Kidsmum's Reading List 2012

[Janet]

I agree they would make great TV but i can't imagine who would play Peter have you anyone in mind ?

Forgive me for butting in, but I've been giving this matter some thought myself! I came up with Noel Clarke (he was Mickey in the first series of 'new Who' with Christopher Ecclestone and Billy Piper). I haven't seen him in much else, but from his imdb.com page he's been in loads of other stuff and is also a writer.

 

[Kidsmum]

Oh yes i vaguely remember him from Dr Who, it seems like such a long time ago that Christopher Ecclestone was the Doctor. Good choice though

[Kidsmum]

I wanted to read some Dickens this year & as we're now hurrying towards December i would appreciate some help in making my choice. So which would you pick out of

 

Oliver Twist

A Christmas Carol

A Tale of Two Cities

Hard Times

Nicholas Nickleby

[Janet]

A Christmas Carol!!! A Christmas Carol!!! A Christmas Carol!!! A Christmas Carol!!!

 

I read it every year!!

[willoyd]

I wanted to read some Dickens this year & as we're now hurrying towards December i would appreciate some help in making my choice. So which would you pick out of

 

Oliver Twist

A Christmas Carol

A Tale of Two Cities

Hard Times

Nicholas Nickleby

 

Comfortably, Oliver Twist, which I read for the first time earlier this year, and was very pleasantly surprised by: I've seen too many musical versions etc -the book is far more intricate and interesting than any of these. . I know what Janet says, but Christmas Carol doesn't do an awful lot for me. It's not a full book anyway. Tale of Two Cities isn't particularly Dickensian, Hard Times is fairly hard going, and I've yet to do more than dip into Nicholas Nickleby.

[poppyshake]

If you're reading it before Christmas it has to be, imo and Janet's which is more to the point, A Christmas Carol .. reading it at any other time of the year is just plain wrong. I'm re-reading it myself at the moment and as we head towards the season it's good to read a shorter book, involved stories can be too distracting (or rather the season can be too distracting and it's hard to focus on complex stories. Don't take any notice of Willoyd I bet he doesn't have to do the shopping/baking ). Other than that I'd say A Tale of Two Cities (haha .. you'll probably get an advocate for every book and it won't help you at all )

Further than that I'd say steer clear (for now) of Hard Times (which could be labelled 'Hard Work' ) .. I haven't read it actually but have heard it being read and I constantly drifted off

Anyway that's my two penn'orth. Whichever you decide, hope you enjoy it

 

I like the idea of Noel Clarke for Peter. I was thinking Adrian Lester but then I looked him up and he's a bit too old. Christopher Ecclestone my favourite doctor.

[Kidsmum]

Thanks guys .... I'm going to go with Poppy & Janets suggestion A Christmas Carol, sorry Willoyd, as i think reading a shorter book as Poppy says makes more sense at this busy time of year. I've only ever read Great Expectations & that was at school so i'm hoping i enjoy his books more now i'm a bit older ( quite a bit older) But if i enjoy A Christmas Carol then i shall mark in Oliver Twist for the new year. Hard Times is the only one that i don't know the story to so good job i asked for help otherwise i probably would have opted for that one.

 

Christopher Ecclestone is my favourite doctor as well

[Janet]

He was my favourite too, although I loved DT! I haven't watched Doctor Who since the first series with Matt Smith in it. Not that I don't like him - I just seem to have got out of the habit.

 

I do hope you enjoy A Christmas Carol. I'm sure you will, and it's perfect for getting one into a Christmas mood!

[Kidsmum]

Well i gave up on The Court Of The Air Stephen Hunt after only 70 pages. I thought it was going to be a cross between Fingersmith & Oliver Twist but it turned out to be fantasy which you wouldn't have known from reading the back, anyway i didn't like it at all so it's gone to the charity shop & to keep my Mojo on an even keel i re read Rebecca Daphne Du Maurier which i enjoyed just as much as the first time knowing the story didn't take away the pleasure of reading it again & my copy has an authors note & epilogue in the back although i felt that the ending was perfect as it is sometimes it's better to leave things untold. I'm sticking to short easy reads till the new year as Christmas is always such a busy time so i've started With Your Crooked Heart by Helen Dunmore i've only read the first few chapters but so far so good

[Kidsmum]

Just counted up my total & i've read 64 books this year so far, going to try & make it to the 70 mark before Christmas

[vodkafan]

Wow that's good going kidsmum more than a book a week.

[Janet]

Good luck.

[Kidsmum]

Wow that's good going kidsmum more than a book a week.

 

My reading seems to have picked up from the summer onwards not so much on the TV to watch that i'm interested in i guess

 

 

Good luck.

 

Thanks Janet , now all i have to do is cut down my book buying & i might be able to reduce my TBR mountain

[julie]

Kidsmum

Wow, that is a great total for the year . Did you keep track last year,and if so,was it around the same number ?

 

[Kidsmum]

Kidsmum

Wow, that is a great total for the year . Did you keep track last year,and if so,was it around the same number ?

 

I read 55 books last year which wasn't bad considering the year i'd had so i've already passed that but i'd really like to make it to 70 as it's a nice round number

[willoyd]

Sorry to come back so late - too busy shopping, baking, washing, and doing a job of work........

 

If you're reading it before Christmas it has to be, imo and Janet's which is more to the point, A Christmas Carol

.. reading it at any other time of the year is just plain wrong. I'm re-reading it myself at the moment and as we head towards the season it's good to read a shorter book

Well, you can't get much shorter - a couple of hour's read at most. But, I agree, if you're going to read it, it has to be at this time of year! Last year, I read it whilst the turkey was cooking, and the turkey took longer.

 

Don't take any notice of Willoyd I bet he doesn't have to do the shopping/baking )

Now there's stereotyping for you! You should know that every primary teacher has at least two Christmases to deal with: the real one, and the school one! Decorating the school hall and display boards last Friday evening, decoration making for class throughout this past week, card making Thursday, Carol Service/Nativity play last night (with rehearsals for the previous fortnight), next week: Christmas parties to organise, cooking with the children (sweets, cakes etc), wrapping presents for Santa, school talent show ( including staff performance to rehearse at some stage), school visit to the pantomime to manage, along with all the usual activities, covering several of the above for a sick teacher. And you've only got shopping and baking to do? :D

 

Other than that I'd say A Tale of Two Cities (haha .. you'll probably get an advocate for every book and it won't help you at all ) Further than that I'd say steer clear (for now) of Hard Times (which could be labelled 'Hard Work' )

 

I'd agree about Hard Times, but as you say, every book will have its advocates. They will also have their denigrates, and TofTC is one of my least liked Dickens so far.

 

If you're going to read Christmas Carol, what about one or two of the other Christmas stories? The Chimes is probably the best known of them.

 

Personally, I'm reading David Copperfield some time over the Christmas break, not least because it's my book group's next book to discuss!

Edited December 8, 2012 by willoyd

[Kidsmum]

Just finished reading Lighthousekeeping by Jeanette Winterson such a great read i loved her writing style it was almost poetic. I think having previously read her autobiography Why Be Happy When You Could Be Normal ? & watching her on Imagine helped me to understand how her past has influenced her writing & i enjoyed the book all the more for knowing more about her.

[Kidsmum]

Whizzed through According To Queenie Beryl Bainbridge not because i liked it but just so i could get to the end quickly . This was supposed to be a candid & comic story about Samuel Johnson & his friends set against the background of Georgian London. I found it more annoying than funny, Johnson comes across as a twerp his friends both tolerate & indulge him because he is seen as a genius & a great wit, the toast of society. They are equally as annoying as Johnson coming across as selfish & shallow . The only reason i persevered to the end was because the book was quite short but its destined for the charity shop.

[Janet]

Oh dear! Is it the first of hers you've read? I read An Awfully Big Adventure a couple of years ago - it was quite slow and took me a while to get into. It didn't make me want to rush out and read any more!

[vodkafan]

I will give According To Queenie a miss then thanks for the warning. Glad you liked Lighthousekeeping I loved that too so surreal. I agree that reading JW's autobiography helped a lot to understand her writing style and view of the world. If you liked JW then Sexing The Cherry is worth a read too. I like the way she mixes Time up. I found both in the charity shops so only a small outlay for me for a lot of enjoyment.

[Kidsmum]

Oh dear! Is it the first of hers you've read? I read An Awfully Big Adventure a couple of years ago - it was quite slow and took me a while to get into. It didn't make me want to rush out and read any more!

 

No, i read a few of hers last year Master Georgie & An Awfully Big Adventure which i liked & Every Man For Himself which i wasn't keen on for much the same reasons as i didn't like According To Queenie, it was set on the Titanic & all the characters were annoying & shallow but perhaps they were meant to be so being the idle rich

 

I will give According To Queenie a miss then thanks for the warning. Glad you liked Lighthousekeeping I loved that too so surreal. I agree that reading JW's autobiography helped a lot to understand her writing style and view of the world. If you liked JW then Sexing The Cherry is worth a read too. I like the way she mixes Time up. I found both in the charity shops so only a small outlay for me for a lot of enjoyment.

 

I shall look out for Sexing The Cherry VF, i also want to read Oranges are not the Only Fruit as i've only seen the TV adaptation. I really like Jeanette Winterson she comes across as someone who'd been really interesting to go to the pub with

[Kidsmum]

The Woman He Loved Before Dorothy Koomson

 

Amazon Synopsis

 

Libby has a good life with a gorgeous husband and a home by the sea. But over time she is becoming more unsure if Jack has ever loved her - and if he is over the death of Eve, his first wife. When fate intervenes in their relationship, Libby decides to find out all she can about the man she hastily married and the seemingly perfect Eve. But in doing so she unearths devastating secrets. Frightened by what she finds and the damage it could cause, Libby starts to worry that she too will end up like the first woman Jack loved . . .

 

This book was lent to me by a friend of my daughters so i felt obliged to read it even though it's not really my sort of thing. In it's favour i'd say it was a quick read easy to pick up & put down but the storyline & characters were far fetched. The main character Liberty was studying to be a Bio Chemist but then decided to go for her second love which is beauty & so became a Beautician, there was a reason for this drastic career change but i 've forgotten what it was as it was at the start of the book.Her husband Jack is unbelievably handsome in fact so drop dead gorgeous that women often propositioned him on the street unable to resist his obvious charms, he's also well off, kind, generous & fantastic in the sack It's the sort of book i would probably have enjoyed when i was in my late teens. 2/5

Edited December 20, 2012 by Kidsmum

[Kidsmum]

Charlotte Sometimes Penelope Farmer

 

Amazon Synopsis

It is Charlotte's first night at boarding school. But when she wakes up, the girl in the next bed is not the person who was sleeping there the evening before. And the new building outside her window seems to have metamorphosed into a huge, dark cedar tree! Somehow, Charlotte has slipped back forty years.

 

I started reading this to my youngest daughter who is 8 as it sounded just the sort of book she'd like being a big fan of Enid Blyton's Naughtiest Girl books & all things to do with boarding school but unfortunately we only made it through the first few chapters before her eyes glazed over. I carried on reading it to myself & although i quite enjoyed it it's hard to know what age range the book is aimed at. The actual story is more suited to younger readers but not enough happens to hold the interest & there are too many big words that have to be explained which ruins the flow of the story however i can't imagine older children being interested in it either. I would put this in the same category as Mistress Masham's Repose & another book i inflicted on her Fattypuffs & Thinnifers, sounds great but turned out to be a bit of a let down. 2/5

[Janet]

I quite enjoyed Charlotte Sometimes when I read it a couple of years ago, but it is rather dated, so I can understand why it wouldn't appeal to today's youngsters. I like the 'time switch' concept, but this certainly isn't one of the best ones of that type of story.

[Kidsmum]

I quite enjoyed Charlotte Sometimes when I read it a couple of years ago, but it is rather dated, so I can understand why it wouldn't appeal to today's youngsters. I like the 'time switch' concept, but this certainly isn't one of the best ones of that type of story.

 

Not sure if it was ever adapted for TV but i think it would make a good children's serial. I liked the ending & for some reason felt quite teary when Charlotte found out what had happened to Clare