I'm aware I never write on here, mainly cos its what I do when I am hideously bored or outraged and I haven't really been either with the amount of work I've been doing. Though I have been outraged. But it's containable. :-)
Anyway, this happens to be one of those times where my outrage and enthusiasm outweighs my preoccupation with anything useful. (I already made brownies!)
Firstly, because I have gone from being completely apathetic on any gender issues to becoming (I swear) an angry feminist. This is a very odd experience. The last time I got this annoyed I was 14 and swore I was going to join the army and prove myself.
Anyway, my annoyance now stems largely from literature. But any kind of recording. It took me a long time to read the bias in literature. Any literature. But I think it was because I have become interested in very obscure topics such as Lilith and Polyxena.
I recently had to write an essay on Polyxena: who is one of the most fascinating topics of the literature of Troy. I won't spell it all out because I will end up rewriting my essay. But according to some accounts she was instrumental in the death of Achilles and completely involved in the fabric of the story. But no one knows who she is.
Similarly, Lilith, Adam's first wife has been completely written out of history to the extent that my spell checker doesn't recognise her name. However, she is mentioned in much of history: according to my sources she is in the dead sea scrolls and Gilgamesh and the bible. Texts that have shaped our lives. She is absolutely completely hidden in plain sight. Because we only see what we are conditioned to want to see.
Anyway, rant over with that bit...
Here are the books I have been reading recently:
1. Horace Walpole- The Castle of Otranto: Ok well I can't figure out how to move it so you will have to look up.
But seriously one of the greatest book I have ever read. You start of thinking it is a bit melodramatic and clichéd. And the first bit maybe is true. But then you remember that this is the first Gothic novel. This started an entire tradition. And it is an exceptionally thrilling book. The language and the secret winding passage ways and the gothic house and the hero/ heroine/ villain. It is one of those rare novels that so completely transports you into another world you almost drop pout of this one.
2. Ishmail Kadare- The File on H: Ok I pretty much love every book I have ever read but this one is brilliant. (It may sound boring) It is about two Irish American Harvard scholars who travel to Albania to study epic poetry and oral tradition. Particularly Homeric roots in Albanian poetry. But it is actually hilarious. It is part satire and the Albanian's think these crazy American's are spies. Part of what makes them suspicious is that the Albanian they speak is academic...so it would be like somebody wondering around talking in Shakespearian.
3. Eva Ibbotson- The Secret Countess: Guilty pleasure. I love Eva Ibbotson...even if her books are aimed at kids. :-) But they are just so fairytale-esque in a modern sense. Her heroines are captivating and modern.
4. Philip Roth- The Human Stain: An African-American man who was taught not to be who he is. So he concocts a lie which stays with him til death. I found this book had so many dimensions, from the ambiguity of language, the forming of intellectual minds and elitism, the question of race and the question of motherhood. I think one of the achievements of this book is its ability to get inside each persons head. He goes beyond 'He feels...' She feels..' and creates three dimensional characters even for the people who do not get full sympathy for the writer..
Umm...so thats mostly it. Apart from to say that I watched Prince Caspian last night. Which I loved. I shouldn't because it just reiterates the whole good versus evil absolutism. And by extension the use of costume, weaponry and tradition gives the film/book a heroic, chivalrous (and underlying British) feel. It may be attacking colonialism in so far as they are helping to defend Narnia from those who wish to conquer it but it still feels like they are telling it from a very anglo-centric point of view. (But I do absolutely love these type of books/films!)
Also just look how beautiful Prince Caspian is!! (Once again I posted it twice by accident and can't delete them!!!!)
