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"Waking up I noticed the smell in the hut was violent, from being shut up I suppose, and it had an unmistakable organic origin. Knocking the ash end off the smoldering bush-light that lay burning on the floor, I investigated, and tracked it to those bags, so I took down the biggest one, and carefully noted exactly how the tie-tie had been put around its mouth, for these things are important and often mean a lot. I then shook its contents out in my hat, for fear of losing anything of value. They were a human hand, three big toes, four eyes, two ears, and other portions of the human frame. The hand was fresh, the others only so so, and shriveled.
Replacing them I tied the bag up, and hung it up again.I subsequently learned that although the Fans will eat their fellow friendly tribesfolk, yet they like to keep a little something belonging to them as a memento. This touching train in their character I learned from Wiki; ...."
Mary Kingsley - an excerpt from her notes "Travels in West Africa" - documenting her travels through the dark content from 1893 - 1895. A little light in tone for my tastes, she was nonetheless remarkable, not only in that she was one of the first female explorers of Africa, but in that she insisted upon doing it in full Victorian dress. Worthwhile, file next to Speke's "The Discovery of the Source of the Nile".
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Almost done, which is to say less than 100 pages to go. Given that the only time I find to read is on the bus I could hope to be done sometime next week...
But it's enough, certainly, to review it. It is, as the title might indicate, simply the memoirs of a rather successful English Edwardian Artist, member and President of the Royal Academy. There are sentences and paragraphs and entire chapters about horses, the author (Sir Alfred Munnings) really liked horses and painting horses.
But that aside, it's a good portrait (albeit heavily privileged) of the times. At the age of 14, when his parents were wondering what was to be done with a child that showed a strong inclination towards Art (and little else) he was apprenticed out to a Lithographer and learned the trade, using what little free time he had to take further night classes. By the age of 20 he left and began his career as a painter; shortly after experiencing no little success selling his portraits and horsey scenes.
It's an interesting picture of another age. His writing of paintings that sold for 250 Guineas, when the first country house he bought cost him $1750 Guineas, (7 bedrooms with 2 cottages for servants) should give you an idea of his success. The wiki article linked above will confirm it. It's also worthwhile in that he mentions (and judges) his contemporaries - the plays of Somerset Maugham, the paintings of Paul Klee amongst others.
It as well very much underlines the training and apprenticeship, that along with his talent, contributed to his success as an artist.
Not a great book, but a good portrait of the times, and a practical approach both to living and art that's often lost when we picture "Artists".
Worthwhile.
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More travel literature.
Humorous and wry short stories and anecdotes from a writer for Outside magazine, an anthology of his articles and adventures from the 70's and 80's. Enjoyable. Reassuring in the sense that he lets us know that there's still much to be explored and discovered. Some of the stories are more anecdotes, some are more carefully fleshed out and researched, all are worthwhile.
They inspire the spirit of adventure....
I'd give it 2 bananas.
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In which the author recounts his adventures in traveling through China in 1946 through to Tibet.
Exactly that. Not great literature, but a good read nonetheless. I rather like travel & adventure books, especially those that capture the period and setting. And it has me googling Lhasa and idly looking at maps of the territory, which also can't be a bad thing..
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"Shortlisted for the 2007 Man BOOKER PRIZE" it said on the cover, a thick book, paperback, recycled newsprint pages.
I picked it up from a friends and began reading. I don't read enough current literature, prefer the guaranteed pleasure of a weathered classic, but it's important now and then to get a glimpse of what's current in the literary scene. Not that 2007 is current, but it's about 150 years more current than my average reading choice.
It's curious. Not great, but inspiring in a sort of "I could have written this but not this, something else like this but better" sort of way. I suspect I'm missing the point, that I'm lacking the requisite body of knowledge, after all, the reviews (on the jacket) are entirely favourable, and it was Shortlisted for the 2007 Man Booker Prize. And we all say that, that it's easy enough to do better, but until one tries it, does it, it's just an easy phrase....
I'm almost done, but the finishing of it won't change my opinion of it any. Long, but not really, lots of white space and half pages, a curious but unengaging cast of characters, a slight hint of the human condition, an irrelevant detour on the way to Chesterfield...