What are you reading?
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downshifter
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I've decided to have a blitz of my physical books, some of which go back to my teenage years (Dostoevsky's blackest works anyone?) and re-reading them to help make my decisions I realise that many no longer speak to me any more as a 66 yr old separated woman.
Those that I am so far keeping are the Austens, Brontes (all the sisters' works), George Eliot and Eliz Gaskell. After reading these I feel as though I have had a satisfying, healthy and energising meal - and stuff to think about!! Other classics, however, which are on the way out are Dickens (ridiculous characters!) and Hardy is teetering on the edge at the moment. Fay Weldon, who I adored in my 30s, will also go apart from her autobiog. I used to love the academic lives of David Lodge and Malcolm Bradbury but not any more, they seem pretentious now. Others are awaiting their fate.
Of the more modern ones, I read a Kate Atkinson but felt I was wasting my time, didn't empathise with the characters at all; Girl on a Train washed over me as did The Miniaturist etc, and I get annoyed with sloppy writing and especially editing. Most of the more modern books leave me with a 'so what?...' feeling. I think at my age I feel I have seen it all, or read it all, before which obviously isn't true and a very jaded view of things! I was watching a vlog by a reader enthusing about a recent book, but although the ideas were new to her, they were old hat to me at 66.
So what are you reading? What would you recommend for me to start filling up my bookcase again? I can read passing fancies from the library or kindle cheapies but would love to build up a selection of 'keepers' again. I'm thinking of turning my attention to autobiogs or other non-fiction a bit more. I would also like to get into more modern novelists but haven't so far found any I want to read more than one book by.
Any thoughts? Thanks
DS
Those that I am so far keeping are the Austens, Brontes (all the sisters' works), George Eliot and Eliz Gaskell. After reading these I feel as though I have had a satisfying, healthy and energising meal - and stuff to think about!! Other classics, however, which are on the way out are Dickens (ridiculous characters!) and Hardy is teetering on the edge at the moment. Fay Weldon, who I adored in my 30s, will also go apart from her autobiog. I used to love the academic lives of David Lodge and Malcolm Bradbury but not any more, they seem pretentious now. Others are awaiting their fate.
Of the more modern ones, I read a Kate Atkinson but felt I was wasting my time, didn't empathise with the characters at all; Girl on a Train washed over me as did The Miniaturist etc, and I get annoyed with sloppy writing and especially editing. Most of the more modern books leave me with a 'so what?...' feeling. I think at my age I feel I have seen it all, or read it all, before which obviously isn't true and a very jaded view of things! I was watching a vlog by a reader enthusing about a recent book, but although the ideas were new to her, they were old hat to me at 66.
So what are you reading? What would you recommend for me to start filling up my bookcase again? I can read passing fancies from the library or kindle cheapies but would love to build up a selection of 'keepers' again. I'm thinking of turning my attention to autobiogs or other non-fiction a bit more. I would also like to get into more modern novelists but haven't so far found any I want to read more than one book by.
Any thoughts? Thanks
DS
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Comments
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Have you tried Victoria Hislop? Her novels are really atmospheric, thought provoking and capture the history of the place- and a good story.
The ones I can think of are:
The Island- leper colony on Spinalonga,
The Sunrise - about the division of Cyprus & invasion of Famagusta
The Return- Spanish civil war.
Before you fill your shelves I'd be borrowing from the library or stocking up from a charity shop! We have one that sells 3 books for £1 so easy to pass on if you are not keen at that price.
For a story teller I would recommend Robert Goddard but I think his early novels are the best. They are quite involved with several threads interwoven , real page turners and always many twists to the tale....... sometimes you have to read a few chapters before being gripped!Being polite and pleasant doesn't cost anything! --
Many thanks
-Stash bust:in 2022:337
Stash bust :2023. 120duvets, 24 bags, 43 dog coats, 2 scrunchies, 10 mittens, 6 bootees, 8 glass cases, 2 A6 notebooks, 59 cards, 6 lav bags,36 angels,9 bones, 1 knee blanket, 1 lined bag,3 owls, 88 pyramids = total 420 total spend £5. Total for 'Dogs for Good' £546.82
2024:23 Doggy duvets,30 pyramids, 6 hottie covers, 4 knit hats,13 crochet angels,1 shopper, 87cards=164 £86 spent!!!0 -
downshifter wrote: ». I'm thinking of turning my attention to autobiogs or other non-fiction a bit more.
Any thoughts? Thanks
DS
I mainly read auto or biogs these days, plus compilations that can browsed for a few minutes / hour or so
Shoul add I am male, so my choice my not be for you, not so much touchy feely in the lies of Clarkson's compilations for instance, but it makes me chuckle
For a biog, try Parky's one, or Alan Johnson's, both are honest IMO and not glossy puff "look at how good I am" books that has writer in the good bits but ignore their history about the bad bits
PS tried any science fiction? Not fantasy, but the older stuff by say Isaac Asimov or Clarke?Eight out of ten owners who expressed a preference said their cats preferred other peoples gardens0 -
I just finished Victoria Hislop's "The Thread" about the history of Thessaloniki through the tale of a young immigrant girl. Very good.
I also laughed out loud many times reading a book probably written for younger women, a chick lit by Sophie Kinsella called "Can You Keep A Secret?" You might learn nothing from it, but you'll raise a smile!
I also read Julian Fellowes' latest "Belgravia" - OK if you're a Downton Abbey addict, but I found his "Past Imperfect" (debs in the sixties) and "Snobs" (middle class woman marries into the aristocracy) much better.0 -
I've replaced my classic books with kindle versions as I couldn't really see the print.
If it came to a choice between Jane Austen and Dickens, he'd win every time, as would Elizabeth Gaskell.
Of modern authors, David Lodge is one I treasure. Both his catholic strand and academic strand are so witty. Kate Atkinson and Helen Dunmore are great, too.
I hate Victoria Hislop, and all her ilk, with the formulaic woman of a certain age finding a family artefact and tracing its origin, the story of an ancestor and finding herself at the same time.Member #14 of SKI-ers club
Words, words, they're all we have to go by!.
(Pity they are mangled by this autocorrect!)0 -
Having spent a life reading non-fiction. Now I am slowly working through classic novels with reference to The Telegraph top 100 list:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/books/what-to-read/100-novels-everyone-should-read/
I have managed most of the top thirty. I gave up on two: Tristram Shandy and In Search of Lost Time. It will take a few years for me to complete the list.I have osteoarthritis in my hands so I speak my messages into a microphone using Dragon. Some people make "typos" but I often make "speakos".0 -
I'm reading "war with Russia" by general Sherriff a recently retired NATO general, fascinating.0
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Sterlingtimes wrote: »Having spent a life reading non-fiction. Now I am slowly working through classic novels with reference to The Telegraph top 100 list ...
The FBreader ebook reader in particular integrates well with the latter two sources, and works smoothly on phones and tablets. Some of these books are also available in the Kindle app, but Kindle is somewhat locked into the Amazon ecosystem, so the range of free classic books there tends to be limited.0 -
downshifter wrote: »Most of the more modern books leave me with a 'so what?...' feeling. I think at my age I feel I have seen it all, or read it all, before ...
I also have a soft spot for Iain Banks' Walking on Glass (though Banks purists apparently consider that he later did a better job with the same dynamic in The Bridge).0 -
Keepers .... why? will you read them again?"A nation's greatness is measured by how it treats its weakest members." ~ Mahatma Gandhi
Ride hard or stay home :iloveyou:0 -
Just finishing Sapiens by Yuval Noah Harari - read most of it last year then put it down and only recently picked it up again. Most of it fascinating.
Next on the list is the Complacent Class Tyler Cowan.
Prior to Sapiens was Happy by Derren Brown, which I thoroughly enjoyed.
Rarely read biographies, but Clarissa Dickson Wrights was brilliant.
One I have recommended many times before and ( so far) not had anyone say they hadn't enjoyed it is Heirs to Forgotten Kingdoms by Gerard Russell. It's about the Middle Easts vanishing ancient religions and it's a book I'll keep and re-read.
Sorry I'm not much of a fiction reader!0
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