The Life and Times of Michael K

by J.M. Coetzee | Literature & Fiction |
ISBN: 0099268345 Global Overview for this book
Registered by Jinglefish of Woking, Surrey United Kingdom on 5/12/2006
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8 journalers for this copy...
Journal Entry 1 by Jinglefish from Woking, Surrey United Kingdom on Friday, May 12, 2006
Preface to book says...

"In South Africa, whose civil administration is collapsing under the pressure of years of civil strife, an obscure young gardener named Michael K decides to take his mother on a long march away from the guns towards a new life in the abondoned countryside. Everywhere he goes, however, the war follows him. Tracked down and locked up as a collaborator with the rural guerillas, he embarks on a fast that angers, baffles, and finally awes his captors. The story of Michael K is the story of a man caught up in a war beyond his understanding, but determined to live his life, however minimally, on his own terms. J M Coetzee has produced a masterpiece which has the astonishing power to make the wilderness bloom."

A thought provoking book, brilliantly written and extremely sad although dotted with warm hearted and well intentioned characters. Not much by way of happiness yet freeing in a strange way. Well worth a read. I feel for Michael K.

Journal Entry 2 by Jinglefish from Woking, Surrey United Kingdom on Wednesday, February 28, 2007
Offered as an international bookring in the forums. The order of participants is as follows:

Fire-Dragon (UK)
Marko167 (Switzerland)
buocl (Ohio, USA)
istop4books (Minnesota, USA)
ealasaidmae (West Virginia, USA)
bartonz (Bellevue, Washington, USA)
DrCris (Australia)
Back to me (Jinglefish, UK) ******BOOK IS HOME******

I have tried to keep the order of participants in the order of responses as I think this is fairest but have borne in mind the costs involved. I hope everyone is ok with this running order.

Should anyone have a problem with this bookring at anytime, please let me know (viA PM in the first instance or in the event of a PM not reaching me, via the Bookring forum)so I can co-ordinate matters and keep fellow participants informed.

This is a great book that will undoubtedly (IMHO) leave an impression upon the reader. I looking forward to reading what my fellow BC'ers think.

Journal Entry 3 by Jinglefish from Woking, Surrey United Kingdom on Monday, March 12, 2007
Am posting tomorrow to Fire-Dragon.

Whoops, missed post - it was one of "those" days.

Definitely posted 14th to Fire-Dragon (I franked it at work and handed it to the Postie personally!)

Journal Entry 4 by Fire-Dragon from Newtown, New South Wales Australia on Wednesday, March 21, 2007
I have just arrived back from holiday and this was waiting on my doorstep. Thank you, Jinglefish!

Journal Entry 5 by Fire-Dragon from Newtown, New South Wales Australia on Monday, April 9, 2007
This was a touching story of the fate of a 'nobody' in a time of war. It was well written and interesting but not as good as Waiting for the Barbarians, also by Coetzee.

Thank you for sharing, Jinglefish. I am PM-ing the next in line now.

Journal Entry 6 by marko167 from Sitges, Barcelona Spain on Tuesday, May 8, 2007
Arrived in the post today. Hope that it will not take too long before it is on its' journey again.

Journal Entry 7 by marko167 from Sitges, Barcelona Spain on Thursday, May 17, 2007
WOW! This is the second Coetzee book that has completely blown me away. On the outside the straight story of a lost soul drifting in a country that has gone to the dogs. But there are so many layers to this story. Is it a metaphor for the ruinous road Coetzee's country was following when he wrote the book, or does the character represent humanity as a whole?

Books like this make me want to return to college just to be able to dissect and peel back the wonderous layers.

Journal Entry 8 by marko167 at BookRing in Bookring, A Bookring -- Controlled Releases on Tuesday, May 29, 2007

Released 16 yrs ago (5/29/2007 UTC) at BookRing in Bookring, A Bookring -- Controlled Releases

WILD RELEASE NOTES:

RELEASE NOTES:

Sending off to the land of waffles, Billy Joel and Evel Knievel.

Journal Entry 9 by buocl from Medina, Ohio USA on Monday, June 18, 2007
The book made it! And yes, we are particularly proud of Evel Knievel.

Journal Entry 10 by buocl from Medina, Ohio USA on Monday, June 25, 2007
This was my second attempt at reading Coetzee. I liked this book better than Disgrace, but I didn't love it. I am not sure if I should just give up on Coetzee or try again. Anyway, I will be mailing this to istop4books by the end of the week.

Journal Entry 11 by buocl at Book Relay in Book Relay, A Book Relay -- Controlled Releases on Monday, July 2, 2007

Released 16 yrs ago (6/30/2007 UTC) at Book Relay in Book Relay, A Book Relay -- Controlled Releases

WILD RELEASE NOTES:

RELEASE NOTES:

Mailed to istop4books 6/30!

Journal Entry 12 by istop4books from Castle Rock, Colorado USA on Thursday, July 5, 2007
Just arrived! I'm finishing up my current read and will get to this one next. I'm looking forward to it!

Journal Entry 13 by istop4books from Castle Rock, Colorado USA on Sunday, July 8, 2007
This is a slim gem of a book. My second Coetzee, I thought once again, he hit it out of the park. This was thought provoking, deep, disturbing and very well written. I'm with Marko here, I'd love to have read this in a college class -- but this is the next best thing! I recently read "The Road" by Cormac McCarthy, and I saw many similarities in the plot, especially in the first half of the book. The endless roaming, taking care of another person, being cold, hiding in the brush and scavenging for food, being afraid, being a nobody, no one caring -- all similar themes. What I am totally ignorant of, and it was not adequately explained in the book, is the historical background for the period in which this book is written - and I'm off to do some research on that right now.
Already have ealasaidmae's address, so will mail out within the next couple of days.

Journal Entry 14 by istop4books from Castle Rock, Colorado USA on Wednesday, July 11, 2007
Mailed out to ealasaidmae today. Enjoy!

Journal Entry 15 by ealasaidmae from New Orleans, Louisiana USA on Saturday, July 14, 2007
Arrived today! This is #3 on Mt. TBR...

Journal Entry 16 by ealasaidmae from New Orleans, Louisiana USA on Tuesday, July 24, 2007
Finished today, and I feel light.

Journal Entry 17 by ealasaidmae from New Orleans, Louisiana USA on Thursday, July 26, 2007
Mailed to bartonz today

Journal Entry 18 by bartonz from Bellevue, Washington USA on Thursday, August 16, 2007
It''s here and I look forward to reading it!

Journal Entry 19 by bartonz from Bellevue, Washington USA on Wednesday, October 3, 2007
It's on its way to DrCris (Australia)

Journal Entry 20 by DrCris from Templestowe, Victoria Australia on Tuesday, October 9, 2007
Arrived with me today. I have one bookring ahead of this, so it should be moving again soon.

Journal Entry 21 by DrCris from Templestowe, Victoria Australia on Saturday, October 20, 2007
Neh... I wasn't blown away by this book, either, although it was beautifully written. I may not have been in the mood for such a pathetic main character. I felt much more involved when the viewpoint flipped, as I could relate to the medic more than Michael. I won't rush to read more of Coetzee's work, although I can see why this would be good to dissect in a class.

Journal Entry 22 by Fire-Dragon from Newtown, New South Wales Australia on Saturday, October 20, 2007
I strongly recommend Waiting for the Barbarians by Coetzee. It's one of the best books I've ever read. Life and Times of Michael K, on the other hand, didn't make a strong impact on me.

Journal Entry 23 by DrCris from Templestowe, Victoria Australia on Tuesday, October 30, 2007
This book is on its way home!

Journal Entry 24 by Jinglefish from Woking, Surrey United Kingdom on Tuesday, November 6, 2007
Woohoo! This book has made it back home again after such long travels. Thank you all so much for keeping the ring going and for DrCris for returning it to me.

It was interesting to see the mixed reviews and recommendation from Fire-Dragon and I will seek out "Waiting for the Barbarians" when I have cleared some other books from the slopes of Mount TBR! This demonstrates what I love about Bookcrossing - diverse tastes and opinions.

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