What Are You Reading At The Moment? May/June 2007

[TwoIfBySea]

Just curious, okay plain nosy, but what is everyone currently reading at the moment and would you recommend it or not?

I am reading The Boleyn Inheritance by Phillipa Gregory, I've read her other books and this is quite good even if it does jump between 3 different characters, not as confusing as it sounds. Although I know the ending of these characters the journey is worth reading.

I had just finished Oryx & Crake so this is bit lighter.

I'll read anything in english that I can get my hands on over here in germany, and as I am homesick and fed up I'm re-reading Sarum by Edward Rutherfurd as it tells the history of Britain right through from the stone age to today.
Also have 'Poland' lined up to read next by James Michener seeing as they are neighbours to germany I thought it might be nice to learn the history of the place!
Just finished On Beuty by Zadie Smith which was funny but abit hard to get into and I didn't think it lived up to White teeth, her 1st book which I really enjoyed.

that sounds good.

I love hte way that John Wyndham was obviously very influenced by the times he was writing in. I think it makes the books more interesting when you have a good idea of hte social/historical/cultural context.

Oh well, the Beryl Bainbridge was a bit of a damp squib. hahaha!) I was expecting a denoument or astonishing revelation or something but there wasn't.

I'm not sure what to read next - maybe Sea House by Emma Freud.

I'm reading Between A Rock and A Hard Place by Aron Ralston. He is the guy whose arm was trapped by a boulder when he was trekking by himself in Utah - he had to cut if off to escape. The writing is nowhere near Joe Simpson (Touching The Void), but it is a good story.

I am reading a german book at the moment, it's about Dolphin therapy written by a Kirsten Kuhnert...wonderful but sad book!

Rebbecca

Saving Fish from Drowning by Amy Tan.
Also love Margaret Atwood and Philip Gregory
Just took out The Conjurers Bird by Martin Davies - anyone else read this?

Malory Towers (found them when clearing out the loft)

'Shopaholic and baby'.

Just finished 'Shopaholic and Sister'.

Before that I read 'Rise and Fall of a Yummy Mummy' and 'Secret Life of a Slummy Mummy'.

I'd recommend them all. Funny and easy to read. Make me laugh.

I've just finished reading 'The Tenderness of Wolves' by Stef Penney and I thought it was excellent. It is a murder mystery set in the wilds of Canada in 1867 and is incredibly evocotive. It won the Costa Book Of The Year Prize last year.

I am also a big Margaret Atwood fan and would really recommend The Robber Bride - it's a contemporary novel and, although full of her normal quirky intelligence, it's not quite as much of a brainache as O&C.

Just finished "After You'd Gone" by Maggie O'Farrell which was excellent. Read her other books apart from the "Vanishing Act of Esme Lennox" which I am saving for my holidays. Have read a couple of Magaret Atwood's books - Lady Oracle and The Handmaids Tale and they both made me feel queasy for some reason. I tried for ages to get into The Blind Assassin but never got further than the first chapter. Anyone else find it very hard to concentrate on reading in the last few months of pregnancy? I thought it would be great having time to read when I went off on maternity before dd was born but found I could hardly concentrate - must have been the subconcious fear of childbirth!

I actually read much more in the last few weeks of pregnancy, once I started materniyt leave, although still less than before I got pregnant.

Since the birth on 4 May I've finished two books which is less again, but I wondered if I'd get to finish any.

Reading 'Saturday' by Ian McEwan and really enjoying it.

Love Margaret Atwood, but didn't enjoy O&C at all. 'Blind Assassin' and 'Alias Grace' both fab, as is 'Robber Bride', which someone else mentioned.

Reading in pregnancy - I remember being on a Margaret Atwood/Toni Morrison kick in my first pregnancy, until I decided to reread 'Beloved' (very brutal story about a pregnant slave, for those of you who haven't). Oh my god. It was unbelievably upsetting - I couldn't believe I'd been so blase about it the first time around (when I wasn't pregnant). Your sensitivities are definitely hightened when you're up the duff.

Read Saturday for our book club, have never read any of his and loved it.

The honorary consul, by graham greene. I didn't take to it immediately, but I'm half way through now and I think it's very good.

Armadillo, The Chrysalids is brilliant - would definitely recommend it.

I haven't got anyhting grabbing me at the moment, though have Alias Grace on the bookshelf unread, so may give that a try.

(Just finished a Georgette Heyer - guilty comfort reading )

Kerrymum - I'm really liking Saturday, but I do like Ian McEwan in general. Have you read any of his others? He's not a very 'male' writer, if you know what I mean - not flashy, or overly concerned with using enormous words that no-one knows the meaning of (I'm looking at you, Martin Amis).

I'm still reading Restless (William Boyd). Have not got very far with it.

The God Delusion by Richard Dawkins. Fab

foxinsocks, persevere with Restless. I've just finished it and I loved it. I'm reading The Memory Keeper's Daughter, but not really enjoying it. I don't think it's very well written. A bit cliched.

Kitchen confidential and a cooks tour by anthony bourdain

The Saffron Kitchen
Yasmine Crowther