An Utterly Absorbing Trilogy

First of all, ignore the title. It's not what it sounds like. Filth stands for Failed in London; try Hong Kong and it becomes the affectionate nickname of Sir Edward Feathers, once a "Raj orphan," now a noted British judge. 

The publisher's summary says: "Long ago, Old Filth was a Raj orphan - one of the many young children sent 'home' from the East to be fostered and educated in England.

"Jane Gardam's novel tells his story, from his birth in what was then Malaya to the extremities of his old age. In so doing, she not only encapsulates a whole period from the glory days of British Empire, through the Second World War, to the present and beyond, but also illuminates the complexities of the character known variously as Eddie, the Judge, Fevvers, Filth, Master of the Inner Temple, Teddy and Sir Edward Feathers."

And a fascinating story it is, full of hints and allegations about the past and a loathed rival, as well as ruminations on aging and on the complexities of relationships.

I found it absolutely compulsive reading and, when I reached the end, felt bereft...and like a chain smoker lighting a new cigarette from the butt of the old, ordered the second book in the trilogy. 

 

The second book fills in some of the missing pieces of Old Filth's story. Told from the point of view of his wife Betty, it covers much of the same ground as the first book but with an entirely new and absorbing slant. The cause of Old Filth's almost lifelong rivalry with Terence Veneering is revealed, if not fully explored. That is left for the final book of the trilogy, which I raced onto at once.

Quoting: 

“The satisfying conclusion to Gardam’s Old Filth trilogy offers exquisite prose, wry humor, and keen insights into aging and death. While Old Filth introduced readers to Sir Edward Feathers, his dreadful childhood, and his decades-long marriage, The Man in the Wooden Hat was his wife Betty’s story. Last Friends is Terence Veneering’s turn. His beginnings were not those of the usual establishment grandee. Filth’s hated rival in court and in love is the son of a Russian acrobat marooned in the English midlands and a local girl. He escapes the war and later emerges in the Far East as a man of panache and fame. The Bar treats his success with suspicion: where did this handsome, brilliant Slav come from? 

This exquisite story of Veneering, Filth, and their circle tells a bittersweet tale of friendship and grace and of the disappointments and consolations of age. They are all, finally, each other’s last friend as this magnificent series ends with the deep and abiding satisfaction that only great literature provides. prose sparkles with wit, compassion and humor. She keeps us entertained, and she keeps us guessing. Be thankful for her books. Be thankful for this trilogy, which is ultimately an elegy, created with deep affection.”―The Washington Post

 

Magic Numbers 6 and 10?

Authors are advised not to obsess over book reviews and ratings--i.e. stop checking the numbers on Amazon and Goodreads all the time. But I'm pretty delighted that Crows has hit 90 ratings (the stars thingy) and 44 reviews on Amazon--much better than any of my previous books have done.

I'd like to think it was due to the quality of the book--but I suspect my nagging reminding has something to do with it.

I'm hoping for the magic number of 50 for the reviews--supposedly that's the number that makes Amazon's algorithms sit up and take notice and perhaps begin recommending--as in, 'If you liked X, have a look at Crows!'

So, 6 more reviews --and just because it would be nice to hit 100--10 more ratings are the magic numbers in my head. And then I could stop obsessively checking.

 

More from the Dept. of Blatant Self Promotion . . .

 

I'm delighted with the kind and thoughtful reviews many of you have posted for Crows-- heartfelt thanks for doing this! I dislike asking but, in this time of no events and appearances, book reviews are a bit of a lifeline.

Reviews on Goodreads or Amazon (two of the most influential spots for gaining new readers) are great.  My publisher's web site has a place for reviews also, as does Barnes and Noble. I've said it before--a review doesn't have to be long or like a book report--just your reaction to the book is fine. 

A reminder that I'll be doing a drawing from those who leave a  review and ask to be included in the drawing. Do several reviews and I'll put your name in several times.  At the end of February, I'll draw two names and each will win an elegant mug with the Crows book cover illustration (without the words.) If your name was in the pot for the first drawing, it will stay there for this one--unless you were a winner already. (Note that the streaks on the mug pictured are reflections, not part of the mug.)

 More about the writing of Crows HERE

The Christmas Elf

Our tradition is for the youngest (that's been Justin for a long time) to be the Christmas Elf and get the presents, one at a time, from under the tree and hand them to the designated recipient. This year, Josie was the elf. She had to have help reading the tags but she cheerfully did her job, even when she might have preferred to play with her new stuff.

Like the amazing No Drama Dolly Llama her Aunt Aileen crocheted.

Or her tool kit with a power drill that makes sounds.

I'm embarrassed to see how few pictures I took but between trying to keep a record of what gifts were from whom and trying to make sure the roast beast didn't get overdone and that the puff pastry mince tarts got assembled and cooked, well, I just failed as the photographer.

Things were quieter yesterday and I had to get a better picture of that llama. For those of you who were around last year, you may remember the HUGE pink octopus Aileen made. 

This year it was this gorgeous, cuddly llama and a beautiful red afghan--(as well as a cardigan for Claui of which I didn't get a picture.)

Our friend Louise, who is a skilled basket maker, working mostly in willow these days, gave us this beautiful basket. She said it was an experiment but I think it's a work of art. 

So many skilled makers! I love the story that came with the cozy blue afghan from our niece Amelia. She worked on it, she said, while sitting with her son Lucas and helping him focus on his second-grade Zoom classes. A multi-tasking pandemic mama, for sure!

And John surprised me with these handsome mugs and shopping bags, adorned with the Crows logo. Perfect!

I have it in mind to offer some of these in another drawing . . .

More later . . .

 

Recent Reading

Some books I've enjoyed  -- books  I would recommend to friends. I'm not going to even attempt to hint at plots or link to reviews --  you all know how to ask Mr. Google.

I have yet to read an Anne Tyler book that didn't instantly immerse me in a world full of very real people with very real lives -- low key, even ordinary -- if any human being can be called ordinary. I think this is Tyler's genius, that by depicting these lives with such exquisite and empathetic observation, she touches on something universal.  A Spool of Blue Thread, like most of Tyler's novels is about a family . . . and anyone who's been a member of a family will probably recognize characters and situations. Beautifully written -- Tyler at her best.

Ellen Foster was Kaye Gibbons's debut novel. This powerful first-person evocation of a young girl looking for a family after the death of her mother kept me reading till 3 in the morning. Ellen is a tough little survivor and her story is by turns heart-breaking and heart-warming.  Ellen's no-nonsense, don't-feel-sorry-for-me voice is pitch-perfect. I loved this character. 

Alice Hoffman's brand of magical realism is always enjoyable -- a little dark at times but not the kind of dark that leaves me depressed. Her writing is beautiful  --  reminding me a bit of Ray Bradbury. (She does weather and gardens especially well.)

Fortune's Daughter and The Story Sisters both kept me reading late into the night . . .

And now for something completely different. Not so much estrogen. Terry Pratchett's recent death set me thinking that I might give his books another try. Somehow the one or two I've read in the past didn't make the impression on me that they probably should have. I may have started in the middle of a series or something. So as a prelude to reading some Pratchett, I re-read Good Omens -- co-authored by Neil Gaiman (whose novels I adore.) 

I'd liked the book the first time I read it -- this time I really liked it: the goofiness, the theology, the characters, the Apocalyptic vision, and the resolution of it all.

 And I particularly like Dog -- the Hell Hound destined to be the Anti Christ's companion who, to his bewilderment, finds himself suddenly smaller and less demonic -- cute, in fact. And really interested in doing dog stuff.

Great fun!

Three Books - A Very Mixed Bag, Indeed

My reading tastes are nothing if not eclectic and these three books should illustrate that. 

The Telling Room is non fiction -- the story of a writer's obsession with a rare Spanish cheese and its maker. It's a meandering tale, full of asides and footnotes that would probably annoy some but which I enjoyed immensely. Such is Paterniti's devotion to his subject that he moves his family to a rural Spanish village so that he can learn more about the volatile Ambrosio who brought this cheese to world fame and then lost almost everything, The book is a little self indulgent -- but I still loved it -- the descriptions of the land, the people, and the food are wonderful.  If the book sounds interesting to you, the NY Times review  is well worth a read.

To Say Nothing of the Dog or, How We Found the Bishop's Bird Stump at Last  is a comic science fiction novel of time travel (with a touch of romance and mystery), Oxford, Coventry, a dog, a cat, and some very expensive goldfish, as well as assorted scholars, butlers, curates, and other stock characters of English comic fiction.  It won both the Hugo and Locus Awards and was nominated for the Nebula Award. 

This extremely quirky novel references some classic English works -- Three Men in a Boat (To Say Nothing of the Dog,) Dorothy L. Sayers, amd P.G. Wodehouse. And like much British humor, it is very silly, indeed. And a great deal of fun.

Last of this odd trio is One Thousand White Women which purports to the the journal of May Dodd, institutionalized by her family for so-called promiscuity and released from said institution to participate in a secret government program to tame the western 'savages' by sending the white women to marry. 

Not surprisingly, May finds much that is admirable in the 'savage' society. Though there never was any such 'secret government program,'  the contrast between white and Native American mores rings true, as do the various characters. Thanks to Pat in East TN for telling me about this book several years ago!

Recent Good Reading

 I loved McCracken's bittersweet tale of the love that develops between a lonely young librarian and a boy who can't stop growing.  It's a fascinating look at quirky personalities, the difficulty of being different, and the nature of love itself. And the words, the words! the wonderful use of language -- such a delight! The Guardian has a nice review of it HERE.  But what I really would like to know is what any of my librarian or ex-librarian friends think about the main character's musings on her profession. 

Admittedly, the book is set in mid-twentieth century America -- long before librarians had computers and all that comes with them as a part of their job description. Back when there were library cards of the sort I was longing for ... 

Ann Patchett's tale -- also replete with quirky personalities and bittersweet love and also set in the Fifties -- takes place in a rather charming home for unwed mothers, run by (mostly) very pleasant nuns. It's the story of Rose, pregnant and fleeing a stultifying marriage, who seeks refuge at the home and stays on ... 

It's a strangely charming story that makes me hope that some of the girls who disappeared mysteriously from high school, only to return some months later, accompanied by whispers and rumors, were at a place equally pleasant. The New York Times has more HERE.

Liz Zelvin's ebook (below) is a fine read for adults and young adults -- and I hope a lot of them read it for a look at the effect Columbus had on the world he 'discovered,'  for an understanding of the European/Christian view of  'savages,' and, as well, for a glimpse into the world of the hidden Jews -- those Spanish Jews trying to avoid the horrors of the Inquisition.  This book would be a great addition to school  curricula.

It's a bargain at 99 cents HERE.

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Recent Reads

Mantel's big, multi-faceted, densely populated novel centers on and is seen from the point of view of Thomas Cromwell, the blacksmith's son who rose from exceedingly humble beginnings to become the most powerful man in England, except, of course, for Henry VIII, whom he served. 

When I was in my early teens, I read historical novels almost exclusively. And at least half of these novels were set in Tudor England -- beginning with Ann of a Thousand Days -- a sympathetic (heartbreaking) portrayal of Ann Boleyn.  So this is familiar ground for me, as far as the broad outlines of 'what happened.'

But Wolf Hall is a real departure from all those romantic depictions, usually accompanied by an omniscient narrative voice that ensures the reader is learning a little history along with enjoying the story. On the contrary, Mantel plops us straight into  Thomas Cromwell's point of view and we learn as he does and through his eyes and ears, just what sort of world this is.

At first I found it like waking up in another time or place -- with no sign posts. In fact, the first few pages were hard going --  who are these people and why are there so many Thomases?  But the immediacy of the experience and the sensory surround effect began to enthrall me and I kept reading. As familiar names began to appear -- Cardinal Wolsey, Great Harry himself, Queen Catherine, Ann Boleyn, Thomas More -- it all fell into place and I raced through the pages, eager to see how the Divorce was handled.

If I'd taken a few moments before beginning the book to remind myself of the main points of Thomas Cromwell's history, I wouldn't have been quite so lost at first.Of course I'll read it again to savor more thoroughly the masterful writing.  I expect I'll enjoy it even more.  It is truly a remarkable piece of writing -- I can't think of anything comparable.

Go HERE for Joan Acocella's review of Wolf Hall in The New Yorker.  It does contain 'spoilers' but only if you're not already somewhat familiar with the history of  Henry VIII.

Reading YA

 YA is the publishing term for novels aimed at Young Adults -- though in actuality, the age range of the readers is fairly elastic -- from preteen to early twenties -- or, in my case, late sixties.  The protagonists, however, are almost always in their late teens and the story is often that of a coming of age.


Recently I've been wandering in this genre. Jo Walton's Among Others is a quietly charming novel about Mori,  a young girl who has run away from her mother in Wales to England and the father she hardly knows. Set apart from others at her boarding school because of a crippled leg, she spends much time reading -- and a great part of my enjoyment of this books was that she reads many of my childhood favorites.


Oh,  and Mori's mother is a witch - an evil one -- and Mori herself can do magic and . . . well, there's a detailed review HERE. I really loved this book

 

 Another YA that I recently enjoyed is Lev Grossman's  The Magicians. It's a kind of  American and more grown up  Harry Potter and there is, I might warn you, Language, as well as Adult Situations. (Not surprising for this late teen, early twenties age group.) I also caught quite a few nods to Narnia. This is another fantasy meets real life. I was completely engaged by the characters and would like to read a sequel. 

Not a YA,  Live Wire is the tenth in Coben's  NYT bestselling Myron Bolitar series.  I've written here before of my total fascination with this wise-cracking, sweetheart of a protagonist as well as his psychotic preppy ninja sidekick, Win. (In this outing Win has two Asian girlfriends, named Mee and Yu, affording the opportunity for a lot of punning.)

And there's another new character -- Myron's nephew Mickey. He's a wonderful, conflicted teen with serious family issues. All of which makes him perfect to be the protag of his own YA novel. 

Shelter, with Mickey in the starring role, is just out. I haven't read it yet but I will, I will!
  

'Real' Books

Flower by Christopher Beane and Anthony Janson is a real knock out! Beane's spectacular and innovative macro photography took my breath away and has me eager for peony season (and a super macro lens . . . maybe someday.)

High on the Hog is a thoughtful and charming look at African-American cooking and its various influences. It's more than that, of course -- a whole social history emerges  in these pages.

The title comes from the custom of slave owners and later employers giving their servants the lesser bits of the pig - tail, ears, feet -- in return for hard labor at pig-killing time. When eventually the ex-slaves could raise their own pork, they could eat chops, and hams, and best of all, tenderloins -- located high on the hog!

Life, Money, and Illusion is a book I heard about somewhere  (NPR?) and was convinced I needed to read. I'll report on it later. But what a great cover!