Quote of the Day

"Many people need desperately to receive this message: 'I feel and think as much as you do, care about many of the same things that you care about, although most people do not care about them. You are not alone.'"

-Kurt Vonnegut, Timequake

Book Review: The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry

It's been a fair while since I read any 'modern lit'- I seem to have convinced myself that in order to adequately prepare for university I need to devote all of my attention to classics -but my Granny lent me this book because she thought I would enjoy it as much as she did. Of course, she was completely right- this is without a doubt the loveliest book I have read in a long time, possibly since The Elegance of the Hedgehog or Never Let Me Go, both of which I read whilst on holiday last year.

There were times whilst reading this that I was worried it was going to descend into a repetitive account of the protagonist's walking, or at least I was worried at the beginning of the novel- but I must say, I was pretty wrong on that judgement. Joyce beautifully weaves Harold's thoughts into the narrative, despite her use of third person narration, in a way that reminded me a little of Woolf's use of stream of conscious narration in Mrs Dalloway- and it worked really well to convey his wandering mind as well as his wandering feet. Throughout the novel pieces of the jigsaw of Harold's memories are placed in one by one, rendering the book totally un-put-down-able, and it really reminded me of the way my own memories can surface without me even remembering registering them enough to become a memory. Another element I found particularly touching is the relationship between the protagonist and his wife, Maureen- as that too ventures on a journey as Harold's walk continues.

The most thought provoking part of the story I found was the weight put on the way other people can seem totally ordinary to you, but they could be hiding something- say, a memory or a questionable habit -inside of them, but passing in a street you would never know- unless, as Harold does, you allow people to stop and talk to you. 

I'm not saying that I now want to walk the country end to end, and discover all of the secrets of strangers, but I'm definitely going to try to be more aware of the idea that you never really know what people are going through. I'd also like to do a bit more walking. Maybe not in boat shoes, though.

Gallivanting...at Reading Festival

On Thursday, all packed up with a bag that was probably big enough to fit me in it, wellie-and-shorts-clad, I headed off to Reading Festival for the second year in a row- and I can honestly say that it totally topped last year's experience (and not just because of my age making it a hell of a lot easier to get a bit squiffy).
Before going I decided that I'd see the bands I wanted to see regardless of everyone else's plans- and I'm so glad that I did that. It did mean I spent a fair bit of time by myself wandering around and feeling a little bit awkward, but once the music started everything was forgotten and amazing. Stupidly, I didn't take my camera to the arena once so I only have a few campsite photos to offer BUT I was lucky enough to see some awesome music- although at times the crowds were a little bit too boisterous for it to be enjoyable (namely when I got a split lip during Foals- Inhaler and had to leave the crowd with bloody hands)!
My definite highlights included; Biffy Clyro- Biblical/Bubbles (and the whole damn set), Alt-j- Fitzpleasure, Tame Impala- Elephant (their set was possibly my favourite of the weekend), Disclosure- White Noise, White Lies- Farewell to the Fairground, the amazing noodles I had on the last day, and then of course making it home safe and sound to my bed.
I really did have the most amazing weekend ever- literally the only thing that could have made it better would be if Foo Fighters had been there like last year! Here's to more festivals- hopefully going to take advantage of living in Southampton next year and head to Isle of Wight or Bestival.

Campsite fun

Pre-Disclosure drinks

The very lovely Holls

I assure you we didn't spend the whole festival in these clothes- although some people possibly did -we just didn't bother taking any pictures until we were all looking a bit dishevelled on the last day! I'm so excited for seeing more live music in the near future, it made me so happy this weekend- I've already booked a ticket to see Frightened Rabbit at Southampton in November. Happy festivalling!

Quote of the Day

“I think it’s very healthy to spend time alone. You need to know how to be alone and not be defined by another person.”

-Olivia Wilde

Book Review: Schindler's Ark

I've had my eye on this novel for sometime now, as I've always found information/literature surrounding the Holocaust really interesting- despite not knowing all that much about it! Admittedly, an additional reason for fancying Shindler's Ark is the 'hype' surrounding the film- everyone seems to rave about it as one of the greats, and as a general rule I try to read the novel before seeing the film.

As a whole, I didn't enjoy this quite as much as I thought I would. I think it's probably because I read a lot at work so was frequently interrupted by customers and it made it pretty difficult to properly get into it. Towards the end though, I did feel a lot more drawn in and found myself making more effort to indulge in reading sessions. The narrative is an amazing and impressive one, Schindler as a character (especially as it is based on true events) is heroic and invites the full trust of the reader, which was really nice whilst reading. I did however find that there were a few to many characters to form real emotional attachments to anyone other than the constant of Schindler, although maybe that's reflective of the fast paced moving of prisoners from camp to camp and the fragility of life (or something to that effect at least!).

Something I found most interesting about the novel was a question posed towards the conclusion of the novel- the question of whether the SS officers acted merely under duty, or under their own human nature. Quite possibly it's a mixture of the two, depending on who we are dealing with- but I found it quite thought provoking despite being a passing comment within the narrative. 

Overall, I did enjoy Schindler's Ark, and had I devoted more time to it I probably would have enjoyed it even more. If you are interested in historical happenings/the Holocaust/heroic tales, then I would definitely recommend this novel. Next up is something a little lighter in the form of Rachel Joyce's The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry which I have heard lovely things about.

List V: Things to look forward to

Due to results/getting into uni, everything is a little bit exciting now and I have a lot to look forward to- and I have some lovely plans aside from university things too! Having things to look forward to is ace, especially as I feel I should be making the most of my time at home before I bugger off to Southampton. 

• Reading Festival

I went to Reading last year, and it was an amazing weekend. I can't wait to go again this year with two of my closest friends, and if anything, I think it could top last year! Recently I've been a bit rubbish at getting tickets for anything, so the last gig I went to was months ago- I can't wait to immerse myself in great music and hopefully discover some new stuff too.

• A stay with Granny

My Granny is possibly my favourite person in the world, and we've always gotten on amazingly well. At the beginning of September I'm going to stay with her for a couple of days, which will mean lovely walks on the beach with the dogs, exploring cute little shops, and hopefully lots of ice cream!

• My last shift at work

I really do enjoy my job, the people I work with and the people who come into the pub, but I'm looking forward to not having a job for a bit. However, I am working right up until the weekend before I go to Southampton so I'm sure celebrations will be in store!

• University

It goes without saying that I am ridiculously excited for going to university- it's something I've always wanted to do, and now it's properly set in stone it seems a bit surreal. I'm looking forward to new people, new surroundings, new reading, and new challenges. I'd honestly leave tomorrow if I could!

Okay, so this isn't an overly extensive list but I feel like I have a lot more to look forward to than just this! I'm sure I will keep updating/blogging about all things to come- especially Reading and Granny's. I really need to make the most of this next month before everything changes (yikes).

Quote of the Day

“Make your own Bible. Select and collect all the words and sentences that in all your readings have been to you like the blast of a trumpet.”

—	Ralph Waldo Emerson