Burial Rites by Hannah Kent

I was very fortunate enough to attend the book launch of Hannah Kent's debut novel Burial Rites on Tuesday, a book that is absolutely fantastic. I literally cannot sing it's praises enough, I was hooked from the very first page.

"In northern Iceland, 1829, Agnes Magnúsdóttir is condemned to death for her part in the brutal murder of her lover. Agnes is sent to wait out her final months on the farm of district officer Jón Jónsson, his wife and their two daughters. Horrified to have a convicted murderer in their midst, the family avoid contact with Agnes. Only Tóti, the young assistant priest appointed Agnes’s spiritual guardian, is compelled to try to understand her. As the year progresses and the hardships of rural life force the household to work side by side, Agnes’s story begins to emerge and with it the family’s terrible realization that all is not as they had assumed."

Based on actual events, Burial Rites is an astonishing and moving novel about the truths we claim to know and the ways in which we interpret what we’re told. In beautiful, cut-glass prose, Hannah Kent portrays Iceland’s formidable landscape, in which every day is a battle for survival, and asks, how can one woman hope to endure when her life depends upon the stories told by others?

Not only is Burial Rites a compelling read, heartbreaking and haunting, but it is one of those rare gems of a book that the publisher has spent a bit of money designing. The hardback is small enough to throw in your bag, but delicate enough for you not want to. The minimalist front cover, with simple font and a stunning black edge to the pages is just the right touch, intriguing one to pick up the book and open it and once opened, you won't want to close it! A perfect example of a book people will spend more on just to have the physical copy instead of the kindle version. Well done Picador!

So just in case you weren't sure, I really do recommend you go out and buy Burial Rites. It'll take your breath away.

Great art is never perfect; perfect art is never great

Edward Abbey

The Circus, 1870-1950

I came home to find a large box on my front door step today (is there anything better than finding a large package (pun intended) on your doorstep?!) and couldn't contain my glee. I knew exactly what was in this large, heavy box from the good people at Amazon, my eagerly anticipated The Circus, 1870-1950 from Taschen and let me tell you, it was definitely worth the wait! The book is enormous, not one for the bath, and is beautifully designed, a lot of time and thought has clearly gone into it. Stuffed full of photographs, posters and information, The Circus really manages to capture the glitz and grime of the American Circus in it's heyday. My favourtie being the incredible vintage circus photos from the 40s and 50s, many of them rare colour pictures of the circus' showgirls. I also loved the posters advertising a huge variety of world famous circus acts. The only downside to the book is that in true Taschen format, it has been published in three different languages which is a bit of a hassle as you have to flick through to find the English translation, however the stunning imagery more than makes up for a few extra pages! It is a brilliant history of the classic American circus, detailing every aspect of it, not just the nice parts!

I have chosen a VERY small selection of my favourite images to wet your appetites but if, like myself, you love looking through vintage images of a fantastic tradition that unfortunately no longer exists, then I really can't recommend this book enough!
Just what I needed, another book that shows me I was born in the wrong era!!

Picture of the week

I managed to book grab Gustav Klimt Drawings & Watercolours from my work at Thames and Hudson publishers today and it reminded me of all the great works of art Gustave Klimt is responsible for. Therefore on this wet and windy Friday my picture of the week is his Life and Death painting. I love the colours and the detail of Klimt's work and this is one of my favourites. Especially as, and those who know me know, I am a sucker for an artsy skull!

Another Must Read

Bone River by Megan Chance

I just finished this stunning novel by author Megan Chance. I have never read any of her work before, but after finishing this gripping and haunting tale of passion and identity I will definitely be reading her others. I couldn't put the book down and whilst I was expecting a historical romance, I couldn't have been more wrong and (this being something I never admit) happy to have been so. Instead I was surprised by a complex, meaty plot; a tightly woven mystery based around secrets and lies, both past and present. Chance's ability to mix the inner turmoil of her characters with the battering winds, intense dark and rain adds much to the atmosphere, and brings the stunning but treacherous landscape to life. Whilst her confidence in writing about this period in history, adds a sense of reality that's not easy to accomplish.
I could not recommend this novel enough, there's enough history, mystery, romance, hardship and heartache in this novel to suit almost anyone who enjoys beautiful prose, believable characters and an intelligent, imaginative story. So don't thank me now, instead get reading immediately, I insist!

At Home in the Mountains

As promised here is a selection of the many photos I took on my holiday to St Anton. I absolutely loved Austria, it was incredibly beautiful. I sat for a whole morning outside on the slopes over looking the vast landscape and really felt in awe of the world we live in.
So I hope you enjoy the photographs, all taken on my Yashica film camera, depicting sun, snow, slopes and of course, a hell of a lot of apres ski.

Confetti Death

My inspiration for the week, Confetti Death by Typoe