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?

Thanks everyone for the brilliant contributions to the thread :) I haven't been able to get on here much in the last week or so, and have thoroughly enjoyed catching up.

4. The Dark Circle, Linda Grant

A recommendation from here so thank you to whoever mentioned it on the 2017 thread. It's 1949, and teenage twins from the East End are admitted into a previously exclusive TB sanatorium under the newly formed National Health Service. A wry take on class, social change and the after-effects of the war, and a good rattling story.

5. Good Me, Bad Me, Ali Land

This has been on my TBR since I heard it recommended on Radio 4 last year. It's actually a LOT darker than I had expected. The tension is skilfully controlled, and the book is certainly disturbing, but not in a good way IMHO.

6. My Name is Lucy Barton, Elizabeth Strout

Much reviewed here. Found this very clever. Practically nothing happens beyond trivial conversations between Lucy and her mother (who from their home town has got divorced, and the like) but through that tiny window she shows you a world of emotion.

7. Exit West, Mohsin Hamid

Also much reviewed. A few people recently have said they didn't like this one, but I did. It's a book about refugees, with a magic realism element (don't let this put you off if you don't normally like that sort of thing - it's not overdone and serves as both metaphor and useful plot shortcut). Genuinely frightening to see, through the POV of the two main characters, how quickly comfortable modern lives can fall apart in times of war.

8. We Should All Be Feminists, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

This is either a transcript or a re-writing of a TED talk given by Adichie in 2012. Her take on why feminism matters, illustrated by numerous anecdotes. I found the informal style a bit annoying (it reminded of the stories you get from politicians ( "I have a friend who {insert perfect case study of point being made}" ) but would be a good introduction to feminist ideas for someone unsure about the term and why it is important.

I think chick lit can sometimes be written by a man. Examples - Tony Parsons, Keith Stuart.

Adding Good Me Bad Me to my list! Thanks Keith.

Getting started on The Devil In The Flesh tonight. Hope it lives up to its reputation.

Last week I would not have understood your user name at all piggy in fact all the knowledge I had of Lord of the flies previously was from a Simpson episode, likewise with the tell tale heart.

I think chick lit is written for women, about women but not necessarily by women. What Tony Parsons’ book were you thinking of Tara ?
I don’t think a book about 20 something men would qualify for example.
I think of Cecilia Aherne as a prime chick lit author.

I suspect The Wasp Factory is a bit of a marmite kind of book. I can see why people would like it, but I kept thinking 'What the hell am I reading?!' It may have been the total lack of likeable characters that tipped it over the edge for me.

Cheminotte, I’m thinking of Man and Boy and One For My Baby. So a male protagonist but themes of relationships etc.

Yes agree those Tony Parsons books are chick lit with a male protagonist. Man and Boy was basically Kramer vs Kramer.

I’m enjoying The Wasp Factory btw. Well maybe ‘enjoying’ is the wrong word, but it’s a compelling read.

I must admit I've added the wasp factory to my tbr pile on the back of chilijeanies review...

I think I'll also have to try into thin air even though its not a book I'd normally pick giving the love for it on here!

Nope I think it definitely needs a heroine (and Wikipedia agrees!)
I’ve enjoyed those types of book as well and I know my DP wouldn’t read them, although presumably some men do.

I’m another Scot who loves The Wasp Factory - utterly creepy but quite fascinating.

mamapants life is a lifelong learning journey :)

Satsuki
I'm so glad that you loved This Thing of Darkness and that we can remain friends!

How to follow it? THIS is the only answer.

In other news, I'll almost certainly finish with Ralph de Bricassart and co before I fall asleep tonight.

Parsons set out to write chick lit with a male gaze he called it “men-lit” (catchy) - he had a couple that were centred on women though I think - Family or something was one. I know because my mum had them, definitely not what my dad would read, so there’s a few shades of grey in it (though not 50) The Rosie Project is a hard one to classify. I would say that leaned toward chick lit subject wise, and surely mainly read by and aimed at women, but male writer and protagonist.

Yes remus imagine if I hadn’t liked it? I’d have had to slink off somewhere else I think. I was looking at Savage today on Amazon, but wasn’t sure, I was going to ask here for recommendations for good non-fic companion books, but you’re ahead of me Is there a good bio on FitzRoy? Thought maybe one was mentioned on a previous thread.

I feel like chick lit is one of those descriptors that automatically downgrades the content, like "It can't be chick lit, it's good!" Hence why writers like Nick Hornby avoid it. Total nonsense of course. I think it does need a female protagonist, but I think you could make a good argument that, eg, Juliet Naked was chick lit. I mean, it's about a rock star who falls in love with an ordinary girl. No way would it get broadsheet reviews if it wasn't for Hornby's penis.

Sorry, I mean Hornby avoids it because of his penis, but this is justified by "But his books are good!" comments, like chick lit is automatically trashy. Which is bollocks.

Yes there should probably be a better descriptor that is based more on style and subject - what do they actual call it in the bookshops? The thing is though, a lot of those types of books aren’t great as they are so formulaic, though like any genre there’s going to be a spectrum.

Terpsichore, yes I read Michael Connolly's new book with the female detective last year. I enjoyed it although I didn't think he developed her character a great deal, but I think that might just be something he does gradually through a series. I think perhaps I felt that way about the Bosch books in the early days too.

ChillieJeanie I read The Wasp Factory when I was 18 and found it so upsetting that it still bothers me! Interesting to see so much love for it on this thread, I wonder how I'd feel about it if I read it now. Funnily enough it was the first Iain Banks I read and I'm not sure why it inspired me to read any of his others, but he's now one of my favourite authors. The Crow Road is one of my favourite books and I've loved all the others that I've read, so much so that I'm still saving The Quarry because I don't want to acknowledge that it's the last one.

I've definitely read a non-fiction book that had at least some focus on Fitzroy in New Zealand, but I can't remember what it was. He had a bloody awful time of it there though.

Definitely try Savage - it's really interesting and a wonderful companion piece to TTOD. Depressing again though, obviously!

I’ll make a note of Savage but might wait a little while until I’m stronger. The NZ parts of TTOD were awful, what a mess it all was.

I've just got Into Thin Air from the library following all the love on here (plus it got a mention in the audio book I'm currently listening to). Looking forwards to it - I reckon it'll just hit the spot.

Interesting discussion on chick lit. To be honest I have never really thought about how I would define it. Will have to ponder that...
My copy of This thing of darkness arrived to day. Want to get Birdcage Walk read first as it has been on my to read pile forever and I am sick of the sight of it.
20. A God in Ruins - Kate Atkinson Please I read this while Life after Life was still in my mind. Enjoyed it but on balance o think I preferred Life after Life. Possibly to do with the characters, possibly because I felt that at times the storylines, particularly those surrounding Viola tipped over from humour to farce. Loved the character of Teddy. He was a combination of both my Grandads, both of whom served in one way or another in WW2. Made me reflect on their past lives and the way I see/ saw them now.

5. The Word Game - Steena Holmes
A protective mother allows her daughter to go to a sleepover. It’s at her sister’s house so nothing can go wrong surely? The next day her worst fears are realised and everyone must face old secrets.

This was quite a short book from kindle unlimited which I got through in a few hours. Interesting enough but nothing to write home about.