July 2010 - Book no 21

Die wonderdade van Staal Burger deur Fanus Rautenbach
So ek mis iets hier - duidelik. Dalk is ek nie nostalgies genoeg oor ou radioverhale nie, maar dis net met totale deursettings vermoë dat ek hierdie boek klaar gelees het. Die skryftrant en taal is irriterend en die stories maar regtig oppervlakkig. Snaaks genoeg - die ander "nie-Staal" verhale in die boek was effens beter.

Lees slegs en alleenlik as jy na ou Springbokradio stories verlang.

Cat se punte: seker maar 5/10 - dit is oom Fanus

July 2010 - Book no 20

The third Angel by Alice Hoffman

Spanning the time frame of 3 lifetimes, this book brings together the stories of a whole cast of characters that one meet as the book progress. In each part of the book, in each time frame you start to make the connections between the different characters. The picture and the whole frame of the story becomes more apparent.

The book connects the loves of two present day sisters, getting together to prepare for the one's wedding, with the life of the groom's mom in the swinging sixties, where she discovers while defying her father that her greatest joy is actually being with him. Years before that the two sister's mother witness a heartbreaking event that changes her life forever. The one factor that binds all of the stories is a dingy hotel in London, that almost acts as a character all of its own.

Cleverly written this books addresses the love between parents and their children and the devastating effect the loss of a loved one has on the lives of those left behind.An excellent and clever read.

Cat's opinion: A clever 9/10

(I also enjoyed her book Here on Earth and the film Practical magic, based on one of her books)

July 2010 - Book no 18

The Monk who sold his Ferrari by Robin S Sharma

I have heard so much about this book that I grabbed the chance to be the first one to read it at the Bookclub. I am really not a keen reader of self-help type books so I should have known that like most other of it's species, this one would also not fascinate me. I read the first two thirds and tried to really concentrate and understand and remember as much as possible. I even re-capped on the handy summaries at the end of each chapter. But it was just not "happening". Maybe at the time I was simply too tired. The last third I speed-read through.

The message is simple - return to yourself and to true and honest non monetary values and you will get rich, be thin and healthy and eternally happy and perfect. Ok, maybe I am being a bit cynical. Recommended for self help junkies and semi-Buddhist  health nuts only.

Cat's score on this one; 4/10- but maybe it's just me.

July 2010 : Book no17

Salmon Fishing in the Yemen by Paul Torday
It's a rare achievement to tell a complete story in such an intriguing way merely by letters, emails, reports and other forms of correspondence.

For Alfred and Harriet an extraordinary project brings sparkle into their very dreary and ordinary lives. In the process of falling in love via actually "falling in love" with the charming Sheik Mohamed and his dreams and ideals , an international incident is triggered.

I thoroughly enjoyed this charming story of lost love on several levels. A really good read.

Cat's rating: a well deserved 8/10