Content Catnip

Tea for Peace in Shibuya farmers market

On November 1st 2023, PB and I went to Tea for Peace in Shibuya.

At UNU towards the back of the weekly farmer’s market, was a showcase of dozens of passionate tea makers from across Japan, China, Taiwan and Korea. Each tea producer was friendly and eager to tell the story of their teas and share a cup with you.

Black, red, brown, yellow and green teas of various aromatic scents and delicate tastes were all on display.

You could purchase a small tasting cup for ¥1,200 or the larger gaiwan (a Taiwanese teacup with lid for ¥2,500). This meant you could go around for hours trying out different varieties and hearing the stories of tea experts. There was some tatami mats in the centre of the market where you could relax and enjoy your tea.

I don’t really know much about tea at all, although I am a passionate lover of tea and cherish the ritual of catching up with friends and family over tea.

The ritual of making and enjoying tea is good for cleansing away worries and sorrows. The enlivening and invigorating experience of drinking tea tends to create joy and excitement in conversations.

During times of trouble, tea can be like a salve on a wound, comforting people when there is a burden and hurt that needs to be shared.

Our opportunity to be in Tokyo and sample many teas from all over Asia was incredibly exciting for me and PB.

He is also a long-term lover of strong sencha, matcha and other varieties. He finds it very good for long periods of intense concentration at the computer.

These market sellers were very excited to discuss the various flowers and herbs and the process of production with us.

In the end we got a very mild sencha (strong green teas give me a migraine, not sure why).

Along with the mild sencha, we got a very Japanese tea made from Hinoki, a native Japanese tree of the Cypress family that is known for its beautiful aroma.

At this farmer’s market was bric-a-brac from all over the world, including Slavic children’s books album covers and old ads from NME magazine of David Bowie, the Who, Rolling Stones, Oasis etc.

After this, we braved the iconic Shibuya scramble crossing. This is when we discovered that it was also Hachiko the famous Akita inu’s 100th birthday, which I have also written about.

On our holiday, I spent several days seeking out teaware that was the “real deal” hand-made and beautiful tea pots and cups that I would be able to use every single day and enjoy for the rest of my life.

There are a lot of mass produced mugs and teaware that you can get, but I wanted something more special and unique that really speaks to my heart.

Eventually, two days before leaving I found them. A gigantic coffee cup in a deep blue glaze with silver triangles jutting out of the blue beyond.

To me this appears like Mt Fuji along with the surrounding mountain ranges in Hakone, peaking out of wintery mist in the early morning. It gives me a shiver and a touch of the sublime each time I look at it and hold it. I got a matching tea pot and smaller mug in the same series and all are little treasures in which to enjoy my tea ceremony even more.

I found a relatively inexpensive sake set which looks like a pink sunrise or sunset in another shop and a deep blue sake bottle with thumb indents for comfortable pouring as well.

I can’t say why I love handmade pottery so much, but the show ‘The Great Pottery Throwdown’ might have something to do with it…their passion for the pottery is infectious. My plan for retirement (if I ever do retire it would be a good 30 years from now) is to get a kiln and start making and selling unique artisan pottery.

Anyway here below is my handmade pottery haul from Japan. I use these every day and don’t think I will ever get tired of them. Do you own things that you use everyday and love them all the more for it?

Jumbo 2023 Christmas Edition of Cool and Kooky Things I Found On the Internet

2023 has been a strange year with a lot of unexpected events in our world. I hope that wherever you are that these oddball and quirky Yuletide tidbits give you a giggle, a jolt and some pause for thought while you enjoy your Christmas celebrations. I hope you get some much needed rest. Right now, some big warm hugs are being sent on digital data packets (or presents) from my heart to yours. Much love, your friend, CC.

The simple pleasure of Christmas through the eyes of a child

Yesterday I was on the train returning home from Kingston upon Thames. Most people were carrying large shopping bags and looking pretty exhausted and fed up…..and then quite spontaneously three little children began to sing Christmas carols….and everyone smiled and began to talk to one another. Everyone’s mood changed…………

It would seem that for the most part we humans insist on making life complicated and in doing so forget the pure joy of simple pleasures.
Janet Weight Reid

Santa invoking the dancing imps of hell

One of my favorite Christmas traditions: Santa invoking the Dancing Imps of Hell. pic.twitter.com/4nz47GwKe3
— Undine (@HorribleSanity) December 23, 2020

The Icelandic Yulecat

Anyone for a blood-thirsty gigantic floof to come traipsing into your home?

Yuletide technicolour yawns via Adam Sharp

Aside from being Yule and the birth of baby Jesus, Christmas Day is also the day to exchange gifts, drink and then vomit somewhere discreetly. Here are some funny euphemisms used throughout the globe:

Talking to God on the big white telephone (Ireland)
Go through the drink list backwards (Ireland)
Review the menu (Ireland)
Make room for dessert (Ireland)
Feed the fish (when at sea) (England)
Do a 3D burp (Ireland)
Open the technicolour fire hydrant (England)
Yell at your shoes (Ireland)
Lay the fox (France)
Throw a pie (Czech Republic)
Shout for Gregory (Portugal)
Call for the moose (Norway)
Speak Norwegian (Finland)
Cast out the squid (Spanish)
Flay the goat (Wales)
To feed the dog (french)
Fare i gattini (make kittens) – Tuscany
To give it to the ducks. (“A da la rațe”). Romania
Park the Tiger (Australian)
Technicoloured yawn (Australian)
Blowing chunks (Australian)
Park a custard (Australian)
Liquid laugh (Australian)
Calling up Ruth (Australian)

Euphemisms for vomit: yuletide technicolour yawns — **Via Adam Sharp on Twitter**

Some cute vintage Christmas cheer from yesteryear

A language map of Christmas 🎄

Via Twitter

Summer Solstice on the Māori calendar

On the Māori calendar each year during the month of December, the Southern Hemisphere bares witness to the summer solstice.

Atea a Rangi Star Compass by Content Catnip 2014

Piripi Smith or Ngāti Kahungunu and Ngāti Raukawa says, “This is the time when the Antares star rises, the summer star. It’s also when the Sun unites with the Goddess of the Summer.”

“For the Napier locals, an opportunity to see for the first time how their new celestial star compass connects them to a calendar used by Māori.”

Matiu Nohokau Eru of Ngāti Kahungunu and Tūhoe says “We’re here today, to acknowledge the uniting of Anatares and Hineraumati. There’s a rock over there, the summer solstice rock and it marks the place where the Antares star and the sun will rise.”

Cat versus Krampus

Feline 1, Krampus Nil.

A history of Yule and Christmas from the Neolithic to today

The origins of Christmas stretch back thousands of years to prehistoric celebrations around the midwinter solstice. And many of the traditions we cherish today have been shaped by centuries of changing beliefs, politics, technology, taste and commerce.

Visit English Heritage to discover the history of Christmas through the ages, starting around 5,000 years ago in the Neolithic. Of course the sacrifice of animals is always ignored and this upsets me a lot.

Via English Heritage

Yuleshard. n. a person ill-prepared for Christmas #OldWeirdScotland

Being tipped upsidedown is just par for the course when you’re a polar bear wrangler.

Could there be anything more reminiscent of Christmas than this image?

Reindeer relaxing in the snow under the Northern Lights – you’re welcome.

How to make a Christmas gin punch by English Heritage

As if you needed any other reason to have some gin on Christmas Day!

Paris at Christmas time in 1962

This is one of those slice-of-life photos that really capture a mood and a long-lost era, the fairy lights ooze nostalgia.

The Paris Metro After Dusk — Paris at Christmas time in 1962

Christmas music from the Middle Ages

Luminous Edinburgh Christmas market in 2012

My personal memory of an extremely cold Christmas spent in Edinburgh (a novelty for me as I am used to summer Christmases)

Luminous Edinburgh during Christmas time lit the way for work-weary me

When your Christmas lunch turns on you…

Yule was traditionally (in ancient times) a strange and wild part of the year where master and servant relationships were turned upsidedown and so this man is being skewered by his turkeys. Considering what is done to millions of these birds each year I’d say this is fair enough!

Originally tweeted by Undine (@HorribleSanity) on 06/12/2020.

Wholesome holiday scrabble with basset hounds

Originally tweeted by Doc Kevin Lee Elder (@DocKevinElder) on 15/12/2020.

A woman, proud as punch of her shark eating a gingerbread man

If you come from the antipodes this version of Christmas makes perfect sense.

Christmas in Russia

Yes it’s minus 40 but this otherwordly decor would make you forget all about that

What do you think? Hope you enjoyed devouring these juicy morsels and that wherever you are and whoever you’re with you’re having a good Christmas

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Short Story: Awhiina finds her orb

In the heart of the Pacific, there lies an island so remote it is whispered about like a myth. This island, cloaked in lush greenery and bordered by the endless blue, is home to Awhiina, a woman of quiet strength and profound connection to the natural world around her.

Awhiina lived in a small village, where life was woven with the rhythms of nature. Her name, meaning ‘help’ in her native tongue, was a testament to her nature. She was a healer, a keeper of ancient wisdom passed down through generations, and her people looked to her for guidance.

The eve of midsummer was always special on the island. It was a time when the veil between the physical and spiritual worlds was believed to be at its thinnest, a time for rituals and celebrations. That year, the eve brought with it a sense of unease. The ocean whispered of change, and the wind carried messages Awhina struggled to decipher.

As dusk approached, Awhina ventured into the heart of the island. The dense forest opened up to a clearing where an ancient tree stood, its roots deep and branches high, touching the sky. Beneath this tree, it was said, one could hear the heartbeat of the island.

Sitting under the tree, Awhiina closed her eyes, letting the sounds of the forest wash over her. That’s when she felt it – a gentle pulsation in the ground, like a heartbeat. Guided by this rhythm, she dug into the earth with her hands.

There, nestled in the roots of the tree, was an orb. It glowed with an inner light, pulsing in harmony with Awhina’s heartbeat. The orb was warm to the touch, and as she held it, visions flooded her mind – visions of her ancestors, of the island through the ages, and a glimpse of what was to come.

The orb, she realised, was a manifestation of her soul, a physical representation of the connection she shared with the island. It was a gift, a responsibility, and a reminder of her role as a guardian of her people and their traditions.

With the orb, Awhiina felt a newfound clarity. She returned to her village, the orb cradled in her hands. The villagers gathered, sensing something momentous. Awhiina held the orb high, and it shone with a brilliant light, casting a warm glow over the faces of her people.

From that day forth, Awhiina was more than a healer; she was a beacon, a guiding light for others passing on the trade winds through the islands. The orb never dimmed. It was a constant reminder of the strength and wisdom that lay within her, and was also channeled through her and within the heart of the island that was her home.

And on each eve of midsummer, the village would gather, basking in the glow of the orb, celebrating the eternal bond between them, their land, and the spirit that connected them all.

Embrace the fire of your inner depths this midsummer.

Short Story: Bunjil’s Blessing on Summer Solstice Eve

Bunjil the guardian spirit of Indigenous Australian folklore who takes the form of a wedge-tailed eagle

On the eve of the Summer Solstice, as the sun dipped low over the horizon, casting a golden hue across the sands, the beach was alive with anticipation. Families, friends, and solitary wanderers alike had gathered, drawn by the promise of the longest day, and the magic that it held.

Among them was a young boy named Koa, with eyes as bright as the sea and a heart full of wonder. He had heard the stories of Bunjil, the great creator and guardian, and how on this very night, Bunjil would soar the skies, bestowing blessings upon the land and its people.

As the sun set, the beachgoers lit small fires, the flames flickering like dancing spirits against the evening sky. They shared stories and songs, the air filled with laughter and the melodious hum of didgeridoos. Koa, sitting beside his grandmother, listened intently as she spoke of Bunjil.

“Bunjil, with his mighty wings, watches over us,” she said, her voice a gentle whisper. “He brings balance to the earth and harmony to our hearts. On this night, he flies closest to our world, and if you listen with your heart, you might hear his wings in the wind.”

As the sky darkened, a hush fell over the beach. Koa gazed up, his eyes wide with awe, and there, silhouetted against the moonlit sky, was the majestic figure of Bunjil, his wings outstretched, gliding gracefully above.

With each beat of his powerful wings, a gentle breeze swept across the beach, whispering through the trees and caressing the faces of those below. The air seemed to shimmer with energy, a tangible sense of peace and wellbeing settling over everyone.

Koa felt a warmth spread through him, a feeling of deep connection to the world around him, to the sand beneath his feet, the ocean before him, and the sky above. He knew in that moment that Bunjil’s blessing was not just a gift of prosperity or good fortune, but a reminder of the unity of all things, the sacred dance of life that connected every creature, every element.

As Bunjil disappeared into the night, the people on the beach remained, their hearts full of gratitude and joy. They continued their celebrations, their voices carrying songs of thanks and reverence for the guardian who had graced their solstice eve.

Koa, looking up at the stars, felt a profound sense of belonging. He knew the stories of Bunjil would live on, passed down through generations, a symbol of hope, balance, and the eternal cycle of life.

And so, as the longest day gave way to the shortest night, the people on the beach carried with them the blessing of Bunjil – a blessing of harmony, connection, and the unending wonder of the universe.

Who is Bunjil and why is he important to remember?

Bunjil, revered in Australian Aboriginal mythology, particularly among the Kulin nation, is a powerful creator deity often depicted as a majestic wedge-tailed eagle. As the guardian of the land, Bunjil’s strength lies in his ability to craft and shape the natural world, a testament to his creative prowess and deep connection to the earth. He is celebrated for his wisdom and justice, qualities that have made him a central figure in cultural lore and practices. Bunjil’s profound influence extends beyond creation, embodying the spiritual guidance and protection he offers to the people, the animals, and the land, making him a symbol of unity and harmony in the face of life’s myriad challenges. His depiction as a mighty eagle soaring the skies reflects his overarching presence and the respect he commands as a custodian of the natural world and its inhabitants.

What have you got planned for this evening? Wherever you are in the world, whether you’re celebrating Winter Solstice or Litha, I hope you make the most of this magical and mystical time.

My summer reading 📚 list for #Litha

It is approaching Litha or Midsummer in my part of the world. I’ve worked like a speed demon for the entire year and to be honest I feel absolutely exhausted. I just want to luxuriate and wallow like a blob in tantalising worlds of imagination.

What is better and more full of promise in life than a tsundoku pile? Or as the author Nasim Nicholas Taleb calls it…the ‘anti-library’.

I bought some of these on a recent trip to Japan and others I found in charity shops. I have some icecream close-by, and I can’t wait to rest my weary bones for a while in these worlds of words.

What are you planning on reading over the Christmas holidays folks? I hope it’s really good and I hope you are excited to read them 💗 😊

Summer Travel: Mushroom Reef Sanctuary, Flinders, Mornington Peninsula

Summer in Melbourne Part 1: Mushroom Reef Sanctuary, Flinders.

It may be fairly freezing where you are, but in the underside of the world right now it is boiling hot and it’s a good time for some travel exploration.

The Mushroom Reef Sanctuary is home to a gigantic mushroom shaped basalt reef near Flinders in Westernport Bay. Located 86 km from central Melbourne, it’s a fantastic day trip for beach-combing, sunbathing, snorkelling or bushwalking. As an added bonus it’s hidden away from the hoards that gather on popular beaches on the opposite side of the Mornington Peninsula in Port Phillip Bay.

#Travel #Australia: Mushroom #Reef Sanctuary is home to a gigantic mushroom shaped basalt reef near Flinders in Westernport Bay, 86 km from central Melbourne, it’s a fantastic day trip for sunbathing, snorkelling or #bushwalking.
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What follows is a nature-lovers digest of the wonders of the Mushroom Reef Sanctuary. Along with photos taken on a recent day out there.

The vista from atop the cliffs is sublimely colourful with an array of textures and sparse, windswept spaces. Below the waterline there is a boldly hued collection of coloured reefs and substrates. These are covered by kelp forests, sessile invertebrates and seagrass meadows.

There is a dramatic looking basalt causeway that acts as a bridge between the intertidal region and a soft sandy beach.

Fascinating Geology

These striations in the rocks are actually ancient basalt platforms and subtidal reefs. They are formed from solidified lava during the Eocene epoch of the Tertiary period, around 42 to 47 million years ago.

These basalt platforms can reach an impressive thickness of 600 metres at Flinders beach, and are hardened and petrified lava flows, that are also found along the coast of the southern Mornington Peninsula, Phillip Island and French Island.

Secrets of the Mornington Peninsula: : Mushroom Reef Sanctuary, Flinders.

The cliffs here are particularly curious in their formation and how they appear today.

During the Eocene era, the cliffs at West Head show that volcanic lava flowed during periods and hardened to form dark basalt. This is interrupted by a period of no lava flow, when there is plenty of plant fossils found in the strata. This is signified by the thin red layers you can see here.

The limestone that is visible in the cliffs was laid down over the weathered basalt during the Pleistocene epoch.

Each of the basalt platforms in the mushroom reef form an interesting hexagonal shape. This pattern is formed by the cooling of the lava and the shaping of the ocean waves over millions of years. Eventually hexagonal columns turn into rounded columns and boulders that are found on the Mornington Peninsula.

At the outermost part of the basalt platforms, the force of constant ocean waves has produced perfectly rounded rockpools, with grinding rocks constantly stirring the pool in a circular motion at high tide.

The ocean here can get fierce, depending on the weather, with turmultuous waves breaking on the reefs adding to the drama of the place.

Beneath the shoreline there are wavering, undulating kelp and invertebrates. Within this aquatic wilderness, scientists and naturalists have identified many animal species they have never seen before.

Atop the cliff faces roost a whole host of migratory birds and threatened bird species. They sometimes come onto the sand to forage for a quick meal.

Before the invasion, the Boonwurrung clan lived here as hunter gatherers for approximately 30,000 years. Evidence of their use of the area is found in middens in the sanctuary. The intertidal reefs in this area would have given them ample fish and crustaceans to eat.

A Diverse and Thriving Selection of Microhabitats

Subtidal reefs support diverse kelps, along with brown, green and red algae (the brown algae Neptune’s Necklace and the green algae Caulerpa brownii.)
At the sandy bottom of the reef there is plenty of room for Amphibolis seagrass.
Many species of sedentary and migratory fish
Fascinating invertebrates like gorgonian fans, seastars, anemones, ascidians, barnacles
and soft corals.
Crab, gastropod (Blue Periwinkle, Ribbed Top Shell and Striped Mouth
Conniwink) and seastar species that crowd around the basalt causeway.
Endangered migratory birds nest in the cliffs nearby.
The wonderful Black-and-white Sea Star (Smilasterias multipara) is found only on basalt reefs in Victoria and Tasmania and lives in the sanctuary.

Read more!

DEPI: Marine Sanctuaries

Mushroom Reef Marine Sanctuary

Eocene Epoch

Parks Victoria

10 Interesting Things I Found on the Internet #116

Jee Young Lee's mindblowing studio surrealism

Edition #116 of Interesting Things I Found on the Internet features shortform #poetry, ancient #Egyptian secrets, mind-boggling surrealism, immersive #trance and much more! So join me, love #ContentCatnip
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Words of wisdom on ‘being’ rather than doing from Seline Sigil

Via Twitter

Renaissance memes for football fiends

Slouching towards enlightenment. So much going on here… the dude in the chokehold with the policewoman, the man elegantly standing up his beer on the cold pavement and exposing his fat underbelly, the woman in stilettos saying “why, why why”. A compelling art piece hehehe.

Jee Young Lee’s mindblowing studio surrealism

Korean artist Jee Young Lee transforms her studio space into wonderous, exquisite alternate worlds. Her Seoul studio is a mere 3 x 6 meters—basically a sardine can for creativity. She fills every nook and cranny with props that make you question your own imagination. Lee herself stands amid her imaginative milieu not to show her face, but to reveal her soul’s deepest journey.

Roy De Maistre 1894-1968 (Australian) Colour Music Artist Composition in Yellow Green Minor

The colours and textures transport me into a beautiful world here! Via Twitter

Townscaper – a fun way to de-stress by making a virtual city in your browser

Give it a try! It takes a little while to load but it’s worth it I think

“Let your soul stand cool and composed before a million universes.” —-Walt Whitman

A delicious vegan spaghetti bolognese full of umami flavours

George Dunnett reviews his cat a year after getting him

George creates heart-warming, amusing and authentic content on Youtube about his life. He became well-known after a video of his tiny home (which he renovated himself) went viral. I love the courageous way he invites people into his home and his life, he is not afraid to show his vulnerability, I think a lot of people benefit from his radical honesty, there isn’t enough of this on YT. Also…his cat is gorgeous!

The Wheel of the Year – in teapots!

I love this idea…after all a teapot is a symbol of all that comes from air (steam), earth (leaves), water and fire…a modern day cauldron for girls who keep their witching to their daily rituals.

Salvador Dalí – Femmes aux Papillons (1953)

Dalí’s whimsical jaunt into the depths of the Surrealist imagination! In the center of the desert landscape stands a female figure—likely Gala, Dalí’s muse and wife. Around her, butterflies dance like ephemeral daydreams, symbolising transformation or perhaps a cheeky nod to life’s fleeting beauty.

Renaissance: The Masters by Hernán Cattáneo

This channel Volner is really unmissable if you love progressive trance from the late 90’s – early 00’s, arguably the most compelling, layered and hypnotic phase of electronic music. I guarantee you will listen to this one over and over. Let me know what you think!

Empathy and Understanding – Creator Writings

A beautiful find this blog with insightful, uplifting and wise short writing pieces, by Jennifer Farley.

My dearest one; it is very important to remember that you were not placed on your Earth-plane to judge others. As this newest shift begins, your reactions to others and theirs to you may not always be what you expect. This is where your empathy and understanding come into play. You may only be seeing a small fraction of their existence. Rather than judging, be open-minded. There will be many odd things occurring in the coming months that will surprise you. It is best to get your acceptance practice in now, you will need it!
Creator

An elegant small apartment with optimised space in Amsterdam

I love small and cosy spaces in vibrant cities. I love how this couple has optimised every metre of space and made it feel warm and spacious yet elegant and timeless.

Legendary Japanese Miniaturist Hanabira is back with a cosy, delightfully cramped studio tucked inside of an old computer

See full video of the make on Youtube

Umarells: Italy’s elder spectators with a lifetime of opinions

The ubiquitous “umarell” is a delightful Italian cultural phenomenon! Picture this: an elderly gentleman, armed with hands clasped behind his back and equipped with a lifetime of opinions. Dressed in his best casual attire, he’s not just any grandpa; he’s an unofficial overseer of construction sites, civic works, or any place where something is being fixed or built. Think of him as the self-appointed guardian of Italian workmanship, a living, breathing Google review in real-time.

Whether workers are laying bricks or fixing a pothole, he’s there—scrutinising every move, offering unsolicited wisdom, and generally acting like the world would crumble without his supervision. Via Wikipedia

Umarells: Italy's elder spectators with a lifetime of opinions — Umarells: Italy’s elder spectators with a lifetime of opinions

Did you enjoy this collection? let me know what you think of it below. Thank you for reading my dear friends!

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The naive trap we all stumble into

I’ve fallen into that delightful and gradual fantasy yet again.

You would also know this one, it’s comfy, cosy and always clings to your body like a well-worn jumper, there’s some holes from moths and some dust from yesteryear on it. Nobody would say it’s fashionable, but I cling to it as a child clings to a teddy bear.

Yes, the idea that “Other humans living around me in my neighborhood are harmless, kind and honest.”

A test of that hypothesis happened last night when, for the first time ever, I left my bike unlocked on my doorstep.

Boldly, some upstanding member of the community made the bike vanish. Not that it was expensive. You know – material things come and go, you can’t take them to the grave, Buddhist non-attachment.. all of that.

What hurt was the violation of my beliefs about human nature. The stubbornly hopeful candle that I hold up to the chaotic world in order to function within in it.

Could it be that we are all good really, we are just beset by bad circumstances and pushed into things out of desperation, economic, social, historical and political? Is that how it is….or is there disclaimers to it, times when doing shitty things is acceptable?

Or could it be that some people are born bad and evil and are destined only to do bad things on this earth?

The judge and jury is the media, mediated by various religions and other institutions of course all of us prefer a clear narrative arc with the goodies and the baddies because then it makes it easier to be indignant and angry at someone from outside, the dreaded “over there”.

Anyway it becomes easier to “other” people who steal and cause chaos in this world, it’s just how we cope. It doesn’t seem nice or compassionate though. Also fully aware of how minor an infarction it is compared to something else, some other crime. Yet it makes you realise how we gradually can lose touch with reality if we allow ourselves. I am the type to generously meet people though with all of my optimism and thoughts that they are good not meeting anyone with suspicion.

I don’t know the answer to all this, have you ever thought about these kinds of things?

Book Review: The Porpoise by Mark Haddon

Rating: 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

Genre: Fiction, Adventure, Thriller, Historical Fiction

Publisher: Vintage

Review in one word: Exhilarating

* Contains no spoilers

I am full of awe and deep respect for this fictional work. It’s incredibly well put together and I can’t fault it at all actually. I am really surprised that it hasn’t won a massive slew of literary prizes because it really deserves to. If you are looking for an unexpected, fun, absorbing and yet edge-of-your-seat historical fiction read then this is it!

In case you were wondering, there is no literal porpoise animal in the book. Instead The Porpoise is a seriously majestic ship sailing from England across oceans and aeons of time and carrying time-shifting people, memories and interwoven stories on its undulating sails.

The Porpoise is beautiful – polished oak, polished brass, everything singing with little bursts of sunlight. There is a ship’s wheel with protruding handles at which you could stand and be Barbarossa or Vasco da Gama, there are cream canvas sails which belly and ripple and slap, there are portholes and winches, there are proper ropes of twisted sisal.

There are so many layers to this novel that it’s hard to even assign it a definite genre or mood. There are lightning quick gear changes from one era to another and one mood to another. Yet the cohesive whole of the novel never feels confusing, forced or contrived.

Instead the entire book feels like one fluid and flowing story effortlessly weaving between worlds and characters. This is surely a sign of Haddon’s immense skill. He is the author of the A Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time (which many readers will be familiar with for its remarkable and vivid depiction of a youth with Asperger’s attempting to unravel a mystery)

The Porpoise is a real departure from this previous subject matter. You can read my review Red House on this blog, which I loved as well.

This novel is ambitious in scope and literally pushes the boat out and attempts to weave in elements of historical fiction, thriller, crime novel, mind-bending and time melting magic realism, coming-of-age tale, family saga, Greek tragedy, feminist tale of resistance.

There are beautifully rendered observations like the below:

“He does not understand yet that sometimes the monster is other people, sometimes the monster squats unseen inside one’s own heart, and sometimes the monster is the brute fact of time itself.”

“Perhaps this is what all prayer is, when the ceremony and the theology are peeled away, a serious stillness in which one talks quietly to one’s own best self.”

The overall novel is informed by legendary ancient fables remixed and retold for a post-millennial generation with a short attention span. This is a captivating novel with strokes of literary genius, painterly big skies, endless seas and characters that loom larger than life and time itself.

I can’t write in detail about the story itself without giving away its core premise. What I will say is that this novel is completely devoid of cliche, as so many other historical novels fall into and it’s well worth your time.

Mark Haddon is an immensely skilled and exciting writer and I loved this book on so many levels and for so many reasons.

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Book Review – Kafka on the Shore by Haruki Murakami

* Contains no plot spoilers

This has to be my favourite Murakami novel so far. Although I’m not even half way through his oeuvre. The plot is a compelling and slow unravelling of two separate strands.

A mind-bending and time-melting story by the master of surreal storytelling Haruki Murakami. The first strand is the 15 year old Kafka Tamura, a teen runaway who takes refuge in a remote town. The second strand begins with mysterious celestial phenomena in the Shikoku mountains, possibly involving a UFO and a group of kids losing consciousness. It all seems very random and unconnected but I’ll stop you right there…it’s all woven together with the most sublime genius by the master of storytelling, Murakami.

You can find here all of the markers of a great Murakami novel. He seems to have a penchant for the same kinds of settings, themes and characters which repeat themselves in his books. David Lynch inspired creepy forests, lots of underage teen sex, throw-backs to World War II and over-the-top violence, UFO conspiracies. All of his characters also seem to know inordinately more about jazz, whisky and chamber music than the average person. There’s a perilous venture into the verdant and threatening underworld of the subconscious. There’s cats, lots of them, and music, glorious music. So have your YouTube (or whatever you use) open while reading. It’s never for one second portrayed in a way that’s tiresome or repetitive though. So strap yourself in for a wild ride.