I attend a book club near my house once a month and I have started to feel that once a month isn't enough to feed my reading addiction. It has nothing to do with the women who attend or the enjoyment I get out of meeting with them every month. I just need to read more novels. Simple as that. So, I asked a friend of mine (who has lived here for fourteen years I believe) where I could find another club to attend. She told me to go to hers. Easy. So, I ordered their book for this month and yesterday, while it was teaming with rain outside, I curled up on the couch (in my warmest pyjamas) with a cuppa and read it.
The novel was Me Before You by Jojo Moyes. I had never heard of her before and I didn't even read any reviews on the novel before it arrived in my mail box. I don't think I have ever done that before. I always know what I'm in for. So read the back of the book when I pulled it from it's package and complained to my husband that I was sick of boring and predictable characters and from what I read I could have told you what both of the main characters were going to be like and how the story was going to end. Here is what the back said:
"Lou Clark knows lots of things. She knows how many footsteps there are between the bus stop and home. She knows she likes working in The Buttered Bun tea shop and she knows the might not love her boyfriend Patrick.
What Lou doesn't know is she's about to lose her job or that knowing whats coming keeps her sane.
Will Traynor knows his motorcycle accident took away his desire to live. He knows everything feels very small and rather joyless now, and he knows exactly how he's going to put a stop to that.
What Will doesn't know is that Lou is about to burst into his world in a riot of colour. And neither of them knows they're going to change the other for all time. "
Back to me now. Basically after Lou loses her job she is employed by Will's mother to care for him and generally keep his spirits up. Her contract is for six months and she quickly finds out why her contract is so short. Will want's to travel to Dignitas (an assisted dying organisation) in Switzerland where, with the assistance of doctors and nurses, he can end his life. Don't worry, that wasn't a secret.
Anyway, as one of my best friends could tell you, I can usually tell from the first page or two if I'm going to like a book. She would always get so mad at me for putting a novel down only a chapter in and moving on. But that's just how I read (although for the sake of my blog, I do push on a little more these days). It just seemed like a typical boy meets girl (or vice versa), but...after the first page I was hooked. I didn't do much else yesterday because I couldn't put it down. I loved Lou. I could totally relate to her desire to just stay in the one place and have a quiet and predictable life. I move around a lot and I wish so hard that I didn't have to. She is a bit quirky and just a generally loveable character. I did like Will as well, but I have never been in his situation and found it harder to relate. I felt sorry for him, but I didn't enjoy his character as much as Lou. That being said, his character was still great.
The book was so easy to read (I have noticed that easy books are becoming a theme for me. I must challenge myself more) and unputdownable. It mad me happy and it made me sad and the best part was the ending. I knew what was going to happen and I'm so glad it did. I can't really say why I liked it without giving much away, so I'll leave it be. But it was a great ending.
Another reason why I loved the book is because I am a big supporter of euthanasia. Many don't agree, and that's fine, but I just don't think anyone should have to continue living in pain and discomfort if they don't want to. It's their life and their choice.
It did have elements of typical chick lit, but it didn't bother me so much. When I was constantly reminded that one of the main characters wanted to kill himself, I just forgot about the typical side to this novel. I really, really enjoyed it. And I am pretty keen to hear what is on the list for next month. So far, so very good.
Sam I Am x
Wednesday 29 February 2012
Tuesday 7 February 2012
On Half the Sky by Nicholas D. Kristof and Sheryl Wudunn, being home and snoring.
Towards the end of my husbands hospital stay (when we were both a bit more confident that everything would turn out ok) I decided to sink my teeth into a book with a bit more depth than Celeste by Virginia Andrews (not that that was going to be a hard task). My book club chose to read Half the Sky by Nicholas D. Kristof and Sheryl Wudunn over the Christmas break but I honestly didn't think I'd get around to reading it. As hubby got better I didn't feel the need to beg the nurses to let me stay longer than their strict visiting hours, and I ended up with a bit of 'me' time where I could finally start on our book club pick.
Nicholas and Sheryl are a husband and wife team who have won a Pulitzer Prize in journalism, and through their work as journalists and foreign correspondents for the New York Times they witnessed the horrific way that women in under-developed countries are treated. Half the Sky is an account from various women about the way they have been sexually, physically and mentally abused and how they overcame this atrocious treatment. Many of them (through micro-loans and generous donations) became successful business women who campaigned for womens rights to education and medical care. Nicholas and Sheryl are firm believers that educating women would eradicate a lot of these problems and now, I am too.
This book was overwhelming. It probably didn't help that I read it in hospital, but still. I felt like a burden had been placed on my shoulders and I needed to do something about it. I still don't know what, but it's something I can't ignore. The stories of these women broke my heart but it is a book I think everyone should read. You know, we don't have it as bad as we think. These women had every reason to give up and stop fighting, but they didn't. It was amazing and inspiring and I'm enjoying spending the time thinking about what I can do to help.
On another note, we're home. After three weeks living in a hospital, we're finally back and sleeping in our own beds. It's been the worst four or five weeks (I've lost count) of our lives so far and we are really embracing the small comforts of home. Who knew that being able to wash dishes in my own sink versus the sink in my apartment at the hospital would bring me so much joy? Things at home have changed, but now we appreciate the little things like being able to go for a walk around the block.
The other night I was laying in bed waiting for hubby to fall asleep (I've found that since coming home I can't sleep unless he is) and after tossing and turning to try and get comfortable, he finally fell asleep. Then something weird happened. He started to snore and that sound made me feel immeasurably happy. He has snored for as long as I've known him. I can't say that it bothered me that much, I would just have to poke him sometimes so he would change position and quieten down. But on this particular night when he started snoring I didn't feel annoyance or frustration. I just smiled and knew that for the next few hours he won't be in any pain and everything is ok. I think I may be the only woman I know who (now) loves the sound of her husband snoring.
Now that we're home and settling into a routine, I have the time to get back to reading like I used to. So, the posts should be way more regular... I hope.
Sam I Am
Nicholas and Sheryl are a husband and wife team who have won a Pulitzer Prize in journalism, and through their work as journalists and foreign correspondents for the New York Times they witnessed the horrific way that women in under-developed countries are treated. Half the Sky is an account from various women about the way they have been sexually, physically and mentally abused and how they overcame this atrocious treatment. Many of them (through micro-loans and generous donations) became successful business women who campaigned for womens rights to education and medical care. Nicholas and Sheryl are firm believers that educating women would eradicate a lot of these problems and now, I am too.
This book was overwhelming. It probably didn't help that I read it in hospital, but still. I felt like a burden had been placed on my shoulders and I needed to do something about it. I still don't know what, but it's something I can't ignore. The stories of these women broke my heart but it is a book I think everyone should read. You know, we don't have it as bad as we think. These women had every reason to give up and stop fighting, but they didn't. It was amazing and inspiring and I'm enjoying spending the time thinking about what I can do to help.
On another note, we're home. After three weeks living in a hospital, we're finally back and sleeping in our own beds. It's been the worst four or five weeks (I've lost count) of our lives so far and we are really embracing the small comforts of home. Who knew that being able to wash dishes in my own sink versus the sink in my apartment at the hospital would bring me so much joy? Things at home have changed, but now we appreciate the little things like being able to go for a walk around the block.
The other night I was laying in bed waiting for hubby to fall asleep (I've found that since coming home I can't sleep unless he is) and after tossing and turning to try and get comfortable, he finally fell asleep. Then something weird happened. He started to snore and that sound made me feel immeasurably happy. He has snored for as long as I've known him. I can't say that it bothered me that much, I would just have to poke him sometimes so he would change position and quieten down. But on this particular night when he started snoring I didn't feel annoyance or frustration. I just smiled and knew that for the next few hours he won't be in any pain and everything is ok. I think I may be the only woman I know who (now) loves the sound of her husband snoring.
Now that we're home and settling into a routine, I have the time to get back to reading like I used to. So, the posts should be way more regular... I hope.
Sam I Am
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