50 Book Challenge 2020 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 2020, 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.

What are you reading?

We understand Betts

Thank you. It was one of those moments when the grief hits you out of the blue, I've been fine for a while. I knew you'd understand and it's helped.

betts
totally understandable

26 Transcription - Kate Atkinson
Having read my first Atkinson earlier this year ( Behind the scenes - still don't understand the title of the book ) and been fairly non-plussed, I picked up Transcription when our library reopened and I was allowed in for a quick browse.

Juliet is orphaned at 17 and quickly snapped up by the MI5 for administrative work during WWII. Thoroughly enjoyed this, as much for the storyline as for Atkinson's writing. The ending was too rushed for my liking and left several questions hanging - but I'm no sleuth so I probably missed some vital piece of information!!

27 84 Charing Cross Road - Helene Hanff
A book about books, what's not to love? A pure delight from start to finish. For anyone who is struggling at the moment for whatever reason, and hasn't yet read this - you're missing a trick if you don't pick up this glorious collection of post-war correspondance between Hanff, a New York writer, and Frank Doel, a London bookseller.

Betts [Flowers] it’s such an intense period. Totally understandable.

Oh, Betts. :( Just try to take comfort in the fact that it summed him up perfectly, and that you did your best at a time when doing anything at all would have been difficult.

NiceMum - 84 Charing Cross Road is a delight, isn't it? It's something that I'd probably never had come across without Mumsnet, but also now feels like something that has been part of me forever, if that makes any sense at all.

Mackerella - Cote and I have been -fighting- discussing books for so long on here. And that's why these threads are definitely the best thing on the internet!

@RemusLupinsBiggestGroupie

Oh, Betts. :( Just try to take comfort in the fact that it summed him up perfectly, and that you did your best at a time when doing anything at all would have been difficult.

NiceMum - 84 Charing Cross Road is a delight, isn't it? It's something that I'd probably never had come across without Mumsnet, but also now feels like something that has been part of me forever, if that makes any sense at all.

Mackerella - Cote and I have been -fighting- discussing books for so long on here. And that's why these threads are definitely the best thing on the internet!

Thank you Remus it really did, and still does. It was hard to do anything much. FWIW, the quote was 'What makes me different makes me, me' which was my Dad to a T. And if any of you know where it's from (as it is related to the book I thought it was from) then I will love you for ever. Though you are brilliant anyway.

I read 84 Charing Cross Road , ahem, many a few years ago, I think I might have to re-read it.

I'm so sorry betts

For what it's worth, I've been reading Proust during lockdown, and one of the things I'm starting to learn from it is that memory is a strange, unreliable and shifting thing. In a way that's the whole underpinning of In Search of Lost Time, really. And I think what matters is the memories you have of your Dad and the associations the book holds. The accuracy (or not) of the quotation doesn't really matter in that great scheme of things.

I might be able to be more coherent about this once I've read a few more volumes (only 6 to go!) but for now, have some

betts, I'm so sorry, that sounds very hard. Even though the quote wasn't from the book, you said it summed him up well and it was chosen with love, I'm sure he would still have loved it.

My mum died around the same time as your dad - there was a very small lockdown funeral which I had to attend by video. It bothers me quite a bit, but we have said that when it's safe to gather again we will have a proper celebration of life. I don't know if that's something you will be doing as well, but if you do perhaps you can use the quote you wanted then?

@noodlezoodle

betts, I'm so sorry, that sounds very hard. Even though the quote wasn't from the book, you said it summed him up well and it was chosen with love, I'm sure he would still have loved it.

My mum died around the same time as your dad - there was a very small lockdown funeral which I had to attend by video. It bothers me quite a bit, but we have said that when it's safe to gather again we will have a proper celebration of life. I don't know if that's something you will be doing as well, but if you do perhaps you can use the quote you wanted then?

We had a video too. We're going to get together to scatter ashes at some point

Love that quote xxx

betts

betts noodle

"I was amused to see the exchanges between you and Remus about fiction/non-fiction in 2014, which was long before my time on these threads. I love how long they've been going, and that people have got to know each other's tastes and personalities over that time "

You are right - we have been at this for quite some time. Remus and I have practically opposing tastes in fiction, and we love telling each other why we hate each other's favourite books More seriously, it really is great that we can criticise books here without having to tiptoe around each other.

But when we agree, Cote, it means practically everybody else will love it too!

102. Rough Magic by Lara Prior-Palmer

This was bettys recommendation and she has reviewed it well enough for both of us upthread
This really hit the spot thanks betty. Something really different. It was odd because I don't think I ever really liked Prior-Palmer throughout but I thought it was unique and well written.

She refers to Uuganaa Ramsey's memoir Mongol several times and I am now keen to read it.

You know all my life I have been a solid fiction reader, and this year more than any other I have veered towards non fiction.

I am wondering if it may be slightly to do with the current vogue for twee in general fiction or whether at approaching 40, I have changed somehow. 🤔

Eine I find the same - I read far more non fiction these days.

betts noodles

@EineReiseDurchDieZeit

102. Rough Magic by Lara Prior-Palmer

This was bettys recommendation and she has reviewed it well enough for both of us upthread
This really hit the spot thanks betty. Something really different. It was odd because I don't think I ever really liked Prior-Palmer throughout but I thought it was unique and well written.

She refers to Uuganaa Ramsey's memoir Mongol several times and I am now keen to read it.

You know all my life I have been a solid fiction reader, and this year more than any other I have veered towards non fiction.

I am wondering if it may be slightly to do with the current vogue for twee in general fiction or whether at approaching 40, I have changed somehow. 🤔

I take any credit for a review, I copied the amazon blurb, I'm so glad it hit the spot for you Eine. I've read Mongol too and, while it's not as good, it's well worth reading,

I mean I can't take any credit for a review of course 🙄

Just a reminder today is David Copperfield day if others on that thread find it has vanished from view, as ever!

I didn't think much of the Kindle monthly deals. Quite a few seem to have been previous deals (eg. The Five ). I didn't buy anything. A bit of a relief not to add to the tbr pile, for once.

I felt the same way biblio I got The Devil in the White City which was recommended to me as a good gripping non-fiction, At Freddie’s by Penelope Fitzgerald, and The Weather in the Streets by Rosalind Lehman, all of which have been on my wishlist for a while. I’m also toying with Travelling Light by Tove Jannsson. I’ve read and enjoyed Brazzaville Beach by William Boyd which I saw on there.

noodle and betts

betts I understand how that must feel, but it was true to the feeling you wanted to express and it sounds as though you did a beautiful job in difficult circumstances.

I've read Devil in the White City and definitely liked aspects of it, though it was over-long iirc.

The sale is terrible. The only thing I've gone for is one by the guy who wrote World War Z.