Anjuli_Bai Posted January 8, 2014 Share Posted January 8, 2014 I am reading the large (600) page bio on Alicia Markova. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anna C Posted January 9, 2014 Share Posted January 9, 2014 Just finished "The woman who went to bed for a year" by Sue Townsend. A fabulous comic read about a woman who decides not to leave her bed one morning and the consequences of her actions.Sounds like my life; I'd better read it. :-D I always have at least two books on the go; currently they are my very battered and dog-eared copy of Pride & Prejudice (again) and one of my Christmas pressies - "Behind the scenes of Downton Abbey". :-) 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cornishprincess Posted January 9, 2014 Share Posted January 9, 2014 Just found this thread....I am an avid reader (it's not just all that waiting around for dd, I'm sure) and am reading 'Longbourn' at the moment. not great literature but a jolly good read. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Huddsballetmum Posted January 10, 2014 Share Posted January 10, 2014 You must try "The Hundred Old Man who Jumped Out of the Window and Disappeared" by Jonas Jonasson. What a fabulous read encompassing humour, a view of historical events and an elephant names Sonya. What more could you want in a book! It is one of those books that you start reading with some trepidation as to whether you will enjoy it and then by the end you are sad that it is finished. Loved it! 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cornishprincess Posted January 10, 2014 Share Posted January 10, 2014 I have read that...it's fab!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anna C Posted January 10, 2014 Share Posted January 10, 2014 Just found this thread....I am an avid reader (it's not just all that waiting around for dd, I'm sure) and am reading 'Longbourn' at the moment. not great literature but a jolly good read. That one is on my wishlist! :-) 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LinMM Posted January 10, 2014 Share Posted January 10, 2014 I'm thinking of that hundred year old man book! Ive finished Kate Atkinson Life after Life (think she got some award for this.....not the big one but the Costa one? ) Anyway am now reading my light relief type book which I fall back on in between "greater" reads so this is Susan Hill....in her detective mode series " a question of identity" Any detective series is attractive to me as a reasonably quick and easy read but not the gruesome ones more Pyscho ones. I like the idea of the Sue Townsend book especially at this time of the year as there are days when you could just stay in bed for at least a week anyway(dark and cold or windy and wet etc) perhaps they will both be on a buy two get one half price etc.......I avoid the buy three get one free type offers as I can never find the third book quick enough and could end up in the shop all afternoon!! 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cornishprincess Posted January 10, 2014 Share Posted January 10, 2014 Have you read The unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry?????? I loved that too. Also The Last Runaway???? I love the Buy one get one half price offers...although I can usually find three and either have to decide which one to put back or find a fourth to make it worth it!!! Decisions decisions. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regattah Posted January 11, 2014 Share Posted January 11, 2014 Absolutely loved The Hundred Year Old Man ....! I'm reading The Universe versus Alex Fry at the moment, which you may like if you liked The 100 Year ... It's funny but touching and clever. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fiz Posted January 11, 2014 Share Posted January 11, 2014 Love and Death in Vienna a novel about Crown Prince Rudolf of Austria and Mary Vetsera. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jan McNulty Posted January 11, 2014 Author Share Posted January 11, 2014 Love and Death in Vienna a novel about Crown Prince Rudolf of Austria and Mary Vetsera. Oh that sounds interesting - by whom? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fiz Posted January 11, 2014 Share Posted January 11, 2014 It is. The writer has definitely done her research. She rejoices in the somewhat unfortunate name of Bunny Paine-Clemes, Jan. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
porthesia Posted January 12, 2014 Share Posted January 12, 2014 Sourcery - Terry Pratchett and Norman England - Trevor Rowley. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
porthesia Posted January 13, 2014 Share Posted January 13, 2014 Finished Sourcery, can't recommend this book. Read a handful of his books and love "Monstrous Regiment" but this was very disjointed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jan McNulty Posted January 13, 2014 Author Share Posted January 13, 2014 I've not long finished a novel about the Great Siege of Malta in 1565 by William Napier called The Last Crusaders: The Great Siege. I thought it started a bit slowly but when the heroes of the book got to Malta just before the start of the siege I found I could not put it down. I read up quite a lot about the Crusades after a holiday to Syria many years ago, up to and including the defeat of the Knights of St John by Napoleon. Over recent years I have read 3 superb novels set in the siege. All three writers have made me feel as though I lived through the siege. The other 2 were The Religion by Tim Willocks and Sword and Scimitar by Simon Scarrow (one of my favourite authors). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shmendrick Posted January 14, 2014 Share Posted January 14, 2014 Janet, if you like Simon Scarrow, you might like Bernard Cowell. They have a similiar writing style, IMO. 1356 and the Sharpe books are both good. I'm currently rereading Lord of Emperors by Guy Gavriel Kay, it's a fantasy with a setting similiar to the last days of the Roman Empire. I'd really recommend it and Sailing to Sarantium, the first book. Did anyone read Pig's Foot by Carlos Acosta? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jan McNulty Posted January 14, 2014 Author Share Posted January 14, 2014 I've downloaded it but haven't started it yet. Thanks for the recommendations! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
porthesia Posted January 15, 2014 Share Posted January 15, 2014 (edited) Shmendrick, try The Lions of Al Rassan when you've finished Lord of Emperors, very similar feel as to setting. My favourite work by Guy is Tigana (non dd bought me a signed copy as my original book fell apart from so many readings) followed closely by a Song from Arbonne. Do admit he has a propensity to make me cry. Edited January 15, 2014 by porthesia Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shmendrick Posted January 16, 2014 Share Posted January 16, 2014 Everyone loves Tigana but I hated it with a passion. Lions of Al Rassan is excellent, I also like Last Light of the Sun and Under Heaven. Have you read his latest one yet? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
porthesia Posted January 17, 2014 Share Posted January 17, 2014 Mmm I didn't enjoy Under Heaven as much as his others and no I haven't read the latest one yet. Debating whether to get it on Kindle if it is available. Have also started an on line course and there is lots of reading for that hence the Norman England! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
loveclassics Posted February 3, 2014 Share Posted February 3, 2014 I have recently discovered the historical novels of Anne O'Brien. She's an older lady and writes beautifully. The are three, Virgin Widow, about Anne Neville, Warwick's daughter and wife of Richard III, The Devil's Consort about Eleanor of Aquitaine and her latest one that's just out, The King's Concubine, about Alice Perrers. Sorry, coming to this thread rather late but which King, Fiz? I've just finished Sharon Penman's trilogy about Stephen, Matilda, Henry II and Eleanor of Aquitaine and getting stuck into Alison Weir's 2 books (1 novel and 1 biography) covering the same period. It's an era I never learnt much about at school so I'm filling in the gaps at present. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fiz Posted February 4, 2014 Share Posted February 4, 2014 Edward III, loveclassics. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Katie Posted February 7, 2014 Share Posted February 7, 2014 I can't agree enough about the Hunger Games, they are the best trilogy of books I have read in years. I love Kathy Reichs novels, the author who is a forensic anthropologist in real life, writes thrilling novels based on her real life experiences where she is based in Charlotte, North Carolina and Montreal, Canada. The stories are fictional, but you can feel the authenticity in her story telling. I literally cannot get enough of this ladies writing. Also Torey Hayden who is an educational psychologist and special education teacher, is an amazing story teller. Her portrayals of the children she has come across with severe emotional and educational needs have reduced me to tears on many an occasion. I am usually quite hard hearted and initially thought I wouldn't enjoy the subject matter, but after reading 'Silent Boy' I couldn't wait to read more of her books. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jan McNulty Posted February 8, 2014 Author Share Posted February 8, 2014 I love the Kathy Reichs books too! I've read all her adult ones (she has now started writing for teenagers with the Virals series - I read the first one). 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fiz Posted February 8, 2014 Share Posted February 8, 2014 I don't like Vitals at all. It seems to me that Kathy Reichs has been told by her publisher has told her to do this as part of her contract as they are very formulaic and slow. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fiz Posted February 8, 2014 Share Posted February 8, 2014 Virals, autocorrect! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fiz Posted February 8, 2014 Share Posted February 8, 2014 I am reading Roman Lincoln at present and it is heavy going. The historian that can write is a jewel to be treasured! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Huddsballetmum Posted February 20, 2014 Share Posted February 20, 2014 I can't agree enough about the Hunger Games, they are the best trilogy of books I have read in years. I love Kathy Reichs novels, the author who is a forensic anthropologist in real life, writes thrilling novels based on her real life experiences where she is based in Charlotte, North Carolina and Montreal, Canada. The stories are fictional, but you can feel the authenticity in her story telling. I literally cannot get enough of this ladies writing. Also Torey Hayden who is an educational psychologist and special education teacher, is an amazing story teller. Her portrayals of the children she has come across with severe emotional and educational needs have reduced me to tears on many an occasion. I am usually quite hard hearted and initially thought I wouldn't enjoy the subject matter, but after reading 'Silent Boy' I couldn't wait to read more of her books. I love Torey Hayden, she is an amazing writer and so frightening that most of her books are true stories. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fiz Posted February 20, 2014 Share Posted February 20, 2014 I am on a history of medicine kick at present and am currently reading a book about the attempts to defeat smallpox. I really wish the government would reintroduce vaccination. The Kremlin has stockpiled chemical weapons which include smallpox. ;( Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
porthesia Posted February 20, 2014 Share Posted February 20, 2014 Thanks to loveclassics recommendations I'm reading Sharon Penman's Lionheart. Enjoying it very much and will be looking out for more. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Melody Posted February 21, 2014 Share Posted February 21, 2014 (edited) Fiz, you've mentioned some really interesting topics in this thread, but could you specify the actual books? Your posts make me want to rush over to Amazon but then I'm not sure what to search for. At the moment I'm reading Roy Hattersley's book on the Dukes of Devonshire, which has finally got me to read Amanda Foreman's "Georgiana: Duchess of Devonshire." I've also recently finished Rhys Bowen's Royal Spyness series and am collecting her Constable Evans series second-hand at Amazon, having just read the first one. Oh, and I've just finished a fascinating book about geisha, complete with absolutely gorgeous photos. And I'm starting Jeremy Scahill's book "Dirty Wars" which will no doubt be endlessly depressing. Edited February 21, 2014 by Melody Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fiz Posted February 21, 2014 Share Posted February 21, 2014 Yes, I will, Melody, and thank you. I will go back through the thread and list them. The one I am reading currently is called "The Angel of Death" and is by Gareth Williams. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fiz Posted February 21, 2014 Share Posted February 21, 2014 OK, Melody, the only ones for which I gave no information are medical/true crime. The rest have titles and/or authors which will help you find them on Amazon. The ones I did not name are as follows. "Let this be our secret" by Deric Henderson, a true crime book which was so so. The book about the anthrax attack in America is "The Mirage Man" by David Willman. It is horrible and brilliant. Then there is "Asprin: The Extraordinary story of a wonder drug" by Diamuid Jeffreys, which is a very good read and finally "The Cholera Years" by Charles E Rosenburg about cholera in America. I hope you find this helpful. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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