50 Book Challenge 2018 Part Seven

[southeastdweller]

Welcome to the seventh 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, the third one here, the fourth one here, the fifth one here, and the sixth one here.

Yes, that's a great observation about Beckett and Lincoln in the Bardo which would never have occurred to me!

79. The Mars Room by Rachel Kushner A well-written novel (on the current Booker long-list) centring on inmate Romy and some of the people around her, including a man who teachers the female inmates and an ex-cop male prisoner. Romy's isn't the only narrative voice, which is a relief, as it's a depressing read. We learn about her background and why she is serving her time and it's not a good inditement of the American prison system or indeed of parts of American society in any way shape or form. The setting of the novel in different parts of California, including LA, San Francisco and the central valley are very well described indeed. The whole book is overshadowed by a sense of ecological doom - if that makes sense.

I gave The Mars Room three stars on Goodreads but probably should have given it four; although I appreciated the writing, I didn't personally enjoy the book! However, I don't want to undersell it as the writing is good and it's refreshing to have a book about women's experience of the prison system and the reasons they end up there.

I'm currently on my fourth long-lister which is Everything Under by Daisy Johnson, which I have been really looking forward to, having enjoyed Fen. Unfortunately, it's not working for me so far and I'm finding it terribly over-written, which is something coming from me as I don't mind a bit of indulgent 'over-writing' from time to time. I think maybe i've just read too many novels by women that are similar. I am craving clarity and a linear narrative. Time to finish this and read something completely different I think!

114. Mythos - Stephen Fry. Really enjoyed this. The voice of Fry ran throughout and brought the stories to light. Very QI - ish in the way it linked together the mythology and so much language in use today. Would recommend if like me your Greek mythology is rusty or very limited.
115. The Tattooist Of Auschwitz - Heather Morris. I remember this had at least one poor review on this thread but it has been sat on my Kindle for an age.
A true story so so poorly written! In the right hands or with a different treatment this could be tremendous and heartbreaking and powerful and ... It was so badly constructed, with terrible dialogue. It felt like low grade teen fiction. Such a disappointment.

Catching up and loving all the Vanity Fair chat. Also very interesting comparison between Beckett and Bardo.
Lots being added to my re- read list.

Re: Vanity Fair, I liked Becky as an early portrayal of a psychopath, but found Amelia such an awful drip. And I hated how sentimentalised she was. Sorry, Vanity Fair lovers.

Cheerful I really liked how Thackeray pours the same amount of scorn on Amelia's self indulgent and foolish martyrish behaviour as he does on all the rest of the characters. It really is a book with no hero. Like you I found Amelia utterly irritating but she's a useful and I think very carefully drawn character to have to contrast with Becky.

I am enjoying the bits of biting humour at the moment (especially the author promising me he was going to be a bit less dull and provide some exciting chapters!) but I had no idea the book was longer than Middlemarch! It's a tad convoluted...

36. The Devil's Home On Leave - Derek Raymond

Second of Raymond's Factory crime novels, and another prime slice of London noir. Packs a huge amount of action in its 200 pages as a gangland killing investigation uncovers corruption and brutality going up to the highest levels.

75. Signs for Lost Children, Sarah Moss

This, IMHO, was exquisite. Apparently it is a sequel, and shouldn't have been read as a standalone - I will have to read the first book and then come back to this one to see what I missed, because for me this worked perfectly well as a (slightly mysterious, but in a good way) standalone novel.

It's set in 1880 and engineer Tom and doctor Ally are newly married. Tom is about to leave on a long-arranged trip to the other side of the world which will keep them apart for months, with only letters passing between them which takes weeks to arrive. Ally's story is perhaps the more accessible - as a female doctor she is an oddity, and not well-received by the people she meets. She goes to work at a women's asylum, where she starts to see how both the day-to-day conditions that the patients are kept under, and the lives they have lived before their admissions, affect their mental health and chances of recovery. Tom, meanwhile, is trying his best to decode the culture of Japan - his chapters have less narrative impetus but are beautifully told and thought-provoking. As in Moss's other books, there is so much more here than just the story, and the various themes rise and brush against one another as the two stories are told side-by-side - it's never as obvious as "Ohh, both stories are both about the same thing!" but they illuminate one another in the most unexpected ways.

The descriptions of Japan are particularly beautiful, but almost equally bewitching is the depiction of Victorian Truro. One of those books that stays vividly with you after you finish it.

76. This is Going to Hurt, Adam Kay

The Moss left me with an enormous book hangover, and I though something funny and non-fictional might be the best cure. I want to say this was OK, but that's not quite right. It wasn't OK. It was a book with good intentions and I am sure some good will come of its existence (raising people's awareness of the life of a junior doctor) but IMHO either the book or the author has some massive and very frustrating flaws. I wrote a review on the thread if anyone wants to read it:

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/what_were_reading/3163158-This-Is-Going-To-Hurt-by-Adam-Kay-I-urge-you-to-read-this

Back my holidays with these additions to my list:

22 Landmarks by Robert Macfarlane.

The cover didn't really make clear what type of book this is. Rather than being a book of nature writing, it is a book about nature writing - Macfarlane shares his favourite writers and the landscapes they write about. He is also talking about the use of landscape words and why it matters, and includes word lists between each chapter. The writing (and analysis of the writing of others) is very impressive.

23 Unconditional Surrender by Evelyn Waugh

Third in the Sword of Honour Trilogy, I've read them all this summer. This was not my favourite.

24 Slow Horses Mick Herron.

My husband has been reading this spy series about sidelined members of MI5, and I can see that he's enjoying them more and more, I get the impression they get maybe funnier as time goes on. It's difficult to review this without major spoilers, but I do think I'll follow in his footsteps and read some more.

25 A Short Book about Painting Andrew Marr

I had to buy this as a "So Sorry" in a shop where dd was trying the patience of some saints. I picked it up because I'd read his previous book on drawing. It's great and highly illustrated with examples. His thesis is enhanced by sharing numerous examples of less successful paintings, where he bravely shares his own work. What he has to say about painting is simple and brief, but what is Right and what is Wrong is boldly insisted upon. Short, and an aid to visual appreciation. (The one about drawing is good too.)

26 Henry VI by James Ross

Part of the "Penguin Monarchs" series which seem to be being collected in our house. I've picked out a few linked to historic sites we saw on holiday, thinking I could reinforce my learning. The truth probably is that the reason I don't know much history is that I don't find reading history very enjoyable. This book does "show the workings" though, which I do appreciate, I often find that history books are full of broad unvouched claims uncategorised between stuff the author has found out and stuff they are simply asserting.

KeithLeMonde - yes, you should definitely read Bodies of Light (and so should everyone else - brilliant book, particularly if you are interested in the early days of women's rights, the pre-Raphaelites, and family dynamics) and if possible also Night Waking, which is linked more tangentially (and came first). I read them in the order they were published, which is probably best if anyone else is wondering.

I am a huge fan of Sarah Moss' fiction (also enjoyed The Tidal Zone) but haven't read any of her non-fiction, which I have had much more mixed reports about.

82: Mrs Harris Goes to Paris

83: Mrs Harris Goes to New York – Paul Gallico

Found these two after some googling about feel-good books and thoroughly enjoyed them. I also watched the film of the first one, which was charming.

Mrs Harris is a proper old-fashioned London char lady, who, in the first book, sets her heart on owning a Dior dress, after seeing one owned by one of her ‘ladies’. The dream sends her into several years of scrimping and saving and then to the house of Dior itself, with interesting and heart-warming consequences.

The second sees Mrs Harris going with one of her ‘ladies’ to New York, in the process smuggling a young boy who she hopes to re-unite with his American father. Once again, she charms all and achieves a happy ending, even if not quite what she’d hoped for.

These are very sentimental, and very old fashioned - Cote would detest them – but they were just what I fancied!

I'm glad to have read that thread about This is Going to Hurt Keith - I see I'm not the only person to have felt very uncomfortable about much of it.

Remus, have you read any of Paul Gallico's other books? The Man Who Was Magic is sort-of a children's book (maybe), but it's an absolutely delightful read, one of those books I come back to over & over again.

The Snow Goose by Paul Gallico was my go to read as a child if I needed a really good cry. So beautiful and sad. I'd never heard of the Mrs Harris ones until now, they sound lovely.

I saw The Snow Goose in a charity shop yesterday but didn't buy it, because I felt I'd read it years ago, although didn;t really remember. Silly me. Will keep an eye out for that and Magic.

They were about £6 on Kindle (regular readers will know I usually refuse to spend that much except on non-fiction), but worth it because I'll definitely re-read.

sadi there were quite a lot of reviews of Hurt in about March maybe on this thread. I think I said in my review that I found it a bit laddish. But mostly, I was taken aback to learn that I must have nealry died when giving birth because of a story he told. His disenchantment with his failed career is very sour. I have read more charming funny books. And, yes, he seems to have no camaraderie with other NHS workers. That said, he does seem to ahve been quite affected by some of his patients. The hours he worked were truly shocking.

There should be a similar bestseller about teaching but that author probably wouldn't get as much sympathy (and might be more inclined to be kinder about his charges...)

42. Howards End is on the Landing by Susan Hill A book about reading books. I enjoyed learning what she had to say, didn't agree with everything of course. Also she talked about some authors I've never heard of so I will look those up at some point.

43 No Fond Return of Love by Barbara Pym
This is the usual kind of story by Pym - with academics, priests and unmarried women of a certain age. Found the main plot - finding out more about a man - led to behaviour that was almost stalking. But also reminded me of life before google and facebook and the like where you couldn't just look someone up online to find out more. The description of the hotel in Devon was funny for being so awful.

44 Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman
Enjoyed reading this but as I read it I was not convinced by one of the main plot devices which lead to the twist at the end. I was thinking how unlikely it was and there turned out to be a good reason for it but it pulled me out of the story somewhat. Also a bit unlikely the way everyone is supposed to somehow change their opinion as the story goes on. Can't say more without spoiling the plot.

I am now wading my way through a 1,000 page book for my next book group meeting. I may be some time!

Led not lead

This is the last week of leisurely reading for a while - have had various holidays and the children have been away a lot. Next week the school madness returns and reading time is severely curtailed. I must try and finish off a couple of books that are lurking around making me feel bad before then - can someone give me words of encouragement about *One Hundred Years of Solitude"? It's not that I don't like it when I get going but it certainly isn't calling me back to it when I put it down...

92 The Cows by Dawn Porter
Three women's lives get tangled up because of social media, feminism and unlikely coincidences. I think I was meant to laugh and cry, but did neither, being a "cold-hearted bitch" who really must stop taking book recommendations from her sister. Although this wasn't actually terrible, it was just a bit frothy. There were some good and serious themes and I did quite like Tara who gets caught masturbating on the tube after which her life implodes but the blogging element was not well done.

93 The Lido by Libby Paige
I’m usually very wary of feel good fiction which is often badly written and trite, but this wasn’t at all bad. Kate is a journalist, lonely and prone to panic attacks. She makes friends with an older woman who swims regularly in the Brockwell Park Lido and joins the fight to save it from closure. I loved the specificity of place in this - I grew up in Herne Hill and really enjoyed her accounts of Brixton and the surrounding area.

Back from holiday so these were my 'holiday reads'

61. The Immortalists - Chloe Benjamin
It's 1969 in New York City's Lower East Side, and word has spread of the arrival of a mystical woman, a traveling psychic who claims to be able to tell anyone the day they will die. The Gold children—four adolescents on the cusp of self-awareness—sneak out to hear their fortunes.

The prophecies inform their next five decades. Golden-boy Simon escapes to the West Coast, searching for love in '80s San Francisco; dreamy Klara becomes a Las Vegas magician, obsessed with blurring reality and fantasy; eldest son Daniel seeks security as an army doctor post-9/11; and bookish Varya throws herself into longevity research, where she tests the boundary between science and immortality.

Each section tells of one of the siblings lives from that moment on and how the knowledge affects them. Some are stronger and more interesting that others, there were a couple of characters whose actions made no sense whatsoever but overall an easy read and despite the subject, enjoyable as well.

62. Sunburn - Laura Lipman

Over the course of a punishing summer, Polly and Adam abandon themselves to a steamy, inexorable affair. Still, each holds something back from the other—dangerous, even lethal, secrets that begin to accumulate as autumn approaches, feeding the growing doubts they conceal.
This is billed a noir thriller and has lots of recommendations (Stephen King is quoted on the back). Overall the style is great, I liked the plot and it was a good summer book to read as you could feel the heat from this small town coming off the page. The main problem with this book for me is that the two main characters are meant to have this intense passionate love, and that I didn't see at all. They said they loved each other but it wasn't shown and as that is a key reason why they do what they do, I felt I should have believed in them more. Good overall though.

63. Bitter Orange - Claire Fuller
Really loved this one. A story told in reverse of a woman laying in a bed and recalling the summer when she was staying in a crumbling English countryside house. She made friends with the couple staying in the flat below and it unfolds to a tragic event.

This was cleverly done, each time I thought I knew what the plot was, it changed. Although it has the initial appearance of being a time slip mystery book, its actually darker than that. Definitely recommended for anyone who just wants to get stuck into a really good story.

I was doing really well but have dropped off the threads and not read anything since beginning of May. Have read this thread and hopefully will get back to reading now.
I need another 19 to make it to 50.

You can do it mama !!

116. Every note played - Lisa Genova
Have read this author's other books and she has a background in neuroscience. She writes well and compassionately without being maudlin or overly sentimental. This is the story of Richard, a concert pianist, who is struck down by ALS. His ex wife reluctantly becomes his carer. I found this informative and moving. It was also quite a bleak representation of some of the stark choices patients face, particularly in the US with paid healthcare

On a separate note RL has been quite stressful at the moment. My lovely DH drove me 2 and 1/2 hours to the Northumberland coast today. So I could soothe my soul walking on Bamburgh Beach and mooching around Barter Books.

65 Crazy Rich Asians by Kevin Kwan

Wonderfully trashy and enormous fun. Bought this because dd & I both wanted to read it before seeing the film - now really looking forward to it coming out, & I'll definitely read the sequels.

Toomuch hope your trip to the sea and a rummage round a book store did you the world of good. Great combination to soothe the soul!
PS - what is ALS?

27. Little fires everywhere - Celeste Ng
Much reviewed on here already. I really enjoyed it and have added her first book to my wishlist.