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The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins Rachel catches the same commuter train every morning. She knows it will wait at the same signal each time, overlooking a row of back gardens. She’s even started to feel like she knows the people who live in one of the houses. ‘Jess and Jason’, she calls them. Their life – as she sees it – is perfect. If only Rachel could be that happy. And then she sees something shocking. It’s only a minute until the train moves on, but it’s enough. Now everything’s changed. Now Rachel has a chance to become a part of the lives she’s only watched from afar. Now they’ll see; she’s much more than just the girl on the train… My Thoughts. I'll be honest - I almost gave on on this book several times. I found the story line in the first half to be very slow and the characters were wither smug and irritating (Scott & Tom) and the women to be needy & irritating (Rachel, Anna & Megan). I mean, one of the women in the book, after suffering a torrent of verbal abuse from her husband who then goes off in a strop to work, sits there for the rest of the day contemplating cooking him his favourite meal and dressing up in the lingerie he bought for her birthday so she can "make it up to him". I mean really?! Once it gets there, in the second half of the book, it is better. I still don't think it's great, but I will make allowances as this is a first book, and I do feel guilty slagging off first time writers. On the plus side, I think the writing of Rachel as a hopeless, out of control drunk is the best I've ever seen outside of a Stephen King novel. That part of her character, at least, is wholly believable. As is the sense of claustrophobia in the second half. So, not great, but I would read more from Paula Hawkins 3/5

Room by Emma Donoghue Jack is five. He lives with his Ma. They live in a single, locked room. They don't have the key. Jack and Ma are prisoners. My Thoughts It's difficult to try and review this without giving anything away, which I don't want to do. Here goes... The whole book is seen through the eyes of Jack. He has spent the whole of his life locked in Room. It is literally his whole world, and everything that happens Outside is a different planet, or not even real. The use of language here is fantastic - you really do believe that you are listening to a five year old describe things he doesn't understand. At times almost too realistic, there were points in the book when I (like the adult characters in the book) got very frustrated with Jack. As a result, there were times when I would have liked a break from Jack, and perhaps have spent time in the head of someone else. It's because of that that I dropped a point on my mark. Ultimately though, this book is very well written and presents a difficult subject in a different way. I certainly want to read more from this author. 4/5

I must admit, I'm quite excited about this, although I am also a little disappointed that this new author didn't see the outline that Steig Larrson wrote for the other books that he had planned. It doesn't say if he chose not to look at that, or it just wasn't available for whatever reason.

A year in "The wind in the Willows" Six months in Middle Earth (The Shire rather than Mordor, with a trip to Rivendell & The Prancing Pony at Bree) 3 months in the club from "The breathing Method" short story by Stephen King

I was going to put that I couldn't have music on while I'm reading. But then I realised that when I read here at work, on my lunch break, and before I start first thing in the morning, the radio is on in our office, and it doesn't bother me. I suppose that is just background noise, rather than 'listening'. My music taste tends towards Rock & Heavy metal which I couldn't imagine reading to really; it's far too distracting. I think I could certainly read with quite classical, or instrumental jazz playing (and the idea is certainly appealing while I'm here at work!) but anything else wouldn't work for me. Ultimately, when I read, I want to be doing just that. I don't want to be multi-tasking!

I think it's a "Marmite" book - you either hate it or love it! I'm now currently reading "Room" by Emma Donoghue - something that was recommended to me by a friend.

Ten years? Really?! Oh boy, am I getting old!

Thank you, Gaia - and you'll be happy to know that particular character is one of the nicer ones in the book!

The Casual Vacancy by J.K.Rowling. When Barry Fairbrother dies in his early forties, the town of Pagford is left in shock. Pagford is, seemingly, an English idyll, with a cobbled market square and an ancient abbey, but what lies behind the pretty facade is a town at war. Rich at war with poor, teenagers at war with their parents, wives at war with their husbands, teachers at war with their pupils... Pagford is not what it first seems. And the empty seat left by Barry on the parish council soon becomes the catalyst for the biggest war the town has yet seen. Who will triumph in an election fraught with passion, duplicity and unexpected revelations? My Thoughts I first picked up this book about a year ago. I had a idle 20 mins waiting at my mother-in law's house about a year ago, and picked this up and read the first couple of chapters. I was bewildered by the characters, and couldn't get them straight in my head, but was determined to go back and finish it. Then I watched the TV adaptation, and so I was reminded to pick it up again (99p in a charity shop). I'm glad that I saw the TV version before I read it, it helped me to keep the many characters straight in my head. And, as it turned out, it didn't spoil it for me - the book is sufficiently different from the TV version. I can see why people hate the book. I can espeically see why the Daily Mail hates this book. I loved it. Rowling has a talent for writing characters that are complex in their motives and their actions. It's hard to pick out one character in this that you can like (Andrew Price?, Gaia? Krystal?) and equally hard to pick the one you hate the most (Shirley? Fats? Gavin?). In the end, you are carried along by some sympathy for some of them, dislike of others, and frustration with most that they can't see what's in front of their noses. The end, when it comes, is devastating - I had to put the book down at one point for the rest of the day, and finish it the next instead. It's funny, in my review of The Ragged-Trousered Philanthropists, I said I would have preferred more story and less direct political theory. I think this book is exactly that. Which is why a lot of people will hate it, and why I loved it. 5/5

This is a genre that has passed me by up to now, but reading the article, I think it's something I would be interested in reading. Thanks for posting the article, Clare.

I don't want to stare at the guy, so it's eyes closed and thinking about sunny beaches or something.

The Dark Charisma of Adolf Hitler by Laurence Rees Adolf Hitler was an unlikely leader - fuelled by hate, incapable of forming normal human relationships, unwilling to debate political issues - and yet he commanded enormous support. So how was it possible that Hitler became such an attractive figure to millions of people? That is the important question at the core of Laurence Rees' new book. The Holocaust, the Nazi invasion of the Soviet Union, the outbreak of World War 2 - all these cataclysmic events and more can be laid at Hitler's door. Hitler was a war criminal arguably without precedent in the history of the world. Yet, as many who knew him confirm, Hitler was still able to exert a powerful influence over the people who encountered him. My Thoughts This was at times a very difficult book to read. The subject matter itself is, of course, partly responsible for that. But I did sometimes feel overwhelmed with names and dates and meetings that Hitler had. It was the last third of the book that I enjoyed the most; probably as this covered the war years, which, by their very nature, are events that I am far more familiar with, so was able to understand more readily. The writer uses a lot of first-hand accounts to illustrate his points: diary entries or interviews after (sometimes long after) the events. It was these first hand accounts that really brought the book to life for me. There was an interview with a woman who had been caught up in the siege of Stalingrad as a 15 year old. Her account of the effects of starvation on her and her family are something that will live with me forever. 4/5

I've gone for another abrupt change of direction with my next book. I have an excuse. My brother (who reads about 4 books a year) gave me this after finishing it, and now he keeps asking me about it, so I shall have to read it! It's The dark charisma of Adolf Hitler by Laurence Lees. I don't read an awful lot of non-fiction, so I may be some time over this.

That's true. Strange to say, I've read all the Game of Thrones books, and didn't bat an eyelid. I suppose that was fantasy; this seems much closer to reality. Anyway, I've just finished the final book A little of what you fancy by H.E.Bates ‘Teetotal!’ Ma said. ‘It’s a libel. He’ll never live it down. He’ll never be able to hold his head up again. Whatever will people think? What’s he going to say when anybody asks him to have one?’ ‘ “No,” ‘ said Dr Conner. ‘You’ll have to strap him down,’ Ma said. ‘You’ll have to put the handcuffs on.’ And so after a mild heart-attack – caused by rather too much of what you fancy – Pop Larkin finds himself off the booze, off the good food and off the good life generally, much to his own and everyone’s else’s horror and upset. And while Ma tries to find ways around ‘doctor’s orders’, young Primrose is finding her own way round a rather flustered – not to say flushed – Mr Candy … My Thoughts This one didn't have anything so controversial (for me anyway), so I was able to enjoy it a little more. A little personal detail - this book was written the year I was born, and part of the plot centres around the building of a road through where they live to join up to the (then) proposed Channel Tunnel. One of the characters quips something like " we won't have to worry about that till about 1990" . Well, he wasn't far wrong! 4/5

Yes, I found that particular comment quite shocking. A pity, as take out that one line, and I really really enjoyed the book. I wonder if there was any backlash against that comment at the time. I suppose all we can do is be glad that we have all moved on a bit since them.

Oh! to be in England by H.E.Bates. 'Christening? We never said nothing about no christening, Ma, did we?' And so with the appearance of a letter announcing the imminent arrival of Madame Dupont, Pop and Ma Larkin learn that little Oscar and Blenheim - Charley and Mariette's new boy - are to be christened. In fact, once Mr Candy - who will be officiating (much to raven-haired Primrose's delight) - learns that Pop and Ma have neglected the entire Larkin brood, the whole family seems set for a dunking! Pop, who needs no excuse to open a few bottles of Dragon's Blood and host the perfick party, rushes out and buys a fun fair to celebrate. But there are one or two gatecrashers even Pop hadn't counted on turning up My Thoughts On the face of it, this is an enjoyable read. There is much joy in the simple pleasures of life; lots of eating and drinking and a fair ammount of laciviousness. Pop takes a great deal of pleasure in the (ahem) talents of Ma, Angela Snow and well, just about every other female he sets eye's on. His daughter Primrose meanwhile, sets her sights on the vicar, Mr Candy. And there is the problem, for me. Yes, it is, when compared to stuff written today, pretty tame stuff. It's not meant to be taken seriously. But Primrose, in the book, is 14. I'm not suggesting that there is anything untoward in this book, but reading some parts of this did make me unconfortable. 3/5

When it comes to bookshops, I don't generally have a problem with books being categorised. As long as I can find what I'm looking for in the shop, I'm happy. I must admit, there was something I saw the last time I was in Waterstones, in the crime section. There was a sub-section called something like " cosy crime" (I forget the exact name, but it was something along those lines). It basically consisted on Agatha Christie type crime books. I suppose if that's what you were after, you'd be very happy to find a whole shelf full, and it certainly made me go over and take a look. Of course, when it comes to your own, personal way of sorting books - well that's no business of anyone but yourself!

Here in Birmingham, we have the rather bizarre circumstance of a lovely new central library, which cost £189 million to build, and has now had its opening hours cut from 73 to 40 per week and some staff made redundant. At the same time, there is a proposal to shut 4 (out of 39) of the community libraries that we have within Birmingham. While I couldn't give you figures, the only consequence of that will be a greater distance for people to go to get access to books. I was also reading (Private Eye) that libraries are making qualified librarians redundant and replacing them with unqualified interns that they can get through an art's council scheme. These are, of course, paid a lot less.

When the Green Woods Laugh by H.E.Bates 'There!' Pop said. 'There's the house. There's Gore Court for you. What about that, eh? How's that strike you? Better than St Paul's, ain't it, better than St Paul's?' And so Pop Larkin - junk-dealer, family man and Dragon's Blood connoisseur - manages to sell the nearby crumbling, tumbling country home to city dwellers Mr and Mrs Jerebohm for a pretty bundle of notes. Now he can build his daughter Mariette the pool she's long been nagging him for. But the Larkin's new neighbours aren't quite so accepting of country ways - especially Pop's little eccentricities. In fact, it's not long before a wobbly boat, a misplaced pair of hands and Mrs Jerebohm's behind have Pop up before a magistrate. My Thoughts This one was much more enjoyable than the last. Again, the plot, for me, was secondary to the descriptions of care-free summer country living. Simply wonderful. 4/5

A Breath of French Air by H.E.Bates 'I should like to go to France,' said Ma. 'God Almighty,' Pop said. 'What for?' 'For a holiday of course,' Ma said. 'I think it would do us all good to get some sun.' And so at the end of a rainy English August the Larkins - all ten of them, including little Oscar, the family's new addition - bundle into the old Rolls and cross the Channel to escape the hostile elements. But far from being the balmy, sunny and perfick spot Ma Larkin hoped for, France proves less than welcoming to an eccentric English family. The tea's weak, the furniture breakable and the hotel manager is almost as hostile as the wind and the rain they've brought with them! And when the manager learns that Ma and Pop are unmarried yet sharing a room under his roof, the trouble really begins . My Thoughts To be honest, I didn't enjoy this one as much as the first. The french characters are all pretty much represented as negative sterotypes. I'll make allowances for the time it was written, but I couldn't help but be slightly irritated by it. That aside, again, that wonderful use of language transports you from wherever you are to a French seaside town. 3/5

The Darling Buds of May by H.E.Bates 'Home looks nice. Allus does though, don't it? Perfick' And so the Larkins - Pop, Ma, Mariette, Zinnia, Petunia, Primrose, Victoria and Montgomery - return from an outing for fish and chips and ice cream one May evening. There, amid the rustic charms of home, they discover a visitor: one Cedric Charlton, Her Majesty's inspector of taxes. Mr Charlton is visiting to find out why junk-dealer Pop hasn't paid his tax - but nothing's that simple at the Larkins. Mariette takes a shine to 'Charley' - as Pop calls him - and before long the family have introduced the uncomplaining inspector to the delights of country living: the lusty scents of wild flowers, the pleasures of a bottle of Dragon's Blood, cold cream dribbled over a bowl of strawberries and hot, hot summer nights. In fact, soon Charley can't see any reason to return to the office at all My Thoughts. It's almost the perfect (or should I say perfick) time of year to read this book. Forget the plot, such as it is, the joy of this book is the wonderful use of language. You aren't reading about long, hot late spring days in England: you are there. Sitting reading this in a cold, grey February day, this book is the perfect antidote. It's a bit dated now - The "shock" of discovering that Ma and Pop aren't actually married is nothing now, but I suppose it was still a big thing at the time. 4/5

For a complete change of pace, I'm reading all five "Pop Larkin" novels by H.E Bates. I picked these up as an anthology in a charity shop for £1.59. I'd actually picked them up for my mother-in-law, who was after something to read, but she wasn't particularly interested, so I took it home myself. I've read the first two (The Darling Buds of May & A Breath of French Air) before, after being told about them by my dad at the time that the TV series came out.

The Ragged Trousered Philanthropists by Robert Tressell. The Ragged Trousered Philanthropists is a classic representation of the impoverished and politically powerless underclass of British society in Edwardian England, ruthlessly exploited by the institutionalised corruption of their employers and the civic and religious authorities. Epic in scale, the novel charts the ruinous effects of the laissez-faire mercantilist ethics on the men, women, and children of the working classes, and through its emblematic characters, argues for a socialist politics as the only hope for a civilized and humane life for all. It is a timeless work whose political message is as relevant today as it was in Tressell’s time. For this it has long been honoured by the Trade Union movement and thinkers across the political spectrum. My Thoughts. I was naturally sympathetic to this book, as my politics leans towards the left and I used to be a union rep (for my pains). This book was written just over a hundred years ago, and the first thing that struck me was, in some ways, very little has changed. Mixed with that, I felt at times quite sad - Robert Tressell obviously believed quite passionately in the socialist system, and argues for it quite effectively. But here we are 100 years later, most attempts at running socialist governments have failed utterly and brutally. Still, this is a book review, not a political debate. Did I enjoy the book? Some parts. At times I found it too long: I wanted less preaching of the politics and more story. The best parts of this book (and for me, the most effective) were the more satirical parts - Bert showing his Pandarama at the children's party; the council meeting; the beano. These were the parts that for me showed how unfair Edwardian society was. Sometimes, I felt the book got a bit preachy. For that. I can only give it 3/5.

A legal document that sets out the rights of Japanese cartoon characters in law?