It's Monday - What are you reading?

This meme is hosted by Sheila @ bookjourney.
(Thank you so much for that! My wish-list/TBR grows and grows and grows..)

Here we go:

I posted about one of my favourite books (though the German edition tends to weakening in the language - some antagonism.. But I love such multiple biographies..)

ALL-NIGHT PARTY : THE WOMEN OF BOHEMIAN GREENWICH VILLAGE AND HARLEM, 1913- 1930 by Andrea Barnet (2001).

For the TuesBookTalk Read Alongs Group on Goodreads.com I am reading:

THE CRIMSON PETAL AND THE WHITE by Michel Faber. (2002)

- which is so far very intriguing - and much faster to read than you would think because it is really, really massive. ;")


And I also read:

ANSTÄNDIG ESSEN (= "eating fair/proper") by Karen Duve (2011)

- it's a book about ethics and eating. If I wasn't a vegetarian allready - this book could make me one..

I think it is a bit like EATING ANIMALS by Jonathan Safran Foer (2009) which I want to read someday, too.

Have a nice week - eat fair and read with verve! ;")

All-night Party by Andrea Barnet

ALL-NIGHT PARTY : THE WOMEN OF BOHEMIAN GREENWICH VILLAGE AND HARLEM, 1913- 1930 by Andrea Barnet is one of my favourites non-fiction books. It contains the stories of such woman of Avant-garde as Djuna Barnes, Marianne Moore, Mabel Dodge, Edna St. Vincent Millay, Ethel Waters and many more of the bright young things who lived and loved in New York at the jazz age.

Meet e.g. “the Mama of Dada” Baroness Elsa von Freytag-Loringhoven who used to shave half her head and wear the left hair in henna-coloured red and the bolded half lacquered in bright red, while her face was dusted with yellow powder, her lips tinted in black and a birdcage (with a living canary in it) was hanging on her neck. (Great image, isn’t it? I like Dada very much – though it disturbs me sometimes.. – but hey! That’s Dada for you!)

(Elsa von Freytag-Lothringhoven)

And this was just one example of the fascinating women who will be introduced to you in this awesome book! Women who declare their freedom to live their live like/ and with whom they wanted to.

Here are some of the other ladies you're going to meet in this book:

(Mina Loy)

(Bessie Smith)

(A'lelia Walker)

Like Bessie Smith once sung:

“If I should get the feeling
To dance upon the ceiling
T’aint nobody’s business if I do."

A magnificent book, which I like to recommend to everyone interested in the life of some fascinating ladies of the early 20th century. To the blues fans: there are two chapters about Bessie Smith and Ethel Waters! (*Yay!* for that!!)

The German title is CRAZY NEW YORK. ...Well, how do I have to translate that into English.. uhm.. ;")

Don't you just love the German cover??

This book fits in two of the challenges I am participating in:

Read me baby, 1 more time – I did not read this book for the first time – and surely not for the last time. ;”)

LGBT Book Challenge 2011– here you can read a lot about women who fought for free love and lived in lesbian relationships.

Is it just me?

Have you ever had the feeling that the yet unread books in your shelves are much more interesting than the ones you’re reading at the moment?

It's Monday - What are you reading?

This meme is hosted by Sheila @ bookjourney. (Thank you, Sheila!)

So, what am I reading?

For the TuesBookTalk Read Alongs Group on Goodreads.com I am reading - and I am way behind the others, because my sister visited me.. ;") - :

THE CRIMSON PETAL AND THE WHITE by Michel Faber. (2002)

And I resumed re-reading

ALL-NIGHT PARTY : THE WOMEN OF BOHEMIAN GREENWICH VILLAGE AND HARLEM, 1913- 1930 by Andrea Barnet (2004).

So: Have a nice week! (and I try to read more this week..) ;")

It's Monday - What are you reading?

This is a meme hosted by lovely Sheila @ bookjourney. (thank you Sheila for this amazing meme - which makes my wishlist and my TBR grow and grow and grow. I LOVE that!! ;") )

So, let's start:

I posted a review of:

THE GRASS IS SINGING by Doris Lessing. (1950)

I am almost finished with

REVOLUTION by Jennifer Donnelly. (2010)

For fun - and because I am in a heavy 1930ies mood I am also reading:

DAS WEIßE ABENDKLEID (= the white evening gown) by Victoria Wolff (1938/1939).

For the TuesBookTalk Read Alongs Group on Goodreads.com I am reading (We just started - tomorrow we will be talking about part 1):

THE CRIMSON PETAL AND THE WHITE by Michel Faber. (2002)


Have a great week - with or without books. ;")

Irene

THE GRASS IS SINGING by Doris Lessing

THE GRASS IS SINGING by Doris Lessing caused a sensation when it was published in 1950 - it was Doris Lessing's first novel.

South Africa. The farmer’s wife Mary is killed. Her murderer, the black “boy” Moses, is very soon arrested while Mary’s husband Dick seems to have completely lost his mind.

In review the reader is told how this tragedy could happen.

As far as I remember I have not read any book about South Africa yet. (Northern Africa – yes. But not the southern part.)

I really, really enjoyed the first part in which Mary’s life in the town as a single girl is described – and how (because in the opinion of her friends it is not natural for a girl to stay unmarried) she changes her life and marries Dick – which will make both unhappy (and causes them to behave unfair) - this book teaches a lot about prejudices (sexism, racism…)

I liked the end very much, too – and I simply love the title. This book was able to depress me while I was reading it – just because the mood is captured so well.

The German title is AFRIKANISCHE TRAGÖDIE (=African Tragedy) - I love the original title - not that much the German one..

THE GRASS IS SINGING fits into my FORGOTTEN TREASURES CHALLENGE.

Read about my progress in this challenge here.

It's Monday - What are you reading?

This is a meme hosted by Sheila @ Bookjourney.

Today I started reading:

Jennifer Donnelly: REVOLUTION


I hope everyone is having a great week! ;")