What I read this week:

- Factotum by Charles Bukowski
- A Light in the Attic by Shel Silverstein

Factotum:

There is something about this book that haunts me. It's a thoroughly messed up book, about the most messed up people, living in a state of poverty only first world countries can possibly throw up. It's a book about wandering, not necessarily aimlessness, and I'm quite sure there's a stark difference between the two.
In a very personal way, this book knocked me over and gave me exactly the sort of read I wanted - something meandering, something mean, something low, something all over the place. Bukowski does this thing where he makes it okay to be lost, or not have anything to hold on to, or ground you.
There's nothing heroic or aspirational about Chinaski, he's just some guy who wants to make enough money to get drunk in the evening. It's not like the book is leading into some eventual doom either - he's just getting by, one drink at a time.

A Light in the Attic:

Is almost the absolute opposite of Factotum. It is the most delightful book of (not) children's poetry I have read since Roald Dahl. Let me assure you, it is also quite dark for a children's book - but so full of sunshine at the same time, that it's difficult not to be drawn in or fall in nothingbutlove with it. While it made me laugh nearly all the time, it also almost made me cry. (The story about Cloony the Clown, hey, that is not a children's poem, Mr.Silverstein!) For the most part though, it has radically altered my mood and my (ahem) attitude towards life for the day. And because I cannot leave you without said radical alteration of mood:

Somebody Has To
by Shel Silverstein

Somebody has to go polish the stars,
They're looking a bit dull.
Somebody has to go polish the stars,
For the eagles and starlings and gulls
Have all been complaining they're tarnished and worn,
They say they want new ones we cannot afford.
So please get your rags
And your polishing jars
Somebody has to go polish the stars.