차미안 허시

Above: Charmian shortly after introducing the Anatolian Karabash breed into the UK

Write a novel based on the imagination of your son, leave it in an attic for fifteen years, and then find it’s a best-seller. It is rare that someone sits down and writes a successful novel first time round, but Charmian Hussey has achieved that in a life that has seen her turn her hand to a variety of tasks.      Wife of Oxfordshire Mason John Hussey, her book took 18 months to write, and reflects her love of the world’s indigenous tribes and her concern for the rainforests.      But the literary world is a recent experience. Her career began in the fashion world where she modelled for top fashion and couture houses. She followed this with several years as a student of archaeology, culminating in a D.Phil at Oxford.      For Charmian, Freemasonry has been an interesting part of her life, but it did not start out in a positive vein. She explains: “My previous husband was a Mason and his Masonry was very secretive, almost cloak and dagger. If he went to Lodge meetings I was not told about it, and he was always careful to lock away his regalia.      “It was a subject which was not discussed and in which I was not included. There was certainly no suggestion that I should know that any of his friends were Masons.      “I was very surprised when I met my present husband. He has a more relaxed attitude to Freemasonry and I have been included in ladies’ nights, which I have enjoyed enormously.      “When I meet his friends, I’m delighted if I learn they are brother Masons. The history of Freemasonry fascinates me, and I’ve joined in some interesting discussions. I have been pleased to find there is not the obsessive secrecy I’d come to expect during my previous marriage. But that was in the 1960s. Maybe things were different then and Freemasonry was less open. I welcome the more open attitude now.”      Although starting out in the fashion world, within a couple of years she had decided “to do something much more serious with my brain, and I was bitten by the bug of archaeology.”      She enrolled as a student at the University of London, Institute of Archaeology, studying the conservation and restoration of antiquities.      She adds: “Whilst on that course, I was asked by the British School of Archaeology in Iraq to help with the rescue and conservation of the carved ivories being excavated at the Assyrian site of Nimrud, near Mosul.

     The excavations had earlier been directed by Professor (later Sir) Max Mallowan, whom I had come to know at the London Institute.”
     Nimrud was the place where his wife Agatha Christie had written some of her most famous books whilst accompanying him on the excavations.
     There was a tradition that, on returning to England, some of those who had worked at Nimrud were invited by Max and Agatha to stay with them at Greenway House – their home at Churston Ferrers in Devon.
     Charmian received an invitation. She recalls: “It was a wonderful experience in a classic house-party situation. I stayed for about ten days. In many ways it was quite formal. Everyone dressed for dinner, of course. But we also had a lot of fun.
     “We had picnics on Dartmoor and sailed up and down the Dart with Max at the helm of his small boat. There were barbecues on the beach by the boathouse, and we trekked around antique shops, because Agatha’s son in- law was a great collector of porcelain.”
     She vividly remembers some wonderful conversations with the great mystery writer.
     “Agatha Christie has often been billed as an awkward and somewhat shy person, but I found her good to talk to, and she was an excellent hostess.
     “I had one especially memorable discussion with her, when I was brave enough to say I would like to be a writer. Agatha talked to me about the importance of the mix or recipe for a story – the proper balance of light and dark – humour, mystery and intrigue. Her advice stayed in my mind.”
     After four years as a student, Charmian spent two years in Turkey, working on archaeological sites and involved in her own research project, which would later form the basis for her doctor of philosophy degree in archaeology and anthropology at Oxford.

Photograph by Marie Minchington Above: Enjoying the countryside The Valley of Secrets by Charmian Hussey, Hodder Children’s Books, Hardback £12.99, ISBN 0 340 89349 4. Paperback £5.99.

Not the least of Charmian’s achievements in Turkey was importing a new breed of dog into Britain.      She explains how it came about: “As a child I was a passionate animal lover. Horses and big dogs were my special interest. Being brought up in a semi-detached house with a small garden in a north London suburb meant that my involvement with such creatures existed, alas, only in the books I read and in my imagination. Yet I longed for a real involvement.”      Visits to the British Museum as a child would find her gazing at the famous Assyrian wall reliefs. “My interest always focused on the big, handsome, smooth-coated, mastifflike dogs of war, parading on tight leashes with tails held high.      “Imagine my excitement when, whilst working on the excavations at Nimrud many years later, I caught glimpses of similar kinds of dogs on the plains of Northern Iraq! Descendants of the ancient dogs?      “Imagine my even greater excitement when I discovered a distinct breed of dog in Turkey, remarkably similar to those ancient dogs. Unknown outside Turkey, this was a tall, strongly built dog – mastiff-like in appearance, with short, fawn or striped brindle coat and black mask.”      The colloquial Turkish name for the breed was Karabafl, although they were sometimes referred to as ‘çomar’, which means mastiff, or as the Kangal dog, since breeding had been centred in the district of Kangal.      “During two years living in Turkey, I came to realise that the Karabafl was a much valued breed and that pockets of carefullybred dogs could be found in certain regions. It was a magnificent breed of dog. All my ‘dog longings’ returned. I wanted one. Simple as that! But acquiring a good example of this much prized breed was not simple. Quite another story.”      Shortly afterwards, Charmian introduced the first pair of dogs to the UK and the Kennel Club registered them in their Rare Breed files. In due course, the breed became known as the Anatolian (Karabash) Dog with its own special standard.      The Anatolian Karabash Dog Club was founded in 1968. Unfortunately, the Kennel Club later registered other imported Turkish dogs of no specific type and included them in the files along with the Karabash.      She says sadly: “A misunderstanding of the Turkish language led certain people to believe that a simple phrase which only means ‘a shepherd’s dog’ (of any type) was the title of a specific breed. The registration of a motley crew of dogs, fitting into that general category, together with the establishment of an alternative breed club for generalised shepherds’ dogs, led to an absurd confusion.

     “This mess was followed in due course by the Anatolian Karabash Dog Club, somewhat in the style of David and Goliath, having to take the Kennel Club to court to fight to keep their special breed’s name and standard. But, although the tiny breed club won the day, the whole absurd scenario is now being re-enacted, with the official stance that the Karabash (Kangal Dog) is not a specific breed; that all big shepherds’ guarding dogs from Turkey, including the Karabash, are one and the same breed and, as such, qualify for pedigree registration as Anatolian Shepherd Dogs, with a standard which is broad enough to cover them all!
     “Whatever happened to common sense?” She remarks: “It is 40 years since I first introduced a fine breed to this country. As Patron of The Anatolian Karabash Dog Club, I now find myself heading an organisation, set up for an acknowledged breed, the existence of which is now denied by the British ‘powers that be’.
     “The bizarre story behind these events would make a great book or documentary,” she adds. “For truth can be stranger than fiction.”
     So how did The Valley of Secrets come about?
     “My son Nicholas is now 32. When he was six he was greatly upset by a television feature about the destruction of the Amazon.
     When he was 11 he created some novel, fantasy animals in the round, obtained a UK patent, aged 12, and later a US patent. He believed that, as refugees from the Amazon, the creatures could become ambassadors for the forests, raising money and awareness in an attempt to save the forests.
     “As a dyslexic, Nick was unlikely to write his story: how the creatures had been brought to England early in the 20th century; how, even as we spoke, in 1985, they were living in secret somewhere in Cornwall. So, I hijacked his story! It took 18 months to write.
     “With fantasy set in total reality, and unable to write about anything that I don’t understand, I found that I needed a lot of help – support and knowledge that was given with great generosity by people who are top experts in their fields: botany; anthropology; history of art; pharmacology etc.”
     Charmian is now working on another book and is about halfway through it. Like The Valley of Secrets, it is written for children of all ages.

http://www.mqmagazine.co.uk/issue-15/p-48.php?PHPSESSID=c59cd231db419873a6a6

작가 프로필만 보고 덥썩 사버린 책

 

차미언 허시 Charmian Hussey

한때 일류 모델로 활동하기도 했던 차미언 허시는 옥스퍼드 대학에서 고고학 박사 학위를 받았다. 터키산 사냥개 카라바쉬의 고대혈통 연구자로 알려져 있으며, 중동지역에서 아시리아 유적을 발굴하기도 하였다.

중동에서 돌아온 직후, 고고학자 맥스 말로완의 초대를 받게 되는데, 여기서 그의 부인이자 세계적인 추리 소설가인 아가사 크리스티를 만나게 되었다. 이 운명적인 만남으로 허시는 소설가가 되겠다는 꿈을 갖게 되었고, 마침내 이 책 <비밀의 계곡>을 쓰게 되었다.

이 책은 그녀의 아들이 들려준 환상적인 이야기. 즉, 환상의 동물들이 아마존 우림을 구하는 사절단으로 등장한다는 이야기에서 영감을 얻어 쓰기 시작하였다. 이 책에서 그녀는 영국 남부 콘월 지방의 아름다운 전원을 배경으로 비밀스런 동,식물들의 존재를 매력적인 미스터리로 풀어내고 있다.

현재는 남편 존과 함께 콘월의 외딴 계곡에서 땅을 일구며 후속작품을 쓰고 있다.

반전은 없다

오늘 아침, '정치적으로 올바른 추리소설 하나' 라는 제목으로 리뷰를 썼었다.

마이페이퍼 링크 주소 : http://www.aladin.co.kr/blog/mypaper/822318

저녁을 먹으며, 이 소설에 대해 이야기하다 보니, 그게 아니다. 이 책에 '반전은 없다'
식스센스에서, '브루스 윌리스' 가 사실은 귀신이었어, 라던가, 니콜키드만이랑 걔네 가족들이 사실은 다 유령이야. 라는건 반전. '살인자들의 섬' 도 반전.

하지만, 이 책은 사실은 '반전'은 없는 것이 아닌가 하는 생각.
'정치적으로 올바르다' 라고 까지 생각했던 내가 사실은 '정치적으로 올바르지 않았던' 것은 아닌가 하는 생각.

그렇다면, 그나마 '반전이 정치적으로 올바르다'고 생각해서 별 하나 더 줘서 ★★★ 줬는데, ★★ 줘야 하는 걸까? 게다가, 그걸 '반전'으로 써먹었으니 ★ 줘야 하는건 아닐까?

사실, 이 정도로 박하게 평가받을 책은 아닌지도 모른다.
엉성하지만, 재미있게 읽고 나서, 이렇게 투덜거릴 일도 아니지만, '기대하지 말하야지' 하는 정도의 기대해서 그런지 실망이 크다.

정치적으로 올바른 추리소설 하나

벚꽃지는 계절에 그대를 그리워하네
우타노 쇼고 지음 / 한즈미디어(한스미디어) / 2005년 12월

 내내 딴지 걸으며 읽었다.
질질 처지는 문체하며, 짜증나게 길어지는 문장들.그리고 별 개연성 없어 보이는 사건의 전개.

‘정오가 가까워질즈음에 거울 앞에서 면도를 했다. 내가 한낮에 수염을 깎는 이유를 얘기하려면, 우선 전전날 밤의 통화 내용에 대해 얘기해야 할 것 같다.’
이런 식의 말이 계속 나온다. ‘...를 얘기하려면,...를 얘기해야 할 것 같다’

지지부진하게 반복되고, 되풀이되는 말들은 심지어 돈 드릴로의 ‘화이트 노이즈’를 떠올리게 했다. (내가 쓴 리뷰에 어떤 식인지 나온다)

주인공이 ‘호라이 클럽’을 조사하게 되는 것도, 갑작스럽다.
헬스클럽에서 알게 된 후배가 ‘ 선배, 내가 이렇게 부탁할게요. 평생에 단 한번뿐인 부탁이에요’ 한다고, 덥썩 조사를 하게 되고,이와 같은 별 개연성 없어 보이는 사건의 전개가 소설을 읽는 내내 전체 스토리를 삐거덕거리게 한다. 읽으면서 내내 ‘이게 뭐야’ 하게 되는거.

시애틀즈 베스트에서 공짜커피 먹는 방법이 한 장에 걸쳐 설명되어 있는걸 봤을때는 500페이지가 넘는 양에 대해 의구심이 들지 않을 수 없었다. 그런거야? 그런식으로 500페이지 넘기는거야?

노인문제에 대해 이야기하고, 다단계클럽에 대해 이야기하는 등 사회의식이 있는 추리소설이라고 하지만, 그 부분에 대한 얘기는 그냥, 줄줄줄 이야기해버리고, 성적인 묘사와 로맨스는 꽤나 자세하고, 선정적으로 해 놓은 것도 '사회파' 추리소설을 기대한 것에 많이 못 미쳤다. 선입관을 깨는 반전을 제외하곤 별로 건질 것이 없는 소설이었다.

전체적인 줄거리는 잘 짜여져 있다. 다들 말하듯 반전도 훌륭하고.
읽는 동안 사건이 튀는 방향이 억지스럽다는 생각이 꽤 자주 드는걸 제외하곤,

결말이 내맘대로 ‘정치적으로 올바르’기에, 별 하나 추가했다.

프랑스의 보르헤스

새들은 페루에 가서 죽다 (특별판)
로맹 가리 지음, 김남주 옮김 / 문학동네 / 2007년 10월

' 로멩 가리의 [새들은 페루에 가서 죽다] 를 좋아하실 것 같아요. '
라는 이야기를 들은 적 있다.
이 책을 읽고 나서, 나는 알듯 모를듯 미소를 지어야했다.
이 책의 리뷰들을 보고, 또 웃음이 났다. 굉장히 호오가 분명한 책임은 분명하다.
내게 있어서는 분명 '호好' 였고, 아니, 그걸로는 약하다. '프랑스의 보르헤스' 라는 리뷰의 제목은 내가 할 수 있는 단편 소설을 향한 최고의 찬사이다.

이 책을 읽어내기 위해, 취향도 좌우할 것이고, 읽는 때도 분명 좌우할 것이다.
내가 이 책을 처음 읽게 된 것이 더 어렸을때라거나, 더 나이가 들어서라면, 난 지금과는 다른 기분으로 이 책을 읽어냈을지도 모르겠다.

워낙에 벼르다가 집은 책이라 들어가는 말이 길었다.
각설하고, 이 책의 단편들은 술술 넘어간다. 그림책을 넘기는 기분이었다.
글을 읽고 있지만, 그림들이 휙휙 넘어갔다.  각각 단편에 맞는 그림들을 생각하며 책을 읽어냈다.
단편의 묘미는 무엇일까.  여러가지가 있겠지만 '반전'이 중요한 하나임은 분명하다.
이 책의 단편들에는 기가막힌 반전들이 있지만, 그 반전은 수명이 긴 반전들이다. 반전을 알고 또 읽고, 또 읽어도, 이미 알고 있는 반전에 대한 기대의 쾌감이 압도적이라는 얘기다.

책 속에 등장하는 인간들은, 허영에 차 있거나, 고독하거나, 변절하거나, 아무 생각 없거나, 지나치게 열정적이거나, 잔인하거나, 순진하거나, 다양한 모습들을 지니고 있다. 그들은 실패하고, 울부짖는다.
글의 마지막 문장. 마지막 장면의 잔상은 꽤나 오래도록 남아 망막 어딘가에서 흔들거린다. 그 잔상이 나쁘지만은 않다. 해피앤딩은 아니지만, 상황에 대한, 체념과는 다른 수긍. 인정. 지독한 위트에 어쨌든 쓴웃음 짓게 만드는 이야기들.

원서를 못 읽는게 안타깝지만, 그럼에도 불구하고 문장들은 아름답고 생생해서 읽는것 자체로도 욕구가 충족된다.

새들이 왜 페루에 가서 죽냐고?
몰라. 하지만, 뭔가 이유가 있겠지.