50 Book Challenge 2018 Part Four

[southeastdweller]

Welcome to the fourth 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, the second one here and the third one here.

How're you getting on so far?

34. What the Dog Saw by Malcolm Gladwell. Collection of essays/ articles from The New Yorker, mainly quite interesting but obviously as not in depth as the books of his I have read (Blink and Outliers). I enjoy his writing style and looking at things in another way though.

I loved Lincoln in the Bardo but still can't work out why he decided to go with the ghost with the massive member.... or the ones who were constantly having an orgy.

33. George's Secret Key to the Universe, Lucy and Stephen Hawking

A children's book although quite a long one! George's parents are environmentalists who don't approve of science or computers. George befriends the girl next door, whose dad is a scientist and owns the world's most powerful computer. Together they learn a lot about space and planets as well as outwitting a baddy.

Embarrassingly, I read this because I'd attempted to read a beginners-guide-to-physics for grown ups and couldn't understand it. This one at least I understood! Would make a good read for a science-y child.

34. The Lie of the Land, Amanda Craig

The Bredlins, a prosperous London couple, are at breaking point in their marriage but can't afford to sell the family home and go their separate ways. In desperation, they move together into a house in rural Devon with their children while they wait for the housing market to turn.

A "way we live now" novel which encompasses austerity, Brexit, the wedge between Londoners and non-Londoners as well as many more timeless themes such as grief, loss, coming of age etc. I really enjoyed it - an unusual double whammy for me of being unable to put it down (trying to sneak 5-minute reading windows into my day wherever I could) but also appreciating skilful and considered use of language (usually my can't-put-down books are awful thrillers!). No spoilers but I thought the ending was considerably weaker than the rest of the book.

35. Release, Patrick Ness

We've started reading the Carnegie shortlist again at work (some of you may remember that I did this last year as well) and this was my first. I haven't read any of Patrick Ness's early books and this was recommended by the school librarian who sang his praises.

Rather strange combination of two narratives. One was the very touching story of Adam, a gay teenager from a strictly religious family who is coming to terms with who he is - I spotted the Mrs Dalloway inspiration early on but missed the fact that it's also inspired by Judy Blume's Forever . Interspersed through Adam's chapters are snippets of a supernatural tale in which a Queen from another (spirit?) world has somehow ended up on earth and got caught in the ghostly body of a young woman murdered by her boyfriend. These bits are strangely told and repetitive, and I have to admit I started skipping them to get to the next Adam chapter.

Strange ghosties aside, the writing was lovely and I will seek out some of Ness's other books.

Keith I think in Lincoln the spirits are trapped in the state they died in. So the large member is because the poor bloke never consummated his marriage and presumably the others died in the act so to speak! Think there is a real effort to show all forms of life and colour!

Keith I think in Lincoln the spirits are trapped in the state they died in. So the large member is because the poor bloke never consummated his marriage and presumably the others died in the act so to speak! Think there is a real effort to show all forms of life and colour!

Flipping app! Playing up again and posting twice!

[suddenly am intersted in Lincoln in the Bardo!]

35. Eleanor Oliphant is Completrly Fine by Gail Honeyman. This was reviewed a lot earlier, and I think was a mumsnet book club read, but I had forgotten all about it till it popped up on my reserved library books. I have read it all afternoon and really enjoyied it! Yes it is sentimental and button pushing, and at first I wasn’t quite sure whether the balance between laughing at or with the character was quite right; but I was soon swept away with the story and will definitely read her next book.

My #22 has gone down to 99p on Kindle - Lion - A Long Way Home by Saroo Brierley (with Larry Buttrose). I'd previously seen the film. I was impressed with how much Saroo could remember of his childhood. I don't think I can remember that much from the age of 5, but then it's hard to say because I lived in the same place all my childhood. It's an amazing story of survival against the odds and then finding the proverbial needle in a haystack thanks to Google Earth and Facebook. Saroo could so easily not have survived life in the streets. Considering that I think my five-year-old is doing well if she wipes her own bottom or gets herself dressed, it's amazing what he was capable of. Even before he went missing he was babysitting his younger sister. I like how he describes now having two families, his birth family and loving and supportive adoptive Australian parents.

26. In the Days of Rain – Rebecca Stott

Life before and after her family’s membership of the extreme Christian sect The Exclusive Bretheren. I quite liked this, but felt it was not quite as interesting as it could have been.

It begins really as the story of her Father’s life, his upbringing and being born into membership of the sect by virtue of his family’s involvement. She writes about her Father's shortcomings and strengths with compassion. The story then evolves into Stott’s own experience of being part of the sect before they leave to live a more or less secular life. Finally the book considers the long term impact or “aftermath” as she calls it of their life as Exclusive Bretheren.

I wanted this book to provide some insight into why rational, intelligent individuals become part of groups like The Exclusive Bretheren. For example, the idea that an educated, middle class family would buy wholesale into very extreme ideas like not eating with or associating with non-bretheren, or that women should be completely subservient to men. I finished the book none of the wiser really, possibly with more questions than before I started it. Nevertheless, an enjoyable read.

Terribly slow reading week for me. Back to full time work and as predicted I have crashed and burned. Also I have my first DNF for at least 2, possibly 3 years. Really not like me to abandon a book but The Idiot By Elif Batuman has done me in. Honestly, it might be on the Women's Prize List but what a load of drivel!!!
Have started my first ever Robert Harris - Enigma. Fingers crossed I fair better with this one.

Book 27 started off as John Boyne's The Hearts Invisible Furies but I'm afraid I threw the towel in around page 200 as it just wasn't for me.

This gets phenomenal reviews on Amazon and Good Reads, and I've seen it reviewed favourably on here too, so am aware I'm going against the flow! There was just too many coincidences, caricatures and inane conversations about Julian's "thing" for me to engage with this one. I might have stuck with it were it not 713 pages long...

I've switched to Bernard McClaverty's Midwinter Break as an alternative and am really enjoying it so far.

29 H(A)PPY by Nicola Barker

Recommended by Scribbly upthread. Mira A lives in a utopia where the System knows everything, there is no sickness, danger or unhappiness. Inspired by the music of Paraguayan guitarist Agustin Barrios, she starts to edge away from conformism.

The closest analogy to this book I can think of, is if Brave New World had been designed by a committee of fundamentalist Buddhists, and then written by ee cummings. The book is physically beautiful in it's use of colour, different fonts, and layout, and quite charming to read. I'm not quite sure how much it all adds up to in the end, but very enjoyable all the same.

Too much I also hate not finishing books. However, I've decided that life is really too short to plough on with something that you're just not enjoying.

splother wasn’t The Idiot awful? Wherever you DNF'd it it just continued In exactly the same way all the way through to the end although halfway through she changes location for her cognitive incontinence from Harvard to Hungary.

Sadik great description. I really enjoyed H(A)PPY despite not really knowing exactly what was going on quite a lot of the time.

10.Educated by Tara Westover Reviewed several times already on this thread.
Really enjoyed this autobiography, despite wanting to shout at the author and make her see sense at numerous occasions throughout the book. A very brave and honest account of her childhood and young adulthood. Definitely one of my top books of 2018 so far.

41. Why I'm No Longer Talking To White People About Race by Reni Eddo-Lodge.

Reviewed previously by southeast, I'm very grateful for the recommendation. A superb book which really did a scales falling from the eyes job on me. The chapter about feminism and race felt like Edd-Lodge had reached out from the book and given me a good shake. I borrowed it from the library but this is a book I'm going to buy, highlight passages in and get down from the shelf regularly to reread.

Marking place. Finished another Marsh which was frothy and fun. Will review when have more time.

I'm so glad you enjoyed it Scribbly.

21. Straight Jacket - Matthew Todd. Non-fiction memoir/self-care book about addictions in the gay world and gay shame. The writing lacked weight at times and was occasionally repetitive but on the whole I expect this book to be really helpful in my volunteer work.

22. Lincoln in the Bardot - George Saunders. I shouldn't have bought this as experimental novels aren't my thing but I was taken in by the six pages of gushing quotes in front of the paperback. There's some lovely prose here and there but I tend to agree with Remus that his style quickly got wearying and that this book should have been a novella. Man Booker worthy? I don't think so.

12. An Evil Eye (Yashim the Eunuch #4) by Jason Goodwin

This was a sequel of The Janissary Tree that was well-liked on these threads some time go. It's a "gentle" crime thriller series that take place in Istanbul during Ottoman Empire times. I like these books as the stories are simple but interesting and the characters feel genuine. And they are mostly* correct re historical detail, spellings, and the like.

This one had not only intrigue and an interesting tidbit of the Empire's history, but also insight into the harem(s) and the lives of the women in them. I would recommend it to those interested in historical fiction

• Not entirely correct but close enough that I could concentrate on the story and not just roll my eyes at every second page. For example, at one point someone says "She" and then clarifies "I meant the boat, not the woman". Such a conversation would never happen in Turkish, since the language just doesn't have any gendered pronouns (he or she). Still, a very good effort that is shockingly rare in fiction about Turks.

Alone in Berlin by Hans Fallada on daily deal.

So is Lost Connections: Uncovering the Real Causes of Depression by Johann Hari.

I can recommend Alone in Berlin. Have read it twice. Was blown away the first time.

So I have started Cloud Atlas and read the first part of Ewing's story. I'm not convinced I will reach the end (of the book) but will give it a shot....

Thanks emgee. The first bit of Cloud Atlas is the hardest to wade through, it’s plainer sailing after that. Middle section also requires patience but you get the idea of what he’s doing by then so easier to get on with then imo.

I also loved Lie of the Land KeithLeMonde, so much so, I tracked down a previous book of Amanda Craig's also good, "Hearts and Minds" that featured Quentin, he is a lesser character in this book, set a few years ago when he was a successful editor before a downturn of fortunes that forces him to relocate to the country forming the main thrust of the story in the present book. I read The Lie of the Land last year and see it is now out in paper back. It was one of India Knight's recommended read in The Sunday Times magazine a while back. I also couldn't put it down, yours is the first review I have read of the book on here, it's a shame it's gone quite unnoticed it's excellent.

16. Witness For The Prosecution And Other Short Stories - Agatha Christie

A collection of short stories, each one no more than 20 or so pages. Typical Agatha Christie mysteries, and enjoyable from that perspective.

I did find reading short stories a challenge though - partly because I felt there wasn't really an opportunity to build the plot, but also because it meant each chapter was a new story, and it just felt like I was rushing between stories. Probably something better saved for reading when you know you've only got 10 minutes so read each one as a standalone, rather than reading the whole book in one go.

EmGee I found Cloud Atlas slow to start with as well - and preferred some of the sections to others. But it's an amazing book, especially once you get your head around quite how clever it is as a plot device, and the amount of thought that must have gone into it.

23 the scarlet letter

I really didn’t like it

Moving on to everything I never told you