It’s been some time since I wrote the Bring Back the Books blog post where I set out to read 12 books in just as many months. Here’s a very quick update on some of the books I’ve read so far.
Nerd Do Well by Simon Pegg
After being fan of Simon Pegg’s work since his early days of writing and starring in the cult sitcom Spaced, I’ve followed his career with interest as he’s progressed to star in movies such as Shaun of the Dead, Hot Fuzz, Mission Impossible 3 and the latest incarnation of Star Trek among others. As Pegg scaled the heights of Hollywood fame I’ve always had a feeling of pride in seeing a British actor, writer and comedian plying his trade and succeeding: in a ‘that’s my boy’ kind of way.
I was really looking forward to getting stuck into his book and overall it is a good read. There’s plenty of information on Pegg’s younger years along with funny anecdotes to raise a laugh or two. Unfortunately there is very little coverage of the work and experiences from his latest films and outings which left me a little unsatisfied. This will no doubt come in a follow up book in the near future as tends to be the case with celebrity book deals nowadays.
…Pegg separates the fact based chapters of his life with a fictional story where he lives the life of a super hero…
To compensate for this lack of recent content Pegg separates the fact based chapters of his life with a fictional story where he lives the life of a super hero. The little snippets of action that include Canterbury (his robotic butler sidekick) and their quest to recover The Star of Nefertiti are a welcome addition and made the experience of reading an autobiography more enjoyable. Overall a well written and enjoyable book that, if it had more content, wouldn’t have left me with a small feeling of disappointment.
The Road by Cormac McCarthy
Not one of the books on my original list, a friend at work suggested Cormac McCarthy’s book The Road as a good read. I’d heard of the film by the same name but wasn’t aware it was based on a novel. The story takes place after an unknown apocalyptic event and focuses on the relationship of a father and his son in their fight for survival. Heading southwards through Northern America they hope to find warmer temperatures, food, shelter and anything else that might constitute some return to normality.
The book is really bleak with the format differing from a normal novel that, at first, meant I struggled with the prose. With no chapters in the book, the paragraphs are as relentless as the tortured journey of father and son. Dialogue is at a minimum with McCarthy describing over and over again the extreme weather, the desperation of the situation and the danger that lurks at every turn in the road.
With no chapters in the book, the paragraphs are as relentless as the tortured journey of father and son.
Overall the book was a thoroughly enjoyable read and, not only is it a powerful story about a man’s strength and perseverance to carry-on against the odds, but it’s also a tale about the bond and relationship between a loving father and his devoted son.
If you do read this book don’t be put off by the bleakness of the narrative as I was at the start. As with watching a horror film or reading a sad story, sometimes we find it good to scare ourselves: to play with fear – if only to appreciate the lives we currently live and how grateful we should be for what we have.
