Monday 25 February 2013

February reads

After two months of really struggling with reading - not having much time to devote to it; not being able to concentrate when I did find time; not really getting in to any books - I'm extremely happy that February has marked a return to my usual reading habits. 


1. I adored Wonder, the funny, touching and ultimately uplifting tale of a ten year old boy with an extreme facial disfigurement who goes to school for the first time.  Very much recommended.

2. There is an insidiously creepy atmosphere to this Louisiana-set thriller.  A dead body is found near the former slave quarters of a historical plantation, and the scene is set for a mystery which reaches back into the unhappy history of the Deep South.  A cut (no pun intended) above my usual trashy crime novels; I enjoyed it very much.

3. I'm reading this, very reluctantly, for my book group.  In fact, I'm enjoying it so little that I may give up... anyone want to convince me it's worth persevering with?  So far, it's just page after page of banging on about animal behaviour and religion: possibly the two things I am least interested in.


4. Given to me by Richard as a late Christmas present, with the charming words, "it might be too difficult for you; there aren't many pictures."  Cheers for having faith in my intellectual capabilities, bro.  Viking Age Iceland was actually a very readable history of saga-era Iceland (and actually, there were lots of pictures.  I "oohed" out loud at one diagram of a 10th century longhouse because I'm a massive loser).

5.  Continuing the Iceland theme, I really enjoyed this account, by writer and literature professor Sarah Moss, of relocating to Reykjavik for a year with her family.  If you've ever visited the country and - like me - toyed with a romanticised idea of living there, this is a great read.

6. The last in a trilogy of crime thrillers by Peter May, all set in the Outer Hebrides: specifically, the Isle of Lewis.  Not terribly intellectual or demanding, but it passed the time.

6 comments:

  1. Names for the Sea is great, indeed!

    I've seen the cover for Wonder around a lot, but had no idea what it was about. Shall definitely add this to my to-read list.

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    1. I saw on your blog that you were reading it and thought "snap!"

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  2. I have been TERRIBLE at reading books in the past few months - which is a shame, because I love getting stuck into a good book

    I completely blame procrastinating on the computer

    Actually, this week E and I have decided to do 'A week of... reading' - so perhaps that will prompt me to get hooked on books again

    I've had Life of Pi sitting on my bookcase for years (a lot of people seem to) but never really fancied it... love to hear how you get on with it and you get stuck further in!

    B x

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    1. Yep, I blame my iPhone for turning me into a crap reader. That and The Boy. A week of reading sounds like a fab idea, I look forward to seeing what you both read.

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  3. I struggled a bit with Life of Pi but once you get post shipwreck it really does improve! :)

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