Sunday, 7 March, 2004

speckled and spectacularly schreibt

eSpeckledPeople Hugo Hamilton's "The Speckled People" is one of those books that encourages you to savour each little word and sentence, page and chapter.... one you would want to read on yet not finish.... it is a biography of the identity conflicts he and his siblings experienced growing up in an Ireland that seemed not to treasure (or is ashamed of) her history, her own identity; in a world that has just suffered the second world war, in a family where English is a forbidden language....and where being both Irish and German is difficult for others to appreciate. ...perhaps being different for that matter...

"On my way home I walked along the wall with the dog behind me. My shoes were squeaking all the way. There were white salt marks where they were already beginning to dry. The sun was starting to come through the mist and it was not going to rain after all. I looked back and saw the sun coming out. The water was so white and so full of bouncing light that I could see nothing at all. It made me want to close my eyes and sneeze. When I looked into the shadows under the trees it was so dark that I could see nothing there either. When you're small you know nothing. I know the sea is like a piece of silver paper in the sun. I can see people walking along the seafront with ice-cream cones. I can hear the bells and I am not afraid of being German or Irish, or anywhere in between. Maybe your country is only a place you make up in your mind. Something you dream about and sing about. Maybe it's not a place on the map at all, but just a story full of people you meet and places you visit, full of books and films you've been to. I'm not afraid of being homesick and having no language to live in. I don't have to be like everyone else. I'm walking on the wall and nobody can stop me." (Hamilton, 2003:295)

...a bittersweet triumph... a touching account of growing up with a German Mutti and an Irish Vati ....being caught in between their past, aspirations, life philosophies and dreams...and the changing Ireland.

posted by ~overacuppa~ on Sunday, 7 March, 2004 at 00:31 hrs
Comments

dear May, you've been reading and writing plenty! How's that cello-playing coming along? Going to arrange some lessons soon?

looks like a good book...so many books, so little time!

Posted by: Van Heng on Sunday, 7 March, 2004 at 03:26 hrs

dear Vanny, i am such a procrastinator...
must be more disciplined... in which case... i shouldn't blog so much... heeee

yes, the book is (in my opinion) a really good read.... :C)

Posted by: hrm on Sunday, 7 March, 2004 at 12:13 hrs

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