Kidsmum Posted March 24, 2011 Author Share Posted March 24, 2011 Bury The Chains: The British Struggle to Abolish Slavery by Adam Hochschild Waterstones Synopsis Eighteenth-century Britain was the world's leading centre for the slave trade. Profits soared and fortunes were made, but in 1788 things began to change. "Bury The Chains" tells the remarkable story of the men who sought to end slavery and brought the issue to the heart of British political life.'Hochschild's marvellous book is a timely reminder of what a small group of determined people, with right on their side, can achieve. Carefully researched and elegantly written, with a pacy narrative that ranges from the coffee houses of London to the back-breaking sugar plantations of the West Indies, it charts the unlikely success of the first international human rights movement' - Saul David, "Literary Review". 'Hochschild is such a gifted researcher and story-teller that he never fails to hold the reader's attention...For all its terrible theme, Hochschild's book is not in the least depressing, because it is suffused with admiration for the courage and enlightenment of the men and women who crusaded against this evil, and finally prevailed' - Max Hastings, "Sunday Telegraph". 'Thought-provoking, absorbing and well-written' - Brendan Simms, "Sunday Times". 'Stirring and unforgettable' - "Economist". This is a fascinating account of the abolisionist movement in 18th century Britain something I knew very little about . Although the brutal treatment of the slaves on the sugar plantations & the conditions they had to put up with on the slave ships makes difficult reading the unswerving dedication of the abolitionists & the support of their cause by the ordinary man on the street stops this book from being depressing. I felt like I learnt a lot from this book & I'd definitely read more by this author. 4/5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vodkafan Posted March 24, 2011 Share Posted March 24, 2011 Ha ha!! know what you mean but I visualise Sean Bean as I'm reading it so that gives it more girly appeal Thanks to you kidsmum I have downloaded the book on my kindle. I shall be visualising Angelina Jolie as Sharpe. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kidsmum Posted March 24, 2011 Author Share Posted March 24, 2011 Thanks to you kidsmum I have downloaded the book on my kindle. I shall be visualising Angelina Jolie as Sharpe. Bet she's wearing the Tomb Raider gear as well Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vodkafan Posted March 24, 2011 Share Posted March 24, 2011 Bet she's wearing the Tomb Raider gear as well Any kind of uniform with Angelina in it would be fine Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kidsmum Posted March 29, 2011 Author Share Posted March 29, 2011 It's Tuesday so that means it's charity shop day, came home with :- Purple Hibiscus Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie Carter Beats The Devil Glen David Gold Popco Scarlet Thomas The Girl Who Kicked The Hornets' Nest Stieg Larsson Hallowe'en Party Agatha Christie Until I Find You John Irving Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
poppyshake Posted March 29, 2011 Share Posted March 29, 2011 It's Tuesday so that means it's charity shop day, came home with :- Purple Hibiscus Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie - I've listened to this but wish I had read it as I didn't like the narrator, good story Carter Beats The Devil Glen David Gold - I've got this on my shelf too and it's been there for a while .. I think it's the size of it that's daunting me Popco Scarlet Thomas - read this and enjoyed it, she's an interesting author The Girl Who Kicked The Hornets' Nest Stieg Larsson - I must read the trilogy .. everyone raves about them Hallowe'en Party Agatha Christie - again must read more by Agatha, everytime I do I'm surprised by how brilliantly she writes Until I Find You John Irving - have only read one John Irving (A Prayer for Owen Meany) book but was very, very impressed well done kidsmum, a fantastic haul hope you enjoy reading them Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kylie Posted March 30, 2011 Share Posted March 30, 2011 Nice haul, Kidsmum. Like Poppyshake, I've had Carter Beats the Devil on my TBR for quite a while. I'll be interested in your thoughts on it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kidsmum Posted April 3, 2011 Author Share Posted April 3, 2011 Thanks Poppy & Kylie, I really like the look of Carter Beats The Devil & it certainly has rave reviews on the back . Not surprisingly my mojo has gone flat at the moment but I'm persevering with Club Dead though only managing a few pages here & there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kidsmum Posted April 8, 2011 Author Share Posted April 8, 2011 (edited) The Clan of The Cave Bear Jean M. Auel Amazon Synopsis The Clan of the Cave Bear is the start of Jean M Auel's epic Earth's Children series. When her parents are killed by an earthquake, five-year-old Ayla wanders through the forest completely alone. Cold, hungry, and badly injured by a cave lion, the little girl is as good as gone until she is discovered by a group who call themselves the Clan of the Cave Bear. This clan, left homeless by the same disaster, has little interest in the helpless girl who comes from the tribe they refer to as the "Others". Only their medicine woman sees in Ayla a fellow human, worthy of care. She painstakingly nurses her back to health--a decision that will forever alter the physical and emotional structure of the clan. Although this story takes place roughly 35,000 years ago, its cast of characters could easily slide into any modern tale. The members of the Neanderthal clan, ruled by traditions and taboos, find themselves challenged by this outsider, who represents the physically modern Cro-Magnons. And as Ayla begins to grow and mature, her natural tendencies emerge, putting her in the middle of a brutal and dangerous power struggle. It must be more than 20 years since I first read this book so I had forgotten all but the very basics of the storyline so it was a bit like reading it for the first time. I really enjoyed this read, Jean Auel goes into a lot of detail about clan life, how they hunted, the plants they used for medicine & the social rules of the clan, which for me made the story totally absorbing. Even though it's quite a large book I could of quite happily read it from cover to cover if real life hadn't gotten in the way, every time I picked up the book it was like stepping out of this world into Ayla's prehistoric world. A fabulous compelling read I 'm looking forward to reading the rest of the series. 5/5 Edited April 8, 2011 by Kidsmum Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kidsmum Posted April 8, 2011 Author Share Posted April 8, 2011 Club Dead Charlaine Harris Amazon synopsis There's only one vampire Sookie Stackhouse is involved with - at least voluntarily - and that's Bill. But recently he's been a little distant - in another state distant. His sinister and sexy boss Eric has an idea where to find him, and next thing Sookie knows she's off to Jackson, Mississippi, to mingle with the underworld at Club Dead. It's a dangerous little haunt where the elusive vampire society can go to chill out and suck down some Type O - but when Sookie finally finds Bill caught in an act of serious betrayal she's not sure whether to save him, or to sharpen some stakes. The Sookie Stackhouse books are delightful Southern Gothic supernatural mysteries, starring Sookie, the telepathic cocktail waitress, and a cast of increasingly colourful characters, including vampires, werewolves and things that really do go bump in the night. This is the third in the series of the Sookie Stackhouse novels & unfortunately I didn't enjoy this as much as the first two books. There just didn't seem to be enough flesh on the bones of the story & I couldn't help but compare it to the TV series where lesser characters are more developed & so the story seems more substantial. Perhaps because I wasn't in a good place when I read it it has affected my enjoyment of the story I'm not sure but I could only give it a 3/5. 3/5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kidsmum Posted April 23, 2011 Author Share Posted April 23, 2011 Sharpe's Tiger Bernard Cornwell Amazon Synopsis Sharpe, the rest of his battalion and rising star of the general staff Arthur Wellesley, are about to embark upon the siege of the island citadel of the Tippoo of Mysore, Seringapatam. The British must remove this potentate from his Tiger Throne, but he has gone to great lengths to defend his city from attack. When a senior British officer is captured by the Tippoo's forces, Sharpe is offered a chance to attempt a rescue and infiltrate the Tippoo's forces. Sharpe needs no invitation to get away from the tyrannical Sergeant Hakeswill, but once inside the dangerous world of the Tippoo he realises he will need all his wits just to stay alive, let alone save the British army from catastrophe. Set against the background of dazzling wealth, ruinous poverty, gorgeous palaces, sudden cruelty and pitiless battles, 'Sharpe's Tiger' is his greatest adventure yet. This is a really enjoyable book it has everything a good story needs a hero, a villain, a love interest & lashings of adventure. 4/5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ladymacbeth Posted April 24, 2011 Share Posted April 24, 2011 Hi Kidsmum. I agree that Club Dead is not the strongest in the series but I still enjoyed it. Also love Clan of the Cave Bear. The original book is a great standalone novel. I think the rest of the series could never really match it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kidsmum Posted May 4, 2011 Author Share Posted May 4, 2011 Also love Clan of the Cave Bear. The original book is a great standalone novel. I think the rest of the series could never really match it. I do seem to be struggling with Valley of Horses at the moment not sure if it's the book or my mojo that's lacking at the moment it's such a shame as I was so looking forward to re reading the series Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vodkafan Posted May 7, 2011 Share Posted May 7, 2011 I do seem to be struggling with Valley of Horses at the moment not sure if it's the book or my mojo that's lacking at the moment it's such a shame as I was so looking forward to re reading the series It's been a very long while since I read VoH but I remember feeling exactly the same way. It didn't have the same power as the first book and seemed to be going into female fantasy territory to me. (Not that there is anything wrong with female fantasies) I didn't read any more of the series. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kidsmum Posted May 8, 2011 Author Share Posted May 8, 2011 It's been a very long while since I read VoH but I remember feeling exactly the same way. It didn't have the same power as the first book and seemed to be going into female fantasy territory to me. (Not that there is anything wrong with female fantasies) I didn't read any more of the series. I'm finding the endless descriptions of hunting expeditions a bit of a drag just want it to get on with the story I'm actually looking forward to finishing it so I can start on something completely different. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kidsmum Posted May 11, 2011 Author Share Posted May 11, 2011 Despite good intentions the lure of the charity shop was too much for me & I came home with : Wolf Hall Hilary Mantel Lord John and the Private Matter Diana Gabaldon Murder on the Leviathan Boris Akunin The Hundred Secret Senses Amy Tan The Ladies of Grace Adieu Susanna Clarke Salmon Fishing in the Yemen Paul Torday Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kylie Posted May 12, 2011 Share Posted May 12, 2011 Nice haul! Wolf Hall Hilary Mantel The Ladies of Grace Adieu Susanna Clarke Salmon Fishing in the Yemen Paul Torday I have the first two on my TBR pile and I've been curious about Torday. I look forward to hearing your thoughts on them. I hope you're doing well, Kidsmum. Thinking of you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pickle Posted May 12, 2011 Share Posted May 12, 2011 Despite good intentions the lure of the charity shop was too much for me & I came home with : Murder on the Leviathan Boris Akunin Ohhh Murder on the Leviathan- have you read any of the other Boris Akunin books? I like Erast Fandorin but love Sister Pelagia those are quite funny as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
~Andrea~ Posted May 12, 2011 Share Posted May 12, 2011 ... totally absorbing... I could of quite happily read it from cover to cover if real life hadn't gotten in the way, every time I picked up the book it was like stepping out of this world into Ayla's prehistoric world. A fabulous compelling read I 'm looking forward to reading the rest of the series. 5/5 Also love Clan of the Cave Bear. The original book is a great standalone novel. I think the rest of the series could never really match it. I'm so glad to hear you both say this. I have it on my shelf and am planning to read it after I finish IT. Actually it will be my holiday read Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kidsmum Posted May 12, 2011 Author Share Posted May 12, 2011 I have the first two on my TBR pile and I've been curious about Torday. I look forward to hearing your thoughts on them. I hope you're doing well, Kidsmum. Thinking of you. Hi Kylie, I am doing well thanks I seem to have found my warrior spirit Ohhh Murder on the Leviathan- have you read any of the other Boris Akunin books? I like Erast Fandorin but love Sister Pelagia those are quite funny as well. Hi Pickle, I've got Winter Queen but haven't got round to reading it yet so it's good to hear you've enjoyed Akunin's books. I picked them up because I thought they looked a bit different from the run of the mill detective stories I'm so glad to hear you both say this. I have it on my shelf and am planning to read it after I finish IT. Actually it will be my holiday read I'm sure you'll enjoy Clan of the Cave Bear Andrea it's a great choice for a holiday read Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kidsmum Posted May 12, 2011 Author Share Posted May 12, 2011 Anti Cancer a new way of life Dr David Servan- Schreiber Waterstones Synopsis This is an updated edition for 2011 including all the latest medical research and up-to-date studies. This is an approachable, empowering guide to staying healthy and fighting disease. Would it surprise you to hear that one in four people are affected by cancer? If you knew that simple lifestyle changes could significantly reduce your chances of developing the disease, would you take advantage of your natural defences? 'I had cancer. I was diagnosed for the first time 15 years ago. I received conventional treatment and the cancer went into remission, but I relapsed after that. Then I decided to learn everything I could to help my body defend itself against the illness. I've lived cancer free now for seven years. In this book, I'd like to tell you the stories - scientific and personal - behind what I learned' - Author. David-Servan Schreiber is an academic physician with a wealth of experience in the field of integrative medicine. He will show you how, through simple alterations in diet, lifestyle and attitude, you can tackle cancer alongside conventional treatments, or even avoid it altogether. This is not a biology textbook, but a practical, insightful and individual guide that will allow you to make the best choices for your own health and well being. The book starts off telling the authors story & his own battle with cancer it then goes on to tell you what changes you can make to your food , lifestyle & mindset to either hopefully prevent you getting cancer or stop it returning, he puts his case well & backs up his claims with strong evidence. I found this book really easy to read & he totally convinced me that diet plays a very important roll in preventing cancer developing. After all if red meat has been linked to bowel cancer then it makes sense that other foods are capable of combating it.This book left me feeling empowered to fight my own battle. 5/5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kylie Posted May 13, 2011 Share Posted May 13, 2011 This book left me feeling empowered to fight my own battle. 5/5 Truly worthy of a 5/5 then! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vodkafan Posted May 13, 2011 Share Posted May 13, 2011 Sounds good kidsmum your warrior spirit is strong. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
poppyshake Posted May 13, 2011 Share Posted May 13, 2011 It's such a good idea to read something informative and positive about dealing with cancer by someone who has been through it. It's not only his dietary advice that's invaluable but his firsthand experience too. It's a great reading choice Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kidsmum Posted May 19, 2011 Author Share Posted May 19, 2011 It's such a good idea to read something informative and positive about dealing with cancer by someone who has been through it. It's not only his dietary advice that's invaluable but his firsthand experience too. It's a great reading choice Thanks Poppy it certainly helped me to feel I could be proactive in helping myself & because he was able to back up what he'd said with strong evidence I felt that I could trust the advice given. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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