fairywhispers's "Books I Recommend" on Lists of Bests

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Added 'Don'ts For Husbands' and 'Don'ts for Wives' by Blanche Ebbutt — 43 weeks ago

In 1913, women were expected to wear smotheringly hot full length dresses in order to be considered decent. Most women did not work outside of the home, being expected to be happy in their role as wife and mother. In most of the world, women didn’t even have the right to vote. Surely any marital advice given at this time would seem incredibly outdated or, at the very least, charmingly quaint, in the year 2011? It was with this attitude that I first opened the pages of Don’ts For Wives by Blanche Ebbutt. It did not take me long to realise just how wrong I was. While some of the tips are no longer relevant to the average reader – those having to do with how to deal with servants, for example – much of the wisdom within this volume is as relevant today as it was then. I found myself taking note of many pieces of advice, with the intention of attempting to remedy my behaviour within my own marriage.

Much chastened, I moved onto Don’ts for Husbands with a more open mind. Once again, I was surprised at how relevant much of Ms Ebbutt’s advice is to today’s relationships and the progressiveness of some of the points, considering the era in which the book was written.

It is a shame that these books have been so unknown for so long, as I feel that the advice in them is more relevant to a newly married couple than a dozen books of the Men are from Mars, Women are from Venus persuasion. I would venture to go so far as to state that a copy of each of these books should be given to the happy couple as a wedding present (or perhaps a housewarming gift for those in less formal arrangements). Certainly anybody in a permanent relationship should consider reading them. You will be surprised at just how much you are doing wrong.

Apr 18, 07:29AM | 0 comments | Reply to this

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Added 'The Gone-Away World' by Nick Harkaway — 1 year ago

The blurb sounds rather boring and it did take me a few tries to get into this novel. My persistence paid off however and I recommend giving The Gone-Away World a fair go. At first the story seems rather ordinary for a fantasy but, as time goes on, and we delve into the backgrounds of Gonzo and his friend, our interest is piqued and each twist is more intriguing than the last. Eventually, events take a sinister turn, and we are plunged into a dark world of greed and violence. My only gripe with this book is that there are times when the author went a bit heavy on the italics, which I found annoying and distracting. However, given that the copy I read was an uncorrected bound sample, it’s probable that his editor picked up on this during the publication process. In the end, I am left feeling glad that I gave The Gone-Away World one last try because it wound up being the best fantasy novel I have read in ages.

Nov 27, 08:32PM | 0 comments | Reply to this

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Added 'Catch-22' by Joseph Heller — 1 year ago

This book came highly recommended and I was not disappointed. Catch-22 is weird, mixed up, irrational and bewildering, but totally sane. Some parts provoked thought, some parts provoked confusion, some parts provoked laughter, all parts were entertaining. I absolutely recommend it.

Oct 30, 12:30AM | 0 comments | Reply to this

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Added 'Australia: A History in Photographs' — 1 year ago

This is a fascinating presentation of Australia’s history from white settlement to the early 1980s. I tend to prefer photography over film – I feel it has more soul – and black & white is my preferred medium. Thus, I found this pictorial history thoroughly enjoyable. The beautiful photography is not the only thing this book has going for it, however. Each caption contains a little snippet of history, making this book not just enjoyable, but informative as well. Australian history is not covered in nearly enough depth in schools, and I found myself learning quite a lot of interesting facts about my own country. This is a perfect coffee table book and one I highly recommend reading.

Sep 27, 09:10PM | 0 comments | Reply to this

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Added 'The Heretic's Daughter' by Kathleen Kent — 1 year ago

Most of us know about the ‘Burning Times’, the witchcraft trials that swept the world in the seventeenth century. We also know that the horror, the terror and the injustice that made up these trials was worst in the area of Salem, Massachusetts. However, as we look back on these acts from the safety of several generations removal, we cannot quite grasp the fear, the uncertainty and the general state of mistrust that must have pervaded peoples minds at this time.

Despite it’s sometimes dry and impersonal language, this book brings the era to life. We feel with and for the characters and we are transformed by their experiences. I was especially chilled by the formal, emotionless language of the court transcripts, recording the sham trials of the accused. This book is definitely not to be missed.

May 22, 01:37AM | 0 comments | Reply to this

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Added 'The Day I Ate Whatever I Wanted And Other Small Acts of Liberation' by Elizabeth Berg — 1 year ago

This was an excellent book of short stories. As a woman with weight issues who has sometimes (not often) felt ‘trapped’, I really related to many of these stories. I took a lot longer than usual to read this book because these are the kind of stories that need to be read slowly and savoured rather than skimmed over. So what are my top three stories from this collection?

Third place goes to The Day I Ate Nothing I Even Remotely Wanted. Those of us who struggle with our weight will know what this is like. The tastiest foods all seem to be the ones that are worst for you. It doesn’t seem fair really, but that’s the way it goes. This story is about eating everything you’re supposed to eat and none of the yummy stuff.

Second place goes to Rain. This is a very sad story that had me in tears. It is about opportunities lost and friends dying and the tragedy of happy, vibrant, independent individuals becoming ill and losing their dignity. It was a very close call between this and another story for first place.

My absolute favourite story in this collection is How to Make an Apple Pie. This is another story that had me in tears. Not because it is in any way a sad story, but because it got me to missing my grandmother so. This story is written in the form of a letter from and elderly lady to her former neighbour’s daughter. The purpose of the letter is to relate how to bake an apple pie, but the recipe is relayed amongst reminiscences and feelings about food. It is a wonderful, powerful story and one of these days, I am going to try out the recipe lol.

The other stories in this collection are all very much worth reading. There was not a single story I didn’t like. I highly recommend this book.

Apr 25, 09:46PM | 0 comments | Reply to this

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Added 'Innocent Traitor' by Alison Weir — 1 year ago

I have always felt sorry for Lady Jane Grey and the author of this novel clearly shares my sentiments. Her story is told with empathy and tact but with an eye to historical accuracy. Alison Weir has plenty of experience writing non-fiction about Britain’s royal families, including the book which introduced me to Tudor England – The Six Wives of Henry VIII. Weir utilises her experience and knowledge to bring us an enthralling tale of greed, ambition and political intrigue, and the innocent young woman who became a pawn of history. Fair warning to the ladies – you will end this novel in tears. I did.

Mar 08, 08:58PM | 0 comments | Reply to this

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Added 'The Pact' by Jodi Picoult — 1 year ago

How far would you go for the one you love? How well do you know your child? Which is worse – that your child is victim or killer? As always Jodi Picoult has us searching our souls for answers to impossible questions. By alternating between past and present, or between one character and another, Jodi never fails to inspire empathy for both victim and accused, and the outcomes are never what we expect. Best of all, Picoult causes us to explore and expand our own world views, and leaves us changed long after the book is done.

Mar 07, 12:40AM | 0 comments | Reply to this

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Added 'A Rose for the ANZAC Boys' by Jackie French — 1 year ago

This book is aimed at a young adult audience, but I think it will find many fans amongst the adult population as well. Jackie French has extended her, not inconsiderable, talent in order to truly bring the first world war to life. The horror and bewilderment of people experiencing trench warfare for the first time are expressed well and we find ourselves immersed in the lives and minds of her characters. This is one of those books that makes a real emotional impact and will live on in your memory long after you have read it. I can’t think of a better book to introduce the topic of World War One to the younger generation.

Feb 23, 10:22PM | 0 comments | Reply to this

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Added 'The Unschooling Unmanual' by Nanda Van Gestel, Jan Hunt, Daniel Quinn, Rue Kream, Earl Stevens, Kim Houssenloge, John Holt & Mary Van Doren — 1 year ago

The Unschooling Unmanual is a series of essays about unschooling. Unschooling is an educational philosophy whereby children learn from there natural life experiences. Unlike conventional schooling, unschoolers do not believe that ‘life’ and ‘learning’ are separate entities – rather, we learn through living, and live to learn. All parents unschool in the first two years of life. We do not expect children to attend institutions in order to learn how to walk and talk, for example. Unschoolers simply extend that philosophy to other aspects of learning.

The Unschooling Unmanual is extremely easy to read and is not too lengthy for the non-reader. It is a great book for unschoolers to read. Keep it on the table for those moments of self-doubt, or for reassurance after yet another argument with the mother-in-law. It is also good for those people who are just beginning to explore their options, or those who are simply curious about whether this unschooling lark really works.

Feb 20, 05:13AM | 0 comments | Reply to this

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fairywhispers's "Books I Recommend"

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Added 'Don'ts For Husbands' and 'Don'ts for Wives' by Blanche Ebbutt — 43 weeks ago

Added 'The Gone-Away World' by Nick Harkaway — 1 year ago

Added 'Catch-22' by Joseph Heller — 1 year ago

Added 'Australia: A History in Photographs' — 1 year ago

Added 'The Heretic's Daughter' by Kathleen Kent — 1 year ago

Added 'The Day I Ate Whatever I Wanted And Other Small Acts of Liberation' by Elizabeth Berg — 1 year ago

Added 'Innocent Traitor' by Alison Weir — 1 year ago

Added 'The Pact' by Jodi Picoult — 1 year ago

Added 'A Rose for the ANZAC Boys' by Jackie French — 1 year ago

Added 'The Unschooling Unmanual' by Nanda Van Gestel, Jan Hunt, Daniel Quinn, Rue Kream, Earl Stevens, Kim Houssenloge, John Holt & Mary Van Doren — 1 year ago

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