Fanfiction

[annwfyn.livejournal.com]

This is a slightly random question, but do all PoC writers have to be published, or does fanfiction count?

I'm quite happy with it not counting, but as I've been spending most of this morning entranced by some really quite nice X-Men fanfiction, written by a Native American writer, I thought I should really ask.

The Age of Shiva by Manil Suri

[anitabuchan.livejournal.com]

I had high hopes for the Age of Shiva. The blurb sounded good, the cover was gorgeous, and it had received a string of glowing reviews for various newspapers and authors. In the end, I was left wondering whether I'd read the same book as everyone else.

The problems started on the very first page, which featured a highly sexualised description of breastfeeding - I now wish I'd read the first few pages before buying it, as a graphic description of a mother teasing her baby with her nipple would have made me put it straight back. Meera, the main character, I found completely unlikable. She seemed to exist purely in relation to the people around her, mostly men. Her strongest feelings with concentrated on her son and husband. Some of her actions made no sense and seemed to have no motivation behind them - unless her intention was to cause herself as many problems as possible. She then went on to blame others for her situation, despite her various chances to say no or create a better life for herself. I can accept characters that make bad choices, but for much of the book I just couldn't understand what caused her to act the way she did. If she did have a motivation, it was generally competition with/jealousy of another person. And then, of course, there was her deeply disturbing relationship with her son.

It's a shame, because I wanted to like this. I loved some of the descriptive passages, although there were a few too many of them! It didn't take long before I was starting to skim. Some of the secondary charaters had real potential. I felt sorry for Meera's father, an athiest who wanted to see his daughters educated and living with husbands who treated them with respect. I can completely understand his disappointment and frustration with Meera. The ending was, I think, left a little ambiguous, which I liked (although, still hating her motivations for her possible actions).

Like I said, this has received glowing reviews from various major papers. I'd be interested to know if anyone else has read this? I hardly ever feel this negatively about a book, and I honestly feel bad I can't like it better. So if anyone has got some positive comments on this, please tell me!

3 - Beloved by Toni Morrison / 4 - Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian

[lyras.livejournal.com]

3 - Beloved by Toni Morrison

Somehow in my thirty-four years, I have carelessly failed to read Toni Morrison. I was lucky to have a fabulous introduction to her writing, via the audiobook of Beloved, read by Morrison herself. There is nothing like hearing the words exactly as they were intended to be read. This book blew me away, and I'm prepared to put at least some of that down to her wonderful reading.

The thing I really liked was the circuitous narrative, in which hints that are dropped near the beginning gradually build to tumultuous revelations in the second half of the story. I listened to several sections with my heart in my mouth ('scuse the cliché). Some of it read like poetry, and I loved the way the various monologues, the stories that the characters wanted to tell, sometimes vied for attention.

It's the kind of book that takes over your mind; as I went about my daily life, part of my mind was always thinking of Sephe and her experiences, or wondering what Paul D went through after he left Sweet Home, or picturing Denver playing with Beloved.

Audiobook at audible.co.uk and audible.com (the contrasting opinions of reviewers regarding Morrison's reading abilities are fascinating, too).

4 - The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie

Funny and sad by turns - and perhaps made even sadder by the humour that the narrator uses to deal with some of the horrific things that happen to him. This is the pointed story of a Spokane Indian who decides that he wants to do something with his life - and that means going to a school outside the reservation on which he lives.

His challenges include health problems, a goofy appearance, accusations of being a traitor, dysfunctional and addict family and friends, lack of money, and the various forms of racism he encounters outside the reservation.

Junior/Arnold deals with things by drawing cartoons, which are reproduced in the book via the art of Ellen Forney. These illustrations are a brilliant addition - the artist has really captured the spirit of the book, IMO.

The book is enjoyable, but the author also has a point to make, and boy, did it hit home with me. I'll be reading more of Alexie's writing.

ETA: I also wanted to mention the BBC's World Book Club podcast, in which authors are interviewed and then answer audience questions about one of their books. Recent authors include Toni Morrison (yay!), Chinua Achebe, Mohsin Hamed and Alice Walker, all of whom should be of interest to watchers of this community.

Not counting..Stuffed and Starved

[alias_sqbr]

This is a great exploration of the global food system, it's horrible inequalities and the damage it does farmers, consumers, and the planet.

But.. I didn't finish it. Not because it's bad, but because I just wasn't in the mood for it (or non fiction in general). So I just read the first few chapters and last chapter..and even that was really rewarding and inspiring.

I wrote up my thoughts and some excerpts on my lj, and you can find longer (and more informed!) reviews through the a: patel raj tag. If, like me, you're not up to a long non-fiction book right now (and it is remarkably readable for what it is) there's a the stuffed and starved website.

I mean to get around to buying a copy and then finishing it, and will count it then :)