Bookspotting: Week 13

This week I flew from Hong Kong to Phoenix, Arizona for my sister's wedding. Most of my bookspotting this week happened in the airport and in the air. The man sitting next to me on the plane from Hong Kong to Los Angeles was reading Towers of Midnight, the most recent installment in the Wheel of Time series by Robert Jordan and Brandon Sanderson. I had a long layover in LA, where I spotted a woman carrying a novel by Sandra Brown, a man carrying a novel by Nick Hornby, and someone else carrying a book called Monsoon by Wilbur Smith. I saw a woman reading Chelsea Chelsea Bang Bang by Chelsea Handler and I saw a Kindle in a nice red cover. I spent a good hour in the bookstore, and it was nice to see what is popular right now in the good ol' USA.

Next week's bookspotting post will fill you in on what people are reading in sunny Arizona. What are people reading in your town this week?

THE TIME MACHINE by H.G. Wells

THE GIST:

A man travels through time in a machine.

THE VERDICT:

Wells' novella explores the brief, but extraordinary journey of an unnamed man more than 800,000 years into the future. Unlike many time travel stories in which travelers encounter future humans with highly advanced technology and social problems, Wells brings his time traveler all the way to a point in time when the human species has split and evolved into new forms.

The Time Traveler expects to find a higher form of man, but he overshoots the mark and finds humankind in decline. He observes the weakness and desolation of civilization in its twilight years. His vision of the future is sobering and mildly disappointing. He tries to deduce the path that man took to reach this point, even as he struggles to preserve his own future.

This was the first time I've read this piece, although I was already familiar with the classic story. Wells' story is brief, but he raises interesting questions about the paths society could take in the coming millennia. Perhaps his most interesting observation is of the weakness that results when people are no longer challenged to survive in their daily lives.

THE LINK:

H.G. Wells society

THE COST:

Free Kindle edition. I recently went on a free books downloading binge, so expect more classics soon.

THE QUESTION:

Do you think Wells' vision of the future is plausible? Do you think humanity has passed its prime already?

WATER FOR ELEPHANTS by Sara Gruen

THE GIST:

A young man joins the circus and finds himself in a menagerie of trouble.

THE VERDICT:

This engaging story provides a unique snapshot of a fantastic and unusual sort of life. Gruen creates a singular portrait of the secret world of a traveling circus, but also of Depression-era American life. It's a romantic and desperate tale about what people do when they have nowhere else to go.

I was not quite as impressed with the book as I wanted to be after hearing so much about it, but I still enjoyed reading it. Some of the dialogue seemed loosely drawn and I wanted to see a bit more complexity in the characters. Rosie the elephant was the character who grew the most over the course of the book, and she was easily my favorite. I would have liked to hear more details about the performers and the working men and the book could easily have been a bit longer.

The story is framed by the recollections of a man in his 90s. This device allows the story to be sweet and sad as well as exciting and romantic. The depiction of Jacob as a very old man was very well done, and I was definitely rooting for him at the end. I would recommend this book as a flat out enjoyable read, even though it leaves you wanting more.

THE LINK:

Sara Gruen's website, including information about the upcoming film

THE COST:

Currently listed at $4.00 for the Kindle edition, though I think I paid $6.00 last week

THE QUESTION:

What are some other good stories that are told as memories and flashbacks? How does the frame affect your reading of the story?

Bookspotting: Week 12

This week I saw a girl on the train reading The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield. I think her copy was a Chinese translation, but the title on the cover was in English. I saw a couple working at a coffee shop with a copy of Charlotte's Web on the table. Another man in another coffee shop had A Little Knowledge by Michael Macrone. I passed a teenage boy at the open air market in Wanchai who was carrying the British edition of the first Harry Potter book. I counted five Chinese books this week, one Lonely Planet Hong Kong guidebook and two more English paperbacks that were too far away for me to read the titles. All in all it was a very successful bookspotting week for me.

What are people reading in your town this week?

ON WRITING by Stephen King

THE GIST:

The one and only Stephen King offers advice for those who aspire to the profession he loves.

THE VERDICT:

When I first started seriously reading authors' blogs and working on my own book project, I noticed that people recommend this book more than any other writing guide. It is a how-to book, but it's also a memoir about Stephen King's love affair with writing. He talks about the influences and moments in his life that molded him into a prolific storyteller. This short work is full of readable and relevant advice for those who are learning to be writers. 

King describes how he excavates his stories, rather than inventing them. The story is always the most important thing, and he does not usually focus on any themes or symbolism until the second draft. He emphasizes the importance of beta readers and revision, and reminds writers to cut out anything that does not help the story. His useful and often quoted formula is 1st Draft - 10% = 2nd Draft. If you are writing or thinking about writing you must read this book.

King is a master of fiction, and even this non-fiction book has a stylistic flair that makes it engaging as well as useful. He writes with a personable and honest voice, and does not come off as arrogant despite his astronomical success. He talks about his bad ideas just as often as he describes how he came to some of his really good ideas. I have never really felt compelled to write fiction, but when I was about halfway through this book I felt so inspired that I sat down and typed up a 3,000 word beginning to a novel. That is the sort of power that a passionate author can have over a reader.

THE LINK:

The very cool website of Stephen King

THE COST:

$12.99 for the Kindle edition

THE QUESTION:

What is the most useful piece of writing advice you have ever received? Can you recommend any other good writing books?

TESS OF THE D'URBERVILLES by Thomas Hardy

THE GIST:

A young woman falls victim to an unscrupulous man and spends her life suffering the consequences of his sin.

THE VERDICT:

This is a story about double standards, making it very frustrating to read. Tess is an innocent girl who is essentially raped, but she cannot overcome the sense that she has done something wrong. Her angelic new husband, apparently a progressive thinker, cannot see past the loss of her virtue, despite his own indiscretions. Everybody suffers, but no one more than Tess. This is an odd mix of deception and honesty, convention and irreverence that highlights the changing values of Hardy's England.

There are many moments in this story when things almost work out. If only Tess had said something slightly different at any given moment Angel might have relented. If only one circumstance had been slightly different, Tess might not have made the choices she did. If only a tiny scrap of humanity or love had entered one character's mind, another might not have suffered. These little moments make this story tense and fascinating.

The great thing about Hardy's writing style is that he has a way of pulling back and describing broad, panoramic scenes and then zeroing in on tiny details. He shows you the extraordinary curve of an eyelash or a stray shadow, and then seemlessly returns to the sweeping mystery of the countryside. The rich language pulls you into this story of love, betrayal, history and deception and does not let you go.

THE LINK:

Here's the good old Project Gutenberg link
And here's another review of this book from Sarcastic Female Literary Circle

THE COST:

Free Kindle edition

THE QUESTION:


Do you think people can ever fully overcome a checkered past in the eyes of others?

Bookspotting: Week 11

This was a big writing week for me, and I spotted more computers than books as I worked at various spots around town (the MacBook Pro appears to be the laptop of choice in Hong Kong coffee shops). I saw a lot of people studying and a fair number were also writing. I'm working on a travel memoir about my time in Hong Kong. I've found great places like this terrace in Central (Kosmo Wellness Cafe) that are perfect for soaking in the noises of the city as I try to tell its story.

I saw two people with Hong Kong guidebooks this week, one near my home and one in line for the chocolate afternoon tea at the brand new Ritz-Carlton. It is currently the highest hotel in the world, by the way. I saw a very determined woman rushing through the MTR station with a yellowed paperback in hand, and a young girl standing quietly on the train reading a new English hardback. I saw four Chinese books this week and one graphic novel.

What are people reading in your town this week?

VAGABONDING by Rolf Potts

THE GIST:

Travel guru Rolf Potts shares advice for long term backpackers everywhere.

THE VERDICT:

This is a how-to guide on the art of taking extended periods of time to travel, otherwise known as vagabonding. Potts writes about living simply back home so that you can wander around the developing parts of the world, seeing the sights off the beaten path and having serendipitous encounters with locals and travelers the world over. This might be for 6 weeks or 2 years, but the idea is that you are taking the time to truly experience the world, rather than just rushing through it.

The book is full of colorful stories and references to Potts' adventures. It was inspiring and definitely made me feel lots of travel envy. That being said, the particular type of travel that Potts' describes is not for everyone. He thrives on not having a plan, simply going wherever the traveling spirit takes him. I have done my share of weekend trips, carrying only a backpack and staying in youth hostels, but otherwise my own travels have involved settling down in one place for an extended period of time. I would love to be able to do the sort of travel that Potts advocates, but I also like to plan ahead. In Hong Kong I feel like I am a part of the city because I have a job and an apartment and I am not just wandering through. I suppose I learn different sorts of things about the people and the city this way than I would as a serious vagabonder.

One of the great things about this book is that Potts draws from his experiences to remind you of all the things you might not have thought of if you are considering a long term trip, like how to set your affairs in order at home and things not to bring along. The book includes extensive lists of resources (books, websites, etc), although someone who is planning a long term wander has probably been able to find most of those on Google. This is a book that is most useful for its inspiration, and Rolf's assertion that this type of travel really is possible.

THE LINK:

Rolf Potts' website, which is chock full of resources for travelers and travel writers

THE COST:

I paid $9.99 for the Kindle edition. It is currently listed at $11.99.

THE QUESTION:

When you travel do you prefer to wander where the spirit leads or to have a plan of action? Why?

HONG KONG ROSE by Xu Xi

THE GIST:

A Hong Kong woman finds herself in an unconventional marriage and must figure out how to balance family, face and her own desires.

THE VERDICT:

This book is very Hong Kong. Xu Xi reveals the culture of a city that revolves around money, careers, family obligation, and the importance of face. It is a society in which much is left unsaid, even between the people who are closest to you.

Rose is a Hong Kong girl who marries her high school sweetheart, only to discover that he is different in a way that she did not suspect. She must work out a compromise that will meet her needs while still struggling with the rejection of her situation. They each have something to offer each other, and they must decide whether it is truly worth the pain.

The relationships in the book are highly complex, and Xu Xi shows what happens when no one is willing to be open with anyone else. She examines marriage, sexual identity, and gender roles through characters that are fascinating and refreshingly real. She explores a modern woman's need for independence and self-awareness in a city that can be surprisingly Victorian.

THE LINK:

Xu Xi's website

My account of Xu Xi's appearance at the Hong Kong International Literary Festival

THE COST:

I read the paperback edition that I purchased at the Literary Festival. It cost about $10 US.

THE QUESTION:

Do you think it is possible to have a successful relationship in which there are secrets that both parties know but no one acknowledges? Must a relationship be entirely open?

Bookspotting: Week 10

This was a nearly impossible bookspotting week. I saw books all over the place, but I didn't manage to catch a single title. There was a young woman in my favorite pizza place, Paisano's, who sat facing a mirror, but I couldn't read the title of her paperback in the reflection. A man walked the length of my MTR train with an English book held close to his side. I passed a young boy on the escalator in the Wanchai Computer Centre who was reading a hefty English paperback. When I turned around as the steps carried him down I could almost read a few words on the page, but not the title. I spent a few hours reading my Kindle in Starbucks on Sunday afternoon, and even there most people were reading the newspaper. I did see three Chinese books throughout the week. I hope you had better luck than me.

What are people reading in your town this week?