The Killables (by Gemma Malley)

The Killables
by Gemma Malley
Release date : March 29th, 2012 

Everyone accepted that people were different physically.
But inside? Inside, they were different too.
You just had to know how to tell, what to look for.
Evil has been eradicated. The City has been established.
And citizens may only enter after having the 'evil' part of their brain removed. They are labelled on the System according to how 'good' they are. If they show signs of the evil emerging, they are labelled a K... But no one knows quite what that means. Only that they disappear, never to be seen again.  (from Goodreads)

MY THOUGHTS : Oh, well... Reading this book was a bit laborious for me, and I struggled to finish it. There were some good passages and the background could've been interesting (even if it's not very original dystopian-wise), but it took me too much time to get into it.

I found it all too heavy for my taste. The System is presented with a tone that corresponds with the way the citizens "see" it, which makes all the explanations repetitive and a bit mind-numbing. I know that it's voluntary. It shows us what The System does to people. But I thought it was too much, and too melodramatic.

Love triangles are starting to annoy me, and the relationship between the three protagonists (Evie, Raffy and Lucas) kind of irritated me. I also thought the places and the atmosphere lacked descriptions and would've deserved more attention. Last but not least, I found a lot of the story quite predictable. If you're familiar with my reviews, you know how I feel about predictable plots. :)

All in all, this wasn't a book for me. Too heavy and not developed enough for my taste. But if you're into dystopian novels, do give it a try! You might enjoy it more than I did.

French Friday Giveaway Winners!

Hello everyone!

The lucky winners of the French Friday Giveaway are:

Mari

who won the First Prize!

Steph

who won the Second Prize!

Congratulations, girls!

I sent you an email. Please do get back to me within 72 hours, or I'll have to draw a new winner.

Thank you to everyone who participated! 

There weren't many entries (I'm still asking myself why) so the odds were in your favour!

Have a lovely day!

French Friday (53) - Guest Post by Emma

Bonjour everyone!

Today, I'm happy to welcome Emma from Words and Peace for a French Friday guest post!

Emma is French, but has been living in the US for 11 years.

A French Woman in the US

First, let me thank Charlotte at The Book on The Hill for inviting me today to speak about my experience as a French lady living in the US.

In 2001, I left behind the gentle and flavored hills of Burgundy…

…and landed basically between two corn fields in the Midwest countryside.

My first reactions were:

- Where are the skyscrapers?

- Wow, people drive really slow here!

- And they are so nice! They say “hello”, even though they don’t know me “from Adam and Eve”, as we say in French.

- Funny ways around the eating table.

The fact is that unfortunately, the media and TV series exported oversees do not reflect the best of American culture.

I could not see any of the very tall buildings I thought America was only made of, and no crazy drivers slaloming at high speed. In fact, French drivers were definitely insane in comparison.

And only back in the 70s in my little village of 250 inhabitants did I remember strangers greeting me.

Living now in a suburb of Chicago, I’m still amazed today when people walking their dogs greet me.

And pedestrians are kings here!: even before I reach the curb to cross the street, cars slow down and wait for me to come and cross. I have never EVER had that experience in France.

One more thing about drivers, and something that still amazes me more than 10 years after I left France: in the 4-way crossing, drivers gently take their turn to drive ahead. In France, courtesy does not rhyme with driving, and you need lights or round-abouts, otherwise you have a recipe for disaster.

And only since the driving license has come up with points that you can easily lose with each driving violation have French drivers finally started to really slow down and be more careful.

As for the eating table, 3 things:

1. When I was a kid, I was told NEVER to put your hand under the table while eating, and leaning. The etiquette is to rest your forearm on the table, but NEVER the elbow, this is supposed to be very rude, and sit straight. So I was very surprised when I saw a group of friends, well raised Americans, eating ALL with their hand under the table, and leaning forward. They had a good laugh when I explained the difference
2. Also, they seemed to be doing an awful amount of work to eat: they used their knife in their right hand to cut things, and switched the knife and their left hand to eat with their fork in their right hand. In France, you cut with the knife in your right hand, but keep your fork at all time in your left hand, so you eat from your left hand. It saves you lots of extra movements! Is it because we are naturally lazy? I wonder…
3. I was surprised at first to see you could ask for a bag to take home leftovers from the restaurant. I think the French are actually starting to do it a in a few places. In France, restaurants serve smaller portions. But in the US, with large portions, this actually makes sense, and it is very economic, as you can easily have two meals out of one.

To go deeper in the cultural issues, I have noticed that young people seem much less mature here than in Europe. They seem to me overprotected, growing up in a cocoon, and it takes a much longer time for them to leave the house and fend for themselves.

Also, this is I guess without saying because the age of the nations, but it sound sometimes funny to me when people here talk about an old building. It may go back to the 1700s. Old for me means Medieval, and last time I visited France, I showed my husband several churches going back to the 8th century.

Cistercian Abbey of Fontenay – Burgundy. 12th century

And here are a few other things coming to mind:

- in France, we complain all the time, about anything and everything, and here we sue people, for anything and everything!

- a joke, well founded, says that the French are either on strike or on vacation. Here, we seem to be working all the time, I know people who have at least 3 jobs.

- the French seem to be paying more attention to the quality of food and produce. In the US, GMOs do not require even labels, and I just read that ALL tomatoes you buy in a grocery store are genetically modified. GMOs are forbidden in France.
Sometimes, when I drink wine here, I get a headache in a split second. I drank wine many times last spring in France and NEVER got any problem: they do not add extra sulfates and chemicals in their wine, that’s THE secret!!

There are numberless differences, but these are the ones I noticed most when arriving.

After more than 10 years, I still prefer living in the US, the cost of living being much lower, and people more open, at least in the Midwest.

But if you want to go and visit a beautiful country, there’s none better than France.

Thank you Emma!

If you would like to write a French Friday guest post like Emma did, click here!

Monument 14 (by Emmy Laybourne)

Monument 14
by Emmy Laybourne
Release date : June 5th, 2012 

Your mother hollers that you’re going to miss the bus. She can see it coming down the street. You don’t stop and hug her and tell her you love her. You don’t thank her for being a good, kind, patient mother. Of course not—you launch yourself down the stairs and make a run for the corner.

Only, if it’s the last time you’ll ever see your mother, you sort of start to wish you’d stopped and did those things. Maybe even missed the bus.

But the bus was barreling down our street, so I ran.

Fourteen kids. One superstore. A million things that go wrong.

In Emmy Laybourne’s action-packed debut novel, six high school kids (some popular, some not), two eighth graders (one a tech genius), and six little kids trapped together in a chain superstore build a refuge for themselves inside. While outside, a series of escalating disasters, beginning with a monster hailstorm and ending with a chemical weapons spill, seems to be tearing the world—as they know it—apart. (from Goodreads)

MY THOUGHTS : I really liked this book! I thought it was a gripping, moving, funny and creepy book. And, yes, all at the same time. Dean, 16, is the narrator (thankyouthankyouIlovemalenarrators!) and I loved what was happening in his head. The way he looks at things, situations and characters. He has a real voice: an incisive, realistic, poetic and ironic one.

There's action for you (earth has some real problems there!), just enough of it, and I thought it was well balanced with the human part of the story. We're allowed our dose of suspense and creepiness while hanging on to these teenagers and children who, throughout the pages, become more and more mature, wise and smart. When I started reading it, I sighed at how stereotyped the characters were, and I expected situations and their behaviours to be predictable. But I was quite quickly relieved, when I realized that they had more "layers" than I thought.

The youngest children are adorable, and bring some lightness and freshness to the plot. It's a dramatic story, but never too "weepy". I loved the main idea. I mean, fourteen young people trapped together in a superstore while the world collapses around them... This HAD to be amazing! But I read it without expecting too much either. I didn't want to be disappointed. Well, I wasn't. The blurb is respected from the first page to the last.

There were some elements that seemed less believable than others (in the survival part mostly), but it worked nonetheless. I turned the pages without realizing it. The ending made me want to read the second book. I'm very very very curious. Plus, it seems that the next story might be told by another character? Or not? I can't wait to see!

The only thing that bothered me was the number of characters. Fourteen is a lot. And it's a closed-door kind of story, so each character should be clear and precise. But I thought the introduction was a bit rushed, so it took some time to understand who was who. Also, some of the characters are under the spotlight while others are a bit neglected. Oh well. It bothered me, but not enough to spoil the fun!

All in all, I really enjoyed reading MONUMENT 14 and cannot wait to read its sequel! It's nice to read an apocalyptic book when we seem to drown under POST-apocalyptic ones. Here, the end of the world is happening in front of us, instead of 200 years before. I like that. :)

Book Blogging Around the World (37) : Puebla, Mexico

Today's guest : Hilda from Veronska Uncensored

City/Country: Puebla, Mexico

Hilda participated in Book Blogging Around the World back in 2010.

She was living in China at the time. Since then, she has moved to Mexico and started a new blog!

Welcome back, Hilda!

Tell us a little bit about you.
Hi Everyone! My name is Hilda and I am the proud owner and writer of Veronska Uncensored. I’m 19 and I was born and raised in Venezuela, the home of crazy Hugo Chavez. I left home when I was pretty young (14) because I always had bigger aspirations for myself and always dreamed of going away and seeing the world… So I packed my bags and I left… to China. Yes, you heard right, China. It was a pretty crazy experience, good and bad, but I don’t regret a minute of it. I still feel really special for having lived what a lot of people could not even dream about… (you can check out Hilda's 2010 interview to read more about her experience in China, and to enjoy some of her pictures!)

This is some sort of temple in Beijing. 

I can’t really remember cause everything in Beijing looked exactly the same.

Anyways, five years later, give or take, I thought it was time to leave, and I had an opportunity to come to Mexico and I just took it without much thinking. I’ve only been here for a couple of months and everything’s still new and a little scary.  

And this is me with a kangaroo,
and I don’t know how that’s relevant to being in Mexico, but I like kangaroos. 

And here’s my two babies :) Benito and Don Gato.  

Tell us about your blog.

I started my blog a while back, probably in 2008, but I still consider it to be new since I was never able to blog continuously for whatever reason. Right now I’m still in the process of designing it and sticking to a particular theme (got tired of the old one)… and well, I guess I am also trying to get people to read it so that I will be inspired to actually write in it. In the long run I hope it will become a place where I can talk about anything without any censors.. especially cause I tend to read “inappropriate” books. However I don’t want it to be 100% about books, but we’ll see what happens.  

What countries have you visited? What countries would you like to visit?

Apart from the obvious, I’ve also been in Canada, US and Panama. As for visiting, I would really like to go to Thailand, Ireland and Sweden. 

What authors and books from your country would you recommend?

Wow, I think I’m going to say none. I can’t even remember ever reading anything from a Venezuelan author... I actually don’t read much in Spanish, but either way Venezuelans don’t have that kind of culture, so selling books is a pretty dead business in my country. Most bookstores are tiny and only sell bestsellers and motion-picture books.  

How many languages do you speak?

 Fluently I can only speak Spanish and English. But I did at some point speak really good Portuguese although I have already forgotten most of it due to lack of use. And I guess I know some Chinese but not enough to hold a conversation that would make sense to anyone with the ability of “understanding”. I tried learning Swedish a while back, but didn’t have the time to continue my studies... maybe I’ll pick it up again soon. 

Do you read more in English or in your own language?

 I definitely read more in English than anything else. It’s rather frustrating ‘casue I’ve never lived in an English speaking country so finding books has been a bitch. Lucky for me, I have the best dad in the world, and he got me an iPad for my birthday so that I could buy ebooks (before that he got me an ereader). And back when I lived with him, he also traveled to the States a lot so I would give him a list of titles for him to bring back. Nowadays I gotta stick to the ebooks though, which is not as satisfying as the real thing. I’m old fashioned that way.. I have bought a couple of titles in Spanish since I’ve moved but haven’t really read them yet... and once I tried reading in Chinese... didn’t get past the 5th page. *sigh*  

What are your favourite and least favourite things about Mexico?

I absolutely love the food, and the people are really nice... at least compared to China and Venezuela, the people are really really nice. That’s one of the things I love about being here. I hate that there’s no subway. Taking the bus is really hard.. I have no idea which bus to take and where to go, it drives me crazy. Back in China, even though everything was in Chinese, I was still able to get EVERYWHERE. I love the subway and I miss it :(  

Every country has its clichés. What cliché about Mexico do you consider disproportionate?

Everyone pictures Mexicans with big sombreros, mustaches and ponchos, drinking tequila and eating tacos... Which is absolutely true and it’s hilarious! Well, okay, they don’t all wear sombreros and ponchos, but they still look pretty Mexican-ish :D

(This is not me)

Thank you Hilda! It was a pleasure having you on the hill!

Say hello to Hilda:

Blog • Twitter • Facebook*

*That’s my personal FB but I have some of my blog friends on there. You might want to PM telling me who you are so I can add you otherwise I’ll just think you’re just some random person.

If you would like to be featured like Hilda, this post is for you!

French Friday (52) - Paris in July Interview

Bonjour everyone!

Comment ça va ?!
This week, Tamara from Thyme for Tea and Karen from Bookbath 

are here to talk about Paris in July, their fun month long event!

Welcome, girls!

What is Paris in July?

T : Paris in July is a month long blogging experience celebrating our love of all things French and Parisian. Paris in July runs from the 1st - 31st July 2012 and the aim of the month is to celebrate our French experiences through reading, watching, listening to, observing, cooking and eating all things French.

There are no rules or targets in terms of how much you need to do or complete in order to be a part of Paris in July – we just ask participants to blog about anything French. Some ideas for the month include:

- Reading a French book - fiction or non-fiction

- Watching a French movie

- Listening to French music

- Cooking French food

- Experiencing French art, architecture or travel (or remembering travel experiences)

- Or anything else French inspired you can think of...

We try to give away weekly French themed prizes during the month for which we will randomly draw the winners from all the French themed posts of that week that link back to us. We take it in turn to write weekly wrap up posts.

How and when did it all start?

T: It started back in 2010 after Karen and I were talking about doing something together in blogging. We were keen to support each other to do something fun with our blogs. Of course our shared passion for all things Parisian was the ideal central theme for that blogging event. Paris in July offers a connection for the many book lovers that follow Karen’s blog, and draws in a range of creative people that visit my blog. I had also hoped that I would post sometimes in French, as a way of improving my language skills, but I haven’t been courageous enough yet!

Where does your love for France come from?
T: For me, my love of France probably started when I was very little and my Australian parents and I, were living in the UK for a few years. My parents would visit France for holidays and I have strong memories of camping with gypsies. But more recently, my love of France was the consequence of a mistake. My husband and I thought we too would move to the UK to work for a while, but after a few weeks in the UK we decided to change our plans – and bought bicycles to ride around France instead. What can I say, but J’aime la langue, le fromage, le pain, le vin, le chocolat, les gens, la campagne, les marches, et Paris!

K: I guess my love for Paris mainly and France in general has come via my reading, movie watching (Audrey Tautou is a favourite!), fashion magazines, visiting there and through Tamara’s love and interest in the country. In my first visit to Paris I really felt as though I was in a magical place – it seemed like I had stepped into another time with all of the art, architecture and fashion that surrounded me – while at the same time there was such a modern twist on everything. I can’t wait to physically go back to Paris one day soon but in the meantime Paris in July helps me live out my travelling dreams!

What French authors and/or French related books would you recommend?

K: My favourite French book would have to be Madame Bovary by Gustave Flaubert – especially the recent translation by Lydia Davis which I think is wonderful. Another favourite book which is set in Paris is called Almost French by an Australian writer, Sarah Turnbull who meets and falls in love with a French man and moves to Paris to continue her relationship with him. It is a great book for looking at culture shock and seeing how someone from a very different community and background settles in Paris. 

T : I wish I was a reader, but I’m not really. So I recommend Book Bloggers websites for great reviews. I do love picture books and recipe books, but I don’t really have favourites.

What French food recipes would you recommend?

T: My favourite French food is that which I don’t have to cook myself. However, one thing I learnt when I was cycling in France, is that its so easy to make a great meal from fresh ingredients from the local markets. I love fresh asparagus grilled on fresh bread, fresh sardines, smelly cheeses – not preparation needed – just a baguette!

If you’re willing to do some preparation, traditional French Onion Soup is a simple a delicious meal. The French do alot of soups – with seasonal ingredients and local produce. Potato and leek, seafood, cold tomato – they’re all good, yummy and simple.

Here’s some links : here and here.

How can bloggers register to participate to Paris in July?

T: This year there’s two ways – bloggers can go to the Mr Linky page that Karen set up on BookBath, or they can leave comments on either of our blogs. Each week either Karen or I will review the comments on each others blogs to identify new participants.

Thank you girls for taking the time to answer my questions!

Revolution (by Jennifer Donnelly)

Revolution
by Jennifer Donnelly
Release date : October 12th, 2010 

BROOKLYN: Andi Alpers is on the edge. She’s angry at her father for leaving, angry at her mother for not being able to cope, and heartbroken by the loss of her younger brother, Truman. Rage and grief are destroying her. And she’s about to be expelled from Brooklyn Heights’ most prestigious private school when her father intervenes. Now Andi must accompany him to Paris for winter break.
 PARIS: Alexandrine Paradis lived over two centuries ago. She dreamed of making her mark on the Paris stage, but a fateful encounter with a doomed prince of France cast her in a tragic role she didn’t want—and couldn’t escape.
 

Two girls, two centuries apart. One never knowing the other. But when Andi finds Alexandrine’s diary, she recognizes something in her words and is moved to the point of obsession. There’s comfort and distraction for Andi in the journal’s antique pages—until, on a midnight journey through the catacombs of Paris, Alexandrine’s words transcend paper and time, and the past becomes suddenly, terrifyingly present. (from Goodreads)

MY THOUGHTS : I LOVED this book! It was a powerful and intense read, but never heavy. The author portrayed Andi as if she knew her. Actuallty, it felt as if Andi was real. The tone and the way she talks about her feelings are harsh, in an absolutely realistic way. I loved this character!

Then, there's the matter of the journal. That was fascinating! Andi's and Alexandrine's stories just fit, even if separated by 200 years. The French Revolution, linked to Andi's own personal revolution, are such strong themes. It must've been hard to write about all this. But it's done with subtelty and emotion, which is highly enjoyable, of course. I clung to both girls equally. The 18th century Paris in which we're transported feels real too. Everything is so well depicted that I sort of forgot that I was reading a book. That's saying something, right?!

For me, REVOLUTION was a real page-turner. Touching and very well-written. I went through a roller coaster of emotions. Depression, grief, despair are mixed with touches of hope. Dramatic, yes, but in a good way. If there hadn't been a link between both stories, it might've become a bit too tragic for my taste. But the mix is perfect, and gives even more depth to it all! I highly recommend it!

You can win REVOLUTION until july 26th, with my French Friday Giveaway!

The Secret Countess (by Eva Ibbotson)

The Secret Countess
Also published as : A Countess Below Stairs
by Eva Ibbotson
Release date : 1981 

After the Russian revolution turns her world topsy-turvy, Anna, a young Russian Countess, has no choice but to flee to England. Penniless, Anna hides her aristocratic background and takes a job as servant in the household of the esteemed Westerholme family, armed only with an outdated housekeeping manual and sheer determination.

Desperate to keep her past a secret, Anna is nearly overwhelmed by her new duties—not to mention her instant attraction to Rupert, the handsome Earl of Westerholme. To make matters worse, Rupert appears to be falling for her as well. As their attraction grows stronger, Anna finds it more and more difficult to keep her most dearly held secrets from unraveling. And then there's the small matter of Rupert's beautiful and nasty fiancée... (from Goodreads)

MY THOUGHTS : That was quite a romantic read, full of twists and turns! Anna is a delightful character, thoroughly characterized, and likeable right from the start. I was caught in the story (almost) right away. It made me think of a Jane Austen novel : all the characters are highly developed and the historical background is fascinating. For me, it was a real page-turner. It was moving and dreamy. I also loved the humorous touches, wich were subtely scattered throughout the book. The atmosphere was unique, and the dialogues all-interesting.

For me, one of the low point was the prologue. The beginning of the book felt a bit long. But, once the plot was installed, it all went really well! Also, there are quite a lot of characters. They all serve the story, but I have to admit that there were times when I was a bit lost... Lastly, I thought the ending didn't quite fit with the rest.

All in all, I really enjoyed reading THE SECRET COUNTESS, even if some moments didn't seem necessary and although the characters were a tad complex at times. Eva Ibbotson is a wonderful author. I highly recommend her books!

French Friday (51)

Bonjour everyone!

I've had a very busy week, and haven't prepared a proper post for today's French Friday...

But here's a little reminder: you can win books and French goodies until july 26th, with my French Friday Giveaway!

Bon vendredi à vous et happy blogging!

The Golden Day (by Ursula Dubosarsky)

The Golden Day
by Ursula Dubosarsky
Release date : April 2011

There were only eleven of them, like eleven sisters all the same age in a large family. Because it was such a very small class, they had a very small classroom, perched at the very top of the school - up four flights of stairs, up in the high sky, like a colony of little birds nesting on a cliff.

'Today, girls,' said Miss Renshaw, 'we shall go out into the beautiful Gardens and think about death.'

In the Gardens they meet a poet. What follows is inexplicable, shocking, a scandal.

What really happened that day? And do the little girls know more than they are letting on? (from Goodreads)

MY THOUGHTS : This is what I call a beautifully-written-book! The tone is eery, mysterious, catchy and unique. The story is told as if it were a young girl narrating it, but in an omniscient way. This adds a very peculiar and wonderful note to the already strong atmosphere.

I don't know if you've read Picnic at Hanging Rock (or seen the movie), but there are many similarities. Which is not a bad thing. At all. Il really enjoyed reading THE GOLDEN DAY.

It's a very poetic read. Descriptions are lyrical and realistic at the same time. There are some splashes of humor too, even if the subject is dramatic. I loved how the plot felt real while having some subtle supernatural touches.

This book is short but beautiful. It was a real pleasure to read. I highly recommend it. It put me in a dreamy state. Actually, reading THE GOLDEN DAY is like walking on a cloud!

French Friday (50) - Celebrating with a Giveaway!

Bonjour everyone!

French Friday turns 50 today! Yay!

I could've been celebrating its 100th birthday if I hadn't 
taken a looong break from blogging, but that's how it goes...!
My first French Friday post was published on october 16th, 2009. I feel old.

So, let's celebrate!
There will be two winners.
Both books take place in Paris, and all goodies are French-related. :)

• 1 book : DIE FOR ME by Amy Plum
• 1 Eiffel Tower notebook (by Letterbox)
• 1 Necklace (handmade and given away by French artist La Forêt des Gemmes)
• 1 bookmark (by French illustrator Cat the Cat)

• 1 book : REVOLUTION by Jennifer Donnelly
• 1 Paris Map notebook (by Letterbox)

CONTEST INFORMATION

REGISTRATION IS NOW CLOSED.

Drowning Instinct (by Ilsa J. Bick)

Drowning Instinct
by Ilsa J. Bick
Release date : February 1st, 2012

There are stories where the girl gets her prince, and they live happily ever after. (This is not one of those stories.)

Jenna Lord’s first sixteen years were not exactly a fairytale. Her father is a controlling psycho and her mother is a drunk. She used to count on her older brother—until he shipped off to Afghanistan. And then, of course, there was the time she almost died in a fire.
There are stories where the monster gets the girl, and we all shed tears for his innocent victim. (This is not one of those stories either.)
 Mitch Anderson is many things: A dedicated teacher and coach. A caring husband. A man with a certain... magnetism.
And there are stories where it’s hard to be sure who’s a prince and who’s a monster, who is a victim and who should live happily ever after. (These are the most interesting stories of all.)

Drowning Instinct is a novel of pain, deception, desperation, and love against the odds—and the rules. (from Goodreads)

MY THOUGHTS : This last sentence does summarize the book quite well: pain, deception, desperation... My thoughts exactly! DROWNING INSTINCT is a dramatic tragic story. Unfortunately, I found it SO tragic that I didn't get into it.

Jenna's life is hard. Depressing. And, when I thought nothing worse could happen to her, something even worse came up. I therefore found the book too heavy. And, weirdly, the more I turned the pages, the more I found the plot unrealistic. It felt as if the author had to explain why Jenna was miserable, and had to add more and more drama so that it would feel real. But it did the opposite. For me, anyway.

Jenna is the narrator. For reasons that I won't give (spoilers), she's very agressive when talking about herself. She spends her time justifying her actions, instead of just telling the story. Because of that, I found it hard to hold on to the book. I would've liked a tad more tenderness and hope. Don't get me wrong, I have nothing against dark stories about tough lives. It's just that... hope IS important. Isn't it?

I didn't find the plot very exciting either. It felt a bit long and lacked a certain rhythm.

All in all, I didn't really enjoy reading DROWNING INSTINCT. It was too sad, dark and "unhealthy" for me. I'm not a huge fan of the story's message either. I hope you guys had (or will have) a better experience while reading it!

My Grandfather's Biography Hit the Shelves!

THE MYSTERY BEHIND THE VOICE
A BIOGRAPHY OF ALFRED WOLFSOHN
By Sheila Braggins

The Mystery behind the Voice is a biography of Alfred Wolfsohn - singing teacher, guru and philosopher. The loss of his singing voice as a result of shell-shock in the First World War catapulted Wolfsohn into a lifelong exploration of the human voice. He became a pioneering voice teacher, working in Germany in the 1930s and in London from 1947 to 1962.

Wolfsohn saw the voice as the most revealing part of the human psyche and, in developing his philosophy, he embraced art, creativity, dream, self understanding and our concepts of a saviour and God. His unique ideas, in many ways ahead of their time, are fully explored in this book, with extensive use of original material from Wolfsohn's own writing.

As a singing teacher, Wolfsohn ignored the constraints of gender and extended the ranges of both male and female voices. Sheila was one of his pupils and experienced his ideas and teaching first-hand, making her well able to describe their incredible impact. Wolfsohn also had a profound influence on Charlotte Salomon, the young Jewish artist killed at Auschwitz, whose unique paintings have been exhibited worldwide, and on Roy Hart, his most experienced pupil, who went on to found the internationally known Roy Hart Theatre Company.

Wolfsohn's life and legacy constitute this well-researched book. Using the author's personal insight to explore this largely neglected life, The Mystery behind the Voice will appeal to anyone interested in the voice in particular, the human being in general, and existing admirers of Wolfsohn. "I wanted to write a tribute to the teacher who has had a lifelong influence on me and whose ideas and life-story I saw fascinating audiences whenever I lectured," says Sheila on her inspiration for the book. (taken from The Book Depository)  

This a special book : it's my grandfather's biography! I started reading it yesterday.

I never met my grandfather. He died in 1962. I've heard a lot about him, though. 

His story is a complicated and fascinating one. I have to admit that I never dug a lot, because I knew quite a lot already. He is rather famous "in his field".

This book was written by Sheila Braggins. She is a lovely lady who, at age 85, is full of life and really fun. I've been staying at her place a few times when visiting London, and she has always been kind and passionate about everything. She knew my grandfather really well, and writes about him in a very close yet objective way.  The book hit the shelves in may, at last! And, now that it exists, having it in my hands is amazing!

 

My grandfather, working on the voice with my father

Although I've heard a lot about my grandfather, I never really heard the details. I knew about his research concerning the human voice. I knew that he didn't acknowledge paternity of my father (it was in London during the war and my grandmother was already married when they got together). That's why I don't bear his name. I also knew about his relationship with artist Charlotte Salomon. I'm not sure if that's why I was called Charlotte, I think it is, at least a bit. I went to the Roy Hart Centre, which was founded by one of his pupils, to follow a singing course and I met people who had known him. It all sounds distant, though.

One of Charlotte Salomon's many paintings, featuring Wolfsohn

Everything sounds so far away, and there is some kind of fascination around Wolfsohn that seems disturbing, at least to me. But this book really is fascinating! I'm learning about his childhood, for example! I've never heard anything about that. I read some pages chosen randomly, and there are also some stories about my father's childhood. It's really well written and I think the whole read will answer some of my questions.

His thoughts on life and the human voice are very interesting, and universal. So, if you're into non-fiction or if you want to have a go at it, you might want to discover THE MYSTERY BEHIND THE VOICE!