50 Books Challenge 2025 Part Seven

[Southeastdweller]

Welcome to the seventh thread of the 50 Books Challenge for this year.

The challenge is to read fifty books (or more!) in 2025, 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.

If possible, please can you embolden your titles or / and maybe authors as well of books you've read or going to read? It makes it much easier to keep track.

Some of us like to bring over lists to the next thread - again, this is up to you.
The first thread of the year is here, the second thread here , the third thread here, the fourth thread here , the fifth thread here and the sixth thread

Happy belated birthday @Arran2024!

@Tarragon123 I also found The Bluest Eye hard-going - bleak and dull. IIRC it was a book club choice, and not a well liked one.

33. The New Life by Tom Crewe
An authentic (I believe) historical novel of the 1890s, following two men through a period of their lives full of change. John meets a companion, Henry marries. They are in circles which bring up and discuss great ideas , and the two decide to write a book on the legalisation of homosexuality. It perhaps doesn’t sound that gripping, but it is.

I have that on TBR @PermanentTemporaryI haven’t bothered because Remus DNFd it, I might have another look!

Is that the one that had about 30 erect penises in the first three pages?

It's my birthday.

I got no books.

I am a huge Toni Morrison fan and love the opening of The Bluest Eye but it's definitely not her best work. Beloved is one of the books I would describe as life changing for me. It was the first Morrison I read , whilst at uni. Song Of Solomon is also brilliant.

Happy Birthday no one ever buys me books either, I think they’re scared to!

you said something to that effect yes!

I don't think mine is about fear. Just a lack of research or interest . Sad face.

Actually, I'm being unfair. The DSs got me a book which I told them to get me.

DH bought me flowers from Sainsburys (across the road) this morning.

It is also his birthday. I got him a book.

It's fine. I'm fine. I'm fiiiiiiiiine.

Happy birthday Piggy! 📚

Happy birthday, bookless notwithstanding Piggy

(and belated happy birthday to @Arran2024)

Happy birthday @Piggywaspushed. No one buys me books either unless I give them explicit instructions and an Amazon link. Apart from DS who thinks I like poetry books by depressed American women (Sylvia Plath, Anne Sexton).

edit: happy belated birthday @Arran2024

Happy birthday @Piggywaspushed! Look on the bright side though, you can now legitimately put double the number of books on your Christmas list 📚

Happy Birthday, @Piggywaspushed ! You must go out as soon as possible and buy yourself lots and lots of books. The ‘going out’ bit is essential in these circumstances as you will need to sniff the New Book Smell and prevaricate about buying all five books on your arm, before putting one back and taking two more from the shelves.
It’s the only thing for it, I’m afraid.

You make a good point. No books is disappointing but there is nothing sadder than an unwanted book.

I ask for book tokens now. Too many disappointing books appeared which I had to pretend were fabulous and just what I wanted.
I have three book rules:
DON’T buy me books unless I have given you the title.
DON’T make me listen to books, I hate audiobooks.
DON’T suggest translated books, I have an admittedly unreasonable aversion to them.

Happy birthday @Piggywaspushed Make sure to get yourself at least three new books as a birthday present from you to you (which is usually what I have to do too)

But @MaterMoribund what if it's translated by the author themselves, would that be acceptable?

Happy birthday @Arran2024 (I liked the 47 Borders), and @Piggywaspushed people tend to book tokens with me too, DS2 did very thoughtfully buy me A Gentleman in Moscow because he knows I like Russian history and literature. I had already Kindle’d it, but it was a nice thought.

When the family bought my Kindle for Christmas a million years ago they wrapped my own copy of Hard Times to throw me off. I have quite a niche copy of Hard Times! (Which I am yet to read).

Happy birthday @Piggywaspushed I rarely get books now and I'm glad as they would almost certainly be wrong (although dd is quite good at choosing non-fiction for me), but I'm always very pleased with a book token.

I only ever remember it when you mention it! I wouldn't recognise the title or author's name without prompting.

Hmm I stopped counting… I’ll go back and have a look…

With A Little Help From Their Friends - Stuart Maconie

‘Does the world need another book on the Beatles?’ asks Maconie early in the book.
I thought the same at first but I adored this. Maconie takes the approach of short chapters about all the people who surrounded the Beatles in the chronological order in which they entered their lives. Family members, Brian Epstein, George Martin, Yoko Ono are all there of course but also the lesser known characters like their messenger boy or hairdresser or the people whose stories influenced their songs (Melanie Coe, Pablo Fanque, Prudence).

His sheer love for them and nerdiness and liking for the obscure fact shines through and there’s a fair amount of analysis on the impact they had on the world, changing politics and culture. It made me cry often (the Linda McCartney chapter for example).

Perhaps not for those who aren’t fans but I loved it @Terpsichore @PermanentTemporary I know you’re both fellow Beatle fans.

Hmmmm….maybe. Because they would know what they meant originally and be able to substitute idioms etc if required.

Ooh @BestIsWest i feel a Christmas present purchasing moment coming on…