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Post by barbados on Jul 10, 2024 20:10:58 GMT
What is on your reading list?
I’ve just finished Rob Rinder’s latest offering The Suspect.
it’s a good follow up to The Trial, as the star of the book Adam Green takes on the next stage of his career as a barrister. He learns the hard way that justice isn’t always the best option for the suspect. I know justice should be the answer, but the story has you questioning at what price?
I’m now half way through My Family by David Baddiel where he takes you through his father dementia, his mother’s eccentricities. I’d certainly recommend the audiobook for this one, if only because it’s read in a very chatty style, I imagine a lot like the show he toured telling the story, My Family ( not the sitcom).
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Post by amanda on Jul 10, 2024 22:35:24 GMT
About to start a non fiction book on coal in Australia. Just finished one about Shakespeare and the perceived Catholic presence in three of the plays - Merchant of Venice, Hamlet, and King Lear.
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Post by jenny on Jul 11, 2024 15:34:06 GMT
I'm currently listening to Jung Chang's book Wild Swans, which I read many years ago. It's just as good as I remembered and I'm absorbing it more by listening to it in short bursts. I tend to listen to audiobooks while I'm making dinner or otherwise working in the kitchen.
On my Kindle I've just read the third book in the Aventurine Morrow series by former QI forummer AnneB - dammit I want her to write the next one now so I can see what happens next!
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Post by bigmartin on Jul 11, 2024 17:51:25 GMT
On to audiobook 9 of Margery Allingham's "Campion" series - Dancers In Mourning. Back in the 80s the BBC dramatized books 2 to 9 over 2 series, starring Peter Davison. After this one, I won't already have an idea of the plot beforehand. Book 1 doesn't revolve around Campion to a great extent, so I assume this why it wasn't used.
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Post by RLDavies on Jul 12, 2024 15:01:25 GMT
Currently halfway through the audiobook of "Twice Round the Clock", a 1935 murder mystery novel by Billie Houston. The author and her sister were a leading variety act in the 1920s, doing songs and sketches in music halls and revues. This is the only novel she ever wrote.
The book opens with the finding of the body at precisely 4 am. It then rewinds to 4 pm on the preceding afternoon, follows the incidents of the twelve hours leading up to the murder, and then carries on until 4 pm and the identification of the culprit -- covering exactly twice round the clock. It's a bit gimmicky, but I like structural gimmicks like that.
The story itself is quite melodramatic, which isn't usually my cup of tea, but it's rattling along pretty well. The victim is a creepy, sadistic scientist with no redeeming features, who frankly deserved everything he got.
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Post by barbados on Jul 12, 2024 16:01:49 GMT
I’m just going to hop back to my family, and a conversation we had on the old board, and the one thing that irked me today.
David Baddiel reads the book as if he is in conversation, which for the most part is a good idea, it helps (I think) convey the feelings he had for his parents. But that comes with an element of laughter - not belly laughter, but that sort of chuckle you have when reminiscing. The part I was listening to today had one such moment, then it was as if the pause button was pressed while he recomposed himself leaving a very abrupt end to the chuckle.
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Post by jenny on Jul 13, 2024 20:00:03 GMT
On Kindle I'm reading a book by Jennifer Paynter called The Forgotten Sister, which is focused around Mary Bennet from Pride and Prejudice. I'm enjoying the start of it because us Austen fans normally find Elizabeth Bennet such a heroine and so attractive that it is interesting to have a different view of her.
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Post by amanda on Jul 14, 2024 10:10:56 GMT
Currently halfway through the audiobook of "Twice Round the Clock", a 1935 murder mystery novel by Billie Houston. The author and her sister were a leading variety act in the 1920s, doing songs and sketches in music halls and revues. This is the only novel she ever wrote. The book opens with the finding of the body at precisely 4 am. It then rewinds to 4 pm on the preceding afternoon, follows the incidents of the twelve hours leading up to the murder, and then carries on until 4 pm and the identification of the culprit -- covering exactly twice round the clock. It's a bit gimmicky, but I like structural gimmicks like that. The story itself is quite melodramatic, which isn't usually my cup of tea, but it's rattling along pretty well. The victim is a creepy, sadistic scientist with no redeeming features, who frankly deserved everything he got. This sounds like a perfect story for the Midsomer Murder type of show. |
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Post by amanda on Jul 16, 2024 11:54:56 GMT
Found the following book that my neighbour's friend has requested to buy: Parks and gardens of Melbourne (Australia) It's a big square book and I flicked through it on the bus trip home. Features alphabetical by suburb, the bigger parks/gardens including the Botanic ones. Also any monuments and significant trees within said parks/gardens. www.goodreads.com/book/show/34506618-parks-gardens-of-melbourne |
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Post by bigmartin on Jul 17, 2024 16:45:48 GMT
Having finished the audiobook yesterday, I've started today (whilst keeping the dog amused) on The Miniaturist by Jessie Burton, having borrowed it from one of my Sunday Team colleagues last weekend.
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Post by jenny on Jul 17, 2024 19:33:05 GMT
I think life may be too short to finish all the unread books I have lined up on Kindle, Audible, and my bookshelves. So many books, so little time...
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Post by amanda on Jul 17, 2024 22:20:33 GMT
Ditto....heading towards 1000 TBR (to be read as FB groups call them)
I'm about to start one on the history and breeding of the budgerigar, got at a half price sale at my local post office that is closing down.
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Post by RLDavies on Jul 18, 2024 15:20:08 GMT
I think life may be too short to finish all the unread books I have lined up on Kindle, Audible, and my bookshelves. So many books, so little time... Saw this on Facebook the other day. Gives a good perspective.  (You'll have to click to enlarge it.) |
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Post by amanda on Jul 18, 2024 23:14:18 GMT
Yes...I think I may have shared that one.
Also went to a bookstore's mid winter sale yesterday (got a discounted one about the robin, the bird) and wanted this kids/teen book that came in the school subscription box, fiction but based on true events of the 1970's battle in inner Sydney (Australia)
The battle for Victoria Street by Gabiann Marin. Told from the perspective of a ten year old living in the run down homes that are set to be demolished in the name of progress.
At the back is a brief note about this real battle that took place and the 'Green ban' that was placed on the area by the Builders Labourers Federation.
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Post by jenny on Jul 19, 2024 14:03:41 GMT
That's very comforting, RLD - thank you!
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Post by amanda on Jul 20, 2024 10:57:55 GMT
Finished the kids book mentioned above. Looked on Google maps for the street mentioned and if there's time in the upcoming trip, I want to see if I can get to this area where the houses have been saved.
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Post by RLDavies on Jul 20, 2024 14:17:32 GMT
I set aside my audiobook for a while -- I only listen while working in bed, and I've been staying up instead -- but we're now barrelling along to the finish. It's unashamedly melodramatic and getting more so all the time, but rattling good fun if you're in that sort of mood. Apart from the murder of the sadistic scientist, we've got a raging storm isolating everyone in the house, a secondary death via booby-trapped safe, the housekeeper sleepwalking with a knife, and of course various romantic entanglements. Nobody's an outstanding suspect, but anybody might have dunnit, and nobody's even slightly bothered that the victim is dead, not even his daughter. Especially not his daughter.
I have my suspicions as to the identity of the murderer, but purely on the basis of "which character is being carefully written to be the least likely".
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Post by jenny on Jul 21, 2024 2:00:22 GMT
I just started reading Erik Larson's most recent book The Demon of Unrest, about the early months of the American Civil War. That man is a seriously good writer.
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Post by bigmartin on Jul 22, 2024 19:49:29 GMT
Finished The Miniaturist earlier today. My Audible subscription allows for a new book late in the evening of the 21st every month, so I downloaded the 10th of Margery Allingham's Campion books "The Fashion In Shrouds" earlier today and am now a couple of chapters in. Still just shy of 12 hours of listening to go.
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Post by jenny on Jul 22, 2024 20:08:17 GMT
I'm still ploughing through Wild Swans on Audible - it's 31 hours or so long, so it will take me quite a while as I only listen to maybe 20 minutes a day at best.
Reading continues with The Demon of Unrest, which is excellent.
What I'm enjoying about both these books is learning the fine detail and about the people of these two major historical periods.
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Post by tafkasouthpaw on Jul 23, 2024 6:33:56 GMT
I'm reading The Odyssey translated by Emily Wilson. It's an excellent, very readable translation and this edition by Norton is beautiful, with rough-cut, double edged bound pages.
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Post by jenny on Jul 23, 2024 13:26:54 GMT
I rather fancy reading that - glad to hear it's as good as it promises to be.
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Post by eeyoresmum on Jul 23, 2024 20:17:36 GMT
I have stacks of unread books.
In these troubled times I find peace in books I already read long time ago, like Le Guin's 'Earth Sea' Cycle, and Stephen Donaldson's Thomas Covenant's Chronicles.The waiting stack is the more heavy work, like Ilan Pappe's 'The Ethnic Cleansing of Palestine'.
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Post by bigmartin on Aug 4, 2024 18:54:49 GMT
Still got one person ahead of me reading the follow-up to "The Miniaturist", so I'm falling back on the audiobook of the penultimate "Swallows and Amazons" book for the time being.
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Post by jenny on Aug 4, 2024 19:49:30 GMT
I hear you on LeGuin and also on Donaldson though I haven't read the Covenant books in decades. Life is so short and there are so many books I want to read that it always feels unfair to re-read.
Currently I'm thoroughly enjoying The Demons of Unrest, though only in short bursts as I tend to read in bed and I get sleepy!
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Post by eeyoresmum on Aug 4, 2024 19:59:40 GMT
I find comfort in revisiting old favourites... The Old Man and the Sea, The Mists of Avalon, The Pillars of the Earth etc. I know I thoroughly enjoyed these, so am very happy to immerse myself again in these glorious piece of writing.
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Post by amanda on Aug 4, 2024 23:25:44 GMT
Finished the kids book mentioned above. Looked on Google maps for the street mentioned and if there's time in the upcoming trip, I want to see if I can get to this area where the houses have been saved. It was about a 20 minute walk from the motel so we went on Thursday afternoon, also to a nearby bookshop where my friend worked for a bit. Have to credit this author for the research of the area, with a flight of stairs and the school both given their genuine names. |
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Post by bigmartin on Aug 12, 2024 16:01:10 GMT
The aforementioned "person in front of me" had finished Jessie Burton's "The House of Fortune" in time to bring with her to "work" yesterday. So, in addition to watching the dog patrol around the gardens today, I've read a fair chunk of the book now.
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Post by amanda on Aug 15, 2024 10:11:19 GMT
Sped-read in two days, a lovely book called 'How Christianity came to Britain and Ireland' to return tomorrow to the religious library. It doesn't come from this one but my colleague can return it to its rightful home in the inner city.
Has lots of full and half page colour photos of stone structures that were common in the first millenium.
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Post by crissdee on Aug 17, 2024 10:09:13 GMT
Flicking through the QI "F" Annual this morning and on the inside front cover list of "Firsts", I noticed a slightly confusing entry.
It describes how Roger Bannister was the first to run a mile in under four minutes, but only held the record for 46 days. Surely he will hold the record for being first for all eternity, unless some new evidence emerges of a previous achievement. His time record is of course transitory, but his "first" record (which is the subject of the factoid) is for all time...
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