Your Book Activity - December 2020

[Athena]

On 16/12/2020 at 8:46 PM, Chrissy said:

If it is longer than a day I will be rushing to The Netherlands to check you are OK! 

 

Awww thank you Chrissy !

 

I'm currently reading Cerebral Palsy: A Story (Finding the Calm After the Storm) by Ilana Estelle. It's a memoir written by a woman with cerebral palsy. I started it yesterday evening, I'm not that far into it yet (page 14) but so far I'm liking it .

[Chrissy]

On 16/12/2020 at 10:51 PM, Raven said:

Is it anything like Asterix at the Olympic Games? 

 

19 hours ago, Raven said:

(I actually knew what it was, I've seen parts of the films - the ones Chris Columbus made after he was replaced on the Harry Potter films!) 

 

Apparently the films are considered a travesty by the 10-11 years old readers! I haven't seen them, so have no idea, but it's the age old book vs film kerfuffle. 

 

I can tell you, however, that your quip about Asterix has led to me looking to buy three Asterix Omnibuses (buses? busi?) in the new year. Husband loves them (I've said before - anything featuring Romans!) and I have *whispers* never read them. 

[poppy]

On 12/20/2020 at 4:19 AM, Chrissy said:

I can tell you, however, that your quip about Asterix has led to me looking to buy three Asterix Omnibuses (buses? busi?) in the new year. Husband loves them (I've said before - anything featuring Romans!) and I have *whispers* never read them. 

 

Oh Chrissy, PLEASE try at least one! They are so very funny and very clever. If you know a little Latin ( I don't, but my Dad did and he had a Latin translation dictionary which I borrowed) they are even funnier. So many clever puns and plays on words. What amazes me about authors Goscinny and Uderzo is that the originals are in French but they still manage to translate the humour and wit brilliantly 

[Draco_V_Ecliptic]

On 02/12/2020 at 12:51 PM, Chrissy said:

I am reading the last book in the Kane Chronicles, the YA trilogy by Rick Riordan with an Egyptian theme. Pacey and entertaining, just what my ragged reading mojo needed. I may stick with Rick Riordan once I'm done, heading toward his Norse mythology series. 

 

Did you begin to explore his Norse mythological works after all? If so, what were they like?

[Chrissy]

2 hours ago, Draco_V_Ecliptic said:

Did you begin to explore his Norse mythological works after all? If so, what were they like?

 

I went with a re read of his Percy Jackson series (starts Greek, heads into Roman territory) before head Norse! 

 

I did start the first in the Magnus Chase books a while back, but life happened and I have only recently bought the next in the series. I do remember that it was another good Rick Riordan read, presented in a familiar way to his other books. If you like Riordan's style, then the Norse series will not let you down. 

 

7 hours ago, poppy said:

 

Oh Chrissy, PLEASE try at least one! They are so very funny and very clever. If you know a little Latin ( I don't, but my Dad did and he had a Latin translation dictionary which I borrowed) they are even funnier. So many clever puns and plays on words. What amazes me about authors Goscinny and Uderzo is that the originals are in French but they still manage to translate the humour and wit brilliantly 

 

I intend on reading them, promise! I just had never got around to it. I have Latin dictionaries and whatnot here, so will keep them on hand when I do get them.  

[Marie H]

Finished Ben Aaronovitch’s The Hanging Tree (Rivers of London #6). Another good read. After a string of Aaronovitch’s books, this is the time for another author, though with still the fantasy theme, so it will be The Masked City (The Invisible Library #2) by Genevieve Cogman.

[willoyd]

On 18/12/2020 at 7:40 PM, Raven said:

Alright, alright!

(I actually knew what it was, I've seen parts of the films - the ones Chris Columbus made after he was replaced on the Harry Potter films!)

 

Well, you've seen more than me then!  Sorry if I missed the irony - not great on that sometimes!

 

Two more books finished today (ratings out of 6):

1. From the Mull to the Cape by Richard Guise, a gently enjoyable account of a bike ride (although quite a lot of pushing seemed to be involved!) from the Mull of Kintyre to Cape Wrath (250 miles straight line, 570 miles by road!).  3 stars ***

2. Nathan Coulter by Wendell Berry, my first experience of this author, but one that is going to need a whole lot more exploration - beautifully developed story of a childhood set in rural Kentucky in the 1930s, part of a series of novels and short stories based around the fictional Port William. Berry may be unknown here in the UK, but it seems that he's fairly renowned in the States, one of only two (?) living authors to be published by Library of America. I'm not surprised. The 20th state in my tour of the United States. 5 stars *****

[willoyd]

18 hours ago, poppy said:

 

Oh Chrissy, PLEASE try at least one! They are so very funny and very clever. If you know a little Latin ( I don't, but my Dad did and he had a Latin translation dictionary which I borrowed) they are even funnier. So many clever puns and plays on words. What amazes me about authors Goscinny and Uderzo is that the originals are in French but they still manage to translate the humour and wit brilliantly 

 

It wasn't Goscinny and Uderzo who did the translations, but the brilliant Anthea Bell along with Derek Hockridge. Her obituary from 2018 is here: https://www.theguardian.com/books/2018/oct/18/anthea-bell-obituary

[willoyd]

Finished Stephen Rutt's Wintering (the second book I've read this month with that title!) - a book about Brtain's winter geese visitors. Easy read, slim volume, not wowed. 3/6.

 

That was my 80th book of the year, only the second time I've reached that total. As the last time, in 2016, I finished on that number, any more books will make it a record year!  Currently rereading a favourite, Mrs Dalloway

[Marie H]

My total for proper books (minus the manga/graphic novels) and audiobooks so far in 2020 is 27, which is less than I expected, since I've done very little than this year, apart from reading/listening books. . But thankfully,  most of these have been a real joy 

[Lau_Lou]

I was looking up short Christmas tales to read and came across  Christmas Everyday by William Dean Howells. A wonderful story.

 

 

 

 

[Raven]

So given today was my last day of book browsing liberty - for probably quite a while - I went on a mini spending spree with some money I've been given for Christmas.

 

Between a trip to Waterstones, my local independent book shop and the local comic book shop I picked up the following:

 

Murder by Matchlight, by E.C.R. Lorac

The Ten Loves of Mr Nishino, by Hiromi Kawakami

 

I've been meaning to read some of the books from the British Library's Crime collection for a while, so took this opportunity to pick one of them up (Murder by Matchlight).

 

I've also previously read several of Kawakami's books, and am looking forward to this one as well! 

 

The Hayling Island Branch, by John Scott-Morgan

The Llangollen Line, by W.G. Rear & N. Jones

 

Have I ever mentioned I like railways?

 

I have quite a sizeable collection of railway books, but they've never made it into my reading list (with a couple of exceptions) because they tend to be books I read parts of, rather than the whole (so they never really get finished).  In the case of the Hayling Island book, I have walked the remains of this line so many times over the last decade, I can practically do it with my eyes shut.  When this book was published last year I knew I had to get a copy so I could see what the line looked like before it was pulled up in the early sixties, so this will be my Christmas day read.

 

The Llangollen Line book was second hand, and was evidently given to someone in 1997.  As with quite a few of the railway books I've picked up second hand over the years, I feel like I'm merely a custodian, and that at some point in the - hopefully distant - future, they will end up in someone else's collection (where they will hopefully be enjoyed!)

 

The Fey and the Furious, by Ben Aaronovitch (GN)

 

Rivers of London, say no more! (I was pleased to be able to get this from a local shop, though, rather than having to buy it from Amazon, as I have had to with previous RoL graphic novels).

 

[poppy]

On 12/22/2020 at 10:34 AM, willoyd said:

 

It wasn't Goscinny and Uderzo who did the translations, but the brilliant Anthea Bell along with Derek Hockridge. Her obituary from 2018 is here: https://www.theguardian.com/books/2018/oct/18/anthea-bell-obituary

 

Thank you so much for that correction, Willoyd. What a truly remarkable woman. I have always been struck by the very clever translation and we have her to thank. I see Dogmatix and Getafix were her choices too ... they wouldn't be the same with different names. I once entered a competition to name three of Dogmatix's offspring. I chose Lotsalix, Fulloftrix and Fetchastix but never heard anything more 

Edited December 26, 2020 by poppy

[willoyd]

On 25/12/2020 at 8:33 AM, poppy said:

 

 I once entered a competition to name three of Dogmatix's offspring. I chose Lotsalix, Fulloftrix and Fetchastix but never heard anything more.

 

Far more creative than anything I'd have come up with; i especially like the last one!

 

Two more books finished over the last couple of days, both rereads: Mrs Dalloway by Virginia Woolf (who else?!) and A Maigret Christmas by Georges Simenon. Every time I read the former (this is my third time) it grows in my regard: it's simply brilliant. It's a 6-star favourite. The Maigret is excellent, especially the second of the three stories, so earns itself a 5-star rating.

Edited December 26, 2020 by willoyd

[Marie H]

Finished reading Jodi Taylor The Nothing Girl (Frogmorton Farm #1). And I loathed this bl***y book! Full of characters who had totally chaotic lives, and the plot went more ridiculous as it went on. I love her Chronicles of St Mary’s series, even with it’s madcap plots, but The Nothing Girl really raised my hackles! . And it wasn’t because there was an imaginary horse, as I could believe in, but the human characters and their lives was so unbelievable.

[Hayley]

4 hours ago, Marie H said:

Finished reading Jodi Taylor The Nothing Girl (Frogmorton Farm #1). And I loathed this bl***y book! Full of characters who had totally chaotic lives, and the plot went more ridiculous as it went on. I love her Chronicles of St Mary’s series, even with it’s madcap plots, but The Nothing Girl really raised my hackles! . And it wasn’t because there was an imaginary horse, as I could believe in, but the human characters and their lives was so unbelievable.

Oh no! I really wasn't expecting you to hate it. I kind of want to read it now though just to find out how different it is to the Chronicles of St Mary's!

 

I've been slowly making my way through Jasper Fforde's One of Our Thursdays is Missing. It's brilliant but I'm trying to pace myself because there's only one more in the series after this! If i can make it last another day I'll try to finish it for the first 2021 read-a-thon  

[Chrissy]

On 21/12/2020 at 3:24 AM, poppy said:

 

Oh Chrissy, PLEASE try at least one! They are so very funny and very clever. If you know a little Latin ( I don't, but my Dad did and he had a Latin translation dictionary which I borrowed) they are even funnier. So many clever puns and plays on words. What amazes me about authors Goscinny and Uderzo is that the originals are in French but they still manage to translate the humour and wit brilliantly 

 

We are expecting the first omnibus of Asterix today! I wanted to leave it until after the Christmas hoohah before I ordered it. 

 

On 24/12/2020 at 11:09 PM, Raven said:

The Hayling Island Branch, by John Scott-Morgan

The Llangollen Line, by W.G. Rear & N. Jones

Have I ever mentioned I like railways?

As with quite a few of the railway books I've picked up second hand over the years, I feel like I'm merely a custodian, and that at some point in the - hopefully distant - future, they will end up in someone else's collection (where they will hopefully be enjoyed!)

 

My husband has actually given me strict instructions on what to do with his railway book collection if he dies before me! (With my cooking, this is the likely scenario. ) 

 

23 hours ago, Marie H said:

Finished reading Jodi Taylor The Nothing Girl (Frogmorton Farm #1). And I loathed this bl***y book! Full of characters who had totally chaotic lives, and the plot went more ridiculous as it went on. I love her Chronicles of St Mary’s series, even with it’s madcap plots, but The Nothing Girl really raised my hackles! . And it wasn’t because there was an imaginary horse, as I could believe in, but the human characters and their lives was so unbelievable.

 

You've pretty much described all the reasons I enjoyed the book! Absolute, totally bonkers escapism, all wrapped up with a golden horse who smells of ginger biscuits! If you thought this one was unbelievable, I would truly avoid the second book....although I don't feel you need much persuading. 

[Marie H]

On 31/12/2020 at 11:10 AM, Chrissy said:

 I would truly avoid the second book....although I don't feel you need much persuading. 

. I think I’ll avoid it and just keep on with Chronicles of St Mary’s/Time Police 

[poppy]

I absolutely loved the Frogmorton Farm series too but can understand how you might dislike this and not the Chronicles of St Mary's,  the writing is quite different.

Edited January 3, 2021 by poppy