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( Googlism )

The Man Booker Prize Winner To Be

I bought a novel today which will win all the literary awards next year. The reason why I know this, despite having not read it yet, is because I read last week a glowing review by Irvine Welsh which came short of licking all the chocolate chips from the author's puckerhole.

I thought at first about buying it as a gift to Sissy Jennifer (it's her birthday on Saturday). So I left the National Theatre during my lunch break and searched for the hardcover copy (£12.99!!) at the newly opened Foyles beneath the Royal Festival Hall. When I saw it, touched it, opened it, sleeked it with my hands... I knew I couldn't part with it! I bought for Jennifer instead Case Histories by Kate Atkinson and a fridge magnet that says "Sometimes I'm Such a Blonde", and which shows a pop-art blonde covering her face with her hands.

I shall write a review of The People's Act of Love when I'm finished with it, natch.

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I had to read Virginia Woolf's To the Lighthouse for my BA degree (History and Culture of Western Society), years ago. I didn't have time to finish it because of various reasons (school work pile-up, Kevin's entrance into my life, laziness, etc.) I had already read Mrs Dalloway and I thought it wouldn't take much effort to pick up the novel again in the future. Fast forward seven years and I was looking through the fiction section of Maida Vale's library when I came upon a copy. I picked it up, thought about taking it home, then put it back in its place (like millions of times before.) But, one day later, when liadain mentioned she was reading the novel, I thought to myself "I might aswell read it so we can talk about it!"

I devoured the book; it was the perfect companion for the hot Summer days that have descended on London this past week. It was my companion in the Tube, on walks across the city, when I lay on my bed or sat in the TV room. It brought back memories of what was discussed in class (one of my classmates, Gerrard, wrote a paper on Lily's painting in the novel) and it gave me the chance to reacquaint myself with a writer that I've always enjoyed reading.

( Thoughts on Virginia Woolf's To the Lighthouse )