and i meant site not "sight" - beautiful words indeed!

Myrtle,

Toddlers are the most amazing things. I have a 19 month old and it's impossible to remain neutral beside her. She's either driving me crazy or I'm kissing the cheeks off her. Parents are funny sometimes when they say that their children are great even if others are brats. I think that the vast majority of children are neither; it just depends on the moment you catch them on. I remember once my eldest daughter (she was almost three) threw the worst, top-of-the-range tantrum just before we were going to visit my husband's grandmother in an old folks home. She undid her seatbelt about five times and screamed all the way there. We hesitated to bring her into the home but the great-grandmother was keen to see her so we took the chance. Then, sudden transformation! She became an angel, kissed all the old women, admired the great-grandmother's bicycle (her wheelchair) and all the old people in the home complimented us on our exceptional parenting skills. Of course, I denied nothing, lapped it all up, but now when I see a child behaving very badly or very well, I think that I may have caught them in the five minutes before or the five minutes after.

Anyway, back to the point. Emma, I'd also be very interested in knowing what your criticisms of Margaret Atwood are. I think I've read three of her books and I enjoyed them.

Ashlinn

My doubts about her books - not criticisms, exactly - are simply that she writes beautifully, her ideas are interesting, and I really like what I know of how she thinks from her journalism, and yet I've never managed to get past the first quarter of Bluebeard's Egg, Alias Grace or The Blind Assassin. The last two I've had three tries at each. I'm not sure what it is that isn't doing it for me (which is a shaming confession from a writer), but clearly it isn't, as I'm usually fairly persevering with books.

Emma

I agree, Emma - actually I find her really difficult though I've never dared say! I struggled womanfully through Oryx and Crake, and nearly died of boredom. However, I freely admit to being an obvious klutz (is that how you spell that?) as my opinion on books that are deemed "worthy" is always different to everyone else's!

==:O

LoL

A
xxx

That reminds me of a cartoon I once saw. A woman is standing in front of a cinema ticket office, saying, "Did the critics rave about this film, or is it worth seeing?"


Alex

If it doesn't work for you, then it doesn't work for you.

I am very lazy - I only read books I love or at least want to know what happens in.

I read "Lunar Park" recently, didn't exactly "like" it but couldn't put it down!

Life's too short for reading as penance? I belong to a readers group and I'm hopeless - I can't and won't force myself to finish a book I can't get on with.

That goes right back to my school days - never finished "The Mayor of Casterbridge" despite it being one of my A'level texts.

How many of us were put off authors for life by having their books crammed down our throats at school or university and not having the choice?

I like TS Eliot but after a whole term reading nothing but TS Eliot it was a close call...

Sarah


<Added>

Just picked up Ava's wonderful description of the books that really matter - very well put!

I absolutely loved Alias Grace and The Edible Woman. Must get my hands on a copy of 'Curious Pursuits'.

(Ashlinn, I will keep your tantrum story in mind - we haven't had tantrums YET but at 21 months it can't be much longer...yikes.)

If it doesn't work for you, then it doesn't work for you.

I do think that's the key; admitting our own subjectivity, and that we read different books to get different pleasures. We don't have to dress up our reason for giving up with 'objective' reasons, or inverted literary snobbery. On the other hand, as a writer, working out what doesn't work for you is quite instructive.

'Worthy' has overtones of 'dull', and I'd never call Attwood's writing that. If I was looking for examples of terrific, modern fiction I'd lift her off the shelf quicker than most, but yes, why persevere when there are other things around that are as good, and do grab me by the throat and refuse to let go till I've finished them?

Myrtle, in my experience the Terrible Twos start just as their third birthday starts to loom, when you're congratulating yourself for being an amazing parent and having an amazing, tantrum-free child.

Emma

Emma,

I will brace myself.

As for reading as penance, apart from in my professional life I can only think of one looming example: Ulysses, at university.

Myrtle

I read as a penance 'Atonement' - a friend passed it to me so I had to. And 'The Da Vinci Code' - my line manager in a new job passed it to me so I had to. And Mill on the Floss - I was determined to finish it. My own fault.

Re the Terrible Twos ... I braced myself for them (with three children) and ... well, they never happened. Just seemed more of the same with fewer nappies, less falling over, more conversation and more sleep ... so don't worry, Myrtle, they're not obligatory

Andrea

"Atonement" Gees! I think that is about as unreadable as I've ever seen. Shame.

A book can't "do it" for everyone though, hey?

Nik.

...and let's not forget that tastes change. Its all marmite mate. x

I love Marmite AND Atonement.

I hate marmite, but loved Atonement, though I think it has some big flaws.

Emma

More of a Vegemite gal, myself

Andrea