Alexi

I've been struggling with The Man in the High Castle. To be honest, I think it's just a lack of time to concentrate and get into the characters. I want something familiar, so I've picked up The Rosie Effect. Sod it, I'm going straight for the sequel!

Having said I had no time to read, I stayed up til 2am last night to finish The Rosie Project! Not done that with a book for bloody ages. It felt great. Although less great when my alarm went off at 7am. Have the sequel but want to savour it, so now starting The Man in the High Castle by Philip K Dick.

Sorry, but that really made me laugh!

*also types in two windows* My library has it The online catalogue says 256 pages... It's in a different branch so I shall have to reserve it and then report back!

True! I bought it ages ago when it was cheap on kindle. My boyfriend actually bought me the sequel a couple of weeks ago not realising I hadn't yet read the first

I'm loving The Rosie Project. So far behind most on this forum Just frustrating because I have so little time to to read ATM and I want to devour it

Sounds fascinating and disturbing in equal measure. I've added it to the wish list though...

Great reviews Janet! I have Elizabeth is Missing on my TBR. I'm half looking forward to it and half not, because like you I watched a relative suffer with dementia and I think it might be a tough read. Ho hum. I loved the Shadow of the Wind and have The Angel's Game on my TBR (I think that's the prequel?) but for some reason it hasn't appealed in the two years since buying it.

I read All Hell Let Loose by Max Hastings which was excellent - great account although a bit more involved and wordy than Shirer. I'd really recommend it for you though as you have a big interest in it anyway Yeah I've out Warning from History on my wish list but it might be one for library/charity shop rather than kindle. Running into a few venue issues actually - got the date held for two weeks while we looked around and made a decision but OH currently incapacitated after winter sports injury so I'm not sure we should go ahead now.

Yep - I'm the same with the book box. It also helps me that the library books don't go in it so there's something immediately there too if I fancy that. Would you recommend The Giver? The first is one of Amazon's monthly deals

Thanks Brian! I wish I had time for more non-fiction, but I do love fiction as well and the non-fiction seems to be more involving! I have just acquired one of Beevor's works - Stalingrad - and The Nazis: A Warning from History has now gone onto the overflowing wish list.

The library quick reads shelf! The cover was eye catching. What's that expression about books and covers.... Er...coming close! I've reserved a date at the venue I am 95% sure I want but looking round others to make sure it is THE ONE. I am fairly sure it is though

#19 The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich by William L Shirer Synopsis: It was Hitler's boast that the Third Reich would last a thousand years. Instead it lasted only twelve. But into its short life was packed the most cataclysmic series of events that Western civilisation has ever known. William Shirer is one of the very few historians to have gained full access to the secret German archives which the Allies captured intact. He was also present at the Nuremberg trials. This is his authoritative historical account of the years 1933-45, when the Nazis, under the rule of their desporic leader Adolf Hitler, ruled Germany. They commandeered the Holocaust, one of the most shocking acts of evil in modern history, plunged the world into a second war, and changed the face of modern history and modern Europe forever. (From Amazon) Thoughts: Wow. I devoted nearly four weeks of my life to this 1200 page epic and will never regret it. This book spans the entire lifetime of one Adolf Hitler, from birth to death, covering his and therefore Nazism's rise and fall in Germany. It's extremely dense and packed with information, but it's so readable. It's probably telling he was a journalist and not an academic historian! His research is thorough, his writing sound, his ability to tell the story and make it make sense while holding threads across continents remarkable. Excellent stuff. While I can't bring myself to deduct any marks, you have to look at this book with a critical eye. First published in 1959, Shirer lived and worked in the Third Reich and retains contempt for the party and the German populace who helped bring them to power. (And suffered the consequences!). For example, he constantly calls the Germans gullible - despite the fact that Goebbels ran such a tight ship they had rare access to anyone telling the truth! Here's an example: "One gets the impression that a good many of those 'good Germans' fell too easily into the trap of blaming the outside world for their own failures". He then wonders in the postscript why Germans didn't like his work! The postscript was written just as the Berlin wall was coming down, and the writer reckons the world will once again be faced with 'the German problem' as history shows us they would try again. Of course, it was his own nation, the Americans, along with us in the UK that went to war in Afghanistan, while the Germans stayed out of it. Hmm. However, I do have some sympathy. Towards the end of my Grandma's battle with dementia she reverted to her 21-year-old self, who had lived through the war and was recently out the other side and she often came out with lots of anti-German sentiment! A generational thing. Anyway, it was a sensational piece of work, well-researched through the first hand documents released after the fall of the Third Reich, told well and taught me plenty. Recommended for anyone with an interest in the subject. 5/5 The book box has rewarded with me with The Rosie Project by Graeme Simsion as my next read.

#18 Shooting Elvis by R M Eversz Synopsis: There was no way that Mary Alice could have known loving Wrex was a mistake, or that Wrex could have known that Mary Alice could get angry - and even. Changing her image, her name and her life, Nina Zero becomes a fugitive from the law as she takes on her pursuers in a series of confrontations. (From Amazon) Thoughts: Well, this was a weird one. Mary Alice is a normal, rather dull character who works in a photography studio taking photos of small children. That is until her boyfriend, who delivers drugs occasionally, asks her to take a package to an airport. Apparently not enough alarm bells rang in her head at this point. Turns out, it's a bomb and the package explodes. Thing is, she angered the people she was supposed to be working for by a) opening the package before delivery and b) making off with the rather large suitcase she exchanges it for. Hence then follows some capers as she tries to hide from police hunting her for terrorism. She ends up living with two people who want to sell her out for their own publicity gains while trying to run from the criminal stooges. It's an utterly ridiculous story that you need to suspend disbelief for. Thing is, it wasn't worth suspending it for this tale. Will have forgotten all of it within a few weeks. I'm upgrading it from 1 because I finished it without it seeming a chore and I was vaguely intrigued by how on earth she remained alive to narrate the story. 2/5 (It was ok I suppose)

*blows dust off log* Hello! I have rather neglected my poor little book blog in the last few weeks. Simply, I have been winding my way through the 1200 page non-fiction epic that is The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich. Fabulous, but not a quick read! Reviews, reviews.... #17 Endless Night by Agatha Christie Synopsis: trapped by a chauffeur's wages, Michael Rogers' want of a better life seems out of reach. Especially elusive is a magnificent piece of property in Kingston Bishop--unil a chance meeting with a beautiful heiress makes his dreams possible. Marrying her is the first step. Building the perfect home is the next. Unfortunately, Michael ignored the local warnings about the deadly curse buried in the tract of land, and living out his dreams may exact a higher price than he ever imagined. Praised as one of Agatha Christie's most unusual forays into gothic, psychological suspense, this novel of fate, chance, and the nature of evil was a personal favorite of the author's as well. (From Goodreads) Thoughts: Hmm. Not a favourite of mine I'm afraid Agatha! I gave this book a 3, but I can't remember much of the details despite finishing about a month ago. That sort of sums it up. It starts off as a vintage Christie, building the situation and getting to know the characters. But this one takes far too long over that, leaving not enough time for the denouement. My biggest issue is with the ending. Mainly because the ending is far too similar to one of her other books, and in said other book (revealed under spoiler tags!) it's done far better. Neither Michael nor the heiress, Ellie, are very likeable characters to be honest which doesn't help. It kept me entertained but leaves me with little to say! It won't stop me from reading Agatha, who I love returning to when need of a comforting read, this one just wasn't her strongest for me. 3/5 (I liked it)

Know what you mean! I have a couple of books of chick lit (probably less than 5 out of a TBR of 297!) acquired through gifts/years ago etc and I am terrified the jar will draw them out. But having acquired them, I feel I must try them before ridding myself

What did the rest of your group make of the Gregory J? Intrigued as to whether the chooser is a lone wolf!

I've got When I Found You on my TBR. How is that one as a starting point given I am trying not to acquire more books?!

Yay for another book jar! Good luck with the first pick. I'm finding it quite liberating. I had been putting off my current read for ages (1200 page length the main reason!) but destiny picked it and I'm loving it. Not good for the read to acquired ratio though I'm on 297 TBR and refusing to get to 300....

Sounds like a great idea to me Janet It's all about enjoying our reading and whatever helps with that makes sense to me! I'm still plodding through The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich. Although 950 pages plus another 300 page book in the last three weeks is maybe not plodding... But I'm not sure of a more appropriate word. I'm really enjoying it, but it's just long and packed with information. I'm hoping to get it finished over the long weekend and then go back to the box of destiny for my next read.

Glad you enjoyed Brian. I have Imperium on my TBR after really enjoying Fatherland and Archangel.

I also snapped it up I'm now close to the end of the Rise and Fall of the Third Reich - taken nearly a month! Just don't have much time at the moment unfortunately. Hope that should change soon. I have a growing TBR pile and a constant read pile.

I'm hoping to get it read next weekend - I've actually got the long weekend like everyone else - even if I have to take it as annual leave

My Mum always said to me that she would have been nervous about me getting married as young as she did, but she got married in the late 70s and at 23 was considered on the shelf Apparently rural northern England hadnt moved on that much from Dorothea's time And if I had £1 for every time someone had said that....

Same for me on all counts J - I hope you didn't think I was strongly disagreeing with you in my earlier post. Your P&P comparison makes a lot of sense and was something I hadn't considered I shall be interested to see if Dorothea and Casaubon can work things out or if he comes to an untimely end - when Rosa used to write fics my favourite method for bumping someone off used to be choking on a mini cheddar