Reading in Reykjavík

The Top Ten Tuesdays meme is hosted by The Broke and the Bookish . Show your appreciation for this meme by visiting them and some of the other participating blogs. Starting with three characters I wanted to be friends with as a child, and still do, here is my list: George (Georgina) from the Famous Five series by Enid Blyton, because she is feisty and smart and adventurous (the only girl in any Endid Blyton book I have read who is on an equal footing with the boys). Anne Shirley from the Anne books by L.M. Montgomery. She is a good and true friend despite her talent for rushing headlong into trouble. The Cat in the Hat from the books by Dr. Seuss. The original furry anarchist. Can you imagine all the mischief one could get up to with him and never be found out? Granny Weatherwax from the Discworld books by Terry Pratchett, although I fear she wouldn’t much approve of me. A good woman to have at your back when the elves and/or vampyres arrive in town. Lord Peter Wimsey from the...

The Icelandic book I read this month and had planned to review for the challenge was Eftirmáli Regndropanna by Einar Már Guðmundsson, but as it turns out, it doesn’t seem to have been translated into German (I was convinced it had been, but I can’t confirm it). As it is too late in the month to find another book to review, I am instead reviewing another book by Einar that I read several years ago: Englar Alheimsins , which was translated into English as Angels of the Universe (by the late, brilliant Bernard Scudder and published in 1995 and again in 1997) and into German as Engel des Universums (by Angelika Gundlach and published in 1998). It is his best known and most popular book to date, and has been included on the literature curriculum in Icelandic schools. It earned the author the Nordic Council's Literature Prize in 1995. The story has been filmed (the author writing the script) and I can recommend the film, although not for people who only enjoy happy endings. The ...

If you are a translator or interested in becoming one, you might want to read this: How I got lost in translation and found my true calling

Originally published in December 2004, in 2 parts. Book 43 in my first 52 books challenge. Author: Jane Feuer Series: British Film Institute Cinema Series Year published: 1982/1993 Pages : 154 Genre: Cinema history and criticism Where got: National/University Library I came across this interesting volume while browsing at the library. As someone who possesses a growing collection of musicals and watches them frequently, I am naturally interested in the subject, which is why I picked it as the book of the week. Contents and review : A critical and analytic look at the Golden Era Hollywood musical as a genre. Feuer examines some conventions and formulas of the genre, how the earlier musicals refer back to stage shows, vaudeville and revues, while the later ones refer back to the earlier ones. She examines the importance of the songs, the standardized romantic storyline of the musical comedy, and in a postscript chapter takes a brief look at some post-Golden Era musicals and gay readi...

I have fallen way behind with my reporting of the short story challenge because I keep finding more interesting subjects to post about, but here is one more report: “The Ghost of a Hand” by J. Sheridan Le Fanu. About a ghost that only shows its hand.  “The Sweeper” by A.M. Burrage. The tale of a woman haunted by an event from her past. This ends October. “Couching at the Door” by D.K. (Dorothy Kathleen) Broster. About the dangers of dabbling in the dark arts. Highly recommended. “The Familiar” by Sheridan Le Fanu. About a man haunted by a demon from his past. Very boring. “Full Fathom Five” by Alexander Woollcott. A very short tale that sounds like a “true” ghost story. “The Millvale Apparition” by Louis Adamic. About a painter working in a church who encounters an apparition/ghost. We now come to Roald Dahl’s Book of Ghost Stories , a collection of ghost stories chosen by Dahl, who, I think everyone who has read his books will agree, knew his stuff when it came to chill...

This is a reworked post from my old, now abandoned, 52 Books blog. I’ll be taking that blog down as soon as I remember where I stored the password... Blurb: noun [C] a short description of a book or film, etc., written by the people who have produced it, and intended to make people want to buy it or see it: The blurb on the back of the book says that it 'will touch your heart'. (from the Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary ) I have mentioned several times the importance of good blurbs on books. By that I meant the teasers on the back cover or on the inside flap of the dustcover that are designed to entice a potential reader into buying the book. The good ones do this by giving the reader just enough enticing information to want the to find out more. The worst of the bad ones give away an important plot element or even the ending of a book. Giving away the ending of a romance is usually okay because romance readers already know that the hero and heroine will get tog...

Iceland used to be divided into two bishoprics: north and south. The one in the north was situated at Hólar in Hjaltadalur, and the southern one in Skálholt, not far from Þingvellir. Once upon a time there was a bishop in Skálholt who was very hard and inconsiderate in his treatment of his stewards. For this reason they hated working for him and he would send them off without references when they quit the job. Some of them hated him for this and wished that the Devil would take their place when they left. Eventually there was no-one who would apply for the position, and the bishop then had sore need for a steward. Then a man came to him, stocky and red-haired, and offered his services. The bishop gladly accepted, not the least because the man did not make any demands as to pay, saying they could negotiate that when he left the service. He made no mention of his family or where he came from, saying it did not matter, all that mattered was how well he did his job. He then took up the p...