annethology
  • Home
    • About Annethology
    • About me >
      • A little more about me
    • About my books
    • Author talks
    • Contact me
    • Forthcoming events
    • World Mental Health Day
    • Privacy
    • Sign up for my newsletter
  • Debut novel and encore
    • Sugar and Snails >
      • Acknowledgements
      • Blog tour, Q&A's and feature articles >
        • Birthday blog tour
        • S&S on tour 2022
      • Early endorsements
      • Events >
        • Launch photos
        • Launch party videos
      • in pictures
      • Media
      • If you've read the book
      • Polari
      • Reading group questions
      • Reviews
      • In the media
    • Underneath >
      • Endorsements and reviews
      • Launch party and events
      • Pictures
      • Questions for book groups
      • The stories underneath the novel
  • Matilda Windsor series
    • The accidental series
    • Matilda Windsor >
      • What readers say
      • For book groups
      • Interviews, articles and features
      • Matty on the move
      • Who were you in 1990?
      • Asylum lit
      • Matilda Windsor media
    • Stolen Summers >
      • Stolen Summers reviews
    • Lyrics for the Loved Ones
  • Short stories
    • Somebody’s Daughter
    • Becoming Someone (anthology) >
      • Becoming Someone (video readings)
      • Becoming Someone reviews
      • Becoming Someone online book chat
    • Print and downloads
    • Read it online
    • Quick reads
  • Free ebook
  • Annecdotal
    • Annecdotal blog
    • Annecdotal Press
    • Articles >
      • Print journalism
      • Where psychology meets fiction
    • Fictional therapists
    • Reading and reviews >
      • Reviews A to H
      • Reviews I to M
      • Reviews N to Z
      • Nonfiction
      • Themed quotes
      • Reading around the world
  • Shop
    • Inspired Quill (my publisher)
    • Bookshop.org (affiliate link)
    • Amazon UK
    • Amazon US
    • books2read

Welcome

I started this blog in 2013 to share my reflections on reading, writing and psychology, along with my journey to become a published novelist.  I soon graduated to about twenty book reviews a month and a weekly 99-word story. Ten years later, I've transferred my writing / publication updates to my new website but will continue here with occasional reviews and flash fiction pieces, and maybe the odd personal post.

ANNE GOODWIN'S WRITING NEWS

Politics, tourism and tea: The Museum of Things Left Behind by Seni Glaister

21/5/2015

12 Comments

 
Picture
Sergio Scorpioni is the president of Vallerosa, a tiny land-locked country of rich red earth and steep ravines. With polling day imminent, Sergio is nervous, despite the fact that, in an elected dictatorship in which every job from postman to government minister is passed from father to son, his re-election is more or less confirmed.

Lizzie Holmesworth is a well-meaning middle-class British student, keen to undertake some voluntary work with those less fortunate than herself as part of the Duke of Edinburgh’s award scheme. Arriving in Vallerosa on the overnight freight train – the country’s primary communication channel with the rest of Europe – Lizzie is overwhelmed by the beauty of her surroundings and the warmth of her welcome. What she doesn’t realise until much later is that the letter that preceded her, mentioning the Duke of Edinburgh’s award and bearing the image of Queen Elizabeth II on its stamp, has led them to expect a royal visitor who will endorse the government’s legitimately at this uncertain time. Reluctantly, she agrees to the president’s request that she continue with the pretence although, the more she learns about the country, the more she’s taken with the peacefulness of the lifestyle and the less she feels she has to offer.

Other visitors are less humble in their approach. For the past ten years, an American consultant has been working with the government to increase their yield from the tea plantations with a view to exporting the crop. Now one of his compatriots has arrived on the same train as Lizzie with a proposal that seems more likely to put money into the pockets of the consultants than the local population.

The Museum of Things Left Behind is a gentle satire about bureaucracy, sustainability, colonialism and ambition. With a clear demarcation between the good and bad outsider, with the vulnerable male characters and the powerful yet invisible females, it reads like an old-fashioned fairytale. In Lizzie’s questioning of her own assumptions, in Sergio’s journey from loneliness and paranoia to finally embracing both his vulnerability and authority, in the country’s revitalisation symbolised by the reparation of the clock in the main square, it’s also a coming-of-age story with much to delight.

Reading this on the day of the British elections (which, as you may have read, left me grief-stricken), I wondered if our democratic system is really so superior to Vallerosa’s benign dictatorship. (See Giles Fraser’s column in the Guardian about voting as a ritual of citizenship that has failed the poor.) Fortunately, I still managed to see the humour in the battles for supremacy in the committee meetings and the working parties created to avoid decision-making, that stood in sharp contrast to Lizzie’s machinations behind the scenes.

Lizzie’s special status reminded me of my own experiences of being a traveller in parts of the world that don’t get many visitors from outside. Brought up to be polite, Lizzie is careful not to patronise one of the two bars in the main square more than the other. While that she takes genuine delight in the architecture and the lush vegetation, she has to bite her tongue on a tour of the museum in which what looks like rubbish washed up from the river is proudly displayed. As a young do-gooder, she is both flattered and appalled at the status she’s accorded. Lizzie, I feel your pain! It can be hard work being a tourist. I’ve been co-opted onto the team brokering a marriage in Bangladesh, and felt the pathos of national museums with fewer treasures than the museum in my small hometown. But, just as Lizzie was unable to drink the bitter Vallerosian tea without adding honey, I’ve never been able to stomach Tibetan butter tea.

This being the fourth book I’ve received via the Curtis Brown book group, which provides the opportunity for a group Q&A with the author, I chose to enquire further about this aspect of the novel (although I’m not sure I managed to make much of a connection):

Anne: I found this to be a novel with, under the surface humour and exaggeration, unexpected depths, some of which chimed with my own experiences of being a privileged traveller in a poor in underdeveloped countries. I’ve visited state museums with almost as paltry collections, and been accorded undeserved celebrity status by dint of being a rare (white) visitor. I wondered if you’d had these experiences too, or it came from your imagination?

Seni Glaister: I've always tried to travel as much as possible and I try - wherever I can - to keep my eyes wide open so I am sure my own experiences have crept in to my storytelling. In all the places I have travelled I have been treated with such warmth and generosity and I have had countless cups of tea in the houses of strangers.

The Museum of Things Left Behind is published in the UK today (21 May) by 4th Estate. Thanks to Curtis Brown for my advance proof copy.

Thanks for reading. I'd love to know what you think. If you've enjoyed this post, you might like to sign up via the sidebar for regular email updates and/or my quarterly Newsletter.
12 Comments
Geoff link
21/5/2015 03:16:36 pm

This has a lot of echoes from the Mouse that Roared, through Rockets Galore to Local Hero and the shockingly awful Salmon fishing in the Yemen. This does sound delightful. That outsider looking in and wanting desperately to be even handed and not upset local sensitivities is a plot line rich in possibilities. Is it played for comedy or is it drier than that? Often comedy is the default so it would be good to try a more serious and thoughtful approach.

Reply
Annecdotist
22/5/2015 04:34:20 am

Oh, I think I started Salmon Fishing but didn’t get beyond the first page! I don’t recognise the other names, but now you mention connections, the opening of this novel, with a self-important postman reminded me of something I used to catch now and then on the radio which was a satire of a fictional Latin American republic.
I think this novel is meant to be humorous with a serious undercurrent. However the joke about the Duke of Edinburgh mixup didn’t work so well for me, but some of the other humorous aspects did.

Reply
Norah Colvin link
22/5/2015 12:22:16 am

This does sound like an interesting read, though the title made me think things other than what you have described. I know you have mentioned the museum, but it didn't rate highly. I thought the items may have featured more prominently. It is interesting that there was not much of interest in the museum. You compared it with small town museums which in my experience can be rather haphazard in their organisation and scant in what they have to offer. That was what I was expecting of museums in my recent trip to the Red Centre but I was delighted to find that the attention to detail in providing information for tourists could not be faulted. It was extremely well done.
Interesting too that Q & A is promoted by the book group, but not so, seemingly, the author?
Thanks for sharing.

Reply
Annecdotist
22/5/2015 05:18:29 am

You’re right, the museum features in only a couple of chapters of the novel, whereas tea – in its production, drinking and surrounding rituals – is everywhere. Maybe they felt the museum just made for a better title. As for the contents, they had collections of empty bottles, small denomination banknotes, and abandoned hairbrushes, lipsticks, scarves, pens, etc. left behind by the rare visitors to the country. I suppose it’s about wastefulness, and living a simple life, but to me it was a very poignant reminder of some countries that don’t seem to have a lot of artefacts to show off.
As for the book group, I’m really not sure. I think the authors are engaged, but they only have an hour to respond to questions from a fairly large group (I’m not sure how many members there are, but more than a dozen), so there must be a pressure to reply quickly – not a lot of thinking time. I don’t seem to have done very well at forming questions that elicit the depth of response I might be looking for. Perhaps it works a lot better in a one-to-one, although it is interesting to see what other people have asked. But to attempt to summarise that would be another whole blog post!

Reply
Charli Mills
25/5/2015 02:44:35 pm

An interesting book that I'd like to read. As a tourist, I don't travel far. I tend to soak up everything around me and I might be overwhelmed by a large trip! Of course, I'd loved to be so overwhelmed!

Reply
Annecdotist
28/5/2015 10:51:37 am

I think it's great that you don't need to go far to find new experiences. I've travelled quite a bit in the past, but those days are over – I'm much more content in my own space.

Reply
Safia
29/5/2015 06:33:00 am

I think the plot of this is great fun but wonder if some of the more serious, underlying issues would be obvious as readers get swept up in the more farcical elements. What a curious answer to your question - super diplomat or tired author ready for a tea break?

Reply
Annecdotist
30/5/2015 12:15:17 pm

I couldn't quite make up my own mind about the balance of humour and seriousness. As to the answer to my question, I was a bit disappointed. I don't think I've come across much fiction that captures the difficulty of being "a good tourist" as well as this does, so I was surprised when she didn't seem to connect to my question. But as I said to Norah, I don't think I've had a lot of success with my questions in this setting and I wonder if it's that the authors are expected to cover too much in too short a space of time. I've got another one next week so let's see.

Reply
Body Rafting Green Canyon link
20/9/2015 06:19:12 am

This article reminded me to continue to explore and continue to seek information and new things.
But I do not understand the substance of the positive thinking for yourself what kind and how which make up our minds become positf. Perhaps in another article could be little to explain the meaning of positive thoughts.

Reply
Annecdotist
8/12/2016 11:10:35 am

I suppose Lizzie has been brought up to look on the bright side, but I certainly think that’s not always the best route to a positive result, and of course what is positive for one person might not be for another. Thanks for reading and commenting.

Reply
Andrés Roemer link
3/12/2016 08:29:15 pm

this is really nice to read..informative post is very good to read..thanks a lot!

Reply
Annecdotist
8/12/2016 11:03:51 am

Thank you for stopping by, Andrés. I read the article in The Economist in your link and, although my Spanish is very basic, I think I understood and agree with your point about setting aside war, hate and superstition to think critically.

Reply



Leave a Reply.

    Picture
    Free ebook: click the image to claim yours.
    Picture
    Available now
    Picture
    The poignant prequel to Matilda Windsor Is Coming Home
    Picture
    Find a review
    Picture
    Fictional therapists
    Picture
    Picture
    About Anne Goodwin
    Picture
    My published books
    entertaining fiction about identity, mental health and social justice
    Picture
    My third novel, published May 2021
    Picture
    My debut novel shortlisted for the 2016 Polari First Book Prize
    Picture
    Picture
    My second novel published May 2017.
    Picture
    Short stories on the theme of identity published 2018
    Anne Goodwin's books on Goodreads
    Sugar and Snails Sugar and Snails
    reviews: 32
    ratings: 52 (avg rating 4.21)

    Underneath Underneath
    reviews: 24
    ratings: 60 (avg rating 3.17)

    Becoming Someone Becoming Someone
    reviews: 8
    ratings: 9 (avg rating 4.56)

    GUD: Greatest Uncommon Denominator, Issue 4 GUD: Greatest Uncommon Denominator, Issue 4
    reviews: 4
    ratings: 9 (avg rating 4.44)

    The Best of Fiction on the Web The Best of Fiction on the Web
    reviews: 3
    ratings: 3 (avg rating 4.67)

    2022 Reading Challenge

    2022 Reading Challenge
    Anne has read 2 books toward their goal of 100 books.
    hide
    2 of 100 (2%)
    view books
    Picture
    Annecdotal is where real life brushes up against the fictional.  
    Picture
    Annecdotist is the blogging persona of Anne Goodwin: 
    reader, writer,

    slug-slayer, tramper of moors, 
    recovering psychologist, 
    struggling soprano, 
    author of three fiction books.

    LATEST POSTS HERE
    I don't post to a schedule, but average  around ten reviews a month (see here for an alphabetical list), 
    some linked to a weekly flash fiction, plus posts on my WIPs and published books.  

    Your comments are welcome any time any where.

    Get new posts direct to your inbox ...

    Enter your email address:

    or click here …

    RSS Feed


    Picture

    Tweets by @Annecdotist
    Picture
    New short story, “My Dirty Weekend”
    Picture
    Let’s keep in touch – subscribe to my newsletter
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture

    Popular posts

    • Compassion: something we all need
    • Do spoilers spoil?
    • How to create a convincing fictional therapist
    • Instructions for a novel
    • Looking at difference, embracing diversity
    • Never let me go: the dilemma of lending books
    • On loving, hating and writers’ block
      On Pop, Pirates and Plagiarism
    • READIN' for HER reviews
    • Relishing the cuts
    • The fast first draft
    • The tragedy of obedience
    • Writers and therapy: a love-hate relationship?

    Categories/Tags

    All
    Animals
    Annecdotist Hosts
    Annecdotist On Tour
    Articles
    Attachment Theory
    Author Interviews
    Becoming Someone
    Being A Writer
    Blogging
    Bodies
    Body
    Bookbirthday
    Books For Writers
    Bookshops
    CB Book Group
    Character
    Childhood
    Christmas
    Classics
    Climate Crisis
    Coming Of Age
    Counsellors Cafe
    Creative Writing Industry
    Creativity
    Cumbria
    Debut Novels
    Disability
    Editing
    Emotion
    Ethics
    Ethis
    Family
    Feedback And Critiques
    Fictional Psychologists & Therapists
    Food
    Friendship
    Futuristic
    Gender
    Genre
    Getting Published
    Giveaways
    Good Enough
    Grammar
    Gratitude
    Group/organisational Dynamics
    Hero’s Journey
    History
    Humour
    Identity
    Illness
    Independent Presses
    Institutions
    International Commemorative Day
    Jane Eyre
    Kidney Disease
    Language
    LGBTQ
    Libraries
    Live Events
    Lyrics For The Loved Ones
    Marketing
    Matilda Windsor
    Memoir
    Memory
    Mental Health
    Microfiction
    Motivation
    Music
    MW Prequel
    Names
    Narrative Voice
    Nature / Gardening
    Networking
    Newcastle
    Nonfiction
    Nottingham
    Novels
    Pandemic
    Peak District
    Perfect Match
    Poetry
    Point Of View
    Politics
    Politics Current Affairs
    Presentation
    Privacy
    Prizes
    Psychoanalytic Theory
    Psychology
    Psycholoists Write
    Psychotherapy
    Race
    Racism
    Rants
    Reading
    Real Vs Imaginary
    Religion
    Repetitive Strain Injury
    Research
    Reviewing
    Romance
    Satire
    Second Novels
    Settings
    Sex
    Shakespeare
    Short Stories General
    Short Stories My Published
    Short Stories Others'
    Siblings
    Snowflake
    Somebody's Daughter
    Stolen Summers
    Storytelling
    Structure
    Sugar And Snails
    Technology
    The
    The Guestlist
    Therapy
    TikTok
    TNTB
    Toiletday
    Tourism
    Toxic Positivity
    Transfiction
    Translation
    Trauma
    Unconscious
    Unconscious, The
    Underneath
    Voice Recognition Software
    War
    WaSBihC
    Weather
    Work
    Writing Process
    Writing Technique

    Archives

    April 2023
    March 2023
    February 2023
    January 2023
    December 2022
    November 2022
    October 2022
    September 2022
    August 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013
    February 2013
    January 2013

    Picture
    BLOGGING COMMUNITIES
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.
Photos used under Creative Commons from havens.michael34, romana klee, mrsdkrebs, Kyle Taylor, Dream It. Do It., adam & lucy, dluders, Joybot, Hammer51012, jorgempf, Sherif Salama, eyspahn, raniel diaz, E. E. Piphanies, scaredofbabies, Nomadic Lass, paulternate, Tony Fischer Photography, archer10 (Dennis), slightly everything, impbox, jonwick04, country_boy_shane, dok1, Out.of.Focus, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service - Midwest Region, Elvert Barnes, guillenperez, Richard Perry, jamesnaruke, Juan Carlos Arniz Sanz, El Tuerto, kona99, maveric2003, !anaughty!, Patrick Denker, David Davies, hamilcar_south, idleformat, Dave Goodman, Sharon Mollerus, photosteve101, La Citta Vita, A Girl With Tea, striatic, carlosfpardo, Damork, Elvert Barnes, UNE Photos, jurvetson, quinn.anya, BChristensen93, Joelk75, ashesmonroe, albertogp123, >littleyiye<, mudgalbharat, Swami Stream, Dicemanic, lovelihood, anyjazz65, Tjeerd, albastrica mititica, jimmiehomeschoolmom