In my last post I talked about Pamuk's Museum of Innocence but what you may not know is that it's not just an epic novel. Pamuk actually built a museum recreating his protagonists' obsessive collection in real life. Every significant object that Kemal kept of Füsun, the woman he loved, has been recreated and put … Continue reading Pamuk created an actual museum based on The Museum of Innocence
Pamuk’s vivid tale brilliantly captures the pain of love, loss and obsession. When Kemal, a wealthy heir, sees 18 year old shop girl Füsun he falls for her, even though he’s engaged to Sibel, a woman of his own class. With Füsun, he’s happier than he’s even been. But this is Istanbul of the early … Continue reading The Museum of Innocence by Orhan Pamuk
It’s always interesting to watch characters who have the same interests as us. When a character loves reading, I can relate to them on some level, even if, in every other way, they're completely different to me. There are many TV charcters who love books. But here are a few of my favourites. Lisa Simpson … Continue reading Top Five Book Lovers on TV
I was immediately drawn to Desai’s novel by its title. It made me think about how the loss that one generation experiences can keep recurring. Through Desai’s fascinating characters we begin to understand what this means. Jemubhai, a judge, is lost in his memories of his difficult student life and his unhappy marriage. He barely … Continue reading The Inheritance of Loss by Kiran Desai
Genre fiction, whether it’s romance, crime or mystery, is often looked down on. It’s not given the same respect as literary fiction. The term ‘formulaic’ is an insult. But what’s so bad about having a structure in place that the reader expects? Why does this immediately mean that it’s somehow lacking? Sometimes we need a … Continue reading Why is genre fiction always looked down on?
Is the death penalty ever justified? Can we let a child-murderer live? Grisham’s novels usually raise thought provoking issues but The Chamber has a particularly controversial subject at its heart. Adam Hall, a young high-flying lawyer, unexpectedly volunteers for a case on death row. Twenty years ago, the Ku Klux Klan bombed the office of … Continue reading The Chamber by John Grisham
