“Only the very weak-minded refuse to be influenced by literature and poetry.” - Cassandra Clare, Clockwork Angel

Jasper Fforde - The Eyre Affair 

This is a book I have been looking to buy for ages. I first heard about the book from a friend at university and I asked for it for my birthday last year but never received it and honestly just forgot about it. Then I was on holiday and just saw it lying there on the shelf at the holiday book exchange. I grabbed it immediately and can't wait to read it. The story is about a girl called Thursday Next and she lives in an alternate universe where if characters are erased form a book, they are erased from history. Furthermore, by changing books, you are able to change reality. Now, a master mind evil genius is going into books and kidnapping the characters and holding them to ransom, the first one to go is Jane Eyre. I loved the concept of this book as it is so different and it feels like sci-fi with a twist. Better yet, it is a bit of light reading and a bit fun for the summer. 

What do you think of the concept of the book? 

Lots of Love 

Elouise 

Summer is the annual permission slip to be lazy. To do nothing and have it count for something. To lie in the grass and count the stars. To sit on a branch and study the clouds - Regina Brett

Wow! It has been such a long time since I have posted, for that I am sorry! My 30 day blog post ended disastrously (and I started with so much gusto) but that is all behind us now and a long hot summer lies ahead with many dusty books which await awakening. So, in between travelling between Hull (exotic), Cardiff (mentoring a summer school) and Malta (actually exotic) I got a few moments to read some books I've been meaning to read for ages. 

Margaret Attwood - The Handmaid's Tale

I finally finished reading Margaret Attwood's The Handmaid's Tale. I have already written a post of the blurb of the story, which you can read here: http://elouiselilly.blogspot.co.uk/2014/05/i-measure-progress-of-community-by.html When I finally started reading the novel, I was surprised that I liked the writing style because it constantly flits between memories and present events which can sometimes be confusing. Yet, Attwood manages to incorporate these features into the story making it a pleasurable read for a sunny afternoon (especially for those sci-fi fans out there) and, of course, you can never beat a classic. However I would have to suggest that you give the film a miss, it really is terrible as it loses the feeling of the book and makes you see event from a different perspective compared to the book. unfortunately some books really don't translate well into film, this is definitely one of them. 

Jon Ronson - The Psychopath Test 

The next book I have been reading is The Psychopath Test and I acquired this book, as I do with many of my books, from a second hand sale - 10 books for a pound (I mean who can really afford nine pounds for a book). Consequently, it meant that I had this one of his and also another book of his Lost at Sea. If you think you recognise his name, it is because you probably do, he is also the author of the best selling novel and film The Men Who Stare at Goats. I have not actually read this novel or see the film but after reading the aforementioned title, I will definitely consider checking ti out if (when) we have a rainy day. The book itself tells of Ronson's journey through the world of psychology, particularly examining psychopaths, from the dark corridors of Broadmoor to the bustling corporate world. I originally picked up this book as my sister was studying psychology at the time and I thought it would help her with her studies. In the end, she didn't read it, so I stole it off her shelf! I am so glad I did. I generally don't read non-fiction, but the style was engaging and the topic interesting, he knew how long to stay on a subject and the way he linked events, as if he was searching for a goal, could trick you into believing you were reading a quest narrative. He is an amazing journalist, who knows how to tell a story and ask the questions that no-one else would really think of. 

Susan Kiernan Lewis - Free Falling 

This is another book I have been reading whilst laying in the sunshine on holiday. A spoilt American family go on holiday to a remote cottage in rural Ireland and when they wake up on the second day, they discover that the nuclear apocalypse has happened. Luckily, Ireland was untouched and they are living on a farm, so technically they could survive. The only problem is that they need all the help of the community they can get, but it was the American's who dropped the bomb, so they are enemy number one. Watch them as they struggle to survive, grow as people and ultimately discover what it is to be human. Interesting, if not scary read. 

Have you been reading any books over the summer? If so, let me know.

Lots of Love

Elouise

xxx

Day 3 - Favourite Quote

How could I choose a favourite quote? The answer was I couldn't so I picked my top 5!

Sorry it has taken me so long to post this but I have been so busy gallivanting across the country. I hope you have been well and check back tomorrow for my next post. 

Lots of love, 

Elouise 

xxx

Day 2 - Your Dream Book

So, this is not about a book I dreamed about but rather elements of different books to make my perfect book. 

The Cover: Red, all red. No title, blurb or author (ultimately they are unimportant and distracting elements of a book). The books difference makes it both inconspicuous and mysterious. 

Genre: Dystopian with elements of political satire 

Protagonist: Strong female who is not seduced by her many male suitors 

The chapters would not be numbered but would be quotes that summed up the contents. The content would be a mix of poems, prose and pictures (all the best books should have pictures)

Ok, so this book does not actually exist (maybe I should write it) but these books come pretty close...

Trust Salinger to do it right!

Kafka's The Trail, political satire at its best, my favourite quote 'It's only because of their stupidity that they're able to be so sure of themselves.'

Alice in Wonderland - Lewis Carroll 

A strong female character with great illustrations; an all round interesting read!

What would your dream book be? 

Lots of Love 

Elouise 

xxx

Day 1 - The first book you read that made you love reading

This is such a difficult question, I have no idea why I put it first. There are some many books that shaped my childhood but the first book I really remember reading is...

I Capture the Castle - Dodie Smith 

I remember getting this book out of the school library even though I was too young to read it. I had to return the book before I finished it and I was so upset that my parents brought me the audio book for my birthday. I don't know why I picked this one out of all the books on the shelf, maybe it was the idea of the castle and I thought it would be princesses. It is actually so much more. The story began my questioning of love; sometimes the person who you love does not always love you back but it is not the end of the world. It illustrates the freedom you can gain from accepting and rejecting love but also shows independent women making their own decisions.

 I loved the idea of a bohemian life, living in a run down castle that was falling apart and just writing about you life; Smith makes the mundane exceptional. It is also the story of sisters and their relationship. Even though they are different, they find common ground and I found this relationship really easy to relate to that of me and my sister. The ending makes the book, it shows that even if life does not turn out how you expect, it can still be a happy ending; you do not need a husband to be happy, independent women are freed through their words. This is actually the book that inspired my writing and gave me the confidence to show people that my life was worth writing about. Reading back on my diaries, they are not exactly riveting but I have this book to thank for where I am today, studying Literature at university. I do not think my life would be the same without inspirational women writers speaking to me from a young age. 

What is the book that inspired you to read or have you not found it yet? 

Check back tomorrow for day 2 and have a great day today.

Lots of Love

Elouise

xxx

“I wonder what it would be like to live in a world where it was always June.” ― L.M. Montgomery

Over the next month I will be completing a 30 day book challenge that I have created myself. Check back for the next month to see a new post everyday. 

Here it is;

1. The first book you read that made you love reading 

2. Your dream book 

3. Favourite quote 

4. A novel that makes you happy

5. A novel that makes you cry

6. A novel that makes you laugh 

7. The best book you have read this year 

8. A book that reminds you of childhood

9. Best beginning 

10. Most inspirational story 

11. The book that reminds you of home 

12. Favorite book that is the same age as you

13. A novel that is overrated 

14. Best film from novel translation

15. Book that you have most related to 

16. The best book you read in school 

17. Favourite writing style 

18. Best ending 

19. A book that you have been meaning to read for ages  

20. A novel that surprised you 

21. Best Female Character

22. Best Male Character 

23. Favourite Series

24. A book that you thought you would

      hate but ended up loving 

25. Best Female Author 

26. Best Male Author 

27. Best romance 

28. Favourite genre 

29. A book that would add to the school reading list 

30. If you were stuck on a desert 

      island and you could only have 

      one book, which one would it be?

I am looking forward to the next month and I hope you are too, see you tomorrow.

Lots of Love

Elouise

xxx

Change will not come if we wait for some other person or some other time. We are the ones we've been waiting for. We are the change that we seek - Barack Obama

So... this is my final project! I developed a front cover, contents page and feature article and it was concerning Barack Obama's abolition of the 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' rule in the American Army. It was a huge ruling for Gay Rights, but now when Barack Obama's presidency is remembered, he is more likely to be remembered for his healthcare reforms than any of his other policies. I still really like this project as I was able to write about something I cared about and I feel it is still relevant today. If I was going to write the article today, it would be entitled 'lest we forget' and would talk about how (and if) attitudes and treatment has changed. It is a really fascinating topic and I would definitely suggest researching it if it is something you would be interested in. Actually... I feel the idea of an article brewing! 

The Front Cover

The Contents Page

Double page spread 

Feature Article 

I hope you enjoyed my project and look forward to my next entry, it is going to be a book review with a twist. 

Lots of Love 

Elouise 

xxx

You're not going to do good work if you're not choosing something because it inspires you. Maggie Gyllenhaal

As a project in college, I created a numerous mock Big Issue front covers and a double page spread for my project. I felt passionately about what I was writing about and I feel this was reflected in my work. Although, now looking back I cringe slightly at what I wrote, I am still really proud of the completed project and wanted to share it with you... enjoy!

These were the three mock front covers I created. I picked issues that I felt would be relevant to the Big Issue audience (although looking back, some of the ideas seem a bit stereotypical) 

Which one do you think is best and should have picked for my final project?

Look back tomorrow and I will reveal which one I picked for my final project and choose to develop. 

Note: these were created in 2011 so some of the issues are a bit outdated. 

Lots of Love 

Elouise 

xxx

“Girls you've gotta know when it's time to turn the page.” ― Tori Amos, Tori Amos: From the Choirgirl Hotel

Over the past few years, I have dabbled in creating my own mock articles which I have really enjoyed. Recently, I applied for and became Culture Editor of our university magazine Quench, so I will be writing and editing a lot more frequently from the start of the next academic year. I am really excited for this great opportunity and you can look forward to reading some more editorial articles as well as my usual book reviews. Below are examples of my previous work that I wanted you to see because I am really proud of them.

This is the covering letter for when I applied for the role of Culture Editor, the background is Monet's painting Water Lilies and the picture shows my favourite occupation, reading! I laid it out like a magazine article with a pull quote detailing what I most wanted to change about the magazine. I found this project interesting because it allowed me to turn a usually dry piece of writing about me to a piece showing what I could do and who I felt I was creatively. 

This is a double page spread I created but never finished. I couldn't quite work out how to fit in a title. It was an idea I had for the culture section where I picked the best live performance to listen to, the best play to watch and a good place to eat. I really liked the idea, but when creating the double page spread, the pages felt a bit disjointed and would have worked better as two separate articles. I still love the pages individually  and the idea behind them. I learned a lot from this piece; even the best piece of writing can be undermined by bad design. 

I hope you like my examples of design, there are more to follow in the coming days, so keep you eyes peeled. 

Lots of Love, 

Elouise 

xxx

p.s. Here is a link to the Quench website, http://cardiffstudentmedia.co.uk/quench/

'I measure the progress of a community by the degree of progress which women have achieved' - B. R. Ambedkar

Good Afternoon, I am writing this today after finishing a great book whilst relaxing on a rainy Sunday afternoon. As I have some time to spare at the moment, I thought I would get ahead on my reading and this seemed like a great place to start. For my course next year we are doing a module on distopia and utopia. These are my two favourite genres and when I saw the books we were reading, I got really excited. The book I'm reviewing today is a classic that comes highly recommended, but surprisingly I have not actually read much of her work to date. However, after reading this book, I am definitely inclined to take a look at her other works.

The Handmaid's Tale - Margaret Attwood

Imagine a society where a woman's one role is to get pregnant. They are rarely allowed to leave the house and they are no longer permitted to read. This is the reality for the women of the Republic of Gilead. Women only have value if they are able to fall pregnant because the birth rate is rapidly declining and things are becoming dire. However, things were not always like this, Offred, a subservient handmaid remembers a time when she used to have a job and money, make love to her husband and play with her daughter. Yet, only traces of her old life remains and she does not know how things will ever be the same again. 

Lots of Love, 

Elouise 

xxx

#Book reviews in 140 characters#

The Red Tent, A Novel - Anita Diamant 

# A unique view of biblical women's society, Dinah from Genesis tells her story and reveals the traditions and turmoils of ancient womanhood. #

The Shadow of the Wind - Carlos Ruiz Zafon 

# Daniel holds the last copy of Carax's curious book as someone has been destroying all the other copies in the hopes of hiding a dark secret. # 

 

Cutting for Stone - Abraham Verghese 

# Orphaned, twins are bound by love which eventually tears them apart. Marion runs away but discovers that medicine cannot heal all wounds. #

Lots of Love

Elouise 

xxx

I'll Be Watching You...

Over the past few weeks, I have been playing around with photoshop and this is one of mock double page magazine articles I have written. I hope you like the design and layout!

This is the article reprinted because I don't think the article is that clear in the picture, it is about the issues of stalking in society, which I think is a really interesting topic. 

Recently, the book world has become 

fascinated with stories from the darker 

side of town. Although you my not 

have realised it yet, the next best seller 

is going to be about stalking..Overnight 

the psychological motivation and the 

consequences of stalking is going to 

become a national obsession.Worryingly, 

in these new releases the blurb suggests 

that not only are they subverting old 

ideas about the subject but they are 

making it glamorous.Women in high 

powered jobs are being targeted and 

a teenager with ‘hot’ stalker comes 

under attack (can anyone else see

this developing into the next twilight 

esque hit?) However, these novels 

may simply be trying to dispel 

the myths, not all stalkers are on 

the fringes of society and claims of 

unwanted sexual advances should not 

be dismissed as simply ‘banter.’ 

 This obsession with stalking 

articulates societies anxiety about 

the blurring lines between love, lust

and unwanted attention. This 

becomes more evident when we look 

at the figures 19% of women and 12% 

of men have experience stalking or 

harassment at some point in their lives. 

I mean, who has never casually facebook 

stalked someone to find out about them? 

There are some who are willing to step 

over the line and this should not be 

ignored. 

Personally, the attention this subject 

is receiving in the book world is mainly 

positive because it brings it to the 

attention of a mainstream audience and

starts conversations which will 

hopefully lead to action. This subject has 

too long been a taboo in the literature 

world and these new book highlight the

real life dangers of stalking in our society.

I really like thinking and writing about issues that really effect society and hope to one day write about these issues for real magazine, I hope you enjoyed reading it. 

Lots of Love 

Elouise 

xxx

Sorry I've been away, exam deadlines and stress has meant that I've hardly had a minute to myself. Thankfully my last exam is tomorrow so I will be able to spend a lot more time to do what I love. For this review I thought I would do something different and look at one of my favourite artists. 

Gideon Rubin    

Gideon Rubin is fascinated by the course of time; in the new series of paintings the artist has used a found photograph album from the 1920’s as his source material. Rubin selects figures and scenes from these amateur snapshots that have some sort of narrative but one that is open to discussion. Installed together and independently the paintings hint at numerous narratives and histories offering no definitive reading or insight into the selected characters. I found it interesting that he just drew people with no fixed story behind them and how the people viewing the paintings had to make up their own minds. In the latter part of my project I took inspiration from his work finding random pictures and making them into something interesting that people would enjoy looking at. I also found it interesting that many of his people lacked faces, I found liked this because it shows how sometimes people lose their identity which is what he has done in his paintings. This also makes the paintings relatable because they could be anybody.

I hope you liked my section on artists, who is your favourite modern artist? 

Lots of Love 

Elouise 

xxx 

A Picture Says a Thousand Words - Anon

Literature is my life. Well, it is as the moment with all my final deadlines for essays following me around like a dark cloud, threatening to rain on my sunny outlook. So, I thought today I would do something I have never done before, a post about a book without words. Exciting!

Lots of Love

Elouise 

xxx

“April hath put a spirit of youth in everything. (Sonnet XCVIII)” ― William Shakespeare

This week I am promoting hot books to read to escape the April Showers and this is one of my favourite new releases. I love teenage reads that do not focus solely on the love story which have an amazing *plot twist* keeps you guessing and reading right until the last page.

Liv, Forever - Amy Talkington 

This is the story of Liv who gains an art scholarship to Wickham Hall, allowing her to escape the foster system and finally start a new life. Not only does everything academically start to go to plan, but she also starts to fall in love with bad-boy Malcolm despite her best friends Gabe's warning. Then she is brutally murdered. In death she finds out that she can see all the other ghosts at Wickham hall and discovers that her death is actually part of a bigger conspiracy, she is not the first student to die at the school. Now, Gabe is her only link to the world of the living and together with Malcolm, they have a battle on their hands. Think Ghost Whisperer with sexy students. 

What was the last book that you read and could not put down?

Lots of Love 

Elouise 

xxx

A man's face is his autobiography. A woman's face is her work of fiction. - Oscar Wilde

I like to gossip... I am really interested in learning about other people's lives and this may be the reason I fall in love with autobiographies. Sometimes, the stories within them are really strange and unbelievable, but I always love the fact that it is all true (although, probably a bit exaggerated sometimes). I am really keen to hear about their lives from their own point of view as it often feels like you are having a personal conversation with them and they are entrusting you with secrets that they only tell their friends. Writing a biography is really brave because you have nothing to hide behind, so if people criticise it, they are really criticising you. My favourite autobiographies are the rags-to-riches (through hard-work, setbacks and determination) stories and comedian's autobiographies because usually they have actually had a hard life (much like the tears of a clown cliche). Here are my top three which I would recommend for a laugh, cry and inspiration (you can decide which is which).

Russell Brand - My Booky Wooky 

At the time, I was probably a bit young to be reading about Mr Brand's escapades but when reading his book, I literally fell in love with the man. Following him from when he started school as the fat boy, having his first gloriously awkward and somewhat confusing sexual experience to his move to acting and drugs and his painful rehabilitation and consequential fame and success was simply inspiring. What amazed me about his life was ability to mess everything up and it was all still alright in the end because he had a passion for life and was surrounded by people who loved him. He is also really smart which is clear in his writing style which is witty but also intelligent, this helps you to understand the complexities of his brain and also his motivation. After reading his autobiography I was so inspired I became a vegetarian to be like him, unfortunately, my stand-up still needs a bit of work. 

Ugly - Constance Briscoe 

This story made me cry. Repeatedly. It recounts the childhood of Constance whose mother both emotionally and physically abused her on a daily basis. When Constance was thirteen her mother simply moved out and she is forced to fend for herself. Despite all of this, she goes onto become one of the first Black women in the UK to sit as a judge. This story demonstrates that anything is possible with a bit of determination. 

I Love You Philip Morris - Steve McVicker 

So, technically this is not an autobiography, but I'm sure if Steven Russell had time in-between repeatedly escaping from prison, this is the story he would have wanted to tell. Written by noted journalist Steve McVicker, this biography exposes the true story of how one gay man in his quest to be reunited with his lover escaped from a Texan jail four times in five years always on Friday 13th. Coined the 'Jailhouse Houdini' this man is stuff of legend. Unfornately, his knack for escaping was only equalled by his habit of getting arrested. This book is hilarious and also surprisingly heartwarming. 

If you do not think you will have time to read the book, you can always check out the movie starring Jim Carrey and Ewan McGregor which, although not as good as the book, definitely comes close. 

Have you read any great autobiographies lately?

Lots of Love 

Elouise 

xxx

“A short story is a love affair, a novel is a marriage. A short story is a photograph; a novel is a film.” - Lorrie Moore

Happy Monday! Today I am going to explore the often overlooked genre of short stories. There are definitely some great short story collections to be read and here are just a few.  

What's Important is Feeling - Adam Wilson 

This is a collection of coming-of-age stories which vary from teenage lust to stories of loneliness and companionship. What I love most about this collection is the range of stories which feel really relevant for modern day issues and pressures. My favourite story in the collection is one which starts with a debate about Young Elvis and Vegas Elvis but the conversation quickly turns existential which is really thought-provoking. If you want a giggle I would definitely recommend the story of two drug addicts who after a detox are in need of a hit, so buy a live lobster which makes their love life a lot more interesting! It is a real roller-coaster of emotions and every character finishes the story a changed person. 

The UnAmericans - Molly Antopol 

This debut collection of stories consists of fictitious tales of actors imprisoned in the Red-Scare, political protesters and others who feeling disillusioned with the greatest Nation on Earth. The tales explore people from different cultures in a beautiful human way and shows how everyone can actually achieve more than they thought. The stories have lots of different takes on things and incorporate tragedy, happiness and heartbreak. 

I love short stories as they are so easy to dip in and out of without feeling like you have missed anything, they are especially great to read when commuting as you can finish a story on the way to work or school and have a great feeling for the rest of the day! 

Lots of Love 

Elouise 

xxx

# Reviews in 140 characters #

For today's installment, I thought I would try something different. Inspired by my love/ hate relationship with Twitter, I thought I would do a review of some books in only 140 characters. Although it sounds easy, it was actually a lot more difficult than I anticipated! 

Feed -Mira Grant

# Curing Cancer created a virus, the infected have one desire - to feed! After the Rising, two friends unearth the conspiracy behind the virus #

Fahrenheit 451 - Ray Bradbury

# Books are outlawed, Guy's job is to burn them. Unhappy with his marriage, he wonders if books are hidden in his house #

# A nuclear holocaust seemed the end, but caused one small American town to unite and confront the darkness together #unexpectedlyheartwarming 

I hope you like the reviews and remember to check back tomorrow for the next post! 

Lots of love

Elouise 

xxx