50 Book Challenge 2019 Part Seven

[southeastdweller]

Welcome to the seventh, and possibly final, thread of the 50 Book Challenge for this year.

The challenge is to read fifty books (or more!) in 2019, 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.

How've you got on this year?

Children of Time also fantastic #teamspider

86: The Vanishing Man - Laura Cumming

This is an absolutely wonderful book (and quite coincidentally it's my second non-fiction book in a row to feature a Spanish painter). After reading Cumming's memoir On Chapel Sands and being enthralled by her writing, I happened across this, one of her previous books in her role as art critic.

Cumming tells the story of John Snare, a 19thc Reading stationer and printer, who in the 1840s bought a portrait of the future Charles I at auction which he came to be convinced was a Velázquez. A tale of obsession and ruin follows, related fascinatingly - but alongside this is the story of Velázquez too, himself a shadowy and mysterious figure.

Cumming has a knack for writing about art in a completely comprehensible, immediate way, and one that - together with the detective-like story of the elusive picture - just kept me hooked. The plates of the paintings she describes are tantalising, and now I just want to go and see as many Velázquez pictures as I possibly can. I think anyone who's interested in art would love this book.

Tepsichore, I really like the sound of The Vanishing Man - I'm going to see if my local library has a copy. I am about to read On Chapel Sands as an ebook, also from the library. That's two to look forward to now.

Sorry for your loss, Time.

Utterly, I gave up on Early Riser quite quickly too.

For all those who enjoy non-fiction about health professionals (I think there are a few of us on here), I'm currently reading and enjoying Also Human: the inner lives of doctors, by Caroline Elton. The author is a psychologist who has spent a lot of time shadowing doctors and providing career counselling to struggling individuals, and she has many trenchant things to say about the shortcomings of the training and management of young doctors.

That's book 139 for me. Book 138 was Civilized to Death: The Price of Progress, by Christopher Ryan. A lament for the transition from foragers to farmers. A lot of it felt familiar, both from authors like Jared Diamond but also from various paleo diet books and debunkings of paleo diet books. He criticises Stephen Pinker for cherrypicking his evidence and acknowledges that the same charge could be leveled at him. I'm interested enough in the subject to find it worth the read, but his points have been made better elsewhere.

It really is eye-opening, whippet , and made me think about how people experienced great art at a time when they couldn’t just go into galleries and look at paintings, or open a book or go online. Most art was in the private collections of the aristocracy and royalty and never accessible to ordinary people. There was no x-ray analysis or scientific research into paints and canvas so nobody could really say whether the paintings they had were authentic - proving what you had was a daunting task; ‘connoisseurship’ was all. It was against this background that the very humble John Snare - a tradesman, of all horrors - seems to have found himself in possession of a Velázquez.

It’s an extraordinary story and rivetingly well-told by Cumming, imho anyway.

181. Pie Fidelity: In Defence of British Food - Pete Brown Part memoir, part social commentary, this is a look at the reputation of British food at home and abroad, discussing the historical, social, cultural and political context of different dishes. Plus a trip down memory lane of the author's own experiences of cooking and eating them in his youth. He travels the UK to find a typical example of each dish. It is well researched and intelligently written with a lot of fascinating information that I was previously ignorant of. Although at times a little heavy on the memoir side this was a pure pleasure to read and gave me the same nostalgic fuzzy feeling as Bookworm, and the desire to immediately eat ALL the food. A thoroughly enjoyable book.

I never DNF but think I may have had it with The Binding. I am just not interested at all. The author wrote YA before this, and I think it shows. Lots of dialogue, too much withheld information and over description.

Yawn.

I struggled with The Binding too Piggy, I liked some of the ideas but far too much waffle between the good stuff. Drove me mad whenever it was getting to what should be an actual ‘action’ scene with a character in imminent danger but instead of them acting we’d get pages of internal monologue instead.

Just finished 57. An American Marriage - Tayari Jones. Much read on this thread. I liked it overall, though my head is a bit all over the place at the moment so I did find my mind kept wandering and I’d have to go back a bit as I wasn’t taking much in. That’s far more likely to be imminent wedding/early pregnancy related than a fault of the book though.

I've put it down for today : too distracted by news and stuff. Will try again at the weekend.

87: So Long, See You Tomorrow - William Maxwell

A very short novella (I read most of this during a train journey) by the American editor/writer who's often hailed as a prose stylist. I really like Maxwell's writing and this was the sort of book that you keep thinking about long after you've finished it.

An unnamed narrator looks back to his boyhood in the American mid-west in the 1920's, after the death of his mother. Alone and rootless, he meets a local boy of about the same age and for a few weeks they hang out together - this same boy (unknown to the narrator at the time) is caught up in a local drama between two farming families that ends in the murder of one of the participants.

This is beautifully and elegiacally written, expertly structured (there's a heartbreaking passage written through the eyes of a farm dog witnessing events in bewilderment) and feels almost Shakespearean in the way it tackles epic themes of love, jealousy, passion and despair, but all on a miniature canvas. Apparently Maxwell based it on a real murder case which he found in newspaper archives.

I really like William Maxwell's writing Terpsichore. I haven't read that book yet and will add it to my (ever expanding) list.

70 The Accidental Further Adventures of the 100 year old man by Jonas Jonasson
Thoroughly enjoyable read. Our hero accidentally becomes mixed up with North Korea, the Russians and the Americans. Don't read if you expect realism in your fiction but if you want a complete escape give this (and the first one) a go.

71 Gallows Court by Martin Edwards
Started well but, goodness, this became a pile of nonsense as it went on. A woman is murdered and the unlikely perpetrator is unmasked by a young wealthy woman. Then there is another murder and the young woman is on the case. Again, the unlikely murderer is unmasked (This is towards the start of the book).But what is the young woman actually up to? There are lots of victims, but also a lot of suspects, the plot got sillier and sillier, stretched beyond credibility and the final explanation was ridiculous (SPOILER - big massive conspiracy). This one will be going straight to the charity shop.

72 Leaving Home by Garrison Keillor
Collection of short stories set in the fictional Midwestern town of Lake Wobegone. A re-read for me but they still make me laugh. Particularly like the 50th wedding anniversary party where the couple spend the whole time furious with each other, and the one with the skunk.

73 Guards, Guards by Terry Pratchett
Dragons don't exist - or do they? Someone is trying to summon them. It forces Vimes to get his face out of the gutter, sober up and investigate who and why. The first of the books to feature the Watch. It is a while since I've read this one and enjoyed it all over again. Particularly Carrot's naivety.

*78. Venus & Aphrodite - Bettany Hughes
*
Historical survey of the concepts represented by the goddess of love, beauty and desire. Hughes writes beautifully, covering everything from Aphrodite's ancient origins in Cypriot fertility deities and Near Eastern goddesses of violent passion, via her worship in classical Athens, to the modern commercial exploitation of her attributes. But it's too brief to explore any one theme in depth, and moves at such breakneck speed that at one point it jumps from Freud to Dove soap in one paragraph. I did enjoy this but would have preferred a longer, more detailed work which took more time to explore the source material and build convincing arguments.

Updating after I fell off the thread:

104. The Bear and the Nightingale by Katherine Arden

First part of the Winternight trilogy set in medieval Russia. Enjoyable fantasy read.

105. The Gender Games by Juno Dawson

Subtitled “The problem with men and women, from someone who has been both”. Very sweary memoir and discussion of gender from a trans woman’s perspective.

106. Brodmaw Bay by F. G. Cottam

Horror novel about a family who leave London for an idyllic Cornish village that’s luring them in by being just too good to be true.

107. Ruey Richardson at the Chalet School by Elinor M. Brent-Dyer

Light reading to take my mind off current affairs.

108. Katy by Jacqueline Wilson

As above re light reading. This one is a retelling of the older What Katy Did story.

109. A Leader in the Chalet School by Elinor M Brent-Dyer

And more light reading. General elections are not good for my reading habits!

110. Lost Connections by Johann Hari

A look at the causes of depression and how to tackle it. It’s an interesting read.

239. Confessions Of A Bookseller by Shaun Bythell

Another instalment of the diaries of a man running a second hand bookshop in Scotland. I really enjoyed both the first book and this sequel. There’s no big events, but I like the anecdotes about the customers and staff in the shop and learning a bit more about the technicalities of bookselling.

I've fallen a bit behind with my reviews as Christmas approaches and makes demands on my reading time ...Anyway, here are my three latest...

65. Middle England – Jonathan Coe

This is the third book in a trilogy which I’ve enjoyed reading this year. This was probably my least favourite of the three, as it focuses on the lives of the three Trotter siblings reach middle age during the period 2010 – 2018.

Inevitably Brexit features quite heavily, and I must admit to having quite enough of Brexit recently so that probably put me off. I think the nostalgia of the first two books, set in the seventies and the nineties respectively was lacking here. Having said that, given recent political events this book already felt a bit dated. Despite all of this, it was an undemanding read which raised a few smiles. If a fourth book appears, I would be interested to see what the Trotters get up to in old age.

66. Regeneration – Pat Barker

A re-read for a book group, first encountered in my twenties. I was curious about my reaction to this one, given I could remember very little about it, apart from that I didn’t go on to read anything else by Pat Barker until trying The Silence of the Girls earlier this year which left me feeling distinctly underwhelmed.

I thought this was good in parts. She created a sense of time and place very well and I particularly enjoyed her evocative description of Craiglockhart War Hospital. Her exploration of the toxic masculinity and “stiff upper lip” mentality of the era was thought provoking. However, I didn’t feel as much empathy for the characters as I wanted to and remained quite detached throughout the whole book. With the exception of the psychiatrist Rivers I felt characterisation wasn’t as convincing as the scene setting and consequently the book felt a little heartless and dry. I have reached the conclusion that Pat Barker probably isn’t for me.

67. Wounds – Fergal Keane

I read The Dream of the Celt earlier this year which piqued by interest in this period in Irish History, which I’m ashamed to say I knew very little about. This non-fiction text covers the period 1920’s to the present day.

I enjoyed Fergal Keane’s writing very much as it has a novel-like feel to it which made for a surprisingly easy read. He builds the text around his own family’s involvement in the fight against the British for Irish independence and the ensuing civil war post 1922, which humanises the subject matter and makes its relatable.

I’m not sure whether it would be accurate to say that I enjoyed this one, given the harrowing subject matter but I do feel I understand recent Irish history much more than I did before reading it.

77. looking for JJ by Anne Cassidy
    A YA novel about a terrible crime that happened 6 years ago when 3 children (2 pretty neglected) go into the woods. In present day the country is outraged at the release of the criminal. This was a panicked BorrowBox choice and it was fine. I needed something easy to pick up and put down but there are definitely more superior YA novels out there.

78. I feel bad about my kneck by the late Norah Ephron. This is an essay collection covering Ephron’s experience of ageing. I love her writing style but this was pretty surface level and those only so much rich New Yorker morning about rent hikes and her famous neighbours. She definitely suffered from keeping up with every fashion fad in terms of body upkeep - was tiring to read how often she went to the salon!

79. girl, Woman, other Bernadine Evaristo. On paper this should have been for me as I’m not a short story fan and this was a dozen interlinking stories about mostly Black British Women. However, this was a masterpiece and a highlight of the year for me. The characters were rich and vibrant and I loved all the histories and experiences. Obviously there’s some tough stuff but so much hope as well. I can’t wait to read more by this author.

80. Flat Share by Beth O’Leary. Cute, fluffy romance about a couple who share a flat but never meet. It had a few darker notes in terms of gas lighting and emotional abuse but pretty standard fair.

94 Dogs of War by Adrian Tchaikovsky

A re-read as I zipped through this at double-quick time when I first read it last year. It definitely repaid a second slower read, but I'm going to cheat & just repost my previous review.

Rex is a part dog/part AI bioform military weapon, and leader of a Multiform Assault Pack, together with Honey, Bees and Dragon. At the start of the novel he knows exactly what he is - a Good Dog, who is fulfilling his Master's commands. When Master ends up in the Hague, being tried for war crimes, everything becomes rather more complicated - not just for Rex, but for the humans who have to decide what to do with him and bioforms like him.
I enjoyed this a lot - it's not quite up to Children of Time in terms of originality, but it's still excellent 'thinky' sci-fi, with plenty of action thrown in to keep it moving along.

43. The Secret Scripture - Sebastian Barry
I think this was the wrong book for me to be reading at the moment. Very busy at work and lots going on at home. It's taken me ages to read and has just made me feel profoundly sad the whole way through. I'm genuinely relieved to have finished it.

I was thinking of reading The Rotter's Club next. Will this be a light read?

Chalet School is perfect in time of stress Stitches! What did you think of Katy? I preferred Hilary McKays adapt/continuation of A Little Princess, for me Katy just didn't hold a candle to the original (but I do like Jaqueline Wilson).
Tigers and Demons by Sean Kennedy Melbourne set gay Aussie football romance, not quite as entertaining as I'd hoped.
The Whicharts by Noel Streatfeild I held off reading this for ages in case it ruined Ballet Shoes for me, but in fact I loved seeing how this had turned into that! I won't give spoilers,but do read about it a bit if you are a Ballet Shoes fan as it does have a very different take on the story.
Golden Child by Clare Adams, reviewed upthread this piqued my interest- it wasn't what I expected at all, but an interesting setting (Trinidad), and a sad story rather than the twist in the tale mystery I was somehow expecting (there are twins, I guess it's a trope!).

Sadik I have ditched Early Riser and started Dogs of War

I am flying through it - it’s so well paced and well written, and (so far anyway!) Rex is most certainly a Good Boy.

nowanearlyNicemum yes, I would say The Rotter's Club is quite a light read. It has some dark moments, but these are nicely balanced by the humour. I enjoyed it.

Off ton investigate The Whicharts.

A lot of Noel Streatfeild's adult books are now on Kindle at reasonable prices - they used to be about a tenner @Remuslupinsbiggestgroupie. I've read a couple and you can see why they went out of print, but it is fascinating to see how she evolved into a children's author. The Whicharts really is a template/ draft for Baller Shoes, just for a completely different audience (do let me know if you do decide to read it, would love to discuss!).

I can't recall my numbers, I'll have to go back and check when I've more time. Just read:

Wham! George and Me - Andrew Ridgeley. The memoir from the former Wham band member who I was unsure of back in the 80s what exactly he did and after reading this I'm still unsure. There's so little insight into GM, and himself, this book came across as a self-serving and cynical way to exploit the memory of GM and make himself a few bob. He hints at bitterness that GM pulled the plug on Wham early on to go solo, but he doesn't have the balls to directly say this, perhaps mindful of potential book sales. A dull and quite sad read.

I've now bought The Whicharts, Tanaqui , so I'll be back to discuss!

However, for the moment, 88: The Gathering Dark - James Oswald

One of Oswald's Edinburgh-set series of detective-novels-with-a-slightly-supernatural-twist, featuring DI Tony McLean. It was OK but not his best. Unfortunately Oswald has been persuaded to branch out with a new (female) lead in what might turn out to be another series - not a great decision, I'd say, having read it. It feels as though the McLean series might have suffered somewhat in the process, which would be a shame as they're normally quite good. This just seemed a bit clunky and lacking in the blend of humour and drama that he achieves in the previous instalments.
On the bright side, it bumped up my numbers, though - I'm hoping to get to 90 by the end of the year!