50 Book Challenge 2016 Part Five

[southeastdweller]

Thread five 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.

The first thread of 2016 is here, second thread here, third thread here and fourth thread here.

How're you getting on so far?

Something by or about Che Guevara? The Motorcycle Diaries? Not a personal recommendation, as haven't read it myself.

For Vietnam, I've heard a lot about Tim O'Brien (The Things They Carried, If I Die in a Combat Zone). Again, haven't read them.

My upcoming non-fiction reads are about Casanova and Lord Byron, so rather different...

Thanks. Have read Tim o' Brien and didn't get on with 'The Motorcycle Diaries' at all.

Tenar - let me know how you get on with that, please. I know absolutely nothing about Uruguay apart from that it is in South America!

I think I need to start by seeing if the 'Very Short Introduction' series do anything.

Casanova AND Lord Byron, eh? You're in for a treat!

Thanks, I might come over a bit of unnecessary with all those goings-on!

I've also read The African Dream, which is an edited version of Che Guevara's diaries from 1965, when he left Cuba and went to Congo to help the revolutionaries there. I remember it as being quite hard going, and as it's set in Africa it may not be what you're looking for at all (despite the Latin America connection). Interesting stuff, though.

So, in my quest for the Vietnam war or South American history, I've just come back from the library with...a history of Japan!

I'm also currently ploughing through Andrew Marr's 'History of the World' but it's not great. Too much religion, which I suppose is to be expected but isn't really what I'm interested in reading about.

Remus, there's a very interesting section about the role of the press in the Vietnam war in The First Casualty, which I'd thoroughly recommend anyway as an excellent read.

Book 93
Revelations of a Lady Detective by William Hayward
The second detective novel featuring a female detective to be published, this is a British Library publication. Unfortunately it’s very silly and not very good, largely because the female lead is so smug and annoying.

77. A Clash of Kings by George RR Martin

Book two in the A Song of Ice and Fire series. The Seven Kingdoms of Westeros are in turmoil as multiple claimants to the throne battle it out. Lots of violence, blood and death, and a really good read.

123. The Swimming Pool by Louise Candlish

I liked this psychological thriller. Woman makes a new friend and it all gets quite intense quite quickly, all set round their local outdoor pool. I thought the author did a good job of setting the scene with the hot humid summer reflecting the intensity of the friendship. I thought I saw the ending coming but I was wrong.

124. No Turning Back by Tracy Buchanan

Another psychological thriller! Woman is attacked by a teenager and stabs him to death in self defence. Then a link to an old serial killer arises and the woman falls under suspicion. Good although ending slightly far fetched.

125. A very big house in the country by Claire Sandy

Chick lit about three families on holiday in a mansion in Devon. Fine as a light holiday read.

126. The Shadow Hour by Kate Riordan

One of these books that has two interlinked stories in different time periods. In this one, a woman goes to be a governess at the same big house where her grandmother was a governess 44 years previously. Good addition to the genre.

127. Summer in Tintagel by Amanda James

I struggled with this - from the description I thought it was more of a mystery book but it turned out to be chick lit with ghosts. Characters were very stereotypical.

128. The Good Neighbor by A J Banner

Psychological thriller, but badly written with lots of plot holes and cardboard characters. The end was very rushed as if the author just got bored writing it. Very short though, only took me a couple of hours to read!

46. its not the end of the world by Judy Blume. Found this in a CAMHS waiting room- someone my age must have had a clear out as it was alongside The Wolves of Willoughby Chase and The Summerhouse Loon. I'd forgotten the distinctive style Blume has, and fascinating how attitudes to divorce have changed.

47. The Captive Prince by C S Pacat Someone reccommended this up thread, and although the first few chapters nearly put me off as it did read a bit like weak fanfiction, it improved dramatically once it hit its stride and I have started the sequel already. Will catch up on thread and name check who recced it, cos thank you!

49.The Invisible Library by Genevieve Cogman Not great, unfortunately. A good concept - library at the hub of alternate worlds, whose librarians are sent out on missions to obtain specific books. Convoluted plotting, too many different types of magic and magical creature, complete lack of characterisation, and patchy quality of writing prevented this from becoming the fun fantasy adventure it could have been. This is the first in a series, and a first novel, and although there were some flashes of potential - she can world build, and some passages suggest she can write good descriptive prose - it wasn't enough, and I'm out.

I've just started The Poisonwood Bible - already feeling totally sucked in, with a huge sense of foreboding...

Enjoy The Poisonwood Bible Museum. I thought it was amazing.

43. I Let You Go by Clare Mackintosh. Psychological thriller - police are seeking the driver of a hit-and-run car which killed a 5yo boy. The author is an ex-cop, so the police procedural bits felt very authentic. I enjoyed this - stayed up late last night to finish it, which is a good sign for this genre!

Argh name change failure! That last post was me - new name in honour of Born to Run, but I keep my old name for this thread.

I love that you NC to Tarahumara

Tumbletumble dates from when my DS2 was really into Mr Tumble - that's a few years ago now!

OK, I am officially changing to Tarahumara

Gosh this thread has moved a lot while I've been on holiday.

I've heard good things about Hot Milk in RL Whippet, it's on my wish list.

55. The Optimist's Daughter - Eudora Welty. This was a book club read that is set in southern US and won the Pulitzer prize at the start of the 70s. It's about Laurel, a middle-aged woman, who goes bacl to her home town to look after her father, a judge, who is going into hospital for an eye operation. He is now living with his second wife. The book takes place over 4 or 5 scenes and feels almost like a play. There's not much plot as such, it's about Laurel coming to terms with her father's death, and the previous loss of her mother and husband. None of us really liked it in book club but we found lots to talk about, & wondered whether it would have got published today.

56 An Advancement of learning - Reginald Hill. Another early Dalziel & Pascoe novel, not one of his best but a good bit of crime plot to compensate for the previous book.

57. A song for Arbonne - Guy Gavriel Kay. I think this book is described as historical fantasy. It's set in a place that is like Languedoc in the middle ages. Arbonne is the centre of courtly love where troubadours are honoured, women rule and a goddess is worshipped. To its north lies Gorhault where men rule and a a warrior God is in charge. It's meant to be vaguely based on the suppression of the Cathars but i didn't notice it much. I enjoyed this, especially reading it looking over the olive groves in Italy, but the plot and characterisation are a little obvious.

58. Tigana - Guy Gavriel Kay. So I hadn't had enough after the last book so reread Tigana, which is loosely based on Italy. I do love this book, it has a bit more magic than A song for Arbonne, although no non-humans. Definitely more like GRRM or Robin Hobb than Terry Brooks type of fantasy.

Cote You will be pleased/interested to hear that dp has just abandoned HHh after about 30 pages, saying that it is really boring and the narrator is an egotistical prat!

Clever man

He has terrible taste in books though - he liked The Loney (which I thought was absolute nonsense) and also likes Ian McEwan (who I can't abide).

17% in to the Turing biog and my brain is definitely hurting.

Some of the maths went completely over my head, Best, and I'm pretty good at maths (sorry for the stealth boast). I just had to keep going and accept my lack of understanding!

Best - You wanted brainhurty. You got brainhurty

Seriously, it's a great book. Wait until you get to the Enigma parts.

My maths isn't too bad though very rusty but I'm giving myself a break with a copy of The Shell Seekers I've found in our holiday cottage. I need to be a bit more alert for Alan.

Remus - Your DH hated HHhH, so did I. He likes Ian McEwan, and so do I.

Wasn't he the one who likes SF as well? I would say he has very good taste in books

I looked up The Loney and um.. no, I can't do it