Off The Shelf: 3 books I want to read

1. I once fell in love with a B-grade coming-of-age movie about a young girl who retraces her sister’s steps through Europe in an effort to discover the truth of why she died. When I recently learnt that this film was based on Jennifer Egan’s debut novel of same title “The Invisible Circus” it seemed quite obvious that I was meant to have that book. So, I bought it 🙂 Hopefully I’ll get a chance to read it soon.

2. Haruki Murukami’s ‘IQ84’ has been floating around in the back of my mind ever since I heard it reviewed on Triple R last year. I finally caved and bought it a few days ago for a steal ($12.95 from Big W). I can’t wait to submerge myself in the 1300 pages of parallel worlds and intertwining story lines.

3. I was supposed to read Jack Kerouac’s ‘On the Road’ in June for bookclub but before I could finish it I was hit with a sudden case of ‘Must-Re-Read-The-Harry-Potter-Series-Immediately’. A worthwhile diversion, but I would like to finish the supposed American classic.

I think these books will keep me busy for a little while… I also have a horde of books that people have generously lent me waiting for some attention. I guess the question is, which one first?

What are you reading? Anyone got any book recommendations?

11.22.63

Do you ever find there’s this cynical part of you that just doesn’t believe your favourite author can possibly have it in them to blow your mind again?

I think I had this experience with 11.22.63. I wasn’t expecting to be rendered completely unable to eat, sleep, work, have a conversation, go for a walk, hang out with my husband or basically function without this book in my hands.

If I was oblivious to it at the time, I knew I’d been book-whipped at the end when I found myself re-reading the final paragraph on the last page a few times… flicking through and skim-reading some earlier narrative I’d forgotten about as I drank in the story as a whole, complete entity… stroking the spine and feeling that completely disorienting realisation that it’s over… (how would I spend my time now?)… missing the characters already, the colours of the world they lived in… feeling a little too light without the narration of a man with a mission so heavy you could feel it in each page…

Yep, I was whipped by 11.22.63.

And let’s face it.. I can be extreme. I get obsessive with some books, there’s no doubt about it. If you’ve read any of my posts you may have realised that my relationship with literature is a passionate, zealous, all consuming love affair worthy of the Bronte sisters. Yet, I think I’ve retained enough sense of mind to say that this was quite simply, a great story.

If you’re not sure whether to give Stephen King a go – read this book!

Here’s some more reasons why this should be on your list of soon-to-be-reads (I’ll try not to spoil it!)

• It’s a surprising love story, on a number of levels.
• The 1950’s America that SK paints is a vivid, sensory experience.
• If you’re a fan of SK’s “IT”, you’ll appreciate a brief little encounter with 1950’s Derry. In fact, I think I may have shed a tear during those precious pages.
• The characters are wonderfully King-esque (ie., believable)
• The age-old question ‘what if we really could change history?’ is explored, sprinkled with a dose of SK flare.
• The motif of cause-effect, choice-consequence and questions of what it means to “have it all” in life are a great challenge in this post-post-modern era.
• If you’re not a fan of evil sewer clowns, incestuous cat-people and haunted hotels, then you’ll like this book.
• If you are a fan of evil sewer clowns, incestuous cat-people, haunted hotels and more – you’ll like this book!

It’s just damn good.

Buy it. Borrow it. Try it on, wriggle around in it and let me know what you think.

Avid Reader,