Book 40 - Margaret Atwood " The Penelopiad"

Margaret Atwood " The Penelopiad" (Canongate)





In Homer's account of The Odyssey, Penelope - wife of Odysseus and cousin of the beautiful Helen of Troy - is portrayed as the quintessential faithful wife, her story a salutary lesson through the ages. Left alone for twenty years when Odysseus goes off to fight in the Trojan war after the abduction of Helen, Penelope manages, in the face of scandalous rumours, to maintain the kingdom of Ithaca, bring up her wayward son, and keep over a hundred suitors at bay, simultaneously. When Odysseus finally comes home after enduring hardships, overcoming monsters, and sleeping with goddesses, he kills her suitors and - curiously - twelve of her maids.

In a splendid contemporary twist to the ancient story, Margaret Atwood has chosen to give the telling of it to Penelope and to her twelve hanged Maids, asking: "What led to the hanging of the maids, and what was Penelope really up to?" In Atwood's dazzling, playful retelling, the story becomes as wise and compassionate as it is haunting and as wildly entertaining as it is disturbing. With wit and verve, drawing on the storytelling and poetic talent for which she herself is renowned, she gives Penelope new life and reality - and sets out to provide an answer to an ancient mystery.

Book 41 - Elaine Sciolino "The Seine: The River that Made Paris"

Elaine Sciolino "The Seine: The River that Made Paris" (W. W Norton)






Sciolino writes a love letter to the river Seine. Part travelogue, part history, and with a dash of memoir, Sciolino brings to life the Seine in all of its facets. From its beginning to its end, she travels and visits historians and locals who explain the importance of the Seine to French society and to French history. Most of her book focuses on the Seine’s impact on Paris and the multitude of experiences one can have on the Seine in Paris. Sciolino writes in a journalistic style – she is a trained journalist – so passages have a journalistic flare.

I was captivated by this book. I’ve yet to visit France, let alone the Seine, but just reading Sciolino’s words made me feel a part of the journey. She captures the spirit of the river, with its good points and its bad points. She conveys a sense of urgency in the conservation of the river and its resources, as well as the importance of knowing its history. So much was lost during World War II; yet, in areas that received bombing and devastation, there is hope and a remembrance of the past. She makes everything sound so picturesque – truly a love letter, full of enchantment and longing.

This is a perfect book for anyone who enjoys French culture, French history, or even someone who likes to read about nature. Highly recommended.