Poirot, Poirot, Poirot!!

It rained yesterday, and bad weather puts me in the mood for Poirot. I read Peril at End House and The Hollow. Neither of which are very long, and I've seen The Hollow televised, though I couldn't remember whodunnit! Both are set in large country houses, amongst the wealthy set Poirot seems to spend most of his time crime-solving for. I'm completely useless at guessing who did it, so these books are great fun for me. Agatha Christie was known as the Queen of Crime for her output, and I thoroughly agree. Happy reading!!

The Kitchen God's Wife - Amy Tan

Like Tan's most famous novel The Joy Luck Club, this explores the relationship between a mother and her daughter. It also traces the mother's life in China, a life she had kept from her daughter for years. Tan is fascinated by the mother-daughter bond it seems, focussing on this in her novels and in her autobiography The Opposite of Fate.
I liked this book, its main narrator, Winnie, is a feisty survivor, and has kept her strength hidden from her daughter Pearl for too long. Her story is, at times, quite shocking, but also moving and inspiring. Whether you've read Tan's other books or not, read this. Or give it to your mum.

The Painted Drum - Louise Erdrich

This book is rather lovely, it tells the story of the drum of the title, and that of the lives it passes through and what effect it has on those people. The drum is created by Native American Indians and has laid hidden and forgotten for many years before being discovered during a house clearance. Once returned to its original owners, its story unravels and then continues. It also the story of the woman who finds it, Faye Travers, and the turmoil and grief in her own life.
This is the first book by this author that I've read, and I'm hoping to read more. If anyone's got suggestions for what I should read next, let me know. Happy reading!

Back to the books...

So I've finally, finally, finally, had time to do some reading at long last. Other book lovers will sympathise, when you have to miss out on reading for a time, it's a weird (in a bad way) thing. I missed just relaxing into a good book, so I've been putting the last few days to good use.

Anything Goes - Lucy Moore
An interesting way of reviewing the 1920s, not year by year, but by theme. Crime, political corruption, the Hollywood stars, the birth of Jazz, the literary stars, the heroes and villains of this glittering decade. It's a fascinating history lesson and written in a very accessible way. Even if history isn't something you'd usually read, I recommend this book.

Lullabies for Little Criminals - Heather O'Neill
This was very different to anything I've read in a while. It's the story of Baby, a 13 year old girl growing up in Montreal with a dead mother and a junkie father. It's a bit of an anti-fairytale, charting the dark side of life. Baby's life is filled with sadness and horror, yet her ability to behave like any other child remains, and it ends with a hint of hope.

Warrior Girl - Pauline Chandler
This book tells the story of Jehanne d'Arc or Joan of Arc from the point of view of her cousin Mariane. I like books with feisty heroines who come to their own rescue, and Mariane certainly is one. Her life hasn't been easy, and her path follows that of her God-chosen cousin, until it's time for her to fight for her own life and not just follow anymore.

Bookworm is currently on hiatus. I'm in the middle of a really intensive course, and for the first time ever haven't been able to get any reading done! I'll be back soon though, with my Christmas favourites and recommendations for the holidays. Happy reading!!

Another slice of Heaven

Following on from my post about the bookshop in Argentina that used to be a theatre, I've found another amazing place, The Strand in New York is 18 miles of books, 18 miles!!! It's on the list. http://www2.strandbooks.com/

Spotted this on a blog I read and thought it was awesome! It's a bookshop in Beunos Aires, Argentina that used to be a theatre. Combining 2 of my favourite things, books and the theatre. I'm adding it to my list of places I absolutely have to go to!!