Flowers . . . and books

This is the basket of flowering plants that was waiting for me when we arrived back from France on my birthday - sent by my daughters. On arriving back from London yesterday, I realised that so many flowers were opening up. I think it's going to last for a long while - even in my hands!

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My thoughts on Booker 2018 for anyone interested
(As an extra I have piled up the Booker shortlist books.)
These are my own views, based in having read 3.5 out of 5 of the shortlist, plus lots of reviews and comments.

I have not read The Mars Room, a book about a women’s prison in California, nor have I read Washington Black, about a runaway slave. I didn’t really fancy reading either, but, although no one expected them to get onto the shortlist, they both have their fans and the readings from them were very good. I may read them at some point. I don't think either will win, but you never know.

I have half read The Long Take, which is about a soldier from the Second World War wandering through America, trying to come to terms with what he witnessed during the war. It is poetic in form, but quite easy to read. However, the many references to Film Noir, about which I know nothing, and the long descriptions of places, put me off and I abandoned it. Interestingly, Gordon read it and quite liked it. I may return to it. It could take the prize on the grounds of being an unusual format. 

The Overstory is a massive tome. It is about trees. Richard Powers tries to convey ‘tree time’, i.e. many generations in human terms. So he describes in the first part the way in which nine people from very different backgrounds, and through several generations, become eventually to recognise that trees are important. So it’s a book about the people caring about trees and trying to prevent their destruction. It’s an important book, but it is huge. I did read it and enjoyed it, but it is far, far too long. We humans do not have ‘tree time’! 

So to the only two I would recommend. 

Everything Under is very enjoyable. It can feel very confused at first, but that is deliberate and soon things start to become clearer. I liked this very much, as did a lot of people. It is definitely worth reading. I think it has flaws, but it is a first novel from a young author.

And then the one I feel is definitely the best of all. 

Milkman by Anna Burns is in my opinion a brilliant book. It is a bit of a challenge to read, as it is written solely from the point of view of the one main character. Much more readable than ‘stream of consciousness’ novels, but along the same lines. It can be quite off-putting to start, but soon you get into it and you just go along with it. At the readings the author read it in her Irish lilt and it was wonderful. If you can imagine it read in such a way, it makes a lot more sense. It is set in Belfast in the 1970s, but this is never made clear because the author wanted it to apply to any place where there was conflict and strict partisanship, the key theme being - how can one remain neutral when all around there are ‘sides’, suspicion and gossip. It is serious, it is funny, it is ironic, it is plain-speaking. It provides an insight into places of conflicting loyalties, where trying to keep one's head down (or in a book) doesn't work.  If you fancy a challenge - read it. You will not regret it. 

As for the winner - announced tonight - 

The favourite is The Overstory, but as this is a huge book written by another American male, the judges will have to be very certain about it to undergo the flack they will get if ‘yet another American male’ wins. If it isn’t chosen then I have no idea - any of the others could win. But to me there is only one choice - Milkman.