chesilbeach

I love the rambling about Finnish libraries … don't you dare stop!

I couldn't even finish that one. Unsettling … made me squirm in my chair and gave up after 100 pages. *shudder*

I knew going into it I was unlikely to read more than that one book … if I finished it at all! I know … worth it though. Even had a discussion about it with OH last night, as it's his book and he recommended the author to me, but it's been twenty five years since he read it, so I had to remind him what it was about!

Thank goodness I'm not the only one who didn't rave about it!

I've read very little about Africa at all, but coincidentally, the book I've just started is a memoir of a woman who was in South Africa before and during apartheid, and she worked with organisations opposed to apartheid and her husband was under house arrest, and then was acquitted at the Riviona Trial where Mandela was sentenced to life imprisonment.

Gorgeous day again today … not too warm, but bright and sunny. I just hope it lasts for the weekend!

What a beautiful house, muggle. I think I could fit my house into that one about four times over … at the very least!

Thank you, Anna, what a lovely thing to say. We do have very different tastes in a lot of books, but at least we overlap occasionally and find something we can both enjoy! One of the best bits of being on the forum is finding out about books I'd never even pick up myself. Celia review will probably be written at the weekend, but I've started The World That Was Ours this morning, and it's utterly compelling.

Well, as you can already see, I'd definitely recommend it! The central story is really interesting, and I've enjoyed it a lot, so hope you get chance to try it, nursenblack.

My guess would be that it happened at the distribution centres rather than at stores. It does sounds like an interesting book though, and I might have a look at it at some point.

Yep, I've just looked it up … two sequels, Red Glove and Black Heart. I think I'll wait and see if you read them first!

Good to know! Just moved it up my wish list

I finally finished a book this month! Celia was fascinating, and I'll write a proper review later, but it was very good. A great start to my E. H. Young reading I've picked my next book from the Jar of Destiny … The World That Was Ours by Hilda Bernstein. This is one of my Persephone books, so the jar is definitely helping me with my various challenges.

It wasn't so much that it was long, but it was such a rich, dense book and needed concentration and dedication … not something I could just read a page or two here and there.

Hello! Welcome to BCF

I'm not surprised Finns make most use of their libraries … from what you tell us, your libraries and the library system are wonderful! Over here, we just seem to be watching the dying throes of our libraries due to ever reduced funding, but it's lovely to hear they flourish elsewhere in the world. Congratulations Nurmes!

I remember that I quite enjoyed White Cat but I thought some of it felt very adult, while the rest of it was YA. Never picked up the sequel(s?) though.

I really want to watch this. If you find a good book, let me know, as I'd be interested to read it too.

Busy-ish day at work, but managed to get my lunchtime read in, so that was okay, and then spent an hour with my Dad on the way home, having a bit of a chuckle. Lovely to be able to see the blossoms starting to burst into life on the trees in his garden, and the birds were plentiful outside the window, swooping around and starting to build nests by the look of it too.

Lovely day again … my car dashboard actually made it to 20ºC on the way home! ... but still cold this morning and getting a bit chilly again now.

Back In Time For Dinner - it was the 1980s last night, so slap bang in the middle of my childhood memories. I remember our first microwave, the Sodastream and the first ready meals.

We sort of follow the fortunes of Spanish team Osasuna, and unfortunately they're down in the relegation zone in the second division … only 10 games left in the season, I'm seriously hoping they can drag themselves up the table a little bit and avoid relegation.

That's exactly what I pictured when I read that sentence too! I finished Celia today. It was absolutely fascinating to see the everyday thoughts and deeds of middle class women in the 1930s, but written at the time rather than written as a historical fiction and felt very modern. Good old book jar … it might have taken me a while to read, but you done me good!

I can't wait to read Campari for Breakfast! As usual, you've made it sound like a brilliant book, and although not a connoisseur like yourself, I am a toast fan, so this has to make if compulsory reading now.

I've read most of Faber's work, and I still think TCPATW was the best and my favourite, and although I read The Apple, I only really remember the last story, which was the one that was a sort of epilogue to TCPATW. There were two other books of his I thought were very good, and they were The Fire Gospel, which is part of the Canongate myths retold series, and is based on of the Greek Myth of Prometheus, who stole fire from Zeus and gave it to mortals, and also The Hundred and Ninety-Nine Steps which is a novella, but surprisingly exciting, considering it is about the detailed, considered work of a paper conservator.