The Sound of a Wild Snail Eating by Elisabeth Tova Bailey

How does one do justice to a small book about snails and illness?

I can already hear the many yawns from here. And I can see your fingers hovering over the mouse ready to click and move on.

But please dont.

Stay a while, slow down and take a moment to reflect on those smaller and less fortunate than us.

Bailey was struck down 20 years ago by a mysterious, life-threatening illness. She has been bed-ridden for long stretches of time, completely immobile and therefore cut off from the world.

In such a situation I defy anyone to not become overwhelmed by futility.
However a chance arrival in her bedroom changed Bailey's life. A visitor brought her a pot of violets from the nearby forest...and a snail.

During the night, Bailey was disturbed by an unusual sound. She could hear the snail eating.
"The tiny, intimate sound of the snail's eating gave me a distinct feeling of companionship and shared space." (chapter 2)

So begins a beautiful tale of co-existence and understanding.

Bailey uses examples from poetry, literature and science to bring forth the nature of her snail. Each little nugget is revealed with care and circumspection. Watching her snail, Bailey comes to terms with her own illness.

"If life mattered to the snail and the snail mattered to me, it meant something in my life mattered, so I kept on." (chapter 20)

This is a book that deserves to be read slowly, with pleasure.

Saturday Snapshot #4

Saturday Snapshot is a non-book related meme hosted by Alyce.

This week we're off to Hawaii.

My husband and I honeymooned there a couple of years ago. It was the perfect place for a honeymoon - lots of places to stop, relax and do very little combined with wonderful scenery, history, culture and adventure.

As per usual when I travel, I had a couple of books by Hawaiian authors in my backpack. And by the time we boarded the plane home, I had a few more books with Hawaiian themes in my backpack!

"She took a steamer to the Big Island, and before they sighted land, her nostrils burned with vog - volacanic ash and fog. This was the island of seething volcanoes, of moody Pele, volvano goddess, whose boiling exhalations consumed forests, entire villages." (Song of the Exile by Kiana Davenport)

"Malia was struck once more by the landscape of black lava, where earth's crust still burped and parted, where its flesh overflowed, still giving birth....Somewhere on this island, mountains shuddered and spewed; somewhere the earth was unstitching, showings its boiling lava veins." (Song of the Exile by Kiana Davenport)

"Whenever I land on the Big Island, I feel as though I've gone back in time. There's an abandoned look to Hawaii, like it's been hit by a tsunami. I drive the familiar road, moving past the prickly kiawe trees and black sand beaches, the coconut palms with their wild parrots....I drive the black lava fields that glow with the white rock chalk that teenagers use to declare themselves." (The Descendants by Kaui Hart Hemmings chapter 12)

P.S. It's not just teenagers who like to leave their mark :-)

The Lost Life by Steven Carroll

Poetry is not normally my thing.
Perhaps I'm not emotional enough, high brow enough or enough in the know. I often just don't get it, or if I get it I just don't care.

However T.S. Eliot has been an exception over the years.

Snippets of his poems have entered my world at appropriate times. I have felt understood. And certain moments of my life have been enhanced by an Eliot poem.

Carroll uses one of Eliot's poems 'Burnt Norton' to weave together a story about the passing of time, love won and lost and what might have been with a fictionalised account of Eliot's relationship with Miss Hale.

Carroll imagines Eliot & Hale at Burnt Norton together through the eyes of a young couple on the precipice of first love.

The flowery language and introspective nature of this book will not appeal to everyone. But I thoroughly enjoyed it. Carroll's descriptions of the era (between the wars) and the rose garden in particular were so beautifully rendered that I could imagine it completely.

Perhaps a little taste so you can see what I mean..."Her eyes shine, not with contentment but with the sheer delight of a young woman in love - the happiness of a woman who has kept her love inside her, stoppered in a bottle, and who is only now uncorking her happiness, releasing the young woman she once was because the time is right." (pg18)

"They are at once real and ghosts from another age. They glide by in front of her as if inhabiting another garden in a nother time....they are enacting something they never did, once upon a time, when the act was there to be performed, but which, for one reason or another, never was.'' (pg37)

The Killables by Gemma Malley

As I started this book I found myself asking the question, "how much dystopian YA fiction can one person read?"

As you know, I thoroughly enjoyed 'The Hunger Games' trilogy and many of the other dystopian novels to come out since then, but have we all had enough?

According to Gemma Malley we haven't!

And once I got into her book, I found myself agreeing with her after all.

The Killables is quite bleak and grey during the set-up. I was reminded of '1984' several times and how I felt when I read it (bleak and desperate).

The City that Evie lives in is very controlled, very restricted and joyless. It's a world where nobody can be trusted or believed.

It takes a while for the action to get going and for the reader to truly engage with the characters, but it does happen.

Malley has been successful in creating a future world that we wouldn't want to go to.

The second half of the book races along with lots of action, tension and a little romance. There is no OMG cliffhanger, but apparently this is the first book of a (you guessed it!) trilogy.

Parental alert: there is one extremely discrete sex scene - even I almost missed it!

A Suitable Boy by Vikram Seth

The Literary Blog hop is hosted by The Blue Bookcase.

Each week a new question is posed - this week the question is....

What one literary work must you read before you die?

That's easy - for me it's Vikram Seth's 'A Suitable Boy'.  

I loved this book from start to finish (which means that I loved this book for quite some time...it took about 2 months to complete!) and I wanted everyone else to read it and love it as much as I did!

It was full of drama, history, memorable characters, pathos, humour, love and grief. I was genuinely upset when I finally finished the book - I missed the characters like they were real friends and family members. I carried the book around with me and declared to my book group that I wished to be buried with it when I died!

This book popped into my hands during the middle of my Indian reading phase (obsession). I had already read The God of Small Things, several books by Anita Desai, A Passage to India by E.M. Forster & Midnight's Children by Salmon Rushdie. 


By the end of A Suitable Boy, I was dreaming about India. What seemed so exotic and alien early in my reading had become familiar and knowable.

I think that's why books like this are so important. 
We only ever get to live one lifetime each; through books we can experience hundreds. 

Anything, any book, any author, any character that allows you to  

"climb inside of his skin and walk around in it"

is important. 

For me, A Suitable Boy was one of those book. Just as Harper Lee opened up the deep South during my teen years, Seth - and India - captured my 30's.

I still find myself thinking about Lata and Amit to this day, wondering what they're up to, hoping they're okay.
So you can imagine my delight, when 2 years ago I learnt that Seth was writing a sequel called 'A Suitable Girl'.

I have high hopes it will be published next year so I can add it to my personal list of books that I must read before I die.

Happy Reading!



Later -

I'm such a dill !!
I didn't check the date on the above Blog Hop properly. Turns out the March dates were for 2011!!

But I had so much fun putting this together, I've decided to keep this here anyway. 
I will join in another (up-to-date!) Literary Blog Hop soon :-)

Much later -

I will also include this as a cheat's post for Armchair BEA 2014! 

Bitter Greens by Kate Forsyth

You know how it is when you get one of those perfect books?

The kind of book where you savour every line, every chapter, every character. The kind of book that sweeps you away to another time, another place. The kind of book that makes you sigh and cry and laugh out loud. The kind of book you hug to your chest between chapters.

The kind of book that's hard to talk about because it's so personally perfect that you want to keep it to yourself in case others don't love it as much as you.

These perfect books don't come along as often as they should or as often as they used to.

Bitter Greens was one of those perfect books for me. 

The specific elements that make up a perfect book for me have evolved over the years. And I'm sure that my idea of a perfect read will be different to yours.

However, Bitter Greens ticked all my boxes.

We have two interwoven stories; one set in France during the reign of Louis the Sun King (late 1600's) and one set in Venice in the 1590's.
One story follows the life of Charlotte-Rose de Caumont de la Force (1650-1724) and one is a retelling of the Rapunzel fairytale.

Both Charlotte-Rose and Kate Forsyth have a passion for fairytales and story-telling. This passion is sumptiously imagined on every single page of Bitter Greens.

If you love seductively good story-telling, biography dressed up as historical fiction, fairytales, strong female characters, Eurpoean history and romance then Bitter Greens will be perfect for you too.

Bitter Greens is an April release through Random House.

Saturday Snapshot #3

Saturday Snapshot is a non-book related meme hosted by Alyce. 

Although it is St Patrick's Day I will not be posting an Irish photo, mostly because it is a country I have yet to travel to. 

Instead I will keep to my personal theme for this meme - a book related photo (or 2).

Today's journey will be to Lyme Regis. 

I visited Lyme Regis in 2007 when my partner and I traveled to the UK for the Rugby World Cup. I was happy to schedule our trip around football games ....as long as we visited a few of my favourite literary places along the way! Lyme Regis was high on my list for two very important reasons:

Persuasion and The French Lieutenant's Woman. 

View of the Cobb from Monmouth Beach

The young people were all wild to see Lyme.
After securing accommodations, and ordering a dinner at one of the inns, the next thing to be done was unquestionably to walk directly down to the sea." 

The Cobb itself, its old wonders and new improvements, with the beautiful line of cliffs stretching out to the east of the town, are what the stranger's eye will seek; and a very strange stranger it must be, who does not see charms in the immediate environs of Lyme, to make him wish to know it better. 

(chapter 11 Persuasion by Jane Austen)

The real Lymers will never see much more to it than a long claw of old grey wall that flexes itself against the sea. 

To the west sombre grey cliffs, known locally as Ware Cleeves, rose steeply from the shingled beach where Monmouth entered upon his idiocy....It is in this aspect that the Cobb seems most a last bulwark - against all that wild eroding coast to the west. 

 (chapter 1 The French Lieutenant's Woman by John Fowles)

Sunrise over the bay 

They went to the sands, to watch the flowing of the tide, with a fine south-easterly breeze was bringing in with all the grandeur which so flat a shore admitted. 

(chapter 12 Persuasion by Jane Austen)

If you get up at such an hour in Lyme today you will have the town to yourself. 

(chapter 29 The French Lieutenant's Woman by John Fowles)

Brona testing Lousia Musgroves steps out for herself 

She lead him to the side of the rampart, where a line of flat stones inserted sideways into the wall served as rough steps down to the lower walk.'These are the very steps that Jane Austen made Louisa Musgrove fall down in Persuasion.' 

(chapter 2 The French Lieutenant's Woman by John Fowles)

There was too much wind to make the high part of the new Cobb pleasant for the ladies, and they agreed to get down the steps to the lower, and all were content to pass quietly and carefully down the steep flight, excepting Louisa; she must be jumped down them by Captain Wentworth. 

(chapter 12 Persuasion by Jane Austen)

Sunrise over the Cobb looking west towards Monmouth Beach 

There runs between Lyme Regis and Axmouth six miles to the west, one of the strangest coastal landscapes in Southern England....People have been lost in it for hours, and cannot believe, when they see the map where they were lost, that their sense of isolation...could have been so great.  

 (chapter 10 The French Lieutenant's Woman by John Fowles)

Girl About Time Ruby Red by Kerstin Gier

Apparently this is a German trilogy recently translated into English...I couldn't tell at all, especially as most of it was set in London.

The story raced along smoothly, with lots of action and funny dialogue. I found the time travel parts more interesting than the time spent at school. But the early school scenes obviously helped introduce the characters and established their relationships with each other.

I'm not quite sure what age group this book is aimed for.

The writing is quite light and easy to read so that any mature 11+ reader could manage it. However all the kids are in the mid teens with some light romance thrown in so that older teens could also enjoy this story.
I've also noticed a lot of (good) reviews on YA blogs, so this trilogy could be described as a great all ages read.

If you're a fan of the Ivory Tower then I think you'll love this too. It has a similar mix of mystery, historical fiction, adventure and romance.

I'm certainly looking forward to the next 2 books, Sapphire Blue and Emerald Green.

After writing the above, I spent some time checking out the covers from other countries - they have all been of a consistently high standard. But it is curious to note how they also reflect each countries opinion on what age group is reading this type of book.

The Australian cover with the younger girl featured on it, echoes my indecision about which age group this is written for.

Whereas the US cover with its sumptuous ruby gown & very mature looking young woman is definitely YA material.

However my particular favourite is the fairytale styled cover from Germany.

The Apothecary by Maile Meloy

Over the past week or so I've dipped in and out of a number of books only to feel disappointment and even worse, boredom!

So I made a promise to myself - from now on I would only read the books that grabbed me, shook me up and took me for the ride.

So I put aside 'Why We Broke Up' by Daniel Handler aka Lemony Snicket (I loved the illustrations and the idea behind the book, but I just couldn't get into the mood.) And picked up The Apothecary instead.

I had read rave reviews about it at Christmas time, but it had somehow ended up on the bottom of my pile of TBR's. I fished it out in high hopes of a good read.

I lucked out! This was a wonderful read. Rich, complex and magical.

It starts as an interesting historical fiction.We see post war USA under the full misery of McCarthyism. We meet Janie and her parents who are TV producers, mixing with the stars of Hollywood. Naturally they come under suspicion and have to flee to England.

In London we meet Benjamin and his dad, the local apothecary. Janie starts a new school and her parents start working for the BBC. So far, so normal.

But just like Harry Potter, this normal world is challenged by mysterious happenings. Benjamin's dad goes missing, they discover magical potions and we enter a secret world of spies, double agents and mad scientists. It all happens so logically and naturally that, just like Harry Potter, you believe it is possible and that this is the way the world really works!

This is definitely a book that takes you for an exhilarating, delightful ride, with characters you will love and a desire to visit again soon.

A must read for anyone over the age of 11!

I've Been Tagged

I was tagged by Jessys Bookends 

Here are the tag rules:
1. You must post the rules.
2. Answer the questions the tagger set for you in their post and then create ten new questions to ask the people that you have tagged.
3. Tag ten people and link to them on your post.
4. Let them know you've tagged them!

1. Which classic author do you like?

Jane Austen, of course!

1. Do you use read apps and/or devices? Let us know which do you recommend.

Not yet, but I'm thinking about buying an ipad. I've tried reading books on my pc and iphone but I don't enjoy reading on these kinds of screens. I would to hear what others think and recommend for this question.

1. Have you read any short stories recently, which one?

Alice Munro's 'Too Much Happiness'. Normally I love her short stories but this selection was just too sad and depressing. I also like William Trevor for short stories.

1. What is your favorite book?

The book I want to be buried with is Vikram Seth's 'A Suitable Boy' and the book I've read the most often is 'Pride and Prejudice'.

1. Who is your favorite literary character and why?

I think it would have to be Jo March. As a child I wanted to be like her. I've always admired her spunk, independence and her ability to say what was on her mind.

1. Do you have a favorite quote? From which book is it?

Don't cry because it's over. Smile because it happened. Dr Seuss

1. Do you prefer ebooks or paperbacks, why?

I will always love paperbacks. I love the feel of them, the smell of them, the pleasure of flicking through the pages, the way they fit into my hand (and heart)! I will use e-books for work, for convenience.

1. Which books do you plan to read during this month?

'The Killables' by Gemma Malley, 'The End of Illness' by David B Agus, 'The Apothecary' by Maile Meloy, 'Why We Broke Up' by Daniel Handler & Maira Kalman and 'Bitter Greens' by Kate Forsyth

1. Are you having giveaways soon? Tell us about.

No giveaways.

1. Can you recommend us a book that has impressed you recently?

The Beginners Goodbye by Anne Tyler


My 10 Questions Are:
1. What is your favourite book to movie adaptation?
2. What is your favourite animal story?
3. What do you think of e-books and e-readers?
4. Tell us about a non-fiction book that has impressed you recently.
5. Do you re-read books? Which ones have you re-read the most?
6. Do you have a most embarrassing book moment? What is it?
7. What qualities do you look for in a good book?
8. What book has surprised you the most and why?
9. Which era in history fascinates you most? What book encapsulates this time for you best?
10. What was your favourite story to have read aloud to you when you were little?

Tagged!!
1. The Girl Booker
2. Brays Books
3. A Thousand Books With Quotes
4. Singing and Reading in the Rain
5. Relook the Book
6. A Chick Who Reads
7. At Home With Books
8. Only Orangery
9. Literary Obsession
10. Feed Your Reading Habit

Please add a link to your post in the linky link below.

Saturday Snapshot - Powderfinger

I've been a Powderfinger fan for over 15 years. My sister gave me 'Internationalist' one Christmas. On a long road trip I listened to it over and over again - it was the beginning of a long love affair.

"If you want to be a passenger
Climb aboard with me we're leaving now
Step outside and see another world
Only if you want to be a passenger"

(with Silverchair and special guest Jimmy Barnes Sept 2007)



I saw them play live at a Big Day Out in 2005. I saw Bernie do a solo gig at the Enmore and a Powderfinger performance with Silverchair in 2007. And, finally, I saw 2 of their farewell Sunset tour peformances in Sydney in 2010.

"Another day meanders by
Keeping nature's tabled time
All these things just pass you by
And you can't relax in a scheduled life"

(Sunset Tour Sydney Sept 2010)

(Sunset Tour Sydney Nov 2010)

So imagine how excited I was to receive their bio for Christmas - "The Inside Story Australia's Best Loved Band: Powderfinger: Footprints." Complete with 2 CD's of their best hit songs.

"My happiness is slowly creeping back
Now you're at home
If it ever starts sinking in
It must be when you pack up and go"

Being a Powderfinger fan for so long meant that I already knew that Powderfinger were basically a group of 5 decent Aussie blokes. I knew that any bio about them would be fairly straight forward; no surprises.
But I didn't expect boring!

"There's a weight dragging through my days that I spend trying to fill the space
That's been there since the day that we parted and made our goodbyes
There's a truth begging to be told as the blues grab and take a hold
And I just can't believe when I wake up that you could be gone."

I've never read any of Dino Scatena's work before, so I dont know if the problem was his or whether a story about 5 ordinary blokes just doesn't make for a good story. Either way it was a struggle to get through this book. Thank goodness for the many, many photos.

And thank goodness I have so many happy memories of listening to their songs at defining moments of my life  - "footprints on the other side remind me where I've been."

Retiring in their early 40's at the top of their game means that the boys from Powderfinger will always be forever young in the hearts and souls of the fans.

"Promises already gone
There's no escape it's said and done
So keep your love forever young."

I can feel another sing-along coming on!

Go to Saturday Snapshot for more photo fun.

172 Hours On the Moon by Johan Harstad

This has been a disappointing story.

The premise is great; the photographs and maps are great, but the writing lets the whole thing down.

I'm not sure if the problem lies with the original storytelling by Harstad or if it's the translation by Tara F Chace. Somewhere, though, it falls flat. The language is boring, the dialogue seems stilted and the overall tone fails to capture one's imagination.

The bits that should have been eerie and scary just made me laugh out loud. And I always knew when someone was about to die because of the sudden flashback to a meaningful childhood moment or a happy time memory in the park with the wife and kids!



Maybe I'm just becoming hard to please or jaded? But I expect more from a book. I expect to be moved, entertained, stimulated, informed but most importantly I expect to be caught up by the magic and mystery of being lost in another world. That's where this book let me down.

And now for the Feature and Follow part of this post.

Even though this book was unsuccessful on many levels, it could be a fabulous movie.
A complete new (vamped up) script, the possibility of amazing location shots in Paris, Japan, Norway, New York and of course, the moon! It could be turned into a really scary, psychological thriller.

The Swedish actress, Noomi Rapace who played The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo could be Mia, Rinko Kikuchi could play Midori and Cyril Mourali could play Antoine.