Sorry for the mess

I’ve been trying to read a lot more recently, and I’ve managed to plough through quite a few books in the last couple of weeks. I’ve listed them below, with some comments on how I found them, and some quotes I dog-eared.

DISCLAIMER: I work at an indie publisher. Two of the below books are books we’ve published. However, I’ve tried to be honest about my opinions here, and am not just trying to sell you stuff. For srs.

Walking Away by Charlotte Metcalf

This book is one of ours. I’m trying to work my way through our back-list of publishing, and this one was recommended by our Sales Director. I read it in one sitting on a bus to Wales and loved it. Loved it, loved it, loved it. Metcalf shares a collection of true stories about her experiences as an outsider in Africa making documentaries on subjects such as female circumcision, albinos and the AIDS epidemic. However, this is no gushing pity-party, nor does Metcalf attempt to speak on behalf of the people she films. She fully acknowledges her Western privileges and does not claim to be without prejudice.

This is what I most admire about this book. Metcalf tries to state the facts and avoid becoming overly prosaic, allowing the events and situations to speak for themselves. I’ll leave you with a quote from the epilogue:

After much early doubt and disappointment, I am gradually recovering my belief that the right films, properly used, can be of value [...]. But that growing confidence leaves no room for complacency. I am not an aid worker, I am a film-maker and my usefulness can legitimately be questioned. Sometimes I am accused of ‘interfering’ in other people’s ways of life, and of ‘judging’ them. I have to be reminded that, seen through African eyes, mine is the alien culture.

Uglies, Pretties and Specials, a trilogy by Scott Westerfield

I bought these books after reading a good review on the F-word blog. I must admit that I was pretty disappointed. They are an alright read, but I was expecting sophisticated sci-fi, not well-meaning but ultimately shallow teen-lit. That said, I like the premise, and I like the fact that the main character is gutsy and female, but I don’t like how she seems to spend over half the series either falling in love, thinking about boys, being sad about boys, being sad about the fact she fucked over her best friends for boys or agonizing over which boy to choose. Yawn. I love sci-fi, and this is an alright read, but don’t go into it expecting to change your world-view and be dazzled.

Good Morning Afghanistan by Waseem Mahmood

Another one of ours. I’ve actually read it about a million times, seeing as I’ve been going over the corrections for the paperback edition (out later this month!). Waseem is a really nice guy and, while I sometimes feel that he over-simplifies the issues in the region, I like the way he contrasts the lives of the privileged media rabble with the lives of the ordinary Afghanis he employs. In summary, a good read, but not exactly as hard-hitting as I like them.

Other books in my list to read over the next few weeks are The Narrative of Soujourner Truth, The Female Eunuch, Black Like Me andThe Woman in White. I am, however, always open to suggestions.

On a side note, how much better do dried apricots taste without that sulphur dixoide stuff? They might be all brown, but they are loads yummier.

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