Book Chat Issue #35

Choosing a good book

Hello reading friends!

A friend commented recently that I always seem to choose ‘good’ books to read, which made me laugh because I often read books that are disappointing for one reason or another. Sometimes they have storylines that just don’t interest me, or unsympathetic characters. Occasionally, I discard books because the writing is poor, but I’m getting better at choosing books I think I’ll enjoy, so there are fewer ‘duds’. I usually bring home a big stack from the library and pick and choose what to read depending on my mood.

I read a lot, but I only recommend titles I’ve enjoyed. If I don’t engage with a book, I just don’t talk about it, at least not in public. I’m conscious that writing a book is a lot of really hard work and who am I to say that a book was terrible or disappointing? There’s a reader for every book, it just might not be me.

I also try to resist telling people that they will love a book, unless I’m very aware of their reading tastes, and even then, I’m probably more likely to err on the side of caution and suggest that they might like it, rather than guaranteeing they will love it. I’m a firm believer that choosing your next read is like instinctive eating. You are the only person who can decide what to read next. My job is simply to help you narrow down the choices.

---

What I’ve been watching

I was listening to the radio last night and they had a phone-in about whether you should talk to strangers. In these days of chronic loneliness, it seemed like a good topic. A teenage girl rang in to say that she had been taught not to speak to anyone she didn’t know, and that she generally abided by this rule, the exception being the man at the park whose dog could do all sorts of tricks! Another caller said that people find it hard to communicate with others these days because we don’t all speak the same language (his point being that Sydney is too diverse) and that the only place he would talk to a stranger is in a library because the people there are ‘more intellectual’.

I disagree with both those statements and wish he would watch a film called “The Public”, recommended to me by my sister Jennifer.

The movie depicts libraries as places where people should be able to feel safe, and where people of all ethnicities and backgrounds are welcome. It tells the story of a group of homeless men who refuse to leave the warmth and safety of the library on a cold winters’ night in Cincinnati when the homeless shelters are full.

It’s about power and politics and the way the media sometimes prefer a ‘good story’ to the truth. Highly recommended for people who feel strongly about libraries and democracy. Look for it on your streaming service. It’s available on Apple+ and Amazon Prime.

---

What I’ve been reading

Speaking of cold weather, this week I read Cold Enough for Snow, by Australian writer Jessica Au. This slim volume (less than 100 pages) won the inaugural Novel Prize, a new award for literary fiction.

It’s a curious book. The writing is deceptively simple and it seems like nothing really happens, but I found myself thinking about it long after I had finished reading it.

It tells the story of a young woman who takes her mother on a trip to Japan, hoping to reconnect. Their trip is interspersed with memories from the narrator’s life, past conversations and musings about her mother, who grew up in Hong Kong and migrated to another country before her children were born. They visit galleries and museums, pausing often to contemplate life and observe one another.

“My mother stayed close to me as if she felt that the flow of the crowd was a current, and that if we were separated, we would not be able to make our way back to each other”.

You could read this book in an afternoon, curled up on a sofa with a cup of tea, or any time when you wanted some relief from the hurly-burly of life. It has a meditative quality and a quiet beauty.

As soon as the train left the station, I felt a sense of relief. I wanted to walk in the woods and among the trees. I wanted not to speak to anyone, only to see and hear, to feel lonely.

Jessica Au - Cold Enough for Snow

Tobias the cat with his latest read

---

What I’ve been cooking

This week I’ve been a tiny bit obsessed with using up leftovers. It’s a habit that runs in the family, but lately it’s been accentuated by the high price of groceries as well as the desire not to waste food. I must admit that there’s also a slight sense of accomplishment when you use up all the scraps in the fridge and make something delicious.

I had a tiny bit of leftover coconut rice, so I decided it would fry up nicely, rather like the rice cake I had at a restaurant once, but could never find the quite the right recipe for. It was slightly sweet and crispy on the outside. I don’t think I completely recreated the one I ate, but it was pretty good. I topped it with a Chinese style omelette and some spring onions, but forgot to take a second photo.

Rice cakes made with leftover coconut rice

---

Well that’s all for this edition. Look after yourselves and keen warm (or cool), depending on where you live.

Happy reading,

Marg xxx