Quotes Books
Quotes
February 2010's Quote of the Month
"The problem with defending the purity of the English language is that English is about as pure as a cribhouse whore. We don't just borrow words; on occasion, English has pursued other languages down alleyways to beat them unconscious and rifle their pockets for new vocabulary."
— James Nicoll
December 2010's Quote of the Month
"They may be called the Palace Guard, the City Guard, or the Patrol. Whatever the name, their purpose in any work of heroic fantasy is identical: it is, round about Chapter Three (or ten minutes into the film) to rush into the room, attack the hero one at a time, and be slaughtered. No-one ever asks them if they wanted to."
— Dedication of Guards! Guards! by Terry Pratchett
Books
Watership Down
by Richard Adams
I'm a bookworm of the first order. So, when I say a book is among the best I've ever read, it means something. And this book isn't just among the best I've ever read, it's also my among my all time favourites. Now, I fully understand that Watership Down can be a hard sell – especially to a modern adult reader. It's it's about RABBITS for crying out load! What self-respecting adult wants to read a book about rabbits? But don't be so quick to judge.
Life is quiet and predictable in the Sandleford Warren. But one young rabbit, Fiver, senses a deadly danger looming ahead, threatening all who stay. Within a day eleven rabbits choose to abandon their home. Few of the small group truly believe in Fiver's sixth sense but each one has his reasons for believing that there may be a better life for them beyond the warren of their birth. Lead by Hazel — Fiver's brother and one of the few who does believe in his brother's strange gift — the assorted rabbits set out with no idea of the distance they would have to traverse, the dangers they would have to overcome, or the plots that threaten their dream of a new home — a place called Watership Down.
The unforgettable nature of the story is it's sense of realism. Richard Adams extensively researched rabbits before beginning this story. He knows rabbit behaviour and life styles in great detail. And to this rich understanding he adds a culture, a mythology, and a language all of which are based in how rabbits actually live and behave. You'll never look at a the random rabbit spotted at morning or evening silflay (Lapine for eating above ground, or grazing) the same way again.
The realism spreads to the characters of the rabbits themselves. Hazel, Fiver, Bigwig, Dandelion, Blackberry, Hawkbit, Pipkin, Speedwell, Buckthorn, Silver, Acorn, and the others encountered along the way are unforgettable. They are completely believable both as rabbits but also as individuals with their own strengths, weaknesses, fears, and hopes.
Between the adventures of this band are woven the stories of El-ahrairah, Prince of Rabbits and the surprising and often amusing view rabbits have of humans — this book is one you'll treasure.
So, don't be put off on the rabbit on the front cover. Give this work of genius a chance.
December 2010's Featured Book of the Month
Guards! Guards!by Terry Pratchett
The quote and the book won't always match, but this month they do. As a devoted fan of Pratchett's work in general and the Discworld series in particular, I've often been asked 'where do I start?'. This is, after all, a series with 36 books in it and 6 short stories! What most people don't realize though is that the Discworld books are NOT a single series — they are several series that all happen to take place in the same world. If you've been looking for a way in or just curious as to what all the fuss is about — this is where I'd recommend that you start.
Guards! Guards! is the first book in the City Watch series and an excellent introduction into the satire, insanity, and shear brilliance that is Discworld. I've read them all, but this one still remains one of my favourites and the start of one of Pratchett's most clever series.
For more information on Discworld series and reading orders please see The L-Space Web: Discworld Reading Order Guide.