July books
Jul. 31st, 2007 07:18 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
callmemadamThe Life & Times of the Thunderbolt Kid, Bill Bryson. I laughed out loud all through this and then had to reread The Lost Continent.
In the Company of Cheerful Ladies, Alexander McCall Smith. This and Blue Shoes and Happiness completed my McCall Smith reread. Definitely keep forever books.
Facing the Light, Adèle Geras. I've already written about this, which was my read of the month: I loved it.
Human Voices, Penelope Fitzgerald. After my failure to finish The Blue Flower, it was a relief to be able to get through this. Set in the BBC during the War and as I read it, I could hear it in my head, like a Radio3 play. Skilfully done but full of confusing acronyms.
Love Me, Garrison Keillor. Sadly, I found this boring and self-indulgent and gave up. I really didn't care about the narrator or how many women he slept with.
Vanishing Acts, Jodi Picoult. I enjoyed Salem Falls, so looked forward to another good read with this. Disappointingly, I found it boring and full of padding about prison and wise old Indians and their lore. I doubt I'll bother with any more of her books after this.
Harry Potter & the Deathly Hallows, J K Rowling. 'Nuff said.
For the Sake of Elena, Elizabeth George. Reliably gripping author.
Green for Danger, Christianna Brand. We watched an old black & white film of this, starring Alastair Sim. I thought we had a copy somewhere and sure enough I found one in a box of old green Penguins. Set in a military hospital during the war and a good read. Very different from the film! Strange to think she also wrote the wonderful Nurse Matilda books.
Anne of Green Gables. My new bedtime comfort reading regime is to reread L M Montgomery. One down, twenty one to go!
The Hundred and One Dalmatians, Dodie Smith. Listening to the radio on Sunday evening I heard the first instalment of a new reading of this. It reminded me of how different the book is from the films and of how good it is. I must confess though that images from the Disney cartoon version kept popping into my head as I read.
In the Company of Cheerful Ladies, Alexander McCall Smith. This and Blue Shoes and Happiness completed my McCall Smith reread. Definitely keep forever books.
Facing the Light, Adèle Geras. I've already written about this, which was my read of the month: I loved it.
Human Voices, Penelope Fitzgerald. After my failure to finish The Blue Flower, it was a relief to be able to get through this. Set in the BBC during the War and as I read it, I could hear it in my head, like a Radio3 play. Skilfully done but full of confusing acronyms.
Love Me, Garrison Keillor. Sadly, I found this boring and self-indulgent and gave up. I really didn't care about the narrator or how many women he slept with.
Vanishing Acts, Jodi Picoult. I enjoyed Salem Falls, so looked forward to another good read with this. Disappointingly, I found it boring and full of padding about prison and wise old Indians and their lore. I doubt I'll bother with any more of her books after this.
Harry Potter & the Deathly Hallows, J K Rowling. 'Nuff said.
For the Sake of Elena, Elizabeth George. Reliably gripping author.
Green for Danger, Christianna Brand. We watched an old black & white film of this, starring Alastair Sim. I thought we had a copy somewhere and sure enough I found one in a box of old green Penguins. Set in a military hospital during the war and a good read. Very different from the film! Strange to think she also wrote the wonderful Nurse Matilda books.
Anne of Green Gables. My new bedtime comfort reading regime is to reread L M Montgomery. One down, twenty one to go!
The Hundred and One Dalmatians, Dodie Smith. Listening to the radio on Sunday evening I heard the first instalment of a new reading of this. It reminded me of how different the book is from the films and of how good it is. I must confess though that images from the Disney cartoon version kept popping into my head as I read.
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Date: 2007-07-31 10:04 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-07-31 02:50 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-07-31 10:54 am (UTC)You may be pleased to know that the narrator of Love Me is redeemed in the end. Or gets his come-uppance, depending how you look at it. Read Radio Sweethearts instead.
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Date: 2007-07-31 02:53 pm (UTC)Glad to know Love Me improves.
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Date: 2007-07-31 03:34 pm (UTC)I re-read 'Small Island' lately, and didn't like it very much, second time around. He's even grumpier than me, sometimes.