A Book A Week #11

Canal Dreams By Iain Banks

I know I have mentioned Iain Banks books before on here, but I really think they are great books to open your reading up to a new genre if you haven't read anything by him before. Although Canal Dreams isn't as obviously dark as The Wasp Factory, it is still strange and thought provoking, the main reason I love Banks writing.

Hisako Onoda is terrified of flying, and as a famous cellist has to find alternative routes to get to where she needs to be when touring. The book opens when she is travelling from Japan and through Europe. Down the Panama Canal she travels, her boat eventually arrives in turmoil; civil unrest causes the canal to be closed and the boat is left in limbo. The time the boat is stuck gives us times to explore Onodas past and present, and build her up in great depth. You discover some amazing things about her, and the reason for her, sometimes, cold heart. 

Iain Banks has no problem jilting a story line to keep the reader on their toes, and although I don't think this is the best book he has written, its still a great, quick read that will keep you entertained. 

A Book A Week #10

Lullaby By Chuck Palahniuk

Chuck Palahniuk is one of my all time favourite authors, I love love love how he writes. If you haven't heard of Palahniuk before, he’s the guy that wrote Fight Club, duh! Lullaby was one of the first books I read by him, I can't remember why I choose this one, but I'm glad I did.

Lullaby is the story of Carl Streator who is given the responsibility to write about a sudden bout of deaths, of which his own child and wife had been a victim of. We find out that the reason behind their, and the other peoples, deaths is a 'culling song' Carl found in an old poetry book. The song has the power to instantly kill anyone who hears it. Carl is walking down the street, and starts to think about killing anyone that annoys him in the slightest and, resigning the lullaby in his head unintentionally does, he becomes racked with guilt. So, in an attempt to put it right, and stop the song forever begins to track down every book in whilst it’s printed. He teams up with a bazaar realtor and together they begin tracking down these books.

Along their way they discover the source of the lullaby, a spell book, and fight over what to do with it. Carl wants to destroy it, but the rest of the group want to learn what other spells it hold, specifically they want to resurrect the dead. The spell book is inevitably misused a lot, and results in some reaalllly messed up things.

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I am really enjoying writing these little reviews every week, its reminding me of all the great books I've read, and whilst doing a bit of internet reserach, I'm finding some amazing things I never knew! I found this snippit about Chuck on Wikipeadia (have a look under the Lullaby heading), I sort of which I knew this before I read the book, it'd compeltely change the way I thought of it!!

Book a Week #9

Ham on Rye By Charles Bukowski

I'm quite surprised that I haven't mentioned Bukowski yet, he's definitely close to being my favourite writer ever and Ham on Rye was one of the first books of his I read.

If you haven't read anything by Bukowski, the majority of his novels are focused on his alter-ego, Henry Chinaski. In Ham on Rye Chinanski is in his high school years plagued by horrendous acne, rejection and violence, into college and his first jobs, which he cannot (doesn't want to) keep. We're there when he first begins to  write. And drink. Again, if you don't know Bukowski, drinking plays a major part in his life, through out his entire life. 

Even though this wasn't his first novel, it's a great introduction to Bukowski. Writing through an alter-ego allows him to be a bit more honest than he maybe would have been if this was a full blown biography. Ham on Rye is funny and sad, and completely engrossing. Out of all the books that I've written about, if you choose to read one, read this one. (and then everything else Bukowski has written)

ps. I really hate the word novel.

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Don't forget to let me know your favourite book, or if you know something I might enjoy, and. if you're struggeling to think of what you're going to read next, every book that has been recommended to me so far is on my Amazon Wish List, I'll be writing about some soon.

Book a Week #8

Jaws by Peter Benchley

Am I really going to write a review about a book that everyone not only knows the full story line to, but 99.9% of the population also knows the theme tune too? Am I actually wearing a Jaws t-shirt as I type...? Well, yes I am, okay! Give the book a chance.

Just in case you haven't heard the tale of Jaws, the whole story is based in a little seaside down, Amity, Long Island, New York, whos main source of income is wealthy beach goers (or their student children) returning to their beach houses during the summer months. The opening of the book sees a young visitor decide to go for a late night swim (after a few drinks), and ends up washed up on the beach the next morning. With clear shark attack wounds, police Chief Brody orders the beaches to be closed, but the major and local media refuses to let the story leak and insists that the beaches are kept open so as not to harm business. I mean, how likely is it that two shark attacks will happen in the same place? Classic horror story mistake.

Over the course of the next few days, more people are attacked, and Brody blames himself. With the beaches still open, and visitors going wild to try and catch a glimpse of the fish. The town is forced to bring in help, in the form of Hooper (swooon, completely in love) a ichthyologist who promises to help them understand the fish a little more, and eventually, Quint, a rough shark hunter who promises to bring the fish back to shore, dead. The team of three set out track and kill the fish. Amazing adventure follows.

I admit, I do completely love all 4 Jaws movies, but I am not being bias with this. Its genuinely a really decent book, and as with all book to movie, the story does differ in stages. If you read up a little on the background it's even more interesting. Benchley got his inspiration from a few real life events, the Jersey Shore Shark attacks that happened in 1916, and Quint is based on a real shark hunter, Frank Mundus, who eventually turned his life from killing to preserving the amazing fish.

It's a perfect quick, light read. Probably not something to read on the beach, unless you like being terrified.

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Remember to recommend me your favourite books, If you're struggeling to think of what you're going to read next, every book that has been recommended to me so far I've either bought, or its on my Amazon Wish List.

Book a Week #7

Lunar Park by Bret Easton Ellis

I'm sure you all know this one, or at least know Bret Easton Ellis. I love the guys writting style, and this is definitely the book that has influenced my taste in novels the most. It was the first Easton Ellis book I read, I had seen a lot of people reading American Psycho, and heard a lot about if, I'd obviously seen the film too, and decided I was way too cool to read what everyone else was reading so went for the next one along on the book shop shelf. I only just realised now that Lunar Park must have been pretty new when I first read it and I had no idea.

Lunar Park is partly a 'faux autobiography', early on Ellis describe his own sudden rise to fame, wild partying, his drug taking etc, the story does blur into fiction in some obvious aspects, particularly that he he marries a beautiful movie star. They move out of New York City, after a number of terrorist attacks makes them feel unsafe in a big city, and they end up in a quiet, rich suburb.

Halloween comes, and Ellis begins noticing strange things happening around the house they have moved into. Particularly surrounding the death of his farther. He isn't taken very seriously when he shares his concerns that the house in haunted, and that his step daughters doll is alive, and vicious! (I don't there is anything that can creep me out more than demonic toys). The line between reality and fiction distort even more when Patrick Bateman appears, along with other characters from American Psycho.

If you aren't really into this genre of book, or haven't read anything by Ellis before, I think this, and Less Than Zero, are great places to start. Completely disturbing, amazing books.

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 Remember to recommend me your favourite books, everyone that has been recommended to me so far I've either bought, or its on my Amazon Wish List.

A Book A Week #6

I planned to write about a Palahniuk book today, well, I actually did write about it, went to take a photo of the cover and realised it wasn't in my collection! I hardly ever lend out books, so thats pretty frustrating it's gone.

Soooo, change of plan. Here is my book of the week;

Marabou Stork Nightmares By Irvine Welsh

You should know Irvine Welsh as the author of Trainspotting, which was made into a pretty notible British film. I haven't actually read Trainspotting, but I have a couple of his other novels.

Roy Strang ends up in court for being involved in an awful awful crime, and the remorse he feels lands him in hospital, in a koma, unwilling to fight anymore after a life of being abused, and being the abusor- physically, mentally and sexually. The story fades in and out of his koma induced dream world, Strangs past leading up to his hospitalisation and the world he hears from his hospital bed. In his dream world, he's in South Africa, on the hunt of the Marabou Stork which he describes as the ugliest savage creature there is. In Strangs real life, you hear him growing up on a housing scheme in Scotland, the mundane job he hates, but excels in and the football hooligan gang (I mean real football hooligan gang) he loves, which all leads him to the awful crime.

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Its a hugely gritty book, and one thats definitely in my top 5. I highly recommend this to anyone that loves Bret Easton Ellis. Remember to recommend me your favourite books, everyone that has been recommended to me so far I've either bought, or its on my Amazon Wish List.

Book a Week #5

An Autobiography of a Recovering Skinhead the story of Frank Meeink.

You need to know, I love watching prison documentaries I can't get enough of Lockup, Werner Herzog documentaries on the death penalty, anything to do with gangs or prison and anything relating to the Aryan brotherhood (I know, I'm weird, it just really interests me, definitely the only reason I have Netflix). Sooo when I heart about this book, I had to get it.


The book is autobiographical by Frankie Meeink, it starts when he is a young teenager in Philadelphia which is where he first becomes exposed to the skinhead culture. Its beyond weird hearing how someone thinks when they're in the state of mind, a completely clouded, misinformed, almost insane way of thinking, but you start to sort of understanding (not agree, just understand). You hear about the beatings, killings, the children he fathers and abandons, the kidnappings and awful torturing he participates in and goes to prison for. Whilst in prison Frank starts to realise his way of thinking could be wrong when he befriends 2 black inmates and comes out questioning things again, obviously it isn't easy to get out of a gang, especially when you're respected as a founder.

It's an unbelievable story, truly inspiring, and my heart completely broke when he starts hiding his drug addiction from his girlfriend, who is the only worthwhile person he's had in his life. Frank Meeink is an amazing man, and still does loads of fantastic work for equality all over America, I'd love to go see one of his talks.

I have never really read any autobiographies, so pleaaase recommend me some!