50 Book Challenge 2016 Part Three

[southeastdweller]

Thread three of the 50 Book Challenge for this year.

The challenge is to read fifty books (or more!) in 2016, though reading fifty isn't mandatory. Any type of book can count, it's not too late to join, and please try to let us all know your thoughts on what you've read.

First thread of 2016 is here and second thread here.

How're you getting on so far?

shake I read Winnie the Pooh with my ds last year, he laughed so much they are great. We went to Ashdown Forest to do the walk and played pooh sticks on the bridge, was really lovely having read the stories together.

I also liked how to talk

Font annoyed me at first but think I've already adjusted to it.

I think the font has only changed on the desktop site? Mobile still seems the same!

Thanks Cheeses, I did mean Kim Harrison! I'll try skimming th first one then, though I suppose I should slog on with One Good Turn before the library grabs it back (which the app does very promptly!).

I don't hate the font, and I think it's ok on the eye in black in the main body of the posts, but in the grey and blue it looks too much like the font of choice for many of the documents from organisations I have to read at work; too corporate for a chat site.

11. All The Light We Cannot See, by Anthony Doerr
12. The Madwoman Upstairs, by Catherine Lowell
13. Good on Paper, by Rachel Cantor
14. The Vacationers, by Emma Straub

I plan to start On Beauty as my next commuting book and The Children's Book at home.

Thank you so much to everyone who recommended me an Agatha Christie book! I've added them all to my 'to read' list and I've made a start on Death in the Nile. I just need to read untaxing things after getting through the mammoth Name of the Wind.

Two books I really enjoyed Vanderly. Hope you like them too.

I thought I'd made the page too big or something! Agree new font on site is weird. Looks too thin to me. Mobile font is in changed.

I checked *satsuk and actually the Danish book is 389 pages. Not sure where I got 500 from!

Frugal and OnlyLovers the summer book was lovely. And the poor grandmother was so frail too. I loved the piece where Sophia thinks God has answered her prayers for a storm and gets v distressed and then the grandmother says she did it. And the silent father calmly breaking into a house to "save his family" lovely lovely book. One of those I'd like a paper version of

Oh, I want The Summer Book now too! Is Tove Janssen the person who wrote the Moomins?

She is and the book is still £1.39 on Kindle

Late to the Agatha Christie party, but I like Murder in Mesopotamia, less for the murder and more for the setting - archaeological dig in what is now Iraq. A tour guide at the British Museum told me that those on the dig said it was very true to life, with characters being recognisable (although the murder bit was obviously fictional).

29. A Room Swept White, Sophie Hannah. I liked this one - interesting characters. Murder mystery set that takes in the controversy of whether mothers killed their babies or whether they were natural deaths. Interesting portrayal of campaign for justice.

30. In Bed with the Tudors. A gynaecological history of the Tudor queens. A lot of it will be very familiar to those with an interest in the Tudors (esp. readers of Alison Weir). Not the best-written book I've ever read - too much repetition and too many long lists of the ingredients that went into ointments. But it's still fascinating how much history turned on gynaecological chance. Also, I'm interested in how people grappled with being forced to change their whole world-view at the time of the Reformation, but never considered how it affected women in labour. For generations, women at this moment when they were in pain and fear of death called on the saints to preserve them, and then suddenly this was treasonous. How do you adapt to this new world?

TooImmature yep Tove Jansson came up with moomins as well. She also openly lived in a relationship with another woman when that was still pretty taboo.

OnlyLovers thanks for the film mini reviews!

I have 15 pages of opening chapters on my Kindle Too busy to read full books, but have read and enjoyed a few opening chapters - then moved on. Read the free part Bill Bryson's Mother Tongue last night. It was enjoyable but I have a feeling that it would be inaccurate. Now reading the opening chapter of Paco Underhill's Why We Buy: The Science of Shopping. It's non-fiction and consumer research, really fascinating.

Ok so I was meant to be reading vanity fair but ended up looking at books while dh was buying a magazine and ended up with these two books.

1. Moving by Jenny eclair

An old lady is selling up her house and as she moves from room to room she remembers her past. This is the first Jenny eclair book that I have read and i really enjoyed her writing style. She finds humour even in sad situations. I finished this book in two days.

1. The other son by Nick alexander

I loved this book and all the characters. It has made me now want to visit France and drink rose wine.

I enjoyed the description of France so much that my next read will be The French House by Nick Alexander. I have now worked out that I love a book that's set in foreign countries with good descriptions. It's like going on a little holiday without leaving your house!

I have finally got round to reading Ulyeses and I am actually enjoying it as I wanted to throw The Dubliners on the fire. It is however early days there is a lot of writing what the protagonist is thinking so that might get on my nerves. Wish me luck.

Thanks, Best. I've been looking forward to them and have high hopes!

I loved the Moomins when I was little, but I don't think I ever read the first one and it was always wierdly mysterious. Tempted to retread but suspect I might lose some of the charm if I understood more.

17. One Good Turn by Kate Atkinson - found this a bit of a slog, and am not sure about reading the next. Jackson Brodie definitely has charm though.

I have missed a book somewhere along the line

10 March Violets by Philip Kerr

Loved, loved, loved this book, well written, great insight into pre war Germany, and very much lives up to its description as Berlin Noir. I am now off to find some Hammett and Chandler to get an American fix. Story was a bit complicated half way through but full explanation at the end as in all good thrillers.

15. Mothering Sunday - Graham Swift. A former housemaid, now a famous writer, looks back to one day in her life eighty years before when she was having an affair with the son of a neighbour. This was an intriguing concept and I liked the general story and the refreshingly frank and realistic sex descriptions but it was too short to make much impact, and it should have been a novel instead. I could barely remember a thing just after finishing it.

16. This is Me - Michelle Collins. By-the-numbers memoir from the former Corrie and EastEnders actress, this had the occasional good story but most of it was dull and the voice of her ghostwriter came through often.

17. Behind the Scenes at the Museum - Kate Atkinson. This multi-generational family tale, seen through the eyes of one of the daughters, and set over an eighty year period last century. I feel so divided about this novel as it was extremely well-written to an extent (I was amazed this was her debut book) but the main character was increasingly insufferable, there were too many supporting characters, and the book was a little overlong. There wasn't one likable character in this book, which was another drawback and the story really depressed me by the end, much like Stoner did. I'm glad I read it, though...I think.

southeast totally agree with your analysis of Behind the Scenes at the Museum . Ever literal, I was also grumbling to DH afterwards that there wasn't even a museum in it. To which he replied that York is the museum. Kind of makes sense. Is he right?

Behind the Scenes has a family heirloom or artefact, such as may be found perhaps in a 'people's history' exhibit in a museum, at the centre of each chapter; it turns up in the modern storyline, and then its history is explored in a footnote. I think that telling you what went on "Behind the scenes at the museum" is the purpose of the book, fleshing out the history and significance of the once everyday objects you might see there. I also saw the book itself as the museum, keeping memories and events safe that would otherwise be lost to history.

I did find the main character likeable for the most part, but the ending was disappointing, as real lives often are though I suppose. Brilliantly, brilliantly written though.

19. The Heart Goes Last by Margaret Atwood.

After economic collapse in the near future Stan and Charmaine are living in their car when they find a way out of their situation in the form of an experimental town. It's Margaret Atwood so of course the writing is excellent, but at the same time I got the feeling she didn't really know what to do with her idea. The novel ambles along for a bit until it seems to decide where it's going.

22. The Curse of the House of Foskett by MRC Kasasian

The second in the tales of the thoroughly arrogant and unpleasant personal detective Sidney Grice and his ward March Middleton. A potential client dies on the floor of Grice's study, and the pair are drawn to investigate the strange world of Final Death Societies, and a family with a cursed history.

These novels have a slightly comic air, and while the main characters are fairly unlikeable, the stories are quite entertaining.

26. Bring Up The Bodies by Hilary Mantel. The second in her trilogy of novels about the career of Thomas Cromwell. This one covers the years 1535 and 1536, ie the year of the rise of Jane Seymour and the fall of and execution of Anne Boleyn. The rise and rise of Thomas Cromwell. I enjoyed it very much, but didn't love it quite as much as Wolf Hall, which I thought superb.

Anyway, on with Spectacles by Sue Perkins - her autobiography, which so far is excellent - clever and very funny.

22. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire – J.K. Rowling. This is the fourth in the HP series. In this book Harry’s name is drawn from the goblet of fire as a contestant in the Triwizard Tournament. It doesn’t take long to figure out that something more sinister is at play and that Harry’s name was put into the tournament by someone who wanted to kill him. Harry has to challenge himself in ways he could not have previously imagined and in the end tragedy strikes as Lord Voldermort finds his way back with the help of some of his supporters. This book also had the first real stirrings of romance between the characters and it was sweet. We listened in the car on the school run and my daughters just loved it. Narrated by Stephen Fry who does an amazing job.

23. Colourless Tsukuru Tazaki and His Years of Pilgrimage – Haruki Murakami. Tsukuru has been left emotionally damaged as a result of being rejected by his group of friends. When he meets a woman he could fall in love with she encourages him to try and get to the root of what happened all those years ago. Tsukuru sets out to uncover his past and ultimately find himself. This was beautifully written and Murakami is very good at describing the mundane and making you connect with very ordinary characters. However, this was not his best for me and while it was beautiful in parts in other parts it was unbelievably dull and at times a bit disturbing.

24. The Elves of Cintra: Book two of the Genesis of Shannara – Terry Brooks. Second book in the series following the adventures of the two Knights of the Word as they go on their respective missions to try and defeat the evil that has overtaken the world. This one features a little more of the elves and the elfstones and the magic around the Elcrys tree. Good entertaining adventure series which doesn’t take itself too seriously. I am looking forward to the last book and the final battle (for now) between good and evil.

I am still listening to Steve Jobs - finding it a bit tedious actually! Next up on the school run is Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix. I have also started listening to Murder on the Orient Express by Agatha Christie and narrated by David Suchet - so far I am really enjoying this one.

I am not sure if I will pick up the last Shannara book next or go for something totally different. I have so many unread books on the bookshelves and on my kindle yet I still never know what to go for next !

FiveGoMad

So pleased to hear that you enjoyed March Violets - there are LOTS of Bernie Gunther books now, so you're in for a treat if you work through the series. There's only one that I've disliked.

The font on mobile is def the same for me.

Thanks for the Agatha Christie ideas. I've been wanting to read some for a while and as somebody else brought it up I can pinch recommendations!