The Bookworm's Thread 2017

VfM4meplse

Book 46:



6/10. I picked this up because of my interest in the work of Thomas Coram, and the good reviews. Mistake! Firstly it’s clearly written with children in mind as the target audience. Secondly, it was a very poor rip-off of Dickens. I can see it’s appeal but I much prefer the real deal.

Caterina

Just started re-reading A Short History of Tractors in Ukrainian, by Marina Lewycka and am loving it as much as I did the first time around. Somehow the description of Ukrainian families reminded me of Italian ones!. Very funny, moving and well written book. 8/10

VfM4meplse

Book 47:



7.5/10. A good read, but not for the reasons I expected! The content was far less about what the title suggested than a true perspective on life in Belfast during The Troubles, which was fascinating. It also illustrates just how much the system can fail young people by labelling them; it was good to see how the author became successful despite some tough setbacks in life. I’ve never really understood the detail of this piece of history properly, but I bought another book explaining it a few weeks ago. I now feel I’m in a better position to read it.

VfM4meplse

Book 48:



8/10. Not for the faint-hearted, this is a very disturbing read. I read this having heard the author being interviewed earlier this year, and am very glad I did. She is not a natural writer, but she is incredibly resilient and a very thoughtful person and captures many concepts that others won’t have even considered. I was surprised by her total lack of ego and wish to blame, as well as her personal strength. Her children are very lucky to have her.

VfM4meplse

Book 49:



7/10. A fascinating glimpse into modern black history in the US. The first half was better than the second, as it detailed little-known black figures that changed the world in amazing ways, despite endemic prejudice. It then went on to describe how communities organised themselves as they left slavery behind, and finally won equal rights, rather than "seperate and equal", and showed that human beings really are all the same when it comes to social arrangements. The second half was far more personal to the author; I liked it less as I didn't actually like the author herself much.

Serendipitious

Very 'Upstairs Downstairs' but a good read, set in 1899, landed gentry on the verge of ruin need to find an urgent solution.

Syman

i enjoyed the three parts of the "hitler trilogy" by Judith Kerr, as recommended in this thread.
Followed by the latest Lee Child , Jack Reacher book. Which was much the same as the others, but still a good bit of escapism.

VfM4meplse

Book 50:



9/10. I hadn’t seen the film, but can highly recommend the book. It’s so beautifully written and powerful, I loved it! Written in the first person, I did wonder how it was written as the language is so eloquent, particularly compared to the dreadfully limited speech that was common amongst slave-owners and overseers in the south at the time. According to Wiki, it was narrated to another individual and published ahead of the civil war.

Serendipitious

Just finished this in one day.

An excellent rainy-day adventure.

sugarbaby125

I loved 12 Years a Slave the book and the film. For once a film adaptation of an excellent book was true to the book