Hayley

This sounds like an interesting one! I used to have an illustrated version of this many years ago. I'd like to re-read it actually! I thought of a couple more: Jamrach's Menagerie (set in the 1850's again, mainly set on a ship bound for the East Indies where they're to pick up animals for a famous menagerie). Also Batavia's Graveyard (a true story from the seventeenth century about a mutinous crew and ship that gets stuck on a coral reef). Both are really quite sad though, just to warn everyone!

Okay, sorry about this everyone but we're a bit late to start the read-a-thon! Is everyone okay to move it forward a week, to the 11th, 12th and 13th?

I've honestly never heard of them before! It sounds like a great idea! If there's any you're finding it hard to get let me know and I'll see if I can find it here

I don't think I've heard of QuickReads, I'll have to look it up! I didn't know that Dear Reader talked about specific books either. I thought it was just generally about the experience of reading. It does seem like it would make it less relatable for readers not based in the UK. I have Dear Reader on my shelf so now I'm wondering whether I'll have read any of the books mentioned!

I've listened to a lot of Hornblower on audiobook because my boyfriend was listening to it but, for that reason, I can't actually say which ones I've listened to. I did like it though, I really like Hornblower as a character. I've also listened to some of the Thomas Kydd series by Julian Stockwin and thought it was good. It has a lot of similarities to Hornblower but I don't like Kydd quite as much as a character.

Maybe I'm just very tired but I can't see where you've posted the thread before? I haven't read this yet but I'm very excited for Stuart Turton's The Devil and the Dark Water!

I read the first three and put off the last one because I'll be sad when there's no more to read! I'm still not even half way through The Essex Serpent because I thought it would be a good idea to take on a huge freelance job on top of the jobs I'm already doing and moving house... lessons have been learnt . Hoping I'll be able to make up for it in the June read-a-thon!

I would like to second this I think that is my favourite way to read. I like knowing that I can just get really comfortable and read until I need to sleep. I won't have to stop reading because I need to do something. I'm glad you got to enjoy a lot of reading that way! What did you think of Dear Reader?

Since brass, nor stone, nor earth, nor boundless sea, But sad mortality o'ersways their power, How with this rage shall beauty hold a plea, Whose action is no stronger than a flower? O, how shall summer's honey breath hold out Against the wrackful siege of batt'ring days, When rocks impregnable are not so stout, Nor gates of steel so strong but Time decays? O, fearful meditation! Where, alack, Shall Time's best jewel from Time's chest lie hid? Or what strong hand can hold his swift foot back? Or who his spoil of beauty can forbid? O, none, unless this miracle have might, That in black ink my love may still shine bright. Sonnet 65 - William Shakespeare [Pretty proud of getting brass and stone in here ]

Exactly

I added this to my reading list ages ago and kind of forgot about it, so I’d also like to thank you for bringing it up! If you haven’t read Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury already I also recommend that. I read it last year and thought it was brilliant!

Hi Hollie, welcome to the forum . Who are your favourite authors?

Congratulations Luna! I hope you enjoy being a moderator! We’ll make sure the latter doesn’t!

Hi, welcome to the forum . I’ve looked at Ready Player One before and wondered if I’d like it. It sounds quite different to anything I’ve read before but your review makes me think I would! I also second Raven’s recommendation of the Rivers of London books! I started reading the Septimus Heap books by Angie Sage recently too and they’ve been great so far. I’ve noticed it’s compared to Harry Potter a lot in reviews, so that might be worth a look too .

I don't know of any genre specific ones, but you could use a list like this and only make note of the crime novels? Best-Selling Books in the UK in 2020. Book Best Sellers in 2020 Are you challenging yourself to read the bestsellers?

Hi. I think this would be a very difficult thing to work out (although interesting!). There's a lot of variables and there might not be accurate sales information for very old books. Could you maybe narrow the time frame down?

I am very pleased to tell you all that Raven has agreed to be a forum moderator! With the team we have now, alongside the server move which should work out any technical issues, we should be able to keep things running super smoothly over here, even while we're making planned changes . Thank you Raven!

I think the meaning is usually explained though, isn’t it? At least, I don’t remember ever having to look up some Latin while I was reading!

No, not everyone can edit titles but I've fixed this one now

I can't actually think of any examples I've read other than French and Latin but I picture Latin phrases as mainly being at the beginning of a book and not within the actual story (or explained within the text, which I don't mind either). I'm not too bad with French words and phrases, but I've never been particularly good with languages. Although, thanks to the French teacher who wouldn't let us do anything if we didn't ask in French, I can always remember how to ask if I can take my jacket off .

Can you remember what the book was about?

I think it was your review that made me want to read it in the first place! I have started reading it and so far I have to agree with you about the language! I have to admit, I don't think I'd heard of it before this book! It's nice to know that it's as interesting in real life

I definitely think Dickens influenced society with his writing, very intentionally so. I think the divorce reform conversations happening in the 1850s are an interesting example. Dickens was publishing other people's articles on the subject, well as his own, in his periodical Household Words for a while. Then he wrote about the unfairness of divorce laws in Hard Times and just a couple of years later the Bill was finally passed. The conversation would have happened without Dickens, but he reached a lot of people with his publications and used them to generate empathy for working-class people trapped in unhealthy marriages because they couldn't afford to get divorced. I definitely think he would have changed a few minds on the subject

I enjoyed the chapters that weren't about the technical aspects of whaling. If those parts could be edited out I think I'd have really liked it!

I think I've read 25 (I can't remember if I read all of Heart of Darkness or not!). There's a couple I read a bit of but didn't finish. Funny (or, maybe more weird than funny) story: I was meant to read Truman Capote's In Cold Blood for university but, even though reading violent scenes doesn't usually effect me, I was nearly physically sick after reading the beginning. I had to put it down and go get some fresh air. I think it was a mixture of knowing that those things actually happened and the very brutal/blunt and descriptive way that Capote tells it. Knowing that Capote was sympathetic to the criminals also made me feel uncomfortable about the book and I just couldn't bring myself to read it all. There are a few books on there that I really do want to read though! Me either to be honest (I also agree with you about Moby Dick!).