50 Book Challenge 2015 Part Five

[southeastdweller]

Thread five of the 50 Book Challenge for this year.

The challenge is to read fifty books (or more!) in 2015, though reading fifty isn't mandatory. It's still not too late to join, any type of book can count, and please try to let us all know your thoughts on what you've read.

First thread of the year here, second thread here, third thread here, and fourth thread here.

Happy reading

Back after ages away! Think I was summoned by tumble mentioning my name (glad you liked Life in a Cold Climate). I haven't been anywhere, had forgotten log-in and have been really busy with work.

Duchess, so sorry about your father. I dread the day.

Took me ages to find where I stopped recording:

96. The Story of Alice, Robert Douglas-Fairhurst. About the real Alice behind the story written by Lewis Carroll. A bit plodding. I'd read another book along the same lines "In Search of the Dreamchild" which was more thought-provoking in challenging how we view the past through the lens of the present (ie. the image of LC as a proto-paedophile says more about us than about him) and would prefer that book to this.

97. Doctor's Notes, Rosemary Leonard. I ventured into a different section of the library and came out with an armful of books about life as a doctor - it's something I seriously contemplated when leaving school, and I'm always a bit curious about the other life I might have led. This one wasn't impressive - full of self-congratulation about her work as a GP, and the anecdotes all curiously familiar, right down to lesbians with a turkey baster.

98. The Golden Age of Murder, Martin Edwards. About English writers of the 1930s. Dorothy Sayers was interesting (didn't know she was hiding an illegitimate child) but the book outstayed its welcome - too many similar accounts of writers I hadn't heard of.

99. Kind of Cruel, Sophie Hannah. Intriguing set-up, but I can no longer recall any of it, five weeks down the line.

100. The Doctor will see you now, Max Pemberton. Another doctor book, better written than (97) and interesting on hospital politics.

101. Walking Away, Simon Armitage. Poet writes about long-distance walk in the south of England. A bit under-spiced - it feels like he can't be as rude as he might like as is relying on people's hospitality, but enjoyed it as a substitute for being out there walking myself (want to but can't for various reasons at the moment)

102. The Carrier, Sophie Hannah. As with (99), turned pages eagerly but it has now all escaped my brain.

103. Sick Notes, Tony Copperfield. Most intriguing of the doctor books - seethed with exasperation at government meddling and patient intransigence.

104. Charles Dickens and the Great Theatre of the World, Simon Callow. Really enjoyed this - biographies tend to tell you too much, including all the boring things, but Callow told you just what he was interested in, making this consistently fascinating and well-written. Poor Mrs Dickens.

105. The Sibyl in her Grave, Sarah Caudwell. Very old-fashioned mystery novel. Published in 2000, but the various career girls had a 1920's flapperish air, as did the dialogue. Lots of public school homoeroticism. Odd - enjoyed it, but it could becoming wearing.

106. The Unexpected Professor, John Carey. Always enjoy spending time with a bibliophile, although I don't see it as the portrait of an outsider in the way he seems to - once admitted to Oxford, he was pretty much on the inside, despite the various internecine squabbles.

107. Curious, Rebecca Front. Slight essays about everyday life, childhood memories etc. London author, but felt more American-style short essays. Mildly enjoyed.

108. The Dead Duke, his Secret Wife and The Missing Corpse, Piu Marie Eatwell. Non-fiction book about Victorian legal battle - clearly aiming for "The Suspicions of Mr Whicher" market. Quite liked, although I had the uneasy feeling that someone better informed would have picked up some howlers (the only one I spotted was someone wearing a shift over her dress).

109. Echoing Voices, John Harris. Carey recommended another book by this author which I couldn't get my hands on at the time, a non-fiction book about exploring abandoned country houses. This one was a follow-up - not very well-structured, but an easy read, and a few evocative moments.

Nearly finished!

110. Speaking in Bones, Kathy Reichs. She does her usual things - lots of autopsies and oh no! I've confronted the murderer who is coming at me with a weapon! Reliable.

111. The Road to Little Dribbling - someone called it Victor Meldrew above - good description. He's coasting here; it's all pretty familiar and the rants about public stupidity are a bit repetitive. The ending is also a bit abrupt. He doesn't disguise that he's doing it for the money. But it still has good jokes and it's worth the read - I gobbled it down greedily.

Currently switching between three books: Engel's England (some overlap with the Bryson book), Genghis Khan, as recommended on this thread previously, and The Bronte Cabinet, which I'm loving and is taking precedent for the moment. Genghis Khan and Charlotte Bronte make an interesting combination, I can tell you.

Welcome back bibliomania!

Wow biblio, that is some interesting and varied reading you've done there. I am impressed! I might have to have a look at some of those titles, especially the Dickens one.

I have finally finished 91. Misery - Stephen King
My first ever Stephen King, quite possibly my last. It's not that I didn't think it was good, it was, but I was far too on edge reading it and it was so relentlessly horrible that I just didn't want to pick it up. I am officially King Wuss though. What I did like was his exposition on writing, the novel within a novel. Having seen the film some years ago I thought I knew what to expect. Wrong! The book is waaaay more intense and unsettling.

Personally I'm tempted by The Bronte Cabinet...

Aw thanks, missed you lot! yes, I'd happily recommend both the Dickens book and the Bronte one.

Oooo, interesting list Biblio! Have bought Sick Notes (£1.99 on kindle today) and added several others to my watch list

Hah Whippet, I sympathize, I am the same. Cannot read the horror. At All. Loved The Stand though. Dead Zone also v readable for the horror averse.

Funnily have been trying to read 22.11.67 but just cannot get into it. Will have to go back to the library soon alas.

(It was Best who compared Bill Bryson the Victor Meldrew - credit where credit is due).

Hope you like it Wilting - I get nervous of making recommendations as it's such an individual thing.

Thanks Biblio . I still enjoyed it though. Will digest your impressive list later. Currently on a train and my aging Kindle has decided to remove Sue Perkins Spectacles from itself so resorting to Mumsnet. Guess what's going on my Christmas list?

Bibliomania I felt the same about Sophie Hannah , ok but forgettable

Book 128 'The Discovery of the Titanic' by Robert Ballard
I thought I'd really enjoy this but actually found it pretty boring. I dutifully read it to the end though, in order to justify looking at the absolutely amazing pictures. He may be an inspirational scientist, but he has a lot to learn about writing!

Book 129 'Cross Stitch' by Diana Gabaldon - recommended by a friend. I like the concept - character finds herself to have journeyed accidentally into the past, and ends up with a bunch of highland warriors, one of whom is v sexy. Unfortunately it has pages and pages (and pages and pages and pages and pages) of sex with said sexy highlander, and reading about sex bores me beyond belief. I was bored before her first orgasm, and unfortunately there were many, many more to come. Tedious nonsense, I'm afraid. A real shame, as I liked the idea and the characters.

Just painfully snorted hot milk reading that review Remus. So amusing.

40. Adventures in Human Being by Gavin Francis - a really enjoyable book by a Scottish doctor about the human body. He takes a tour from head to toe with anecdotes and interesting facts (and pics) about different parts of our bodies. Really well written and entertaining (and not gory). I enjoyed this, it's not as sad as Do No Harm by Henry Marsh, which I read earlier in the year and enjoyed too.

On to some fiction!

18. Joy in the Morning - PG Wodehouse. In which Bertie gets into a pickle concerning Boko and Nobby, cousin Edwin receives a kick in the rump, Stilton Cheesewright has his uniform pinched, and a Clam is lurking in the toolshed. I can't help but put the voices of Stephen Fry and Hugh Laurie into Jeeves and Wooster, and read it with them at the forefront of my mind. Very enjoyable, silly, escapist book.

53. Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas - Hunter S Thompson

This was absolutely brilliant. In this wild ride, Thompson describes a Las Vegas trip with his attorney, supposedly for two events he was to cover as a professional journalist, where both took copious amounts of various drugs (some I had never heard of used in a recreational context - ether???) and went completely out of their minds. It is well-written, outrageous, and very VERY funny.

If you haven't watched the film, you really should, as well. Johnny Depp plays the author and Benicio Del Toro is his attorney/partner in crime. Terry Gilliam is the director. It is fantastic

74. Spectacles -Sue Perkins. Autobiography. I don't know, I like Sue Perkins and I really wanted to like this but I don't think she wanted to give much away. When she writes about her family and her life it's very good but I really didn't like the comical anecdotes' about driving and the last two chapters about travel documentaries she's made for the BBC were just boring and I skipped through them. Mixed.

I'm glad that my pain is causing amusement, Whippet.

Cote I nearly bought 'Fear and Loathing' last week, and didn't. Do I want to? Does it feel like another rare book for us to bond over?!

Book 130 'Underfoot in Show Business' by Helen Hanff
By the writer of '84 Charing Cross Road'
I enjoyed this. It's about her trying to make it as a playwright and her friend as an actress. It's a very easy, pretty amusing read but it's nowhere near as good as '84'.

81. The City & The City by China Mieville

A woman is found murdered in the decaying city of Beszel, and the investigation into her death leads Inspector Tyador Borlu into the search for the truth behind strange conspiracies. He finds himself having to travel across the border into the city of Ul Qoman, a city that occupies the same geographical location as Beszel but which the residents of Borlu's home city learn early in life to 'unsee' so they don't accidentally summon Breach down on themselves.

It took me a while to get into this. The explanation of the nature of the city comes slowly so for a while I was just puzzled and wondering what was going on. It's not a dimensional thing - streets can exist in both cities with neighbouring houses in either Beszel or Ul Qoman, and the residents are not allowed to see the buildings, streets and people of the other city, so they consciously 'unsee' everything not in their own city. But as the story progresses you get used to the weirdness and the interest in the search for the murderer takes over. It's a really interesting construct.

Ooh, I've been considering reading some more Mieville having enjoyed Perdido Street Station

29 Daughter by Jane Schmilt

Continuing my run of not very satisfying books...Female GP with super busy work/family life inc three teenagers. Fifteen year old Naomi disappears one night, and the subsequent secrets which emerge from various family members contribute towards did she run away, or was she abducted. Told in a dual narrative between her going missing, and a year later. The writing I found pretty good - very textured, and reminiscent of Nicci French. The plot became increasingly unlikely, and by the time of the unexpected twist ridiculous.

I'm not sure I'd recommend it, but I would read something else she writes

southeastdweller
You asked - Anonymous, did you ever finish Late Fragments? I'm curious to know what you thought of it.

Sadly, I didn't. It started well, but I kind of lost my way with it a bit, and once it was put down felt no inclination to pick it up. It was due back at the library, with no option to renew, so I simply took it back. Feel bad really, that I should have carried on with it, in light of its writer and its content....

67. Is it Just Me by Miranda Hart
68. Saints of the Shadow Bible by Ian Rankin

And now on:

69. I Saw A Man by Owen Sheers (it's got its hook in me this one!)
70. We are All Completely Beside Ourselves (audiobook).