So reading, one of my favourite pastimes and has been since I can remember, apparently I could read before I went to school and for those first years in infants school I was top in my class, along with Steven Titchner who I was in a constant reading battle with. I was also one of the best at sewing in Junior school, along with William Laird, I wonder what happened to him? The last memory of him I have is the time a crowd of us were up our local park and my mate Diane's dog Patch peed on him! William ran off screaming never to be seen again, perhaps he was but my timeline of back then is a little hazy.
I digress, I set myself a reading challenge over at Goodreads, 52 books in 52 weeks, so one book a week. So far I'm on track, I'm a quick reader as long as the book keeps my interest.
What I've read so far....
Click on the links to find out more.
Week 1 - Book 1 -The Hot flash club by Nancy Thayer.
"This wise, wonderful, and delightfully witty New York Times bestseller is a coming of age novel about four intrepid women who discover themselves as they were truly meant to be: passionate, alive, and ready to face the best years of their lives"
I really enjoyed this and could relate to those body changes when you get to 'a certain age'. Light hearted fun, there are other books in the series so I'll be on the look out for those.
Week 2 - Book 2 - The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants by Anne Brashares
"Carmen got the jeans at a thrift shop. They didn’t look all that great: they were worn, dirty, and speckled with bleach. On the night before she and her friends part for the summer, Carmen decides to toss them. But Tibby says they’re great. She'd love to have them. Lena and Bridget also think they’re fabulous. Lena decides that they should all try them on. Whoever they fit best will get them. Nobody knows why, but the pants fit everyone perfectly. Even Carmen (who never thinks she looks good in anything) thinks she looks good in the pants. Over a few bags of cheese puffs, they decide to form a sisterhood and take the vow of the Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants . . . the next morning, they say good-bye. And then the journey of the pants — and the most memorable summer of their lives — begins."
This was good fun too. It's been made into a film although I haven't seen it and there are also more in the series. I found the third the other day and I'm still looking for number two.
Week 3 - Book 3 - Major Pettigrew's Last Stand by Helen Simonson
I loved this book, a beautifully written love story. Funny and sometime quite moving I didn't want to put it down, it's one of those feel good books that you hope will turn all out alright in the end.
Week 4 - Book 4 - Cider with Rosie
In this idyllic pastoral setting, unencumbered by the callous father who so quickly abandoned his family responsibilities, Laurie's adoring mother becomes the centre of his world as she struggles to raise a growing family against the backdrop of the Great War.
The sophisticated adult author's retrospective commentary on events is endearingly juxtaposed with that of the innocent, spotty youth, permanently prone to tears and self-absorption.
Rosie's identity from the novel Cider with Rosie was kept secret for 25 years. She was Rose Buckland, Lee's cousin by marriage."
I think this has to be one of the most beautifully written books I've read so far, I don't normally do well with overly descriptive writing, as I think it's one of those things that is hard to get right sometimes. Laurie Lee however is the master at it, every page is a sensory delight, I could almost feel what he must have felt. Wonderful stuff. I watched the film not too long ago and as far as I can remember it was pretty much the same as the book. So often I'm disappointed with film adaptations of books, they never seem to get it just right. If a book is good enough to make it into a film then at least be true to the book!
This week I am reading The Thorn Birds by Colleen McCullough. I'll get back to you on that one.
So what are you reading?
See you next time
0 Yorumlar