Books, life, circumstances, fate...

Books and the written word are a not so secret passion of mine, so today's the day to share some recent readings with you. I presume that since you are kind enough to take precious time out of your day to read me, that we may just share similar interests?


Well, our darling Mr SQ, being the friendly, chatty type, once chanced upon two hikers up the mountain on his morning walk, who just happened to be speaking French. Never missing an opportunity to show off his schoolboy French (except when we really need it in a crisis on a French railway platform) he engaged them in conversation.


"Like hiking then?" he asked.
"Oui Monsieur," they replied, keeping the joke to themselves.
"Well, if you are visitors to the Mother City you must please come and have dinner with us," he cheerily invited.
"We'd love to, but we are busy launching our book this week. Would an 11pm dinner be too late for you?"
"No way, said my Handsome Hero," (for we have no children to raise at 6am and make lunches for and get to school by 7am!?)

Thus we met the charming Alexandre and Sonia Poussin, who had walked from Cape Town to the Sea of Galilee with two small rucksacks. Their first book, Africa Trek, takes them as far as Mount Kilimanjaro, and is almost as fascinating a read as having met them in person. Thank heavens Mr SQ cooked as well, forever keen to show off his belle cuisine, as they heartily approved of our midnight feast. As well as feeling awed by their stamina and achievements, I was shamed into realizing that they had insights into my beloved country of birth which I had never experienced, nor probably ever will. They had been hosted by high society, and roughed it in townships, and come out unscathed. How Sonia, a beautiful blonde, and seemingly fragile young mother survived is beyond me. What struck me most though, was the tangible poverty and desolation they described once leaving our borders, and they saw it all. What, would my crystal ball tell me, is in our future here? Will the rotten core of beautiful Africa erode us too at this most spectacular southern tip? I desperately hope not... I must admit that whilst I flew through their first book, I never quite made it through their second, not really sure why, perhaps it was coming up to the end of the year and all that that entails. I'll keep it aside to try again this winter.
Follow them on www.africatrek.com

A real little treasure has just landed on my lap. Apparently self published and written by a locally raised lady, Lindy Hughes, now living in Vancouver, It never stays in Vegas is an unputdownable read for any woman who has ever had a husband and children, and wondered what had become of the feisty young thing she had once been, when seemingly reduced to picking up the laundry, groceries, children and dog's poo, not to mention everybody else's flack.  Perhaps a few husbands should read it too. She has such a deft hand with the pen, that I hope this book is on every middle aged woman's bedside table, in all their book clubs and becomes a blockbuster movie too. Love, loss, loneliness, temptation, the rekindling of old flames, it's all there. You go Lindy!! 

www.itneverstaysinvegas.com

The other great book I read recently was Brooklyn by Colm Toibin, winner of the 2009 Costa Novel Award. It's a worthwhile if somewhat slow, weighty, book in which he gets the pathos and loneliness of a young immigrant girl from Ireland just right. After nearly collapsing under the weight of her homesickness, for these were days of scant communications, Eilis finally settles into her newfound home, and meets a nice young man and is accepted as one of his poor, but decent family. The whole theme to me centres on destiny and fate, two of my favourite subjects. What if her sister hadn't bumped into the priest home for his holidays from America? What if she hadn't married her fiancee in the USA to convince him of her love before she left for her sister's funeral? What if she'd then been able to stay in Ireland with the dashing lad of her youthful desires and live comfortably amongst her own? How did the rest of her life then turn out when she was then cast out?


What if I hadn't lingered for a chat on my way home this afternoon, and had been anywhere near the gigantic runaway truck which overturned and crushed a passing car and it's occupants at our gate? A chilling sight, a sobering thought, good night!


A somewhat traumatised, but grateful Suzy Q, with thoughts going out to all involved in that major accident, including as always, the rescue workers, who had a most grisly task to do. Take care out there.