Well this is a feature I have been doing a few weeks featuring the books I hold the spotlight on two books I plan to read over a weekend , not that I do but on whole it is what I read that weekend .But today is a perfect example of what happens , best laid plans and that I had originally had another book in mind , but after work I was checking my emails and saw the library had email to say this had arrived .
The latest book by Enrique Vila – Matas called The Illogic of Kassel ,I so pleased this came today so I can get to it straight away .This again is a piece of Metafiction with Enrique Vila-Matas going to the Germany city of Kassel to the Documenta (this is a collection of modern art piece around the city every five year ) ,I used live in Germany and my Partner of the time father lived in Kassel , which we visited during one of the Documenta’s the city has a number of pieces around it by Joseph Beuys which strangely came from the city I actually lived in Germany at the time Kleve .So you can imagine a book describing this city and visiting it plus modern art is just amazing .A bonus being one of my favourite writers as well
My good blogger friend Lisa is to blame for the second book this weekend she is running her Indigenous week on her Anzlitlovers blog again .I picked this classic of African fiction Lemona’s tale by Ken Saro-Wiwa a member of the Ogoni people of Nigeria , he was a spokesman for them during his life this follows last day in Lemona life as she sits in a prison .The writers own life was mirrored somewhat as he was arrested and killed in the 90’s by the military Government of the time .
I’m in the midst of proofreading Wyllard’s Weird by Mary Elizabeth Braddon. Finished Volume 1 (of 3) earlier today and just received Volume 2 from Free Literature.
Good another classic
I remember reading A Month and a Day which is Saro-Wiwa’s account of being held in prison, (published the year after his death) and I decided that I would never buy Shell petrol again because they were complicit in the corruption. I know it hasn’t made a blind bit of difference to their profits, but since then I can count on the fingers of one hand the times I’ve broken that vow and it’s always been because I’ve had no choice.
What am I reading this weekend? Old Man’s Story by Bill Neidtjie, an Elder of the Kakadu, and La Bete Humaine by Zola, hopefully ready for #TranslationThurs