The 39 Steps

Having come across this book in a couple of blogs, I was happy to find a mini hard cover copy of The 39 Steps at NPL last weekend. What immensely helped me enjoy this book is the lack of research on the author or the story. Onto the story…

Richard Hannay is a rich Scotsman, who has returned to London from Rhodesia. He finds his London life quite boring and dreadful. One evening, he encounters a stranger in his apartment, who introduces himself as Franklin Scudder, a British Secret Service Agent. Scudder explains that a great conspiracy is afoot involving a secret organization called “Black Stone” including a possible assassination resulting in a war with Germany. Hannay takes in the information in stride but a couple of days later he finds Scudder murdered in his apartment. Fearing arrest and wanting to help Scudder in preventing the war, Hannay disguises himself as a milk-man and escapes in a train bound to Scotland. Thus begins the adventure of Richard Hannay, an amateur detective and a man with many faces. And guiding Hannay in his adventures is a little black book with Scudder’s notes on the conspiracy including a cryptic clue “39 steps” which keeps recurring throughout.

Hannay is one of the most interesting characters I’ve come across so far. He is rich, a bit pompous but intelligent and sensible as well. Hannay retains his commonsense and wit in the face of danger, adapts himself to the situations he gets into and best of all can get away with any disguise…each chapter highlights his adventures in a different disguise.

Another interesting fact is that the story doesn’t have diversions through romance or flights of fancies. The story is quick-paced, the plot is simple and tight, the dialogues are minimal and to the point. As for the people other than Hannay…the author John Bucchan doesn’t go overboard in describing them or elaborating on their role in the story. Everything’s just the right amount. Well worth the read!!

Diary of a Provincial Lady

The book review by my friend V@ Shades of Words made me add this book to my TBR pile.

Diaries remind us of little books with a lock, of memories, of things said and often unsaid and…of desires! And that is precisely what Diary of a Provincial Lady comprises of…all penned down with a sardonic sense of humor and wit which is unaffected and genuine…key characteristics that distinguish this Diary from the rest.

The Diary is written by a sub-urban housewife who is happily married with 2 children. She represents the upper-middle class woman…who has to balance her time between her family and her interests which comprise of standing out in social circles, dining with friends, gardening and well shopping. And then there are the snobbish neighbors and boring acquaintances to put up with, glamorous friends to entertain and bills to pay. Here’s an instance from the Diary that’s bound to draw you in…

“November 7th.–Plant the indoor bulbs. Just as I am in the middle of them, Lady Boxe calls. I say, untruthfully, how nice to see her, and beg her to sit down while I just finish the bulbs. Lady B. makes determined attempt to sit down in armchair where I have already placed two bulb-bowls and the bag of charcoal, is headed off just in time, and takes the sofa.

Do I know, she asks, how very late it is for indoor bulbs? September, really, or even October, is the time. Do I know that the only really reliable firm for hyacinths is Somebody of Haarlem? Cannot catch the name of the firm, which is Dutch, but reply Yes, I do know, but think it my duty to buy Empire products. Feel at the time, and still think, that this is an excellent reply. Unfortunately Vicky comes into the drawing-room later and says: “O Mummie, are those the bulbs we got at Woolworths?”

Lady B. stays to tea. (Mem.: Bread-and-butter too thick. Speak to Ethel.) We talk some more about bulbs, the Dutch School of Painting, our Vicar’s wife, sciatica, and All Quiet on the Western Front.

(Query: Is it possible to cultivate the art of conversation when living in the country all the year round?)“

Having already read Elizabeth and her German Garden which again is reading the story through a Diary, I could get through this book at a fairly quicker pace. While the story presentation is similar in these two titles, the contrast lies in the writing style, the background of the protagonist, her view of life, husband and family as well as that on friends, relatives, household staff and the general society. Elizabeth von Arnim’s book was written in a poetic manner presenting a lady’s take on her life in a wealthy German society while Delafield’s sub-urban woman portrays her life in a middle class society through humor. On the whole definitely worth the read!

Second Chance

I was impressed with Jane Green’s writing style, her story and character treatment in her book “The Beach House“. So impressed that I loaned “Second Chance” as well from the library. Second Chance revolves around the lives of 4 friends – Paul, Holly, Olivia and Saffron who are reunited in the advent of their buddy Tom’s death. Holly has what society describes as “perfect marriage” to a successful handsome man. Paul is married to Anna Johansson, founders of one of the most successful online fashion store. Olivia is back in the singles market and Saffron is due to make a hit in Hollywood anytime.

The reunion rekindles their simmering friendships, strengthening the bonds over the course of the story. The story by itself lacks substance except for the obvious highlight “getting a second chance in life” to make things right. And that’s about it!!

As for the people factor, the people in this story aren’t unique or perfect in any sense. They are merely grieving every 2nd page and if they are not grieving they are busy thinking about their problems. I’m so lost for words to even blogging this little took a lot of thought. Some books are better left untouched and this certainly is one such book!

Weekly Photo Challenge: Flowers

Take on this week’s theme – Flowers…

At my Wedding

Red Roses at home

At Carmel by the Sea

Dawn of Spring 2011

At my Aunt’s home

The Various Flavors of Coffee

“The primary factor affecting the taste is the selection of the beans.”

- Lingle, The Coffee Cupper’s Handbook

Thus the story begins. Robert Wallis is a struggling poet living a grandiose life on a meager income. On a fine evening, he meets a trader at his regular coffee joint, a Mr. Pinker, who noticing Robert’s palate for coffee offers him employment at his firm. Robert’s curiosity and need for income wins over his reluctance to work, and he enters into a proposal with Pinker called “The Pinker-Wallis Method Concerning the Clarification and Classification of the Various Flavors of Coffee.”

“I rotated the cup: the contents were sluggish and dense, like oil. I raised it to my lips -

It was as if the very essence of coffee had been concentrated into that tiny morsel of liquid. Burnt embers, woodsmoke and charred fires danced across my tongue, caught at the back of my throat, and from there seemed to rush up directly to my brain…and yet it was not acrid. The texture was like honey and molasses, darkest chocolate, like tobacco. I finished the tiny cup in two gulps, but the taste seemed to grow and deepen in my mouth for long moments afterwards.”

While working on the Guide, Robert finds himself enamored with Emily Pinker, his employer’s eldest daughter who aids him in creating the Guide. Their efforts are successful and just when Robert believes that his happy ending is nearing, Pinker has other plans for Robert…one that ultimately ends in heartache and tragedy.

Deemed as yet another successful book by Anthony Capella, this book plays with 3 or rather 2 major themes. Coffee and its trading forms the predominant backdrop of this tale blending abundant information on the Coffee plantations, quest for high quality, lobbying for Free Trade, Stock Exchange and of course the vile politics that rear its ugly head in the wake of creating a Liberal party and controlling the economy. Coffee trading dwells on the touchy topic of slavery as well… as seen during Robert’s travels to the Middle East, Africa and Brazil throwing light on the governments’ take on slavery and bonded labor towards the end of 19th century.

The 2nd most dominant and recurring theme is the Women’s Suffrage Movement in Britain as portrayed through the conversations between Robert and Emily. Emily Pinker’s passion and her subsequent actions to support the voting rights of women lend a very serious and touching note to the plot. One particular instance that begs for attention is Emily’s musing on the nature of men like her husband…a very heart-wrenching thought I felt -

“How easy it was to confuse attention with affection. It was the same with Arthur. These men did not dislike women exactly but they had a sort of templates in their head of what a woman should be. For them any deviation from the norm required intervention as if one were a clock that must be set back to the correct time.”

Indeed, this story steeped in the various flavors of coffee, of love, heartache, politics, death and well love which seem to somehow mish mash to create this perfectly blended novel. Worth reading at least once!