50 Book Challenge 2020 Part Eight

[southeastdweller]

Welcome to the eighth 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, the sixth one here and the seventh one here.

What are you reading?

125. Home Fire by Kamila Shamsie

Orphaned British Muslim siblings Isma, Aneeka, and Parvais live under the shadow of the death of their father, who was en route to Guantanamo

When, against accepted odds Isma manages to get a visa to study in America, she doesn't realise it is the end of her family as she knows it.

Winner of the 2019 Womens Prize

Whilst the book is really good, and acts as a window into a community, it is also slight and I found the ending twist within a twist lacked some credulity. I do think saying that there should have been more of it is a compliment though.

That sounds good Eine.

Are you feeling better now?

Not really betts. I seem to be constantly on antibiotics and getting infection after infection and dont know why. Definitely not the plague so at least there's that.

Looking for more easy going type stuff of the same level as Daisy Jones if anyone can oblige?

I didn’t finish it as it had to go back
To the library but Elizabeth Gilbert’s City of Girls gave me a similar light historical vibe eine

Some kids I taught and what they taught me is currently 99p on kindle.

I haven't managed to finish anything for a while because of a family emergency which has driven any thoughts of reading pretty much out of my head - these are the last two things I did get through.

73: The Secret Lives of Colour - Kassia St Clair
Beautifully-produced and fact-packed history of how and why a range of the colours we all now know came to be in existence. A blend of art, science and history which works triumphantly and would delight anyone like me who enjoys discovering arcane snippets of information.

And, very much as a spin-off from the above:

74: Mauve - Simon Garfield
I'd had this on the tbr shelves for ages and it was the obvious moment to get round to it at last (Kassia St C recommends it in her list of further reading). William Perkin was a remarkable young scientist who, in 1856, was experimenting with coal-tar in an attempt to refine it into quinine. One day his failed attempt resulted in a black residue which most chemists would have thrown away. Instead Perkin purified and dried it, and ended up with an intense mauve colouring - he'd discovered a new aniline dye, a holy grail for the cloth industry, but more importantly something which formed the basis for a huge range of scientific developments, most of which are now part of our everyday lives. At 18 he'd made his name and soon was to make his fortune, allowing him to retire from business in his 30s and spend the rest of his life devoted to scientific research and philanthropy.
Garfield tells the story with relish. A lovely, quirky book. I'd have appreciated it more if my mind hadn't been distracted with other worries, though.

Sorry about the health stuff, Eine and the family stuff, Terp.

Rapid Fire Europe sound good, Bett - I need some vicarious travel if I can't do the real thing.

Finished Rosie: Scenes from a Vanished Life, by Rose Tremain in which the author looks bad over her 50s childhood. She was materially privileged but unloved by her parents, and grapples in particular with her mother's lack of care for her, enjoying the freedom she gained by dispatching her young daughters to boarding school. As my mental picture of boarding school and a Swiss finishing school is drawn largely from the Chalet School, it's interesting to get another perspective. She's angry at the low expectations of girls, who were trained to be the secretaries and wives of Great Men, never to do anything ambitious in their own right. This was short and readable and I enjoyed it.

@bibliomania

Sorry about the health stuff, Eine and the family stuff, Terp.

Rapid Fire Europe sound good, Bett - I need some vicarious travel if I can't do the real thing.

Finished Rosie: Scenes from a Vanished Life, by Rose Tremain in which the author looks bad over her 50s childhood. She was materially privileged but unloved by her parents, and grapples in particular with her mother's lack of care for her, enjoying the freedom she gained by dispatching her young daughters to boarding school. As my mental picture of boarding school and a Swiss finishing school is drawn largely from the Chalet School, it's interesting to get another perspective. She's angry at the low expectations of girls, who were trained to be the secretaries and wives of Great Men, never to do anything ambitious in their own right. This was short and readable and I enjoyed it.

It is good, one of his better books too. I enjoyed it because I've been to many of the 20 odd cities he visited and it brought back memories but I think it'd be good if you haven't.

If it's uk travel then I'd highly recommend the January man by Christopher Somerville, it's an excellent read and a perfect antidote to another, better known, UK natural history writer. I started it last night and have just got to July, it's excellent. I'm hoping for insomnia tonight to finish it off 🙄😀

@Terpsichore

I haven't managed to finish anything for a while because of a family emergency which has driven any thoughts of reading pretty much out of my head - these are the last two things I did get through.

73: The Secret Lives of Colour - Kassia St Clair
Beautifully-produced and fact-packed history of how and why a range of the colours we all now know came to be in existence. A blend of art, science and history which works triumphantly and would delight anyone like me who enjoys discovering arcane snippets of information.

And, very much as a spin-off from the above:

74: Mauve - Simon Garfield
I'd had this on the tbr shelves for ages and it was the obvious moment to get round to it at last (Kassia St C recommends it in her list of further reading). William Perkin was a remarkable young scientist who, in 1856, was experimenting with coal-tar in an attempt to refine it into quinine. One day his failed attempt resulted in a black residue which most chemists would have thrown away. Instead Perkin purified and dried it, and ended up with an intense mauve colouring - he'd discovered a new aniline dye, a holy grail for the cloth industry, but more importantly something which formed the basis for a huge range of scientific developments, most of which are now part of our everyday lives. At 18 he'd made his name and soon was to make his fortune, allowing him to retire from business in his 30s and spend the rest of his life devoted to scientific research and philanthropy.
Garfield tells the story with relish. A lovely, quirky book. I'd have appreciated it more if my mind hadn't been distracted with other worries, though.

I hope things are better soon. I've had the colour book for a while, I might read that next as I'm in more of a non-fiction mood at the moment.

28. Shogun by James Clavell

This was excellent 1,120 pages of pure delight that feels too short, the story of an English sailor stranded in feudal Japan as it struggles with Christian priests and Portuguese traders.

I watched the TV series by the same name in the 1980s but all remember is the love story between the foreigner and the Japanese girl. The story, historical events, political subterfuge, and deeper themes like honor and duty have clearly whooshed over my head at the time.

Reading it for the first time now, I can only describe Shogun as the Anna Karenina of Japan. There is an overarching story of politics and intrigue as the feudal lords of Japan as well as the Christian church and Portuguese traders move their chess pieces to win power over each other. There is also the brilliant characterization and realistically rendered characters, each different and convincing in their individuality.

However, what really sets this book apart is its world building - the exquisitely crafted 16th Century Japan, its traditions, customs, emphasis on honor, duty, and cleanliness in stark contrast to the European culture of the same period in the clutches of Inquisition-era Christianity, sexually repressed, filthy, vulgar, reeking, lice-infested, believing "that lice, fleas, flies, dirt and disease were God's punishment for sins on earth". And the hubris of Catholic church, thinking that it's bringing "civilisation" to a land that traces its history back thousands of years.

It is a magnificent book and I would heartily recommended it to everyone here, especially fans of great historical fiction such as This Thing of Darkness.

I hope things are better soon

Thank you betts and biblio

Great reviews terpsichore, sorry you’re having a tough time

cote I’ve had Shogun on the Kindle for ages, going to try and get to it quicker now, excellent review.

Cote - I remember sitting outside in the paddling pool while my mum read Shogun in what must have been the mid-80s. I suspect I got quite water-wrinkly that day...

Morning 50 Bookers
for Eine, Terps and anyone else who's having a tough time of it.

I continue to read at a glacial pace this year, due to too much work and not enough childcare (smallest's school is fully closed due to a staff COVID outbreak).

27. The Familiars by Stacy Hall Fictionalised account of the 17th century Pendle witch trials, told from the perspective of Fleetwood Shuttleworth, the seventeen year old mistress of Gawthorpe Hall, who engages an intriguing local woman as her midwife after losing many pregnancies and failing to produce an heir.

I wasn't bowled over by this. I wasn't convinced by the main character Fleetwood, who seemed firmly transported from the modern day in her reactions to her husband's affair, and her challenges to the law makers around her. I would have thought that the trials themselves would have provided excellent plot fodder but they were skimmed over, and we heard the stories of only a couple of the women.

28. The Benefit of Hindsight by Susan Hill Simon Serrailler is back at Lafferton CID, quaffing Sancerre ahead of making a pig's ear of investigating a professional burglary, and charming his way through the ranks of junior female officers. These are my love-to-hate-them books, packed with middle-class cliches, yet I gobble them up, despite the plots feeling increasingly thin as the series progresses.

Excellent Shogun review there, thanks Cote
I seriously have to stop buying books now as I have to start paying council tax but my income has dropped dramatically and I can't afford the monthly payments but I will see if I can get it on Borrowbox.

A book is good if it far you hoping for insomnia, betts. My local library has The January Man, so I've reserved it.

@bibliomania

A book is good if it far you hoping for insomnia, betts. My local library has The January Man, so I've reserved it.

I hope it fulfils expectations!

Hi all I'm hoping you can help me with something. I'm just organising a gift box for an ill friend and you can include a book. I know quite a few of you have read some of the following so wanted to check if you had any recommendations and if there are any to avoid when someone is recovering from a cancer op? The options are:

• So Lucky - Dawn O'Porter
• Queenie - Candice Carty-Williams
• Little Fires Everywhere - Celeste Ng
• Part of the Family - Charlotte Philby
• The Guest List - Lucy Foley
• Where the Crawdads Sing - Delia Owens
• Girl, Woman, Other - Bernardine Evaristo
• Sweet Sorrow - David Nichols

Thanks in advance.

@MamaNewtNewt

Ok, so I found Crawdads mawkish but it has been popular on here

I haven't read any of the Lucy Foley's but they have received quite poor reviews on here.

Reviews of Queenie suggest that it's not everyone's taste.

I would go with Little Fires Everywhere - page turner, very soap opera. Think it would suit as escapism.

Is this an online box? Do you have a link?

Thanks a lot @EineReiseDurchDieZeit

It's online, can't work out how to add a link but it's www.don'tbuyherflowers.com

There are a few 'ready made' boxes or you can build your own.

Actually no apostrophe.

Thanks all for opinions on Reservoir 13, I've defaulted to a comfort read for now and will pick it up again soon.

I'd also go with Little Fires Everywhere. I'd read one Lucy Foley book and I'd avoid, especially if your friend might be sensitive about death as a character dying is one of the motifs of her books.

@bettsbattenburg

I'd also go with Little Fires Everywhere. I'd read one Lucy Foley book and I'd avoid, especially if your friend might be sensitive about death as a character dying is one of the motifs of her books.

Thanks I have gone with that one.

I've counted and so far this year I've read 9 books 😆 I'm happy with one a month!!
Becoming Michelle Obama
Patrick Melrose
Beekeeper of Aleppo
Where the Crawdads Sing
Leonard and Hungry Paul
Handmaid's Tale
Black Flamingo
Inside Out (Demi Moore Autobiography)
On Earth We are Briefly Gorgeous

My favourite so far this year was Leonard & Hungry Paul. Not a challenging read but a lovely soul food type of book.