Brian Tasker

Over the years a number of people, who know of my love for the Haiku Poem, ask where it started. It all began with the man pictured here, Brian Tasker.
About 20 years ago I was in Covent Garden in London, in a street called Neal Street East. There was a quirky shop there, a bit of a warehouse really, and it sold all sorts, and inside to the right was a bookshop that specialised in the arts. I went in many times afterwards, although it is no longer there.
Typically, on that first visit, I ended up in the poetry section and found two strange hand made books almost buried amongst the conventional titles. They were made of parchment, hand made paper, and sewn at the spine with wool and raffia. It was like finding a secret book in a strange bookshop at the beginning of so many stories. They were beautiful, and begging to be opened.
We were in the shop about 40 minutes and the entire time that my family scoured the shelves, I stood in one corner reading these books. They were by Brian Tasker and it was my first encounter with the Haiku.
I didn't get it at first, a deliberately arranged sentence on every page, but they were making me laugh or making me sad and I couldn't stop reading them. They were so simple yet seemed to say so much. I was astounded to find that these little books were for sale, because it felt like I had accidently found someones personal possession, left behind on the shelf. Their titles were Woodsmoke and Notes From A Humdrum - A Year in Haiku, and I have had them ever since.
Brian Tasker is involved with Makeshift Theatre, which has a page about his poetry. I have since come across him in compilations, many of which you can find at the Iron Press, or as editor for other collections. These particular ones were published by the Bare Bones Press, a journal founded by Tasker.
The delight I felt at finding those strange little books all those years ago led to a deep love for the Haiku form and many other collections for my shelves. However those first books by the poet above are my most treasured. Look out for his words on 'Haiku of the Week' on my sidebar, here at The Octogon.

The Bookseller of Kabul by Asne Seierstad

This book was my lucky dip from last year's Novel Holiday in Dorset. I had heard of the book already having bought it as a present for someone else. This is the 2nd title that is linked to our literary holidays, in accordance to #3 of my own challenges of the year.
The book tells the story of the Khan family, the head of which, Sultan Khan, is the bookseller of the title. The writer was a journalist from Norway who stayed with the family while working in Afghanistan and documented their story as a piece of literature.
The chapters focus on a different family member each time, relaying incidents that happened while she was with them, and the family members thoughts and opinions come from conversations that she had with them, we are told in the foreward.
The chapters cover new marriage proposals, trips to the market or the hammam with the female members, a trip to Pakistan with one of the sons, an attempt to join a night school class by one of the daughters, amongst others. We explore their characters and sense of survival, in a damaged city in a country that has such a violent, shifting history. Tradition holds the family together but suppresses various members in accordance with a hierarchy which is mainly dependent on your sex. Women are are given little opportunity to be independent and yet are criticised for being dependent on the male members, giving them licence to dish out abuse whenever it suits them. The younger male members, subject to the whims of their egotistical elders, take out their frustrations on those below them in the pecking order, so much so that the youngest daughter is kept at home as an unpaid and despised slave for the rest of the family. Sultan is a respected business man and his word is the law. He can treat his family however he likes because society has decreed him all powerful, so selfishness and lack of regard are part of everyday life.
Since this book was published the Khan family have rejected their portrayal, especially Sultan (not his real name). I was confused about the title, because this is more about the bookseller's family than the bookseller himself so I kept wondering when it was getting back to the main protaganist until I realised that it was only marginally about him.
The bulk of this book belongs to the women, wives, daughters, sisters, who also have their hierarchy, the youngest being bottom of the pile entirely. This may be because the writer was allowed to get closer to these members, into their confidence being female, or maybe because their plight interested her more. I couldn't help feeling that some of their opinions about their plight were more the authors than the women themselves though and it was here that I had a problem reading the book.
I really do not like Western writers portraying other cultures as repressive, backward or cruel in an unbalanced or arrogant way. I felt the writing was coming from a viewpoint that was situated on a pedestal looking down. Nearly all of it was negative. There was little said about affection, love, friendship. Do these things not exist in Afghanistan? The whole of this book seemed to be inviting you to sneer and be horrified at how awful Afghani family life is, and God help you if you are a girl. Granted, cruelties exist in all cultures, and need to be spoken of, but Westerners need to be careful not to dwell only on these things. Finding beauty alongside their difficulties, in moments or human relationships allows us to connect to them in some way, otherwise it can seem like a diatribe of derision.
I wonder whether the mistake here is in writing this as a literary work rather than a journalistic piece. I did actually like the chapter in the market describing the difficulties of wearing the Burkhas, or the women washing at the hammam, mainly because the writing became more interesting and descriptive, the women becoming people, interacting with one another. The rest of the book was not this way though. There seemed to be no relief for any of them, no special times, no pride in each other, not even a favourite meal or food spoken of.
The complicated and violent history of the region is dealt with so briefly, mostly in one chapter at the beginning, that I felt I was not given sufficient information to understand their differences. It ended up feeling like a one dimensional story that I didn't fully trust to be authentic to the people that it spoke about.
Discussion Questions about The Bookseller of Kabul can be found by using the link. I think there is plenty to talk about for book groups.
An opinion about the inaccuracies of the book can be read by using the link.
It is worth noting that my opinions about this book were formed during reading it or shortly afterwards. The controversy surrounding the legal cases about the authenticity of the opinions reported came to me later while reading around it for my post, adding further dimension to an already sensitive subject. They did not shape my feelings for the book, my concerns for which I had already voiced to others while reading it.

The Summer Book by Tove Jansson

This book was talked about and recommended during our Jane Austen Novel Holiday in Hampshire 2 years ago. I liked the sound of it so when my mum asked me if I wanted any books for Christmas that year I gave her this title. I read it for #3 of my own challenges to read two titles that came up during our Novel Holidays.
In short compact chapters we hear about 6 year old Sophia and her summer with her grandmother on a small island in the gulf of Finland. As each day is whiled away in the sunshine life becomes microscopic in its detail as well as vast in its imagination. Sophia, under her grandmothers guidance, is finding her individuality. Every day brings an adventure. A storm, a cat, a visit, a boat trip, a game. The house belongs to nature as much as to them, the island is a wilderness to be explored, the summer ticks on and life is changing rapidly for both of them.
The narrator is in the third person but much of it is Sophia's young view of the world. Her wide eyed wonder and cautious sense of adventure is coupled with her grandmothers wisdom and gentle encouragement. There is deep love between them but not without the usual frustrations and tiresomness that comes with living close together. All of this is explored and relayed to us in economical prose conveying the simple truths of the relationship with each other and the island.
Warmth comes not only bounding from the rocks by the shore, but from the tangible heart of this story. It is no surprise that Jansson drew on her own experiences with her grandmother as a child because this feels personal, as if we have been given an intimate glimpse through a keyhole at a private and beautiful time between these two people generations apart.
You can probably tell that I loved it, it was a complete treat to be able to dive into their world in short bursts. It was funny, poignant, moving (but never sentimental) and an adventure for me as a reader. I could feel the heat of the sun, hear the sea lapping the jetty, smell the plants, imagine the course stones and rocks, but this was only part of it. This book is about people and how they get on with each other. The subjects were so simple and yet completely involving and it was one of those books that I was sad to leave behind at the end.
Beautiful, and highly recommended. A rare treasure.

June Roundup

Lovely gooseberries, the sign of summer. Bought a load of these from our local market last week to make Gooseberry and Elderflower Ice Cream. The luscious green of these fruit, in season for such a short time, seemed a good representation for June.
On to the books...
Read - half a book. It has been a slow month, being away for a week and an otherwise busy month.
Completed - none
Currently Reading -
The Lost and Forgotten Languages of Shanghai by Ruiyan Xu
Notes from Walnut Tree Farm by Roger Deakin
The Organic Year by Patricia Gallimore
TBR Pile - currently at 124 books (according to GoodReads) with just one added...
Eve Green by Susan Fletcher
Challenges -
Still managed to stick to #1 of my challenges to not buy any new books this year. My one addition to the TBR pile was a second hand copy from The Sanctuary Bookshop on Broad Street in Lyme Regis, a great bookshop to get lost in for an hour or so.
Completed #5 of my challenges to compare 3 books to films with The Great Gatsby in my last post.
Wishlist Additions -
Illyrian Spring by Ann Bridge
Tiny Homes Simple Shelter by Lloyd Khan
The Green Self Build Book by Jon Broome
The Art of Mindful Gardening by Ark Redwood
Red Sky At Night by Jane Struthers
Discoveries -
The Old Books Guide and its accompanying website http://www.oldbookssw.co.uk/, a very useful resource for Antiquarian and Second Hand Booksellers in the Devon, Cornwall, Somerset and Dorset.
Two great bookshops in Lyme Regis in Dorset...The Sanctuary Bookshop on Broad Street I have already mentioned, and The Bookshop on Marine Parade by The Cobb. Both lovely bookshops and mentioned on the above website for The Old Books Guide.
Beetroot Books website, a site that specializes in books on gardening and cooking.
Events - An amazing and heart wrenching performance by Leanne Best in The Match Box by Frank McGuinness at the Liverpool Playhouse Studio.
Lets hope the rains dry up a little in July because it hasn't stopped for the last few weeks.
I am also loving being on Twitter (@leah_theoctogon) and am rapidly becoming addicted. Great way to share information, on books or just about anything else.

The Great Gatsby: Book to 1974 movie comparison

You may remember my review of The Great Gatsby by F Scott Fitzgerald last year and so when this 1974 version of the film starring Robert Redford and Mia Farrow came on TV late one night I rushed to record it. I had not seen it before and the imagery for this famous adaptation had always convinced me, before reading the book, that the 'Great Gatsby' was a car. Now, of course, I know different, although the car is gorgeous, and very iconic of the age.
My memories of this novel are a colourful montage of images, opulent parties and lavish clothing, houses of the elite during the Jazz Age in America after the First World War. Fitzgerald's lovely descriptions, especially of the exotic party goers, are what stayed with me, as well as the huge set pieces that were begging to be translated into a film.
I was not disappointed. This film pulls out all the stops to accurately reproduce each scene with care and attention to detail. Costumes of the Long Island rich are extravagant and ridiculously impractical, make up and hair flawless. Everything reeks of money.
The casting works brilliantly too. I was aware of Redford as Gatsby already, so his presence may have infiltrated my reading of the book anyway, but Mia Farrow, Bruce Dern and Sam Waterstone are excellent in their roles also.
The narrative slides by, quietly and with sophistication, as does the book. The party scene mid way through is a spectacle in itself with wild Charlston type dancing and millions of extras.
My only criticism was that it was a little long and I was quite tired by the end. I would imagine that for anyone who has not read this brilliant novel it may be a bit of a slog and not fully hold your interest. I don't know. I enjoyed it because I enjoyed the book and this enhanced the former experience by faithfully reproducing the mood, era and images to a screen. There were scenes in this movie, the petrol garage particularly, that were almost exactly as I had imagined them. If I did not have that foundation to build on I might have found it a bit dull and drawn out. I know that it has mixed reviews, but it cannot be criticised for any lack of glamour, or effort, or loyalty. It is pace that lets it down, but it is also this that recreates, in my opinion, the heady mood of the original novel.
In conclusion, this movie may be best watched after experiencing the book, as a faithful revisitation of a hugely loved story, one that many, and not just Americans, have grown up with. I would love to think that it would inspire a non-reader to read the novel, and very possibly it has, but I wonder if for others it may be considered long-winded and they find their attention waning half way through. 
I enjoyed visually revisiting this classic novel that I enjoyed last year, I do love Robert Redford too, and I am very much looking forward to the new version later this year with Leonardo di Caprio, Carey Mulligan and Tobey Maguire.
This post completes #5 of my personal challenges during 2012 to compare 3 books to their movie counterparts, the previous ones being North and South by Elizabeth Gaskell and We Need To Talk About Kevin by Lionel Shriver.

Dubliners by James Joyce

Dubliners was my first James Joyce book and part of the challenge from my work colleague AR, to read at least one of 3 titles chosen for me, by the end of the year.
Joyce wrote this book, his first, in 1914. It is a collection of short stories about various characters in Dublin around the turn of the century. Some of the characters stories overlap but each piece is a stand alone story. Most of the stories are quite short, 10 to 20 pages on average, covering small instances within the lives of a mixed set of people, young, old, men, women, groups or alone, all of them working class in Dublin.
In viewing these snapshots of their lives we are able to glimpse the wider community and interactions. From a young boys reaction to the family priests death in The Sisters, to an alcoholic about to lose his job and spending his last pennies on ale, to go home and take it all out on his children in Counterparts. There is also a group of men talking before a commitee meeting in Ivy Day in the Commitee Room, to a mother standing up for her musician daughter at a local concert in A Mother. None of the characters are well off, and some have varying fortune in their lives, but interaction, of friends and family, good and bad, features prominently in each chapter. The last story, The Dead, is much longer and feels like a short novella. It covers an entire evenings gathering and the subsequent hours afterward, and mentions a few of the characters from previous stories, bringing it all together. I have only picked out some of the tales, there are 15 in all.
The writing is beautiful throughout and each story has the feeling of joining an everyday incident half way through and leaves before it is ended. You sense that a lot has happened before and after the point where you come in, so each one is like a living thing. Some of the stories recount something that happens, others detail the ordinariness of life.
The cover picture of this edition is very evocative of the age in which these stories are set and was something that I found easy to connect with coming from, and growing up in Toxteth in Liverpool. Even during the 1970's there were parts of my childhood neighbourhood that enabled me to understand the setting and people that Joyce depicts here, as well as the history of my city and its own Irish connections and working class streets. The simple but skillful language used makes this book a joy to read. I loved the economy of the events pitched alongside the richness of the words. The subjects that pass through this book are very real and admirable for being written down.
This set of stories are a real treat for literature fans and those who like classic writing of the early 20th century with the late 1800's as an influential backdrop. Poverty and struggle play side by side with humanity and community. Highly recommended, and I know that I will pick this book up in the future and revisit the stories in it, for pure pleasure.
For a Penguin Reading Guide to Dubliners use the link.
For more information about classic Irish writer James Joyce use the link.

May Roundup

Summer is here, warm weather, blue skies (mainly). There is nothing I love more than finding a shady bit of grass, near a tree, and taking a book to read. Indulgent I know, when time is precious, but an essential luxury, however sparsley captured, to those of us who love to read books.
How did we do in May...
Read - 2 and a half books
Completed -
The Summer Book by Tove Jansson
The Bookseller of Kabul by Asne Seierstad
Currently Reading -
The Lost and Forgotten Languages of Shanghai by Ruiyan Xu
Notes from Walnut Tree Farm by Roger Deakin
The Organic Year by Patricia Gallilmore
TBR Pile - Currently groaning at 123 books (according to GoodReads) with quite a few added this month...
Written Lives by Javier Marias
Bad Dirt by Annie Proulx
The Wasp Factory by Iain Banks
The Tortilla Curtain by t. coraghessan boyle
Beyond Black by Hilary Mantel
The Distant Hours by Kate Morton
The Understudy by David Nicholls
Norwegian Wood by Haruki Murakami
Challenges -
Despite the many additions to my TBR pile in May, I have still kept to #1 of my own challenges to not buy any new books this year. Written Lives was a secondhand copy from Oxfam, and the rest were from our Book Swap in work.
Completed #3 of my challenges to read at least 2 titles that came up during our Novel holidays by completing The Summer Book by Tove Jansson (which was brought up as a recommendation by RB on our Jane Austen Holiday in Hampshire) and completing The Bookseller of Kabul by Asne Seierstad (which was my lucky dip title from CS on our Thomas Hardy Holiday in Dorset). Reviews are on their way here soon.
Wishlist Additions -
Home by Toni Morrison
This Is How: Proven Aid in Overcoming... by Augusten Burroughs
The Perks Of Being A Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky
The Devil's Beat by Robert Edric
Afterward: A Novel by Rosamund Lupton
The History of the Countryside by Oliver Racknam
Discoveries -
I am now on Twitter, and getting more than a little addicted. Decided to see what it was all about and have discovered a whole new world. I may see you there too...(link is on my sidebar by 'About me')
Events -
Had our BookSwap in work, now an annual event due to its popularity, and a great way to recycle and get people talking about books. I started off with 4 books, but there were 3 more at the end that were going to Oxfam so I adopted those too. See above for the brilliant titles, and I think lots of other people got some good ones too. It was a great success.
The Norman Conquests (a trilogy of plays by Alan Ayckbourn) are on at the Liverpool Playhouse and well worth a watch. I have seen 2 so far (Living Room and Round and Round the Garden). Great plays for the summer, a bit of 70's comic nostalgia, and some Norman mayhem in true Ayckbourn style.
I am off on my annual trip to work on the beautiful farm in Devon for a week...will see you when I get back.