50 Book Challenge 2021 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 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, the third one here, the fourth one here, the fifth one here and the sixth one here.

Echoing the Americanah love.

Can't wait to see the Olive Kitteridge - I should imagine Frances McDormand would be excellent in the role of Olive.

Skim read Everybody Needs Beauty, by Samantha Walton
This was described as a critical look at the "nature cure" - is it more than a pastoral fantasy sold to the middle classes? Who and what is left out of the picture? I thought it was an interesting question, but the execution was less so. She set out on the wrong foot as she discusses Lourdes as a water cure, which is a pretty fundamental misunderstanding of its meaning as a Catholic place of pilgrimage. Not a reliable observer, then. Secondly, she's an academic and although this isn't an academic work, she lapses into tics of academic writing, mainly referring to too many other authors just to show off her reading. Lastly - and I say this as a "Hurrah for human rights" type myself - my goodness, she is self-righteous. No paragraph can remain without an oppressed minority shoehorned into it. However right on you are, Walton has you beaten and she wants you to know it. Irritating.

I have been off the threads for a little while - I was in two minds about sharing here, as I love this thread and didn't want to bring it down, but also I didn't think I could come back as if nothing had happened - my youngest son passed away unexpectedly in July, he was only 20.

Reading is helping me - lots of undemanding Agatha Christie, and I just downloaded The Citadel as recommended earlier. I'll sort my count another time, but I also read Mr Impossible by Maggie Stiefvater - like @Sadik I was disappointed in this, as I loved The Raven Boys and Call Down the Hawk. I strongly felt she could not write the adult characters well - those parts were like a Jack Reacher pastiche. Other characters from the first in the series were not even mentioned. I am hoping that it will be a filler book and she will pull it all together in the next one.

Also Wayward Son and Anyway the Wind Blows by Rainbow Rowell. Sort of Harry Potter fanfic, light entertainment for fans. The most recent written unplanned as a sort of lock down bonus I think! Nomadland by Jessica Bruder and The Regency Revolution by Robert Morrison were both excellent non fiction books I was recommended on here.

In addition, Swallows Flight and Skylark Summer by Hilary McKay. I loved the Casson family books by McKay, and also loved these Noel Streatfeild-esque WW1 and WW2 children's novels. They were very reminiscent of A Vicarage Family, but as I loved that, that was no bad thing for me. Charming, a little sad, and possibly more for sentimental adults than current 11 year olds (but if anyone has an 11 year old to test them out on, I would love to know if they were engaged!).

I'm so sorry Tanaqui

Oh Tanaqui I am SO sorry. How unimaginable for you

Tanaqui how awful. Thank you for coming back and sharing comfort and pleasure in your grief.

Wish I had one to share but am manfully grappling with Max Hastings and he's a whole handful to deal with.

That didn't come out right at all. I'm so sorry.

Tanaqui, I am so very sorry for your loss. What an unimaginable tragedy. My sympathies to you and your family.

Tanaqui much love and strength to you and yours from me too, and thank you for feeling you could share with us.

^ SOLINVICTUS in disguise there.

Tanaqui I am so sorry. Much love to you and your family.

Tanaqui so sorry for your loss

Tanaqui I am so very, very sorry.

Tanaqui that is too sad for words; I'm so sorry

Oh Tanaqui . So sorry.

Tanaqui - I'm so so sorry about your loss

Oh god, Tan. How unbearable. Yes, you shouldn't have to pin on a fake social smile on in here. Wishing you a few micro-seconds of relief wherever you can get them.

Oh Tanaqui I am so very, very sorry.

Tanaqui I'm so sorry, I hope you have support around you .

You could never bring this thread down Tanaqui and I hope reading continues to bring you some comfort

I'm so sorry to hear this @Tanaqui, much love to you and your family. I find Agatha Christie books comforting too.

Interesting chat about Olive Ketteridge, love Frances McDormand.

I just finished My name is Lucy Barton which I didn't like as much as Olive. I felt I was left week v so many questions about her life both in the last and now. The story she told seemed to leave so much for conjecture. I did like the hospital scenes with her mother but just felt there was something missing.

Thank you all so much 💕

Tanaqui I am so very sorry

@Tanaqui so sorry to hear of your loss.

Oh, Tanaqui - I'm so very sorry to hear of your devastating news. Much love to you and yours.