A Fenland parcel

The postman often knocks at our door, as DH works from home and has a fair few deliveries, but today the parcel was for me! Morgan at "Growing in the Fens" has just reached 100,000 page views and held a giveaway to celebrate. (100,000! I am in awe!) I was fortunate enough to win!

The first thing I unearthed was this beautiful ball of wool. It is a lovely heather and green mix. Morgan also included the pattern she uses for hats which go into Operation Christmas Child boxes. My church also supports OCC, so I will knit a few up myself, just as soon as I've finished DD's cushion cover. (I'm about half way through now, and speeding up slightly as I get the hang of rippling.)

This cute little notebook is excellent timing. Being of a forgetful nature, I carry a notebook around in my handbook, and my current one is just about full up. As, presumably, is my brain!

These will be great for when we travel. 

I have read a few Philippa Gregory books, and normally find that I can't put them down, so I am looking forward to reading this one! I will probably save it for a holiday, or else nothing else will get done!

So, thank you very much Morgan for the lovely parcel. Thank you too for an excellent and useful blog, which I personally find very inspiring. Here's to your next 100,000 page views!

"Quiet"

I am an avid reader. I would like to say that I read a wide variety of books, but that wouldn't be strictly truthful. I love a good who-dunnit, much to DH's consternation! Occasionally I force myself to read a non-fiction book with some vague idea it might prevent my brain turning to mush. It was with this slightly ambivalent "must eat your greens" attitude that I approached "Quiet" by Susan Cain.

Image from ideas.time.com

"Quiet" is sub-titled "The Power of Introverts in a World That Can't Stop Talking" which just about sums it up. It's main thesis is that the world is set up for extroverts, who form the majority. Introverts are sometimes seen as slightly lacking or strange, but actually play a very useful part in society as they come up with the best ideas. If you are unsure whether you are an introvert or an extrovert then there is a good test here.

I chose to read it because DH is a dyed in the wool introvert. He is practically off the scale. He beavers away in his office in the loft very happily, with just the occasional interaction with the outside world. I am mildly introverted. I enjoy getting together with small groups of friends but I avoid large parties like the plague. I need periods of time alone with only a book for company.

This is the first non-fiction book that I honestly could not put down. I am not going to attempt a serious book review; I am not qualified and I would bore you rigid, but these were the highlights for me.

It follows the development of (American) society from a place where introversion was accepted as normal to a time when it was almost seen as a social disorder. I recognise this because last year the (British) school my son attends had concerns about him as he preferred to play by himself rather than with large groups of boisterous boys. I wasn't worried, but he obviously didn't conform to some norm and that made them uncomfortable.

A very interesting section for me was the section on church services. This was from an American perspective, which I have no experience of, but I can comment a little on the British church scene. Some churches can be very difficult for introverts to cope with. They are constantly upbeat, with little or no time for reflection. If you are going through a difficult time you are expected to exhibit the "joy of the Lord". The "talk to someone you don't know" section can be torture!

Schools can also be tricky places for introverts. In primary school desks are set up for group work and a lot of work is supposed to be carried out in groups or pairs. Teachers expect children to speak out in class. Every single teacher DD has ever had has commented that she is too quiet. She is nearly 13 so that is a fair few now! She is her father's daughter and speaking out in class is anathema to her. I love my daughter the way she is; she has a close group of friends and has a kind, gentle nature. My greatest desire for her is that she is happy with who she is, and doesn't try to become someone else.

There is a long section on the possible causes and origin of introversion. I enjoy science so I liked this part, but others might find it a little tough going.

In summary, I loved this book because it validates who I am. I recognised myself or DH on every page. It is OK not to like parties, it is fine to take time for myself occasionally, I don't have to have a ready riposte for every question. Definitely worth a read!

"The Help"

I love reading. My bookshelves are overflowing with books and there are still more relegated to boxes in the garage. So recently I have resisted temptation to buy yet more and avoided bookshops and charity shops. Discount book catalogues have been resolutely consigned to the recycling. (My Wartime Farm book doesn't count. Honest.) So I was secretly delighted when I was given a Waterstones gift voucher for my birthday. I could indulge my passion without guilt!

One of the books I bought was "The Help" by Kathryn Stockett.

I am not normally very good at trying new authors - I have definite favourites and don't usually waver from them. But this was strongly recommended so I gave it a go.

It is written from the viewpoint of three women from the American South set against the backdrop of the Civil Rights movement during the early 1960s. The two black women, Aibileen and Minny, are maids, or "the help", to white society women.  The third woman, Skeeter, is an aspiring journalist from that same white society who is uneasy about the way the black community is treated. Together the three women start to write a book that will explore the relationships between white and black women, both positive and negative.

At first I found it hard going. It is written in the first person and I had to slow my reading right down to understand the dialect. I am so glad that I persevered because I really enjoyed it. There is plenty of period detail. Several sub-plots were woven around the main storyline. The tension built steadily and I really cared about the fate of the characters.

As a modern white British woman I don't pretend to know much about the American Civil Rights movement or the society of the time. I now feel that I know a little more.

"Death Comes to Pemberley"

I had read all the Jane Austen novels by the time I was fourteen, transported to a world of landed gentry and gentle romance. Watching the BBC adaptation of "Pride and Prejudice" was a thread running through my early relationship with DH. The poor man had to live up to Colin Firth!

I am also a great fan of PD James. I like her style; realistic without being too gritty. I really do not get on with the Scandinavian noir which is so popular at the moment. And who can resist a detective who is also a poet?

So I approached "Death Comes to Pemberley" with some trepidation. Could it possibly live up to its promise and combine my two favourite genres? Would the characters be true to the original? Could PD James capture Jane Austen's style?

As you would expect from PD James it is a very clever book. Although it is based around a murder, it is not a traditional "whodunnit" with the denouement coming in the last chapter. The language does read like Jane Austen's prose. I particularly liked, "If this were fiction, could even the most brilliant novelist contrive to make credible so short a period in which pride had been subdued and prejudice overcome?", written about the brevity of Darcy and Elizabeth's courtship. By the end lots of ends are nicely tied up.

It is well worth reading. I borrowed my Dad's copy, but I may invest some of my birthday money in my own copy. I also feel the need to re-read the original, which I suspect may please Baroness James.

Thrifty shopping

I got ridiculously overexcited yesterday when I discovered a new charity shop in town. Not that we were lacking them before, I can think of eight without effort, but this is a Salvation Army one.

This made me happy on many levels! I have friends who work for the Salvation Army, I know that they do a lot of good and their shops tend to be cheaper. Some charity shops can be more expensive than others, especially for books, which is the section I head for first. I know it's for a good cause and it's environmentally sound, but in my more selfish moments I resent paying nearly as much for a second-hand book as for a new paperback in the supermarket. However, yesterday I was very happy when I picked up a copy of "Matilda" by the inestimable Roald Dahl for 25p! My lovely son was very pleased too and immediately curled up to read it.