The greatest achievement of this summer has been to finish Midnight's Children by Salman Rushdie. I've taken this book on holiday for the last four or five years and never got very far with it. The problem was the first few pages. I would read them and then stop in wonderment at the writing, put the book down and ponder for a while. Then I would read them again and so the cycle would go on. Now I've finished the book, but I find myself wanting to read those first few pages again.
I also enjoyed reading White Teeth by Zadie Smith. Very funny indeed. What a mono-culture I am living in now. When I lived in the East End of London, I rather enjoyed the multicultural mix – very funny sometimes. Someone was on the radio the other day citing this book as “the only funny book written by a woman”. This seem remarkably bigotted, but when I think about it, I struggle to think of books by female writers which have made me laugh out loud like this one did.
I'm currently reading The God of Small Things by Arundhati Roy as well as a couple of books for review in the Episcopalian newpaper, none of which are very exciting.
Re: Reading List
Never really related to Midnight's Children but agree about White Teeth.
Re: Reading List
Thanks for leaving your comments Helen. I've just realised that as well as The God of Small Things, I need to get on and re-read From the Holy Mountain pretty quickly as we are discussing it at the church book-club very soon. It is such a good read, both sad and funny.