THE NEVER-ENDING BOOK STORY: Chapter One

How To Be Invisible

Hello there! Thank you for stumbling across my blog. An even bigger thank you if you are here on purpose. I hope you’ll continue the never-ending book story with me, regardless of how you found my blog.

This is the very first post. So, here goes nothing...

What’s the big idea, then? A good question. What is the never-ending book story when it’s at home?

I'm not 100% sure and I guess things will develop and evolve as I go along. But what I do know is that I wanted to start a blog about books and reading - one of my biggest passions in life. I didn’t want to just simply pick up a book, read it, review it and then move on to the next book on my pile. I wanted to do something that would be a bit more interesting and would also challenge me to take my reading in new and exciting directions. And encourage you to do the same. I'm always keen to try new genres, styles and themes. I thought that it would be a good idea to try and let the books themselves lead the way and take me on a sort of journey. If you will. I want each book to point me in the direction of my next great read. It might be something tiny. Like, Oh I don't know, the mention of a particular historical figure in one story might spark an interest to read their autobiography. And then their memoir might mention a city I've always loved so I'll decide to select a novel set there. It could be anything. It will be like a chain letter. A never-ending book story. One text leading to another and to another. I could end up anywhere! I want to start picking up books I might never have thought of reading before now, too.

I'm starting off this armchair adventure with a book I have been dipping in and out of throughout this year. It's How To Be Invisible by Kate Bush. I was given this as a gift and it really isn't the sort of thing I would ordinarily read so it kind of fits well with the ethos of the never-ending book story.

Reading this was something of an epiphany for me and, I can honestly say, one of the most richly rewarding reading experiences of my entire life. Better not peak too soon, though, had I?! I've always liked Kate's music. I remember seeing the Cloudbusting video at the cinema as a young boy. It was shown before the main film started (the video starred Donald Sutherland and was made by Terry Gilliam). Running Up That Hill was also used as the theme tune to a drama serial on Children's BBC (It was called Running Scared or something similar). I've listened to her music a lot ever since but, until now, not really given it the attention it really deserves. The book includes the lyrics to pretty much every song she has ever recorded. The foreword is by one of my favourite authors - David Mitchell. I guess it's a bit like a book of poetry. Very much not what you would normally find me reading. I can't tell you how relaxing I found it to curl up on the sofa for 10 or 15 minutes to read a few lyrics while streaming the song at the same time. If you have even a passing interest in the music of Kate Bush, or you only know a few of her more well-known tracks, I'd really recommend giving this a try. This book has actually made me wonder whether I might even be willing to try a proper, full-on book of poetry. Steady on! Maybe it's another tell-tale sign of aging? Who knows? But what this book shows above everything else is that Kate has a real way with words. In his introduction, David Mitchell says that lyrics are not really poetry. They need music and percussion to truly come alive. He reckons that there are a small handful of artists whose work enriches the mind enough to be able to pull off a book of song lyrics. I think I agree. Bowie? Well, of course. Prince? Hmmm... maybe? Ed Sheeran? Probably not. Remember Kylie reading the lyrics to I Should Be So Lucky at a literary event? It's a thin line.

Many of Kate Bush's lyrics seem to me to have a really conversational tone -almost improvised or impromptu - which helps me connect with the song itself somehow. I can't think of any other artist who does the same for me. These songs tell more than just simple stories to the listener/reader. A particular favourite for me is You Want Alchemy (partly because cloudbusting gets a mention again!).  I hadn't heard of this song before getting the book. It tells the story of a couple - or a family - going for a walk in the countryside and coming across a beekeeper tending to his hives. He tells them that bees can perform alchemy. They turn roses and lilacs into gold. I love the truthful simplicity of this image; the small wonders of existence. I find the song incredibly moving.  

Well, I could go on but I suppose I need to think about the next chapter of the never-ending book story, don't I? Where to from here? Funnily enough, Cloudbusting resurfaced again the other day during yet another tense and gripping instalment of The Handmaid's Tale TV series. And, as you'll know if you're a viewer, the series also used This Woman's Work in that utterly horrific first episode back in season two. With the new sequel to the original novel from Margaret Atwood due to be published in the coming days (The Testaments is out on 10 September 2019 if you live in a cave), it seems like now would be an opportune time to re-visit it in preparation for one of the most exciting publishing events of the year/decade/ever (delete as applicable). So, The Handmaid's Tale it is then... I'll be back with Chapter Two of the never-ending book story and thoughts on The Handmaid's Tale very soon.

In the meantime, I hope you enjoyed my first blog and that you'll check in from time to time! Please do comment with your views and I'd love to have your suggestions for where I can go next on my 'travels'. Also, are there any other good books of lyrics out there that you know of? 

I'll finish with a link to the Cloudbusting video for a trip down memory lane...