here we are again. I haven't done much reading this week. Have had really bad arthritis which always is worse with changeable weather. It means that using fingers hurts both them and my shoulders.
However, I've heard some lovely music. when Virgin took over Telewest, Branson fell out with Sky and we lost all those programmes but from Thursday it's back but with the added joy of the two Sky Arts progs. One is modern and the other classical so I've heard some Wagner, Verdi and Mozart in the last few days.On Thursdays there is a new BOokk prog. led by Mariella Frostrupp. This week's guests were Martina Cole, Michael Dobbs and Sandy Tostvig.At the end there was a slot where they had to say which character from Literature they'd like to be.Most enjoyable.
christmas is nearly on us which also leaves less time to read but I hope to be able to read more this week and report back next Sunday.
Sunday 16 November 2008
Sunday 9 November 2008
Sunday
Well here we are again as promised. it is a very cold and dark day here.the newspapers seem to have nothing except Obama to write about although I'm very glad he won. It would be nice to find less emphasis on his colour. I think he's a clever young man. time will tell.
Since the 26th Oct I've read a few books worth blogging about. My 'little room' reading was to catch up on two books by Chaim Potok. For anyone interested in Judaism especially Hassism, these novels are a must.I began with 'In the Beginning',where a very clever young Hassid upsets his whole family when he find studying only Hassidic views of the Torah too confining. The book is how he reaches this point. the other book was 'The Gift of Asher Lev'. This a title with 2 layers. Asher's first gift is his ability as an artist and again we learn the Hassidic position on art. Lev has a son and this is the other gift that he leaves his son to be educated in New York whilst he, Asher retuns to the south of France to paint. We gather he'll return every few months to see his family. why does he do this ? So that his father can be the next Ladover rebbe, followed by his grandson. Hassidic attitudes to women incidently are very clear in both books and as the women portrayed are clever one wonders why the suffeed being second class citizens.
Then I also read 'Ekaterinnburg' ( Hans, you'd like this)byHelen Rappaport. this is about the last few weeks of the czar's life. fanaticism of any kind seems to make people brutal and this a sad example of that. I was also so cross that our royal family didn't rescue their cousins. To me that makes them complicit in what happened next.
'careless in Red' Elizabeth George came next.This is set in Cornwall and there are some descriptions which really evoke the area.It is Lynly trying to engage with his wife's death but also getting involved with a local murder. I found this a really good book much better than the previous 2 or 3.
Lastly, I read the sixth of Christopher Fowler's Bryant and May series. These two very ancient detectives run the Peculiar Crimes Unit and everything they do is peculiar.I have learnt so much about different aspects of London. One is about all the rivers in London, which haven't dried up but which run underground. The latest and I think posibly the last in the series is 'The Victoria Vanishes'. From this book I have learnt about all the unusual pubs in London and how they got their names. It is also a good story with some very funny dialogue.
I have read other things but to relax and they don't all warrant a blog. So I might be back in the week but if not I'll be here next Sunday.
Since the 26th Oct I've read a few books worth blogging about. My 'little room' reading was to catch up on two books by Chaim Potok. For anyone interested in Judaism especially Hassism, these novels are a must.I began with 'In the Beginning',where a very clever young Hassid upsets his whole family when he find studying only Hassidic views of the Torah too confining. The book is how he reaches this point. the other book was 'The Gift of Asher Lev'. This a title with 2 layers. Asher's first gift is his ability as an artist and again we learn the Hassidic position on art. Lev has a son and this is the other gift that he leaves his son to be educated in New York whilst he, Asher retuns to the south of France to paint. We gather he'll return every few months to see his family. why does he do this ? So that his father can be the next Ladover rebbe, followed by his grandson. Hassidic attitudes to women incidently are very clear in both books and as the women portrayed are clever one wonders why the suffeed being second class citizens.
Then I also read 'Ekaterinnburg' ( Hans, you'd like this)byHelen Rappaport. this is about the last few weeks of the czar's life. fanaticism of any kind seems to make people brutal and this a sad example of that. I was also so cross that our royal family didn't rescue their cousins. To me that makes them complicit in what happened next.
'careless in Red' Elizabeth George came next.This is set in Cornwall and there are some descriptions which really evoke the area.It is Lynly trying to engage with his wife's death but also getting involved with a local murder. I found this a really good book much better than the previous 2 or 3.
Lastly, I read the sixth of Christopher Fowler's Bryant and May series. These two very ancient detectives run the Peculiar Crimes Unit and everything they do is peculiar.I have learnt so much about different aspects of London. One is about all the rivers in London, which haven't dried up but which run underground. The latest and I think posibly the last in the series is 'The Victoria Vanishes'. From this book I have learnt about all the unusual pubs in London and how they got their names. It is also a good story with some very funny dialogue.
I have read other things but to relax and they don't all warrant a blog. So I might be back in the week but if not I'll be here next Sunday.
Wednesday 5 November 2008
at last
what a disaster the last few weeks have been since I last posted. First a main ISP provider and backup went down and it took about 10 days to sort. Then just as I was hoping to post and say that it's very sad when a blog one likes to read hasn't been written and I would from now always post on a Sunday and sometimes in the week, when virgin Media vanished for two days and the internet was unavailable so I couldn't blog.fingers crossed all is now well.Ihave so much mail to catch up with that I won't write much today but on Sunday I'll blog about several books I have read over the past few weeks.
went to Brighton as usual on Tuesday and inhaled fresh air. It's such a treat. the sea was very calm but there was a mist over the horizon so that neither Rottingdean in one direction nor Hove in the other could be seen.
Now well embroiled in Xmas presents. I can't do it all at once so begin early. I've been lucky this year and found some nice gifts which aren't expensive, cash being a big consideration. However, the advantage to that is the amount of thought put in to each gift.Welloff I go to e-mail. Back on sunday Insha'allah.
went to Brighton as usual on Tuesday and inhaled fresh air. It's such a treat. the sea was very calm but there was a mist over the horizon so that neither Rottingdean in one direction nor Hove in the other could be seen.
Now well embroiled in Xmas presents. I can't do it all at once so begin early. I've been lucky this year and found some nice gifts which aren't expensive, cash being a big consideration. However, the advantage to that is the amount of thought put in to each gift.Welloff I go to e-mail. Back on sunday Insha'allah.
Sunday 12 October 2008
sunday salon
What a glorious day yesterday. It was the kind Keats was referring to in his poem 'Autumn'.This has always been my favouite season espeecially if the summer has been hot because heat makes me ill.I'm still catching up with books I wanted to blog about so I haven't read all in one week although I deliberately had a quieter week this week. I have observed that getting too tired activates depression.
'The Glass Blower of Murano' Marina Fiorato is an interesting book. It goes from modern times to the Renaissance in Venice. I really enjoy books with time switches.Apart from it being an exciting plot one learns so much about venice and especially the making of Murano glass.the glass blower in 14c is male but the modern glass blower is female and a direct descendant. I was silly that I didn't write down the protagonist's names as it was a library book. I was relying on memory. booboo!!However the early glass blower was so gifted that:
The testament to his genius was in every palazzo in Venice,every church, every grand eating house. It was in every shining chalice he made, every mirror smooth as the lagoon in summer...
Normally so much repetition of every would be irksome but its use here creates the impression of how prolific and sought after the glass blower was.
Two lovely evocative mysteries are by Anne Zeroudi.I read these in reverse order her second book 'The taint of Midas' first and then her first 'The Messenger of Athens'. the messenger in both books is an unlikely hero who is referred to as 'the fat man'. his name is Hermes Diaktoros. In the first book he arrives to sort out Lust and in the second greed. The first book begins with a death which was tidied up as suicide but when Hermes arrives that is in doubt. there is a corrupt police chief Zepherides who 'phones Athens to find out about this man who claims to be an investigator from Athens. there is no sign of him in the Athenian police force and Hermes says that he comes from a much higher power. i'll leave you to read the books and decide what this means.The Greek islands are also characters in these books and Zeroudi's descriptions make one long to be there too.
it was an islandwith no beauty of its own,but arou
nd its shores where the sea ran the gamut of all blues-torquoise and lapis lazuli,sapphire, ultramarine and cobalt-the water and sunlight changed it.Grey rockson the beach shone silver;there was gold in the dull soil on the mountain slopes.Fool's gold. tricks of the light.
I have seen the Med'. look like this but not the English Channel that is shades of green and grey.Now I must look at my mail. I have left it because Friday was a nightmare, taking ages to reveal each letter or to delete. I assume it was my ISP provider and not my computer. Sometimes I wish I knew lots more about computing.so hope the day is going well and I'll be back.
'The Glass Blower of Murano' Marina Fiorato is an interesting book. It goes from modern times to the Renaissance in Venice. I really enjoy books with time switches.Apart from it being an exciting plot one learns so much about venice and especially the making of Murano glass.the glass blower in 14c is male but the modern glass blower is female and a direct descendant. I was silly that I didn't write down the protagonist's names as it was a library book. I was relying on memory. booboo!!However the early glass blower was so gifted that:
The testament to his genius was in every palazzo in Venice,every church, every grand eating house. It was in every shining chalice he made, every mirror smooth as the lagoon in summer...
Normally so much repetition of every would be irksome but its use here creates the impression of how prolific and sought after the glass blower was.
Two lovely evocative mysteries are by Anne Zeroudi.I read these in reverse order her second book 'The taint of Midas' first and then her first 'The Messenger of Athens'. the messenger in both books is an unlikely hero who is referred to as 'the fat man'. his name is Hermes Diaktoros. In the first book he arrives to sort out Lust and in the second greed. The first book begins with a death which was tidied up as suicide but when Hermes arrives that is in doubt. there is a corrupt police chief Zepherides who 'phones Athens to find out about this man who claims to be an investigator from Athens. there is no sign of him in the Athenian police force and Hermes says that he comes from a much higher power. i'll leave you to read the books and decide what this means.The Greek islands are also characters in these books and Zeroudi's descriptions make one long to be there too.
it was an islandwith no beauty of its own,but arou
nd its shores where the sea ran the gamut of all blues-torquoise and lapis lazuli,sapphire, ultramarine and cobalt-the water and sunlight changed it.Grey rockson the beach shone silver;there was gold in the dull soil on the mountain slopes.Fool's gold. tricks of the light.
I have seen the Med'. look like this but not the English Channel that is shades of green and grey.Now I must look at my mail. I have left it because Friday was a nightmare, taking ages to reveal each letter or to delete. I assume it was my ISP provider and not my computer. Sometimes I wish I knew lots more about computing.so hope the day is going well and I'll be back.
Thursday 9 October 2008
thursday
this will be a brief blog because I'm feeling the efects of my 'flu' vacc.Don't like previous font too big.I have just read 'The Great arasb Conquests' Hugh Kennedy. the first half of the book is very interesting although the succession to Mohhamed is dismissed in few words and no account is given of the Sunna/Shia split, which is odd considering Iran is Shiite and therefore they must have spread Islam to Persia. Much of the Gulf is too but that is because so many people from the Iranina mainland settled there including my ex pa in law and even earlier my ma-in-law's grandparents.They still distinguish themselves from arabs and refer to themselves as Persian.All the people I met were bi-lingual Arabic/Farsi as well.I think the rise of the Ayatollah's shifted the ideas of the young. My step daughter sees herself as a citizen of Sharjah
In the little room I am reading Dornford Yates. Iwas lucky enough to complete my collection in the second hand bookshop in Holt. Reading these in instalments is a delight. I've finished 'Berry and CO'. Berry and his cousin and various relatives all libve together at Whiteladies and from here they go to france or travel to London. We are never told where the money comes from.his book had many letters from Berry on a variety of subjects each one wittier or odder than the last. I cannot imagine why noone has made a TV program of these books. the plots are exciting and the characters rounde and the dialogue witty.
After this I began my annual read of Helen Hanff and began with 'Q's Legacy'.I have a few of his books and it was reading him made me brush up my Latin and begin to learn Classical Greek. I can translate some of his quotes. Learning Classical Greek is like a long crossword and one can feel it building neural pathways but I love it. I now learn by myself because I'm not strong enough to go to the City Lit, where I began every week nor can I now afford it.So I have independent learners resources, could be known as cribs lol
In the little room I am reading Dornford Yates. Iwas lucky enough to complete my collection in the second hand bookshop in Holt. Reading these in instalments is a delight. I've finished 'Berry and CO'. Berry and his cousin and various relatives all libve together at Whiteladies and from here they go to france or travel to London. We are never told where the money comes from.his book had many letters from Berry on a variety of subjects each one wittier or odder than the last. I cannot imagine why noone has made a TV program of these books. the plots are exciting and the characters rounde and the dialogue witty.
After this I began my annual read of Helen Hanff and began with 'Q's Legacy'.I have a few of his books and it was reading him made me brush up my Latin and begin to learn Classical Greek. I can translate some of his quotes. Learning Classical Greek is like a long crossword and one can feel it building neural pathways but I love it. I now learn by myself because I'm not strong enough to go to the City Lit, where I began every week nor can I now afford it.So I have independent learners resources, could be known as cribs lol
Monday 6 October 2008
Monday again
Yesterday was rather wet and I got stuck into my reading and forgot to blog or read my e-mails.A book which will vie for number one position this year is 'Stargazer' Linda Gillard> This is the story of a blind girl, who one day drops her keys in the snow and can't find them. A young man helps her and they become friends.His main home is on Skye and he invites Marianne to his home because he wants her to 'see' the stars.how is she going to do that ?He relates sights to music. Marianne is a keen music lover. This enables her to' see'.This is a also a romance so naturally there have to be difficulties which are resolved by the end.My favourite description is of Moonlight.
Moonlight?It's eerie like cold,still water....You know when there's a mist in Edinburgh and the air is full of vapour? You feel like you're breathing water.The air's clammy and it seeps into your clothes, into your bones. That's a bit like moonlight. cold And mysterious..It can look very beautiful or sinister.
Paper back version p 80-81
Today it isn't raining but it's cold and damp. I think autumn is becoming winter quite quickly this year. I've just had my 'flu' jab always a sign of winter precautions. Also have begun putting summer clothes into their winter home. Now I begin to buy for Xmas. If I start early I manage to buy nice things. Later and the money runs out if there is too much at once.
Bought a book on Saturday. It's the only paper back version I've seen of Dumas 'The Last Cavalier'. It is a late find apparently.
Today did a little trawl of the charity shops.I bought 'The Tower' Manfredi 99p. I really like his books. Then I went to Oxfam and they were 'doing buy one get one free on their hardbacks. So I bought 'hemingways Chair Michael Palin.Deafening Frances Itani,The Money Box. Margaret Forster and Triumph of the sun Wilbur Smith.SO 4 BOOKS FOR £2.00. How good is that!!!
The next rainy day the great book sorting out will begin- a daunting task.
Moonlight?It's eerie like cold,still water....You know when there's a mist in Edinburgh and the air is full of vapour? You feel like you're breathing water.The air's clammy and it seeps into your clothes, into your bones. That's a bit like moonlight. cold And mysterious..It can look very beautiful or sinister.
Paper back version p 80-81
Today it isn't raining but it's cold and damp. I think autumn is becoming winter quite quickly this year. I've just had my 'flu' jab always a sign of winter precautions. Also have begun putting summer clothes into their winter home. Now I begin to buy for Xmas. If I start early I manage to buy nice things. Later and the money runs out if there is too much at once.
Bought a book on Saturday. It's the only paper back version I've seen of Dumas 'The Last Cavalier'. It is a late find apparently.
Today did a little trawl of the charity shops.I bought 'The Tower' Manfredi 99p. I really like his books. Then I went to Oxfam and they were 'doing buy one get one free on their hardbacks. So I bought 'hemingways Chair Michael Palin.Deafening Frances Itani,The Money Box. Margaret Forster and Triumph of the sun Wilbur Smith.SO 4 BOOKS FOR £2.00. How good is that!!!
The next rainy day the great book sorting out will begin- a daunting task.
Saturday 4 October 2008
here again
we had a wonderful few days in Haworth last weekend. Our guest house was superb. It is called 'Aitches' and is run like a really good hotel by David.The breakfasts were all locally sourced and as much as one could possibly eat. Since I never cook except porridge at breakfast time, I had two fat free slices of bacon and 2 fried eggs for the three breakfasts we had.saturday we explored Haworth and visited the Parsonage. I was very lucky and managed to get the price reduced on a paper back Oxford Companion to the Brontes because the cover was bent.I've been to Haworth before and have always had a strong sense of the girl's presence. this time I was thinking about Their father. How did he manage with all his children dead?Despite his losses he soldiered on.
The weather was so good we were able to have a 'cuppa' sitting outside and ditto with our 'bijou lunchettes'. Noone needed much lunch. Then we explored all the little shops. I was lucky and found the first three Josephine Tey's for 50p each. I think we all found books we liked.In the pm we went to East riddlesdownn Hall and another online friend joined us. it's great to meet people and find they're as nice as one expected. the Hall is one of those places which despite being stately one feels one could live there very cosily.Both sat and Sun evenings we ate in the Black Lion( I think that's its name)where Branwell bronte used to do his drinking. the meals were excellent and the service great . We found whereever we were that people were pleased both to see us and to serve us.Very different from Surrey.
Sunday we went to Bolton Abbey, which is set in lush, green dales with a river running through. We were pleased we were there early because as we left most of the families in that part of Yorks seemed to be arriving. we decided to go on to Skipton, which was buzzing. My friends went to see the castle. I didn't because I've been before and knew I couldn't manage the stairs. I 'reccied the Charity shops. We all did well but none of us bought in the Heart Foundation because they charge far too much. It's much better to sell lots than hardly anything. I find this especially in Brighton that all the charity shops charge too much yet in Norwich and Liverpool there were Oxfam books mainly and they were really fairly priced consequently between my brother and I we spent quite a bit.
As usual when i've been in good company it took me time to adjust to being alone again, hence no posting. Noone wants to read miseries.
I took a very unusual book with me 'The Night Library' Alberto Manguel. Manguel has written widely on books and reading. this is about libraries. he has had the good fortune to be able to build a library in France. In the daytime it is his study and place of work but at night he sits in a comfie chair , thinking about his books and reading.Each chapter is about different aspects of libraries for example 'The Library as Myth'. he discusses ways of ordering a library Dewey Decimal, Library of Congress, by genre etc. His love of books and reading shine through.He quotes from the Aztec Codex from 1524, which is in the Vatican Archives at the end of the book and it sums up how many of us feel about books and reading.
Those who read,those who
tell us what they read,
those who noisily turn
The pages of their books,
Those who have power over
red and black ink
And over pictures,
those are the ones who lead us,
guide us, show us the way.
This is a book I shall buy when it comes out in paper back because each chapter has profound things to say and to think about.
Now I've finished my wanderings until December I shall try to write every day. i have so many books to talk about.
The weather was so good we were able to have a 'cuppa' sitting outside and ditto with our 'bijou lunchettes'. Noone needed much lunch. Then we explored all the little shops. I was lucky and found the first three Josephine Tey's for 50p each. I think we all found books we liked.In the pm we went to East riddlesdownn Hall and another online friend joined us. it's great to meet people and find they're as nice as one expected. the Hall is one of those places which despite being stately one feels one could live there very cosily.Both sat and Sun evenings we ate in the Black Lion( I think that's its name)where Branwell bronte used to do his drinking. the meals were excellent and the service great . We found whereever we were that people were pleased both to see us and to serve us.Very different from Surrey.
Sunday we went to Bolton Abbey, which is set in lush, green dales with a river running through. We were pleased we were there early because as we left most of the families in that part of Yorks seemed to be arriving. we decided to go on to Skipton, which was buzzing. My friends went to see the castle. I didn't because I've been before and knew I couldn't manage the stairs. I 'reccied the Charity shops. We all did well but none of us bought in the Heart Foundation because they charge far too much. It's much better to sell lots than hardly anything. I find this especially in Brighton that all the charity shops charge too much yet in Norwich and Liverpool there were Oxfam books mainly and they were really fairly priced consequently between my brother and I we spent quite a bit.
As usual when i've been in good company it took me time to adjust to being alone again, hence no posting. Noone wants to read miseries.
I took a very unusual book with me 'The Night Library' Alberto Manguel. Manguel has written widely on books and reading. this is about libraries. he has had the good fortune to be able to build a library in France. In the daytime it is his study and place of work but at night he sits in a comfie chair , thinking about his books and reading.Each chapter is about different aspects of libraries for example 'The Library as Myth'. he discusses ways of ordering a library Dewey Decimal, Library of Congress, by genre etc. His love of books and reading shine through.He quotes from the Aztec Codex from 1524, which is in the Vatican Archives at the end of the book and it sums up how many of us feel about books and reading.
Those who read,those who
tell us what they read,
those who noisily turn
The pages of their books,
Those who have power over
red and black ink
And over pictures,
those are the ones who lead us,
guide us, show us the way.
This is a book I shall buy when it comes out in paper back because each chapter has profound things to say and to think about.
Now I've finished my wanderings until December I shall try to write every day. i have so many books to talk about.
Monday 15 September 2008
Monday musings 3
I just had to blog about Maestro. i only began watching because my Bro and sis in law did and then I was hooked. goldie was amazing but Sue perkins could be a professional conductor. i was disappointed when they were talking about women conductors that no one mentioned Janet canetty-Clark who conducts a choir in Burgess Hill and I believe the brighton festival choir. But she conducted a choir in Vienna long before there were other women. she is also a brilliant lecturer and knows so much about music and can convey it all to the novice as indeed can Pauline greene who lectures at Birkbeck and has worked with Janet.
Sue conducted before 30000 in the park as if she always does this and brought new meaning from the Elgar. i also liked the way she conducted Lesley Garrett.
have been running around to day collecting my ticket for thursday. I bought on line but had to go to Redhill to pick up. In Smiths I spotted Mary Beard's latest book 'Pompeii'. I want it but don't know if I shall be able to afford it. i'd like to write about it here because it's so exciting.( You can see I didn't just look!!). I don't know where she finds time, energy or stamina to research, lecture, write and run a family. Then she writes a blog always once a week and sometimes more and they're longer thananything I've yet written.
By the end of next week I shall be able to scan photos in to my blog because random is giving me the means to do this.More technology for my aged brain to master haha.
Sue conducted before 30000 in the park as if she always does this and brought new meaning from the Elgar. i also liked the way she conducted Lesley Garrett.
have been running around to day collecting my ticket for thursday. I bought on line but had to go to Redhill to pick up. In Smiths I spotted Mary Beard's latest book 'Pompeii'. I want it but don't know if I shall be able to afford it. i'd like to write about it here because it's so exciting.( You can see I didn't just look!!). I don't know where she finds time, energy or stamina to research, lecture, write and run a family. Then she writes a blog always once a week and sometimes more and they're longer thananything I've yet written.
By the end of next week I shall be able to scan photos in to my blog because random is giving me the means to do this.More technology for my aged brain to master haha.
Saturday 13 September 2008
satuday catch up continued
Something went very wrong, my post disappeared and came back as a draft. I didn't know how to publish so cut and pasted now I don't think it's all there. I was talking about my conspiracy theory relating to new computers. Most people seem to have to replace modems and printers too.
Now I'll just write alittle about books and write tomorrow. I'm in a state of shock at my mising post. i think the bit where I thanked treva has vanished too. i'm such a slow typist I can't begin again,
have just read 'Caesar's Triumph' by Stephen saylor.This is about a conspiracy to assassinate him during a triumph. These were several :the one most written about was to celebrate the return from Gaul. a triumph was rather like a huge parade containing soldiers and slaves ie those captured and the material spoils of war.Mary Beard has written a wonderful book about Triumphs which I shall be blogging about soon. If you remember Shakespeare depicts a triumph in 'Julius Caesar' and it is this which makes those who later killed him begin to plot because he was becoming so imperial and they feared the end of the republic.Saylor has his characters discuss this too.
a complete contrast is the reading I have in the meditation room (also known as the loo)Here I've been reading Victoria Holt. Alas I've now read all those I've managed to find. Holt was also Jean Plaidy and Philippa carr. Each alter ego wrote a different type of book. I'd forgotten how well she wrote. They are not literature but they have good plots and strong characters. The one I have just finished called 'The House of the thousand Lanterns' contains many details about late 19thc HongKOng and about Chinese artefacts and Chinese customs.sometimes we need books that just take us away from our own worlds and worries.
Now I'll just write alittle about books and write tomorrow. I'm in a state of shock at my mising post. i think the bit where I thanked treva has vanished too. i'm such a slow typist I can't begin again,
have just read 'Caesar's Triumph' by Stephen saylor.This is about a conspiracy to assassinate him during a triumph. These were several :the one most written about was to celebrate the return from Gaul. a triumph was rather like a huge parade containing soldiers and slaves ie those captured and the material spoils of war.Mary Beard has written a wonderful book about Triumphs which I shall be blogging about soon. If you remember Shakespeare depicts a triumph in 'Julius Caesar' and it is this which makes those who later killed him begin to plot because he was becoming so imperial and they feared the end of the republic.Saylor has his characters discuss this too.
a complete contrast is the reading I have in the meditation room (also known as the loo)Here I've been reading Victoria Holt. Alas I've now read all those I've managed to find. Holt was also Jean Plaidy and Philippa carr. Each alter ego wrote a different type of book. I'd forgotten how well she wrote. They are not literature but they have good plots and strong characters. The one I have just finished called 'The House of the thousand Lanterns' contains many details about late 19thc HongKOng and about Chinese artefacts and Chinese customs.sometimes we need books that just take us away from our own worlds and worries.
saturday catch up
a saturday without rain whee. i didn't blog every day as I hoped. My son and his lady were over from Hong Kong and we had a lovely time together on Monday but then it took the rest of the week to regain my equilibrium.
had a lovely comment from Treva to continue blogging. It's so nice to be encouraged
Thursday 4 September 2008
rain
More rain again today. I wonder if anyone else finds it hard to motivate themselves in the rain. this morning I was so cold I put my heating on for a while seemed awful to do that in Sept.brighton on tuesday was the wettest in three years so we can't complain. there were only 6 of us on the bus. still we all had a good time. It's really nice to breath fresh air.
I've been having a 'lack of concentration' period so have taken up reading Nora Roberts in her JD Robb incarnation. These books are set in the future around 2056 and are really well written, have interesting plots and over the series the characters develop and we find out snippets of their past in each book.
Monday I trawled the charity shops in Crawley and found a brand new Brideshead for a £1. Mine is very tatty and then a new copy of 'the Post birthday world' Lionel shriver 50p and 'the memory Keepers Daughter' also 50p. Some people when given books as presents seem to just run down to the charity shop without even opening them. In our Oxfam I saw an unopened as in unread and with no creases on the spine'Larks rise' with the inscription mother's day 2008. it did quite horrify me. Hope the daughter doesn't live locally.
Now going to pop over to random and see what she's up to. I love blogs but i find everyone is more interesting than I am. I wonder if \I should continue and then I do if only to practise my typing. i must try to buy a scanner so that I can liven up the appearance of the blog.
I've been having a 'lack of concentration' period so have taken up reading Nora Roberts in her JD Robb incarnation. These books are set in the future around 2056 and are really well written, have interesting plots and over the series the characters develop and we find out snippets of their past in each book.
Monday I trawled the charity shops in Crawley and found a brand new Brideshead for a £1. Mine is very tatty and then a new copy of 'the Post birthday world' Lionel shriver 50p and 'the memory Keepers Daughter' also 50p. Some people when given books as presents seem to just run down to the charity shop without even opening them. In our Oxfam I saw an unopened as in unread and with no creases on the spine'Larks rise' with the inscription mother's day 2008. it did quite horrify me. Hope the daughter doesn't live locally.
Now going to pop over to random and see what she's up to. I love blogs but i find everyone is more interesting than I am. I wonder if \I should continue and then I do if only to practise my typing. i must try to buy a scanner so that I can liven up the appearance of the blog.
Monday 1 September 2008
return of the wanderer
here we are again. I've been away at my bro's since I last wrote on the 10th. No more missing my blog as i only have a jaunt to Hawarth with random on Sept.19th and a visit to my cousin on the 3rd dec. until these dates I shall try and blog every day.i hope I haven't lost those who read me by not being here.
N.Norfolk was wonderful. i beat all my previous bird totals and saw 120 species. My highspot was a little owl just sitting on a branch looking at me. I have a passion for owls. I have over a 100 of all kinds including a broach and earrings.Also surpassed my second hand book total. My bro has stopped smoking and gave me £20 to spend on books. I found 35. Most of them are still in Norfolk but They'll be here by 19th since my sis in law's sister is going up with a car and will bring them back. I broought a few back with me.
1) Reader, I married him-Patricia Beer
2)The Medieval Papacy-Geoffrey Barraclough
3)Emily Bronte -Winifred Guerin
4) House of a thousand Lanterns-Victoria Holt
5)teach Yourself New Testament greek
6)Homer's the Illiad and the Odyssey-Alberto Manguel:This is a beautiful ,like new hardback, which no library had in stock so i was really pleased and with 1-3 which I('ve wanted for ages.
7)The Cat who went Underground-Lillian Braun Jackson
8)The Sand Reckoner-Gillian Bradshaw. This is brand new and cost £2.00
So you see how well I did.My greatest find were for my daughter's Xmas pressie (part thereof)
ADorita Fairlie Bruce stand alone and a Dimsie book. Charlie read these as a teenager from the London Library and has always wanted them herself. They are very scarce and most often too expensive so to find one for £15.00 was super even though It's the last in the series so we're starting back to front.
In Norwich, which is the first time I've used my bus pass out county,we found an Oxfam the bigger part of which was books. They were reasonably priced so quite a few came from there. Some Oxfams are becoming greedy and charging too much. Then they wonder why their books are not selliing.we also visited the Cathedral,which is fairly interesting but still leaves Winchester as my personal favourite.We stuck with 'old' Norwich and explored the little lanes, which was where we found areally nice used bookshop with an owner who wanted to talk books.
went to several art exhibitions too. Most were amateur but excellent quality and two were professional. One in Holt and one in Salthouse Church. the artist there was Elizabeth Humphries,who does these really big unusual works in vivd colours.Many of her works would be unsuitable for ordinary houses.
Also managed some reading but I'll blog daily about them rather than make this too long.I read 'Ballad of Dorothy Wordsworth'- Frances Wilson.this is really interestingly written. As DW didn't live a rackety life a book about her could be very tedious but this isn't. There was quite a lot new to me too.I hadn't realised that William gave her Mary's wedding ring to wear the night before the marriage. D was too overcome to go to the nuptials and waited at the cottage until the bridal party returned.wilson reads the Lucy Poems' as potentially celebrating an incestuous relationship between W and D. Their relationship was certainly intense.'D often describes herself as a half. She is afterall Someone who quarrels with herself. But this( just as W is going to marry) is the only occasion in her journal where she can be heard referring to herself as possessing any poetic talent at all'
This inspite of it being obvious that she played a large part in the 'Lyrical Ballads'.This small quotation shows the clarity of Wilson's writing style.
I collect books on the Romantics so would like to own this one when it comes out in paperback. Another aspect of Mary which is discussed is her relationship with the coleridges. She really didn't like Sarah C. and actively encouraged C in his approaches to Sara Hutchinson.I was so surprised to read this since I'd have thought she'd be more conventional than this.
N.Norfolk was wonderful. i beat all my previous bird totals and saw 120 species. My highspot was a little owl just sitting on a branch looking at me. I have a passion for owls. I have over a 100 of all kinds including a broach and earrings.Also surpassed my second hand book total. My bro has stopped smoking and gave me £20 to spend on books. I found 35. Most of them are still in Norfolk but They'll be here by 19th since my sis in law's sister is going up with a car and will bring them back. I broought a few back with me.
1) Reader, I married him-Patricia Beer
2)The Medieval Papacy-Geoffrey Barraclough
3)Emily Bronte -Winifred Guerin
4) House of a thousand Lanterns-Victoria Holt
5)teach Yourself New Testament greek
6)Homer's the Illiad and the Odyssey-Alberto Manguel:This is a beautiful ,like new hardback, which no library had in stock so i was really pleased and with 1-3 which I('ve wanted for ages.
7)The Cat who went Underground-Lillian Braun Jackson
8)The Sand Reckoner-Gillian Bradshaw. This is brand new and cost £2.00
So you see how well I did.My greatest find were for my daughter's Xmas pressie (part thereof)
ADorita Fairlie Bruce stand alone and a Dimsie book. Charlie read these as a teenager from the London Library and has always wanted them herself. They are very scarce and most often too expensive so to find one for £15.00 was super even though It's the last in the series so we're starting back to front.
In Norwich, which is the first time I've used my bus pass out county,we found an Oxfam the bigger part of which was books. They were reasonably priced so quite a few came from there. Some Oxfams are becoming greedy and charging too much. Then they wonder why their books are not selliing.we also visited the Cathedral,which is fairly interesting but still leaves Winchester as my personal favourite.We stuck with 'old' Norwich and explored the little lanes, which was where we found areally nice used bookshop with an owner who wanted to talk books.
went to several art exhibitions too. Most were amateur but excellent quality and two were professional. One in Holt and one in Salthouse Church. the artist there was Elizabeth Humphries,who does these really big unusual works in vivd colours.Many of her works would be unsuitable for ordinary houses.
Also managed some reading but I'll blog daily about them rather than make this too long.I read 'Ballad of Dorothy Wordsworth'- Frances Wilson.this is really interestingly written. As DW didn't live a rackety life a book about her could be very tedious but this isn't. There was quite a lot new to me too.I hadn't realised that William gave her Mary's wedding ring to wear the night before the marriage. D was too overcome to go to the nuptials and waited at the cottage until the bridal party returned.wilson reads the Lucy Poems' as potentially celebrating an incestuous relationship between W and D. Their relationship was certainly intense.'D often describes herself as a half. She is afterall Someone who quarrels with herself. But this( just as W is going to marry) is the only occasion in her journal where she can be heard referring to herself as possessing any poetic talent at all'
This inspite of it being obvious that she played a large part in the 'Lyrical Ballads'.This small quotation shows the clarity of Wilson's writing style.
I collect books on the Romantics so would like to own this one when it comes out in paperback. Another aspect of Mary which is discussed is her relationship with the coleridges. She really didn't like Sarah C. and actively encouraged C in his approaches to Sara Hutchinson.I was so surprised to read this since I'd have thought she'd be more conventional than this.
Sunday 10 August 2008
mea culpa. sunday salon
i do apologise to those people who read my blog and who have tuned in to find nada. I have had a wobbly two weeks with the wound on my back and a headache produced by the humid weather and the fact that the part of Horley where I live has pollution at almost forbidden levels. this comes from an airport and several motorways. On Tuesdays I go with friends on a private bus (means we pay) to Brighton. It's such a treat to breathe fresh air and on wed. I go to Norfolk to Cley to visit my bro and his wife. A whole week of fresh air. Alas He hasn't a computer so again there will be a break but I'll blog tomorrow and then lots when I'm back and not 'gallavanting' as freind puts it.
My daughter and I went to Liverpool to see the Klimt at the Tate on the train I read what I feel will be my book of 2008 'The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel society'. Yesterday there was a whole article about this book which is set to be the runaway seller of the summer. It's just so sad that there will be no more books from this author. Apparently she was so modest this nearly didn't see the light of day.
I have been very disappointed with the Proms so far or maybe I've missed the best but I'm not thrilled by very modern music or jazz. The best music for the last two weeks has been on Classic FM.
I didn't realise when I saw @Miss Pettigrew lives for a Day' in HK that it wasn't released here. Now it is. I cannot recommend it highly enough. i just found it wonderful.
Have also just finished 'Lucia in Wartime' Tom Holt. This is a seemless 'take' on EH Benson and hilarious. Mapp and Lucia are even more vitriolic about each other and we discover that neither Lucia nor Pillson know how to make a cuppa. I wouldn't have credited it if years ago a customer of my dad's shop hadn't asked myself and my ex to go and stay with her mother because she was ex India and knew nothing. as atrained teacher i wasn't going to do that.It was asked in such an insulting manner too. Now I look back and laugh.
i'll write again tomorrow. My head has got the better of me. (not usually a whimp).
My daughter and I went to Liverpool to see the Klimt at the Tate on the train I read what I feel will be my book of 2008 'The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel society'. Yesterday there was a whole article about this book which is set to be the runaway seller of the summer. It's just so sad that there will be no more books from this author. Apparently she was so modest this nearly didn't see the light of day.
I have been very disappointed with the Proms so far or maybe I've missed the best but I'm not thrilled by very modern music or jazz. The best music for the last two weeks has been on Classic FM.
I didn't realise when I saw @Miss Pettigrew lives for a Day' in HK that it wasn't released here. Now it is. I cannot recommend it highly enough. i just found it wonderful.
Have also just finished 'Lucia in Wartime' Tom Holt. This is a seemless 'take' on EH Benson and hilarious. Mapp and Lucia are even more vitriolic about each other and we discover that neither Lucia nor Pillson know how to make a cuppa. I wouldn't have credited it if years ago a customer of my dad's shop hadn't asked myself and my ex to go and stay with her mother because she was ex India and knew nothing. as atrained teacher i wasn't going to do that.It was asked in such an insulting manner too. Now I look back and laugh.
i'll write again tomorrow. My head has got the better of me. (not usually a whimp).
Sunday 20 July 2008
sunday salon
here we are again. what happens to the days between sunday and Sunday? Never have I known time to go so fast. i have heard some wonderful music this week on Classic FM. At 21.00 they play whole works. I especially enjoyed a symphony by Bizet which I'd never heard before. I tried to listen to the 'Proms' but didn't enjoy either Friday or Sat. I also think there are far better violinists than Kennedy.
read the 10th book in the Matthew Hervey series 'warrior' Alan Mallison.It is an interesting book but I can't get enthralled by Africa. this book is set during one of the first skirmishes with the the Zulus. I much prefer the books where Hervey is in India or Europe.
Have discovered a new thriller writer Elisabeth Corley and have her books from the library.She has sound plots, her characters develop and her writing style is elegant.
Also had and email from a publisher whom I'd emailed but never heard from. i do hope I have some books from them. these smaller publishers produce beautiful books. Hesperus books are an aesthetic joy.They also have a new series of Brief Lives and I have just finished Chekov for the 3rd time. It might be brief but there is so much in it. I hope to receive some more in this series. what is amazing is that not just the life has been discussed but the works too. I used not to enjoy short stories but since I began reading Mansfield and Chekov the genre has 'grown on me'.
This week randonj has been busy arranging a trip for three of us to Haworth in Sept.As a consequence I'm rereading both Juliet Barker books. Also reading about the Borgias to go with a crime through time I read and the Medicis because I have the biography of Isabella de Medici to review.
treated myself to a video of 'Sharpe's seige ' to go with the one's I have. 75p is all it cost.I know the series is on DVD but the cheapest I've seen was over a hundred pounds and when I finally have all the videos they will have cost me about £20 including postage.
Most od weather here today alternating between sun shining and dark clouds like imminent rain. There is also a cold wind. I love summers like this because Heat and I don't have a rapport. I swell and every part of me hurts, as well as a permanent headache. I could be the only person writing who often has 'seasonal affective disorder' in the summer.
Hope to be back tomorrow here. next weekend I shall be reporting on Liverpool and the Klimpt
Exhibition at the Tate there. I'm going with my daughter, a Deputy Head at a school in London. she breakas up on Wed. This is the first time we've done anything like this together and I'm really looking forward to it.
read the 10th book in the Matthew Hervey series 'warrior' Alan Mallison.It is an interesting book but I can't get enthralled by Africa. this book is set during one of the first skirmishes with the the Zulus. I much prefer the books where Hervey is in India or Europe.
Have discovered a new thriller writer Elisabeth Corley and have her books from the library.She has sound plots, her characters develop and her writing style is elegant.
Also had and email from a publisher whom I'd emailed but never heard from. i do hope I have some books from them. these smaller publishers produce beautiful books. Hesperus books are an aesthetic joy.They also have a new series of Brief Lives and I have just finished Chekov for the 3rd time. It might be brief but there is so much in it. I hope to receive some more in this series. what is amazing is that not just the life has been discussed but the works too. I used not to enjoy short stories but since I began reading Mansfield and Chekov the genre has 'grown on me'.
This week randonj has been busy arranging a trip for three of us to Haworth in Sept.As a consequence I'm rereading both Juliet Barker books. Also reading about the Borgias to go with a crime through time I read and the Medicis because I have the biography of Isabella de Medici to review.
treated myself to a video of 'Sharpe's seige ' to go with the one's I have. 75p is all it cost.I know the series is on DVD but the cheapest I've seen was over a hundred pounds and when I finally have all the videos they will have cost me about £20 including postage.
Most od weather here today alternating between sun shining and dark clouds like imminent rain. There is also a cold wind. I love summers like this because Heat and I don't have a rapport. I swell and every part of me hurts, as well as a permanent headache. I could be the only person writing who often has 'seasonal affective disorder' in the summer.
Hope to be back tomorrow here. next weekend I shall be reporting on Liverpool and the Klimpt
Exhibition at the Tate there. I'm going with my daughter, a Deputy Head at a school in London. she breakas up on Wed. This is the first time we've done anything like this together and I'm really looking forward to it.
Friday 11 July 2008
in Suffolk
Well I eventually arrived in Ipswich on Wednesday but what a day to travel! I don't think the rain stop even for a minute and yet yesterday was so different.we do have a rich variety of weather.
I read 'The Nativity' by Geza Vermes. He is a Professor at I believe Oxford and also a Jew so that is the angle he approaches Jesus. In this book he discusses the differences and discrepancies between the Gospels of Luke and Matthew. He seems to conclude that the Nativity stories were'add-ons' rather than intrinsic parts of the Gospels.I found it very interesting to think about issues he raises. I have never thought that Mary was forever virgin and therefore so was Joseph. I think my Church(I'm RC) has always had a problem with sex and sexuality and not acknowledging that Jesus had brothers and sisters is one manifestation of this.
Now reading one of my cousin's books. She is a properly qualified psychotherapist/Counselor.This is one of those books which seems to suggest all illness is caused by ones self which is very dangerous and not true, I think attitude can affect the severity and duration of an illness but on the whole I don't think imbalance in the soul causes all illnesses.
I read 'The Nativity' by Geza Vermes. He is a Professor at I believe Oxford and also a Jew so that is the angle he approaches Jesus. In this book he discusses the differences and discrepancies between the Gospels of Luke and Matthew. He seems to conclude that the Nativity stories were'add-ons' rather than intrinsic parts of the Gospels.I found it very interesting to think about issues he raises. I have never thought that Mary was forever virgin and therefore so was Joseph. I think my Church(I'm RC) has always had a problem with sex and sexuality and not acknowledging that Jesus had brothers and sisters is one manifestation of this.
Now reading one of my cousin's books. She is a properly qualified psychotherapist/Counselor.This is one of those books which seems to suggest all illness is caused by ones self which is very dangerous and not true, I think attitude can affect the severity and duration of an illness but on the whole I don't think imbalance in the soul causes all illnesses.
Monday 7 July 2008
Monday musings2
Once again missed Sunday but like last week I had a very bad day and it's all I can do to stay alive when I feel so low. I think I had done too much for three weeks and that set it off. It's on the wane but not completely gone but that is also because of the weather. It's so wet and cold but I refuse to put heating on in JULY.
Have found a good new thriller writer called Elizabeth Corley. I read 'Requiem Mass' liked it so much I 've orderede more from the library. Crawley Library is amazing. I no sooner think of a book order it than it's there. I collected 9 books today most only ordered last week.
Also finished 'A Dangerous Liaison:Beauvoir and Sartre' Carole Seymour-Jones.Not only did I learn nothing new. I've read everything available on these two but it wasn't a patch on Deidre Bair. I know Seymour-Jones was dealing with both of them and I feel that that is probably what didn't work since they were both larger than life. They also have become their own legend.This book possibly had more about sex in it and very little about the works.Sad to say neither B or S seemed to have any moral sense whatsoever. I also feel that some of this is because really neither one grew up. One must at some stage in life consider others and the effect one might be having.
As a counter balance I read 2 brilliant crime through time novels by Ariana Franklin. The first 'Mistress of the Art of Death' was set in 1261 and is based round a Dr from Salerno, who has studied forensic science. the surprise is that she is a woman. Henry 11 is so thrilled with her that he won't let her go home and the second book 'Death Maze' is her next adventure, trying to prove who killed Rosamund Clifford and whether it was really Eleonor.
a translated thriller was 'The man with the lead stomach ' Jean-Francois Parot. This was good but I think would have been even better in French. Problem is it's hard to get up to date foreign language books from the library and they're expensive to buy.I'm saving for a couple of german books I'd like but they are both £12 although paper back.
These books brought my book diary to its last page. I began this one in 05. the new one is a Persephone notebook. Only snag is that it doesn't easily open wide but the paper is lovely. I use fountain pen for most of my writings.
Wednesday I'm off by nat.Express to my cousin's near Ipswich. I only have to take books for the journey because they have loads and I always find ones I haven't read. It's almost the only place other than my daughter's where this is the case.I have an hour's wait in Cambridge and in the autumn there was no shelter for this change of buses so I hope it doesn't rain and if it does that the red of my luggage doesn't turn all my clothes pink.
I'll see if I have time to write my blog from there . I shall write tomorrow if I finish some bits I'm reading. Oh yes, last week in the Brighton heart Shop I saw a book of Colette's stories but duidn't have the cash, I hope it's still there tomorrow because it's mine.
Have found a good new thriller writer called Elizabeth Corley. I read 'Requiem Mass' liked it so much I 've orderede more from the library. Crawley Library is amazing. I no sooner think of a book order it than it's there. I collected 9 books today most only ordered last week.
Also finished 'A Dangerous Liaison:Beauvoir and Sartre' Carole Seymour-Jones.Not only did I learn nothing new. I've read everything available on these two but it wasn't a patch on Deidre Bair. I know Seymour-Jones was dealing with both of them and I feel that that is probably what didn't work since they were both larger than life. They also have become their own legend.This book possibly had more about sex in it and very little about the works.Sad to say neither B or S seemed to have any moral sense whatsoever. I also feel that some of this is because really neither one grew up. One must at some stage in life consider others and the effect one might be having.
As a counter balance I read 2 brilliant crime through time novels by Ariana Franklin. The first 'Mistress of the Art of Death' was set in 1261 and is based round a Dr from Salerno, who has studied forensic science. the surprise is that she is a woman. Henry 11 is so thrilled with her that he won't let her go home and the second book 'Death Maze' is her next adventure, trying to prove who killed Rosamund Clifford and whether it was really Eleonor.
a translated thriller was 'The man with the lead stomach ' Jean-Francois Parot. This was good but I think would have been even better in French. Problem is it's hard to get up to date foreign language books from the library and they're expensive to buy.I'm saving for a couple of german books I'd like but they are both £12 although paper back.
These books brought my book diary to its last page. I began this one in 05. the new one is a Persephone notebook. Only snag is that it doesn't easily open wide but the paper is lovely. I use fountain pen for most of my writings.
Wednesday I'm off by nat.Express to my cousin's near Ipswich. I only have to take books for the journey because they have loads and I always find ones I haven't read. It's almost the only place other than my daughter's where this is the case.I have an hour's wait in Cambridge and in the autumn there was no shelter for this change of buses so I hope it doesn't rain and if it does that the red of my luggage doesn't turn all my clothes pink.
I'll see if I have time to write my blog from there . I shall write tomorrow if I finish some bits I'm reading. Oh yes, last week in the Brighton heart Shop I saw a book of Colette's stories but duidn't have the cash, I hope it's still there tomorrow because it's mine.
Sunday 29 June 2008
Long time
Hi, I've been away. I first went to Switzerland to stay with my penfriend of 54 years. She is actually German but her husband also German did hs PHD at Berne Uni then got a job and stayed in Switzerland where they've been for 40 years. It was really lovely but very expensive. Still not recovered from the shock!! Came home to find my modem was caput so had to wait for anew one which they sent without the necessary CD so had to wait for that, then computer decided to be awkward. However all seems well now except I can't hear my real player and listen to BBC7 whilst I write and I've no idea why.This is a severe handicap. I shall see if It works in the week.
Then Random jottings stayed on her way to Turkey. I minded her car for a week and my cousins'car for 2 weeks whilst they were in Santorini. random came back last Monday and Cousins on Thursday now neighbours are using the pitch.
Have read some books but I'll blog about them tomorrow.Last evening I heard Don Carlos on BBC3 from Covent Garden. It was amazing. Random was actually there yesterday pm so I'll be interested to read her blog about it.
I won't write more today because I'm feeling a bit down. I suffer from bi polar but mainly depression and it just hits out of the blue. I think today it's triggered by not hearing from my son who lives in HongKong. He says phone him but he's never there.By about 1400hrs I'll be ok and I'll come back perhaps if not I'll be with you tomorrow and write about the books I've been reading.
Then Random jottings stayed on her way to Turkey. I minded her car for a week and my cousins'car for 2 weeks whilst they were in Santorini. random came back last Monday and Cousins on Thursday now neighbours are using the pitch.
Have read some books but I'll blog about them tomorrow.Last evening I heard Don Carlos on BBC3 from Covent Garden. It was amazing. Random was actually there yesterday pm so I'll be interested to read her blog about it.
I won't write more today because I'm feeling a bit down. I suffer from bi polar but mainly depression and it just hits out of the blue. I think today it's triggered by not hearing from my son who lives in HongKong. He says phone him but he's never there.By about 1400hrs I'll be ok and I'll come back perhaps if not I'll be with you tomorrow and write about the books I've been reading.
Sunday 25 May 2008
Sunday salon
Once again it's sunday and by the seem I've not written since last Sunday. I find time is just skating by.at the time it doesn't feel that so much time has passed but then I stop and think and find it's nearly the weekend again.this will be faifly brief because I have to pack for my trip to Switzerland. My tum is in turmoil because I don't like flying actually I think it's the airports I don't like. I'm flying from Gatwick just down the road. taxi picking me up at 5.15 Wed. morning.However, I did just want to write about an Edith Wharton book, which I've just read. I found it by chance in the library and it's not one I've ever heard of. It's 'The Children'. It would also make a marvellous film. Martin Boyne is in his thirties an engineer and on a ship he meets this 15 year old girl trailing several children. They adopt' him when they find out that in the past he knew their parents.This book is about a man's love for a young girl, dysfunctional families and the life of the super rich prewar in Venice. Every character is so well delineated that I felt I knew them all. Also Boyne has a 'lady' friend whom he has known for years but she was married:Now a widow they meet up in Switzerland closely followed by the children.This gives us an opportunity to learn about his friend, who I found to be a manipulator.I just couldn't put this book down. It is or my copy was a Virago publication.
When I'm back I'll wander over to the blogs of those who contact me and have a chat with them.
When I'm back I'll wander over to the blogs of those who contact me and have a chat with them.
Sunday 18 May 2008
Sunday salon
It was lovely to hear from you Megan and Fay.I haven't found out hopw to reply to your post yet but I shall in time. I didn't realise I hadn't blogged this week but it has been so hyperactive I ve not read a book . I like to read a newspaper and I've done that but that's all. this weekend I've been listening to the Chopin on radio 3. It has included piece and poems I have never heard. He ha d a huge out put considering how ill he was and how young he died.
Have been trying to finish a translation for a friend but still have some left to do. I shall try to finish it today.
Have been pleased to see that Vanora Bennett has a new book out. I have read what she has written so far and have been very impressed.
Sent a reviewlet to Hesperus about 'Fatal Eggs' by Bulgakov.I have now read all I could get hold of but must say He's hard work except Eggs which his scifi book and is quite amusing. To write more would spoil the book.I do think because so much of what he writes is metaphor that one needs a huge knowledge of the Revolution and Stalin's Russia to understand everything He wants to convey.Hope everyone has a good Sunday. There's a cold wind here in East Surrey.
Have been trying to finish a translation for a friend but still have some left to do. I shall try to finish it today.
Have been pleased to see that Vanora Bennett has a new book out. I have read what she has written so far and have been very impressed.
Sent a reviewlet to Hesperus about 'Fatal Eggs' by Bulgakov.I have now read all I could get hold of but must say He's hard work except Eggs which his scifi book and is quite amusing. To write more would spoil the book.I do think because so much of what he writes is metaphor that one needs a huge knowledge of the Revolution and Stalin's Russia to understand everything He wants to convey.Hope everyone has a good Sunday. There's a cold wind here in East Surrey.
Sunday 11 May 2008
Sunday Salon
at last I have managed to blog on a Sunday. i wonder if anyone else listened to 'Die Entfuhrung' from the Met last Sat. it was so disappointing. This opera has some wonderful music but the soprano was what I can only call a shrieker. I listened for 45 minutes, hoping things might improve but alas.In fact for all its hype I don't feel that the Met can compare with Italy or London and Glyndbourne.When one can only hear as on the radio it's so important that the singing is excellent.
I've read 'Le Bal' two novellas by Irene Nemirovski. In ' le bal a mother has vengeance wreaked on her by her daughter. daughter is very badly treated psychologically and mother tells her to post the invitations to a grand ball, she is holding. You can guess what happened. Nemirovsky's writing is so fine tuned, not a word too many (or too few). One wonders how much better she might have become had she lived.Again there are undertones of anti-semiticism yet Nemirowsky was Jewish herself. The second story isn't quite as good and is about white Russians.The story is called 'Snow in Autumn'. the whole story is about transplantation and settling and how hard it is to leave one's country although it's more the sense of the German 'Heimat' than anything.this story reminded me very much of Chekhov.I don't know much about IN's life so don't know if she read Chekhov. I imagine she did.
The other book I've read this week is 'light' reading:a story very much plot driven,which goes at a fast pace. This was Lee Child's 'Bad Luck and Trouble'. His hero is jack Reacher, who we don't expect to evolve as a character because the plot is the thing.this book is an excellent read. It would make a good film too. i don't know if any Child's books have been adapted for the cinema.
Most of today I've spent catching up on jobs. I shortened a Kaftan and read The Sunday Times. All the while waiting for my fridge to defrost. What a task all my own fault for leaving it so long. Once again I resolve to defrost every week.There is a solid block of ice and if I can get it out the whole task will be done. Also have ironing but have convinced myself that one doesn't iron on a Sunday!!
I should be doing some translating but it's just too hot now. it must be near 80o. My young neighbour and I spent time moving tadpoles to water. There are more this year than for years and the ditch was really full of water but it's dried really quickly. One side we have filled through my garden fence with a hose but the other side we can't reach. Much to Lauren ( our next door's 3 year old) we saw a newt too. when i was growing up streams and ponds were full of different varieties of newts but no longer. It's such a shame. Modern children have all the technology but very little of nature. I know which I'd prefer them to have.
Now going to 'do' my email and send a reviewette to Ellie at Hesperus.
I've read 'Le Bal' two novellas by Irene Nemirovski. In ' le bal a mother has vengeance wreaked on her by her daughter. daughter is very badly treated psychologically and mother tells her to post the invitations to a grand ball, she is holding. You can guess what happened. Nemirovsky's writing is so fine tuned, not a word too many (or too few). One wonders how much better she might have become had she lived.Again there are undertones of anti-semiticism yet Nemirowsky was Jewish herself. The second story isn't quite as good and is about white Russians.The story is called 'Snow in Autumn'. the whole story is about transplantation and settling and how hard it is to leave one's country although it's more the sense of the German 'Heimat' than anything.this story reminded me very much of Chekhov.I don't know much about IN's life so don't know if she read Chekhov. I imagine she did.
The other book I've read this week is 'light' reading:a story very much plot driven,which goes at a fast pace. This was Lee Child's 'Bad Luck and Trouble'. His hero is jack Reacher, who we don't expect to evolve as a character because the plot is the thing.this book is an excellent read. It would make a good film too. i don't know if any Child's books have been adapted for the cinema.
Most of today I've spent catching up on jobs. I shortened a Kaftan and read The Sunday Times. All the while waiting for my fridge to defrost. What a task all my own fault for leaving it so long. Once again I resolve to defrost every week.There is a solid block of ice and if I can get it out the whole task will be done. Also have ironing but have convinced myself that one doesn't iron on a Sunday!!
I should be doing some translating but it's just too hot now. it must be near 80o. My young neighbour and I spent time moving tadpoles to water. There are more this year than for years and the ditch was really full of water but it's dried really quickly. One side we have filled through my garden fence with a hose but the other side we can't reach. Much to Lauren ( our next door's 3 year old) we saw a newt too. when i was growing up streams and ponds were full of different varieties of newts but no longer. It's such a shame. Modern children have all the technology but very little of nature. I know which I'd prefer them to have.
Now going to 'do' my email and send a reviewette to Ellie at Hesperus.
Wednesday 7 May 2008
wednesday
Well Brighton was lovely yesterday. it makes so much difference when the sun shines.I read a strange book over the weekend 'Lady in Blue' xavier Sierra. the Lady was a nun who could bi locate. that is her body was in a convent but she also appeared in New Mexico and converted the Indians. It was interesting but then ended very abruptly. I hate it when books do that. In physics it is known that photons can split and theoretically teletransportation is possible but They can't work out how to put the photons together again So teleports as in Star Trek whilst theoretically possible would in effect disintegrate the people or thing being transported.Fascinating stuff much more interesting than the physics taught in schools.
I must learn to make this blog look more attractive too. I shall see whether there's a programme to teach me.
Besides Diana Birchall's D'arcy I read two more D'arcy books both called D'Arcey's diary and neither of the quality od Diana's. Amanda Grange begins with D'Arcy's sister eloping with Wickham and continue from there but it didn't grab my interest and the other one I didn't even read passed page 2. it was by Maya someone.
Also read one more Bulgakov, Fatal Eggd, which I'll review for Hesperus. it seems to me that one needs to have a really wide and deep knowledge of Russia to really appreciate B. So much of what he writes is metaphor for something else especially Stalin and Readers like myself miss quite a lot.Nevertheless, F Eggs is quite funny. I can't say why the eggs were fatal it would spoil the book.
I must learn to make this blog look more attractive too. I shall see whether there's a programme to teach me.
Besides Diana Birchall's D'arcy I read two more D'arcy books both called D'Arcey's diary and neither of the quality od Diana's. Amanda Grange begins with D'Arcy's sister eloping with Wickham and continue from there but it didn't grab my interest and the other one I didn't even read passed page 2. it was by Maya someone.
Also read one more Bulgakov, Fatal Eggd, which I'll review for Hesperus. it seems to me that one needs to have a really wide and deep knowledge of Russia to really appreciate B. So much of what he writes is metaphor for something else especially Stalin and Readers like myself miss quite a lot.Nevertheless, F Eggs is quite funny. I can't say why the eggs were fatal it would spoil the book.
Monday 5 May 2008
pensees
nice pretensious title. 'blogo ergo sum'. I missed Sunday salon again. The unexpected heat has addled my brain plus I've been giving my young neighbours some peace by taking the little ones up the park behind my house. Hadyn is just one and Lauren will be three on Thursday. She is very bright but it's hectic making sure no one falls on their head and has 'fair wore me out'. I think we're going again later.
Have read the latest Sue Grafton 'T is for Trespass' or tosh!! I'm finding with these long running series that the characters don't grow and I was really disappointed with this book.
Also dipped into 'Miss herbert' Adam Thirlwell with grateful thanks to my book pillow because it's a tome. It's one I shall buy in paperback because there are things to comment on.The book is about translation and style and I'm very interested in translation. I do some myself and it's hard to retain style and substance.
Also read a very brave book Diana Athill's 'Somewhere towards the End'. She is 89 and both looks back over her life and forward to what inevitably will be death yet this isn't a morbid book but very positive.There's also hope for those of us who might like to write;She was 70 odd before her writing really took off and was published.
My May resolution is top blog every day if I can. That is a challenge.
Have read the latest Sue Grafton 'T is for Trespass' or tosh!! I'm finding with these long running series that the characters don't grow and I was really disappointed with this book.
Also dipped into 'Miss herbert' Adam Thirlwell with grateful thanks to my book pillow because it's a tome. It's one I shall buy in paperback because there are things to comment on.The book is about translation and style and I'm very interested in translation. I do some myself and it's hard to retain style and substance.
Also read a very brave book Diana Athill's 'Somewhere towards the End'. She is 89 and both looks back over her life and forward to what inevitably will be death yet this isn't a morbid book but very positive.There's also hope for those of us who might like to write;She was 70 odd before her writing really took off and was published.
My May resolution is top blog every day if I can. That is a challenge.
Thursday 1 May 2008
lethargy
I have been suffering from computer burnout. I just couldn't gather enthusiasm to either blog or do my emails. Think that has passed now.I hope so.Yesterday I finished reading or rather bro wsing Lisa Appignanesi's'Mad,bad and Sad' about mental illness and the female.I found it a book to browse rather than read straight through. It is also very long.On balance I prefer Elaine Showalter's 'The Female Malady', which also deals with 'Hysteria' and how women were regarded as mentally delicate.Just another way for men to try and control us methinks.
Light reading has been Martin Edwards. I have read as many of his thrillers as I could find in the library. He has two series, one with Harry Devlin and another with Hannah. a DCI in a cold case department.I found the Harry D's to be the most exciting.I do hope he's planning to write more.
Mary. I'm really enjoying 'Triumph' and shall blog about it later.I'm also reading 381 AD Charles freeman's latest, which the publishers kindly sent me. This has some controversial thinking so I must think carefully before I blog.
The weather is ghastly but ,as usual on Tuesdays I went to Brighton. It was wet a first but then the sun came out. The sight and feel of sun makes so much difference to one's morale. The sea was really rough. A rough sea is a magnificent sight, preferably from the shore and not a boat.
Light reading has been Martin Edwards. I have read as many of his thrillers as I could find in the library. He has two series, one with Harry Devlin and another with Hannah. a DCI in a cold case department.I found the Harry D's to be the most exciting.I do hope he's planning to write more.
Mary. I'm really enjoying 'Triumph' and shall blog about it later.I'm also reading 381 AD Charles freeman's latest, which the publishers kindly sent me. This has some controversial thinking so I must think carefully before I blog.
The weather is ghastly but ,as usual on Tuesdays I went to Brighton. It was wet a first but then the sun came out. The sight and feel of sun makes so much difference to one's morale. The sea was really rough. A rough sea is a magnificent sight, preferably from the shore and not a boat.
Wednesday 23 April 2008
phew
Just had the most enormous trouble logging on thought I'd lost my blog.Happily remained calm and sorted it.
en route to HK I saw three good films.'P.S. I love You' which was very touching, 'The Golden COmpass', which I found disappointing. It is based on Pullman's book and when the philosophy isn't there the heart seems to not be there either. Lastly I watched 'Brick Lane'. This is about a young ,possibly only 12 year old Bangadeshi girl ,who is sent to England to marry a much older man. I never before appreciated how hard this must be. Eventually her much older husband goes back but she stays because her daughters want to.Do go see or get DVD.
Whilst in HK I went to see 'Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day',which I loved it is what I call 'an old fashioned film' and I did enjoy it except when the air raid warning sign went off because I always have bad dreams and so I did. i was less than a year old and knew the difference in the warnings.no wonder my generation and slightly older have nervous problems. There was no councelling in those days. we all got on with it.Coming back I also watched 3 films one of which I can't remember. Isaw a really fun exciting film about treasure under Mount Rushmore called 'National Treasures'. This really made the flight go fast.Prior to that I saw 'Atonement'. Now , largely because of teaching 'Enduring Love' too mant times for A level. I've 'gone off' Mc Ewen but now I must read read this book. The film was brilliant but quite puzzling at the end and very sad.It was not all uncultured I saw Traviata too and on the way listened to all of Beethoven's piano sonatas.When I blog tomorrow I'll blog some more about the books I've read in HK and where we are now. Thanks to some lovely people at varuious publisheras I have a host of non-fictiopn to read because those are the books I want to concentrate on in my blog. There are many lovely blogs about fiction but few or none that I've found about non-fiction.I have a wonderful book called 'Triumph' by Mary Beard, which I bought before this financial crisis rendered book buying a choice between heat and food.I would still eat beans to get a book I want and go cold. I could just be mad.Opinions welcomed.
en route to HK I saw three good films.'P.S. I love You' which was very touching, 'The Golden COmpass', which I found disappointing. It is based on Pullman's book and when the philosophy isn't there the heart seems to not be there either. Lastly I watched 'Brick Lane'. This is about a young ,possibly only 12 year old Bangadeshi girl ,who is sent to England to marry a much older man. I never before appreciated how hard this must be. Eventually her much older husband goes back but she stays because her daughters want to.Do go see or get DVD.
Whilst in HK I went to see 'Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day',which I loved it is what I call 'an old fashioned film' and I did enjoy it except when the air raid warning sign went off because I always have bad dreams and so I did. i was less than a year old and knew the difference in the warnings.no wonder my generation and slightly older have nervous problems. There was no councelling in those days. we all got on with it.Coming back I also watched 3 films one of which I can't remember. Isaw a really fun exciting film about treasure under Mount Rushmore called 'National Treasures'. This really made the flight go fast.Prior to that I saw 'Atonement'. Now , largely because of teaching 'Enduring Love' too mant times for A level. I've 'gone off' Mc Ewen but now I must read read this book. The film was brilliant but quite puzzling at the end and very sad.It was not all uncultured I saw Traviata too and on the way listened to all of Beethoven's piano sonatas.When I blog tomorrow I'll blog some more about the books I've read in HK and where we are now. Thanks to some lovely people at varuious publisheras I have a host of non-fictiopn to read because those are the books I want to concentrate on in my blog. There are many lovely blogs about fiction but few or none that I've found about non-fiction.I have a wonderful book called 'Triumph' by Mary Beard, which I bought before this financial crisis rendered book buying a choice between heat and food.I would still eat beans to get a book I want and go cold. I could just be mad.Opinions welcomed.
Sunday 20 April 2008
I'm back
Just couldn't find time to blog whilst visiting my son in HongKong. He paid for me to gom out because on 13th he had a graduation ceremony for his MBA. His sister, who teaches flew out a week ago wed. too. It was so nicwe being the three of us again. It's been a long time since we were all together under one roof.however I won't blog all in one go about HK but daily in small doses.Today, I want to comment on 'Mrs Darcey's Dilemma ' by Diana Birchall.I read this as slowly as poss. to savour every minute. It is a superb novel in that it feels authentically Austen. The only part which jumped at me was when Henryis speaking on page 67 and he uses the word center. No. It would be centre.The characters spring to life in their conversations especially Lydia, who has learned nothing in the 25 years which have elapsed since the end of 'Pride and Prejudice' and her daughter bettina, who takes life one stage further by becoming an actress.
I've just lent this book to a freind but when it's back I shall read it again.
Also as a comparison read @Mr D'Arcy's Diary' Amanda Grange.Here it is a retelling of the book's events (P and P) by MR D'arcy. I did enjoy it and it has given me new ways of looking at the original. I now have a third Mr D's diary to read.I hadn't realised what an industry retelling Jane had become. I wonder why noone does the same for the Brontes or perhaps they do and I don't know. But if there is time for one book only then make it Diana's.
I've just lent this book to a freind but when it's back I shall read it again.
Also as a comparison read @Mr D'Arcy's Diary' Amanda Grange.Here it is a retelling of the book's events (P and P) by MR D'arcy. I did enjoy it and it has given me new ways of looking at the original. I now have a third Mr D's diary to read.I hadn't realised what an industry retelling Jane had become. I wonder why noone does the same for the Brontes or perhaps they do and I don't know. But if there is time for one book only then make it Diana's.
Sunday 30 March 2008
oh weh
Long time since the 19th but I'm in a complete blue funk about HongKong on Thursday and can't concentrate. It has been made worse because I'm going from terminal 5.!!!!!Luckily my daughter is meeting me at Victoria and going with me to the terminal and I'm signed in for help because I'm not strong enough to manage. IT's not the flying but the getting on to plane and worry about luggage at other end.I do clearly label so should be OK.
Dear Stuck, I think your book group will enjoy 'Cold Comfort'. Almost the last thing I heard before Oneword closed was 'C.C being read and acted.That way was hilarious.
Have read one and skimmed the other and feel like the last person in UK to have read them.'We need to talk about Kevin' was one. I didn't like it and thought it was too long.Probably excellent for a book group because big themes to discuss.The other was '1000 yellow suns', a good book but the attitude to women just made my blood boil and having lived in that society in the Gulf I know that's how it can be. Although I have to say my ex isn't like that and all the girls in his second family are educated and not forced to marry. The younger two are in school and the elder has graduated in electronic engineering and works for BP in Abu Dhabi. Next one is studying architecture at the American Uni which is also where Fatima the eldest went. Fatima has opted to be Sunna although dad and the family are Shia but that is allowed. My 2 are Christians one RC like me, one High Anglican.
Read 'A certain Compass' lettice Cooper. This again is different and very moving. Incidently Stuck when you read Black B you will have a feel for my first years. This book did bring back memories.
Also read 'Daphne' and enjoyed it. I like books with intertextuality that make one want to go back and read other writers.Another light hearted read which did that was 'Edmund Bertram's diary' Amanda grange.This is the whole of 'Mansfield Park from Edmund's perspective. Now I must reread the original.
I was sorry to see that Dr Joanna Richardson has died. I've read all her books and own one or two. Her biographies and her translations were/are superb.
If you drop by for a read let me know. I'd love to greet you.
Dear Stuck, I think your book group will enjoy 'Cold Comfort'. Almost the last thing I heard before Oneword closed was 'C.C being read and acted.That way was hilarious.
Have read one and skimmed the other and feel like the last person in UK to have read them.'We need to talk about Kevin' was one. I didn't like it and thought it was too long.Probably excellent for a book group because big themes to discuss.The other was '1000 yellow suns', a good book but the attitude to women just made my blood boil and having lived in that society in the Gulf I know that's how it can be. Although I have to say my ex isn't like that and all the girls in his second family are educated and not forced to marry. The younger two are in school and the elder has graduated in electronic engineering and works for BP in Abu Dhabi. Next one is studying architecture at the American Uni which is also where Fatima the eldest went. Fatima has opted to be Sunna although dad and the family are Shia but that is allowed. My 2 are Christians one RC like me, one High Anglican.
Read 'A certain Compass' lettice Cooper. This again is different and very moving. Incidently Stuck when you read Black B you will have a feel for my first years. This book did bring back memories.
Also read 'Daphne' and enjoyed it. I like books with intertextuality that make one want to go back and read other writers.Another light hearted read which did that was 'Edmund Bertram's diary' Amanda grange.This is the whole of 'Mansfield Park from Edmund's perspective. Now I must reread the original.
I was sorry to see that Dr Joanna Richardson has died. I've read all her books and own one or two. Her biographies and her translations were/are superb.
If you drop by for a read let me know. I'd love to greet you.
Wednesday 19 March 2008
once Again
As I write this I'm listening to 'Mr Standfast part 2'. radio 4's classic serial. I do like John Buchan.Had a good week for comments.Stuck asked about Storm Jameson. read any you can find. I think most of them are out of print.I believe she was afounder member of 'Pen'.Harriet, thank you for being so encouraging. I was also thrilled to hear from Viola. Now I just need to find out how to reply underneath the comment.
I have a marvellous gadget called a ' book pillow'. Dovegrey told me about them some time ago but hers came from USA, then Jottings found a site in UK so I ordered a chocolate coloured pillow on Sunday and it arrived yesterday. It's such a load off my hands and the newspaper fits nicely over it so my hands are free.
have had a good haul from Oxfam. three Elizabeth Peters in her Vicki Bliss series. £1 each,then 4 Heyers which I didn't have. There was a 4th but when the pennies were there book wasn't.The Heyers are the latest manifestation. Most of the ones i already possess are as they were first produced.Also had 2 books from the lovely ELLie, which will go with the Russian Challenge.Never imagined i'd have a pile to review.Also bought 2 Steven Saylor at the library for 10p each.I'm supposed to be diminishing my piles .
What have I read?'Child of Nations' Irmgard Keun. I didn't enjoy it at all. i suppose I just didn't know what this book was trying to say. I go to Switzerland in May so will see if I can find it in German because that might be easier to grasp.In the meditation room, I finished 'Cold Comfort Farm' Stella Gibbons. On the whole I didn't find it funny and Flora Poste irritated me immensely. that does show good writing because she seemed very real.What did Aunt ada Doom see in the woodpile? We're never told.I shan't read it again.Another character, who drove me mad was the father in 'Over' Margaret Forster. He wrecks the family, recovers after three years then expects his wife to fall in with his wishes when she has built a new life. this book is written in beautiful English.
Then I read two more Lettice Cooper's. 'Black bethlehem' is London in war time and brought back memories. It was only when i had finished this book that I could make sense of it. totally different is 'Fenny' about a girl who goes to Italy as a governess and spends her life there. Fenny knows love but she never married. I have 2 more Coopers to read then I've read all that I can lay hands on. I think there will only be 1 or 2 to find.
Light reading was 'Death on Holy Mountain' David Dickinson. this is a Lord Powerscourt dtective novel set at the beginning of the 20c. I learned a lot about Irish history as well as having a relaxing read. Lord P made me laugh when he talked about 'industrial Quantities of Hail Marys'. As this was a clash between Catholic and Anglo Irish Protestant Ireland i can see how this idea arose.
Imagine having spent 3-4 years on research,getting one's book to the publisher then discovering that 4 other people had the same idea and one would be published before yours. This is what happened to David Lodge and in 'The year of Henry James' he tells the story. He recalls that two of the other authors were at Lamb's House in Rye at the same time as he was.Coim Toibin was his rival. One of the others still has managed to have his book published. the other 2 james books were by Emma Tennant and Alan Hollinghurst. to make matters worse Toibin and Lodge began their books after James had written a play. This is no sad tale though because Lodge is a wonderful writer. There are some of his essays at the end of the book so I'll write about them separately.
If it's Tuesday it's Brighton. My friend and I go every Tuesday. the company that runs a local school bus had the brainwave of one day a week going to Brighton cheaply.We leave Horley at 9.30 and Brighton at 13.30. we have about 3 hours, which is long enough to walk along the front. school Hols we have an extra 3 hours.We are a very jolly crowd of old dears. The weather in Brighton is never the same as here. It seems to have its own ecosystem.
Didn't look at my email for 2 days because I had a migraine so must dash off and do that.
I have a marvellous gadget called a ' book pillow'. Dovegrey told me about them some time ago but hers came from USA, then Jottings found a site in UK so I ordered a chocolate coloured pillow on Sunday and it arrived yesterday. It's such a load off my hands and the newspaper fits nicely over it so my hands are free.
have had a good haul from Oxfam. three Elizabeth Peters in her Vicki Bliss series. £1 each,then 4 Heyers which I didn't have. There was a 4th but when the pennies were there book wasn't.The Heyers are the latest manifestation. Most of the ones i already possess are as they were first produced.Also had 2 books from the lovely ELLie, which will go with the Russian Challenge.Never imagined i'd have a pile to review.Also bought 2 Steven Saylor at the library for 10p each.I'm supposed to be diminishing my piles .
What have I read?'Child of Nations' Irmgard Keun. I didn't enjoy it at all. i suppose I just didn't know what this book was trying to say. I go to Switzerland in May so will see if I can find it in German because that might be easier to grasp.In the meditation room, I finished 'Cold Comfort Farm' Stella Gibbons. On the whole I didn't find it funny and Flora Poste irritated me immensely. that does show good writing because she seemed very real.What did Aunt ada Doom see in the woodpile? We're never told.I shan't read it again.Another character, who drove me mad was the father in 'Over' Margaret Forster. He wrecks the family, recovers after three years then expects his wife to fall in with his wishes when she has built a new life. this book is written in beautiful English.
Then I read two more Lettice Cooper's. 'Black bethlehem' is London in war time and brought back memories. It was only when i had finished this book that I could make sense of it. totally different is 'Fenny' about a girl who goes to Italy as a governess and spends her life there. Fenny knows love but she never married. I have 2 more Coopers to read then I've read all that I can lay hands on. I think there will only be 1 or 2 to find.
Light reading was 'Death on Holy Mountain' David Dickinson. this is a Lord Powerscourt dtective novel set at the beginning of the 20c. I learned a lot about Irish history as well as having a relaxing read. Lord P made me laugh when he talked about 'industrial Quantities of Hail Marys'. As this was a clash between Catholic and Anglo Irish Protestant Ireland i can see how this idea arose.
Imagine having spent 3-4 years on research,getting one's book to the publisher then discovering that 4 other people had the same idea and one would be published before yours. This is what happened to David Lodge and in 'The year of Henry James' he tells the story. He recalls that two of the other authors were at Lamb's House in Rye at the same time as he was.Coim Toibin was his rival. One of the others still has managed to have his book published. the other 2 james books were by Emma Tennant and Alan Hollinghurst. to make matters worse Toibin and Lodge began their books after James had written a play. This is no sad tale though because Lodge is a wonderful writer. There are some of his essays at the end of the book so I'll write about them separately.
If it's Tuesday it's Brighton. My friend and I go every Tuesday. the company that runs a local school bus had the brainwave of one day a week going to Brighton cheaply.We leave Horley at 9.30 and Brighton at 13.30. we have about 3 hours, which is long enough to walk along the front. school Hols we have an extra 3 hours.We are a very jolly crowd of old dears. The weather in Brighton is never the same as here. It seems to have its own ecosystem.
Didn't look at my email for 2 days because I had a migraine so must dash off and do that.
Wednesday 12 March 2008
wednesday
Received a lovely book from Guy at Newbooks and also 2 from Hesperus. I have been having one of my 'bad ' days so they lifted my spirits. i've written to Cambridge Press to see if they will send me some Academic books to review. Lots of us review fiction but few Non fiction. have a brilliant book from Pimlico by charles freeman one of my favourite Historians. More later.
If you like an intellectual thriller then do read 'The Shakespeare Secret' J E Carrell. She a professor of Shakespearian studies in the US and this book pursues most excitingly two secrets. A new play and who was Shakespeare. Both quests are interesting and the book is very well written. So folks do go and read it if you can.
MOstly I'm writing this blog to myself it feels but never mind. Dovegreyreader mailed about my 2007 reading. It was hard to choose although I do read lots of detective novels which go quickly and are more for relaxation.Must go now and engage with Mr D'arcy. I have several to read as well as Diana, which shall be first and the standard by which others are judged.
Would be nice if my son nd daughter read this and left a comment. HaHa
If you like an intellectual thriller then do read 'The Shakespeare Secret' J E Carrell. She a professor of Shakespearian studies in the US and this book pursues most excitingly two secrets. A new play and who was Shakespeare. Both quests are interesting and the book is very well written. So folks do go and read it if you can.
MOstly I'm writing this blog to myself it feels but never mind. Dovegreyreader mailed about my 2007 reading. It was hard to choose although I do read lots of detective novels which go quickly and are more for relaxation.Must go now and engage with Mr D'arcy. I have several to read as well as Diana, which shall be first and the standard by which others are judged.
Would be nice if my son nd daughter read this and left a comment. HaHa
Monday 10 March 2008
Monday
Monday again and I missed the Sunday salon again too busy reading others'blogs. I'm immensely chuffed because I have two reviews in the Hesperus Magazine. I read them and thought 'I didn't write these' so looked in my notebook and I did. They seem different somehow when published.Shall be doing another one because I ordered Eggs by BUlgakov from the library, took it off the library TBR pile and thought this is beautiful might be Hesperus, looked again and it was. The cover is distinctive and the paper so nice. I can't imagine them going brown. I'm reading an old Pan Storm Jameson and the pages are all brown.
Today's weather is the kind to batten down the hatches and read so that is what I shall do after I've written to the lovely man at Pimlico who sent me Charles Freeman's 381. I have all of Charles books so shall be blogging about them over the course of this year. Also have Diana Birchall's D'arcy to read. How people , who don't read use their time I can't imagine. In my Express today their is a wonderful poem about reading. Here it is:A Book by Emily DIckinson'
He ate and drank the
precious words,
His Spirit grew robust;
He knew no morethat
he was poor,
Nor that his frame
was dust.
He danced along the
dingy days,And this bequest of wings
was but a book.
What liberty
A loosened spirit brings.
Says it all about reading. Whilst typing this I've been listening to yesterday's classic serial on radio 4.'Mr Standfast'. I do so like John Buchan and especially Richard Hannay.
When I can't concentrate I read Susan Lewis, who writes well but not intelectually. Yesterday I read a memoir called 'Just one more day' about her as achild and her mother's death from breast cancer.It made me realise how far cancer treatment has come since the 60's.Her mother just had a mastectomy and massive doses of radium. I can't help but think that today she'd still be alive and there was no such thing as reconstruction. I hope Susan will write about her life after this. I long to know if she passed her 11+ and how she became a writer. I must see if she has a site on line.
Today's weather is the kind to batten down the hatches and read so that is what I shall do after I've written to the lovely man at Pimlico who sent me Charles Freeman's 381. I have all of Charles books so shall be blogging about them over the course of this year. Also have Diana Birchall's D'arcy to read. How people , who don't read use their time I can't imagine. In my Express today their is a wonderful poem about reading. Here it is:A Book by Emily DIckinson'
He ate and drank the
precious words,
His Spirit grew robust;
He knew no morethat
he was poor,
Nor that his frame
was dust.
He danced along the
dingy days,And this bequest of wings
was but a book.
What liberty
A loosened spirit brings.
Says it all about reading. Whilst typing this I've been listening to yesterday's classic serial on radio 4.'Mr Standfast'. I do so like John Buchan and especially Richard Hannay.
When I can't concentrate I read Susan Lewis, who writes well but not intelectually. Yesterday I read a memoir called 'Just one more day' about her as achild and her mother's death from breast cancer.It made me realise how far cancer treatment has come since the 60's.Her mother just had a mastectomy and massive doses of radium. I can't help but think that today she'd still be alive and there was no such thing as reconstruction. I hope Susan will write about her life after this. I long to know if she passed her 11+ and how she became a writer. I must see if she has a site on line.
Monday 3 March 2008
Monday musings
well here we are again.Mis timed yesterday so didn't do my Sunday salon blog.I wonder how I went to work since this is laughingly called retirement.however, i know I'm really lucky to have so many interests and so many friends.
On saturday, i heard verdi's Otello from the Met. it was so well sung I had permanent goose bumps.
Also finished the book ,which I have had to read in the meditation room(loo)This was 'The Rise of Venus'Sarah Dunant.i really enjoyed this. I liked learning about the art and also she has brought Savonarola vividly to life and makes one feel how awful life became in Florence under his sway.Current read is 'Cold Comfort Farm'stella Gibbons. I haven't read much but it is funny. Flora has an uncle in Scotland whose man servant is called 'Hoots'.I have also noticed how anti-semitic books before the 40's are.flora's friend sees a new brassiere(she collects them)in the 'Jew-shop'.Hopefully noone would write like that now.
Also have a continuous read going on of the Sharpe novels by Bernard Cornwell. Along side I'm reading Patrick O'Brian so that I have navy and army.Then i read about the period in non-fiction. The novels bring to life the history.Although they are violent because war is they are not like the latest Linda Fairstein 'Killer Heat'.
Why do writers now have to create such unpleasant murder scenarios?I so appreciate earlier detective writers after struggling with rape, cut up bodies etc.I shall give Fairstein a miss in future I think.
So many bloggers raved about 'Dora damage' I ordered it from the library but I was really bored by it. I liked learning about binding but there was so much and I found it really talented to write a book that reads like a Victorian Novel but it actually didn't do much for me.
This has taken ages because I'm a slow typer 'getting faster/ When i was in the lower 6th some of us our headmistress if we could go to the Tec with the one year sixth and learn typing well she went off like a rocket.'why would clever girls want to type/'. pity she had no crystal ball that would show her computing. Modern 5 year olds learn it now.Must go now and answer my e-mails.
On saturday, i heard verdi's Otello from the Met. it was so well sung I had permanent goose bumps.
Also finished the book ,which I have had to read in the meditation room(loo)This was 'The Rise of Venus'Sarah Dunant.i really enjoyed this. I liked learning about the art and also she has brought Savonarola vividly to life and makes one feel how awful life became in Florence under his sway.Current read is 'Cold Comfort Farm'stella Gibbons. I haven't read much but it is funny. Flora has an uncle in Scotland whose man servant is called 'Hoots'.I have also noticed how anti-semitic books before the 40's are.flora's friend sees a new brassiere(she collects them)in the 'Jew-shop'.Hopefully noone would write like that now.
Also have a continuous read going on of the Sharpe novels by Bernard Cornwell. Along side I'm reading Patrick O'Brian so that I have navy and army.Then i read about the period in non-fiction. The novels bring to life the history.Although they are violent because war is they are not like the latest Linda Fairstein 'Killer Heat'.
Why do writers now have to create such unpleasant murder scenarios?I so appreciate earlier detective writers after struggling with rape, cut up bodies etc.I shall give Fairstein a miss in future I think.
So many bloggers raved about 'Dora damage' I ordered it from the library but I was really bored by it. I liked learning about binding but there was so much and I found it really talented to write a book that reads like a Victorian Novel but it actually didn't do much for me.
This has taken ages because I'm a slow typer 'getting faster/ When i was in the lower 6th some of us our headmistress if we could go to the Tec with the one year sixth and learn typing well she went off like a rocket.'why would clever girls want to type/'. pity she had no crystal ball that would show her computing. Modern 5 year olds learn it now.Must go now and answer my e-mails.
Thursday 28 February 2008
2007 best reads
This was a difficult task.i read 264 books last year. As I'm not in the best of health I have to pace myself so read alot but I also knit and embroider.Anyway to task:
1) Fire in the Blood-Irene Nemirovski.
2)In My father's House -Miranda seymour.
3)13th Tale-Diane satterwaite.
4)The web of Belonging- Stevie davies.
5)the Taste of Dreams:An obsession with russia-Vanora Bennett.
6)Cliffs of fall-Shirley hazzard.
7)salmon fishing in the Yeman-Paul torday.
8)The Last Templar-Tom Harper.
9)Still Life-Louise Penny.
10)The Snake Stones-Steven Goodwin.
These are all different genres and I didn't include any Classics here.The Nemirovski doesn't really have a plot but it is beautifully written although I should say translated. I must try to get it in French. I'm going to buy my own copy when it's out in paperback.
I've reviewed 2 books for Ellie at Hesperus press. I do love their books. They are like little art works. The covers reflect the contents. I love the print type and the paper is such good quality. I can't imagine them foxing or going totally brown. Some of my books begin to discolour really fast.it's a pity the Publishers here do not use the quality of paper that American Paperbacks do.
i'm enjoying blogging so shall keep this blog going. It would be nice if more people visited it.
Dovegrey reply; So glad you found the music. Do you listen to composer of the week?Radio 3 am and pm.
1) Fire in the Blood-Irene Nemirovski.
2)In My father's House -Miranda seymour.
3)13th Tale-Diane satterwaite.
4)The web of Belonging- Stevie davies.
5)the Taste of Dreams:An obsession with russia-Vanora Bennett.
6)Cliffs of fall-Shirley hazzard.
7)salmon fishing in the Yeman-Paul torday.
8)The Last Templar-Tom Harper.
9)Still Life-Louise Penny.
10)The Snake Stones-Steven Goodwin.
These are all different genres and I didn't include any Classics here.The Nemirovski doesn't really have a plot but it is beautifully written although I should say translated. I must try to get it in French. I'm going to buy my own copy when it's out in paperback.
I've reviewed 2 books for Ellie at Hesperus press. I do love their books. They are like little art works. The covers reflect the contents. I love the print type and the paper is such good quality. I can't imagine them foxing or going totally brown. Some of my books begin to discolour really fast.it's a pity the Publishers here do not use the quality of paper that American Paperbacks do.
i'm enjoying blogging so shall keep this blog going. It would be nice if more people visited it.
Dovegrey reply; So glad you found the music. Do you listen to composer of the week?Radio 3 am and pm.
Saturday 23 February 2008
saturday catch up
here we are again. dovegreyreader left a comment for me so I'll reply here as I still have things about blogs to learn. Ilike Classic FM too particularly from 21.oo - 23.00 when they broadcast whole pieces rather than just a snippet.
this week's composer has been Verdi. It has been an interesting experience hearing excerpts from all his operas.they alos managed to use a variety of singers too. I don't always like Alagna and Georgieu but they sang a superb duet on Monday night.
Also finished listening to a 'downstair's tape' 'The Queen of Subtleties' Susannah Dunn. It's narrated alternately by Anne Bolegn and Lucy Cornwallis, her maker of confectionery.So we have Anne's views of everything. She has started her narration the night before her execution and meditates on her life. Lucy gives us the outsider's opinion on events.I thought 'subtlety' was a comment on her nature but in fact it's a creation in sugar. Lucy had to make something nearly every day. What struck me most was the constant moving around of the entire court and wherever they stayed so much building etc went on. it must have cost the owners of castles etc a fortune and it is evident that the king never gave this aspect of his affairs a thought.I tend to choose audio books which I wouldn't normally read this widens my experience of books.
Finished a book which has really unnerved me'the crystal Skull' by Manda Scott. This is very different from her previous thrillers and from her Boudicca tetrology. It is based on Mayan prophecies and researches into prediction by numbers It seems the Mayans thought that on 21st December 2012 the earth would either come to an end or be saved. I'd have dismissed it all as a good story were it not that there is a bibliography and it's not a device.The one review I've seen of this book was very scathing and I feel unjust. It is a good story and it is well written but Had I known it would worry me, I wouldn't have read it.
I am perverse though because I tried to read a book with brilliant comments 'Imperium' Ryzard kapuscinski butwas so bored i gave up. I used to always persevere to the end of a book but time is too precious now to do that so I do just give up.
Apparently music can cause improvement in 60% of stroke cases whereas reading a book only improves 18% of people.I hope I never find out for myself which works best.
My New Books Mag arrived this week. It's a complete treat.Interviews with writers and extracts from books. This are good because one has a better idea of what the books are like. sometimes I reserve a book from the library and then buy it when it is out in paperback especially if it's an expensive book.
The Russian Challenge goes apiece. I've broadened it to include anything Russian rather than just Russian authors. My 'upstairs' audiotape is about some seemstresses being summoned to russia by the Empress Catherine.I haven't got very far but how travel was in those days is fascinating.They travelled by horse-drawn coaches.Often other people joined them so that they would have a safe journey. even little braziers were put on board to keep warm. But it must have been really hard. They'd all read the books they brought ages before they reached ST Petersburg.
I don't own anything by Bulgakov but I do want my own copy of the 'White Guard'. it is the one I've enjoyed most. I didn't finish it so that I'd have something left to read when I get my copy. Hopefully I can find a second hand copy.
this week's composer has been Verdi. It has been an interesting experience hearing excerpts from all his operas.they alos managed to use a variety of singers too. I don't always like Alagna and Georgieu but they sang a superb duet on Monday night.
Also finished listening to a 'downstair's tape' 'The Queen of Subtleties' Susannah Dunn. It's narrated alternately by Anne Bolegn and Lucy Cornwallis, her maker of confectionery.So we have Anne's views of everything. She has started her narration the night before her execution and meditates on her life. Lucy gives us the outsider's opinion on events.I thought 'subtlety' was a comment on her nature but in fact it's a creation in sugar. Lucy had to make something nearly every day. What struck me most was the constant moving around of the entire court and wherever they stayed so much building etc went on. it must have cost the owners of castles etc a fortune and it is evident that the king never gave this aspect of his affairs a thought.I tend to choose audio books which I wouldn't normally read this widens my experience of books.
Finished a book which has really unnerved me'the crystal Skull' by Manda Scott. This is very different from her previous thrillers and from her Boudicca tetrology. It is based on Mayan prophecies and researches into prediction by numbers It seems the Mayans thought that on 21st December 2012 the earth would either come to an end or be saved. I'd have dismissed it all as a good story were it not that there is a bibliography and it's not a device.The one review I've seen of this book was very scathing and I feel unjust. It is a good story and it is well written but Had I known it would worry me, I wouldn't have read it.
I am perverse though because I tried to read a book with brilliant comments 'Imperium' Ryzard kapuscinski butwas so bored i gave up. I used to always persevere to the end of a book but time is too precious now to do that so I do just give up.
Apparently music can cause improvement in 60% of stroke cases whereas reading a book only improves 18% of people.I hope I never find out for myself which works best.
My New Books Mag arrived this week. It's a complete treat.Interviews with writers and extracts from books. This are good because one has a better idea of what the books are like. sometimes I reserve a book from the library and then buy it when it is out in paperback especially if it's an expensive book.
The Russian Challenge goes apiece. I've broadened it to include anything Russian rather than just Russian authors. My 'upstairs' audiotape is about some seemstresses being summoned to russia by the Empress Catherine.I haven't got very far but how travel was in those days is fascinating.They travelled by horse-drawn coaches.Often other people joined them so that they would have a safe journey. even little braziers were put on board to keep warm. But it must have been really hard. They'd all read the books they brought ages before they reached ST Petersburg.
I don't own anything by Bulgakov but I do want my own copy of the 'White Guard'. it is the one I've enjoyed most. I didn't finish it so that I'd have something left to read when I get my copy. Hopefully I can find a second hand copy.
Monday 18 February 2008
Monday
what aweekend.Very bad cold so didn't blog but mostly because the wound on my back really hurt and I couldn't sit at my desk. I think it was the cold. Although beautiful yet freezing.I said in a previous blog I didn't know who Michael Hadyn was, I do now. He was Franz- Josef's brother and wrote a beautiful Requiem for FJ's funeral. It is curious how one sibling can be well known and the other hardly at all like Mendelesohn and his sister fanny, Yet she composed some lovely pieces.last week's composer was a modern one Herbert Howells.I didn't mind his work but wasn't 'begeistert' as they say.
Meanwhile been reading for the Russian Challenge.Jay Parini's 'The Last Station' is about the last year of Tolstoy's life and was fascinating for it's revelations about the great man and his wife and family. Now I need to find the biography and see how true Parini was. Tolstoy was so scared of his wife he ran away and she was worried someone else would have copyright. Not nice at all.
Also read 'The People of the Book by Geraldine Brooks. I loved this book. It begins in the present with a conservitor working on the sarajevo Haggadah, a book used at Pesach to tell the passover story.We then go back furthet and further in time to the creation of the book. each episode in the past comes after one in the present. Brooks has written 3 novels and not one is the same.I think this is her best yet but Have seen no other reviews to know what the 'pundits' think.
Also read 'Shoot the damn Dog', which Hilary Mantel reviewed and slated. I learned things from it but did find it quite repetitious and muddled. Also not sure how much someone who has no aquaintance with depression would enjoy it.
Now going to get myself some lunch.after which I shall write some snail mail.
Meanwhile been reading for the Russian Challenge.Jay Parini's 'The Last Station' is about the last year of Tolstoy's life and was fascinating for it's revelations about the great man and his wife and family. Now I need to find the biography and see how true Parini was. Tolstoy was so scared of his wife he ran away and she was worried someone else would have copyright. Not nice at all.
Also read 'The People of the Book by Geraldine Brooks. I loved this book. It begins in the present with a conservitor working on the sarajevo Haggadah, a book used at Pesach to tell the passover story.We then go back furthet and further in time to the creation of the book. each episode in the past comes after one in the present. Brooks has written 3 novels and not one is the same.I think this is her best yet but Have seen no other reviews to know what the 'pundits' think.
Also read 'Shoot the damn Dog', which Hilary Mantel reviewed and slated. I learned things from it but did find it quite repetitious and muddled. Also not sure how much someone who has no aquaintance with depression would enjoy it.
Now going to get myself some lunch.after which I shall write some snail mail.
Monday 11 February 2008
Last week
I was just going to write my blog for Sunday when my 'phone rang. 90 minutes later!!! I was too tired to continue so here we are again.I read a rather fat David Baldacci last week.Some of his books are really exciting whilst I can't get on with others.I've as yet, to find an explanation of that for myself.
I have a novel in the loo and have found this a good way to read even more than usual. these books are always novels and the one I finished on Tuesday was by Barbara Delinski. She writes Romances but has an interesting writing style so, IPersonally am never bored. Similar to these are Susan Lewis's books. They have only one flaw for me; rather explicit and steamy sex, which I find gratuitous and skip. Her plots are so rivetting I'm sure she'd have readers without venturing into near porn.
Wednesday was Ash wednesday and so Lent begins. I decided to do various things so that what I'm giving up is in fact my time.I have two Lent books. 'the life of Jesus' pope Benedict and 'History of the Bible' karen Armstrong. I own quite a few of her books. She is so knowledgeable yet writes so clearly. she is a 'jargon free 'academic.I hate books which are full of such obscurantist phrases that I have no idea what is being said.This style is also unnecessary but so many academics writing fall into the trap. it's as if they feel they won't be taken seriously if their work is easily understood.
It was quite a good week for music too.during a night when sleep eluded me I listened to Two Requiems one was played after the other. the first was by Michael Hadyn, who is unknown to me and so I'll have to google him. He was followed by Mozart's Requiem. they couldn't be more different. The Hadyn is probably the jolliest I've ever heard and because I had never heard it before, very fresh. The Mozart is always a joy.
During Sunday night when there is an early music slot, I listened to the Harpsichordist Maggie Cole talking to Catherine But about Wanda Landowska and Violet gordon Woodhouse, both of whom are harpsichordists.I found the program particularly interesting because my gran was housekeeper to Ruth Dyson, a well known harpsichordist. who let me play (tinkle) her harpsichord and also her spinet and taught me to hear the nuances in music although I never learned to play. My voice is my musical instrument.Music by Scarlatti,Rameau and Mozart was played so a good variety.
Saturday, I began listening to La Traviata from Covent garden on Radio 3 and found I didn't like it.this performance I mean. Since then I've been trying to think why this was. I didn't like nebrenka (sic) and this is most likely heresy as she has had such glowing reviews.this was the second musical disappointment of the week. the other was the composer of the week,Oswaldo Golija. Had never heard of him but willing to give it a go since his music is meant to be influenced by the Tango and all things Latin American as he comes from there.I tried two days running but still found it a cacaphony. I think one really has to have a musical training to appreciate some of these really modern composers.This week is another unknown to me Herbert Howells.I'll have a listen.
Last night I finished reading 'Singled Out' Virginia Nicholson. This is about those women who found themselves surplus in 1918. Many of my teachers were single women,most had lost someone in the two wars.the book is very interesting because Nicholson manages her material so well. She hasn't confined herself to one class either but has written about memoirs as much from Factory Workers as the gentry.What did surprise me was that spinster didn't mean having never had a sexual encounter. The general view of 'dried up old spinsters' is not really true. But the sex was far more clandestine if one can put it like that. Today it is open to the point of tedium.
Art wasn't neglected either. BBC4 is running a series called 'The Art of Spain' led by Andrew graham Nixon. it is a wonderful programme and covers more than just painting. The first programme was based on the South and the Moorish influence. I've never been that far down but have holidayed in Spain for the last 6 years and the Moorish influence is seen in Salamanca and Toledo.Dixon looks at sculpture, architecture and history. A really satisfying series.
Now I've just done what stuck in a book said in his Norm interview was a no no, written a long post . Never mind I like reading long blogs . maybe I'll have solved someone's sleep problem.
I have a novel in the loo and have found this a good way to read even more than usual. these books are always novels and the one I finished on Tuesday was by Barbara Delinski. She writes Romances but has an interesting writing style so, IPersonally am never bored. Similar to these are Susan Lewis's books. They have only one flaw for me; rather explicit and steamy sex, which I find gratuitous and skip. Her plots are so rivetting I'm sure she'd have readers without venturing into near porn.
Wednesday was Ash wednesday and so Lent begins. I decided to do various things so that what I'm giving up is in fact my time.I have two Lent books. 'the life of Jesus' pope Benedict and 'History of the Bible' karen Armstrong. I own quite a few of her books. She is so knowledgeable yet writes so clearly. she is a 'jargon free 'academic.I hate books which are full of such obscurantist phrases that I have no idea what is being said.This style is also unnecessary but so many academics writing fall into the trap. it's as if they feel they won't be taken seriously if their work is easily understood.
It was quite a good week for music too.during a night when sleep eluded me I listened to Two Requiems one was played after the other. the first was by Michael Hadyn, who is unknown to me and so I'll have to google him. He was followed by Mozart's Requiem. they couldn't be more different. The Hadyn is probably the jolliest I've ever heard and because I had never heard it before, very fresh. The Mozart is always a joy.
During Sunday night when there is an early music slot, I listened to the Harpsichordist Maggie Cole talking to Catherine But about Wanda Landowska and Violet gordon Woodhouse, both of whom are harpsichordists.I found the program particularly interesting because my gran was housekeeper to Ruth Dyson, a well known harpsichordist. who let me play (tinkle) her harpsichord and also her spinet and taught me to hear the nuances in music although I never learned to play. My voice is my musical instrument.Music by Scarlatti,Rameau and Mozart was played so a good variety.
Saturday, I began listening to La Traviata from Covent garden on Radio 3 and found I didn't like it.this performance I mean. Since then I've been trying to think why this was. I didn't like nebrenka (sic) and this is most likely heresy as she has had such glowing reviews.this was the second musical disappointment of the week. the other was the composer of the week,Oswaldo Golija. Had never heard of him but willing to give it a go since his music is meant to be influenced by the Tango and all things Latin American as he comes from there.I tried two days running but still found it a cacaphony. I think one really has to have a musical training to appreciate some of these really modern composers.This week is another unknown to me Herbert Howells.I'll have a listen.
Last night I finished reading 'Singled Out' Virginia Nicholson. This is about those women who found themselves surplus in 1918. Many of my teachers were single women,most had lost someone in the two wars.the book is very interesting because Nicholson manages her material so well. She hasn't confined herself to one class either but has written about memoirs as much from Factory Workers as the gentry.What did surprise me was that spinster didn't mean having never had a sexual encounter. The general view of 'dried up old spinsters' is not really true. But the sex was far more clandestine if one can put it like that. Today it is open to the point of tedium.
Art wasn't neglected either. BBC4 is running a series called 'The Art of Spain' led by Andrew graham Nixon. it is a wonderful programme and covers more than just painting. The first programme was based on the South and the Moorish influence. I've never been that far down but have holidayed in Spain for the last 6 years and the Moorish influence is seen in Salamanca and Toledo.Dixon looks at sculpture, architecture and history. A really satisfying series.
Now I've just done what stuck in a book said in his Norm interview was a no no, written a long post . Never mind I like reading long blogs . maybe I'll have solved someone's sleep problem.
Friday 8 February 2008
a shorty
if it's true that the road to hell is paved with good intentions then I'm a long way down it. I haven't blogged this week. I'm going to make this fairly short and write more tomorrow. I've been chuckling over a joke I heard during a play by Mark Taverner on BBC7.(MT writes really witty plays like in the Red, )'The lord said; Come forth and I came fifth and won a fruit cake.'This really amused me.Now I hope it's not read at Mass because if I get the giggles it's hard to stop.
Last night finished reading 'Grievance' Marguerite Alexander's first novel. She is a lecturer on the Birkbeck extra mural certificate/diploma course. (Anyone who can get to london, all the lecturers with Birkbeck are so good). Her passion is Irish Literature about which I did know very little but now have learned so much more from this campus novel. Apart from the literary eferences this is an interesting tale of a girl growing up in N. Ireland in a vey strange family. The disfunction really begins with the birth of a son who is Downs. Neither parent can accept this and it is left to the sister to look after him.Just before Xmas I had a new little cousin arrive and Vanessa is Downs so I was interested in this aspect of the book. Father is a man,who is always right, mother a cipher.The heroine and stupidly I can't recall her name eventually has had enough and goes to Uni in London.The book tells her life there but every other chapter tells us about her childhood and growing up.This isn't a light read but it is full of nuances and things to ponder.To tell more would spoil the story but do read this particularly if you are interested in Irish Literature.
Had a wonderful present yesterday. The penguin classics box full of audio CDs. There's 'Great Expectations,'Crime and Punishment' and several others.I feel so lucky to have this. I listen to books when i can't sleep so always have a story tape upstairs. That one is about Anne Boleyn at the moment. Downstairs while I do chores like ironing I listen to books I probably wouldn't read.At present this is 'Poppyday' by Anne Murray. These audios are very good at stopping my haywire thoughts when I'm unipolar. I'd even say they nip the descent in the bud.
Last night finished reading 'Grievance' Marguerite Alexander's first novel. She is a lecturer on the Birkbeck extra mural certificate/diploma course. (Anyone who can get to london, all the lecturers with Birkbeck are so good). Her passion is Irish Literature about which I did know very little but now have learned so much more from this campus novel. Apart from the literary eferences this is an interesting tale of a girl growing up in N. Ireland in a vey strange family. The disfunction really begins with the birth of a son who is Downs. Neither parent can accept this and it is left to the sister to look after him.Just before Xmas I had a new little cousin arrive and Vanessa is Downs so I was interested in this aspect of the book. Father is a man,who is always right, mother a cipher.The heroine and stupidly I can't recall her name eventually has had enough and goes to Uni in London.The book tells her life there but every other chapter tells us about her childhood and growing up.This isn't a light read but it is full of nuances and things to ponder.To tell more would spoil the story but do read this particularly if you are interested in Irish Literature.
Had a wonderful present yesterday. The penguin classics box full of audio CDs. There's 'Great Expectations,'Crime and Punishment' and several others.I feel so lucky to have this. I listen to books when i can't sleep so always have a story tape upstairs. That one is about Anne Boleyn at the moment. Downstairs while I do chores like ironing I listen to books I probably wouldn't read.At present this is 'Poppyday' by Anne Murray. These audios are very good at stopping my haywire thoughts when I'm unipolar. I'd even say they nip the descent in the bud.
Sunday 3 February 2008
sunday
here we are again. i was so tired yesterday that i didn't blog. My friend has been really ill and I've helping her by walking her dog etc but I've an open wound on my back because I have a psoas abscess and i also have 3 kinds of arthritis so anything out of my routine wears me out.How feeble is that?
I was so pleased to hear from Stuck, Mary and Harriet especially as I know you/they are very busy people. I really must read emails everyday because otherwise there are too many and I don't have time or rather energy to read blogs which I love.
I've had a real treat; Randomdr.has given me a subscription to New Books. I love reading about books too.I also could have put a life in Art and languages as my title because they are also things, which interest me.I'm just trying to learn Mandarin and Modern Greek. I've studied Classical Greek for 6 years. I wanted to take it at school but there were only 3 of us. They would have done it for4. I did Latin to A level because to do a degree in either History or English one had to have A level Latin. There were only 3 of us who took it. Until I got this abscess 3 years ago, I went to City-Lit and did my Greek and also Latin. Alas now I study on my own. It's why I love Mary Beard's blog because I learn so much about the Classical World not just from her but also from the comments.
Have had a silly experience. I ordered a book from the library which was entitled "Short Stories of Bulgakov so I ordered it. the only English in it is the introduction rest is Russian. Ever been had!!!
I shall write more tomorrow. have run out of steam now.
I was so pleased to hear from Stuck, Mary and Harriet especially as I know you/they are very busy people. I really must read emails everyday because otherwise there are too many and I don't have time or rather energy to read blogs which I love.
I've had a real treat; Randomdr.has given me a subscription to New Books. I love reading about books too.I also could have put a life in Art and languages as my title because they are also things, which interest me.I'm just trying to learn Mandarin and Modern Greek. I've studied Classical Greek for 6 years. I wanted to take it at school but there were only 3 of us. They would have done it for4. I did Latin to A level because to do a degree in either History or English one had to have A level Latin. There were only 3 of us who took it. Until I got this abscess 3 years ago, I went to City-Lit and did my Greek and also Latin. Alas now I study on my own. It's why I love Mary Beard's blog because I learn so much about the Classical World not just from her but also from the comments.
Have had a silly experience. I ordered a book from the library which was entitled "Short Stories of Bulgakov so I ordered it. the only English in it is the introduction rest is Russian. Ever been had!!!
I shall write more tomorrow. have run out of steam now.
Tuesday 29 January 2008
more
here we are again. Whilst I write this I'm listening to 'In the Red' on BBC7's listen again. This has Steven fry as its lead and I'm very partial to him.
Beethoven is radio 3's composer of the week and there have been some interesting performances. yesterday evening there were some Lieder and I hadn't realised that besides his orchestral and piano pieces he composed songs.I've several books on Beethoven which I've now put on my TBR pile. I have more on Mozart though .
I have read 3 books for the Canada Challenge. These are all by Louise Penny and are detective novels set in an idyllic village called Three Pines a few miles from Montreal. I have chosen to read by province for the challenge thus broadening my knowledge of Canada and which authors wrote about each area.Not only does she have good plots but the characterisation is excellent. So often with thrillers they are driven by plot and the characters are secondary.
I've also been reading Bulgakov for the Russian Challenge. The first one I read was 'A Dead man's Memoir', which is partly autobiographical and concerns turning a novel into a play. At the beginning we are told that the narrator committed suicide and I continued reading expecting to be told the why of this but we are left to surmise.I found most interesting the satirisation of Stanislavski's Method' acting. I feel Bulgakov found this pretentious rubbish. Now i am reading 'TheMaster and Margharita' which began slowly but has now hooked me.There is an account of Christ's Crucifixion by a strange man, who claims to have been there.This bares little resemblance to the Gospels but makes one think. I wish I knew of a biography of Bulgakov to see what his own attitude really was. I know people like Barthes says the author doesn't count but I'm afraid I think s/he does and is a good reason for biographies being written and read.
I read a lot of what is called 'non-fiction' and have been very disappointed with the last two. The first was 'Justinian's Flea' by Michael Rosen. There are many interesting anecdotes in this book and it is interesting about the eastern Emperor Justinian but when it comes to the plague, which I thought was going to be the main theme of the book it is muddled.I was left wishing Rosen had chosen either the plague outbreaks or Justinian and concentrated on them. The other book is Agatha Christie' by Laura Thompson.She is very sound on the books but I have found myself bored more than once. Now this could be because the 'life' is so familiar to me. I have read everything I could about her and don't feel this biography has added anything new.I was glad I ordered them from the library and hadn't bought them. I usually do this if I'm not sure and then if it's a book I really like I buy the paperback.
As light reading I have been reading Dornford Yates. This is my in bed reading because I find Yates both relaxing and exciting, which sounds a paradox.In 2006 when I stayed with my bro in Norfolk I managed to find nearly all the Yates I was missing. He kindly lent me the money because there were about 17 books and if one waits they are gone and Yates is not easy to find.Then in the 'little room' I have started to put a book which I only read there. The last 10 days this has been 2 Inspector Montalbanos by Camillieri. They are very funny and not to be read when hungry because Montalbano likes his food and there are numerous mouthwatering references.
Lastly I've discovered Susan Lewis and she is 'unwind' reading. Her books encompass several genres and I first 'read' them by having them on tape. I always have a story tape in the kitchen and one in the bedroom as I'm a dreadful sleeper but my eyes are too tired to read so I listen.
Nearly forgot BBC7 has just read all of 'Vanity Fair' a book I love but in the library I found a new book called 'Dancing into Battle' by Nick Faulkes.This is about the ball before Waterloo and the battle and is written in both a scholarly but highly readable fashion. I didn't know that after the battle people came in their coaches to see the battle field and gawp at the dead.
Now i seem to be able to type faster I shall keep up this blog. I wonder how one gets it known so people read it.One of my favourites is Mary Beard, who blogs at Times on line about all things Classical. Then I always read Randomjottings blog.She is a wizz on (19th literature. At the weekend I'll see if I can sidebar the blogs I read. There might be unfamiliar ones.Many of mine I found by clicking on others sidebar.
Beethoven is radio 3's composer of the week and there have been some interesting performances. yesterday evening there were some Lieder and I hadn't realised that besides his orchestral and piano pieces he composed songs.I've several books on Beethoven which I've now put on my TBR pile. I have more on Mozart though .
I have read 3 books for the Canada Challenge. These are all by Louise Penny and are detective novels set in an idyllic village called Three Pines a few miles from Montreal. I have chosen to read by province for the challenge thus broadening my knowledge of Canada and which authors wrote about each area.Not only does she have good plots but the characterisation is excellent. So often with thrillers they are driven by plot and the characters are secondary.
I've also been reading Bulgakov for the Russian Challenge. The first one I read was 'A Dead man's Memoir', which is partly autobiographical and concerns turning a novel into a play. At the beginning we are told that the narrator committed suicide and I continued reading expecting to be told the why of this but we are left to surmise.I found most interesting the satirisation of Stanislavski's Method' acting. I feel Bulgakov found this pretentious rubbish. Now i am reading 'TheMaster and Margharita' which began slowly but has now hooked me.There is an account of Christ's Crucifixion by a strange man, who claims to have been there.This bares little resemblance to the Gospels but makes one think. I wish I knew of a biography of Bulgakov to see what his own attitude really was. I know people like Barthes says the author doesn't count but I'm afraid I think s/he does and is a good reason for biographies being written and read.
I read a lot of what is called 'non-fiction' and have been very disappointed with the last two. The first was 'Justinian's Flea' by Michael Rosen. There are many interesting anecdotes in this book and it is interesting about the eastern Emperor Justinian but when it comes to the plague, which I thought was going to be the main theme of the book it is muddled.I was left wishing Rosen had chosen either the plague outbreaks or Justinian and concentrated on them. The other book is Agatha Christie' by Laura Thompson.She is very sound on the books but I have found myself bored more than once. Now this could be because the 'life' is so familiar to me. I have read everything I could about her and don't feel this biography has added anything new.I was glad I ordered them from the library and hadn't bought them. I usually do this if I'm not sure and then if it's a book I really like I buy the paperback.
As light reading I have been reading Dornford Yates. This is my in bed reading because I find Yates both relaxing and exciting, which sounds a paradox.In 2006 when I stayed with my bro in Norfolk I managed to find nearly all the Yates I was missing. He kindly lent me the money because there were about 17 books and if one waits they are gone and Yates is not easy to find.Then in the 'little room' I have started to put a book which I only read there. The last 10 days this has been 2 Inspector Montalbanos by Camillieri. They are very funny and not to be read when hungry because Montalbano likes his food and there are numerous mouthwatering references.
Lastly I've discovered Susan Lewis and she is 'unwind' reading. Her books encompass several genres and I first 'read' them by having them on tape. I always have a story tape in the kitchen and one in the bedroom as I'm a dreadful sleeper but my eyes are too tired to read so I listen.
Nearly forgot BBC7 has just read all of 'Vanity Fair' a book I love but in the library I found a new book called 'Dancing into Battle' by Nick Faulkes.This is about the ball before Waterloo and the battle and is written in both a scholarly but highly readable fashion. I didn't know that after the battle people came in their coaches to see the battle field and gawp at the dead.
Now i seem to be able to type faster I shall keep up this blog. I wonder how one gets it known so people read it.One of my favourites is Mary Beard, who blogs at Times on line about all things Classical. Then I always read Randomjottings blog.She is a wizz on (19th literature. At the weekend I'll see if I can sidebar the blogs I read. There might be unfamiliar ones.Many of mine I found by clicking on others sidebar.
Monday 28 January 2008
success
It seems that people have found my blog which is excellent not my blog being found so it must go by title.
I have lots to say about Bulgagov both here and on the Russian challenge but I'll do that tomorrow. Have just posted off my first review of a Hesperus book. they are my favourite paper backs because they are so well made. i can just sit and look at them. I'm playing with fonts as you see. i want to put all the blogs I visit on here too and the challenges I'm doing. I find them a really good way of exercising discipline.
will write more tomorrow. I'm very tired at the moment partly because of anaemia but also because my friend Rita has been so ill and I've been looking after her, which is hilarious because normally she's much fitter than I am.Ok then see you tomorrow.
I have lots to say about Bulgagov both here and on the Russian challenge but I'll do that tomorrow. Have just posted off my first review of a Hesperus book. they are my favourite paper backs because they are so well made. i can just sit and look at them. I'm playing with fonts as you see. i want to put all the blogs I visit on here too and the challenges I'm doing. I find them a really good way of exercising discipline.
will write more tomorrow. I'm very tired at the moment partly because of anaemia but also because my friend Rita has been so ill and I've been looking after her, which is hilarious because normally she's much fitter than I am.Ok then see you tomorrow.
Wednesday 16 January 2008
Blog's ago
I see to my delight that people are actually visiting my blog. I haven't been so well lately so this will be brief until the weekend. Now I need to know what my blogs HTTP is so I can let friends know that that I have begun to blog.
Wednesday 2 January 2008
short story Challenge
I'm beginning this with The Apple' Short stories by Michel Faber. I'm so looking forward to all my challenges this year and keeping up this blog.
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