50 Book Challenge 2017 Part Three

[southeastdweller]

Welcome to the third 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 first thread of the year is here and the second one here.

11 Curtain Poirot's last case by Agatha Christie. Not her best and I doubt I would reread this

Bestis

Plus - thank you for the recommendation for Asta's Book.

Re The Warden, I just meant in the sense that most things are easier to listen to than to read - though it's frustrating when you get to key plot points and you can't speed read and are bound by the speed of the narrator.

Madding Crowd is one I haven't read actually, only read 3. I do like some of his poetry, too.

Let you off Sunset

I can't listen to books. Can't even cope with listening to the radio, unless it's only music with minimal DJ intervention. Am too impatient.

I've just discovered them as background to exercise and walking and times when I can't read. I can't really listen on the tube for instance - it's too slow - but it's great when I'm doing something else that prohibits reading anything (phone, Mumsnet, news, book...)

I've been trying listening to Timothy West reading The Prime Minister, but I'm finding it just too sloooow (and I usually love audiobooks).

Have you read much Trollope, Remus - I'd say if you like him generally, you'll like The Warden, if you don't, you won't! (Having said that I do prefer the Palliser novels, but I'm not really a Trollope fan, and just read them for the politics and because my mother would disown me otherwise.)

I have never read a book that has been translated. That's next on my agenda I think.

Did you ever read Where'd You Go Bernadette? remus? It is very light, it's in a modern epistolary style and quite funny. I found it entertaining but not insubstantial or cliched.

Actually, Remus, have you read The Blood Doctor? Not sure if you like Barbara Vine but there is some historical medical stuff in it.

Remus, Howabout some Dave Eggers? I think I remember you recommended him to me maybe two or three years ago! If you haven't read all of his then that might be a goer. Not hot chocolatey though. For cake style reading how about The Black Tulip by Dumas. Such fun.

The Making of a Marchioness? Miss Pym Disposes? To Say Nothing of the Dog? (MoaM is sticky gooey cake, with a fair amount of treacle. Miss Pym is more in the line of a Madeira cake. To Say Nothing is an entire afternoon tea served by a butler with a complex backstory, eaten with a mad great-aunt and interrupted by a feral tom-cat who's about to change the entire course of recorded history. I love it to bits, but it is completely, unashamedly bonkers.)

14. The Midnight Queen - Sylvia Hunter
Fantasy novel set in an alternative world where magic exists and men attend Oxford to learn how to be a mage. The society was reminiscent of the Georgian period - I think in some ways the author was aiming for a 'magical Austen' vibe. The style of writing attempts to sound old fashioned although it doesn't always work.

It was enjoyable enough as a story- plots against the King, a missing princess and romance- but nothing particularly groundbreaking. Worth a try though if you want a fast-paced read which takes you out of the mundane.

boldly - Have you read Jonathan Stange and Mr Norrell? That book sounds like a JS & Mr N wannabe.

Cote, yes I have and that is exactly what I thought while I was reading it. It was a pale imitation though - the language and depth just wasn't there. It is JS and Mr N 'lite'.

9 - One Day - David Nicholls - I have mixed feelings about this book. I liked the idea of each chapter focusing on a different date and the 90's nostalgia but I found the plot uninspiring and unoriginal.

Currently reading The Truth About The Harry Quebert Affair - Joel Dicker.

From a quick look on Kindle deals - Dark Fire, the second Shardlake, if anyone's been waiting for that.

I've bought the Dust that Falls From Dreams by Louis de Bernieres which I've had wishlisted for a while.

Thanks Satsuki. I have been waiting for Shardlake 2.

Do No Harm - Henry Marsh is also 99p

Hello - feel like I've missed pages of this thread.

The film of A Passage to India is epic, I remembered loving it as a teenager (living in India - it was bound to appeal). Think there was a bit of an E M Forster renaissance around that time, Room With a View film & a Howard's End IIRC? I have a clear memory of gazing into a boy's eyes and quoting "Only Connect" aged about 17 so agree with the teenage girl appeal. Maurice also seemed rather racey at the time.

I've just bought the Louis de B book too Satsuki, though for me he's never bettered his South American trilogy.

on to books:
13. No Present like Time - Steph Swainston. A new island has been discovered outside the fourlands that is a democracy rather than an empire. What happens when the fourlanders swap their steel for gold? Slightly obvious analogy with America here, but still a good read, with more craziness in the world's alternate reality. I would recommend this series to any lovers of weird fantasy - not at all swords and sorcery .

14.Wishful Drinking - Carrie Fisher. Good read, she's witty and rather poignant.

Remus Have you read any Robertson Davies? Not available on kindle but you can pick up second hand copies on amazon quite reasonably. I'd recommend The Cornish Trilogy

Stokey I agree. Read Corelli first and enjoyed it so looked up his previous. He was the first author I really liked that was alive and could bring out new books! I still can't help reading everything he writes but none have been as good as those three.

wilting I've recommended Robertson Davies to remus before, too, they are brilliant, so will add my voice to yours. I'm due a reread of all of his. Cornish Trilogy my favourite too.