Welcome to Litsy!

Women's Prize Winner 2015.

This book is split into two halves without chapters.

In one half of the book we are following a painter from the 1460's. In the other half we are following a sixteen year old girl grieving her mother around the 1960's. Depending on which version of the book you pick up, will depend on who you meet first.

It all feels a bit strange to me.

#coverstories #bodypart
@eggs @alwaysbeenaloverofbooks

I hadn't read Ali Smith until this year, and I have to say I'm fascinated. I've read 3 by her so far, with 2 more on deck.
#aboutabook #newtoyouauthor

I don't think I'm clever enough for her writing! I like how she writes, and adored George's story, although it flipped about, but struggled with the 14th century half :/

I like the way Ali Smith plays with the novel form as a way to explore complex and emotional issues, and I very much enjoy what Smith does with time. Having the two sections readable in either order heightens the sense of history happening all at once, that past/present/future aren't as distinct as they often feel. There's also an almost matter-of-fact way of dealing with gender, and a real but not melodramatic handling of grief that I like.

#12booksof2021 #January @Andrew65
I plumped for a 2014 book for the Jan choice, although 'drive you plough....' was another highlight.
I had a bit of an ali smith splurge in 21 with finishing the seasonal quartet. It's strange as I rd Hotel World when it 1st came out then neglected Ali smith until recently and realised how much I love her writing style. I'm also conscious that many people aren't such fans. I'll try and get to feb later tonight.

How to be Both ebbed and flowed in terms of how interesting it was. Alternately sucking me in and leaving me hanging. Both stories had moments of sparkle and moments of meh. Both ultimately fizzled.

I give it 🌟🌟🌟 3 stars for its intriguing flow and excellent dialogue, but I suspect (as with There but for the) it will fade from my memory rather than scorching it's imprint there.

Tries too hard to be arty and clever with mixed success.

Apparently there are TWO versions of this book. There are two stories and you either get one or the other first. It's a clever idea because you'll get a different reading experience depending which way round you get the stories.

I've got the version with Franchesco first. I wasn't a fan to start off with but I'm warming to it.

P.S. I have no idea what Pickles is petitioning me for... she's gone to sulk in the long grass now!

Not got a Bingo yet but I have read my #bookspin and #doublespin books! There's still time...

@TheAromaofBooks

@TheAromaofBooks

Here is my #bookspinbingo for May!
I'm trying to choose books that I will give away once I've read them because I'm absolutely snowed under with books... some of these are books I have low expectations of, some I suspect won't be my cup of tea and some are non-fiction which I tend to pass on after reading.... there may be a diamond or two in the rough!

#booked2021 @4thhouseontheleft @BarbaraTheBibliophage @Cinfhen Authors 1st name begins with A
Starting challenge with my 1st 5* bk of the yr.
2 narratives ,a 14th century fresco painter, and a 21st c teenage girl, both with connections incl loss of a mother and dealing with sexuality. I cd go on for pages abt how I enjyd George's voice but I love a bk that stretches my search engine incl pet shop boy lyrics, a 20c female painter + 14c frescoes

Which ones have you read?

I've read Ali Smith, Andrea Levy, Linda Grant, Helen Dunmore, Marilynne Robinson, Anne Michaels (probably my favourite, I loved this book), Ann Patchett, Kamila Shamsie, Barbara Kingsolver, Naomi Alderman, Zadie Smith, Lisa Mcinerney (another one I loved), Valerie Martin, Kate Grenville, Carol Shields (my mum's book group read three of hers when I was a teenager, so I read them too) and Tea Obreht.

#ReadingWomen

I will not pretend that a lot of this didn‘t go over my head, but I loved it all the same. I love the way Smith leaves so much ambiguity, that you never get tired of turning it over and over in your mind afterward.

#Booked2019 #GenreBusting

Within this book, a painting is used to tell two very different stories. As a reader, you are free to start with either George or Francescho, and I think who you get/choose makes for a very different reading experience. Luckily, I started with George.

Not my favourite from Smith, but she sure does push the envelope ✉️ 💥

My copy has the George section first and I'm very glad it did because I am sure I wouldn't have known what was going on in the Francesco part otherwise. The George part is playful, funny sad and intriguing. The Francesco part has it's moments but mostly left me a bit cold. I'm not sorry I read this but I'm not at all sure what the point of it was either. A qualified pick.

And this is my other book club book this month, also from the library. How to be Both is actually a really beat-up hardback but it looks deceptively good in this photo! I picked it up a couple of weeks ago and we had the book club meeting today. Most people liked it but didn't think it was particularly memorable.

Have you borrowed any good library books recently?

What struck me, as a first impression, is that Smith is being clever, everywhere, always, and it gives the whole book a playful feel that makes it both very thought-provoking and very entertaining to read. That's good, because I never really got what she was doing here with the adolescent George who recently lost her mother and the 15th-century lost master painter from Ferrara, whom George‘s mother was a little obsessed with. I didn't mind though.

I'm glad to say I enjoyed this much more than "Autumn". There's plenty to think about (art, time, grief, gender) and, while I was initially wary of the authorial firework display, it doesn't descend to heartless cleverness.
Reading this book recalled vividly to mind the experience of reading Peter Ackroyd novels during my A-levels (similar theme of reality and time being less solid and linear than we tend to perceive), so I got to "be both", too!

Song titles translated into Latin: be still, my geeking heart! (I got them all except Brown-eyed Girl 'cause I don't know that song.)

I made some non-dualistic muffins. Cranberry and Cheshire cheese. Neither/nor, both/and, sweet/savoury.

"Past or present? George says. Male or female? It can't be both. It must be one or the other."

It's not often that a novel's title is referenced so early on. This is page eight. Although, if my copy were to have the Francesco section first, this would be around halfway through, I suppose.

I'm intrigued as to why she released two versions of the book, and how this affects one's reading of it, depending on which version one has.

Trying this one on audio. I‘ve wanted to read Ali Smith, so happy to finally start one of her books.

1. Sushi 🍣🍣
2. Terry Pratchett or Ali Smith
3. Robin Hood (Disney) and Flynn Rider (Tangled)
4. Early bird
#friyayintro @howjessreads

#buddyread @MrsMalaprop
My book 1st half George, 2nd half Francesco.
I loved the story of George and could have read more about her. Francescho‘s story was interesting but harder to follow. The story crosses over time throughout which is confusing in parts. Regardless I still enjoyed it.
I loved that it introduced me to an artwork I had never heard of before! (Thanks google)
This is my first Ali Smith book. I will definitely read more from her.

Finished our #buddyread @Rissreads 📚👏. Ali Smith is just so clever and inventive, playing around with time, gender and language. Very entertaining and thought provoking.

My version of the book started with Francescho & finished with George. My friend @Rissreads has George then Francescho. I found 15th century Francescho harder to follow & I wonder whether reading George first might‘ve made the book more accessible 🤔.

Still, a great read 😊.

What a beautiful spot to read! I‘m soooo lucky!
Bunker Bay, Margaret River. 😊

@Rissreads #buddyread
Finished Francescho. That was a trip😳🤔.
Now onto George.

#31bookpics @howjessreads #currentlyreading

Starting this #buddyread with @Rissreads . Join us if you dare 🤗. It‘s written in two parts from the perspective of two narrators. Half the published books have George‘s 1960s story first & half have Francesco‘s 1460s. I have Francesco first & @Rissreads has George first. WTF? Mind blowing?!
Am so far reminded of Lincoln in the Bardo. Something about the poetic other worldly writing, & the struggling to figure out what the hell is going on 🤔😆.

Repost from @Rissreads
If anyone has this book on their imminent #tbr and wants to join in let us know. 👏😁📚 #buddyread

Next book and buddy reading it with @MrsMalaprop as we seem to enjoy the same books. This book is based on 2 characters telling 2 stories. Half of the novels printed start with the story of a child in the 1960‘s (my copy) and half of the novels printed start with a renaissance artist from the 1460‘s (Serena‘s copy).I wanted to read it with someone to see if it makes a difference reading it in an alternate order. An experiment 😊 #buddyread

I may have got a bit carried away! Last time I checked out the charity shops I came away empty-handed. Not today, my friends!

Here is Volume 1 of the bumper charity shop #bookhaul

So here is a picture of the Ali Smith event at #edbookfest yesterday. I loved seeing actors perform her novel and to listen to her reactions to it. 😍

It's been a journey. The first 150 pages were a battle of wills between the book and me. I took it to Turkey and New Zealand without managing to read a page. But then it opened itself up like a flower in spring, and it spoke to me. It connected to my own loss and my personal view on history and time. By the end of it, I was hailing Ali Smith as a genius. I am grateful to the friend who made me read this.
#AliSmith #HowToBeBoth

This is the event I was talking about on your post, @Heideschrampf Sounds interesting and I absolutely adore Ali Smith! @Moray_Reads

Just didn‘t hold my attention at all

Has anyone read this? Is it worth it? It doesn't have my interest so far AT ALL

It is a feeling thing, to be a painter of things : cause every thing, even an imagined or gone thing or creature or person has essence : paint a rose or a coin or a duck or a brick and you‘ll feel it as sure as if a coin had a mouth...as if a duck told you about the combined wet and underdry of its feathers, a brick about the rough kiss of its skin.

4🌟

I really enjoyed this book despite being hesitant when I first started it. Brillliant characterisation and topics that will no doubt keep me thinking for a very long time.

2018 for me is all about perspective, looking at things differently and in a new way because, usually, things aren't as bad as they first appear and it makes things much more interesting and unique.
These 5 sentences gave a perspective of time; 500 years is a very long time but, in conjunction with the age of the earth itself, it is nothing. It made me feel insignificant, my 80+ years (hopefully!) is nothing but a breath in the earth's timeline.

Really liked this one. Just exuberantly creative and deeply compassionate.

The modern story about the British teenager was as moving as Smith‘s more recent novel Autumn; the other half, the story of the Renaissance painter, involved way too much intellectual heavy lifting for my tastes, and by the end I absolutely hated it.

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