Favourite Biographies: "Edie: An American Biography" by Jean Stein and George Plimpton

 
I read this book a couple of years ago when I was really into the 1960s aesthetically and I absolutely raced through it. It perfectly captures New York (and in general America) in the 1960s and the burst of the post-modern art scene led by Andy Warhol. However, it does so in an intensely personal way, focusing entirely on Edie Sedgwick, a model, muse, actress and self-destructive victim of Warhol and his art machine.

Sedgwick has remained in the cultural milieu mainly because she "shone so bright" and then died young. There have been many portrayals of her on film and she is often cited as a style and overall touchstone for "it girls". Stein and Plimpton's biography of her captures the charisma and decline of Sedgwick and helps the reader understand why she is considered as special as she is. In a way her rise and fall aligns with that of the alternative art scene of the 1960s, at one point considered so glamorous and aspirational and then falling apart in drug addiction and poverty. Sedgwick is so closely related to this particular time and place that she kind of stands in as the personification of it.

What I really liked about the biography is that instead of being told in a straight-forward narrative like most it is told almost exclusively through interviews with those that knew her. Although the "narrative", for lack of a better word, is linear different people bring out different sides to all of the stories and aspects of her life. Because Stein and Plimpton present Sedgwick's life this way it comes across as being more personal and more truthful; inconsistencies and contradictions are left in as if Stein and Plimpton are aware that there can no longer be an absolute truth when it comes to recalling Sedgwick's life. That it was and continues to be so embellished and almost mythologized that they just let the inconsistencies lay where they fall. I have written before about how I prefer biographies to be a little bit different because today the basic story of someone's (particularly someone famous) life is so easily accessibly on websites like Wikipedia. This definitely ticks off all the boxes for me.

Overall I really enjoyed reading Edie and thoroughly recommend it if you enjoy biographies or even if your are interested in social history.

Have you read this book? What did you think? Feel free to let me know in the comments!

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Lots of love,
xoxo

*This post was not sponsored, all opinions are my own. Above image is not mine, sourced from here.

Review: "Chocolates for Breakfast" by Pamela Moore

Chocolates for Breakfast was originally released in 1956 when Pamela Moore was just eighteen. It was pitched and marketed as the "American Bonjour Tristesse" which had been released two years earlier and was a sensation. However, unlike Bonjour Tristesse which remained popular, Chocolates for Breakfast went out of print in 1967 and only reappeared in the market thanks to the Harper Collins Perennial re-issue in 2013.

The novel is a coming-of-age story centred around the (initially) 15 year-old Courtney Farrell, a privileged but confused young girl. The first half of the novel takes place at her boarding school and in LA where her mother, a film actress, lives. The second half of the novel is set in New York. It is easy to see why Moore's book is so heavily compared to Sagan's; both stories are about a young girl who is emotionally and some-what socially troubled as she tries to grow into the woman that she wants to be. That is one of the things that actually stuck out to me while I read the book, Courtney's struggle to become the type of woman that she envisages, wants and desires to be. She is very intentional in her actions and the choices that she makes. This, I think, is actually refreshing for such a young female character; she struggles between her naive misunderstanding of the world while pushing herself to become her "ideal" self. I think that this is something that most girls go through but I don't ever remember a novel that addresses this particular struggle as well as Moore's does. Because of this, even though the story is very much about the privileged class, it is quite a universal story.

In an interview about the the book Moore herself noted that she wanted to explore the drives of the self-destructive generation that Courtney belongs to. This is very much the undercurrent that runs beneath the story. There are depictions of mental illness, alcoholism, and abuse (if these are sensitive subjects for you then I would tread carefully. It is also worth noting that several times characters use derogatory terms for homosexuals which is jarring and offensive). Although Moore never really explicitly deals with or explains why certain characters have the failings that they do she still manages to explore the characters in a though-provoking way. She tends to point to the previous generation for the failings of the youth and for me that brings to mind the Second World War and the fall-out from that (and also the positive economic growth that the US saw in the 1950s) as one possible root cause that Moore is driving at.

I really enjoyed this book. At times it is an over-the-top and juicy gossip novel but then it also has a real grounding and emotional impact. When I finished the book I just sat staring into space, thinking about it for a good twenty minutes and it has been almost constantly on my mind ever since. Then end is perhaps a bit over-wrought and not very deftly dealt with but I definitely recommend the book as a whole, especially if you are fond of female-driven coming-of-age stories.

Have you read Chocolates for Breakfast? What did you think? Do you have any recommendations for other novels like this? Feel free to let me know in the comments!

First Published: 1956
Published By: Rhinehart (original). Re-issue by Harper Collins Perennial (pictured above)
Rating: 4/5



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Lots of love,
xoxo

*This post was not sponsored, all opinions are my own. Above image is not mine, sourced from here.

In the Mood for: Politics

If you're anything like me then over the last week you've been struggling against the intense desire to binge-watch House of Cards (I'm up to episode 8 - no spoilers). I study political science at university and so I guess that my love for a good-old Machiavellian political drama is to expected but I though that today I would give some of you some book recommendations that you can sink your teeth into if you are done with the third season, or are just looking for something a little political to read. I've actually been meaning to do this post for a while with it first coming into my mind around the time of the NZ elections last year. All of the books below were written for a popular (wide) audience and are accessible so even if you don't think you have a great political mind you can enjoy them too.

Guantanamo Diary by Mohamedou Ould Slahi (edited by Larry Siems) (Canongate Books Ltd.)

I haven't read this book yet but I have ordered it online and am waiting for it to arrive. This is the publication of Ould Slahi's diary as he is currently incarcerated in Guantanamo Bay.

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Dirty Politics by Nicky Hager (Craig Potton Publishing)

If you're more interested in reading something about NZ politics then I suggest you give Hager's book a go. Hager is NZ's most well-known investigative journalist and this was his major work last year which uncovered some of the 'dirty politics' that political parties in NZ employed during their most recent political campaign. This might not be the most shocking of reads for someone in politics themselves (or those with a healthy distrust of the political machine) but it caused quite a stir in NZ when it was released. More recently, Hager has been writing about spying that NZ is doing on behalf of the NSA. His house was recently searched by police and the documents of what he was working on were taken. He is currently trying to stop the police from looking at them in order to protect his sources. Here is his website and here is his blog if you're interested in investigative journalism and want to find out more.

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The Autobiography of Malcolm X by Malcolm X and Alex Haley (Penguin Modern Classics)

This is a bit of controversial choice for some but this is an incredibly important book and Malcolm X was an incredibly significant and important man. Although it is said to be an autobiography of the civil rights activist it is largely known to be embellished and presented in a specific way to suit Malcolm X's own ends. I don't really see this as an issue as long as the reader is aware of it before hand. The specific narrative arch that Malcolm X employs in this novel is actually very interesting and gives a lot of information away about what he wanted his legacy to be.

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Communist Manifesto by Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels (Penguin Classics)

Whether you believe with Communist ideology or not, heck, whether you are right or left politically doesn't matter. If you are interested in politics then this is a must read. It is one of the most important political writings in history. I really like this edition of the manifesto because it contains the manifesto itself but also includes a wide-range of essays about it in order to help give context and understand its importance.

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Vindication on the Rights of Women by Mary Wollstonecraft (Penguin Great Ideas)

Do you want to read about 19th Century feminism written by the mother of Mary Shelley, the author of Frankenstein? Of course you do. Even today this remains a passionate and modern piece on how important equal rights between genders are.

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Nineteen Eighty-Four by George Orwell (Penguin Modern Classics)

And I bet you thought I would never get to fiction. This is kind of a no-brainer but I am always shocked by how many people just haven't read this yet. It is incredibly accessible, thrilling, depressing and thought-provoking (especially when you think about the use of information and media and then compare it to the current-day political climate). If you haven't read this already it's about time.

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A Clockwork Orange by Anthony Burgess (Penguin Modern Classics)

This is quite similar to Nineteen Eighty-Four in that everyone seems to have heard of it and yet relatively few have taken the time to actually read it. It is actually quite interesting to read alongside Orwell's work and compare alternative dystopian futures.

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Midnight's Children and Shame by Salman Rushdie (Vintage)

These books are a little bit different in that they are not explicitly about politics but rather they deal with issues over state-hood and independent nation-hood. Midnight's Children deals with India, told through the life of a young man; Shame is about Pakistan and is told through the story of two families. Both are gorgeous narratives and incorporate elements of magical realism which balance nicely against the dramatic and sometimes violent events. If I had to pick I would say that I prefer Shame but you wouldn't make me choose, would you?

Goodreads/ Shame
Book Depository/ Shame
Image Source/ Shame

What are some of your favourite political reads? Feel free to let me know in the comments! I always appreciate input into what I should be reading. Most of these books are written from a Western perspective so if you know of some others from a different perspective I would very much be interested.

Lots of love,
xo

*This post was not sponsored, all opinions are my own. Images in text are not mine and are sourced in the body.

A Truly Beautiful Title

I haven't read this book but as soon as I read the title I was completely blown away. It is such a beautiful, poetic turn of phrase.Go ahead, say it out-loud to yourself. "It Was Snowing Butterflies". It is so evocative it makes me want to write a poem, draw a picture, or at the very least get it tattooed somewhere on my body. Given that the essays included in the book are non-fiction and written by Darwin I doubt that the work itself is equally poetic but who knows? It's going on my wishlist either way.

Do you have a favourite book title? Have you ever been stunned by a title that you came across? Feel free to let me know in the comments.

Lots of love,
xo

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*This post was not sponsored, all opinions are my own. Above image is not mine, the source link is in the text.

Author Showcase: William S. Burroughs

Given that last week was very heavily Victorian I thought that this week we might focus on something (or someone) a bit more modern. William S. Burroughs is one of my favourite authors; I own six of his books that I all bought within about a month of each other (I remember because I got them from a bookstore that was closing down and was in a panic to buy everything that I possibly could). I don't know what it is exactly about Burroughs' writing that I like so much; it is rather 'unremarkable' in that he doesn't have a particularly distinctive style or cadence to his writing that other authors do but at the same time his voice comes through in all his works. Below are pictures and some thoughts on the books of his that I own and read.

And the Hippos Were Boiled in their Tanks (with Jack Kerouac)

I can't remember if this is the first book of Burroughs' that I read but it remains my favourite. I really like how you can read the difference between Kerouac's and Burroughs' styles and I think that both authors use their voices really effectively. The story is told from two different perspectives with Burroughs' writing one and Kerouac writing the other. The narrative details the real-life murder of one of their acquaintances by one of their friends. It is the same story that is covered in the (brilliant) film Kill Your Darlings.

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The Job: Interviews with William S. Burroughs

In which Burroughs talks about everything you can think of. At times this can be difficult to follow and you do sometimes have to concentrate to read it but it is well worth the journey into Burroughs' mind.

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My Education

This is similar to The Job but it's an extended essay on dreams rather than in interview format. The topics in My Education cover more about what it is to be an artist in general and a writer in particular.

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Junky

Burroughs' most well-known piece. It is a fictional (though largely autobiographical) account of drug dependency. This is an incredibly honest and sometimes brutal portrayal of drug addiction and how hard it is to break the cycle of cures and relapses. It can be quite a hard read and definitely isn't for everyone but is an incredibly important and valuable book.

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Nova Express

This book is the third part in a trilogy that Burroughs' did. I have unfortunately only read this one but I am planning on reading the others sometime in the near future. Nova Express is a science-fiction/dystopia novel which plays on themes of violence and media. If you like Anthony Burges' A Clockwork Orange, or if you're a fan of dystopian literature in general then I would thoroughly recommend this.

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The Yage Letters (with Allen Ginsberg)

If you're a fan of Ginsberg or Burroughs' but are looking for something that takes less commitment and time to read than the above books then this may be just what you're looking for. You can read this book in parts because it doesn't really have a central thrust or strong narrative drive. This book is a series of letters that Burroughs writes to Ginsberg when he is traveling through South America while experimenting with a drug called yage. Years after he does this Ginsberg mimics his journey which comprises the second part of the book. That description is pretty much exactly what is written on the back of the book because I couldn't for the life of me remember what was in the letters - though I remember enjoying reading it when I did. It might be time for a re-read.

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Have you read any Burroughs? Which book is your favourite? Could you recommend some others? Feel free to let me know in the comments below!

Lots of love,
xo
*This post was not sponsored and all opinions are my own. All books being from the same publication (Penguin Modern Classics) is simply because that was available to me when I was buying. No images above are my own, sources are linked in the text.

Mini Haul (I Went a Little Crazy on My Wishlist)

Recently I was lucky enough to have a wee bit of spare money hanging out in my account and so like the dedicated blog writer that I am (hopefully I didn't just jinx myself) I went to town on my Book Depository (BD) wishlist. I regret nothing. I do it all for you anyway. Anyway, because I haven't been reading that much lately I thought a haul might be in order. However, because I've been quite busy over the last couple of weeks you are deprived the classic, average photo of all the books in a pile that I usually do. I apologise. I'm sure you'll saddened to not be seeing my FABULOUS photography skills.

The Night is Darkening Round Me by Emily Bronte (Penguin Little Black Classic)

This is the book that started off my spending. I got an email form BD saying that this was now available and the rest is history. These little books are so cute and cheap and yes, I want them all.

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Chocolates for Breakfast: A Novel by Pamela Moore (Harper Perenial)

I have wanted this book forever and it's the one that I am most looking forward to reading. It is a coming-of-age story set in the 1950s in America. From what I've read about the book so far it sounds in a similar vein to Francoise Sagan, Anais Nin, and Jean Rhys. So a fabulous coming-of-age story filled with scandalous affairs and copious amounts of cocktails.

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To the Lighthouse by Virginia Woolf (Penguin Classics)

These editions of Woolf's work are simply beautiful. They look gorgeous online but they are even more stunning in person. I got To the Lighthouse because it was the first Woolf that I read and it remains my favourite.

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Emily Bronte: The Complete Poems (Penguin Classics)

To be honest I got this mainly because I don't own any of Bronte's poetry and I though that this edition would be a good, comprehensive place to start.

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Goodreads (Closest I could find)
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Fugitive Colors: A Novel by Lisa Barr

This story follows a young American artist who ends up in Germany as the Nazi's rise to power. Some major themes according to the jacket are love, friendship, the value of art, and politics. Sounds right up my street (I should note that I studied 20th Century European history at University). And yes, that lack of a 'u' in the word 'colors' in the title bothers me to no-end. English spelling forever!

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Bright Star: The Complete Poems and Selected Letters of John Keats (Vintage Classics)

I really want to read more poetry this year and I am a big fan of Keats. However, my knowledge of his works is far from extensive. This edition features an introduction by Jane Campion is a movie tie-in with her film Bright Star which is well worth a watch if you're a romantic who loves costumes, nature, poetry, and a good cry (seriously, tissues are more than necessary).

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Goodreads (not sure if this is the same with a different cover or another book)
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Hangsaman by Shirley Jackson (Penguin Modern Classics)

Ever since I read We Have Always Lived in the Castle I've been wanting to read more of Jackson's work. For some reason I was just really drawn to the cover of this and the story sounds really great too.

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Have you made any purchases lately? Is there any book that I got that you particularly like the look of and want to see a review of? Feel free to let me know in the comments!

Lots of love,
xo

*This post was not sponsored. All books purchased with my own money. The BD links are above the Goodreads ones simply because I was part way through before I remembered my usual order and then couldn't be bothered to change it. None of the above images are my own. Image sources are linked in the body of the text.

Movie Tie-In: Madame Bovary

Gustave Flaubert's most famous work was first published in 1856. The narrative follows the life of Emma Bovary who in finding her married life completely unsatisfying has affairs and seeks comfort in consumption (haven't we all at least done the later?). Madame Bovary was Flaubert's first novel published and remains a classic that mostly everyone has heard of, if not read, ever since. Although the 'dissatisfied woman going to extreme lengths and thus ruining herself' was a common trope in Victorian fiction (see last week's tie-in for another example) Flaubert's work injects humour into the narrative which helps to give it lightness and stops the story from reading too melodramatic. My favourite quote from the novel would have to be "She wanted to die, but she also wanted to live in Paris". It perfectly captures the tone and whit of the novel. However, this isn't to say that the novel is satirical or that it doesn't have an emotional centre. It very much does. One of the reasons why this novel has lasted so well and is such a highly regarded classic is because the character of Emma Bovary is so well written and the reader is able to feel a great deal of empathy for her.

There have been many film adaptations of Madame Bovary but the one that I am writing about today is the most recent. It stars (my personal favourite) Mia Wasikowska as Emma Bovary, Paul Giamatti, Rhys Ifans, Ezra Miller, and Laura Carmichael. I think that the film comes out this year? I haven't seen any release date for it so far but fingers crossed it gets a decent release. It sure looks like a goodie!

What movie tie-in are you looking forward to? I can't wait for Far from the Madding Crowd though I haven't read Thomas Hardy's book yet (I think that it's in the mail as we speak). Have you read Madame Bovary? What did you think? What is your favourite adaptation? Feel free to let me know in the comments!

Youtube link to Madame Bovary trailer (in case the above video is still not working)
Imdb 

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Lots of Love,
xoxo

*This post was not sponsored, all opinions are my own. Above images are not mine, sourced from here and here.

Non Fiction Favourite: "Cultural Amnesia: Notes in the Margin of My Time" by Clive James

Cultural Amnesia is an anthology of over 100 essays about people of note in the 20th century. The essays cover writers, artists, actors, political thinkers and politicians. One of my favourite things about this book is the "Overture" at the very beginning which is about early 20th century Vienna. It really sets the tone and the loose theme of the rest of the essays and is incredibly interesting. The essays themselves tend to focus on one or two themes within the subjects' lives rather than just working as biographical essays. This is a real asset to the book which engages the reader fully and allows to you think, question and challenge rather than just blankly reading facts. In the age of Wikipedia (which I do love) where the facts of someone's life are more than just accessible biographies like these are all the more valuable.

One of the great things about a book like this is that you don't have to read all essays at once but you can dip your toe in every now and again. I don't think that I have read all the essays though I've had the book for more than a couple of years. I have great respect for a piece of work like this not only because of the amount of time and effort that would have gone into making it (James himself notes that it has "taken him forty years" to write) but also because it works as an educational work. For example, before opening this book I had never hear of Ann Akhmatova, a woman who wrote so beautifully through such an ugly time. She has since become one of my favourite poets.

Some of my favourite essays are on Akhmatova, Jorge Luis Borge, Albert Camus, Coco Chanel, Jean Cocteau, Albert Einstein, Federico Fellini, F. Scott Fitzgerald, Gustave Flaubert, Josef Goebbels, Franz Kafka, Thomas Mann, Mao Zedong, Marcel Proust, Leon Trotsky, and Evelyn Waugh.

Bonus: If you like biographies on your favourite authors I thoroughly recommend Wild Nights! by Joyce Carol Oats. The book contains fictional re-tellings of the last days of famous writers and each individual story mimics the tone and style of the subject writer. The Emily Dickinson story is my personal favourite and not exatctly what you would expect...

Have you read parts of Cultural Amnesia? What are some of your favourite essays? Feel free to let me know in the comments!

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Lots of Love,
xoxo

*this post was not sponsored, all opinions are my own. Above image is not mine, sourced from here.

Classics Corner: "Crime and Punishment" by Fyodor Dostoyevsky

I studied Crime and Punishment twice during my undergraduate study and loved it both times. The first time I picked up the book to read it, however, I was more than a little intimidated. 19th Century Russian literature is scary enough even if you ignore the fact that the novel itself is over 600 pages long. I shouldn't have been scared though and neither should you be (if, indeed, you are). Once you get into the rhythm of the novel and become more used to the less-conventional (in terms of Western European literature) naming of characters (most main characters have multiple names they are referred to by) this novel is incredibly satisfying to read.

The narrative follows the character of Raskolnikov after he commits a murder. The book is very much a study on the way his mind reacts to what he (intentionally) has done and the ways in which he is affected by his choice. It doesn't really sound like the most exciting book to read but it really works as a tense character study of Raskolnikov and although you may not particularly like his character as a reader you quickly begin to empathise with him.

Dostoyevsky also brings in secondary characters and story-lines which play with the themes of crime, punishment and the concept of justice. I think that these work really well together to push his themes home but at the same time you don't feel hit over the head with them. One of the most well-known secondary characters in the story is Sonya, a young girl who turns to prostitution in order to support her family. The interactions between Sonya and Raskolnikov are sometimes sweet, sometimes upsetting and mostly frustrating but I think they work well within the world and tone of the novel.

Is this a "feel good" novel? The short answer is no. I personally felt quite emotionally drained after reading it as Dostoyevsky does an incredible job of drawing the reader into the mind of Raskolnikov. However, I do think that it ends on a somewhat hopeful point so it's not all bad. If you haven't read it before I definitely recommend that you give it a read, as long as you have a tiny bit of patience you won't regret it.

Have you read this novel before? What did you think? Do you have a favourite translation? Let me know in the comments below! Also, if you have another Dostoyevsky favourite let me know what it is! I can't decide which one to read next.

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Book Depository (I couldn't find my Penguin Classics edition - pictured above - so this link goes to the Vintage Classics edition which is BEAUTIFUL)

Lots of Love
xoxo

*This post was not sponsored, all opinions are my own. Above image is not mine, sourced from here.

Movie Tie-In: "Thérèse Raquin"

Thérèse Raquin is a novel written by Émile Zola and first published in 1867. It follows the life of the character Thérèse Raquin as she leads a dissatisfied life married to a sickly man-child/her first cousin, living with her mother-in-law/aunt and her subsequent affair with the passionate Laurent (oh the joys of the 19th century). One of the most remarkable things about the book is the way that Zola is able to capture Thérèse's desperation and isolation as a character. In his introduction to the book Zola wrote that his aim was to "study temperaments and not characters" and he does just that. Each character has a very specific emotional profile but still manage to read as well-rounded and realistic. It was the first Zola novel that I read and I just devoured it.

More recently, a film adaptation has been made of the novel. Though for some reason it has been titled In Secret (terrible title). It stars Elizabeth Olsen as the title character, Tom Felton, Jessica Lange, and Oscar Isaac. I haven't seen the movie and I'm not sure if it's already been released or has yet to be but just watch the trailer. It looks so great and is definitely going on my to-watch list. Although just a heads up: the trailer does contain what I would consider spoilers for the book so if you haven't read the novel and want to read it knowing as little as possible don't watch the trailer.

Have you seen the movie or read the book? What did you think? Feel free to let me know in the comments! Also if someone has any helpful tips and tricks on how to embed a youtube video into a post using blogger I would be forever grateful - for some reason it just wasn't working for me.

Imdb - In Secret

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Lots of love,
xoxo

*This post was not sponsored, all opinions are my own. Above image is not mine, sourced from here.

"The Incorrigible Children of Ashton Place: The Mysterious Howling" by Maryrose Wood

I first saw this book on the bookshelf at Borders and was immediately drawn to it. It just has the most lovely cover and as soon as I saw it I knew that I was going to buy it.

The Incorrigible Children of Ashton Place is a series of children's books written for the ages of 8-12 but honestly I enjoyed the first edition, The Mysterious Howling. Because it is a children's book you do have to lower your expectation about depth and tone but if you read it for what it is the novel is a wee gem. The story follows Miss Penelope Lumley a recent graduate from a school for 'poor bright females' as she works as a governess at Ashton Place. She is in charge of three children who were found in the surrounding woods and appear to have been raised by wolves. I don't think it is explicitly stated anywhere what year the story takes place in but I think its safe to assume that it is during the Victorian period, probably the mid 19th Century.

The tone of the book is light and for an adult reader it contains quite a bit of humour. The twist at the end, however, was not really as surprising to me as it might be for a reader within the target age-range. One of the only draw-backs is that it is by no means a stand-alone book. So far there are four books out in the series which I do intend to read at some point. Although I understand that this is just one part of a larger story it would have been nice to have more of a complete and rounded-off narrative in this book.

All-in-all I really did enjoy this book. It is really gorgeous to behold. From the cover to the naked hardback and even the end-pages and illustrations are just the cutest and would make any child (and child in adult's clothing) happy. The characters are engaging and the story simple and straightfoward.

Have you read any of the Incorrigible Children series? Feel free to let me know your thoughts in the comments!

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Lots of Love
xoxo

*This post was not sponsored, all opinions are my own. Above image is not, sourced from here.

My Favourite Poets: Christina Rossetti

I love poetry. I love reading it both to myself and aloud. I love writing it (or trying to, anyway). I think what I love most about it is the fact that every word that goes into a poem is there for a reason. There are so many condensed layers of meaning in a poem as a result and they are just as fun to unpack and think about as they are to just read and appreciate the way the words work together create a rhythm, imagery and sound.

I thought that because I love poetry so much I would do a regular feature introducing you to some of my favourite poems and poets. Full disclosure: Romantic poets are kind of my thing. I will try and extend myself beyond this but the first couple of installments (at least) may be very Victorian-heavy.

The first poet that I am going to cover is Christina Rossetti. She is a Victorian Romantic poet who wrote both narrative and non-narrative poems. If you like Keats, Shelley, Dickinson and other Romantic poets who deal with topics of art, nature, and death then you might want to give Rosetti a try. She isn't as well known as some other poets of the period which I think does her a huge disservice because I really enjoy reading her. Side note: you may have heard of her brother, Dante Gabrielle Rosetti who was a leading member of the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood and an exceptional artist and poet in his own right.

One of the things I love about Christina Rossetti is her use of imagery from fairy-tales and fables. She weaves these either as an undertone or as an explicit topic (more on that later) which gives her poetry a real mythical and mystical undercurrent. This works so well with her Romantic style of writing and elevates it above many other works within the canon. If you enjoy fairy-tales and reading things with more of mythical element I would thoroughly recommend Rossetti's works. Her most famous poem is a narrative poem that explicitly deals with the mythical. It is called 'Goblin Market' and follows the fates of two sisters after they encounter goblins. Because it is a narrative poem it is extremely accessible so if you're not really sure how to get into poetry or Rossetti's works specifically, 'Goblin Market' is a good place to start. It is not overly long and it will draw you in.

My personal favourite poem of Rossetti's is 'After Death'. I'm going to write it out below to give you a wee taste:

The curtains were half drawn, the floor was swept
    And strewn with the rushes, rosemary and may
    Lay thick upon the bed on which I lay,
Where thro' the lattice ivy-shadows crept.
He leaned above me, thinking that I slept
   And could not hear him; but I heard him say;
   "Poor child, poor child:" and as he turned away
Came a deep silence, and I knew he wept.
He did not touch the shroud, or raise the fold
   That hid my face, or take my hand in his,
      Or ruffle the smooth pillows for my head:
      He did not love me living; but once dead
   He pitied me; and very sweet it is
To know he still is warm tho' I am cold.

There are several collections of her poetry that you can choose from if you're interested in getting sucked into her works. The version that I have is available from Book Depository here. The link below is a general search for her works.

I really hope that you enjoyed reading this first edition of 'My Favourite Poets' and that you go and check out some of Rossetti's works. Feel free to let me know who some of your favourite poets are in the comments, or even chime in on your favourite Rossetti piece!

Christina Rossetti's Wikipedia page for more info about her 
Goodreads
Book Depository

Lots of love,
xoxo

*This post was not sponsored, all opinions are my own. Above image is not mine, sourced from here.

Haul Update: The Last Three Months

I know, I know, this is a lot of books. In my defense, this haul is inclusive of the months December, January and February so some of these are Christmas gifts and some are birthday gifts. I'll calm down with the spending next month (probably). As you can probably see my Bronte collection is growing. Oh, and there is one book included in the text but not in the above picture because I couldn't find it when I was pulling everything together (spoiler: I found it later on one of the shelves I looked through).

We Have Always Lived in the Castle by Shirley Jackson (Penguin Orange Paperback)

This novel follows a pair of isolated living in a town where they are hated following the deaths of everyone else in their family. Things get more complicated between the sisters and their relationship with the townsfolk when a mysterious relative comes to stay.

Goodreads 
Book Depository
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The Beautiful and Damned by F. Scott Fitzgerald (Penguin Orange Paperback)

The narrative of this book is about a fabulous and charismatic couple living in the 1920s. Of course, because it's a Fitzgerald novel nothing is as it seems and everyone is terribly depressed and money is not as free-flowing as it first appears. This is one of the few Fitzgerald novels that I haven't read so I am looking forward to sinking my teeth into it.

Goodreads
Book Depository
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A Room of One's Own by Virginia Woolf (Penguin Classics)

One of Woolf's most popular and well-known essays about the importance for women to intellectual and financial independence. I haven't read this yet and am really looking forward to it! This edition is just so cute as well, when I saw it in the bookshop I couldn't resist it (the version that I have is the one in the Book Depository link, I couldn't find a linkable image of the edition that I have. I do want the above edition though, so gorgeous).

Goodreads
Book Depository
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Wild by Cheryl Strayed (Vintage Books, Movie Tie-In Edition)

I have read this book and done a review on this book so if you're interested in that click here.

Goodreads
Book Depository
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Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte (Penguin Classics)

I'm just going to assume that you know what the Bronte books (the next few) are about.

Goodreads 
Book Depository
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Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte (Race Point Knickerbocker Classics)

A cloth-bound softcover. A. CLOTH-BOUND. SOFTCOVER.

Book Depository
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Selected Letters by Charlotte Bronte (Oxford World Classics)

Goodreads
Book Depository
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Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte (Canterbury Classics)

Goodreads
Book Depository (Not the exact edition I have but the closest I could find)
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The Penguin Book of Witches edited by Katherine Howe (Penguin Classics: A Penguin History Book)

This is a collection of Witch trials from England and America from before, during, and after the infamous Salem witch trials.

Goodreads
Book Depository
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Viper Wine by Hermoine Eyre (Johnathan Cape Ltd.)

This novel is about a once-lauded muse as she struggles with the process of aging and tries to convince her husband, an alchemist, to let her try the mysterious potion that is gaining popularity in the cities. This is meant to be a ripping read and I don't think that my description has done it justice so it might be best to click a link below to get a better idea.

Goodreads
Book Depository
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The Queen of the Tearling by Erika Johansen (Bantman Press)

This story follows the journey of young girl who has grown up in exile as she travels to become queen as she has come of age. This has been pitched as a YA version of Game of Thrones and while I can see where that analogy comes from I don't really think that it is very apt. I have read this book so if you want a full review just let me know!

Goodreads
Book Depository
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MacBeth by William Shakespeare (Sterling Signature Shakespeare)

I love these editions of Shakespeare's works. They include the most gorgeous illustrations and laser-cut paper inserts. I want them all.

Goodreads
Book Depository
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Behind the Scenes of Downton Abbey: The Official Companion to All Four Seasons by Emma Rowley (HarperCollins Publishers Ltd.)

What? I'm not allowed to have a guilty pleasure?

Goodreads - unable to find, sorry
Book Depository
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How to Change the World by John-Paul Flintoff (Macmillian: The School of Life) [Not pictured]

I got this for my birthday from one of my friends. It is a non-fiction book about how to become passionate about a cause and then turn that passion into action in order to 'change the world'. My friend really liked it, so hopefully when I read it I will too. Superficially speaking, I am in love with the minimalist design of the cover.

Goodreads
Book Depository
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Phew, that took longer than expected! There has to be an easier way of doing posts like this! What books have you been buying lately? Feel free to let me know in the comments! Also let me know if you want a review on a particular book!

Lots of love,
xoxo

*This post was not sponsored. All books were purchased with my own money or were gifts from friends and family. Top image is my own, other images in text are sourced in text.

Currently Reading: "I Capture the Castle" by Dodie Smith

For the last few months I honestly thought that I had somehow thrown my copy of I Capture the Castle out or lent it to a friend without remembering. It wasn't until I was having a decent forage through my book shelves that I found it tucked away at the back. Such a relief; I've been trying to read it for at least six months.

At this moment in time I'm about a third of the way through the book and I am loving it. It really has everything that I look for in a quick read - simple language and people having romantic problems in a historic setting. For those of you who are unfamiliar Smith's novel is narrated by 17 year-old Cassandra and follows the life of her family who are broke and living in a decrepit castle in the 1930s.

One of the things that has stuck out to me so far is the way that the novel deals with class (a huge deal in a lot of English literature). Although the Mortmain family have absolutely no income or money they are still considered to be of a higher class than the working-class people (like their board Stephen) around them. The sisters are still expected to make a good match and go to dinner parties when the handsome Cotton boys move in next door but invitations are not extended to everyone and Stephen is not invited (though the rest of the household is). Despite the fact that he is the only one bringing money into the household he is considered below everyone else. Smith does a fantastic job demonstrating the complete lack of social mobility at the time (though this could also be due to the old-fashioned leanings of the families who seem to exist without any meaningful contact with the outside world).

I can't say too much about plot so far but as far as the characters go I am really enjoying reading about them. They all (apart from Mrs. Fox-Cotton) are rendered with compassion and I don't really dislike any of the characters despite their haughtiness and other less than positive attributes. This, I think, has to do with how likable the narrator Cassandra is and how kindly she treats everyone around her. Although this can sometimes come across too saccharine (or consciously naive ;-)) because Cassandra is constantly questioning her own motivations, emotions, wants and desires I find myself forgiving her. As a character, comes across as incredibly young and sheltered which tempers some of the sweetness.

Have you read I Capture the Castle? What did you think? Feel free to let me know!

Good Reads
Book Depository

Lots of Love,
xo

*This post was not sponsored. Image above is not mine, sourced from here.

Review: "Wild" by Cheryl Strayed

O.K. I'll admit it. When I first saw the trailer to the movie Wild at the end of last year I was mega-excited. It looked right up my alley, so to speak. I love a good (day) hike and am fully into all those 'ladies discovering their value' kind of movie narratives. However, I still haven't seen the movie. Instead, I read the book.

For those of you who are not aware, Wild is an autobiographical novel about Cheryl herself as she hikes the Pacific Coast Trail for three months in the nineties. After a rather tumultuous few years following the death of her mother, Cheryl decides that by walking the trail she will somehow re-find her centre and be able to move forward as a complete and healed human. And so she walks.

Firstly, this book is incredibly easy to read. Strayed seamlessly weaves together the story of her journey on the PCT with her own inner reflections on her life before she started the hike. It is an incredibly honest portrayal of what it is to be broken by grief and not having the tools to pull yourself back together. Strayed really pulls the reader into her inner world and doesn't apologise for the mistakes that she makes. It is an incredibly brave thing to do and I commend her on that.

However, I did have a hard time identifying with Cheryl on her journey. Mainly because she deals with things in such a completely different way than I do. Where Cheryl tends to run away and find comfort in others, I am more of a 'pull yourself together and get on with it' kind of person (note: I don't think that one approach is necessarily better than the other, just a different way of dealing with hardship). Furthermore, if I am unsure or nervous about something I find comfort in details, structure and going through all the information possible in order to get some kind of footing. Cheryl is not like this at all and seemed almost uninterested in all the details and necessities of the PCT hike before she actually set foot on it and as a consequence was completely under-prepared. These differences in thought processes stopped me from being able to be completely drawn into the book and I did find it difficult on occasion to identify and fully empathise with Cheryl. It should be said, however, that this not a fault of the book itself and has nothing to do with the writing technique of Strayed but it is rather just a personal point that I noted.

All in all I did enjoy reading this book and I would certainly recommend it. It may also inspire you to go on a hike yourself.

Rating: 4/5
Book Depository
Good Reads

Lots of Love xo

*This post is not sponsored. Image above is not mine. It was sourced from here.