Tractors R Us

Our reading group met last night to consider A Short History of Tractors in Ukrainian. Muntaj made us a delicious supper of string hoppers and chicken curry and brinjal and a coconut gravy called sothy. (Thank goodness we don't theme the food to go with the book as some reading groups apparently do: we'd have been eating boil-in-the-bag food!)

Sham led the session, telling us all she had uncovered about Marina Lewycka (I think she took her material from this interview on Three Monkeys). Then the discussion was thrown to the floor. The verdict? Most had really enjoyed the book and found parts of it hilarious. (Myself among them.) The rivalry between the sisters, the difficulties of dealing with elderly parents ... we could all identify with these. We were impressed by the way Lewycka is able to explore serious issues (immigration, aging, abuse) in a book that was so entertaining.

Our little group continues to thrive. We don't get everyone at every meeting but generally 10-12 people turn up which is just about right. (Our numbers swelled to 17 when we did The da Vinci Code and really that felt too many.) We're in our sixth year now, which is some achievement. We did think that we were the longest running reading group in Malaysia, until I discovered that the group Glenda belongs to has been going for 30 years!!!

We've lost Krishna though. Our one and only bloke has changed jobs and has to work nights now. We did have a brief "Oh now he isn't here we can say what we like about him" moment. but our hearts weren't in it, and we missed his wit and wisdom. Sandra, one of our founder members is moving to be with her husband in Langkawi and we'll miss her presence very much indeed. But we have some great new members ...

Ukrainian Tractors and Rocket Launcher Bra

I'm currently reading Marina Lewycka's A Short History of Tractors in Ukrainian and enjoying it so much that I'm rationing out the last few pages. Sadly, I know I'll finish it this morning over coffee.

Don't let the strange title put you off. This is a funny and very touching story of a dysfunctional immigrant family set in Peterborough. Estranged sisters Nadia and Vera are reunited when their 84 year-old father Nikolai decides to marry a woman less than half his age. Valentina of the botticellian breasts and green satin rocket-launcher bra is clearly after a marriage of convenience. She yearns for all the trappings of a Western lifestyle including a car fitting for her new station in life (she makes do with a derelict Rolls Royce which sits forlornly in the front garden) and a public school education for her "brilliant" son Stanislav, luxuries which the widower can scarcely afford. Nikolai meanwhile is at work on his book about the history of Ukrainian tractors.

As the daughters attempt to rescue Nikolai from Valentina's clutches and his own folly, secrets tumble from the family closet and force the pair to confront not only their own relationship, but also a troubled family history. It all adds up to a sharply observed social comedy with a terrific cast of characters.

I decided yesterday to buy a copy for a friend and achieved a couple of firsts. 1) First monorail ride. (Where have a been hiding?!) 2) First trip to Borders at Times Square. (Terrible admission for a bookaholic, but I try as far as possible to put myself out of the way of temptation.) Verdict?
Spacious and pleasant, but you get the impression that the shop is a bit short on stock as books are arranged face on and spread rather thinly on the shelves. (I'd say Kinokuniya is still the closest thing to book heaven in Malaysia.) Staff seemed more clued up than in most of the city's bookshops and I liked the free gift-wrapping service.