What book presents did you receive?

[LadyWithLapdog]

I haven’t received any books this Christmas. What have you received? My DC might need some hints for my birthday.

I got a fascinating book on Rationality by Stephen Pinker. Very readable. I also got a cookbook; no novels - we're very veryroke this year and the house is literally coming apart around our ears - so we cutback on presents this year.

I'm very very happywoth the Pinker book 😊

The Night Watch - Sarah Winman
Pompeii - Mary Beard
Our Friends in Berlin
and a book about England in the 1st world War
all on my list of wants I don’t like surprises.

And 2 Waterstones book tokens. I love browsing and choosing.

Spent my vouchers yesterday.

It's not like Harry Potter but it's definitely more YA style fantasy. It's popular with Sarah J Maas fans so if you like her stuff. The protagonists are 20ish. It's an easy read if you like dragon style fantasy.

What was the book about England in the First World War @Countmeout ?

I got 3 x novels from British Library Crime Classics from dsil and dbil - 👍

Murder at Wrotham Hill from dsis. Unfortunately I've already read it but it's a great book - non fiction and a fascinating account of the post war era.

And

Bookworm by Lucy Mangan
Old New York by Edith Wharton
The Women's Room by Marilyn French
The Whalebone Theatre by Joanna Quinn

these last are books I bought myself from my Amazon wish list built up over the years and I squint at the list with one eye shut to give myself a sort of surprise.

@bryceQ thanks for the explanation. I haven’t heard of the other author either. I’ll keep it in mind for my teenage DD who’s recently got back into reading.

First World War Britain by Peter Doyle @tobee .

I’d only seen a picture of it. It’s more of a big pamphlet . Interesting but if I’d been buying it in the flesh myself I might not have bought it.

@stravagante I got one of those for my birthday in Feb last year and booked it for November (the waiting list is about 6 months). It was amazing! 😊

Ah ok thanks @Countmeout

Have you read Great Britain’s Great War by Jeremy Paxman? I’ve got it on audiobook and it’s quite entertaining although maybe a bit populist rather than a scholarly work.

ive also got Kate Adie’s book, in audio form, Fighting on the Home Front but I’ve not listened yet.

If you like John le carre watch out (might be out now) either on Apple TV or Netflix for The Pigeon Tunnel which is about his life. Very good.

I got Billy Summers when it first came out in hardback and really enjoyed it, engrossing escapism.

Ooh, thanks for that @Gonnagetgoingreturnsagain I've read the book. Will have a look for the programme.

Thanks for that. Love JleC. Infinitesimally tangential, have you watched Slow Horses?

@tobee Some great choices there. I haven’t read any Marilyn French. I was alerted to her by an Abba (or just Agnetha? song) but didn’t get round to it. Firmly in my virtual TBR pile now.

Ghost ship by kate Mosse
armour of light, by Ken Follett
The marriage portrait by Maggie O Farrell
tales from the wild by Jackie Morris
have already managed to read the Ken Follett one and it was good.

I've just finished Lessons In Chemistry - wasn't a present but really enjoyed it so thought I'd recommend it here.

My sister has just bought me a book i wanted for a long time, 'freak show' by Robert bogdan, presenting human oddities for amusement and profit.

Its , in essence, about 'freak shows' of the past and how peoples disabilities were used for profit, by themselves or organisers

An account of the investigation into the Yorkshire Ripper crimes and the failures of said investigation.

For DP but which I'm reading : the Ultimate Guide to Depeche Mode.

For DD but which I'm intending to read: Jews Don't Count by David Baddiel.

Also treated myself to A Memoir (of Jane Austen) by JE Austen-Leigh.

I'm waiting for Alison Weir's new Henry V111 to come out and I'll treat myself to that. 😀

@tobee I haven’t read that one but must look for it.

Colleen Rooney book