Around the World in Seventy-two Days and Other Writings, Nellie Bly

Nellie Bly was a stunt journalist in the late 1800s / early 1900s, in the days where there were hardly any female journalists, let alone women who were employed/allowed to do the type of investigative journalism she did. A friend told me about her and I was intrigued enough to buy this collection of her writings. It is fascinating and eye-opening.

Bly became famous for her exposé of the treatment of women in New York’s asylums at the time. She managed to write the account by getting herself committed for 10 days to experience the treatment first hand. Her most famous stunt is that of the title - she travelled around the world in 72 days, aiming to beat Phileas Fogg’s fictional 80 day trip. The newspaper she was writing for really milked the publicity, and kept highlighting the fact she was a woman, emphasising her youth and generally conveying that it was extraordinary for a woman to be undertaking such a trip. 

In writing she comes across as very self congratulatory and incredibly racist and judgemental, ‘normal’ for the time I suppose but uncomfortable reading. It is really clear that the more someone was similar to her in background, the more sympathy and understanding she had for them, if not she was prejudiced, unforgiving and in some cases totally unfeeling. 

The Shadow King, Maaza Mengiste

 

This book was a gift, and isn’t one I would have bought myself, mostly because of the suggestion of sexual violence that is in the blurb. It was however a pleasant surprise, yes there is violence, sexual and otherwise, but it doesn’t feel gratuitous and isn’t a cut and paste situation. 

Further to that the framing of the story was really interesting, I knew nothing about Mussolini’s invasion of Ethiopia before reading this, let alone the role of women in the conflict. In general I didn’t find the writing and story amazing, but it was worth reading.

From the Cradle to the Grave, Short Stories, Various

Every time I read short stories I realise how much I love them. This is a great collection, some of the stories are a little dated, as you would expect, but well worth a read. 

 

Kim Ji-young, Born 1982, Cho Nam-Joo

I really enjoyed this, it was written in a really interesting way, fiction and part fact. It is simply about the life of Kim Jiyoung, born in 1982. The story is backed up by statistics and evidence, in a way that isn’t jarring, it makes the fiction all the more real. I always think that there is a very thin line between fiction and reality. There are so many stories and people in the world and throughout history, that surely each fictional story has an element of truth? That someone somewhere must have lived something very similar? This book seems to work on that theory too, it is the story of an entire generation of women. It is familiar and the ending is a little hopeless, resigned to the sexism that pervades societies. Though actually I don’t think that is the case with the author, maybe it was written expecting change, and as a push in the right direction. 

Tiny Moons, Nina Mingya Powles

This is just the sort of book I've come to expect from The Emma Press. It is a small, beautiful but unassuming book which is a complete and utter delight to read. 

Nina Mingya Powles is of mixed Malaysian-Chinese heritage and was born in New Zealand. She seems to connect to her heritage particularly strongly through food and the rituals and memories surrounding food from that part of the world. 

Tiny Moons is just what it says on the tin 'A Year of Eating in Shanghai'. The material comes from essays and/or blog posts written when Powles was studying in Shanghai. So they are vignettes or scenes which are loosely hung together. All revolve around food, but bring out stories and thoughts of family, tradition, heritage, language, being a foreigner, being female and the satisfying joy of eating. I can't exaggerate how beautifully written it is and how vividly she draws her experiences. It is completely beautiful. 

El Principe de la Niebla, Carlos Ruiz Zafón

This was perfect reading for my level of Spanish and was a lovely reminder of teen-fiction books I was reading when I was a kid. It is atmospheric and it's a good story, but there are definitely bits that don't quite add up. 

Machines Like Me, Ian McEwan

I loved this, It's a really beautiful, thoughtful and entertaining look at artificial intelligence. The premise is a bit of a feckless young man, Charlie, who is interested in AI and anthropology, comes into some money and decides to splash it all on a new 'robot'. A 'living' 'breathing' machine who is almost impossible to tell apart from people. Only twelve Adams exist, and 13 Eves.  The story is how Adam and our protagonist live together, along with the young woman who lives upstairs who soon becomes Charlie's girlfriend. 

The story is set in the 80's, but in an alternative history, where the UK loses the Falklands war and Alan Turing has helped advance AI so as to make the creation of the Adam and Eves possible. I found the whole plot original and fascinating. There are so many ideas explored in a way which is deep, but not forced or laboured. The main theme being morality in many forms, and how it fits into the criminal justice system. It leaves the reader with lots to think about, and at the same time is a good read, a real mastery of writing.