📖 Featured Book of the Month ~ The Swallowed Man by Edward Carey

Gallic Books
4 April 2022

My thanks to the publishers for my copy of this book

A strange and beautiful take on the classic Pinocchio story by the acclaimed author of Little and B: A Year in Plagues and Pencils. 

I am writing this account, in another man’s book, by candlelight, inside the belly of a fish. I have been eaten. I have been eaten, yet I am living still. From the acclaimed author of Little comes this beautiful and haunting imagining of the years Geppetto spends within the belly of a sea beast. Drawing upon the Pinocchio story while creating something entirely his own, Carey tells an unforgettable tale of fatherly love and loss, pride and regret, and of the sustaining power of art and imagination.

📖 My Review ..

Edward Carey's imagination never fails to surprise me and in The Swallowed Man he gives full range to his creative process in his interpretation of the story of Geppetto who finds himself in the belly of a great sea beast. During this time Geppetto reflects on the profound loss of his son, which is all the more poignant when we learn that he has been searching for the boy he created out of wood. This son being, of course, Pinocchio, and in shedding light on an old tale, the author takes us deep into a story which is eerily beautiful and magically tender.

Filled with the author's own quirky black and white drawings, which do much to enhance the text, the story has all the trademarks of his fertile imagination. Dark, occasionally dismal, but always original, and highly inventive, The Swallowed Man is a creative delve into the profound effects of loneliness and loss.

Just because it's so quirkily different I am delighted to make The Swallowed Man my Featured Book of the Month for April.

*The Swallowed Man is to be published by Gallic Books on the 4th April and is available to pre-order from wherever you buy good books.

🍷 Best Read with.. a bottle of wine and some raisins

About the Author

Edward Carey is a novelist, visual artist and playwright. He is the author of three acclaimed novels, Observatory Mansions, Alva & Irva and Little. Born in England, he teaches at the University of Texas at Austin. 

Twitter @EdwardCarey70 #TheSwallowedMan

@BelgraviaB

 

📖 Book Review ~ B : A Year in Plagues & Pencils by Edward Carey

 

Gallic Books 
4 November 2021

My thanks to Gallic Books for my copy of this book

'I blame the pencil. I hadn't meant to do it. I wasn't thinking. It just happened that way.'

In March 2020, as lockdowns were imposed around the world, author and illustrator Edward Carey published a sketch on social media with a plan to keep posting a drawing a day from his family home in Austin, Texas, until life returned to normal. One hundred and fifty pencil stubs later, he was still drawing.

Carey's hand moved with world events, chronicling pandemic and politics. It reached into the past, taking inspiration from history, and escaped grim reality through flights of vivid imagination and studies of the natural world. The drawings became a way of charting time, of moving forward, and maintaining connection at a time of isolation.

This remarkable collection of words and drawings from the acclaimed author of Little and The Swallowed Man charts a tumultuous year in pencil, finding beauty amid the horror of extraordinary times.

📖 My thoughts..

We all coped with the extraordinary year of lockdown in our own way. I chose to take a photo-a-day, however mundane, as a reminder of how I lived through a global pandemic. Edward Carey chose to record his daily life in a series of beautiful black and white illustrations, how I wish I had his talent for taking the ordinary and making it so wonderfully extraordinary.

This small but beautifully compact little book had my attention from the cover and the inside content didn't disappoint as, day by day, we are privileged to see the world through the eyes of this talented artist and writer. The drawings are simple, poignant, beautiful and quirky, some are even a little bit frightening, but they are all exceptionally imaginative. I especially loved the author's musings, so succinct and yet lovingly described. Anyone who can wax lyrical about the TombowB pencil from Japan is truly an artist.

Some of the drawings made me laugh out loud, there's a super image of Donald Trump (day 79) and a perfectly poignant image of a poppy for remembrance (day 238). From the great, Freddy Mercury (day 171) and the good, Sean Connery (day 227) to the definitely scary, Black Death (day 228), from the benign Highland Cow (day 177) to the iconic Robin (day 259), there is never a moment when the book doesn't reveal a cornucopia of delights.

I really didn't know what to expect when B : A Year in Plagues & Pencils was offered to me to review but I'm so glad to have had the opportunity to read such a special little book. It will definitely have a welcome place on my bookshelf as a fascinating reminder of an extraordinary time.

About the Author

Edward Carey is a novelist, visual artist and playwright. He is the author of four acclaimed novels Observatory Mansions, Alva&Irva, Little and The Swallowed Man. Little has been published in 19 countries and was long listed for the International Dublin Literary Award, The RSL Ondaatje Prize, the Walter Scott Prize and the Rathbones Folio Prize, and was shortlisted for the HWA Gold Crown and was a Times and Sunday Times Book of the Year. His YA series The Iremonger Trilogy was published in 13 countries and has been optioned for film and adaptation. Born in England, Edward teaches at the University of Texas at Austin.

Twitter @EdwardCarey70 

@BelgraviaB @FMcMAssociates

Hist Fic Saturday ~ A Hundred Million Years and a Day by Jean-Baptiste Andrea (Translated by Sam Taylor)

On Hist Fic Saturday

Let's go back to ...1954

Gallic Books
Ebook 11 June 2020
Paperback16 June 2020

My thanks to the publishers for my copy of this book

Summer 1954. Stan has been hunting for fossils since the age of six. Now, having made a career out of studying the remains of tiny lifeforms, he hears a story he cannot forget: the skeleton of a huge creature, a veritable dragon, lies deep in an Alpine glacier. And he is determined to find it. Leaving his life in Paris behind, Stan sets out in pursuit of a legend. But he is no mountaineer, and to attempt his dangerous expedition he must call on loyal friend and colleague Umberto, who arrives with an eccentric young assistant, and expert guide Gio. Time is short: the four men must descend before the weather turns. Bonds are forged and tested as the hazardous quest for the earth’s lost creatures becomes a journey into Stan’s own past.

What did I think about it..

Having searched for fossils all his life, palaeontologist, Sam is excited to learn that a veritable dragon lies hidden in the deep of an Alpine glacier. In the summer of 1954, and after meticulous planning, Stan sets off with two colleagues and a taciturn guide to attempt to discover the whereabouts of this creature, the discovery of which will be the pinnacle of Stan's life work. The way to the glacier is treacherous beyond reason, and there are many pitfalls and challenges which will test this intrepid group to the very limits of their endurance.

Throughout the story the law of the mountain with its cruel charm takes centre stage and as we are reminded, Là su, i mostre l é solo chi te te portes drio - Up there, the only monsters are the ones you take with you.

Beautifully written, with a stark simplicity which belies its strength, this journey into the unknown is less about palaeontology and more about life, love, friendship and the damage of a lost and lonely life. A Hundred Million Years and a Day is the story of one man's obsessional need to discover his place in the world, even if in finding that place he risks everything he owns. It also acts a powerful reminder to us that, in the vast cavern of infinity, we are merely tiny specks in the greater picture of the world's evolution. 

About the Author

Jean-Baptiste Andrea is a director, screenwriter and author, whose 2017 debut Ma Reine was a huge critical success, winning 12 literary prizes, including the Prix du Premier Roman and the Prix Femina des Lycéens. A Hundred Million Years and a Day is his first book to be published in English. 

About the Translator

Sam Taylor is a former Observer journalist and the award-winning translator of novels including HHhH, The Truth about the Harry Quebert Affair and Lullaby.

Twitter @BelgraviaB

@FMcMAssociates

Blog Tour ~ Vintage 1954 by Antoine Laurain (Translated by Emily Boyce)

Jaffareadstoo is thrilled to be part of the blog tour for Vintage 1954

Gallic
20 June 2019

My thanks to the publishers for my copy of this book
and to edpr for the invitation to be part of this blog tour

When Hubert Larnaudie invites some fellow residents of his Parisian apartment building to drink an exceptional bottle of 1954 Beaujolais, he has no idea of its special properties. The following morning, Hubert finds himself waking up in 1950s Paris, as do antique restorer Magalie, mixologist Julien, and Airbnb tenant Bob from Milwaukee, who's on his first trip to Europe. 

After their initial shock, the city of Edith Piaf and An American in Paris begins to work its charm on them.

But, ultimately, they need to work out how to get back to 2017. And the key lies in a legendary story of the vineyards of Chȃteau Saint-Antoine..

My thoughts..

Wouldn't it be wonderful if you could take a drink from a vintage bottle of wine and cross through time, back to the glorious era in which the grapes were harvested and bottled, and that's just what happens in this lovely story which takes us, thanks to a vintage bottle of 1954 Beaujolais, back in time to the Paris of the 1950s, and to all those lovely people who made this vibrant post-war city such a joyous place to live.

The story starts with a disappearance, and then whisks us forward into 2017 Paris to meet up with four eccentric neighbours who find themselves living at 18 Rue Edgar-Charellier. This disparate group of characters who, collectively have very little in common will, in the course of the story, have the adventure of a lifetime.

This is such a wonderfully quirky story that it is easy to just sit back and enjoy just how it all unfolds. To allow the author's clever writing to transport you back to a bygone time is such a joy, especially as we spend time in Paris when it was a less frenetic city. Back to a gentler time when there were tiny bistros tucked away and fruit sellers on street corners who had time to stop and chat. It was also a city where the great and the good loved to visit, so it's wonderful to have the fleeting opportunity to meet up with the likes of Salvador Dali, Audrey Hepburn, Hubert de Givenchy and Edith Piaf.

Vintage 1954 is a hidden gem and the most perfect summer read, especially if you are visiting Paris but it would work equally well sitting in the garden, preferably with a glass or two of Beaujolais close to hand 🍶

About the Author

Antoine Laurain is a wine-lover, journalist, and antique collector. Born and bred in Paris, he is the author of bestselling novels The President’s Hat (a Waterstones Book Club pick) and The Red Notebook. His books have sold over 155,000 copies in English and Antoine’s work has been adapted for French TV, translated into 14 languages, and won the Prix Relay des Voyageurs amongst others.

Website

Twitter @BelgraviaB  #Vintage1954

@ed_pr

Review ~ All Day At The Movies ~ Fiona Kidman

Aadvark Bureau
Gallic
8 March 2018

My thanks to the publishers for my copy of this book

All Day at the Movies is published today in the UK to mark International Women's Day

What's it all about ..

When war widow Irene Sandle goes to work in New Zealand’s tobacco fields in 1952, she hopes to start a new, independent life for herself and her daughter – but the tragic repercussions of her decision will resonate long after Irene has gone.

Each of Irene’s children carries the events of their childhood throughout their lives, played out against a backdrop of great change – new opportunities emerge for women, but social problems continue to hold many back. Headstrong Belinda becomes a successful filmmaker, but struggles to deal with her own family drama as her younger siblings are haunted by the past.

A sweeping saga covering half a century, this is a powerful exploration of family ties and heartbreaks, and of learning to live with the past.

My thoughts about it...

All Day at the Movies is a story of many parts which has a foothold in the past whilst also taking the story forwards into the future. Starting in 1952 with a sad and rather uncomfortable story about Irene Sandle and her daughter Jessie. Trying to build a new life as a post-war widow is not easy for Irene and in order to find work and a safe place to live she and her daughter must travel to Motueka to eke out an existence picking tobacco. The consequences of Irene's actions at this time will reverberate throughout the next half century.

I was completely mesmerised by this story and enjoyed the way the author interlinked everything, sometimes in tenuous ways, and quite often in directions I didn't see coming. Intelligently written and acutely observed it looks at way that families, often against their better judgement, are linked together and not always in a good and meaningful way.

This is one of those quietly confident stories which, in a no nonsense kind of way, gets on with the business at hand. Beautiful written by an author who has a unique and often succinct way of telling the story, it neither glorifies nor condemns the actions of those who have been damaged by the circumstances of their lives.

All Day at the Movies, whilst not exclusively about women, gives us an understanding of the difficulties that women face in circumstances often not of their own choosing.

About the Author

Fiona Kidman is a leading contemporary novelist, short story writer and poet. Much of her fiction is focused on how outsiders navigate their way in narrowly conformist society. She has published a large and exciting range of fiction and poetry, and has worked as a librarian, producer and critic. Kidman has won numerous awards, and she has been the recipient of fellowships, grants and other significant honours, as well as being a consistent advocate for New Zealand writers and literature. She is the President of Honour for the New Zealand Book Council, and has been awarded an OBE and a Dame Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit for her services to literature.

Website

Amazon UK


Gallic Books @BelgraviaB

Review ~ Octavio's Journey by Miguel Bonnefoy

Gallic Books
13 March 2017

What's it all about ...

The story of Venezuela told through the adventures of kindly giant, Octavio. Struggling to conceal his illiteracy, he embarks on a transformative journey that unearths his life's purpose.

Winner of several literary awards, this critically-acclaimed and instantly engaging tale reveals Miguel Bonnefoy to be a gifted storyteller.

What did I think about it...

Octavio’s Journey sees the development of Don Octavio, a native of Trinidad, who, as the novella begins, lives in poverty in a Venezuelan hillside dwelling. Like his father before him, Octavio is illiterate, eking out a meagre living doing menial tasks and making excuses, like bandaging his hand,  for his inability to write. When he comes into contact with a woman, aptly named, Venezuela, Octavio begins the tentative journey to overcome his difficulties.

The story is nicely written with some additional mystical elements which add depth to the narrative. There were some parts of the story that I enjoyed more than others, but overall, I appreciated the allegorical nature of Octavio’s Journey, which I think was more about the country itself rather than the characters. I have to say that I found parts of the story a little bit difficult to understand but that is more my failing rather than due to any weakness in the writing.

The author writes well and considering the story is concise it certainly packs quite a punch. The novella comes in at around 95 pages which should be comfortable enough to read easily in a couple of hours however, I found that I read the book quite slowly as there was much to digest and consider.

It's a story about fate, destiny and discovery.

Best Read With...bread, shared and eaten with friends..

About the Author

Miguel Bonnefoy was born in France in 1986 to a Venezuelan mother and a Chilean father. In 2013, he was awarded the Prix du Jeune Ecrivain, which has previously helped to launch the careers of writers such as Marie Darrieussecq. Octavio's Journey is Bonnefoy's first novel, written in French.

Translator :Emily Boyce

My thanks to Robyn at edpr and also to Gallic books for my copy of Octavio's Journey

~***~

Review ~ The Red Notebook by Antoine Laurain

Gallic Books
5 April2015

“He was about to commit a forbidden act. A transgression. For a man should never go through a woman’s handbag.”

When bookseller Laurent Letellier finds an abandoned ladies handbag on a Parisian street he is determined to locate the owner and return it to them. But the handbag contains no phone or contact details and except for a few personal effects the only thing of significance is a small red notebook with the handwritten thoughts and feelings of a person Laurent would like very much to meet. Without a name to go on, finding the owner, in the city of Paris, is like looking for the proverbial needle in a haystack.

What then follows is an enchanting story of discovery, and of how the search for someone can reveal far more about ourselves,than the person for whom we search. Laurent, by trade a book seller, opens his heart and soul in his search for this mysterious woman; we learn of his life, his loves and of the people who mean the most to him. He is, at times, beguiling, lost as a little boy, vulnerable as a kitten and yet, is all consumed in his search to find this missing person for whom he yearns with a passion he cannot explain which is both touching and poignant.

To say more would be to spoil the effect of this lovely, lovely story and my only recommendation is that you read it for yourself, but first set aside an afternoon, draw up your favourite chair, open your favourite bottle of vin chaud and prepare to be charmed.

Translated from the French by Emily Boyce and Jane Aitken.

Amazon UK- published in paperback 5 April.
Amazon.com - published in paperback 7 April

My thanks to Sophie at edpr and Gallic Books for my copy of this book.

Find The Red Notebook on Twitter

What's in Your Handbag

#therednotebook

#inmyhandbag

Here's my handbag.

It contains

A cat notebook, my purse, a 2015 diary, a shopping bag, a copy of The Red Notebook, two bookmarks
and a monkey called Manuela.

~***~