Monday 20 September 2010

Books 2010 – 4 books I’ve read this summer

Zora Neale Hurston – Their eyes were watching God

I have wanted to read some Zora Neale Hurston for a while, as I know she is a revered Harlem renaissance writer, yet I know nothing else of her or her works. This book was very ‘easy’ to read, in that it was captivating and beautifully written so it flowed smoothly and made you want to read on. The story of Janie and her life is heart breaking in many ways – but despite this it is also a story of love, pure true love. It is also an amazing depiction of a very strong woman’s quest to understand herself, and to fulfil her own needs, wants and desires. I heartily recommend this novel as an introduction to Zore Neale Hurston and look forward to discovering more of her novels.

John Steinbeck – The grapes of wrath

As part of my ongoing quest to read ‘classic’ fiction that I have never read before, I bought this a while ago but hadn’t been able to actually get into it. Woah. Its depressing. Seriously depressing. And it ends depressingly. Well written, entrancing in a way once you get into it you really really want to know what happens next to the Joad family. But overall, in my view it was just so sad, bleak and depressing. But worth reading, definitely worth reading as it gave me some insight into a period of American history that I knew nothing about.


Terry Pratchett – I shall wear midnight

I really could wax lyrical about this book forever. This is the fourth (and last) of the books for younger readers about Tiffany Aching, the young witch of the chalk. It’s definitely my favourite Tiffany Aching novel, and in fact is probably up there in my top 5 discworld novels. Brilliant story, excellent pace loved the new characters and the unexpected twists. Pure Pratchett brilliance.

Nicholas Evans – the Horse Whisperer

This book is cheesy cheesetastic. I raced through it, desperately keen to know what happens next and hoping it wouldn’t be as predictable as it was. It obviously isn’t that bad or I wouldn’t have finished it –this book is an easy read, escapism , predictable trashy novel. But not a bad book, just a cheesy one. I am not that keen to watch the film.

3 comments:

Jigna said...

Funnily enough my friend just lent me The Garden of Eden by Steinbeck, once I have read that I would also like to try Grapes of Wrath and you could maybe try Garden of Eden and we could have a Steinbeck conversation?

Dhara said...

yep! we should do that - I'll ass the garden of eden to my wishlist, although i hope it isn't as depressing as the grapes was...

Jigna said...

Oh dear I think it is, depressing - I mean!