Books of the day

   

    I must be the only person in the world who hasn't read Elizabeth Gilbert's Eat, Pray, Love: One Woman's Search for Everything (or seen the film), but I have watched Elizabeth in action as a speaker - most notably in her famous TED talk, to which I've linked before - and I find her very engaging, and having heard tantalising snippets about her forthcoming novel I am very keen to read it. It won't be out until October, but The Signature of All Things looks set to be one of the 'big' books of the autumn, and I'm delighted to have an early proof and to be able to get to it soon I hope. It is a historical novel about a female botanist (click here for more on that) and incorporates - see this short video - "wonder, marvel, travel, curiosity, spirituality ..." themes close to Elizabeth's heart.

    Mr Darwin's Gardener by Kristina Carlson (translated from the Finnish by Emily Jeremiah and Fleur Jeremiah) will be out on the 1st. of June, and is the latest book from Peirene Press whose short, European fiction is quality stuff, as you'll see from this post and this one. The new book is "a postmodern Victorian novel about faith, knowledge and our inner needs," and is set in the late 1870s in the Kentish village of Downe. "The villagers gather in church one rainy Sunday. Only Thomas Davies stays away. The eccentric loner, a grief-stricken widower, works as a gardener for the naturalist Charles Darwin. He shuns religion. But now Thomas needs answers. What should he believe in? And why should he continue to live?"

    If you listened to BBC Radio 4's Woman's Hour this morning you may have heard Jenni Murray talking to Kate Manning about her novel My Notorious Life by Madame X which will be published on the 6th. of June. The book is set in 19th. century New York and is based on a true story as it follows the life of an Irish orphan, Axie Muldoon, from child beggar to the most succesful and controversial midwife of her time. "From the gutter to the glitter of 5th. Avenue", Axie's is a story of "freedom, family and the many faces of love, and above all, of one indomitable woman making her way in a difficult world." Another book I'm greatly looking forward to reading.

Comments

[Dark Puss]

I'm sure your first comment is tongue-in-cheek! You would bet one of your own children that I haven't read it (or seen the film)! H, W & A - you are completely safe :-)

[Cornflower]

High stakes but a safe bet!
I know the book has sold many millions and many more will have seen the film, so perhaps we are in a 'minority', at least of those for whom such things are within their wider cultural orbit.

[Miriana]

I've recently seen the movie and then read "Eat, Pray, Love" - I liked the book and description of how she dealt with a very difficult period in her life. Maybe it was particularly appealing as I'm asking some big questions myself right now; I remember picking the book up a few years ago and then leaving it in the shop because something in the blurb really annoyed me - I wouldn't be able to say what it was now, though! A compelling read - and I enjoyed Liz Gilbert's TED talk, too!

[Anne]

You can consider yourself a lucky woman to have not read Eat, pray, love. I unfortunately have read it.

[Janice]

I read it, and thought it was awful ... the movie even worse. I really wondered how such big name movie stars agreed to play in it, but I guess it was all about money

I won't be reading any more Elizabeth Gilbert

[EllenB]

it is so nice to know that I do not stand alone in the wilderness.

[Mystica Varathapalan]

I did not like Eat Pray Love but when this other book becomes available, I will certainly give it a go. Surprisingly the Kate Manning book is available here in the Melbourne library and let me see whether I can put an early hold on this one. Sounds intriguing reading.

[Claire]

Another voice from the wilderness. I gave E, P, L a very wide berth. Anything that hints of complacent self-help is a turn off for me.

[Anji]

Frankly Cornflower you aren't missing anything. I read the book and watched the movie. The book was a slog to get through and I amaze myself that I actually did achieve that. I think I kept going in the hope that it would get better, it didn't. As for the movie, well the scenery was lovely.

I also saw EG speak on Oprah and on Ted and wondered how a likeable person could complain so much. I really do doubt that I will be buying/reading her next novel. There really is no doubting about it, I know that I won't. I can only hope that it isn't another long whinge.
It is also nice to know that I am not alone in feeling this way. She got so many rah rah's from Oprah I thought they were talking about a different book!!I wondered if I was the only one who thought that the lady was complaining far too much!!

[Jade]

How wonderful to discover that I am not the only person in the world who could not abide Eat, Pray, Love. It was in the library of a beach cottage my family rented for a magical week in Santa Barbara - surely the most conducive setting for reading EPL and definitely the least curmudgeonly week of my existence - and I could not get through it...

[Susie Vereker]

Gave up on the movie, so don 't think I cd cope with the book of Eat Pray Love !

[Harriet]

Well, as you know, I have just given this a very positive review. I loved every minute of it. Sad that someone here condemns it as complacent self help without even reading it. I found it joyous, wise and inspiring. Good thing we don't all always agree as life would be very boring if we did.