I must not hoard
It’s a new year, and my mind keeps turning to re-organisation. There’s a lot to do this month, I want to get the new year off to a proactive start, mainly with writing and fitness, but I’m hoping I will also find the time to clear out some of the clutter around me, and streamline the house a little.
Books stay, obviously, but a CD for a scanner broke years ago, a pile of paperwork I planned to sort out another day, the boxes under the sofa that I keep just in case, these things can go. There are so many areas that I’ve hoarded things in, out of sight out of mind, instead of making a decision and working out whether or not I really needed to keep them. There are still things I haven’t unpacked from when I moved in, 3 and a half years ago.
I suppose the thing that turned my mind to this was the sewing machine. I need a space to use it in, and my desk space for writing at needs an overhaul (more on that in a post still to come). But there is no room, which is why I must do a gradual clear out and reorganise the whole house first.
I must not hoard. I must not hoard. I must not hoard.
But I also need to stop buying things I don’t need. I must not buy more cosmetics and bath products than I need, I must not buy clothes I am not going to wear, I must not waste food. Buying only what I need is win-win-win: It saves money, it’s better for the environment (less waste), and it’s less clutter in the house.
I must not hoard. I must not hoard. I must not hoard.
Filed under bloggy | Comment (1)Books of 2008
I tried to keep on list of all the books I read during 2008, of course a years worth of the believer and, erm, Grazia, is not included in this.
The Gum Thief- Douglas Coupland
I had saved this novel to start on the first on 1/01/08, and I was glad I did. A good book to start the year on.
The Key- Junichiro Tanizaki
Blind Willow Sleeping Woman- Haruki Murakami
Kitchen- Banana Yoshimoto
Lizard- Banana Yoshimoto
Wind up Bird Chronicle- Haruki Murakami
Woman in the Dunes- Kobo Abe
Piercing- Ryu Murakami
After Dark- Haruki Murakami
What I Talk About When I Talk About Running- Haruki Murakami
Fruits Basket 1
Fruits Basket 2
Laya the witch of red pooh- Yo Yo
I’ve stuck all the Japanese stuff together, I hadn’t realised quite how much of this list was Japanese. I think I’d recommend every single one of these, but Haruki Murakami stands out as the writer whose work has inspired me the most. Wind Up Bird Chronicle is probably the book out of those that I would advise everyone to read. After Dark would be a much easier option, it is a fraction of the length, and What I Talk About When I Talk About Running has more universal appeal- it is not fiction, but more an inspirational work. But Wind Up Bird Chronicle is the one that really touched me, and I genuinely missed it once I had finished it.
The last three are all manga,a and all published by Tokyopop. I intend to read more of the Fruits Basket series, and have a couple others I will try.
Banana Yoshimoto is a lot lighter than Haruki Murakami, but really nice to read.
Memories of my meloncholy whore- Gabriel Garcia Marquez
I have a lot of time for Gabriel Garcia Marquez, 100 years of solitude is definitely a Marmite book, and I love both, so I was probably more open to enjoying this then others. His prose is beautiful, and the book is vivid. If you didn’t like 100 years of solitude I wouldn’t count this book out, it’s a lot shorter and to the point, and there are far fewer characters.
A Secret History- Donna Tartt
This came very highly recommended, and although it is definitely a very good read, and something I would recommend, I don’t think it is quite as worthy as some of the praise it has had. The characters are wonderful, and she does bring them to life. I will certainly read more of her work, but to become a favourite I need something more inspirational than just plot and good writing. It just doesn’t go deep enough.
House of Meetings- Martin Amis
This is a good example of the depth I mention above. House of Meetings is obviously going to be well written (it is Martin Amis, after all) but the Russian narrator shows us a world hardship we couldn’t imagine within Stalins Gulag. It doesn’t just rely on it’s setting though, and Amis takes us beyond that. Worth reading.
Everything is Illuminated- Jonathan Safran Foer
I love the film adaptation, but it doesn’t even touch on how good the book is. There’s so much more to the book, and although it can be funny, it is truly and simply beautiful.
Book of Dave- Will Self
Only Will Self could create a book like this. Definitely one of his strongest novels.
Nobody Belongs here more than you- Miranada July
Just lovely. Short stories collections are sometimes hard to get through, by the time you get into one, it’s over. And if you’re on the bus and finish one, do you just go and start another straight away? I like the time to digest it for a moment, before reading something else. But this was wonderful, I found the end of each story made me look forward to the start of the next. I’d probably recommend this to someone that has trouble getting through a novel.
Revolutionary Road- Richard Yates
Touted as one of the great american novels, or something, this should certainly be read (and try to read it before the film comes out at the end of this month) but it didn’t leave as much of an impression as Wind Up Bird Chronicle, and much of Austers work. That said, it really does need to be read.
We Need To Talk About Kevin- Lionel Shriver
Probably one of the books that has had the biggest emotional effect on me. Very tragic, but very thought provoking. It raises a lot of questions and is certainly one to discuss.
eeee eee eeeee- Tao Lin
The title refers to the noise that dolphins make. This is perhaps the quirkiest book I have read in 2008. If you like Tao Lin’s blog, you will like this novel. His writing style is very particular, but certainly not as skilled as Murakami, Amis, Self, etc.
Divisadero- Michael Ondaatje
Bo-ring. A little trite, and rather false. The handsome but silent farmhand (”Coop”, oh yes, I am not kidding) falls for the farmers daughter? *yawn*. Fortunately that part is over pretty quickly, but the novel failed to capture my attention after that. I’ve read some good reviews, which makes me wonder if I should give it another chance, but I also can’t help but think those reviewers thought that had found something there that was just lacking.
On Chesil Beach- Ian McEwan
Beautiful. I’m not into McEwan, to be honest, but I really enjoyed this. I wouldn’t say it is “tragic”, I think that would be missing the point. A young couple marry, and the wedding night is eagerly awaited by one, and dreaded by the other. McEwan takes us right into the heart of the couple. Very skillful.
Cold Spring Harbour- Richard Yates
Again, beautiful and skilled. In a way a very ordinary story, it’s all about the way Yates communicates it.
Remainder- Tom McCarthy
Very strange. I was instantly very into this novel, and then my interest waned somewhat. He is perhaps not as skilled as some, but for a first novel this is wonderful, shows real insight, and the story is terribly good.
Japanese Women Don’t Get Old or Fat
Allan Carrs Easyweight to Lose Weight
Instead of listing all the recipe books I got this year, I thought I would just go for two of the diet non-fiction books I read. The problem with these diet books is they don’t come with willpower. Still, the first is a good introduction to what Japanese home cooking really is, and contains some good recipes. Great if you want to get into japanese food beyond sushi, ramen and teriyaki sauce. The second is nonsense.
Rapture- Carol Ann Duffy
Andrew Motion- Selected Poems
The Best Loved Poems of John Betjemen
We should all read more poetry. I read the Carol Ann Duffy because I she was coming to Shipping Lines, and I saw her read. I hadn’t read Rapture, but she is rather really rather good. As are the other two. I have a lot of respect for skilled poets, it’s such a hard thing to write- it may be short, but god, it has to be perfect. There’s room for the odd bum word, sentence, even paragraph, in a novel. But not in a poem, there’s not even room for an off syllable in a poem. I will make an effort to buy more poetry in 2009. Lets make 2009 the year of the poet.
Overall 2008 was an ace year for reading, I don’t know why more people don’t lap novels up, considering how good these were.
Apologies for any glaring mistakes or nonsense- it is 20 to 3 in the morning, and I should have been in bed hours ago.
Filed under books | Comments (2)Oh, David
I am quite excited about finding out who the new Doctor will be, but at the same time sad that we are one step closer to the end of David Tennants Doctor. Oh, David, I will miss you. He’s brought something really special to the role, and it really is his greatest role- I’ve never seen him act so well in any other role. The Doctor brings out the best of him, and he brings out the best of The Doctor.
I suppose it must be something about the way the role is so limitless- the doctor can be outgoing, over the top, over acted and incredibly silly. But he is also empathetic, deadly serious, very private. He can be talking ten to the dozen, and his mind is still figuring it all out.
A new doctor- it could be amazing, it could be really really bad.
Allons-y Alonzo.
