Ruby Wax’s latest book is called How To Be Human – The Manual. It’s insightful, funny, warm and engaging. A pleasure to read. It’s like somebody is pouring wisdom into your head while you’re having a chat with them.
Each chapter covers a topic and is wittily written by Wax. For each chapter Wax has consulted with Ash Ranpura, a Neuroscientist and Gelong Thubten, a Buddhist Monk.
At the end of each chapter are fascinating transcripts of these discussions. Interspersed throughout How To Be Human Wax shares some of her own mental illness story.
So what exactly does Wax cover in How To Be Human? Pretty much everything. Here is each chapter title:
In an unnamed country, Roxanne Coss a lyric soprano is performing for Mr Hosokawa’s birthday. Mr Hosokawa is a CEO of a large company.
The leaders of the unnamed country hired Roxanne, Mr Hosokawa’s favourite opera singer to sing at his birthday, to lure him to their country like a worm on a fishing hook.
They hope to convince Mr Hosokawa to make much needed investment into their country.
The birthday party is being hosted at the Vice President’s house (a mansion). Many VIPs are present, both from the unnamed country and from across the world.
But the President of the unnamed country gives his apologies, the party is on the night of his favourite soap opera and he simply can’t miss it. This decision to stay home, probably saves his life.
Roxanne sings her last note. The room is stormed by rebels. The rebels were really after taking the President captive for their own political reasons and causes. The rebels are mostly teenagers apart from the older Generals, but all are armed and have been well trained.
The VIPs are in shock. The authorities soon realise what has happened. Then starts a long siege. The rebels make demands daily, the authorities provide food, etc. Author Ann Patchett described her discovery and love of opera while writing the book. This is clearly evident throughout and at times distracted from the storyline.
The plot was reasonable but was limited by the situation. Not a lot happened as the authorities and rebels were in a state of deadlock for most of the book. The ending was believable and a little sad. But the epilogue was extremely disappointing as it was so unbelievable and against what the characters would actually do.
The were a whole host of characters, but Patchett rightly focused on a few key characters. The characters were a pleasure to get to know, drove and sustained the readers interest.
The description clear, concise and flowed freely. Patchett’s writers voice and style was engaging and superb – as with all of her books.
The Christmasaurus is a children’s book that combines two of my favourite things: dinosaurs and Christmas.
In this review, I am reviewing The Musical Edition which includes the fully illustrated (illustrations by Shane Devries) hardback book and The Soundtrack that Fletcher wrote and recorded to accompany the story.
Singers on the soundtrack include: Fletcher, his wife, his sister and even Santa! What’s great about the CD is that the book prompts you when to play each track.
The unique combination of written story and music, really does add to the experience.
You’ll also enjoy playing the CD on its own. Here’s the track list:
It Must Be Christmas Time
2. Dig, Diggedy Dig (The Digging Song)
3. The Christmasaurus
4. Thin Ice
5. Someone More Than Me
6. The Nice List
7. I’ve Been a Good Girl
8. I Believe It Could
9. I Ho, Ho, Hope It’s Santa
10. I Love Creatures
11. Christmas Makes Me Sick
12. Afraid of Heights (my absolute favourite song on the soundtrack!)
13. Don’t Know What It Is
14. If You Believe
Now, back to the book. The characters include: William Trundle (the main character who is wheelchair enabled), Bob Trundle (William’s dad), Santa, Lots of Elves (who speak always in rhyme), Brenda Payne (I nicknamed her Brenda The Bully at the beginning of the book), Brenda’s mum, Hunter and his dog Growler, Stuffy (a toy made by Santa) and of course the one of a kind Christmasaurus.
The plot is imaginative, brilliantly described and magical. It’s a bit predictable for an adult, but young children will be captivated and plead/beg/demand another chapter is read after the last. The illustrations are superb, detailed and provide support to children’s imaginations.
The Christmasaurus is the ideal bedtime story for young children in the run up to Christmas. It is available to buy on Amazon and at all good book shops.
In Monster it has been four years since the events at Perdido Beach.
Four years ago, a meteorite hit a Nuclear Power Plant, an invisible dome was created and all the adults disappeared. The children and teenagers that remained trapped inside the dome had a lot to deal with including an alien virus that gave some of them powers. Some used their powers for good and others for selfish or cruel purposes.
Now more pieces from the same meteorite are starting to fall to earth from space.
This time the alien virus make even more dramatic changes to people whom come into contact with it. They are much more powerful than those in the Perdido Beach dome ever were. They will be able to morph into monsters with astonishing powers and then be able to de-morph back into human form. But for each of those infected with the alien virus, one question trumps all others: Will you be a Hero, Villain or Monster?
Most of our main characters are new. Shade Darby saw her mother murdered by Gaia when the Perdido Beach dome came down and barely survived herself. Her father works for the Government studying pieces of the meteorite in space and he has calculated the exact position of the pieces landing.
Shade was powerless when her mother was murdered and is determined never to be so again. In fact, quite the opposite, she wants to gain power to become a hero. Malik Tenerife is in love with Shade, but their relationship ended due to Shade’s obsession with gaining power.
Shade meets Cruz Martinez Rojas at a bus stop. Cruz is a trans character, although physically male, he dresses feminine and feels neither male nor female. Grant explained and dealt with this gender issue expertly. This didn’t come as a surprise, after all The Gone Series had gay, lesbian and bisexual characters.
Justin DeVeere is a promising art student with delusions of grandeur. He is going out with Erin O’Day. Justin comes in contact with one of the pieces of the meteorite and develops powers. In panic, but with some pleasure he makes some mistakes that harm people.
But Justin makes a choice to murder. He decides to name himself Knightmare and tries to make it a persona. He is aiming for people to think of him like The Hulk. Justin is Bruce Banner and Knightmare is the Hulk, something he has no control over. Only he does.
Armo (his nickname, actual name: Aristotle Adamo) is an Adonis, who happens to have Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD). He has his whole life a head of him, being just 17 years old. That is until the accident and his nonconsensual exposure to one of the pieces of the meteorite.
Vincent Vu hears voices in his head. He possibly has bipolar or schizophrenia. He is exposed to the largest piece and amount of the meteorite an undergoes the most dramatic change. But does this make him unstoppable?
Dekka Talent makes a welcome return and offers fans of The Gone Series the opportunity to find out what happened to other characters from the series. Tom Peaks from the US Government recruits Dekka to help, but all is not what it seems as Dekka quickly discovers.
Whenever any of the characters use their powers, they are aware of being watched by Dark Watchers. These Dark Watchers appear to be using them as a form of entertainment and love death, destruction and devastation.
The description was superb and brilliant. The plot was action packed and compelled the reader to read on. The pacing was ultra fast-paced.
I would highly recommend Monster to anyone and everyone. It’s a crucial and necessary read for any fan of The Gone Series. Those who haven’t read any of The Gone Series could still pick it up, know what’s happened, understand what’s going on and get full enjoyment from the book.
Review soon,
Antony
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Saturday 16 December 2017
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Antony Simpson - Author, Blogger, Nurse & Witch.
Author of eight books.
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