Blue Bedspread
23 journalers for this copy...
An unusual book.
In a house on a calcutta street, lit by the half light of a yellow street lamp,lies a baby, one day old, wrapped in it hospital towel. In the next room sits a man, all alone writting.
Controlled release
releasing by post to Syrin in RABCK
Came in the mail today.
Thanks so much for sending, Heaven-Ali, I'm sure it's lovely.
I'll read it asap and make some more travel plans!
Cover:
In a house on a Calcutta street, lit by the half light of a yellow street lamp, lies a baby, one day old, wrapped in it hospital towel. In the next room sits a man, all alone writting.
Who is this man, at once frightened and determined? What is he writing? Where has the baby come from and where will it go? Tonight, these questions will be answered when the man unravels the dark secrets he has carried all his life.
This is a story of a man coming clean with his life. A man sharing his life's story, trying to make some sense of it.
It was a bit difficult to read, because the action keeps changing between the present and the past: his story, his sister's, father's, mother's... and the baby's. But in the end these bits and pieces of information will unravel the story of his life and his future.
An unusual indian fiction, but interesting as ever.
The Blue Bedspread wants to travel some more, so I'm making it into an international bookring.
Rules:
-
Please make a journal entry when you receive the book, then read, review and release the book within 4 weeks of receiving it, to keep it going.
-
When ready to release the book, send a PM to the next person on the list asking for their address.
-
When the last person on the list receives the book, please PM me for my details, to return the book.
-
Most important of all: enjoy the book!
List:
- butterfly-noir (Lisboa)
-
conto (Lisboa)
-
begmartins (Lisboa)
-
cristina-m (Lisboa)
-
Witchie (Espinho)
-
bookmanu (Lisboa)
-
pennywhistler (London)
-
redhouse (Suffolk)
ScottishHoosier (Scotland)
pammykn (Florida) rrrcaron (New Hampshire)
deepdowne (Saudi Arabia)
kinedi (Scotland) flajol (England) [24/06/05] On its way to butterfly-noir
arrived today.I'll try to be quick whit it.
obrigada syrin
it's a beautifull book. At the same time simple and complex. Infortunatly I cant shake the feeling that I lost myself in the diferent pices and treahds of the story and wasn´t abble to tie all the lose pices at the end.
Chegou! Chegou! Demorou um pouco, mas cá está!
Vou lê-lo rapidinho e... volto a dar notícias!
(Sorry for the portuguese in the last entry, but I was just saying it had arrived and that I would try to be quick with it!)
Quite an unusual book indeed. I liked reading it a lot, but as others before me have said, a bit difficult to keep track... It needs a continuous reading and not a stop-now-and-continue-later one, or it gets to much confusing.
I think I would like to read it again sometime, but as for now... it has to continue it's journey, so... off it goes to begmartins (probably just the day after tomorow!).
Enjoy!
Arrived Friday and I read it yesterday on my way to Lisbon. I wasn't really expecting a book about incest and sexual molestation. Guess having an Indian guy writing like this really came as a surprise (and I did some googling and apparently this is his first novel). The book tries to smooth things out (and I think it succeeds) by telling in a poetic kinda way, using metaphors such as trapped animals, together with language and aesthetics one would usually associate with bollywood movies lol (i.e. at least I think snowfall on Calcuta doesn't really happen lol). It was so strange that I still don't know where to place it exactly ^^
Thanks to syrin and conto... I'll try passing it to cristina-m next Tuesday at the BCLisbon meeting.
I received it from begmartins yesterday. I'll try to read it as fast as I can, because I've noticed that there is a long list of people behind me to read the book and I don't want to keep them waiting... Thank you, syrin and beg.
Journal Entry
13 by
cristina-m on Wednesday, September 14, 2005
Sad story, strange writing, beautiful book...
I will send it to whitchie as soon as I have her address.
Thanks! :)
Journal Entry
14 by
cristina-m on Friday, September 23, 2005
Seguiu hoje para a witchie. Boa leitura! :-)
It's with me! On TBR pile, for now... Thanks, syrin and cristina-m!
I'm sorry I took so long!
I think this is an ok book, but not particularly stuning or fantastic. I quite liked it! I'm interested in indian literature and that's why I signed in. I must try some others... Thank you so much syrin!
Ready to travel again!
Thanks Syrin and Witchie.
Received it on Friday.Looking forward to reading it. It's one of my 5 books,5 countries, 5 continents challenge books (set by SheepSeeker)
http://www.bookcrossing.com/journal/3526048
An interesting read but a bit disturbing. Not the sort of story I was expecting but I enjoyed it nevertheless. The writing managed to create lots of pictures in my mind.
Mailed to pennywhistler yesterday.
Thanks for the book. I shall read it asap, although I have a couple of other bookring books to read first.
Sorry for taking so long with this! I sort of enjoyed the book. I like Indian literature and I was interested in the story. The characters were interesting (although I don't feel I ever got to know them) and I loved some of the imagery. I just didn't really get that engrossed though - I felt like the book was keeping me at a distance.
I shall send this on a.s.a.p.
Arrived this morning, thank you.
I'm going away for a week on Saturday and will be taking this book with me, so I confidently expect to be journaling it and posting it on sometime after the 9th September
Nice book! Thanks to everyone for passing it on.I have always been fascinated with all things Asian and I enjoyed this very much.
ScottishHoosier is away until 23rd September, so I'll be posting this to her as soon as she gets back.
Literally just came throught the door. Thank you for sending it, redhouse!
A very good and interesting read. I was a bit surprised by the ending, but think it is fitting.
I'm sorry I've had this book so long, but so many things have got in the way. So glad the kids are going back to school on Monday!
I have the next address, so will get this in the post by Monday at the latest.
Big thanks to Heaven-Ali and Syrin for sharing the book and to everyone else for keeping it going.
Off to the post office right now!
Thanks rec'd today -- look forward to reading.
Sorry this one didn't really engage me...may be my mood & focus on upcoming move, etc. At any rate I do appreciate being included in this ring/ray and will mail off to rrrcaron on Weds 11/22.
Received this book in the mail the other day. I have a book in progress at the moment, but this one will be next!
Ruth
This was one of the most unusual books I've ever read, yet I was captivated and read it in one sitting. I was somewhat shocked at the ending, yet somehow deep down I suspected the conclusion all along. I'm almost tempted to reread it, that I may understand more with a second reading, lol. I'm sending it to deepdowne in Saudi Arabia today as Jebbie74 asked to be skipped.
Ruth
thanks ruth. i got the book in post yesterday. already started reading it:)
The thing I loved most about this book is its overall structure. The entire book is designed into stories. Each chapter is told as a story. What better way to express the facts of life when the audience is only a child – a two-day-old child. The storyteller writes down the story of his life through the night as the tiny girlchild lies fast asleep in the next room hoping that someday she will be grown up enough to read those truths that are in some way connected very deeply with her. He doesn’t speak out the story to her. Instead he sits silently at his table and writes. He writes, not only because she is not grown up enough to understand the spoken words but also because of the lesson he had learned in his childhood. That when words grow and grow inside you until they fill up your lungs and refuse to come out, and gulp down your breath making your lips quiver like in winter… and get trapped in your chest… you can always write it down…
pm'ed eatsletters for address.
eatsletters has requested to be skipped. pm'ed kinedi who's next in the list.
i've sent out the book yesterday. it is already on the way to kinedi. enjoy!
Arrived very quickly in Scotland. Thanks so much for posting it all the way from Saudi-Arabia. Looking forward to reading this next.
Certainly an unusal story ! It had me compelled to read on and on as I wasn't really sure where it was heading. I loved the way the brother (we never get to know their names) tries to tell the baby girl about her mother (his sister) and their life.The use of language is very beautiful but I did sometimes find the sexual abuses passages a bit disturbing though but all in all, a very interesting read. Thanks for sharing this bookring. Am awaiting flajol's address now so book will be able to travel on soon
Journal Entry
36 by
kinedi at on Wednesday, January 31, 2007
Released 17 yrs ago (1/31/2007 UTC) at
WILD RELEASE NOTES:
RELEASE NOTES:
In the post to Flajol now. Happy reading
Arrived in the post today. I'm tempted to jump right in, but I need to finish my current read first. Thanks for sharing, Syrin!
I love the snapshot style of The Blue Bedspread. I found it confusing in parts - it's not always clear who the narrator is referring to, and he leaves lots of blanks for the reader to fill in, although that's not a bad thing. It's disturbing in parts, and made me feel really uncomfortable.
Onwards to Hellie as soon as I have the address.
Journal Entry
39 by
flajol at
Controlled Release in Controlled Release, A Bookcrossing member -- Controlled Releases on Saturday, August 4, 2007
Released 16 yrs ago (8/4/2007 UTC) at Controlled Release in Controlled Release, A Bookcrossing member -- Controlled Releases
WILD RELEASE NOTES:
RELEASE NOTES:
No reply from Hellie, so as per Syrin''s wishes, this is travelling onwards.
Posted to another BookCrosser who has this on his wishlist. Enjoy!
Reading next. Hope to have it read by end September. :)
Well, not September but close. Reading now and hope to finish relatively soon. :)
Did better than I thought and finished it over this long weekend. The book reminded me of my dreams - fragmented stories, hard to grasp themes, confusion over real and unreal.
Glad I read though.
Journal Entry
42 by
matlockjames at
Controlled Release in Controlled Release, A Bookcrossing member -- Controlled Releases on Monday, October 15, 2007
Released 16 yrs ago (10/16/2007 UTC) at Controlled Release in Controlled Release, A Bookcrossing member -- Controlled Releases
WILD RELEASE NOTES:
RELEASE NOTES:
postal release to Tarna of Finland
The Blue Bedspread arrived safe and sound today. Thank you, matlockjames! It's on my wishlist and I can't wait till I've finished the ringbooks and other books I've got to read before this one.
If the rest of the book keeps what the first page promises, I'm gonna love this one.
Wow, this little book has traveled! I'll try to see that its journey will go on after I've read it.
Journal Entry
44 by
Tarna at
Tampere, Pirkanmaa / Birkaland Finland on Tuesday, July 27, 2010
Loved it. But I'm not sure if I'd call this collection of stories 'a novel' in spite of the frame story. (Was also wondering if it was the author or the publisher who wanted to do so.)
I got the impression that some (probably most) of the chapters were written as individual short stories, then brought together and edited to fit the frame story. Maybe that's why the author repeated some expressions—e.g. 'tasting unfinished sleep in your mouth'—which were unfamiliar at least to me. Mentioned only once, they would have been more effective.
I liked the language, the way the author composed his words and sentences into a story. Loved the frame story, a man writing his life-story to a newborn baby, telling her about their family, telling the motherless baby where she's coming from, giving her always so important roots.
It's not a cheerful book. There's violence and (sexual) abuse in the stories but sometimes they are part of life, unfortunately. Besides, I don't think that the concept of happiness or joy is that common in Asian literature or even in Asian life.
Years ago, when we still had the annual Philosophy Convention at the Tampere House, an Indian professor gave a lecture there. According to her, the presumption in Western cultures is that life should be good and happy all the time. And when it isn't, we get depressed. In Eastern cultures, on the other hand, life is expected to be hard and joyless. If and when something good happens, an Eastern person feels happy. This philosophy can be seen also in
The Blue Bedspread. The overall tone in the stories is an unhappy one but there are some lovely shreds of joy in them. So the book is not depressing.
Thanks for sharing, matlockjames and all the previous readers! I'm sorry for keeping this book in my shelf this long but I'll try make sure it'll go on with its journey soonish.
Raj Kamal Jha at Wikipedia
Raj Kamal Jha at Emory
Journal Entry
45 by
hippolein at
Helsinki, Uusimaa / Nyland Finland on Wednesday, August 11, 2010
The book is now in Helsinki, will probably read it in the metro on the way to university and back. The start seemed promising!
Journal Entry
46 by
hippolein at
Helsinki, Uusimaa / Nyland Finland on Wednesday, August 18, 2010
A very special book, that keeps you stuck to the story, not because of the beauty, but because of what happens and how it is told. Not what you would take for a nice day off to relax, but I liked reading it.
Journal Entry
47 by
hippolein at
Helsinki, Uusimaa / Nyland Finland on Thursday, August 19, 2010
Released 13 yrs ago (8/20/2010 UTC) at Helsinki, Uusimaa / Nyland Finland
CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:
"HEP"-book going to the person that requested it on the Finnish forum.
Enjoy the book!
Journal Entry
48 by
Jennynen at
Pori, Satakunta Finland on Saturday, August 28, 2010
Requested this as "Hep"-book on Finnish Forum. Thank you hippolein!
Journal Entry
49 by
Jennynen at
Pori, Satakunta Finland on Monday, November 8, 2010
I liked reading this book, but some parts were a bit confusing to me. Liked the rythm of the story and some parts of it I will remember a long time.
The book continues it's journey as Virtual surprise bag book, I hope the next reader will enjoy this too!
Journal Entry
50 by
Astargatis at
Helsinki, Uusimaa / Nyland Finland on Thursday, November 18, 2010
This book came yesterday and seems interesting. Thanks to Jennynen for mailing it to me!
Journal Entry
51 by
Astargatis at
Helsinki, Uusimaa / Nyland Finland on Thursday, August 30, 2012
I haven't read too much in English so I was glad the language in this book was quite simple but still beautiful. There were so many things and stories in the book that I'm not sure if I get it or not. I would like to read it again, but think I won't because I'm so slow with books in English.
Journal Entry
52 by
Astargatis at
Helsinki, Uusimaa / Nyland Finland on Monday, October 1, 2012
Released 11 yrs ago (10/1/2012 UTC) at Helsinki, Uusimaa / Nyland Finland
CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:
I send this book forward to Pamina_81, 'cause she likes to read in English too :)
Journal Entry
53 by
Pamina_81 at
Tampere, Pirkanmaa / Birkaland Finland on Thursday, October 4, 2012
This book came today as a part of the monthly play in Finnish bc-forum. Actually I've read only about two or three books in English before this one... but I'm gonna try to read this book in Enlish too, at someday. Thanks anyway!
Journal Entry
54 by
myntti at
Tampere, Pirkanmaa / Birkaland Finland on Thursday, January 3, 2013
From our BC meet-up. Wow, this book has had many readers already.