I'm reading The Bullet that Missed at the moment. Like the other two its very enjoyable, though I do wonder how far Osman can go with the formula. I'd like to see him write something completely different next.
Me too @Stercus Tauri. Was it called "Marching to Clusium"?
The other Children's Hour serial of which I have forn recollections was The Pirates of the Deep Green Sea , by Eric Linklator. Did they do The Box of Delights as well?
That was truly the golden era of children's books and of children's programmes on the BBC. I also vividly recall an earlier BBC School's programme that time-travelled to Ancient Egypt; maybe I was home from primary school with measles at the time.
A bit slow catching up lately... But yes! That was it - "Marching to Clusium". There was a line that went, "And I kissed the girl at Clusium..." Astonishing what the brain stores away in dark corners with the help of strong music.
I'm doing an on-line course of forgotten 19th century novels. Next month is Reuben Sachs by Amy Levy. It's a long time since I've read anything quite so depressing.
I've just finished our next book club book, The Bullet Catcher's Daughter by Rod Duncan which is described as "steampunk" - a term I hadn't come across before. It's volume one of a series and I won't be reading the rest of them.
I too like Steampunk, though I don't deliberately seek it out. We have a lot of Steampunks round here. The sight of two women lacing each other into corsets in the carpark on the outside of town during one of their festivals was pretty amazing.
I'm reading the latest Kate Atkinson Shrines of Gaiety at the moment, and very much enjoying it
I wouldn't be against giving steampunk another go; just not that author or series.
Continuing my reread of Rosemary Sutcliff's Frontier Wolf.. My very old paperback copy is falling to pieces, which is odd because it isn't a book I've revisited at all over the years and as I can't remember anything about it it definitely wasn't a childhood favourite either.
Shrines of Gaiety is on my to-read list as well. Currently I'm finishing up a deep dive into Manda Scott's four-book Boudica series, about Boudica/Boadicea and the uprisings against the Roman conquest of Britain.
I have just finished Kitty Ferguson's The Nobleman and his Housedog which is a non-fiction work about Tycho Brahe and Johannes Kepler. I knew the outlines of the Brahe/Kepler story but there were some great details here. Kepler in particular comes out as a really excellent person who not only pursued his calling under often very difficult and tragic circumstances but had a lot more of a sense of humour and intellectual playfulness than I had previously realised.
I've just finished the 'Dauntless Path' trilogy by Intisar Khanani. Excellent YA fantasy. The first book, Thorn, is more of a standalone but the other two are more like one story in two parts. Very satisfying conclusion to the series.
I am just starting John Dickson Carr's The Mad Hatter Mystery, featuring Dr. Gideon Fell as the detective. I remember reading Carr when I was much younger (like, 45+ years ago) and finding him a tough read. But I am older now and more used to dense writing, so I thought I would give him another try. Only 2 chapters in, but I am enjoying it. Fell is a much different character than I remember.
I am just starting John Dickson Carr's The Mad Hatter Mystery, featuring Dr. Gideon Fell as the detective. I remember reading Carr when I was much younger (like, 45+ years ago) and finding him a tough read. But I am older now and more used to dense writing, so I thought I would give him another try. Only 2 chapters in, but I am enjoying it. Fell is a much different character than I remember.
Love John Dickson Carr, particularly the Fell ones. The Merrivale ones he wrote as Carter Dickson, not quite so much.
The must-reads, if you haven't already, are The Plague Court Murders and The Hollow Man.
Recently I finally bought a Kindle e reader so that I could down load and read Iain McGilchrist’s The Matter With Things. I’m no longer young so I knew I could never manage its 1500 pages even spread out over its two volumes without giving up hard copy. I do most of my reading in bed on my back so size and light weight of the Kindle are much appreciated. But this book is enlightened and enlightening. His earlier book which treated similar topics, The Master and His Emissary, was also an eye opener but this is much clearer and thorough. The number of topics it encompasses is surprising but the coherent way in which it is structured is what marks its real advance over the earlier book.
Amor Towles's Gentleman of Moscow. about a nobleman "exiled" to the Hotel Metropol for life. It was recommended to me by my BIL, who said the the protagonist reminded him of me. It's a fun, delightful novel which has flashes of wisdom about how we cope with adversity, finding beauty, love, and pleasure in adverse and surreal circumstances.
Daniel James Brown's The Boys in the Boat, about the University of Washington crew that won the eights that won gold at the 1936 Olympics. I was a varsity coxswain, so I was an easy mark. I'm not keen on certain aspects of Brown's style (despite his extensive research and interviews, he describes particulars of a scene that he could not know, and against which my historical training rebels), but, that man can capture a race thrillingly. He focusses on Joe Rantz, the eventual seven seat, who had a horrific childhood, as the emotional lynchpin of the story. TBITB has set me on the search for Newell's book on George Pocock, shell builder at U of W at that time, oarsman whisperer, and poet-philosopher of the sport. Despite my criticism of aspects of the style, I recommend it to anyone with an interest in rowing, in sport history, or just an inspiring human interest story.
Amor Towles's Gentleman of Moscow. about a nobleman "exiled" to the Hotel Metropol for life. It was recommended to me by my BIL, who said the the protagonist reminded him of me. It's a fun, delightful novel which has flashes of wisdom about how we cope with adversity, finding beauty, love, and pleasure in adverse and surreal circumstances.
I enjoyed it too more for the adventure I confess.
I'm reading Raven Black by Ann Cleeves. I don't really want to read it, as it's a murder mystery and not at all my favoured genre, but it's my current real-life book club book and we meet on Monday. The rest of the week is pretty busy and I'm away at the weekend so I need to get on with it. I started it this morning over coffee and am about halfway through, so it won't take long.
I have quite a lot of reading I should be doing for my spiritual direction training course and what I really want to be doing is my Christmas reading which I do every year at this time:
Winter Solstice by Rosamunde Pilcher Little Grey Rabbit's Christmas by Alison Uttley (and, also by her, the relevant chapters in The Country Child) A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens
There's also the Ship's December book discussion which I'm planning to join.
I have quite a lot of reading I should be doing for my spiritual direction training course and what I really want to be doing is my Christmas reading which I do every year at this time:
Winter Solstice by Rosamunde Pilcher
Thank you Nenya.
We read this a few years ago in the ship’s book group and I was trying to remember the author and title so I could read it again, but I couldn’t.
Now reserved from the library.
I am just starting Why We Kiss Under The Mistletoe: Christmas Traditions Explained. The author is Michael P. Foley, who is a professor of patristics, a Catholic theologian and a mixologist. I have some memory of previously posting about an earlier book of his: Drinking With The Saints, which is a delightful combination of a saint-of-the-day book combined with a Bartender's Guide. Basically, he gives a quick history of a saint for a given day, followed by suggestions for an appropriate drink (mixed, wine and/or beer) that would be appropriate to toast the saint on his/her day. And a suggestion as to an appropriately worded toast, for that matter. It is delightfully informative and funny at the same time.
Why We Kiss... is written with the same light irreverence coupled with seriously solid scholarship. The book covers not only Christmas Day itself, but Advent, Epiphany and Presentation of the Lord, as well as discussing the origins of Santa, St. Nicholas and other gift-givers, Christmas carols, Christmas trees and other plants, and, oh yes, why we kiss under the mistletoe. I appreciate Foley's gentle humor as he reviews his topics.
I have just started De La Pole, Father and Son by Michele Schindler. This is a new, factual book about a family who rose from Hull merchants in the 14th century to rightful heirs to the crown in the 15th. Very good and well-researched.
Comments
A bit slow catching up lately... But yes! That was it - "Marching to Clusium". There was a line that went, "And I kissed the girl at Clusium..." Astonishing what the brain stores away in dark corners with the help of strong music.
I'm reading the latest Kate Atkinson Shrines of Gaiety at the moment, and very much enjoying it
Continuing my reread of Rosemary Sutcliff's Frontier Wolf.. My very old paperback copy is falling to pieces, which is odd because it isn't a book I've revisited at all over the years and as I can't remember anything about it it definitely wasn't a childhood favourite either.
Glad to hear it's good! I'm going to get the paperback when it comes out
Love John Dickson Carr, particularly the Fell ones. The Merrivale ones he wrote as Carter Dickson, not quite so much.
The must-reads, if you haven't already, are The Plague Court Murders and The Hollow Man.
Amor Towles's Gentleman of Moscow. about a nobleman "exiled" to the Hotel Metropol for life. It was recommended to me by my BIL, who said the the protagonist reminded him of me. It's a fun, delightful novel which has flashes of wisdom about how we cope with adversity, finding beauty, love, and pleasure in adverse and surreal circumstances.
Daniel James Brown's The Boys in the Boat, about the University of Washington crew that won the eights that won gold at the 1936 Olympics. I was a varsity coxswain, so I was an easy mark. I'm not keen on certain aspects of Brown's style (despite his extensive research and interviews, he describes particulars of a scene that he could not know, and against which my historical training rebels), but, that man can capture a race thrillingly. He focusses on Joe Rantz, the eventual seven seat, who had a horrific childhood, as the emotional lynchpin of the story. TBITB has set me on the search for Newell's book on George Pocock, shell builder at U of W at that time, oarsman whisperer, and poet-philosopher of the sport. Despite my criticism of aspects of the style, I recommend it to anyone with an interest in rowing, in sport history, or just an inspiring human interest story.
I enjoyed it too more for the adventure I confess.
I have quite a lot of reading I should be doing for my spiritual direction training course and what I really want to be doing is my Christmas reading which I do every year at this time:
Winter Solstice by Rosamunde Pilcher
Little Grey Rabbit's Christmas by Alison Uttley (and, also by her, the relevant chapters in The Country Child)
A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens
There's also the Ship's December book discussion which I'm planning to join.
We read this a few years ago in the ship’s book group and I was trying to remember the author and title so I could read it again, but I couldn’t.
Now reserved from the library.
Why We Kiss... is written with the same light irreverence coupled with seriously solid scholarship. The book covers not only Christmas Day itself, but Advent, Epiphany and Presentation of the Lord, as well as discussing the origins of Santa, St. Nicholas and other gift-givers, Christmas carols, Christmas trees and other plants, and, oh yes, why we kiss under the mistletoe. I appreciate Foley's gentle humor as he reviews his topics.