When I was 16 my parents moved to Thailand for my fathers job. Rather than joining them in the Land of Smiles or being shipped off to boarding school, I stayed in Napier and boarded with family friends. The Duckworth's lived nearby and their daughter Alice was my age. Give I had 18 months left of school it was an easy transition for me to finish my schooling locally before heading off to university, in Otago of course.
When I moved in my surrogate mother Jill Duckworth said she wanted to teach me three things when I lived with her family. The first was to to learn how to cook. Well I already knew how to cook. Every Thursday my Dad would attend Rotary, so my sisters and I would take turns cooking dinner for Mum. We would whip up roast chicken, with homemade french fries and peas, or Mexican nights featuring tacos or nachos. My parents had stacks of cook books so I was also a a competent baker, whipping up cakes and muffins on rainy days. Either way Jill continued the Thursday night tradition and I was able to learn more about cooking, especially with her passion for Italian eating.
Jill would also teach me how to drink tea. She would drink 5 to six cups a day and would often be found pacing around the house with a fresh cup of piping hot tea, her arm outstretched so not so spill anything on the floor. 'Cup of tea Hamish?' would often come floating down the hall way towards my room, morning and night. I soon mastered the art of Taradale Tea - a local brew which was a strong Earl Grey brew with a dash of milk. No sugar for me, something I keep to this day.
And finally she wanted to teach me how to read. Again I was all ready a reasonably established reader. My parents were great readers and encouraged us kids too. I grew up reading Enid Blyton and Roald Dahl. I could read the Enchanted Wood over and over again, along with Matilda and Danny the Champion on the World. Roald Dahl was an absolute favourite, we even share the same birthday! His book of short stories was another favourite about Henry Sugar the english playboy who learnt to see without his eyes. But I would read anything, from my sister's Babysitters Club books to real life crime magazines.
Jill however was ferocious reader, devouring books like no ones business. She had a stack of novels either side of her bed and would often juggle a number of books at once. Every day I would come out of my room to a towering book shelf full of classics - from David Baldacci, Thomas Ludlum and Jeffrey Archer. So it was fair to say I smashed out a fair few books during the time at the Duckworths. The Beach was big hit especially since I was spending time in Thailand visiting my family. I would try to learn more about Thailand or Asia too. I also enjoyed some Jeffery Archer short stories and continuing on the real life crime books. Plus my school curriculum The Handmaids Tale and Lord of the Flies. But either way I was soon getting through a number of books from Lord of the Rings to Memoirs of a Geisha - many of which stick with me today.
Coming into a wet NZ winter not only has my tea habit picked back up but I have suddenly felt the urge to read again.
The first book one I picked up recently was the 'Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe'. I was amazed at how quickly I skipped between the chapters while all the being exported back in time. I was instantly transported to certain places of my life when I read the famous children's book, such as the West Coast of NZ when I was 7 or 8. In the couple of nights it took me to read it really dragged out a world and a story, much like the 4 children in the book and their journey from wardrobe to the thrones of Cair Paravel. I had seen the film in recent years but prefer my minds eye interpretation, one I was enjoying relieving 20 years after I last read it.
This week I am finally getting around to reading Elon Musk biography written by Ashlee Vance. One of my favourite books is the Steve Jobs autobiography by Walter Issacson and this is in a similar vein. It is about a modern day titan, his beginnings, his dreams and his struggles as he leads the world in rockets, solar power and electric cars. I have just started it and am suitable inspired by the world's most revered entrepreneur. Not only is he the smartest man in the room, he is also the most focused and hard working.
Another book I want to read is 'The E Myth'. It is about the real reason to start a business which the author presents his argument the sole focus is to provide a structure in which to then sell it. My initial thoughts are this is incorrect, my experience on my business is based on a passion and a lifestyle, a purpose. But who knows after reading this it maybe I can be a bit more removed with my goals for my business and where to take it next.
I also have next to my bed The Luminaries which was in recent years named the Booker Prize winner I am not normally a reader of novels, preferring non-fiction autobiographies or self help books but this one comes with a huge reputation. And being a kiwi it needs to be read at some point. I have challenged by friend Sophie to read it too at the same time so we can compare notes.
There are also a number of other classics and autobiographies I intend to read. One that keeps popping up includes Open by Andre Agassi. But a number of current hits I am Pilgrim to The Help. Maybe some older classics I have never read like Catch 22 or Anne Frank Diary. If not these there a plenty of others I will hope to get through if I stick to my goal of one book a week.
I hope this little challenge will kick start my inspiration in a number of ways and broaden my horizons. Maybe also inspire me to continuing my own writing too! A blog of week would be a good challenge too :)
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