I’m still not too well (though back at work, unfortunately)- I’ve been reading but not updating, so here goes:
159. Call of the Weird- Louis Theroux At the time, I couldn’t wait for the new Louis Theroux book (which I’m listening to currently: it is superb), so I downloaded his earlier audiobook, despite already having the book in paperback and on the Kindle (plus many DVDs). In it, Louis tours America and visits many of his previous subjects, such as JJ Michaels the young porn performer, Lamb and Lynx the Neo-Nazi children’s music duo, and Hayley the prostitute. It is excellent, but you would need to be familiar with the specific programmes to appreciate it fully.
160. Waterlog- Roger Deakin Much recommended on here, this account of the author’s wild swimming tour of Britain was enjoyable, but I thought it would be more about the actual swimming!
161. Beautiful Boy- David Sheff Having recently watched the film, I thought the book was better. It is a moving description of the author’s son Nic Sheff’s long battle with drug addiction, particularly crystal meth. David’s two younger children added some much-needed lightness to the story.
162. Poor Cow- Nell Dunn This was a bit disappointing: it was quite poorly written, but I think that was the point. I usually enjoy ‘kitchen sink’ novels but this fell a bit flat.
163. Big Little Lies- Liane Moriarty I should have read this instead of listening to the audiobook: at 16 hours’ duration, it seemed to last for eternity. Having worked in Australian schools, I recognised many of the stereotypes of parents, and these were very well drawn. I wasn’t especially interested in the murder story or the way it was constructed.
164. Educated- Tara Westover I finally got to read this after having it on reserve at the library for ages. I found the first half frustrating and I disliked Tara’s family. The second half, describing her rapid rise through the world of academia despite little education as a child, was much more satisfying.
165. Friendly Fire- Patrick Gale Another well-written and interesting Patrick Gale novel. The protagonist is a girl from a children’s home who wins a scholarship to an elite boarding school, where she makes some interesting friendships. The first half of the book is a little slow, but it really gathers pace in the second half, which is eventful and moving.
166. A Swarm in May- William Mayne This was a reread of a book from my childhood involving choirboys and beekeeping (nowadays this would be a health and safety nightmare!). Once again, I liked the musical sections best and the beekeeping story didn’t engage me much.
167. Crossroads- Mark Radcliffe Mark has recently beaten cancer and is on good form in his brand new audiobook. He takes the idea of musical ‘crossroads’, but really it is an excuse to discuss any musical subjects which take his fancy. It is interesting and humorous.
168. David Bowie Made Me Gay- Darryl W. Bullock This book got off to rather a slow start, describing various obscure LGBT artists of days gone by: I’m sure they were important for the story, but these chapters weren’t very gripping. The second half, which included Boy George, Bronski Beat, The Communards, Pete Shelley, The Pet Shop Boys, Frankie Goes to Hollywood, George Michael and Elton John was much more interesting.
169. I Found My Tribe- Ruth Fitzmaurice Also much discussed on MN, I thought (as with no.160) that this would be more about the author’s hobby of wild swimming. However, the story of her husband’s battle with Motor Neurone Disease and its effect on her and their young family is very moving. It worked well as an audiobook, except the author kept sniffing, which was irritating!
170. Selected Poems- Simon Armitage I probably raced through this too quickly and didn’t savour each poem enough.
171. The Wild Truth- Carine McCandless I have previously read ‘Into the Wild’ and also seen the film, about Chris McCandless’ hike in the wilderness, where he died. This book, written by his sister Carine, helped to give a slightly more rounded picture, but ultimately didn’t add a huge amount.
172. My Thoughts Exactly- Lily Allen Lily’s life has been very eventful: showbiz parents, a chequered education, pop stardom, sex with several famous people, a failed marriage, three children (one stillborn), drug-fuelled excess, a stalker, sexual assaults, etc. etc. She tells the story very well and I raced through the library book in a day.