Maus by Art Spiegelman

THE BLURB:
As his father grows old, Art Spiegelman asks him to tell him the story of his life during the second world war as he was taken prisoner in the concentration camps for being jewish.

THE OTHER STUFF:
Yes, that is genuinely all there is to it story wise. Yes, you should read it. Yes it is as innovative and heart wrenching as it is said to be. This book is one that I have wanted to read for quite some time due to my interest in WW2 and the literature it produced. It did not disappoint. Whilst it may appear less serious as it is presented as a comic strip, it grips you until the very end when it releases you wiser and more grateful than ever. Maus is the true story of Spiegelman's father during the war. It is a truly remarkable story told in a unique way. If you like studying books then there is plenty to interpret from the change in drawing style to the different representations of well known pictures, events and the symbolism depicted. For example all the jews are mice, all the germans pigs, the nazis are cats, the french frogs etc. It allows you to choose how invested you want to be  yet it is hard not to read this story and not be emotionally invested. If you like historical accounts, then this is right up your street. If you like books which grab you by the heart and never let go then I can honestly say you will not be disappointed.  This book is now one of my favourites, just for the innovative way Spiegelman tells such a sad and traumatic story whilst simultaneously keeping you at arms length and dragging you in. It is ohe that fan't be explained by words, only once you have read it will you understand the sheer sadness and relief that comes with the reading of this story. A definate must read for eveyone.

Milano

I travelled! I actually went somewhere other than home! Granted the trip didn't get off to the best start (we sat on an immobile train for 1h and a half before being told said train would have to return to the station and we would continue by bus)  however by the time we got to the airport  (where we proceded  to get breakfast) none of this mattered as we were finally off. After a standard uneventful flight we arrived in Milan. Now, the thing to know about European cities is that all of us tend to have this romanticised idea of  old buildings everywhere and quaint little side streets. I can 100% assure you that this doesn't happen. No matter where you go there will be modern development. Milan was no exception. We travelled through what felt like street upon street of grubby, graffitied 60s style tower blocks to get to the central station. From there we continued by foot to the Hilton (staff discount obliges). Now I have a thing about decor, ie I like things to look coordinated and modern with a vintage twist (not complicated at all...), whilst the rooms were clean and certainly of high standard it was all a bit dated. So far I felt underwhelmed by the whole experience. Then came the room service, oh my. I have genuinely never been so impressed. A proper table on wheels complete with a hotbox, complimentary bread and breadsticks, completed by some of the best food i have had, fantastic. Needless to say  we went to bed content. The next day we decided to explore the city, find the old buildings we'd read about. We discovered that although the hotel was supposedly central,  a taxi was inevitably necessary unless you already knew your way around (the one time we went without we got lost, awkward). However, once in the centre we found the history we were looking for. The Duomo with all it's imposing turrets, the shopping gallery with it glass roof and haute-couture shops , old buildings still retaining their rustic charm; we had found what we had come for. We visited the duomo and were thouroughly creeped out by the REAL skeleton of a monk, wandered through the gallery  who's architecture was imply stunning, went into prada and swiftly exited, did a 20th Century art museum tour, housed in the building where Mussolini used to make his speeches (for someone interested in WW2 this was vastly more interesting). Each day we would visit a different part of the city. We even did a touristic sighseeing tour. We also went to a designer outlet, now don't be fooled designer outlet means over 1000 quid for a dress ( we most definstely hever have and never will have that much to spend), but left rather quickly. As pretty as the old part of milan was, it was all very compact,ie the historical old buildings were in a very small part of the city and everywhere else was, to be perfectly honest slightly scaffy. After seeing all there was to see in Milan, we decided to go on a roadtrip for our last day of the holiday, we decided to drive to venice. I was the designated driver as I learnt to drive in france and therefore 'knew how to drive on the wrong side of the road'. After 3.5 hours of motorway, we arrived. I can honestly say that while packed with tourists venice was just as old, quaint and picturesque as you would imagine it to be, narrow side streets lined with shops selling every thing from venetian masks to quills (and yes I got one of both), restaurants and hotels, leading to the big cathedral. Now anyone who has read books on  venice (The thief lord by Caroline Funke, author of the Inkheart books, also well worth   a read) will understand how nice it is to finally understand and see for themselves where the caracters go and where tbe places are.  I loved every second of venice and would gladly go again, the tiny canals with their gondolas, front doors opening onto water, tiny streets lined with buildings, it was truly the experience we were expecting from Italy. In short, remember that time has taken it's toll, and left it's mark on every single town and city. It's a shame but that is the way the world goes. It is sad that not more is done to keep  cities from falling into desrepair, it really is. I did my first year of uni in the French city of Grenoble and whilst there too the outskirts are places to avoid, they are kept apart and the city itself is still old and quaint, most of the roads are pedestrianised only used by pedestrians and trams. I think more cities should look into this to preserve their heritage. All in all it was a great holiday due to the company and the various anecdotes that we returned with. I shall however give this advice: remember that cities expand constantly and that the gems are often hidden in places you would not normally go. However, if you wander off the beaten track, you will find authentic cuisine, cobbled streets, tiny shops and welcoming people to guide you on your way and i have to say the two days we just let ourselves get lost within the centre were the times we enjoyed it the most, we found small streets, cafes and shops which really heightened our experience,  on one occasion we ended up wandering through chinatown. Never stick to where the other tourists go. Always take a day to just get Lost in wherever you are going, find your own track. Trust me, you won't regret it.

Ps: we played the Les mis drinking game, it definately works as shown by the multiple pictures of the evening, plus Russell Crowe in a uniform MMMMMM.

Computer woes...

It would seem logical that this year would be the year that I would most need a computer for essays and my dissertaion, and indeed it is. So of course this is when my computer decides to casually die on me. Fantastic.

My main issue with this is that I can no longer watch netflix in bed.

I will try and post what I can from my tablet until I can get my computer fixed.

I am however close to ticking the travel box of my wishlist, indeed Tuesday morning I leave for Milan. I do not expect this to be cheap, however given that saving and staff discount gave us cheap but  very high quality rooms I expect great things.

I shall of course update you whikst I'm there. My flatmates want me to drive to verona a some point. I shall let you know if we make it in one piece.

I am looking forward to the architecture. Coming from near Bath I used to see the sandstone buildings and the roman baths and think how beautiful they were and I expect even more from Milan. The cathedrals, the galleries, the smaller less used streets. Fun!

Bring me the world and I will travel it!

See ya later ,
Xo

Winter months

I am a winter baby, as such winter is arguably my favourite time of year. Snow, fresh mornings, coats, scarves, boots, I love it all. I especially love christmas, forgive me for the earliness of this but I can't wait. I got a little over excited and bought a whole tacky cheesy cjritsmas outfit at Primark,  complete with jingle earrings (I'm so cool it hurts).

Anyhow whilst in town I bought a few trinkets for my bedroom.
First off some fairylights. I find that fairylights bring a nice charm to any room. The best thing is they come in a variety of colours and shapes do there is something for every one. I put mine on my headboard as it gives a nice gentle light and makes the bed the focal point (which when you're as messy as me is probably a good thing.)
I also bought a couple of tealight holders from the Next home department. Taking me into the next home department is a bad idea as I have a tendency to go overboard. Again lighting candles always cheers me up and candles are great on miserable winter days. I enjoy reading a book bundled in a blanket with a hot chocolate with some candles lit. I often sit behind the Christmas tree when that time comes.
I also went in to this tiny shop which sells things made by artisans and got a cute little photo frame. Anyone who knows me can testify that I love photos. I have 2 wall collages either side of my bed and multiple frames dotted around the room. 

Point of this being that at the same time as I'm hopefully getting myself to where I want to be, I'm also enjoying decorating my room to be a place I want  to be, I have found thatdoing so doesn't necessarily need money, just some creativity. So get creative and make yourself a haven. 

Xo 

<3

Hang in there buddy...

Hey there!

Apologies for the wait, the first week of uni has brought far more reading than I thought (shocking for a literature degree eh...), but fear not I have 3 fully fleshed posts coming your way tomorrow. I have work in 3 hours ahd I'm still up. Oh well...

Hang in there!

<3

Because the 90's are retro now!

Having already had the 'omg it's my last year at uni, what am I going to do with my life' freak out, someone pointed out to me that the 90's are now Retro; because I didn't feel old enough already. Anyhow, in a vain and pointless attempt to recapture the youth I feel I should have probably had, a couple of friends and myself decided to have the ultimate fresher's week experience (ie all week party). We decided that we would be out 4 nights in a row. Now our vreshers week is the last week of September so this post is slightly delayed, however, in my defence I have had a load of reading to do.

Day 1:It's a what now?

We may or may not have accidentally wandered into a UV party. How does one wander into a UV party you may ask? Well, you leave a pub and decide to go somewhere cheap, end up in a club only to be sprayed with paint. I can honestly say that being that sticky and gooey is just not right, neither is the queue for the shower when the 3 of you get in afterwards. Now I'm not saying it wasn't fun, watching people fail miserably at standing up on a wet floor is always fun, but the hassle of having to deep clean clothes, bags and yourself at 3am is just not for me.

Day 2: Not so silent silence.

Being uber cool human beings, we decided to branch out and attend a silent disco. First important thing to know is that the 'Silent' is relative as, like me, most people seem to follow the rule that if people are wearing headphones then they can't hear me sing ergo I can sing even louder.  I can honestly say that I had fun, i mean who wouldn't when the bulk of the songs played are songs you grew up on. The highlight of the evening was being able to dust off my year 4 dance routine to S club 7 and pull it off like a pro (in my humble opinion).

Day 3: So much smoke... can't see a thing...

Loosing momentum at this point after 3 days of very late nights and 6am breakfast shifts,  we decided to  go for one of our regular spots just to relax for an evening. Fun and drinks were had although having to show a barmaid how to make a drink that she is offering is not necessarily a good thing.

Day 4: Run away!

So we went to an indie/rock night, one of our usual choices as by this point I was personally starting to feel it big time. Have you ever seen a moshpit in a nightclub? I have and it's not pretty. It's one of those moments where going to the bar is probably the safest option. Although the look on the newbies faces when it starts (sheer panic) is pretty hilarious.

Day 5: Dying, Dying, Dead.

I had been promised that night 4 would be the last. That was without counting on the persuasive powers of snapchat. After 2 hours of negotiations we agreed to go to a doam party. Now you'd think my UV party experience would have taught me that confined spaces with gunk do not agree with me... you'd think. At one point it was deemed a good idea to get close to the gun, right in the centre of a crowd of people, now for most people that would not be an issue. I have learned in the past that I do not do well when I'm in the centre of a crowd, let alone in the centre of a crowd drowning in foam. Let's just say that panic attacks are not fun. You see, I'm tiny, people are tall and in this case rowdy. Not good, I do like to be able to breathe...

All in all it was a very fun week full of fun. Had I not been on breakfast every morning it might have been even better sadly 't'was not the case.
I have decided to leave the hard partying for the young'uns. A night out once in a while interspersed with nights in is fine with me. I like my sleep too much these days.

Xo

<3

Hey there!

Whilst my feet recover from serving a wedding party, I have decided to share with you the first of my plans to make this year count. I have made a list of 45 books to read before I graduate. I'm talking books I want to read, rather than books my courses dictate I must read; books I have had the intention of reading for years but that I haven't got round to reading yet.

1. Nineteen Eighty Four by George Orwell
2. Catch -22 by Joseph Heller
3. On the Road by Jack Kerouac
4. The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald
5. The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath
6. Lord of the Flies by William Golding.
7. Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman
8.Where Things Come Back by John Corey Whaley
9. Men Without Women by Ernest Hemingway
10. Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy
11. War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy
12. 19 Dead souls by Nikolai Gogol
13. Moll Flanders by Daniel Defoe
14. Madame Bovary by Gustave Flaubert
15. Crime and Punishment by Fyodor Dostoevsky
16. Le Rouge et Le Noir by Stendhal
17. Dracula by Bram Stoker
18. One Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel Garcia Marquez
19. Metamorphosis by Franz Kafka
20. The Jungle Book by Rudyard Kipling
21. The Savage Detectives by Roberto Bolano
22. Jesus' Son by Denis Johnson
23. If on a Winter's Night by Italo Calvino
24. Haunted by Chuck Palahniuk
25.Lolita by Vladimir Nabokov
26. The Notebook by Agota Kristoff
27. Breakfast of CHampions by Kurt Vonnegut
28. One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest by Ken Kesey
29. Les Misérables by Victor Hugo
30. L'étranger by Albert Camus
31. Les Liaisons Dangereuses by Choderlos de Laclos
32. Treasure Island by Robert louis Stevenson
33. Animal Farm by George Orwell
34. The Bostonians by Henry James
35. The Red Badge of Courage by Stephen Crane
36. Little Women by Louisa Alcott
37. Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger
38. To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
39. The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky
40. The Cat on the Hot Tin Roof by Tennessee Williams
41. Looking for Alaska by John Green
42. Someone Like You by Roald Dahl
43. The Fault in Our Stars by John Green
44. Fight Club by Chuck Palahniuk
45. A Streetcar Named Desire by Tennessee Williams
Now, I'm fully aware that even for an avid reader like myself these 45 books plus all the books for my courses might be too much to ask. This list is but a guideline, I shall do my best to get through as many as I can. Some choices may be slightly unconventional but as I'm doing a literature degree, I have studied a fair number of those I would have put on there.

This list was made at the start of summer and as such I can already cross some of these off. I shall update in the coming days with my thoughts on these books.

Right then, now that this is said, my 6:30 Breakfast shift demands I catch some sleep.

Catch ya later alligator!

<3

Hey there!

I'm Abby, I'm very nearly 21 and I live in the good old Granite city aka Aberdeen, Scotland (although the use of good would depend on how the coastal wind is behaving). Anyhow. I am one of those people who believe that it is always nice, upon meeting a new soon to be friend, to start off with what some would call 'interesting facts'. So, 3 facts: 

1. I speak fluent French, et j'en suis fière chers lecteurs!
2. When alone I either vegetate on the sofa or re-enact my favourite Harry Potter scenes (I'm far too cool)
3. My dream job would be to work in Editing and Publishing ... SO MANY BOOKS!

Now, whether these facts are relevant or not to the future content of  this blog is yet to be determined. One fact which is most certainly relevant is that as of 2 weeks ago I have embarked on the final year of my MA in English Literature. A fact which is honestly scary. I'm still not sure where the past 3 years have gone, they are mainly a haze of essays and Oxford World Classics covers. I digress. When I compare what I have actually done since I've been at uni to what I had planned to do by this point, before I started, I can't help but feel disappointed. All the things I had intended to do before I finish next July have somehow been put on hold and the thing is, I don't know why.

I have decided to remedy this. My flatmate and I have made a deal to do most of the things we wanted to do before we graduate. And is what this blog is about, it will charter my last year at uni and,(if all goes to plan) a year full of accomplishments and firsts.

Welcome to my journey and I'd love it if you came along for the ride (I can assure you your loyalty shall be rewarded by embarrassing anecdotes).

I'm off to the 24 hour shop accross the road for Quavers.

Catch ya later alligator!

<3