Group Reading Log: September 2011

It's spring!

I'm currently reading Small Wars by Sadie Jones, which was shortlisted for the Orange Prize. I'm not very far into it yet, but it's about English soldiers (and their families) in Cyprus during the 1950s, when apparently the Greek Cypriots were trying to get rid of the British. All completely new to me, although I think Middlesex covered the same ground, but from a different perspective. (Or was that a different Greek/Turkish conflict?)

I have just started reading A Sea of Troubles by Donna Leon. It is too soon to comment on it yet but I really enjoy her books.

I have decided to re-read Unseen Academicals by Terry Pratchett. I didn't like it when it was first released and I have decided that perhaps I might have been a bit hasty with my judgement so I am giving it a second chance.

Whenever I re-read Pratchett I come across new things to laugh at so I am hopeful.

Small Wars ended up being a great, unputdownable read. Fabulous stuff.

And now I've moved on to Packing for Mars.

Pratchett can be wonderful, although there are a number of his books that I'm not that fond of (what I think of as his "middle" period where they seemed churned out). But the consistency of his humour is a great thing (and he's definitely resolving his plots better than he used to). Must read another Pratchett, it has been a while.

Packing for Mars was non-stop delightful. Although calling the discussion on pooing in zero-G may not be "delightful" for some, but I loved the whole book.

Moving onto The Book of Emmett, which was shortlisted for the Miles Franklin a year or two ago and has come up as a bookgroup read this month. It's not grabbing me early on, I'm not a fan of estranged family stories, and I had to work too hard in the initial chapter (trying to work out how many children and the family relationships did me in). I don't mind working a little hard, but this was just over-the-top "let's be clever and make it really difficult".

Harrumph. This headcold is putting me in a very bad mood.

*grin* I write down complicated family relationships - a family tree can be very helpful as I discovered when I was trying to sort out my own when I discovered that my great great grandfather's grand-daughter by his first wife married the son of his second wife's sister; but that is probably too much information for someone with a headcold.

I have just finished a re-read of Unseen Academicals by Terry Pratchett and didn't like it any better the second time around. That one and Nation are, in my opinion, not worthy of him.

I have just started on another Sister Fidelma book, The Spider's Web. So far, so good, but it is early days yet.

but that is probably too much information for someone with a headcold.

LOL!

It's not even complex. There's Emmett (only it's his funeral, so he's there in body only), his wife Anne, and their four children. But none of them were introduced in any sensible manner. For a while there I thought that Rob was Emmett's brother (because when Rob was introduced they mentioned his memories of his brother, and the only other person so far was Emmett), then I worked out that Emmett's the father, and for even longer I thought there were at least six kids, because they're described so variously (sometimes by name, sometimes as "eldest", "second eldest", etc). And there may be a fifth child, I'm sure they mentioned that Peter had a twin, who is now estranged from the family. Or maybe dead, I dunno, and I'm not entirely convinced I should care as yet.

Sorry to hear that the Pratchett wasn't worthwhile again. I shall skip that one, then.

Oh, today is National Indigenous Literacy Day! Go and buy a book from a bookshop that supports the ILD.

I have to say that I've put The Book of Emmett to one side. It was well written, but I couldn't see a plot forming, and I wasn't sure that I wanted to read 300 pages about how horrible it is to grow up in Footscray in the 1950s (60s?) with an alcoholic and abusive father. (Let me guess. It'd be no fun, right?)

Plus this headcold is still not letting go.

So I've moved on to more delightful books, and have started A Mysterious Affair of Style by Gilbert Adair, the second in the Evadne Mount series, which are great little spoofs of Agatha Christie. This one doesn't seem to be a particular plot of hers (whereas the first, The Act of Roger Murgatroyd was). Best bit so far? Our amateur sleuth/mystery writer, Ms Mount, has a long-running play in the West End called "The Tourist Trap". I laughed out loud at that one.

(Lovely spring flowers, wookie!!) Its bright and sunny over here today. I am reading My Cleaner and thoroughly enjoying it. Also listening to Dracula in the car. Excellent reading by Greg Wise. Shantaram is still going .... which is clearly a reflection on the lack of walking that has been done all year ..... (I only listen to it when I walk!!) I do like it, though.... and I think I am half way through the book. So far I know three people who have read it after I started listening to it and they have all finished it .... I shall keep going, though.

I have just finished reading Drawing Conclusions by Donna Leon and have just downloaded her last three books.

Meanwhile I am alternating them with re-reads of Terry Pratchett books and am currently reading The Truth which drove me to do the ironing; it was never one of my favourites.

I am giving Sister Fidelma a rest; the plots are very complex and there are still eight in e-book form to download and read. I shall ration them out for when I think that my brain needs a bit of exercise.

Carole, looks like listening to Shantaram is the way to go! I'm dreadful at listening to things though, I always discover myself in the wrong room, making a cup of tea, without really realising I'd walked away from the radio/computer. (Should use my iPod more...)

Pink, I don't think I've ever had a book that drove me to do the *ironing*!!

I finished A Mysterious Affair of Style which was a delightful parody of all things Christie-ian and Hitchcockian. Worth a look, if you're a fan of Christie/Hitchcock.

Then I picked up Blindsighted by Karin Slaughter, and gave up on page 32. (The horror! I couldn't even make it to page 50!) I was disgruntled from the start by plodding prose and cardboard cutouts (I know it's a thriller, maybe I should have lowered my standards), and then the murder was fairly icky and then we get the autopsy and it's *BEYOND* icky. I'm rather horrified that anyone could have thought up the plot, and I only stopped myself from throwing it across the room because it's a library book and I didn't want to have to explain any damage to the librarians. (And now I'm peeved because it's on the shelves by the front door in preparation to being returned to the library and I keep on seeing it every time I go in or out. I want it out of my house NOW.)

I'm the one person on LT to give it a 1/2 star rating. So obviously other people differ from me.

Anyhow, onto a much better book with A Dry White Season, about an ordinary man who gets caught up fighting Apartheid in the 1970s. I like the fact that he's just an ordinary bloke, he's not a crusader or anything. And Apartheid is terrifying. It was all falling apart when I was a teenager, so it's interesting revisiting that era, although I'm glad we've moved on.

And I also read the second volume of Joe Hill's Locke and Key: Head Games. Good, creepy, stuff. I've got the third volume on the bedside table...

A Dry White Season was a great account of an ordinary man trying to seek justice in a corrupt society. I'm still pondering it, it didn't offer any easy solutions or resolution. Matter of fact, the very ending sent shivers down my spine and I hope I never forget the terror it raised.

Locke & Key: Crown of Shadows was another gorgeously illustrated graphic novel. I rather like the creepiness of this series, but a friend of mine who knows horror (it's a genre I mostly avoid) is quite sniffy about Hill's horror. Anyway, I like the idea he's come up with, I'm scared for the characters, and it's a gorgeous book to read.

Then quickly read the novella The Sense of an Ending, which seems to be the front runner for the Booker this year (after all other serious competition was nobbled after not being nominated or shortlisted). If it wins, I will be happy, it was a fascinating book, about memory, history, and the wobbliness of both. One of the rare books that I went back to re-read sections after finishing it. Again, I am still pondering some of the implications of the ending.

And now I'm reading In Other Rooms, Other Wonders which I am liking so far.

I re-read The light Fantastic by Terry Pratchett, the second book in the discworld series and found it very irritating; a bit like reading The Hobbit after reading The Lord of the Rings which I made the mistake of doing.

Now I am back to Donna Leon and Suffer the Little Children which is throwing up some very interesting possibilities. I love her books and, regretfully, I think that I have now read all but two of them. I might have to go to Amazon and get her first book in the Brunetti series because it is not available in e-book form.

Then I suppose that I will be getting back to Sister Fidelma or search out some other authors recommended on this site.

I'm still planning on a re-read of The Hobbit. But it's been years since I read Lord of the Rings, so I may be safe. :)

MUST read the Donna Leon that's floating around the house!! Argh, so many books, so little time...

I finished My Cleaner ... and thoroughly recommend it! She is a new author for me. I liked her style .... easy to read and you want to keep turning the pages ... Now going to My Driver ... the sequel, which happens to be our book club read for this month. I stumbled across the first book while searching for another book in the library and thought I'd read it ......
And yes wookie .... so many books, so little time ... true ... true ....

Picked up as an "easy" read last night, The Stress of Her Regard by Tim Powers. In terms of "easy", I should have stuck with In Other Rooms Other Wonders which is very readable. :) But I do like Powers, and it's been on the shelves forever.

Oh, it's been so very, very busy.

In Other Rooms, Other Wonders was an excellent read, I really liked it.

And I'm currently reading Death at La Fenice, and pinkozcat, it is as charming as you promised. An excellently good read.

That is the one book I can't get in e-book format. I'll have to try Fishpond for it. I've read all Leon's other books.

I am having to experiment with new authors and have just started reading The Savage Altar by Asa Larsson. I haven't read enough yet to comment but I don't think that the translator is doing a particularly good job; it seems a bit wooden.

I have finished re-reading Making Money. I don't think that it is one of Terry Pratchett's best books but it was an OK read.

I got my copy of Death at La Fenice second hand, locally. I can find a number of them used in the shops, but it's always tricky finding the *particular* one you're looking for, of course. (I bought #6 of Charles McCarry's Paul Christopher series the other day. One day I'll stumble onto the first in this series, and then I can actually start reading them! So far I've managed to find #3, #6 & #7...)

Just Googled Donna Leon, because I was wondering if she was Italian or an English writer (I know her name doesn't sound particularly Italian, but the details seem very Italian and perfect). Turns out she's American born, writes in English, and lives in Venice. (Life's tough.) I'm almost finished Death at La Fenice, and I will be continuing the series.

I have finished The Savage Altar and would have quite enjoyed it except for the pregnant detective's constant need for a pee (been there and done that, but ...) and the little dog. Anyone who loves animals should not read this book!!

I went to www.fishpond.com and discovered ten more Donna Leon books and a cookery book with recipes of the things which Paola cooked and am just about to get back into the paper book market again and spend up big (or relatively so) on all the Leons which I can't get in e-book form.

In the mean time it is back to Sister Fidelma.

I liked the conclusion to Death at La Fenice. I do have to say I'd kind of forgotten about the murder that starts the book, I was all caught up with Brunetti's family life, and food. Bit of a surprise to suddenly remember why he was wandering around Venice, asking people awkward questions. :) The whodunnit seemed obvious to me, but I was wrong. Yay, love that in a book.

Now moving on to Being Dead by Jim Crace, another of those pesky library books that keep on cluttering my bedside table. (I swear they breed.)

I've read A Sea of Troubles ..... ages ago .... Can't remember if I've mentioned this already. Must read the first one ..... So many books to read ..... All my library requests have come in together and I am not coping ..... Don't want to give them back ..... (sigh!) We finished listening to Dracula ..... (in the car) and enjoyed it thoroughly .... Greg Wise was excellent. Now listening to The Little Prince, which I read a long time ago .... and loved ... so looked around for an audio version. This one is great but it is better to read the book or you miss out on the illustrations. Also finished My Driver (very, very good!!) .... and now reading Plainsong ..... short chapters .... beautifully written .... characters are building up .... will take it slow.

(Shantaram is still going on the ipod .... and I'm enjoy being read to!! What a complicated life he's led!)

I have ordered all the available Donna Leon books including the recipe book. Yeah!! I am looking forward to reading them. There is another one due to be released next year.

Meanwhile I am reading Valley of the Shadow by Peter Tremayne ; Sister Fidelma again.

For the fans of Kerry Greenwood a new Corinne Chapman book has just been released, called Cooking the Books.

I haven't read it yet - it was only in my local bookshop yesterday but I enjoy this series more than the Phryne Fisher series.

ooh goodie - i do like her

I put Being Dead to one side because I was getting fed up with having to rush and read books before they needed to be returned to the library. Good book, I'll get it out another time and give it a proper go.

I've never read Corinne Chapman, although I have read a few Phryne books.

And last book read for September was Divergent, a highly entertaining page-turning YA dystopian novel, with a kick-arse female lead. Had a great time, and have been told that Hunger Games is even better, so I really MUST bump that one up Mt TBR a little...

And now it's October!

Don't bother to read Cooking the Books. I think that Kerry Greenwood is in need of a new heroine and a new situation. But I do like her cats; Horatio and the Mouse Police are a constant delight.

This month I read:

The Genesis Plague by Michael Byrnes
This was an excellent novel, though it could have been better. I am the kind of person who likes a graphic description of the gradual progress of the plague. Unfortunately, this really doesn't concentrate on the plague very much. It is more about the politics of crating a new armageddon. Not what I expected, but still a good read.

Doomsday Book by Connie Willis
This was a riveting, edge-of-your-seat type novel - unusual for a historical novel. I was thouroughly enthralled from beginning to end and read it all in one sitting. Highly recommended.

Sophie's World by Jostein Gaarder
This book was very heavy to read, but it is worth plowing through. I found this to be an enjoyable way to learn about the history of philosophy and the various ways of looking at this world of ours. I recommend reading this a piece at a time so as to take time to ponder what you are reading.

Children of the Dust by Louise Lawrence
When I read this book as a tween, it made a huge impression on me. In fact, I had nightmares for years afterwards. It took me a while to track this down as an adult, but I finally found a copy at my local op-shop. I was worried that it would seem corny or dull and flat after all these years, as childhood favourites often do, but my worry was wasted. While I wasn't left with nightmares this time around, I found the book as emotionally disturbing, engaging and thought-provoking as I did when I was a child. This is a definite must read for fans of the post-apocalyptic genre.

Should You Judge This Book by it's Cover? by Julian Baggini
This book contains a decent selection of proverbs and has the occasional interesting snippet of history. These things are the only things this book has going for it, however. The thought-provoking analysis promised by the blurb is absent in all but a few cases. Interesting to dip into know and then, but I wouldn't go out of my way to purchase it.

Sorry for the late entry. I'm having difficulty finding time to use the computer lately.

I started reading The Heckler by Ed McBain but gave up after 110 pages. It was all fill and no substance and I was bored to tears.

However, over the last couple of days the Donna Leon books are arriving in dribs and drabs, including the much-awaited cookery book, A Taste of Venice; at Table with Brunetti, with the recipes for the meals cooked by Commissario Brunetti's wife. Yeah! Now I just have to work out how to deal with globe artichokes.