50 Book Challenge 2021 Part Four

[southeastdweller]

Welcome to the fourth thread of the 50 Book Challenge for this year.

The challenge is to read fifty books (or more!) in 2021, though reading fifty isn't mandatory. Any type of book can count, and please try to let us all know your thoughts on what you've read. Could everyone embolden their titles and/or authors as well, please, as it makes the books talked about easier to track?

The first thread of the year is here, the second one here and the third one here.

Thanks for new thread southeast

We call and she answers! Thanks southeast.

Chessie, I keep drafting posts that fail to upload too. Annoying.

Thanks

Thank you for the new thread.

13 The Second Sleep - Robert Harris

Speculative fiction set in a distant future, already extensively reviewed on these threads. I haven't read any of this author's other books, but I may as I enjoyed this and found the ending less annoying than many. I read this hard on the heels of another post Apocolypse book - When the Floods Came by Clare Morrall. I found the ending of that book, which tried to tie everything up, deeply annoying. I preferred the way Robert Harris let his just sort of sputter out. Given the subject matter, it seemed appropriate it should end not with a bang, but with a whimper.

Thank you for the new thread @southeastdweller

And here's my list so far:

1. The Three Mrs Wrights - Linda Keir
2. Holly's Christmas Countdown - Suzie Tullett
3. Butterfly Kisses - Patrick Logan
4. The Push - Ashley Audrain
5. The Last Thing To Burn - Will Dean
6. The Silent Treatment - Abbie Greaves
7. How to Disappear - Gillian McAllister
8. Contacts - Mark Watson
9. Girl A - Abigail Dean

10. Dead Simple - Peter James 11. Behind Her Eyes - Sarah Pinborough 12. A Song of Isolation - Michael J Malone 13. The Suicide Pact - David B Lyons

A lot of good books but The Last Thing To Burn is still the standout so far! A Song of Isolation was a book and author I'd never read about a man accused of sexual assault on a child and his girlfriend is an ex movie star. Told from different points of view including the child and I found it really interesting and I'm glad I picked it up.

It’s very annoying biblio, I spent about half an hour drafting my post! Now you’ll never get to hear my insightful thoughts on beetles and Adrian Mole....

Thanks for the new thread. My list

1. Born Lippy: How to do female, Jo Brand. 4/5
2. How to be a woman, Caitlin Moran. 1/5
3. Love will tear us apart, Holly Seddon. 3/5
4. I looked away, Jane Corry. 3/5
5. Deliver Me, Karen Cole 4/5
6. Now you see her, Heidi Perks 3/5
7. Break In, Dick Francis 4/5
8. Bill Bailey's Remarkable Guide to Happiness 2/5
9. What she saw, Wendy Clarke 3/5

10. Away with the Penguins, Hazel Prior 3/5 11. Ellie and the harpmaker, Hazel Prior. 2/5 12. The silent ones, KL Slater 4/5 13. The flower girls, Alice Clark-Platts 3/5 14. As good as it gets, Romesh Ranganathan 3/5 15. The Thursday Murder Club, Richard Osman (R4 serialisation) 3/5 16. Xmas at the island hotel, Jenny Colgan 3/5 17. Hamnet, Maggie O'Farrell 4/5 18. Alexa, what is there to know about love, Brian Bilston 4/5 19. Xmas island, Natalie Normann 2/5 20. To the hilt, Dick Francis 3/5 21. Reports from Coastal Stations Geoff Saunders , 4/5 22. The Other Passenger, Louise Candlish 2/5

currently 1/2 way through Bolt by Dick Francis

1 Hilo Waking the Monsters by Judd Winick
2 The Nakano Thrift Shop by Hiromi Kawakami. Translated by Allison Markin Powell
3 Hilo Then Everything Went Wrong by Judd Winick
4 Three Apples Fell from the Sky by Narine Abgaryan. Translated by Lisa C Hayden
5 Hilo All the Pieces Fit by Judd Winick
6 Days of the Bagnold Summer by Joff Winterhart
7 The Five: The Untold Lives of the Women Killed by Jack the Ripper by Hallie Rubenhold
8 Serpentine by Philip Pullman
9 Before the Coffee Gets Cold by Toshikazu Kawaguchi. Translated by Geoffrey Trousselot
10 Piranesi by Susanna Clarke
11 Bright by Duanwad Pimwana. Translated by Mui Poopoksakul
12 The Politicization of Mumsnet by Sarah Pedersen
13 The Girl with the Louding Voice by Abi Daré
14 Flowers for Algernon by Daniel Keyes
15 The Pursuit of Love by Nancy Mitford

Slowly working through Black and British by David Olusoga, it's based on the TV series but with 500 pages of small print and dense paragraphs there's a lot more detail. I watched the TV series fairly recently and so the most interesting parts for me are where the book adds addition detail. And interesting broad sweep of history, I'm mid 19th century now so still got a bit to go.

7. The Nakano Book Shop - Hiromi Kawakami
Quirky book about employees of a thrift shop in Japan. It reminded me a little of the Wigtown bookseller books by Shaun Bythell. Overall I enjoyed the book, but it was rather slower than the author’s most famous work - Strange Weather in Tokyo. At times it was a bit of an effort to pick up and felt I was lumping along to the end.

8. The Truths We Hold - Kamala Harris
Really interesting book about Kamala Harris, both her family/personal background and several chapters on covering political issues e.g. legal system, healthcare, education, cost of living, civil rights issues etc. Brought on a whim in Tesco and really enjoyed it. It’s given me a much better understanding of some of the main issues and inequalities in America. She was a Senator during Trump’s tenure, so comments extensively about events during the past term. Note, is £1.99 on Kindle ATM.

9. Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother - Amy Chua
This book is quite a few years old now, but I’ve always wanted to read this book about the ‘tiger mother’ in America. The book gets mixed reviews, but I loved it! TBH, I thought I was a bit of a tiger mum, but nothing compared to how she parents! She sounds like a hardcore Mumsnetter to me!

A lot of the book was about her raising two musically talented children, so that personally appealed to my interests. I listened to this on Audible and it had me chuckling throughout. I think if you’re happy to take it with a good pinch of salt and look at it from a humorous point of view, I’d highly recommend.

Really happy I’ve completed 9 books already in two months, more than I read the whole of 2020! I’m really enjoying reading every day, and feel like it’s my saviour at the moment! Just staring All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr as my next read.

@JaninaDuszejko I’m listening to the audio book of black and British it’s very well narrated. Just coming to the end of the 18th century.

Thank you southeast

Bringing across my list:

1. A Place of Greater Safety - Hilary Mantel
2. Just One Damned Thing After Another - Jodi Taylor

1. Housekeeping - Marilynne Robinson
2. Banker - Dick Francis
3. Old Baggage - Lissa Evans

6. Crooked Heart - Lissa Evans

1. The Guest List - Lucy Foley

8. Fingersmith - Sarah Waters

1. A Symphony of Echoes - Jodi Taylor

10. A Second Chance - Jodi Taylor 11. The Spy and the Traitor - Ben MacIntyre 12. The Danger - Dick Francis 13. A Song for Summer - Eva Ibbotson 14. Alternative Li(v)es - Arnie Arnstein 15. The Offing - Benjamin Myers 16. A Trail Through Time - Jodi Taylor 17. No Time Like The Past - Jodi Taylor 18. Confusion - Elizabeth Jane Howard 19. Thirteen - Steve Cavanagh

And adding my most recent book:

20. Proof - Dick Francis

This is my latest in the chronological read of Dick Francis books. Tony Beach runs a wine shop and supplies his local racing stable and so unwittingly becomes involved in death and a deception which needs his expert palate. I normally complain when there is little racing content but I have to say I thoroughly enjoyed this notwithstanding we only had one day at the races and no training gallops. Perhaps because I enjoyed all the booze content....

I have never previously read this many books so early on in the year - a combination of lots of easy reads and lockdown methinks. Having said that my Kindle deal habit means my TBR list is no shorter.

Onto Trollope next (Anthony not Joanna)

Thanks for the thread, south

My list:

1: The Dead of Winter - Nicola Upson
2: The Ratline - Philippe Sands
3: The Truants - Kate Weinberg
4: London Fog: The Biography - Christine L. Corton
5: Under the Rainbow - Susan Scarlett
6: The Haunting of Alma Fielding - Kate Summerscale
7: Box 88 - Charles Cumming
8: Periodic Tales: The Curious Lives of the Elements - Hugh Aldersey-Williams
9: Mr Wilder and Me - Jonathan Coe
10: Stasiland - Anna Funder
11: Civil to Strangers - Barbara Pym
12: Quicksand Tales - Keggie Carew
13: Woman With Birthmark - Håkan Nesser
14: Just My Type - Simon Garfield
15: A Song for the Dark Times - Ian Rankin
16: Shady Characters - Keith Houston
17: Clara - Janice Galloway
18: Cheek by Jowl: A History of Neighbours - Emily Cockayne
19: Decline and Fall - Evelyn Waugh
20: Gone to Ground - Marie Jalowicz-Simon
21: The Law of Innocence - Michael Connelly
22. Falling Upwards - Richard Holmes
23: The Darkest Day - Håkan Nesser
24: The Great Nadar: The Man Behind the Camera - Adam Begley
25: The Moving Toyshop - Edmund Crispin
26: Chelsea Concerto - Frances Faviell
27: The Thursday Murder Club - Richard Osman

I can't help but notice that the majority of my highlights are non-fiction - I think I've just got that sort of brain

Many thanks for the new thread southeast

Chessie, if you can bear to, I'd love to hear your thoughts on Miss Benson's Beetle. I read a review in one of the papers when it was published and have it on my wishlist.

I really enjoyed Miss Benson’s Beetle except for the ending, which to me jarred with the feeling of the rest of the book. I enjoyed reading about the growing friendship between the two very different women, and rooting for them to succeed with their expedition. I felt this was a bit more original than a lot of the stuff I’ve read recently. As I say the only disappointment for me was the ending as it didn’t fit with the sort of book it had seemed up to that point. I do recommend it though.

Thank you Chessie. Sounds good, I'll keep it on the wishlist.

Thanks southeast. Still not reading an awful lot but very much enjoying everyone's reviews and general chat

Here's the proof that I'm not getting much reading done:

1. Feel better in 5 – Dr Chatterjee
2. To kill a mockingbird – Harper Lee
3. The Christmas Chronicles – Nigel Slater
4. The Lioness of Morocco – Julia Drosten

Currently reading Casting Off by Elizabeth Jane Howard, the fourth instalment of The Cazalet Chronicles and I'm loving it just as much as the previous 3.

Thank you for the lovely new thread to go with a (hopefully) lovely new month.

Here's my list so far:

1. Christmas Chronicles Nigel Slater (he gets a bold despite being a bit precious
2. Merry Midwinter by some dreadful woman that shouldn't have. Can't remember her name, not going to look it up, Gillian something
3. Twas the Nightshift before Christmas- Adam I'm not as funny as I think and a misogynist twat to boot Kaye
4. Bridget Jones' Diary
5. Rupture- Ragnar Jonasson
6. Murder Mile Lynda La Plante
7. Bone China Laura Purcell
8. No-one is too small to make a difference- Greta Thunberg
9. The Sealwoman's Gift- Sally Magnusson

10. A Mind to Murder- PD James 11. Middle England- Jonathan Coe

2 DNFs which I shall list for you to save you from them:
Whiteout- Ken Boobies Follett
Widows- Lynda La Plante- Lynda is the Russian roulette of "I hope they make this into a mini-series" Loved the series of Widows in the 90s so bought this on a 99p day. It was I believe Lynda's first novel. It shows. Ahem.

Currently reading Hidden Depths (Vera Stanhope 3 iirc) by Ann Cleeves, still got 2 chapters of Bill Bryson Home to get through and listening to Michael McIntyre's autobiograpy on Audible. Hmm. Love Michael on stage, am finding his autobiography cringey which is a shame as some of it is very interesting. Very interesting family background. But the is baaaaad.

I'm thinking, for my sins, of heading into a Ken F historical doorstopper next. Will the breasts be as plentiful? Or does he calm himself down when he's doing bonnets?

Thanks for the new thread southeast. Bringing over my list..

1. The Count of Monte Cristo - Alexandre Dumas
2. The Girl With The Louding Voice - Abi Dare
3. Congo - Michael Crichton
4. Book Two - Agatha Christie
5. And When She Was Good - Laura Lippman
6. The Name Of The Rose - Umberto Eco
7. The Thursday Murder Club - Richard Osman
8. Wuthering Heights - Emily Bronte
9. My Dark Vanessa - Kate Elizabeth Russell

Currently reading Jane Eyre and really enjoying it - it's a re-read, but from 20-ish years ago, and I'd forgotten how much I liked it.

Thanks for the new thread, southeastdweller.

Here’s my list:

1. The Flamingo’s Smile – Stephen Jay Gould
2. Exit Strategy: the Murderbot Diaries 4 – Martha Wells
3. Network Effect: a Murderbot Novel – Martha Wells
4. This is Going to Hurt – Adam Kay 5. Human Voices – Penelope Fitzgerald
5. A Body, Undone: Living On After Great Pain – Christina Crosby
6. Country – Michael Hughes
7. The Anarchy: the Relentless Rise of the East India Company – William Dalrymple
8. Cold Earth – Sarah Moss
9. Winter’s Orbit – Everina Maxwell
10. Bully for Brontosaurus – Stephen Jay Gould 12. N.W. – Zadie Smith
11. The Footnote – Anthony Grafton
12. Dogs of War – Adrian Tchaikovsky
13. Motherwell – Deborah Orr
14. Bear Head – Adrian Tchaikovsky 17. The Official History of Britain – Boris Starling & David Bradbury
15. The Gentle Art of Fortune Hunting – KJ Charles 19. The Fire Next Time – James Baldwin

20. The Door – Magda Szabó
I think this was recommended on a 50 books thread I lurked on a couple of years ago. Translated from the Hungarian original, a writer looks back at her close and complicated relationship with her secretive and fiercely independent cleaner. This might not sound very interesting, but in fact it’s a gripping and moving story with profound insights into human relationships and the tragedy of 20th century Europe. I hope I can find more books by her.

1. Requiem for Immortals by Lee Winter

2. Passing by Nella Larsen

3. Hurricane Season by Fernanda Melchor

4. The Haunting of Alma Fielding by Kate Summerscale

5. The Victorian Chaise Longue by Marghanita Laski

6. Beloved by Toni Morrison

7. The Sea The Sea by Iris Murdoch

8. The Left Hand of Darkness by Ursula K. Le Guin

9. Winter by Ali Amith

10. The Optimist’s Daughter by Eudora Welty
    A young women deals with the aftermath of her fathers death including his second wife whom the daughter does not get on with. Quite a reflective novel full of small details, reminded my of Anne Tyler but less engaging.

11. Mrs Palfrey at the Claremont by Elizabeth Taylor
    Mrs Palfrey comes to live out her final days in a hotel in London out of the way along with her fellow elderly residents. While there she befriends a young man who is a struggling writer. I really liked this, it paints a great picture of the lives of the residents which very much revolves around the hotel menu and visits from their family. I worked for many years in an old people home when I was younger and this was bang on with the descriptions. It’s a light breezy book to get through with moments of genuine sadness.

12. Disgrace by J.M. Coetzee
    A lecturer in South Africa is caught having an affair with a student (that’s his story, in reality he stalks her and affects her terribly mentally) having to leave in disgrace he goes to spend time with his daughter in the country where a terrible attack takes place. Difficult to do this justice as a lot is packed into 200 pages, its not uplifting but I did like the writing and made me ponder.

13. Sacred Hunger by Barry Unsworth
    This novel follows a slave ship from Liverpool to the west coast of Africa where disease starts to spread throughout the ship. This book has an excellent Prologue and Epilogue but unfortunately the large part inbetween is historical fiction done very very dry.

14. Knowledge of Angels by Jill Palton Walsh
    This is one of those books with two dual story lines, one following a girl who has been brought up be wolfs and an atheist who is likely to be executed for that (this is set during the Spanish inquisition) I found the writing easy to read but much preferred on of the storylines over the over. This was ok.

15. Into Thin Air by Jon Krakauer
    Given I love books detailing things like Antarctic adventures or things like the lost city of Z I’m amazed I didn’t pick this up years ok. I’m a big fan of the film and as very much predicted I loved this.

Thanks for the new thread south! Here’s my list:

1. The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole Aged 13&3/4 - Sue Townsend
2. Inventing Ourselves: The Secret Life of the Teenage Brain - Sarah-Jayne Blakemore
3. The Dinosaurs Rediscovered - Michael J. Benton
4. Written in Bone - Sue Black
5. Life on Earth - David Attenborough
6. How to Talk to Anyone - Leil Lowndes
7. The Terror - Dan Simmons
8. Earthlings - Sayaka Murata
9. Night School - Richard Wiseman

10. A Life on Our Planet - David Attenborough 11. Piranesi - Susanna Clarke 12. The Artists’s Way - Julia Cameron 13. Hamnet - Maggie O’Farrell 14. Find Your Voice - Caroline Goyder 15. Nation - Terry Pratchett

Slowly reading You Let Me In by Camilla Bruce, but jet lag means I keep falling asleep!

Thanks South.

I thought the Kindle sale today was dreadful. I've bought the latest in the Ashes of London series for want of anything better.

Thank you South!

And ooh ChannelLightVessel, coincidentally, I just collected The Door from the library last week because one of my friends has been urging me to read Magda Szabo for ages. I love these threads because people seem to have read everything!

Am kind of hooked on Earthsea books at the moment though -- I'm not sure whether to just keep going with the whole series and immerse myself, or alternate them with other books.

The other thing I'm reading is Shadi Bartsch's new translation of the Aeneid and that's slower going, not because the translation isn't good, but because the poem itself is quite dense.

Thank you, Southeast.

My list so far:

1. The Atrocity Exhibition (Laundry Files #1) by Charles Stross
2. Transfer of Power (Mitch Rapp #1) by Vince Flynn
3. Anna Magdalena Bach. Fanny Hensel. Clara Schumann - Three Female Musicians in the Spotlight
4. Circe by Madeline Miller
5. Cage of Souls by Adrian Tchaikovsky
6. Doctor Frigo by Eric Ambler
7. Space (Manifold #2) by Stephen Baxter
8. Quantum Theory - A Graphic Guide by J P McEvoy & Oscar Zarate
9. Bear Head by Adrian Tchaikovsky

Thanks for the new thread Southeast, here is my list:

1. The Pull of the Stars – Emma Donoghue
2. Half A World Away – Mike Gayle
3. Pine – Francine Toon
4. In A Dark Dark Wood – Ruth Ware
5. Olive Kitteridge – Elizabeth Strout
6. The Girl on the Landing – Paul Torday
7. The Midnight Library – Matt Haig
8. The Silent Scream – Diane Hoh
9. The Thursday Murder Club – Richard Osman

10. The Devil and the Dark Water – Stuart Turton 11. Virgin River – Robyn Carr 12. The Guest Book – Sarah Blake 13. The Haunted Hotel – Wilkie Collins 14. Last Night at the Lobster - Stewart O'Nan 15. Nine Dragons – Michael Connelly 16. A Walk in the Woods – Bill Bryson 17. Walking With Ghosts – Gabriel Byrne 18. The Haunting of Alma Fielding – Kate Summerscale

Currently listening to Started Early, Took My Dog by Kate Atkinson on audio. I think this might have been better actually read instead, am losing track of all the numerous characters in the story and ended up having to google to try and get a better grip on what’s going on here. I think when I come round to Big Sky I will avoid audio. That said, I think Kate Atkinson is a great writer, I especially like her musings on life in general which seems to run through a lot of her books. Yoshiblue I have All The Light We Cannot See as my next read also, it was given to me a secret santa present in 2018 and as I have resolved to read more of what’s on my shelves, my DS chose that one for me. I think it definitely sounds quite a promising read.