Hippie by Barry Miles (29/81)

Category: Retro – 1960s, Beats, Hippies and Counterculture

At first I thought it might be a bit of cheat including this book in a reading challenge as this book does mainly consist of photographs. However it turned out that there was still a substantial amount of text amongst the wonderful images, so it has earned a place in my list.

“Hippie” covers the counterculture movement from 1965 to 1971, spending a lot of time in San Francisco where the hippies dominated, but also visiting the equivalent scenes in Los Angeles, New York and London. The book is very much about the culture of the period in terms of music, fashion and lifestyle choices, with the political aspects not being covered as in depth here as elsewhere.

The author is in a good position to write about this era as his background includes being chairman of the Youth Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament, co-founder of Indica Books and Gallery and International Times (IT) and head of Zapple, the Beatles' spoken word label. He actually pops up in the book once or twice, where he refers to himself in the third person, which seemed a bit odd. Despite his connections, this book is far being a rose-tinted trip down memory lane with a description of the later Haight-Ashbury scene being particularly disturbing. He is also very realistic about the limitations of the hippie ideals, how short-lived its heyday was and about its long-term impact.

“Hippie” is very much an overview of the movement and at times I would have liked more detail, but it provides a good introduction to the subject. It is also a book that can be dipped into and returned to again on account of the great pictures.

#33/81 STILL LIFE by Louise Penny

This murder mystery was beautifully crafted leaving the reader completely baffle until the end. The descriptions of the area were so realistic that you wonder if there really is a village like Three Pines. The characters are well fleshed out and contribute tremendously to the storytelling. I listened to the audio version of this book and it was excellent. The narrator had a voice that resonated mystery while carrying off the accents with real panache. I definitely am gong to be looking for another in this series.

#32/81 COMFORT FOOD by Kate Jacobs

The premise of this book is a TV Chef who reaching the age of 50, is confronted by the network owner with a young, beautiful, ambitious newcomer who is to co-host her weekly program. The supporting characters are her grown children (with problems of their own), a reclusive neighbor, and few boyfriends who can't quite figure out whose girlfriend is whose. A comedy of errors ensues. I especially loved the teambuilding experience with everyone not wanting to participate and the camp counselor getting the participants involved in childish games. The characters are well-integrated and the plot twistS are entertaining.
The finish was somewhat predictable but enjoyable just the same.

The Natural History of Unicorns by Chris Lavers (28/81)

Category: Non-Fiction

The idea of the unicorn has persisted for centuries, appearing in a number guises around the world. Here, Chris Laver attempts what may seem impossible, looking at the natural history of a creature that doesn’t actually exist.

Whilst our idea of a unicorn may not exist, there are real animals who have contributed to the legacy of the unicorn in one way or another, so the author examines possible candidates for having been the origin of the unicorn. He examines a number of other authorities on the subject (who knew so much research had already been done into unicorns!), to come up with some possible candidates for the inspiration for the unicorn.

The book then moves on to the use of the unicorn in the Bible and as a symbol in Judea-Christian religion and my favourite part, about the supposed healing qualities of their horns. There is also a really interesting section on the hunt for unicorns in Africa, and a rather disturbing section about an experiment to “create” a unicorn.

The only criticisms I have is that Chapter Six on the Khutu was rather too long for what it added and the final chapter begins with a mention of New Age and advertising, which is something I would have been interested in a chapter on, but which isn’t taken any further.

All in all this is a very well researched book with a lot of detailed information but the author writes in an accessible style with occasional flash of wit worthy of Bill Bryson.

Giraffe by J M Ledgard (27/81)

Category: Themed Titles – Animals

This is a fictional retelling of a real life incident. In Czechoslovakia, under communist rule in the 1970s, the largest ever group of giraffes were brought from Africa to be breed in captivity. Like many things in that time and place, this was a tool for propaganda, but something goes wrong, leading to a horrific outcome. I’m trying to avoid too much of a spoiler here, but to be honest the blurb for the book gives it away.

However, knowing how things end does not spoil the reading of this great book. How the story is told is a wonderful journey in itself. The story is split between different narrators, including a scientist (an expert in blood flow), a sleep-walker, a hunter and best of all, a giraffe. Their differing perspectives, especially as it moves towards its awful conclusion, add to the texture of the novel.

The book also has some brilliant descriptions of giraffes and interesting musings on man’s relationships with animals. Added to this, the looming presence of the communist regime make “Giraffe” a fascinating read, and all the more interesting for being based on real events.

And despite the illustration of a giraffe on the cover, this is far from being a children’s book.

Nightfall by Isaac Asimov & Robert Silverberg (18/81)

C1990 339pages 4stars
Category: Speculative Fiction

Kalgash, a planet with six suns. A prophecy from an ancient text states that every two thousand years the world will be plunged into Nightfall and the cities will burn, retribution from the gods for the wickedness of man. But the scientists scoff, knowing it to be just some religious hocus-pocus. Until two of their own make disturbing discoveries based in fact. Beenay, the astronomer, finds that a rare event will soon happen: a conjunction of five of the suns, combined with an eclipse of the sixth. And Siferra, the archeologist, uncovers a dig site which proves that their civilization has existed seven times previous, and it has burned every two thousand years.
What will happen when an entire society unaccustomed to night is plunged into complete Darkness? What will happen when starcrazed people burn their cities, desperate for light? Who will control what remains when the suns come up?

Some time ago I had read that the working title for the film Pitch Black had been Nightfall. And furthermore, that the germ of the idea behind the movie had been from a story by the same name. I didn't think much of it until browsing one day at a Friends of the Library sale when I came upon the book by Asimov & Silverberg, apparently an expansion of the short story written by Asimov back in 1941. Now, I'm not a 'hard' sci-fi reader by any means. I had attempted one of Asimov's Robot books in the past and had cast it aside knowing that Asimov was not for me. But my curiosity took over. Did Asimov write a creature-feature? Well, no, he did not - that was pure Hollywood. But he did write about the chaos that ensues after Nightfall.
I found this book utterly captivating and I read it all in one sitting. I remember the Y2K frenzy and I think that helped me to get into the correct mindset. The battle between Religion and Science is one we see almost everyday in the news. To see it here played out against a backdrop of Darkness, both physical and mental, is fascinating.
Other reviews I have read claim the addition of the section Daybreak weakens the original story. I have not read the original short piece but I don't agree with that statement. We are told early on that the civilization has previously survived The Darkness. I think it's natural to explore what that is like.
An excellent book. If there is more Asimov like this than I am onboard!

The Sandman by Neil Gaiman (25/81)

The Sandman: Preludes and Nocturnes by Neil Gaiman
Category: Graphic Novels

While trying to summon Death, the leader of a mysterious order inadvertently captures Dream, imprisoning him for years. This wreaks havoc on the world as we know it, as Dream's tools are used by humans who have no way of coping with their power, and several people become infected with a "sleepy sickness." All Dream can think about is getting free - and then getting revenge.

The first in the Sandman series is a little uneven, very creepy ("24 Hours" was downright scary), and I liked Dream and some of the other characters introduced. I'm definitely going to read the next book in the series to see how things develop. 4 stars.

Cross-posted on my blog, Born Reader.