The Alphabet in Books - B

I've decided to make this an Advent Calendar! I hope I've read enough books!

What is your B in your alphabet in books? Join in in the comments or on twitter.

B is for Birds Without Wings

This is my review first posted in July Reviews - Revisiting Turkey

Birds Without Wings
Louis De BernieresPenguin 4/7/155/5Birthday haul

After the first time I read this book, I'm sure that I thought I didn't need to read it again. I was a little young to appreciate how great it is. I think as a younger reader I tried to rush through much of the story because I wasn't able to wrap my brain around the full picture of this narrative from different times and different view points.

Again another book based in Turkey, there was a nostalgia that I had reading this book for the village life. I love the picture that's painted because it feels so accurate. As my family might be leaving Turkey in the next 5 years, the situation is making me very appreciative of the life that I have lived there. I would love to read more books set in and about Turkey and Istanbul because it keeps me in touch with the place I grew up.

It's a gorgeously written book and had a big impact on me this time around.

The Alphabet in Books - A

I saw this on another blog and thought it was a nice feature idea. It's a way to showcase the books you've read. Feel free to join in on twitter with YOUR alphabet in books, or in the comments.

For me:
A is for American Psycho

This is my review, first posted in May Reads

American Psycho. 
Bret Easton Ellis
Picador 03/12/10 Paper Back
8/10

When Ed Wilson at Johnson & Alcock  found out that I had read very little American fiction he threatened to fire me if I didn't read American Psycho as soon as possible. As you can imagine I quickly downloaded the audiobook, borrowed the text from a friend, and watched the movie.
I absolutely loved this spine tingling book. The audiobook kept me engrossed but my download was an abridged version so I was glad to read the full text. I would actually recommend this to read as an audiobook because some of the chapters are very dense, I found that particularly the chapters on music were hard going for me. I understand the intention behind it, but just in terms of reading pleasure those chapters went way down. The audiobook and movie made these sections a lot more bearable. It was pointed out to me that maybe all that dense material was just in an effort to build up the shock factor of horror. I agree, I think it definitely helps.  The main thing to take away from American Psycho is the social commentary on 80’s yuppie New York.  This book disagrees with the idea that people might be able to normalise a serial killer.  On the one hand he has some very strong feelings about Social activism and anti-Semitism; there is outwardly, “something sweet” about him. And on the other, we are introduced to the horrific and dead pan descriptions of his psychopathic blood lusts.
I'm still talking about it and am very glad to have been baptized with fire in American Fiction. Next, Great Gatsby, before my best friend finds out I haven't read it.