Blogger-Inspired Wishlist...with a Twist, Ep. 4,5

Okay, it's not really a twist, but it rhymes! 😜 As you've probably been familiar with this blog feature, Blogger-Inspired Wishlist is a feature where I post recent additions to my wish list, which had been inspired by reviews from my fellow bloggers. Now, about the twist...

While browsing Twitter, I often stumbled upon books that interest me. It could be from someone's tweeting about his/her latest book haul, or someone's retweet of book promotion from his/her favorite bookstore. Either way, if the title/cover and its Goodreads' summary attracts me, I'll put it into a list. This is that list. Of twenty one books. No extract of reviews, only the title and author. And some book covers or little notes here and there.

The Summer Book by Tove Jansson

From @Nick_Holland 

Away with the Penguins by Hazel Prior

From @PeriwinkleCott1  quote tweeted by @LadyTeapots 

The Black Spectacles by John Dickson Carr

From @BL_Publishing, retweeted by @kaggsy59

The Rotten Core (The Lady Hardcastle Mystery) by T.E. Kinsey

From @MallikaRamacha1 

All Done by Kindness by Doris Langley Moore

From @LouiseCulmer1, retweeted by @DeanStPress

Maud Martha by Gwendolyn Brooks

From @barkerforbooks, replied by @chriswolak

Bloomsbury Girls by Natalie Jenner

Inspired by Laurie (Goodreads)
This is the only one I've got from Goodreads (shared in a tweet)

The Christie Affair by Nina de Gramont

From @Kim_A_Howard, quote tweeted by @mary_russell

Renoir, My Father by Jean Renoir

From @artistmonet (a fan account of Claude Monet)

The Poisonous Solicitor: The True Story of a 1920s Murder Mystery by Stephen Bates

From @ArmchairSleuth 

Priceless Betrayal by Victoria Tait

From @MallikaRamacha1

The Hymn Tune Mystery by George A. Birmingham

From @GaiaBird1 

The Boy and the River by Henri Bosco

From @nonsuchbook 

Bellevue by Alison Booth

From @Fiction_Books 

The Lonely Hearts Book Club by Lucy Gilmore

From @MallikaRamacha1

Fortunata and Jacinta by Benito Pérez Galdós

From @neglectedbooks, retweeted by @alokranj

Green Money by D.E. Stevenson

From @Valster11 

Twice Round the Clock by Billie Houston

From @BL_Publishing 

A Town Called Solace by Mary Lawson

From @AliceStevo 

Fresh from the Country by Miss Read

From @DeanStPress

Vera Wong's Unsolicited Advice for Murderers by Jesse Q. Sutanto

From @puzzledoctor

The first cozy mystery ever from an Indonesian writer! I think I'm going to read this one straight away after my current read!

Have you spotted a favorite or two? Or have I inspired you to acquire one, two, or more to your TBR? 😏 

Pigeon Pie by Nancy Mitford: A Review for #1940Club

🐦 I have found this little gem through my searching for a book published in 1940, to read for the 1940 Club. I was struck first by the title: Pigeon Pie. Now, I like eating pigeon, but never on a pie. So, it sounds really delicious to me (the book title, not the pie). And I wasn't wrong, it was a light, delicious, highly entertaining book! Though I wonder, why titled it Pigeon Pie. There was, indeed, a pigeon in the story, but I didn't remember it being killed to be cooked in a pie - although Sophia eating a pigeon pie at the end of the story should be wonderful, I came to think, for it would be a---, wait... maybe I should start from the beginning!

🐦 Nancy Mitford written this book in late 1939, just before World War II began. But it was written as a lighthearted, hilarious satire on the outbreak of a phoney war. I think it's a satire of British high society's views on serious matters, such as war.

🐦 Lady Sophia Garfield is a highly imaginative, flippant woman, who is easily distracted. When the news about the outbreak of the war was broken, she is both excited and bored at the same time. Her husband, Lord Luke Garfield, on the other hand, doesn't believe there would be a war, because Herr Hitler and 'Our Premier' is in good relationship.

🐦 The Garfields' marriage is rather a failure. Luke keeps a woman called Florence Turnbull to stay in the house, Granby Gate; while Sophia is in love with Rudolph Joselyn. Both husband and wife settle on with this neat arrangement. And I think that’s the best for both parties, at least they are still happy and respect each other. While Luke joins a new religious cult: the Boston Brotherhood, Sophia enrols at First Aid Post as a receptionist.

🐦 Counting laundry at the First Aid Post (of which she is terrible) isn't a glamorous occupation. Sophia is dreaming about being a beautiful spy. All the more because her nemesis, Olga Gogothsky (née Baby Bagg) - whom Sophia nicknamed ‘duck-billed platypus disguised as a Sultana’ 🤣 - keeps boasting about being on secret mission as a spy.

🐦 Then a series of events is rapidly happening in succession. Her godfather Sir Ivor King, the legendary singer is found dead, Luke goes to America, and Sophia stays alone in the house, with Florence and two men from the Brotherhood. She then finds out that her house has been the nest of spies! And, as if answering her wishes, she herself is offered a job as a spy!

🐦 I have never read Mitford before, but after this, I'd certainly read more of her! Witty and hilarious, fast-paced but light story about, otherwise, a gory one about war. However, it doesn't feel like she's mocking or taking the war lightly, but more of seeing it from more positive perception. In reality, Mitford wrote a preface, apologizing that Pigeon Pie was written by Christmas 1939, but only published in May 1940.

🐦 My favorite part is perhaps Sir Ivor's 'propaganda': the Pets Program, where he sings for the benefits of all animals, including Millie, Sophia's dear bulldog. But the funniest part is maybe from the rivalry of Olga and Sophia, which produces some of the funniest banters, such as this one:

Olga: “Dearest, I must tell you that it’s a secret. However, when you hear that I have an appointment under the Government, that I have to undertake great responsibilities, and that I may often be called out in the middle of the night without any idea of where I am to go, you may guess the kind of thing it is. More I cannot say.”

Sophia: “Sounds to me like a certified midwife.”

Like I said, this was a silly and hilarious story, very engaging and entertaining. ❤ it! 

Rating: 4 / 5

 

*I read and reviewed this book for:*

The End of Book Depository and the New Era of My Reading Life

You must have heard by now about the closing down of Book Depository, the global online bookshop, owned by Amazon. I was terribly sad by the news, as were, I believe, many people who have been counting on Book Depository to get access to affordable imported books at their doorstep.

For me personally, Book Depository (BD) had been my ONLY source for English books. Amazon is sometimes cheaper, but their shipping cost to Indonesia is crazy! The shipping alone is often higher than the book itself. We have a local imported bookstore here, but their prices are higher than BD, and they provide mostly popular book, or classics in certain edition only. In short, all printed book I own, mostly came from BD.

I will never forget the exciting, hopeful wait for my ordered books to come (since they were shipped via post office, one couldn't track the package, and could only hope the package would arrive safely and on time). Once it arrived six month after order, that I have even forgotten I've had ordered it. But eventually, the books arrived. And that's what matters. But now, no more such things. For me, at least, it's the end of an era.

These, apparently, were the last batch I'd ever received 
from Book Depository!

What next, then?

I have hinted before in another post, my concerns that has encouraged me to consider audiobooks. Long story short, I've had problems with my eyesight, which compelled me to reduce activities which threaten to strain my eyes. Since my fulltime job requires me mostly to use computer, I can't do anything about it. It leaves me to reduce my reading and watching (TV/movies streaming). Of course I can't do that, can I? So, I have made these compromises:

1. Stop watching either TV or movies. I have, sadly, cancelled my subscription to Netflix. But it has to be done if I want to keep reading. And I want to be able to read - I WILL - until I can't!
2. Stop reading printed books, and switch to e-books or audiobooks. As I have said in this post, I started listening to audiobooks this year, and so far, enjoy it. But I can't rely my reading 100% to audiobooks because: a) not every book has audiobook version, b) if any, it always depends on the narrator, c) I can't listen to audiobooks at my lunch break or during commute. And there is where e-books are my hero!

What I love about digital books is the adjustable font sizes and background, which can't be found in printed books. Thanks to e-books and audiobooks, nowadays I can read comfortably without further injuring my eyes.

And they are much cheaper too than printed books! I've subscribed to Scribd, which cost me about $5,5 per month, with free access to all books available. If I can't find certain book, I could buy an e-book in Google Playbook. Either way, it's much cheaper than buying printed. And that is what my future reading life looks like.

Back to Book Depository's closing down, it's saddened me because of so much happy memories I've experienced of its brilliant services. But it's not so devastating, since I've decided not to buy printed book anymore. I still occasionally use my existing printed copy though, but only to consult something I don't quite get from audio or e-book.

In short, it's the end of an era, but on the other hand, it marks a new era in my reading life. Come what may, I'm happy to be able to keep reading for years to come. That, in the end, is what really matters, isn't it?

The Stone of Chastity by Margery Sharp: A Review for #1940Club

💙 This was my first acquaintance with Margery Sharp, and I must say that I wasn't too impressed.

💙 Professor Pounce, an expert in folklore, came to an old village called Gillenham, after learning about an ancient legend of the stone of chastity. According to the legend, there was a stepping stone on the local stream, on which a chaste woman would cross safely, but an impure or unfaithful one would certainly slip into the water.

💙 Accompanying the Professor, were the meek Mrs. Pounce, his sister in law; the idle Nicholas, his nephew; and a voluptuous girl called Carmen, whose capacity nobody knew about. They all lived in Old Manor. The Professor's first campaign for his scientific study was distributing a questionnaire on general knowledge about the stone of chastity (have you heard about it, do you know where it's located, and so on) to all the villagers, enlisting Nicholas to assist him.

💙 This questionnaire immediately stirred the village. The vicar's wife was enraged, marked it as paganism. Nicholas tried to warn the Professor about it, but to no avail. He received only one response to the questionnaire, but it's enough, because he's finally found the stone!

💙 Next step is the experiment. Professor Pounce, regardless of the women's rejection, invited all women of Gillenham to participate in the experiment (by stepping into the stone). Pious Mrs. Pye organized the village women to confront the Professor over this outrageous plan.

💙 Now, as I have said in my 1st Impression on this book, this is a ridiculous, hilarious, but clever satire. Unfortunately, I didn't feel as connected to the story as I've expected. It is quite entertaining as a book, but lacks of charm. The only interesting and relatable main character here is probably Professor Pounce. Nicholas is flimsy with all his romantic pursues; Carmen doesn't feel alive - only a voluptuous figure without soul.

If you are looking for a light, silly, ridiculous book, this would be it!

Rating: 3 / 5

*I read and reviewed this book for:*

 

The Émile Zola Tag #Zoladdiction2023

My answers to The Émile Zola Tag, for Zoladdiction 2023:

How was your first introduction to Émile Zola? We'd love to hear your stories!

It was at a business event about twelve years ago, which I attended as representative of my boss who couldn't make it. As I have anticipated that I would be bored (it's a sort of celebration of the our client's company anniversary), I brought my new copy of Thérèse Raquin. I didn't know then who Émile Zola was - I even thought him as a she! And the cover of my edition indicated the book as a literary romance. OK, perfect book to read at the back seat, while now and then I will clap my hands with the others, I thought. But, alas, I was wrong! And then I was so thoroughly absorbed into this wonderful psychological thriller, that I almost finished it during the whole event (breaking only during lunch). I must have given a queer sight to the other guests, absorbed in a book at a business event! At that point I knew that I have fallen in love with Zola - imagine, to be able to write like that! The rest is history.

Do you read Zola's randomly, or do you follow a certain, or even your own order?

I started the Rougon-Macquart from L'Assommoir, then continued randomly to several other titles, before I read the first one: The Fortune of the Rougons. It was years later that I realized I should have read the cycle chronologically. 


What do you like and/or dislike from Zola? It can be his works, views, or personalities.

What I like most from Zola is his writing style. It often has the quality of a painting - picturesque and eloquent. Then, there's this brutal honesty in his narrative; the powerful intensity in his description that often send blows to one's mind.

As a human being, I admire Zola's persistent love of truth, which is reflected on his involvement in the Dreyfus Affair. And, though I disagree with his attachment to his mistress Jeanne Rozerot, at least he still respected and cared about his wife Alexandrine.


If you must spend a day with one character from Zola's books, who would you rather be with? And what both of you would do?

Denise Baudu from The Ladies' Paradise. I've just re-read this book, and realized how amiable and clever Denise was! Hanging out with her would make my morning delightful! I would love to take a stroll with her in the Jardin des Tuileries, while listening to her smart business ideas. Then after an impromptu picnic (my treat!), we would visit the Ladies' Paradise, where she could show me their lovely displays with splendid color plays. What a feast it would have been! 😉


Name one of Zola's books you would recommend others to read! Or if you haven't read him, which book do you like to start with?

Germinal. Always! It's such a perfect book in many aspects.


You were invited in Zola's soirée (Zola's famous literary dinners of Naturalism writers) at Médan tonight. You may listen to all the conversation/discussion, but you're only allowed to suggest one topic - what would that be?

I would LOVE to be in one of Zola's soirées! The topic of my choice would be: Free will. I would throw this question to them: "What do you think about free will? You guys write much about determinism, that our action is determined/dictated by our hereditary flaws. Don't you believe that with efforts, we could fight against those flaws?" - that would be a discussion I'll never forget! Do you think they will invite me again after this? LOL


What is your least favorite book from Zola?

Every writer must have a flop, right? Nobody is perfect. My least favorite from Zola is His Excellency Eugene Rougon. Politics is never my cup of tea, and Eugene Rougon is perhaps the most 'soulless' character from all the descendants of Tante Dide!!


Have you read any book/work by other authors about Zola? Biography, companion book, essay, historical fiction, etc. Share them, please! (It may inspire others). If you haven't, would you like to?

Here's the list, with links to my reviews.
🔹️The Life and Times of Émile Zola by F.W.J. Hemmings
🔹️A Biography of Emile Zola by Alan Schom
🔹️The Disappearance of Émile Zola by Michael Rosen
🔹️Zola: Photographer by Francois Emile Zola
🔹️An Officer and A Spy by Robert Harris (historical fiction of the Dreyfus Affair, Zola appeared, but not much)

I have also in my TBR:
- Brian Nelson's The Cambridge Companion to Émile Zola.

Still on my wishlist:
- Ernest Alfred Vizetelly's With Zola in England - the story of Zola's exile during Dreyfus Affair.
- Eileen Horne's Zola and the Victorians: Censorship in the Age of Hypocrisy


Of the Rougons, the Macquarts, and the Mourets, which family do you like best? Why?

This is a bit difficult. Coming from middle class background myself, I feel more related to the Mourets; they are mostly quite pleasant, respectable people. However, the Macquarts had mostly been depicted in Zola's best stories (and my favorites): L'Assommoir with Gervaise, Germinal with Etiènne, La Bête Humaine with Jacques, etc. They always brought the most compelling dramas, so... I'd go with the Macquarts!


My favourite Zola's quote(s):

"Now the April sun, in the open sky, was shining in its glory, warming the earth as it went into labour. From its fertile flanks life was leaping forth, buds were bursting into green leaves, and the fields were quivering with the growth of the grass. On every side seeds were swelling, stretching out, cracking the plain, filled by the need of heat and light. An overflow of sap flowed with whispering voices, the sound of the germs expanded in a great kiss. Again and again, more and more distinctly, as though they had come right up to the soil, the comrades were hammering. In the fiery rays of the sun, on this youthful morning, the country was pregnant with this rumbling. Men were springing forth, a black avenging army, germinating slowly in the furrows, growing up for the harvests of the next century, and their germination would soon overturn the earth." ~ the ending of Germinal.

 

All Creatures Great and Small by James Herriot: A Review

💚 First thing first, let's get this straight: all eight of James Herriot's books in the All Creatures Great and Small series are NOT non-fiction. I've always had the impression that it's a memoir. I have read it as a memoir. But as I researched through Google today, I realized that it's actually a semi-autobiographical novel. Herriot (real name: James Alfred Wight) drew the characters from real people, but the events were only inspired by real ones. He used his imagination for the rest. Some sources even mentioned that the story was only 50 percent true. While reading through, I have been suspicious about many of the stories. They didn't sound true; many felt exaggerated, and sometimes were too coincidental. I have been wondering how much of it is true. Now I know. But that didn't change my mind; it's a lovely and inspiring book.

💚 James Herriort is a young fresh graduated veterinary surgeon who got his first job as veterinary assistant in small village called Darrowby, in the Yorkshire Dales. His boss is Sigfried Farnon, an eccentric, temperamental, and caustic, but kind veterinarian. Most of the funniest, laughable things in this book came from James' dynamic relationship with Sigfried.

Swaledale, one of dales in Yorkshire Dales National Park

💚 There's also Sigfried's younger brother Tristan, a laid back young chap, whom Sigfried sent to vet school but didn't get on well. He often became the receiver end of Sigfried's occasional outburst rages, many times sacked, but then returned after few days as if nothing ever happened.

💚 The book consists of individual disjointed stories of incidents in the veterinary surgeons daily lives and works. Phone calls from the farmers - day and night, even midnight! - when their animals get sick, or the cows are having trouble during calving, and so on. Sometimes the case proved to be triumphant for the vets, but their failings aren't less often too. They were fortunate when called by hospitable farmers who trusted and appreciated the vets, but there were numerous of those who were suspicious of modern treatment and made the vets' life miserable.

💚 There are some hilarious stories, while several others are quite heartwarming. One of my favorites is Mrs. Pumphrey, a wealthy lady, with her Pekingese Tricki Woo, who talks seriously to James - the lady, not the dog - as if Tricki is a child, calling him Uncle James, and even sent him invitations from Tricki. Sigfried used to tease him on this account, but James was indulged by the lady with treats after each visit, so...

💚 Then there's also a jolly fellow called Phin Cavert, who's so impressed that James cured his pig (?) with only Epsom salts and cold water, that he repeated the story to everyone. He calls James "Harry", by the way. That story was pretty hilarious!

my gorgeous fore-edge painted copy

💚 Not all the farmers are prosperous. There's a touching story of a poor old man and his cancer dog, which James must put to sleep due to its helpless case. It was the most beloved dog of his late wife. The old man gave Herriot a cigar at the end. That one is one of the most memorable stories. The other is a rich old man who takes care with love of two pensioner horses for twelve years. He started as a farm labourer, had been working hard until, finally, become a landowner with many good breeding horses, which he treated as stocks. When asked why he cared so much for those pensioner horses, the answer is quite touching: "They were two slaves when I was a slave".

💚 On one occasion James reflected on two visits he had attended for the day. One is for a prosperous farmer, whose snobbish wife and daughter treated him (the farmer) cruelly. The other is a farmer with very opposite condition. This one is probably the poorest farm in Darrowby. The old farmer work every day, no matter sick or health, to provide for the family, without ever complaining. His daughter loves him, and happily rides her bike miles away to nearest town only to buy a bottle of her father's favorite liquor. She beams at the thought of how the bottle would give her father a cheerful surprise after a day of toil. What a lovely daughter! James pondered upon these two families. He asked himself, of the two farmers, which one he'd rather be? In the end he thinks he'd prefer to be the poor one - poor. And I couldn't agree more!

💚 It is during his visits to these farms that James first met the girl he's attracted to: Helen Alderson. She's a bit tomboy, very intelligent, and not shy and giggly like most girls James has ever known. It's quite hilarious their courting, through half the book; James's awkwardness and Helen's patience are too cute and sweet!

💚 All in all, it's a delightful, honest, rustic piece of work, beautifully woven into a neat book. I would definitely read the sequels.

Rating: 4 / 5
 

If I were Old Bourras in Émile Zola's The Ladies’ Paradise [Re-posting]

Le Bon Marche by Felix Valloton
The Parisian store which inspired The Ladies' Paradise

This is a post I've published years ago, when reading The Ladies' Paradise for the first time (unfortunately I didn't review it at that time). Now I'm rereading it, this post came back to me, and I thought it quite proper to re-post it.

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Reading Zola’s The Ladies’ Paradise gives me certain excitement which I have never encountered before from Rougon-Macquart series that I have read so far—it is the business aspect. The growing expansion of Octave Mouret’s first modern department store in Paris has awakened my own business instinct which has grown from my more-than-twenty-years (update: now thirty) of working in trading business.

This is not a proper review of the book (for I am still half through it at the moment), but I was intrigued to give my personal advice to one of the shop owners whose business is threaten to be ruined by the ever expanding Ladies’ Paradise.

Old Bourras owns an umbrella shop. He used to have employees worked for him, and his specialty is carving the handle-knob with artistic subjects, which, I believe, gives his umbrellas a personal touch. But then Ladies’ Paradise opened its umbrella and sunshade department, selling umbrellas in much cheaper prices, and stealing Bourras’ loyal customers away. It gave old Bourras a terrible blow, but, does it really have to end that way? I personally do not think so.

If I were in Bourras’ place—instead of spending my passion and energy with condemning the department store, or by wasting my capital to compete with it—I would offer an attractive scheme of partnership to Mouret. I would persuade Mouret to sell my umbrellas IN his department store. Oh, Mouret would certainly laugh at me... at first:

Mouret: “What? Buying umbrellas from you, while I could buy from our manufacturers in larger quantity and with much cheaper price? How do you think your umbrellas could compete with ours?”

But I would calmly smile to him, and say: Me: “Of course not, sir. I know I won’t be able to compete with your big store, if I sell the SAME umbrellas as yours.”

Mouret (still chuckles): “What do you mean? Umbrella is umbrella; people buy it to shade themselves from sunlight or rain. If they could get ours cheaper, why on earth would they pick yours?”

Me: “But what I am offering you now, sir, is not the same product that you are selling in one of your departments.”

Mouret (his business instinct being awaken): “Go on...”

Me: “You see, sir, I am more an artist than a businessman. You might say that I sell umbrellas, but for me, these umbrellas are my artworks. I love carving, and it gives me utmost happiness to sit in my quiet shop, carving the handles with beautiful subjects: flowers, animals, fruits, etc. I’m happy to see that my customers love them, and it gives them satisfaction, knowing that their umbrellas were carved specially for them. And, of course, in the end it gives me money to buy my bread and lodging.”

Mouret: “So, you were saying that…”

Me: “Yes. I am offering you a new concept of umbrella. It’s not just means of shading one from sun and rain. Umbrella can be a fashionable item. Just imagine a luxury umbrella with finely carved ivory handle and elegant design, in the hand of a charming lady on a rainy day outside The Opera. The lady’s friends would have adored it, and the lady would answer proudly: ‘Oh, I have ordered it at The Ladies’ Paradise the other day. They allow us to choose our own design, you know, and pick our own subject to be carved on the handle!’ And soon enough, these ladies will queue up to order such elegant personalized umbrellas at your store, sir!”

Mouret (now quite bought up by the idea): “But how can I be sure that you won’t sell it with cheaper price to other stores, or even worse, directly to my customers?”

Me: “I am ready to grant you an exclusive right to sell my umbrellas at whatever price you believe is most profitable, if you consent to appoint me as your sole supplier, and buy my products at reasonable price. I put my trust on your lawyer, sir, to issue the contract which I would be proud to sign to bind our partnership.”

Mouret (amazed and curious): “Do you realize, M. Bourras, that if we had this partnership as your idea, your income will not significantly improve? Because producing personalized goods is different from mass production. In the end, your business will not profit much more than it is now. It would certainly profit The Ladies' Paradise, but what will it do for you?”

Me: “Dear M. Mouret, I have told you earlier, that I am no businessman. With this partnership, I will earn enough money for my business to keep going, and a humble living for myself. But mostly I will have pleasures from making beautiful umbrellas. It’s all what I need in this world.

So…. do we have a deal?”

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In a new turbulence era, we better face the changes with open mind. It is good to keep our principles, but do not let it bar our judgment. Creativity is the key, and always find a win-win solution! When a huge power dominates our society (in this case capitalism), don’t fight back! Or else it will crush you mercilessly. Open mind and creativity will give us better bargaining position.

If only I can get into the story, and give my advice to old Bourras! But then…. It will alter the story. And considering what Zola wanted to say with his Rougon-Macquart series, I think I’d better return to my book and enjoy it. Pardon, Monsieur Zola, for indulging my imagination for a moment in this post! J

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What do you think?