happily lend to the older girls in my classes. It explore love and family without over romanticising or demonising them like many books do.
A good Sunday afternoon read.

My Thoughts: The Whale Rider by Witi Ihimaera

After saying yesterday that my reading had slowed down I polished of The Whale Rider in an hour last night. This kids book focuses on Maori New Zealanders, living between the traditions of their cultures and the fast paced world around them.
Kahu came into the world a girl, a fact that greatly disappointed her grandfather, he desired a male grandchild to keep the Maori language and beliefs alive with the new generations. Kahu, desperate for her grandfather's attention sneaks into the lessons he gives deliving cultural knowledge and langauge to the local boys. Despite being always under his feet her grandfather doesn't see the power Kahu inside her until fate intervenes and she is forced to act.
A great read for kids, made me want to learn more about the Maori culture
Challenges:
A-Z (Author)
999 (YA)
Young Adults 2009
Orbis Terrarum

The Sunday Salon: Heart Shaped Box

I'm not sure what's happening with my reading at the moment, but I seem to be slowing down dramatically, which was not helped by working 2 extra shifts in a pub this weekend. Hopefully things will be back on track next week.
I spent last night at a local festival, loads of live mucis, a storytelling tent, live oral poets (who were amazing), face painting, a silent disco and much more. It was a great evening, finishing off the night dancing to a The Specials coverband.
The weather here has been amazing all week, although too hot at night to sleep comfortably.

I've somehow managed to draw out reading Heart Shaped Box over the whole week, and this is a book which would normally require a evening or twos reading.
Heart-Shaped Box isn't my normal type of read but I heard great things about it in the blogging world and thought I'd give it a try. When my Mum read it and said it made her scared, I laughed, no book has scared me since I was a kid, but this one left me unsettled on many occassions.
Heart Shaped Box features a rock star, a goth and a hypnotising ghost. The ghost is the step-father of the rock star's ex, a girl with many problems who was found dead in the bath. Through a plan the rockstar purchases a ghost for a laugh not knowing the trouble it will cause him. Suddenly he is acting at the ghosts will, and trying his hardest to fight against this force.
It certainly isn't well written but I was hooked in within a few pages.
Challenges:
The Genre Challenge (Horror)
999 (New Fiction)