What are you reading? 2019

@Loofah, Cornwells (lengthy) series about a part Saxon part Dane and his fight to regain his stolen castle but also his on off relationship with King Alfred (Pagan v Christian) and his own violent fight for survival. Told over a several decades, the last book is due in May and should be the last.
I saw some of the TV series but so much was altered for modern audiences I gave up with it, the books are so much more in depth.

I have recently read some Griff Hosker viking tales books and Stephen A Mackay's
Wolfs Head (Robin Hood the early years).

 

The Last Kingdom series @strongylodon and @Loofah. A great read and Bernard Cornwell never fails to write well.

 

I struggling to find new reading material too.
Spent a bit of time searching for inspiration on my online library site yesterday.

Snap Lori, I always try and read books in publication order too.

In the end, not really being able to decide what type of book I was in the mood for, I selected ' Spare Me The Truth' by CJCarver.
Can't as yet give any feedback as I've only read two pages.

 

Now I'm retired I read all the time. I don't read much non-fiction but I found this book about the fall of the Berlin Wall exciting and quite emotional too in places. "The year that changed the world" by Michael Meyer. It's not a heavy read. At the time I kind of knew what was going on but what with raising a family and work and so on a lot of it passed me by so it was nice to really find out what happened.

Three unusual books I read and enjoyed this year are -

"The Convenience Store Woman" by Sayaka Murata - translated from the japanese. Quite short but quirky, about a woman with Aspergers who works in a convenience store.

"Big girl, small town" by Michelle Gallen. It won a women's comedy award but although it's very funny in place I wouldn't call it a comedy. The dialogue it terrific. Especially good if you like fish and chips.

Another one with brilliant dialogue is "A Confederacy of dunces" by John Kennedy Toole. Set amongst the low life of New Orleans. Funny.

Also if you like murder mystery with just a hint of the supernatural then anything by Jess Kidd. I think she's great.

Cheers
Steve

 

Thanks @Steve Elliott for mentioning that book. Been to Nola and always like reading stories set in places I've visited

 

Hi Lori, a great book for you would be Barkskins by Annie Proulx. Following a family of lumberjacks starting way back and covering a long time period. Starting in Canada but criss crossing the world and following the family timber business and ending up in Canada again. The descriptions on the men working on the log rafts on the rivers are amazing. Highly dangerous.

 

C J Sansoms Shardlake series. I'm not really into historical but these are something else!