The Reader's Companion to South Africa -- Take 2

As is to be expected with a compilation of essays - and in fact as I specifically anticipated in my first post related to The Reader's Companion to South Africa, some of the pieces contained herein were better than others. 

The essays, as a rule, are an outsider's take on various aspects of South Africa: politics, geography, geology, people, history, you name it.  I muddled my way through all of them, but some of my favorites were by Mark Twain, Frank Carpenter, H.V. Morton, and P.J. O'Rourke; they all have wonderful senses of humor.

(Aside: I'm especially excited to have enjoyed the H.V. Morton selection.  I don't know how it is that I've been interested in vintage travelogues for so long and haven't run across him, but somehow I hadn't until very recently.  But once I did, based solely on the reading of a few first sentences of books, I went a bit berserk and probably have a dozen of his books now. I haven't read any of them yet, but my enjoyment of this selection makes me very excited to dive into them!)

Despite a few duds, overall the collection was a good introduction to how South Africa came to be what it is.  The editorial lead-in at the start of each essay was especially helpful in adding some context.  My biggest criticism is that the collection is heavily, if not entirely, comprised of works by foreigners visiting South Africa.  That may be because the perspective allows for a certain clarity of observation which is more difficult for a local.  Regardless, a piece or two by an actual South African might have been a nice addition. 

Wolf Hall - Take 2

Well, I've done it!  On my second attempt, I got through Wolf Hall.  And this just goes to show that the timing of reading is everything.  I tried Wolf Hall on audio once before and found it rather dull.  But this time - mostly on audio - I really enjoyed it and found some parts quite funny!  (When I didn't have headphones handy, I read some portions as an ebook, and for whatever it's worth, I found the audiobook easier to follow.)

In case you've been living under a rock while Hilary Mantel published her critically-acclaimed trilogy, of which Wolf Hall is the first, it's the fictionalized story of Oliver Cromwell's rise to power (and the corresponding fall of Thomas More) during the many-wived reign of King Henry VIII, though this particular book only covers the period encompassing two of said wives. 

As I said, there are parts that are very funny and brilliantly written.  One should have some interest in political maneuvering in order to truly enjoy them, but certainly they can be appreciated even if you lack such interest, as I do.  My interest in British history probably helped keep me engaged, so if you lack both an interest in politics and in British history, this one might not be for you.

Am I going to jump to read the other two books?  Probably not.  There's too much other stuff I need to read.  But will I try to get there eventually?  Probably. 

And, for those keeping track at home, Wolf Hall is on my 2026 Reading Challenge, so I'm presently (and probably for the only time this year) ahead of schedule!

What I'm Reading Now -- The Reader's Companion to South Africa

On the first day of our 10-day Cape Town vacation, S and I popped into Clarke's Bookshop.  I found two different short histories of South Africa and was debating between the two when I found The Reader's Companion to South Africa.

It's a collection of excerpts from various pieces of writing about the country.  They're arranged chronologically, beginning in 1850 and running up through 1997. I expect some will be better - or at least more to my taste - than others, but just like short films, even if they're bad, they don't go on too long.  Each piece is accompanied by an introduction written by the book's editor; those little intros provide context and a tiny taste of the history I was looking for in the original books I picked up. 

What I Read -- The Last Brother

Apparently I'm in a place where books about psychological trauma speak to me. How should I interpret this?

Another book set in Mauritius, The Last Brother is a story of innocence, sadness, and regret. Though it is pocked with moments of pure childhood joy, it is mostly a tale of loss and hardship.

As a reader, you learn at the very beginning that the narrator, Raj, is now an old man. You also learn that he tragically lost his childhood friend David when David was ten. What unfolds are the other tragedies that led Raj to David in the first place, and of course the story of their friendship and David's death.

Though this is a work of fiction, it's based on a little-known but true corner of WWII Mauritian history, so of course I'm predisposed to like it. What really put it overthe top for me was the balance between Raj's current adult voice - full of wisdom and regret - and his childhood memories coming through in exactly the way a child would remember them - earnest, innocent, pure. It's one of those stories that can only be fully inhabited by the characters when told in retrospect.  It's beautiful and bittersweet.

What I Read -- LaRose

Someone gave me a copy of LaRose a little bit ago. The conceit behind the central conflict sounded like a fascinating way to explore the complicated relationships between characters,  so I wanted to dive right in.  

Within the first few pages, a man accidentally shoots and kills his attenuated nephew (his wife's half-sister's son) in a hunting accident. As part of an ancient Native American tradition, the hunter and his wife send their own son to live with the bereaved family.  Both families also have other children.  One can imagine how complicated these relationships get, and quickly. 

And boy, was it a good read.  For a story about psychological trauma, it is surprisingly propulsive. Sometimes difficult, sometimes funny,  sometimes oh-so-true; always really engaging. 

If the concept sounds at all interesting to you, I recommend it.

What I Watched -- James and the Giant Peach

I took a six-hour flight recently and, despite the physical discomfort of being on an airplane, slept pretty well.  After a few hours, I awoke to find that there were only 90 minutes left. 

I zeroed in on the kids' movies as my best bet for finding something that would fit into that time limit, and settled on James and the Giant Peach because I had never read the book (and at this point in my life, probably won't).

It's a cute story about an orphaned little boy who lives with two aunts who behave very much like the Dursleys in Harry Potter. James escapes by means of a giant peach which grew in their yard, and is populated by the only friends James has ever known; they happen to be bugs, but no matter.  As they fly through the air, banding together to overcome the challenges placed in their path they all learn a little someting about friendship and life.

It's part Harry Potter, part Inside Out, and part Howl's Moving Castle. And if you liked any or all of those, you'll probably like this one too.

Happy Birthday, Mom!

2026 Reading Challenge

As has become tradition, K and I are again taking up an annual Reading Challenge.  After my middling performance last year, here's hoping I can show some improvement in 2026 with these titles:

January: a book you meant to read last year
Wolf Hall, by Hilary Mantel

February: something everyone has read but you
Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can't Stop Talking, by Susan Cain

March: a book with a possessive noun in the title
The Emperor's Last Island: A Journey to St. Helena, by Julia Blackburn

April: a book about marine life
Monsoon Seas: The Story of the Indian Ocean, by Alan Villiers

May: a book about botany or plant life
Last Child in the Woods: Saving Our Children from Nature Deficit Disorder, by Richard Louv

June: a book about or by a singer
I, Me, Mine, by George Harrison

July: a book involving a road trip
How to Win a Grand Prix: Pit Lane to Podium - the Inside Track, by Bernie Collins

August: something received as a gift
The River is Waiting, by Wally Lamb

September: a classic school assignment you somehow escaped durin gyour school years
The Federalist Papers, by Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, and John Jay

October: a book about or describing survival skills, or in which they play a critical role
Ice Bears and Kotick: Rowing on Top of the World, by Peter Webb

November: a play
King Lear, by William Shakespeare

December: a Nordic or Scandinavian book
The Nordic Theory of Everything: In Search of a Better Life, by Anu Partanen

As has also become tradition, I am imposing some rules on myself: 

1. It has to be a book I already own.  My stash of ebooks has increased substantially of late, so I have a bigger "bookshelf" to peruse now;
2. It has to be a book I have not read yet (or at least haven't finished yet);
3. Though I can go out of order, some of the months are clearly themed (e.g., July, October), so I will try to read those books at least close to the month they are selected for; and
4. If I want to include a book I've already listed but didn't read, that's okay.

Wish me luck as I endeavor - yet again - to complete this relatively simple task!

2025 Reading Challenge Recap

Like it or not, another year has passed.  I have, as you may have noticed, made some headdway on my reading this year.  It wasn't necessarily all part of my 2025 Reading Challenge, but I did increase the number of books I read this year substantially over prior years.

But, specific to this year's challenge, here's how I did:

January: a book you first picked up because of the cover

My World, by Jonny Wilkinson

READ

February: a book about mental health
Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can't Stop Talking, by Susan Cain
NOT READ

March: a short story collection
In the Gloaming, by Alice Elliott Dark
READ

April: a book published in the year you were born
The Mayor of Casterbridge, by Thomas Hardy
READ

May: a sequel
March, by Geraldine Brooks
NOT READ

June: something funny
Twas the Nightshift Before Christmas, by Adam Kay
READ

July: a beach read
Murder on the Oceanic, by Edward Marston
READ

August: a re-read
Being Mortal: Medicine and What Matters in the End, by Atul Gawande
NOT READ

September: a book with "secret" in the title
The Many Lives & Secret Sorrows of Josephine B., by Sandra Gulland
READ

October: a book involving magic, witches, vampires, sorcery, or the like
Unfinished Tales of Numenor and Middle-Earth, by J.R.R. Tolkien
NOT READ

November: something containing recipes
On Rue Tatin: Living and Cooking in a French Town, by Susan Herman Loomis
NOT READ

December: something told from the point of view of the villain or bad guy
The Meaning of Night, by Michael Cox
NOT READ

So, what have we learned from this?  That I have very little reading discipline, I believe, is what we have learned.  Because I read more books than usual but still only got through half the books on my reading challenge.  Why?  Obviously because I elected to read other things instead.  Or, maybe what we have learned is that current Me is not a very good judge of what future Me is going to want to read.  

Regardless, I was a solid 50% this year, but that gives me no bonus credit for all my extra reading.  And remember, a couple of those items of extra reading were cleaning up books from prior years' Reading Challenges, so I really do think some credit is warranted for this and this. If we add those in, instead of 6 out of 12, I'm at 8 out of 14, which is a bump up to 57%.  So almost a passing grade at a lot of places!

Happy New Year!

Ready or not, here we go!