The Content Reader

A while ago I read Audrey Niffenegger’s The Time Traveler’s Wife, which I like very much. So it was with great anticipation, I grabbed another of her books The Fearful Symmetry . Some years ago I read an interview with her, where she was talking about the story of this book. It seemed fascinating, so at a time, I bought it. So, as you see, these two books have graced my TBR shelves for some time, but not anymore! The Fearful Symmetry is a very ‘illusive’ story that lingers on the border between life and death. Julia and Valentina Poole are twins and, as usual with twins, they are doing everything together. One day they receive a letter from an English lawyer stating that their aunt Elspeth Noblin has left them her flat, overlooking Highgate cemetery. There is only one condition of the inheritance; their mother is not allowed to cross the threshold. At this point they did not even know they had an aunt. Their mother is reluctant to speak about her and for the twins it is quite a myst...

One of the aims for this month's  Paris in July,  hosted by Tamara at Thyme for Tea , was to listen to some French music. I love French music, but listen to it far too seldom. I remember loving this song by Gilbert Becaud when I was younger,  Natalie . La Place Rouge etait vide Devant moi marchait Nathalie Elle avait un joli nom, mon guide Nathalie La Place Rouge etait blanche La neige faisait un tapis Et je suivait par ce froid dimanche Nathalie Elle parlait en phrases sobres De la Revolution d'Octobre Je pensais deja Qu'apres le tombeau de Lenine On irait au Cafe Pouchkine Boire un chocolat La Place Rouge etait vide Je lui pris son bras, elle a souri Il avait des cheveux blonds, mon guide Nathalie, Nathalie Dans sa chambre, a l'universite Une bande d'etudiants L'attendait impatiemment On a ri, on a beaucoup parle Ils voulaient tout savoir Nathalie traduisait Moscou, les plaines d'Ukraine Et les...

For the Paris in July month, hosted by Tamara at Thyme for Tea , I read The Age of Desire by Jennie Field (my review here ). It is a historical fiction about Edith Wharton during some years of her life. It was known that she had an unknown ‘love of her life’, but it was presumed to be Walter Berry, to whom she was engaged in her youth, and who became a life long friend. In later years it has been discovered that it was not him at all, but a man she had a love affair with during her early years in Paris, William Morton Fullerton. Of course, this tickled my sense of real life mystery and I had to look him up on the net. Maybe there was something to read about him, especially since he seemed to me a very illusive character in the book. Marion Mainwaring, has lived in Paris and London for many years and also completed Edith Wharton’s novel The Buccaneers , as well as writing a couple of novels on her own. When she learned that Fullerton was the love of Wharton’s life, she set out on a ...

'You are all a lost generation.' Gertrude Stein in conversation 'One generation passeth away, and another generation cometh; but the earth abideth forever...The sun also ariseth, and the sun goeth down, and hasteth to the place where he arose...The wind goeth toward the south, and turneth about unto the north; it whirleth about continually, and the wind returneth again according to his circuits...All the rivers run into the sea; yet the sea is not full; unto the place from whence the rivers come, thither they return again.' Ecclesiastes Ever since I read  Hemingway, The Paris Years  by Michael Reynolds (review here ) last year for the Paris in July, 2014 , I wanted to read The Sun Also Rises .  Finally, for Paris in July , 2015, I have read it. It was one of his first books, and the one that made him a name. From reading the historical fiction book about Hemingway’s first wife Hadley Richardson ( The Paris Wife by Paula McLain, review here ), I rememb...

After yesterday's grey and rainy day, when I spent most of the day on the coach reading and sleeping, I was happy to see some sunshine and lighter clouds this morning. Nice day for a biking tour. Packed my rucksack and went through the forrest over to the Red Monastery (Roode Kloister). A beautiful area with ponds, greens and benches to sit on. I rested on one and read for a while. Very nice indeed. One the way home I took a curve too fast and ops, fell over. Now I can hardly move my right arm. So much for thinking I am a biking pro these days!

I think we all have our ideas of Marie Antoinette and her life. She is, after all, one of the most famous women in history. After reading this book, I am willing to confess that my idea of her was totally wrong. She was very disliked in her life time, mainly due to the gossip of ill-willed people. Unfortunately, this picture of her has gone down through history in quite an unbelievable way. So, it is time to review this woman and see her as she was. Antonia Fraser’s book about her life is definitively able to make us change our mind. I have had the book on my TBR shelves for some time, but not so long as some other books! I thought it would be suitable for the Paris in July month hosted by Tamara at Thyme for Tea . Once I started the book, it was difficult to put it down. ‘Her Majesty has been very happily delivered of a small, but completely healthy Archduchess.’ Count Khevenhüller, Court Chamberlain, 1755 Marie Antoinette was born on 2 November 1755 as the fifteenth child to...

It is a little bit of slow motion on this blog for the moment. That is because I have visitors, so I have been out sightseeing. I just wanted to share a few goodies from Brussels. I have read a couple of books that will be reviewed soon; The Sun Also Rises  by Hemingway, Marie Antoinette - The Journey by Antonia Fraser. These will be reviewed for  Paris in July. I am now reading, almost finished Her Fearful Symmetry by Audrey Niffenegger. In the meantime - here some photos! I start with the very symbol of Brussels - Manneken Pis. To honour the Belgium national day he is dressed in a uniform from the revolution in 1830. Here is how the maccarons and the chocolate are shown! Hard to resist I would say. ENJOY!