50 Book Challenge 2017 Part Eight

[southeastdweller]

Welcome to the eighth and final 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 and please try to let us all know your thoughts on what you've read. To anyone who hasn't posted, feel free to de-lurk and share with us what you've read this year.

The first thread of the year is here, the second one here, the third thread here, the fourth one here, the fifth one here, the sixth one here, and the seventh one here.

How have you got on so far this year?

-20!

Is this a bad time to mention that I was out in a mini dress and a light jacket today? Oh and of course I didn't forget my sunglasses because otherwise you can't see anything from the glare

Hey, I wore a skirt today! And thermal tights. And heat tech leggings. And a down coat.

-20 is pretty frigid. If nothing else, there's always a hot drink. Or Caribou.

Or vodka

Exactly! (Caribou is a mix of booze that's served hot. Recipes vary, but it seems to have originated in Quebec logging camps, which were well in need of any form of warmth in winter.)

137 Inferior: how science got women wrong - and the new research that's rewriting the story, by Angela Saini
Good science journalism. I've read a few books in this line (Cordelia Fine, Marlene Zuk) but it still felt fresh.

138. This is going to hurt : secret diaries of a junior doctor, by Adam Kay
Made me laugh out loud on numerous occasions, but he makes a serious point about how the NHS eats its staff alive.

(I may have miscounted somewhere along the line, as the tally in my notebook says this was 139).

Remus - re: cosy reads, I heartily recommend Jeanette Winterson's Christmas Days - 12 stories. I haven't finished them yet but very enjoyable so far and the book itself is gorgeous.

Remus thanks for the suggestion. Think we might have it somewhere. I will have a look, can't really justify spending anymore on books at the moment. Have just started and Andrew Morton book on the links between Nazis and the Duke and Duchess of Windsor!! Was on my kindle and I can't remember why! Actually so far not too bad.

Thanks for the 'best books thread' southeast. Have made my contribution. Well watch with interest.

In AOB , is anyone else annoyed that they are making a 'season 2' of The Handmaids Tale? Surely the fact there is no resolution is the whole point?!?!!?

I seem to have really gone off short stories in recent years, so maybe not the best time for the Winterson right now. I'm tired and ill and grumpy and I basically want a Baileys and a mince pie in book form. I'm reading an architecture book in the meantime, but won't count it, as it's mostly pictures!

Notice me ignoring Cote's sunshine and mini dress.

I’ve got The Winter Book by Tove Jansson. Might be cosy. The Summer Book was quite cosy, despite the weather. There was a thunderstorm. There was also a child, a Grandma, and wisdom, quite cosy themes, so there may be more of that in the Winter Book.

53. Nothing To Envy: Real Lives in North Korea - Barbara Demick

An absolutely fascinating and incredible piece of journalism. Demick tells the story of the world's most isolated country through the lives of six people from the north of the country who eventually made their way to South Korea after years of awful tribulations.

Nope. I am far too cross for wise grandmothers. I would be irritated by such age and wisdom and then have to hate myself.

Oh she’s a bit cross too! You’d get along! Actually just checked and it’s short stories, so no. No luck with getting hold of Rush Oh? That’s very cosy, punctuated by bloodbaths and graphic descriptions of blubber.

Remus I'm reading The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern at the moment. It’s kind of cosy froth. Magic light, plot light (so far, am about 100 pages in), character light, but quite atmospheric. I'm not having to think much, it’s just motoring along nicely.

If however you feel like reading something that is brimming with nicely written shagging then I can recommend Under a Pole Star by Stef Penney. Nearly drove off the road yesterday listening to it.

I hate reading about shagging, and didn't like Pole Star woman's other book, so I suspect that would finish me off!

Is Rush Oh £4.99's worth of cosiness and blubber?

I am rather fond of blubber, as regular readers will know.

It’s not very festive though. All those wales in Australia.

Whales

Well I loved it, in Top 3, but I got it from the library so loathe to say yes in case you hate it. Maybe if we keep mentioning it periodically it will come down?

Bought.

No not festive as such. But there’s a lot of cooking weird things for large groups, and making do, and of course, the aforementioned blubber, which remus is rather fond of.

I take it “nicely written shagging” is your idea of festive, scribblygum?

Well it’s potentially going to be nicely written shagging in the Arctic, so therefore falls into a couple of categories which I prefer to read in December, namely ‘forcefully diverting' and 'snowy'. I’ve yet to get to the sub zero bonking as currently they are going at it hammer and tongs in Liverpool. About 9 hours left of listening so there is still hope.