Snapshot May 2015
I like to capture what I’m reading on the first day of each month so I can look back on it in a few years from now and relive the memory. I’m a little late this month but here’s what I was up to on May 1, 2015 in the realm of reading, listening to and watching.
Reading
When I heard that the Costa Award for Debut novel had gone to a book written from the perspective of a teenager with mental health problems, I decided it was too close to the Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night (which I didn’t care for) to be of interest. But come May 1 guess what I was reading? Yes, Nathan Filer’s Costa Award winning The Shock of the Fall. Not only was I reading it, I was engrossed in it. If it hadn’t been for the fact this was the selection for the month at the book club I wouldn’t have bothered but I would then have missed a wonderful novel. It is extremely well constructed, has a strong narratorial voice and very deftly seems to weave in messages about the appalling way in which people with mental health are treated without making me feel I am being hit over the head.
Listening
I loaded up my iPod thinking I would have many hours of opportunity on holiday to enjoy some good audio books while finishing my cross stitch project. Not only didn’t I finish the cross stitch but I didn’t even get through one audio book. I’m about a third of the way through Colm Tóibín’s Nora Webster. It’s a wonderful portrait of a recently widowed mother of four living in Wexford, Ireland, trying to keep the family together while she grieves for her husband. This is not a book I want to rush through. I don’t usually care for Fiona Shaw but as a narrator she is is doing a beautiful job.
Learning
I have learned in recent weeks that I am not capable of doing a full time job, taking an active part in a local campaign group to save our library and trying to follow some on line classes. Consequently my time with Coursera’s module on Australian literature was short – the lectures I did watch were interesting so I will download and watch at a more leisurely pace in the future. I did manage to finish a short course on genealogy however so all was not lost. But I’m going to reign in my enthusiasm and not start anything new for a while.
Watching
Nothing! Too much to do on holiday to spend it stuck in front of a tv screen.
Hope you don’t mind I think I’m going to steal this idea for a monthly blog post for my blog!
No issues at all from my end. I think adapted it from something I saw about people taking photos pf the same place once a year and always on the same date.
I know exactly what you mean about trying o do too many things at once. I’ve been following an online creative writing course while teaching 25 hours a week and trying to manage my blog and You Tube channel. It’s been great the online course but will be happy to get back to normal when it’s over in 2 more weeks. Learning a lot and will definitely do this again. The Shock of the Fall sounds really intriguing. Can’t wait for your review! I may have to check out your Australian online course. That sounds like something I’d love to do.
You might have to wait a long time for that review Didi – I am currently running about 16 reviews behind!
Ouch! You definitely have me beat on that. I’m about 4 behind. I hate being behind. Don’t you? Reviews can’t be rushed though.
No question of me ever rushing a review Didi. I am painstakingly slow
The most important thing is you’re efficient and thorough. That’s all that counts.😉
I have Nora Webster on my TBR which I am determinedly trying to tackle! Enjoy your reading and listening!
I have the same feeling about my copy of Brooklyn which has Ben similarly neglected Cleopatra.