Picture: Eating a biscotti in his fluffy rabbit slippers. It just doesn't get any cuter than that really. He brightened every one's day today by saying "hi" to people in the supermarket and shouting "bye" to the cashiers when we left. He's such a good egg.Comment: Ohio has crazy weather in spring. On Tuesday it was nearly 80 degrees F. Today it was 40 and windy. So windy that I stood in the kitchen and watched as our recycle rubbish blew all over the garden, making our house look like a gypsy camp.
Question: I was asked recently what book I would recommend that captures "England". The person who asked me had been told many years ago to read 'The Bang Bang Club" for an insight into South Africa and had since read several books that captures some part of a country, such as "The Flyboys" and "Memoirs of a Geisha" for Japan.
I've thought about this question a lot. Would it be a story about the Middle ages or Normans, or should it be about ruling monarchs? What about the plague, or the Great Fire? Should it be about Winston Churchill, The Beatles or Beatrix Potter? World War 1 or 2? The Industrial Revolution? The British Empire? The expeditions and conquests?
My ideas so far - Bill Bryson is too easy. Shakespeare & Hardy too serious. I did love "Kes" by Barry Hines but that's just a small snapshot of rough times in a Yorkshire mining town. Maybe it isn't a book at all. Maybe it's "The Meaning of Life" by Monty Python or "This is England" by Shane Meadows (can't wait to see it - trailer below).
So I'm putting it out there, for anyone to tell me what they believe would be a good historical fiction book that's fun to read. By the way, if any American friends would like to say what book they feel represents America, I'd love to hear that too.
2 comments:
Even though I've grown up here, I'm still not used to Ohio's crazy weather. Can't wait for spring to get here (and stay here!) for real!
Pam:
I was thinking about your question regarding books that represent the United States. I think the author John Jakes has written books about this country that get to the heart of the people. The trilogy "North and South" (which was, of course, made into a mini-series) captures a lot about how we got where we are today.
I love to read historical fiction and have read a number of (things that will never be famous) about England that helped me understand the history. I wouldn't expect to understand contemporary England from "The Other Boleyn Girl", however. :-)
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