50 Book Challenge 2018 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 2018, 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.

What are you reading?

Congratulations, Piggy.

Book 7:
The Winter Queen – Boris Akunin
The first in the Erast Fandorin mysteries, set in 19th century Russia. Have read a couple of these and they are hit and miss, but I really enjoyed this one. It’s a bit silly (deliberately) and a bit long-winded in places (deliberately - and generally to add to the silliness). Pretty much all good fun – our hero faces death lots of times but clearly doesn’t die. The ending shocked me though – and I’d have preferred it not to have!

Remus (or anyone else who knows mountaineering books) any recs for a good read along the lines of Into Thin Air?

annandale I like Amis’s non fic too but have yet to finish a novel other than the Rachel Papers (which is short) I think his style is very funny but so...dense that it feels like eating treacle; a little goes a long way. Doesn’t help that his characters are all arseholes. Several of his phrases are part of our family lexicon though. I need to read Money as it is my husband’s favourite book and we challenged ourselves to read some of each other’s favourites last year - he did much better than I did I also have The Zone of Interest in hardback upstairs, that was quite well received I think, perhaps should give that a go this year.

Well done piggy

I can't remember what you've already read, Best.

If you haven't yet read Into the Silence by Wade Davis, I'd highly recommend it. Also, The Ghosts of Everest by Jochen Hemmleb. And Coronation Everest by Jan Morris (if an old edition, it will say James Morris).

11. Wuthering Heights According To Spike Milligan

Picked this up in a charity shop as WH is one of my favourite books. This was quite funny but I’m not sure I really get Spike Milligan’s sense of humour in some areas!

I haven’t read The Ghosts of Everest. Read the other two though I might give Into the Silence a retry as I read it when in bed with flu so it’s a bit of a blur.
Ta very much.
Just started Skellig.

Did I tell you that I love Skellig?

I need Kindle books urgently, folks. Fiction - nothing too heavy/depressing. Ideas?

I am loving the Phillipe Georget detective novels

Lol Remus, I think you may have mentioned it.

Dare I suggest A Tree Grows In Brooklyn?

No, scrap that, you’ll hate it and it’s one of my childhood favourites.

Presumably you've read Touching the Void Best?

Yes I have Annandale, was good too. Not read anything else by him though.

I don't think A Tree Grows in Brooklyn is on Kindle.

A Tree Grows in Brooklyn has been on my lookout list for ages too - can’t get it on Kindle I don’t think.

You're right, that surprises me. Don’t read anything else by Betty Smith, they’re dire.

Best I read The Fall by Simon Mawer last year and though it was excellent. It was more to do with the relationships than a lot of technical stuff, but it really was good.

1. Cold Comfort Farm by Stella Gibbons - Flora is orphaned at 19 and decides to impose herself on relatives. With several options she chooses the most unsuitable and heads of from a socialite life in London to deepest darkest Sussex.

I found this hard to get in to as I was reading a few pages sporadically and it was hard to take to the dialect and doom and gloom of arrival at the farm. However, when I sat down and just got on with it I found it very enjoyable. I haven't read enough of the books it parodies to really appreciate it and get the jokes, but on a surface level it was quite charming. It did leave me with one burning question...

WHAT ON EARTH DID SHE SEE IN THE WOODSHED?

I've been looking out for A Tree Grows in Brooklyn too - it always seems very expensive and there doesn't seem to be a Kindle edition.

I have a hankering for something set in Australia, on the lines of A Town Like Alice. I'm being too specific in my yearnings, aren't I?

Take it you’ve read Thorn Birds remus? I read it a long time ago as it was one of my mum’s favourites so can’t remember how good it was.

I haven't - but, coincidentally, just got the sample!

I know there was sheep and a conflicted priest...you could be in for a treat. It’s the one that always springs to my mind when Australian novels come up.

I’ve just got the sample too - also for My Brilliant Career which seems to have been voted best Australian novel a few times. Sounds a bit like I Capture the Outback

Lol at I Capture the Outback! I've got My Brilliant Career but have tried and failed with it a couple of times.

Conflicted priests worry me. Sounds like wanking vicar potential all over again.

4. Love, Nina by Nina Stibbe A bit lighter than what I'd usually read but really enjoyed this. It's basically a collection of letters the author sent her sister when working as a nanny. Very funny, reminded me a bit of my own slightly weird childhood. Wouldn't change my life and I didn't love it like I loved middlemarch but enjoyed it all the same.

Angela's ashes next

I re-read it a couple of years ago. He doesn't wank as far as I can remember. A completely different Australian suggestion - have you read The Songlines ?