Your Book Activity 2023

[Chrissy]

I completed my reading of The Unlikely Escape of Uriah Heep by H.G. Parry. An enjoyable read that I probably would not have encountered had I not joined the BCF Reading Challenge 2.

 

A charming story that walks a path with well known literary characters, and beyond it's central premise, does make one think about interpreting texts and delving into the intentions of authors, and our roles as readers. Great stuff!

[lunababymoonchild]

Started The Unlikely Escape of Uriah Heep by H.G. Parry to bring relief from the intense Karmazov Brothers.

[willoyd]

Two books finished in fairly quick succession, followed by one where I didn't:

The Perfect Golden Circle by Benjamin Myers: a fairly light and easy read focused on male friendship and the adventures of a pair of corncirclers one summer.  A little bit overwritten in places, but otherwise an engrossing read: 4 stars (out of 6). 

The Fall of Boris Johnson by Sebastian Payne, an equally engrossing read for different reasons, containing some interesting insight into the machinations of (dysfunctional) government.  4 stars again.

The Lying Life of Adults Elena Ferrante, unfinished, a book group read.  Absolutely no arguments with the writing ,which is excellent, but I was utterly bored by the narrative. The characters didn't interest me, nor did the plot, yet another teenager (girl this time) growing up and finding out the truth about her family, particularly her parents. Perhaps just wrong book, wrong time, but there's been so much really interesting reading lately, this just couldn't stand up. 2 stars.

Edited June 22, 2023 by willoyd

[Brian.]

I've just started a book that has intimidated me for a while due to the size, Shogun by James Clavell.

[itsmeagain]

1 hour ago, Hux said:

Started '69' by Ryu Murakami.

 

By the way, didn't we used to have a monthly 'Your Book Activity'?

We did, aye. Am reading the rather fascinating  Lethal White by Robert Galbraith.  She's doing brilliantly this time round, must say.

[Brian.]

On 7/1/2023 at 12:20 PM, Hux said:

 

By the way, didn't we used to have a monthly 'Your Book Activity'?

 

We used a monthly thread up until this year but as the forum has become less busy it made sense to stick with one thread for the year.

[Chrissy]

Just read the latest book in Jodi Taylor's Chronicles of St Mary's, The Good, The Bad & The History.

 

I have so enjoyed this series, and this carried on my enjoyment, with it's usual combination of history, humour and fast paced story telling. They won't be to everyone's taste, but I love 'em! 

[poppy]

11 hours ago, Chrissy said:

Just read the latest book in Jodi Taylor's Chronicles of St Mary's, The Good, The Bad & The History.

 

I have so enjoyed this series, and this carried on my enjoyment, with it's usual combination of history, humour and fast paced story telling. They won't be to everyone's taste, but I love 'em! 

 

I'm a big fan too and thanks so much for introducing me to them 🥰

[lunababymoonchild]

Started Pet by Catherine Chidgey

[lunababymoonchild]

Helter Skelter : The True Story of the Manson Murders - Vincent Bugliosi and Curt Gentry

[Brian.]

I'm about 150 pages into the mammoth Shogun by James Clavell and so far I'm really enjoying it.

[Bel-ami]

On 7/23/2023 at 10:12 AM, Brian. said:

I'm about 150 pages into the mammoth Shogun by James Clavell and so far I'm really enjoying it.

I have that on my TBR shelve(s) - have always been daunted by the size!

[France]

On 7/23/2023 at 11:12 AM, Brian. said:

I'm about 150 pages into the mammoth Shogun by James Clavell and so far I'm really enjoying it.

I read that years ago when I was living in Hong King and loved it.

[France]

On 3/12/2023 at 5:01 AM, Chrissy said:

I have been reading About Time by Jodi Taylor, a roaring romp through the ages with the Time Police. This is the fourth book in her Chronicles of St Mary's spin off series, and so far is as enjoyable as the previous three. Escapism reading at it's finest! 

I've just listened to this on Audible and it's a hoot!

[muggle not]

1 hour ago, Bel-ami said:

I have that on my TBR shelve(s) - have always been daunted by the size!

Shogun is an epic of a book but a book to enjoy from start to finish. I read it many years ago and still remember that I enjoyed it very much. Actually, I enjoyed almost all of Clavell's books

[lunababymoonchild]

On 7/23/2023 at 10:12 AM, Brian. said:

I'm about 150 pages into the mammoth Shogun by James Clavell and so far I'm really enjoying it.

I read this many years ago too and it's well worth the effort.

[poppy]

Have just begun Wild Strawberries by Angela Thirkell and it bodes well, the first couple of pages had me chortling. My first Thirkell.

[itsmeagain]

Jeffrey Archer. I only know him as a Tory politician. His short stories , the characters are rather one dimensional, little depth, with certain omnipresent features. The men are obsessed with money and fantasies of women in stockings and suspenders, police uniforms etc. Like a privileged,  upper class version of a fifteen year old boy...I am still reading,  to see if anything improves.

Edited July 27, 2023 by itsmeagain

[MrCat]

Shogun is one of the books that everyone in my country had before 1990. I am not sure why it was so popular back in the day but most people from the older generation always speak well of if. I read almost 20 years ago and it was indeed great. Continue with Tai-Pan if you are enjoying Shogun.

 

I am currently reading Breath by James Nestor. It is a bit new ageish so take what he is saying with a grain of salt but there is some useful info there as well.

[Brian.]

On 7/24/2023 at 2:56 PM, Bel-ami said:

I have that on my TBR shelve(s) - have always been daunted by the size!

 

I'm about halfway through it now and I'm still really enjoying it. I recommend giving it a go.

On 7/24/2023 at 3:41 PM, France said:

I read that years ago when I was living in Hong King and loved it.

 

On 7/24/2023 at 4:56 PM, muggle not said:

Shogun is an epic of a book but a book to enjoy from start to finish. I read it many years ago and still remember that I enjoyed it very much. Actually, I enjoyed almost all of Clavell's books

 

On 7/24/2023 at 9:58 PM, lunababymoonchild said:

I read this many years ago too and it's well worth the effort.

 

On 7/27/2023 at 1:22 PM, MrCat said:

Shogun is one of the books that everyone in my country had before 1990. I am not sure why it was so popular back in the day but most people from the older generation always speak well of if. I read almost 20 years ago and it was indeed great. Continue with Tai-Pan if you are enjoying Shogun.

 

 

It's definitely worth the effort and I'm already looking forward to reading others in the series. I actually read King Rat a few years ago and thought that was excellent but I will read the rest of the books in the correct chronological order.

[muggle not]

5 hours ago, Brian. said:

 

I'm about halfway through it now and I'm still really enjoying it. I recommend giving it a go.

 

 

 

 

It's definitely worth the effort and I'm already looking forward to reading others in the series. I actually read King Rat a few years ago and thought that was excellent but I will read the rest of the books in the correct chronological order.

I envy you. I wish I had all of Clavell's books to look forward to. To my knowledge, I believe I have read all of his works. Enjoy them.

[willoyd]

Just finished two non-fictions: 

Jeremy Hutchinson's Case Histories by Thomas Grant: viewing social development of the 1960s-80s through the lens of one (famous) barristers major cases (Penguin Lady Chatterley case, George Blake, unilateral nuclear disarmament protestors, Last Tango In Paris and Romans in Britain obscenity trials etc. Fascinating read, very easy. 5 stars.

Portable Magic by Emma Smith. "A History of Books and Their Readers" - well, not really, more a collection of essays built around this theme. Narrower and drier than I'd hoped.  Reasonably interesting individually, but collectively far too samey in content and style for my taste. 3 stars.

[Brian.]

I finished Shogun by James Clavell yesterday afternoon. I'll write more about it in my thread but I loved it and as mentioned by others here, it was well worth the effort.

[lunababymoonchild]

Just finished Helter-Skelter, The True Story of the Manson Murders by Vincent Bugliosi (the man who convicted them) and Curt Gentry. This was epic at 949 pages long. I'm glad it was an e-book. 

[poppy]

Reading my second Angela Thirkell book in the Barsetshire series, High Rising. Am finding her a real treat, such a funny and witty writer.