willoyd

Have just finished Churchill, a biography of the great man by Roy Jenkins. It's an excellent example of the proverbial tome, just over 900 dense pages, which I started back in September, although there have been quite a few breaks or periods of slow reading. It's been much more pleasurable and interesting to read than all this might imply, but it is certainly not a light read! 4 stars, review to follow.

Don't know if the OP is still reading, but to add to the list of US classics that are worth trying, I'd add the name of Willa Cather. In particular, I've read both My Antonia and O Pioneers recently, and can thoroughly recommend them - set on the pioneer plains of Nebraska. Also Shirley Ann Grau's The Keepers of the House, set in Alabama and addressing white-black social relationships. More recent, but maybe heading the way of classic-dom, Jane Smiley's Thousand Acres, a King Lear for the Mid-West. I was also bowled over by Eowyn Ivey's To The Bright Edge of the Universe, far too recent to be referred to as a classic. I agree with @muggle not about Steinbeck too!

We went to see it with offspring, a physicist, who was quite impressed with the accuracy of the science. Just one dodgy moment, but, even then, possible. Unlike Gravity which he said was good fun, but totally implausible!

East West Street by Philippe Sands ****** This was a present last Christmas from OH, who thought it might appeal as it looked to be about the author's family history. For some reason it got tucked away on the shelves, and I've only just found my way round to it. Well, it IS about family history, but what I also found out very rapidly is that it is about so much more (and, ironically, if OH had realised what else it was about, she says she wouldn't have bought it, as she knows it's not an area that I'm usually much interested in reading-wise). In fact, it's one of the 'biggest' books I've read in terms of content for a while. The author is a QC and Professor of Laws at UCL (amongst other things!) - most of his books look to be pretty high powered legal texts. This is very different. A few years ago he was approached to do a presentation at a conference in Lviv in Poland, a city where his Jewish grandfather, Leon, originally came from, but a time and place that he had said nothing about. Sands was also aware that two of the founders of key concepts in international law (Sands's speciality) also had origins here: Hersch Lauchterpacht the originator of the concept of 'Crimes against Humanity' and Rafael Lemkin, the progenitor of the word 'Genocide'. Both were Jewish as well. So, the author starts to investigate the lives of all three men, and that is what the first part of the book is about - their lives up to the end of the Second World War, which all three, particularly being Jewish, were profoundly affected by, all three becoming exiles and losing family members in the Holocaust. The threads are intricate and difficult to trace, and the detective work is fascinating. Sands also describes the development of these two foundation concepts in international law - and no, it's not dry or difficult, but equally fascinating, not least as they are so much wrapped up in the characters of the individuals concerned who come very much alive in Sands's hands. Gradually a fourth man is introduced (there are plenty of women vital to this story, but the central characters are these men): Hans Franck, Hitler's lawyer and the Nazi Governor-General of Poland, latterly including Lviv after Hitler's invasion of Russia. The lives of all four are, in very different ways, intertwined, and Sands picks his way through the threads as he takes the story into the post-war period and the Nuremburg Trials, in which three of them were heavily involved, and during which so much of the foundation of modern day international law was developed and tested, even if the International Criminal Court only really came into being many years later. Along the way, other detective work tracks down the lives of key individuals in their respective lives, some of whom are only known through the odd photo or scribbled notes in Leon's few documents. It's dense, it's complex, it's not an 'easy' read, but it is one of the most rewarding, powerful books I've read in a long time. I was particularly impressed by how Sands managed so much information and so many different threads and concepts to produce such an absorbing and readable narrative. Another feature that stood out was the balance the author retained in the face of so much that could make one really emotional - one of many aspects where Sands's training surely contributes. In particular, during his investigations into Hans Franck, he meets with Franck's surviving son, Niklas, and the son, Horst, of another Nazi leader, Otto van Wachter. Niklas has completely accepted his father's criminality, Horst has not, but Sands treats both with respect and empathy (although it's clear where his sympathies lie!) and, as a result, achieves so much more than many of us would. Normally, this would be a straight 6-star book*, but six stars means a 'favourite'. This is certainly one of the best books I've read in a long time, if not THE best. I certainly can't think of one that has so gripped me, informed me, indeed moved me, or one where such a complex story has been told with such clarity. The research that must have gone into this (and the quality of it is partially revealed in the acknowledgements as well as in the text itself) is phenomenal. But a 'favourite', a book which I would go back and reread? I don't know - it's almost too powerful for that, and there's a part of me that wonders if I actually will ever need to - so much of it has 'stuck' first time. So, just for the moment, it's 5 stars with just a tentative, bracketed, sixth, but there's nothing tentative in its impact and my admiration. For once, the cover quotes are absolutely spot on - but then, it would be hard to exaggerate! * Later edit: upgraded to 6 stars. This is nonsense: it's a brilliant book, why should I feel the need to read a book again for it to qualify as a 'favourite' ? (Actually, a couple of weeks later, I probably could, there was so much in there, but that's not the point!).

I'll be interested what you make of this, as it's on my TBR shelf (as is The Luminaries).

Finished off Antoine Laurain's shortie, The President's Hat this morning. I've been reading it on the Kindle at bedtime, but got to the point where I wanted a good run at it to finish off. Lightweight, very easy read, gently inconsequential, a nice counterpoint to my other reading lately. The reading club questions provided at the back seem a bit pretentious for what seems to be a pretty straightforward tale. Fun though. 3 stars.

That's my point: the books are so different that if you read the next because you enjoyed the first, then it might, at least relatively, disappoint. That's what happened for me, anyway. I must try and see if I can find a way of watching it. Thanks Madeleine.

Have just finished East West Street by Philippe Sands, an absolutely phenomenal piece of writing/history, one of the most powerful books I've read in a very long while. It may seem odd, but I hesitate to give it 6 stars, i.e. 'favourite' status, simply because I'm not sure I can regard it as a 'favourite', mainly because I doubt I'll bring myself to read it again; it's not traumatic, just demanding (in a good way!), and I'm not sure it'll carry quite the same weight another time around. Needs sitting on, as it's not often that a book is almost 'too good' to be a favourite. Whatever, what a book!

Interesting review of 168 hours, almost enough to make me want to read it as I can't quite believed that her suggestions are really as crass as you outline, but I wouldn't want to use time up doing something I really want to do!! I'm amazed that she seems to have completely missed the point that things like time for cooking, friends and relaxation are the priorities - sounds like she's proposing the sort of life I'm very glad to have retired from! On a specific note, I was reading quite recently that there is actually evidence to suggest that multi-tasking is a myth, that what one actually does is quickly switch concentration from one task to another and back again.......and that it is this switching which tires the brain fastest. I have enjoyed stripping out as much multi-tasking as I can from my life, and feel all the better for it (perhaps not realistic for some!). Thanks for the review!

No, I deliberately avoided it as I hadn't read the book at that point. I was going to read it earlier, so I could follow up watching the series, but I knew it was coming up in the book group, even if I didn't know precisely when. It would be interesting to see what they made of it, and whether some of the more mystical stuff was more thoroughly explained. Yes, I'm definitely in a minority! I think I just found it more believable. Given how different the books are, I wonder whether the book preferred is the one read first??

Books read in November This is the final part in the trilogy of posts catching up with my reading since the forum went into hibernation earlier this year, and covers most of November. C is for Corpse and The Diary of a Bookseller have already been reviewed, but otherwise these are all the books completed during the month, my best November to date in terms of quantity (8 books is a record), and pretty good in terms of quality as well! The Surgeon's Mate by Patrick O'Brian ***** It's been almost a year since I completed the last instalment in the 20-volume saga on the unlikely early nineteenth century pairing of Jack Aubrey, sailor extraordinaire, and Stephen Maturin, Irish-Catalan secret agent for the British government and naval surgeon, but it proved so easy sliding back into what is effectively one long novel, not least because O'Brian's books are so memorable that the gap seems minimal. This, the seventh in the series, starts where the previous book (The Fortune of War) left off, just after the famous duel between HMS Shannon and the USS Chesapeake, and extends their adventures across the Atlantic, into the Baltic and back onto the French mainland. The interest is unremitting, but O'Brian is a master at pacing his novels, and there is plenty of room for the development and dissection of characters in amongst the action. I love this series, so, whilst most of the books achieve 'only' 5 stars, mainly because most are not really complete novels of themselves, the whole series is a full six stars - indeed one of my top half dozen novels of all time. This sustains the excellence. The Sealwoman's Gift by Sally Magnusson **** Just as with the Aubrey-Maturin series, this book is based on historical fact, not least the basic premise, a 17th-century pirate raid on Iceland that led to almost 1% of the population being taken into slavery in North Africa; most of the characters are fictionalised versions of real people. The central character is Asta (pronounced Owsta), wife to priest Olefur who was released to try and bargain a ransom for the captives. He is quite well-documented historically, not least through his own account of what happened, but she, as with so many women in history, is barely acknowledged. This has enabled the author to really develop Asta in her own imagination, creating a strong, fascinating, character at the hear of an immersive read that brings to life an episode of history and a way of life that is rarely acknowledged today. At the heart of this also were the dilemmas and challenges faced at every stage of the story, both by those taken away and those left behind. For me, it didn't quite live up to the standards of Margaret Elphinstone's The Sea Road, a lesser-known story of a very similar ilk about an historical Icelandic woman and her journeys, but I still found that, once into it, it was very hard to put down; indeed, 4 stars may even be a bit harsh! O Pioneers by Willa Cather From Iceland and the North African coast to the plains of Nebraska! Following on from my first taste of Willa Cather, in My Antonia, this earlier slim novel follows a similar path, examining the life of a young immigrant woman facing up to the challenges of settler life. I loved the previous book and, if anything, loved this all the more. Like so many other great writers, she manages to keep her writing simple and direct, yet encompasses so much, creating, in Alexandra Bergson, a true literary heroine. Cather is definitely my discovery of the year, and deserves to be so much better known this side of the Atlantic! Treasured Island by Frank Barrett ** An initially promising literary tour of Great Britain that ultimately proved sadly disappointing and superficial. There are some interesting facts and portraits in here, but it soon became a bit of a tick list and more a set of slightly facetious reviews of the various museums that the author visited rather than providing any real insight. It didn't help that it took him two-thirds of the book to get as far north as the Midlands, followed by a scant 30 pages for the whole of the North of England, and an even briefer 20 pages for Scotland. An opportunity missed. The Miniaturist by Jessie Burton **** Much lauded historical fiction chosen for one of my book groups. Set in a similar period and location to The Girl with a Pearl Earring, this initially had a similar feel, but gradually turned darker and more ominous as Nella, the main protagonist, dug up more and more about the household she had joined. It's a good read, one indeed that I didn't want to put down, but there were several aspects that didn't quite sit comfortably with me, not least the almost magical-mystical element of the eponymous miniaturist that was never satisfactorily resolved in my mind (and needed to be). I also wished that the author had lingered somewhat longer on the characters and what was going through their minds. I had previously read the author's second book, The Muse, and everybody who had read both books told me that the latter wasn't as good. For me it was the other way round, and whilst happily recommending The Minaturist, I found The Muse a marginally more satisfying read. Turned Out Nice Again by Richard Mabey *** Slim volume examining our relationship with the weather. What's there is a pleasant enough read, but the book was neither sufficiently coherent nor full enough to engage me beyond passing the time - throughout I expected more and never saw it. In its current form, I can't really see the point, however pleasurable Mabey's writing is.

'Fan' is probably an exaggeration for me, simply because I've not read a huge amount of his work yet, but loved Cakes and Ale, and have enjoyed what else of his I've read (eg Ashenden). Definitely a writer I want to explore more of, and do feel he's a bit underrated nowadays, simply because he's off most readers' radar. BTW, welcome to BCF, good to see another new member!

Summary reviews of books read since July pt 2 The Women Who Shaped Politics by Sophy Ridge **** A book that pretty much does what it says on the tin: a potted history of women in politics, starting with extra-parliamentary campaigners, such as the Suffragistes and Suffragettes, going on to the first women in parliament, through to the leading lights of modern day politics. It is an easy read, and never pretends to be anything other than a popular celebration. As a result, it's a bit lacking in depth and analysis to be totally satisfying, but was worthwhile for the overview and anecdotes. The Devil in the Marshalsea by Antonia Hodgson *** Crime mystery set in the 18th century Marshalsea prison, an even toughter place than that of Dickens. Strongest in its setting, both temporal and geographical, other aspects weren't quite to the same standard. The plot contained some interesting twists, but it seemed that every problem was solved more by luck than judgement, and I got a bit tired of the main protagonist's continual fumbling and bumbling. The story also felt rather overpopulated, with individual characters underdeveloped partly as a result, but then plots like this require plenty to choose from, otherwise the culprits can be all too obvious! An enjoyable enough read, but I won't be in a particular hurry to read the sequels. The Secret Rooms by Catherine Bailey **** Whilst researching the extensive archives at Belvoir Castle to write a history of the estate during World War One, the author discovers some gaps that seem to be deliberate excisions. The narrative turns into an investigation into what happened, and why the cover-up? I enjoyed the detective aspect - this was family history work on a grand scale, but ultimately my main question was, so what? Yes, there was a scandal and a cover-up, but does any of it matter now, and doesn't it all just add grist to the well-worn mill that there was one rule for the wealthy and another for the rest (plus ca change......)? It certainly needed a stronger minded editor to make it into a tighter, stronger, book, as it's rather overdetailed and repetitive on occasions (even duplicating quoted letters). Even so, it's still worth four stars. A Year of Reading Dangerously by Andy Miller ** A good idea, and a solid enough start, describing a year long project by the author to 'improve' his reading. Unfortunately, the author seems to lose sight of this, and the book gradually disintegrates into a somewhat self-indulgent, rambling, anecdotal memoir, with little worthwhile to say about the books themselves. Ultimately rather pointless, and a disappointment, if not a book I positively disliked. A Siege of Bitterns by Steve Burrows **** The first in yet another crime series, which had a particular appeal because of the birding angle, the lead character, Canadian expat Dominic Jejeune, being a passionate birdwatcher, and the setting being plum in English birding heartland, on the north Norfolk coast. This may leave me biased, but I found it enjoyable and rather more entertaining than several other recent crime reads, even if I don't know enough about police procedures to judge credibility. The setting was a strong element of the story, and whilst the dialogue occasionally felt a bit stilted, and betrayed the author's own Canadian origins in the mouths of English characters, there was sufficient here for me to want to read more in the series. Bookworm by Lucy Mangan ***** A glutton for this particular punishment, this was another book-reading memoir, but for me this had everything that the Miller memoir didn't. Warm, witty and affectionate, the author captured the joys (and frustrations!) of childhood reading and books perfectly. Being of a slightly older generation and male, I didn't know all the books she mentioned, and didn't agree with all her likes/dislikes (The Phantom Tollbooth in particular was not a favourite of mine!) but I didn't need to, as her experiences transcended such differences. Anyway, there was enough which we did totally agree on (her analysis of Enid Blyton was absolutely spot on!). I subsequently went to see her at the Ilkley Literature Festival, and she lived up to every expectation - one of the most enjoyable sessions in recent years. Fall Out by Tim Shipman **** A political journalist's insider account of the last General Election, full of insight. Indeed, maybe a tad overdetailed in places, but consistently gripping and eye-opening. No wonder we're in such a mess. Birders by Mark Cocker *** Rather more about 'twitching' than 'birding' (there are important differences!), in spite of the title, this is a sympathetic profile of a very strange 'tribe', as the author so appropriately puts it. I'm not sure how much this book would appeal to non-birdwatchers, but for me the author's writing is always worth reading.

War and Peace almost made it on to my list as well! I'm fascinated as to why Cold War is there, especially, as you say, it's your only non-fiction book - it's not the sort of book I'd expect to see on a short list (easy to understand the others, they're all classics of their type). It's on my shelves to be read, so I wonder if I should get around to it soon!

Interesting - something's always put me off tackling it. Not quite sure what, as length doesn't bother me. Maybe just reputations? Again, that doesn't usually, but there's something about it that's meant I've never even tried. Something to think about!

Know the feeling! I do find myself sometimes obtaining the Kindle version, so that I can continue reading whilst away from home, and then luxuriating in the Folio version in the evenings! I've done that quite often with the Patrick O'Brian series for instance. Seems a bit of a waste, but there are times when I really don't want to put the book down.

Succinct (you're better at that than Melville!), and great, review! Completely concurs with my feelings (which is probably why I think it's great!). I was surprised at how much easier a read it was than I had anticipated, but I do find a lot of the 19th century classics a lot more readable than is often suggested - maybe it's a case of getting one's inner ear in tune to the language?. It's certainly one of my 6-star (favourites) books. I started listening to this as an audiobook in the days I commuted, but it took so long I lost the plot a bit, and so decided to revert to my normally preferred method of actually reading! I've not done that yet, although I've dipped into it, so I'm already looking forward to your comments! Which translation are you using? I've tried a couple, and have plumped for Edith Grossman's - which has had excellent reviews in terms of its faithfulness, whilst balancing the needs of most modern readers with the older language.

Having read the book and seen the film, my recollections are that the differences are pretty trivial - the film retains the spirit of the book and sticks pretty close to the story. I enjoyed both (and used both in my teaching!). What I didn't realise until recently was that the garden is based on a real one, although it's not in Yorkshire! Burnett rented and lived at Great Maytham Hall in Rolvenden close to the Kent-Sussex border at the turn of the 19th-20th century. Apparently, just as in the story, a robin alerted her to a hidden doorway into a concealed walled garden, which she then set about restoring. The house was rebuilt and the grounds largely relandscaped in the early 1900s; the walled garden itself was retained and, after some deterioration, has been restored (again!). The building has been converted into flats, but the garden can be visited - don't know whether it's open regularly but it's part of the National Garden Scheme.

Started East West Street by Philippe Sands, a Christmas present from last year that I've managed to overlook. My loss. Now 80 pages in, and completely hooked, resenting having to put it down, but at the same time needing to so that I'm able to absorb it all. Already know that this is going to be one of the my 'books of the year'.

Finished it this evening. Not quite what I expected either! I'll try and write a review on my blog thread in the next few days. Suffice to say for the moment that overall I found it an absorbing if slightly frustrating read and genuinely hard to put down - I read the last 200 pages in one sitting. Having said that, whilst most people preferred this to the author's second book, The Muse, I think I marginally preferred the latter. I've given this book a strong 4 stars out of 6.

And there you've hit the nub of it: a lot of books, like the average thriller or crime mystery, are designed pretty much to be read just the once. But there's a whole host of books, like those you've cited, which are meant to be read and reread, and can't be fully appreciated unless they have been. And that's true even when you do 'get' them first time!

Sixty up, only the second time I've gone over that figure before December.

With just over a month to go, how are people getting on, if at all?! I've not done as well in the second half as I hoped, being put off, if I'm really honest, by the anticipated loss of the forum - I seemed to lose my rhythm of reading and of going for the challenge. So far, I've managed 6 books of my challenge, and just 4 of those I challenged others with (a bonus set!), leaving 3 and 5 to go respectively. I'm hoping to get a few more done for the end of the year, maybe even finish my challenge, but I doubt I'll complete my extended list, so may have to carry one or two over to next year.

Finished Treasured Island by Frank Barrett, a literary tour of Great Britain (and Shetland). Disappointing, rather dull, and obviously written by a southern based (and biased) writer; just 2 stars. Now on to The Miniaturist, a reading group book (and a few more pages of Churchill!).

Hope you like it! I recently acquired a copy of the new 1001 Books, but have to admit, I'm not impressed. I've had previous books, so know exactly what it's about, but browsing through again, I'm just underwhelmed. I think it's partly because it doesn't stick to what it says it does, there being far too many non-fiction books of a certain genre in it, but also too many of the books feel worthy without being books I have any interest in reading. The latest batch left me completely cold - I've read two of them, and one I thought awful (The Circle - Dave Eggers), and one was good, but just shouldn't be on the list (H is for Hawk) being a memoir, certainly not a novel by any definition. There are also too many authors where, quite frankly, I think the editors have just got the wrong book(s) - e.g. how on earth could the only Jane Austen they don't select be Persuasion, one of her best? I'll keep a tally of how many read for now, but I'm certainly not aiming to pick books off the list, and the book itself is on its way to the charity shop.