50 Book Challenge 2017 Part Two

[southeastdweller]

Welcome to the second thread of the 50 Book Challenge for this year.

The challenge is to read fifty books (or more!) in 2017, 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 previous thread is here.

How're you getting on so far?

Just caught up with this thread. Saw the Oliver Sachs books in a discount bookstore last week and so very nearly bought them, very tempted to after what people have said on here. Is there a particular one people would recommend first?

I did however buy The Skeleton Cupboard off the back of this thread, oops looks like my TBR pile is not getting any smaller.

1. The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood - Audiobook

I have been meaning to read this for ages so this thread inspired me to get it on Audible. I'm a great fan of Dystopian fiction and this is often held up to be one of the best.

This is a thought provoking and even frightening scenario, particularly given the current political situation in the US. Most dystopia doesn't seem believable or possible, but this did. Whilst it is very much written from a feminist perspective, there are many other groups that are targeted. I particularly enjoyed the last chapter and the way it shed light on the history.

It worked well as an Audiobook, particularly given the way the last chapter pans out.

I can completely understand why this book is used as an A-level text, and I think it should go on to those lists of 100 books you should read.

frenchfancy The Handmaid's Tale has been on my wish list for ages, but I'd never thought of listening to it on audio - I might just shamelessly copy you. Once I've finished 11.22.63 which I may have mentioned a few hundred times, as I've been listening to it for two and a half months. Just under an hour to go.

1. Thank Heaven Fasting by EM Delafield Stultifying but strangely compelling tale of Monica, a rich and privileged young woman, coming out in pre WW1 London, whose whole shallow existence revolves around getting a husband and being pushed around by her overbearing mother. Mumsnet 1910 would have had a field day with the mother, and the very few friends and relationships that Monica does manage to cultivate. Very readable despite the rather depressing subject matter. Beware the cheapo kindle edition - littered with typos - looks like it's been scanned from a PDF then not properly proofread.

I was listening to The Handmaid's Tale on audible ages ago, I don't know why I stopped. I just finish it.

1. The Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett. This took a while to finish, given I'm not reading as much now and it is a right tome! However, I really enjoyed it. (I missed the mention of horse chestnuts...) it is the story of the building of a cathedral, with a rich tapestry of lives around it. Prior Philip also features large. I really liked that there was no clear cut good and evil - everyone makes choices for a reason, and good people make bad choice ices and vice versa. It's ages since I read a historical novel like this and it was wonderful to start again.

YY Ham - the whole set up in Thank Heaven Fasting is awful (as in the subject matter - not the writing) but so utterly believable you feel you have to read on.

Has anyone read Days Without End by Sebastian Barry? It won the Costa Award tonight for Book of the Year and I've just reserved it at my library.

17 Truly, Madly, Deeply - Liane Moriarty

I usually like Moriarty's books - although they are quite 'chick-lit', there's always a dark undercurrent to them and it's a change to read books set in Australia that aren't Neville Shute.
This was about three couples remembering the events of a traumatic day and its aftershocks and very much in the same style but I just didn't like any of the characters and didn't care very much what happened to them.

re Trollope yes, Cedar, I have The Warden ready to read first, but thanks for your thoughtful post. I do like to read series in order

Satsuki I would recommend The Way We LIve Now as one of Trollope's best novels. His own reasons for writing it below :

Nevertheless a certain class of dishonesty, dishonesty magnificent in its proportions, and climbing into high places, has become at the same time so rampant and so splendid that there seems to be reason for fearing that men and women will be taught to feel that dishonesty, if it can become splendid, will cease to be abominable. If dishonesty can live in a gorgeous palace with pictures on all its walls, and gems in all its cupboards, with marble and ivory in all its corners, and can give Apician dinners, and get into Parliament, and deal in millions, then dishonesty is not disgraceful, and the man dishonest after such a fashion is not a low scoundrel. Instigated, I say, by some such reflections as these, I sat down in my new house to write The Way We Live Now.

Couldn't be more relevant currently ...

And weebarra yes he certainly had an interesting life. And for a man who held down a full-time job with the Post Office, what a prolific writer!

crapfatbanana I have The Outrun on my TBR pile, a present from my sister. And I'm hoping to go to a remote Scottish island for a week this summer myself so would be good to read it first .. or maybe while there.

Interesting that you are loving The Sellout. We're due to discuss it at my book group shortly. I know that without exception everyone who's already read it has loathed it and found it really difficult. I'll attempt it nonetheless and good to hear that at least one person has found it a worthwhile read.

Checking in again after a few days off the thread and it's moved forward about 10 pages!

Ladydepp, I've read the first three Shardlake and found the first one hte slowest (and also got confused about all the different monks!) The third one is the best so far IMO.

DrDiva- I also enjoyed Pillars of the Earth, but enjoyed World Without End more- set in the same town, with descendants of the original characters 200 years later, set around the time of the Black Death. Again, it's a long read, but well worth it.

I've just finished Fellowship of the Ring (#6) (a re-read)- starts slow but you just have to get into the MIddle Earth mindset and drift along with it.

and Journey into the Heart of Borneo (#7) - for my new book club tonight. Was OK, it was written by a naturalist so lots and lots of long descriptions of birds, long chunks of quotations from a previous book on Borneo written c1850s, and a few amusing anecdotes about leeches on willies. Got a bit political towards the end. Meh

Just finished book 11 The Essex Serpent . I really enjoyed the book. Lots of interesting questions about beliefs and values, enjoyed the subject matter regarding science v religion. Particularly found the portrayal of her son Francis very interesting- had a strong feeling he had Aspergers.
Interesting discussion on The Sellout which was chosen by my book group last night as one of our future books. Would not be something I would naturally gravitate towards.
Next book - need to read Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde . read it years ago but my son is doing it for GCSE and keeps asking me things I can't remember!

12. Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte

Enjoyed this although there is a very large coincidence which I found hard to believe in, and (spoiler alert in case anyone hasn't read it!) I did question Jane's logic in agreeing to marry a man who would have quite willingly entered a bigamous marriage. Oh well, she was happy!

Mumsnet 1910 would have had a field day with the mother

This is very serendipitous, Ham.

Only yesterday I was thinking about starting a "What would MumsNet 1817 be like?", (Picked the date because it was a straight two centuries ago -long enough to be far away, but close enough to be relevant) but I hadn't the time to think of a starter entry.

Or maybe a MumsNet Through The Ages . . . (If anyone wants to run with this, I won't claim copywriter, but please link me so that I can join in.)

Coo - You will LOVE the Barchester Chronicles. They are wonderful (personal favourite is "The Small House at Arlington" which I think is number 5 in the series. The character of Johnny Eames is thought to be based on Trollope himself when he was an aspiring young clerk in the Post Office.).

Trollope's characters are so believable and his stories are timeless - I think because they are character-driven as well shaving really good plots. Enjoy!

Oh well, she was happy!

Or was she, Chessie? JA Sutherland writes books picking apart the puzzles in classic fiction, and he suggests otherwise, based on his analysis of both their characters; that like many relationships, when they actually have to live together Edward Rochester will make her life a misery (IIRC - it's been some years since I read it. Actually, I think I'll dig it out - I've still got it somewhere. Thank you for reminding me

I've just started "Sex, Drugs and Chocolate: The Science of Pleasure" by Paul Martin. (number 16, though 15 was a bit of a cheat as only 55 pages)

I read "Counting Sheep' The science of Sleep" some time ago and it was really interesting, so when I saw this on the withdrawn shelf at the library, I grabbed it. He's a very engaging writer and can get complex concepts across in a simple and amusing way.

Thanks highland will bear in mind re: Trollope, sounds interesting. Know nothing about him Will look on Kindle.

Has anyone seen anything they recommend in the February Kindle deals?

I enjoyed The Revenant and Bad Science last year.

The Ashes of London is there, which has been mentioned here a bit, also a few Philippa Gregory's.

The Secret Scripture by Sebastian Barry - guess as he's just won the Costa for his latest as mentioned by southeast

I have bought Stories of Your Life and others by Ted Chiang which I've had wishlisted for ages - the recent film "Arrival" was based on it, might appeal to sci-fi lovers here, award winning novella and stories.

Jane Eyre - I think opposites attract was the point. She'd lived a sheltered life and he was exciting and unpredictable (plus financial security) and she was a steadying influence after years of instability. Even reading it second time around as a teenager (especially?) I got a very strong sense of sexual tension which I think, debate all you like, is actually quite realistic as to why people end up together.

Happy - Mumsnet through the ages would be a fabulous creative writing thread!!!

Museum, I remember being blown away by Thank Heaven Fasting. It's one thing to know intellectually that young women were under massive pressure to marry, but I thought this book really brought home the subjective experience.

Read book 10 (I think): Not Just Jane, by Ellen DeWees
A look at 7 less well-known female writers of the 18th and 19th century. I rather like the idea, but the execution let her down. She doesn't write that well, unfortunately, and tries liven things up by using "shout out for my girls" language which aims at being witty but is mostly just jarring. She does unearth some interesting life stories - awful husbands, endless child-bearing, and an utter determination to keep writing (I remain awestruck at Mary Elizabeth Braddon's 5 novels in 7 months - while pregnant).

fatowl I was wondering about the sequel, so will add it to my TO-be-bought list - thanks! Going to go for something a little shorter first though!

5. The Hanging Shed, Gordon Ferris A wonderful find! It's a detective story, my favourite for relaxing with and ticks all the boxes for a good read. It is set in Glasgow in 1946: Douglas Brodie hasn't found his feet yet after returning form the war, but he has police experience and reporting experience. An old friend from his childhood contacts from Barlinnie prison where he had been sentenced to death for a crime he says he didn't commit. He wants Brodie to help him - and so there we are, Glasgow in the 1940s and a crime to solve. Perfect.

There are another two Douglas Brodie books by Gordon Ferris, and two featuring a private investigator after WW2 called Danny McRae, and one further novel which features both of them - all well-written and pacy and period Glasgow and London are really atmospheric.

1. Our Endless Numbered Days by Claire Fuller

Eight year old Peggy is taken by her survivalist father to a remote forest hut where they live off the land isolated from the rest of civilisation. Her father tells her that the rest of the world is gone after a storm one winter night, and they must remain at the cabin, almost starving in the process. I enjoyed this novel, although I guessed the "twist" if you can call it that quite early on. It says on the cover "reminiscent of Ian McEwan" which is not the case at all!

I have started This Thing Of Darkness last night, I reserved this at the library after the glowing recommendations on this thread, and also have The Lewis Man by Peter May on my kindle on the go now.

There are another two Douglas Brodie books by Gordon Ferris, and two featuring a private investigator after WW2 called Danny McRae, and one further novel which features both of them - all well-written and pacy and period Glasgow and London are really atmospheric.

I've just ordered the second in the series!

6. The Monogram Murders by Sophie Hannah. This has already been reviewed upthread, it's Hannah writing an Agatha Christie Poirot novel. This one was much better than her other (Closed Casket) and I would give it a whirl if you like a Poirot, but not bother otherwise.