The Old Man and the Sea

I picked up this little tome at the library and figured that at a measly 105 pages, I would finally have a Hemingway under my belt.  Whilst at home in his shack by the sea, the old man reminded me of an elderly Nepalese gentleman who invited the Mr and I into his home.  He slept upon a hessian cot and relied on meals provided by his neighbours and visitors to buy his wares.  It was like a living museum exhibit.  A kerosene lamp was shining in the corner and the little, old, toothless, Buddhist man sat cross-legged with the greatest smile I have seen in an age!  

The old Cuban fisherman in Hemingway's novella reminds us that we can endure and that thought can prevail over our physical circumstances.  Even when one's survival is threatened:  Hunger and thirst, sleep deprivation, the cold or pain . . .  His resilience is certainly what struck me!

Admittedly, I forged ahead with this one and for many it will be too slow, too reflective and lacking in a substantial ending.  That said, if taken for its time and its style, it is a story that will stay with the reader for life!

Some Good Reads Lists upon which The Old Man and the Sea features:

• Best Books Of The Twentieth Century
• Books That Everyone Should Read At Least Once
• Pulitzer Winners
• 1001 Books To Read Before You Die
• Must Read Classics
• Forced To Read In School But Hated
• Best Survival Stories
• Nautical Novels
• Writers Who Committed Suicide

Next Hemingway . . . A Moveable Feast

Middlesex

I wanted to read this book because it appears on every other 'must read' list and yes . . . First Tuesday Book Club gave it a half decent review.  I had forgotten what the story was about and figured that 'Middlesex' was a place.  AND it does eventually feature in the shape of a family home however Cal Stephanides the narrator is himself of the middle-sex or the third or the other if you prefer.  If somebody gave me this book and said it's a ripper read about the life and times of a hermaphrodite, I wouldn't have devoted the time . . .

Bloody glad I read this book though!  It is easily the best book that I've read in a long while.  It traces the history of three generations of the Stephanides family from Smyrna, Turkey Circa 1920 to Detroit USA around the 60s and 70s and into the current day in Berlin Germany.

Here's a little snippet from Wikipedia . . .

Primarily a Bildungsroman {German for 'coming-of-age' story} and family saga, the novel chronicles the impact of a mutated gene of three generations of a Greek family, causing momentous changes in the protagonist's life.  According to scholars, the novel's main themes are nature versus nurture, rebirth, and the differing experiences of the polar opposites - such as those found between men and women.  It discusses the pursuit of the American Dream and explores gender identity.  The novel contains many allusions to Greek mythology, including creatures such as the Minotaur, half-man and half-bull, and the Chimera, a monster composed of various animal parts.

A truly excellent read!  Give it a go and let me know how you get on . . .

Wadi Hayl UAE

What do you get when the ADNOC ATI boys get a week off in March?

ROAD TRIP

Road to Nowhere - Talking Heads

We hit the road - An Irishman and three Canadians in the Cherokee, two Aussies and a Canadian in the Sportage and an Englishman and an Egyptian in the Prado.  We made our way via the 'Friday Markets' . . .

Followed by Fort Bithinah with the help of some kind locals {wa'Allah} and our faltering attempts at Arabic . . .

Back on the road, with the sun beating down, we made our way to another Fort by Wadi Hayl . . .

After some bumpy navigation and hillside reversals we established camp near Wadi Hayl, Fujairah, one of the seven Emirates of the United Arab Emirates.  There are two camping options in the Emirates - Sand or Rock!  

By day, pretty bloody unattractive!  A quarry, no less . . .

By night, no less than stunning!

Lumberjack Song - Monty Python

One night camping and we are back on the road.  The Prado and Cherokee off to greener, bluer pastures in Fujairah and the Sportage back to the Dhab!

Quick!  Dangir!  There are only so many camel photos one man can take.  The focus is now on the passing parade . . .