Thursday, September 25, 2008

When I was packing for my move to Turkey, i had a hard time deciding what books to bring. Because of weight restrictions I couldn't really bring anything besides what I was reading. I had sent I few books over with James (mostly non-fiction stuff that i knew I couldn't get here) because I wasn't sure what the library at the University offer. Yesterday i went exploring around the University and ended up at the library. They had quite a few English novels...mostly older ones but at least I will catch up on my historical fiction.

One of the books I had sent over with James and have been meaning to read for over a year is 'Dreams From My Father' by Barack Obama. My mother purchased it for me, as well as his other book 'The Audacity of Hope'(which I haven't yet read). I began reading the book a few afternoons ago and after reading 40 or so pages of it I realized how much I enjoyed it and how excited I was to be reading it. I usually am not fond of autobiographies because I find them rather dry - but not this one. It basically is about Barack Obama's family and where he comes from. It is really interesting to see the multi-culturalism that is in his family and how it has affected his outlook on life. I enjoyed this autobiography because Barack Obama is very honest about his past prejudices and also talks about his frequent drug use in his late teens early twenties. Most politicians would hide this but he didn't. I was unaware of how community minded he was, and hopefully still is. I hope many people read this book in the United States before they go and vote. I have a feeling if they do then Barack Obama will be the next president.

Monday, September 22, 2008

Yesterday I flew from Manchester to Ankara and finished the book I was reading (The Island - Victoria Hislop) and began a new one which I finished today (Thanks For The Memories - Cecelia Ahern). I love buying books in England because I get British authors that I would never normally get in Canada. This happened with the book 'The Island'. This book won the Galaxy British Book Award and is about a young women, Alexis, who travels to a small town in Crete to find out about her family history. Her mother Sofia had never talked about Greece or her family but when Alexis is heading there on a trip, Sofia realizes its time for her daughter to know about her family history, which includes members of her family who were residents on the leper colony Spinalonga. The book mostly takes places between 1940 and 1960 and is a wonderful book to read. I really had only read about the horrors of leporsy, not about how people lived with it. Definitly a reccomended book!

After this heavier read I decided a nice British girly novel was in order - so I bought 'Thanks For The Memories' which is by the author of 'P.S. I Love You'. It was a pretty easy and quick read and really really funny!! I laughed outloud quite a few times on the plane. It is set in Dublin and is about Joyce, who has to get a blood tranfusion because she falls and looses her baby. Around the same time an American man named Justin unwillingly gives blood and we learn that some of the blood he gave went to Joyce and she now has some of his memories and characteristics (for example she now knows about art and speaks Latin which she could never do before). They keep running into each other but never actually meet. The best part of the book is that Joyce has to move back in with her seventy-five year old father - who is the funniest part of the book! I would definitly recommend this book if you are looking for a good laugh and a fast read - A great book for travelling!

Thursday, September 18, 2008

I have read quite a few books since I last posted but I have been in the middle of moving so I haven't been writing. I just finished reading "After Dark" - Haruki Murakami. I have read many of his other novels and really enjoyed them. I picked this one up at the Toronto Pearson Airport and was excited to start reading it. The book takes place in Tokyo between midnight and dawn and looks at the lives of 5 individuals that seem to intertwine throughout the evening. It was a short novel but one that gets you thinking about life and how we turn out the way we do. Everyone should give it a read!