What are you reading? 2021

Just finished reading Here And Now by Santa Montefiore a very moving but beautiful story about a woman and her family coming to terms with her diagnosis of Dementia. You get to realise how it touches the lives of all her family in very individual ways. What I found particularly moving was Marigold 's own thoughts and feelings when she first began to experience symptoms and the early coping strategies she put in place to try and hide it from her family. Her description of how she feels on days when she wakes up with a thick fog in her head...or when she doesn't recognise the man who is her husband of over 40 years.

It has certainly given me a lot more food for thought as to what my brother and our family ,his support as he lives alone, have to prepare ourselves for in the near future.
It was fictional I know but the research carried out made the information given in the book more understandable by being written from the viewpoints of the all the various family members.

 

The last year has seen me reading more than usual. The standouts were;

• Empire of the Sun by J.G.Ballard. I'd held off reading this for some time as I dislike autobiographies and I was worried that it might have been too autobiographical. I needn't have worried though, it's absolute genius!
• The Day of Creation, also by Ballard. Also genius but with a very dark current running through it.
• Wolf Hall by Hilary Mantel. Offers a very different view of the younger Thomas Cromwell, almost sympathetic.
• A Very Long Engagement by Sebastien Japrisot.
• One Deadly Summer, again by Sebastien Japrisot.
• No and Me by Delphine de Vigan. Although it reads as if it is intended for teens we found this hard to put down and it didn't shy away from some of the issues (addiction, abuse etc.) that can lead to some people ending up homeless.
• Thank You Jeeves by P.G.Wodehouse. I love the old style of writing and some of the phrases used, such as 'nigger minstrels', would cause outrage today.
• England Made Me by Graham Greene. A gem by one of my favourite authors.

I also managed to read a book by John Le Carré and quite enjoyed it - A Legacy of Spies.

 

The older I get the less I read TBH, I increasingly think of it as a complete waste of time. This year I've only read 'Firearms and Fatals' by Harry Tangye (a policing autobiography) and re-read 'American Scream: The Bill Hicks Story' by Cynthia True. I do however find that I enjoy audiobooks more and more, there's something very therapeutic and relaxing about them, and I found Alan Partridge's pseudo-autobiography absolutely hilarious! ('I, Partridge' by Coogan, Ianucci and the Gibbons brothers).

In recent years I've thoroughly enjoyed Victoria Hislop's novels and have found them very engaging and at times quite moving, but after finishing her third and starting her fourth I thought them a tad samey.

Nick

 

I listened to Bill today - Live at the Oxford Union. The man was truly a comedy god

 

@longk Bill, George Carlin and Lenny Bruce were the 3 genius truth-tellers of stand-up IMO, although I think Bruce's comedy is a bit outdated! But our own Stewart Lee is probably the one who cracks me up the most, I've ended up with a seriously sore stomach after listening to some of his bits! Louis CK and Bill Burr are another couple of American comedians I really like.

Nick

 

Robin Williams doing stand up was also epic.
As far as British comedy goes I reckon that I'm still traumatised by the likes of Jim Davidson and Bernard Manning from when I was growing up! I've seen Mark Steel live and he is sooooo funny. It makes you wonder how the likes of Michael McIntyre become so successful.
Rich Hall and Henning Wehn crack me up too.

 

The Power and the Glory by Graham Green. Once again, I loved it. He truly was one of the greats.

Crash by J.G.Ballard. Described as the book that could not be filmed - having read it I have to wonder why anyone would want to! But, having said that, I did find it utterly compelling.

Paris Echo by Sebastien Faulks. An utter gem.

Cold Comfort Farm by Stella Gibbons. So good that it is now one of my ten favourite novels!

 

I'm currently reading Edward The Elder and the making of England by Harriet Harvey Wood as a follow on from reading about Alfred the Great.

And about to start this - Checkmate (Lymond Chronicles) by Dorothy Dunnett. Fiction, and the last book in a series of six. The whole series has not been an easy read but I've been drawn in by the storyline that's set in the 16th century.

 

Now the evenings are getting longer, I have more time to read.

So far this month I've read

 

The last book @Upsydaisy....is that more recent history or throughout time?

Currently reading a novel in a long series of books by M J Porter about King Ceolwulf of Mercia in the late 9th century.

 

Hi @Sheal it starts way back, the first chapter 'Early History - Pre 828 'and works through to the 2nd W.War. So fascinating to read, as I know it so well being only a couple of miles away . Knowing all the areas / roads and buildings brings it to life .

It even mentions the landowners who use to own most of the area we live in...all the land around us ( farmland) is still part of their family Estate .

I have reserve the book on Southampton from the same series too, likewise that's just a few miles away and I know that city very well too.

 

Lee Child is very good. Have seen two Jack Reacher films with Tom Cruise.

 

Thanks for the information @Upsydaisy. My reading preference is between 500 - 1400AD . Having said that I think I might find the book an interesting read, so one added to my list.