Reading as a cheap hobby

bluenose1

Loving this thread and some great recommendations.
With regard to crime fiction my husband and I read a new author for us and both loved the storylines of his 3 books - Neil Lancaster. His first book was Dead Man’s Grave.  Set in Scotland and really gripping, Was one of very few books I haven’t been able to put down over the years.

I read on my Kobo as like getting books out of library and handy in case I can’t sleep, whereas my husband prefers to read proper books. 

PipneyJane

Sorry, by “Kindles” I meant “Kindle books”.

- Pip (apologies for being unclear)

MrsStepford

https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2024/apr/25/the-experts-librarians-on-20-easy-enjoyable-ways-to-read-more-brilliant-books

Thank you for the recommendations ! 

Husband brought home a pile of paperbacks for me, all the Game of Thrones books, from his boss. Wasn't that nice of him ? Tomorrow I am working on the website, but while husband is out and about on Saturday I can get stuck in ! 

PipneyJane

MrsStepford said:

https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2024/apr/25/the-experts-librarians-on-20-easy-enjoyable-ways-to-read-more-brilliant-books

Thank you for the recommendations ! 

Husband brought home a pile of paperbacks for me, all the Game of Thrones books, from his boss. Wasn't that nice of him ? Tomorrow I am working on the website, but while husband is out and about on Saturday I can get stuck in ! 

Excellent link @MrsStepford.  I will be trying some of their tips.

If you are into Golden Age Detective Fiction, the British Library have a subscription service.  For a fee of £9.99, every month they send you a new novel, recently republished by them.  They are also doing a “Tales of the Weird” subscription.  Details of both are here.

- Pip

MrsStepford

I haven't tried Golden Age Detective Fiction, unless you include Agatha Christie ? I found an Agatha from Fontana, with a fantastic illustration on the cover and started collecting them. I read a few of them but gave up. They made me feel thick, because I couldn't guess whodunnit !

I will certainly have a look at the British Library website @PipneyJane I found a talk there in May (also online) with Michel Roux and his daughter Emily, also a chef.

Am expecting a brand new book tomorrow, which was published on Thursday, called Le Sud. Cuisines of Provence and the Côte d'Azur, basically. Today I received Mediterranean Cookbook  by Arabella Boxer. No photos, other than the front cover.

PipneyJane

The “Golden Age” of detective fiction refers to any British crime novel that was published during the interwar years so, yes, Agatha Christie is included @MrsStepford, ditto Dorothy L Sayers, Margery Allingham, Ngaio Marsh and Josephine Tey.  

I first heard the phrase while listening to the She Done It podcast.

- Pip



ETA:  one of the reasons the interwar years were a golden age for novels is because it was the era of the commuter.  For the first time, regular people moved en-mass to the suburbs and commuted to their workplaces.  Cheaply printed novels were sold for pennies at the railway stations.

Wednesday2000

I found How to Kill Your Family at the free library box near me yesterday.

In brief: How to Kill Your Family; Guarded by Dragons; Dancing With the Octopus – reviews | Books | The Guardian

Coxy11

Wednesday2000 said:

I found How to Kill Your Family at the free library box near me yesterday.

In brief: How to Kill Your Family; Guarded by Dragons; Dancing With the Octopus – reviews | Books | The Guardian

I read that whilst on holiday with my family!!! 

Have finished Sharp Objects by Gillian Flynn - might have to write a trigger warning inside before donating to DSis or the CS! Now reading Into the Water by Paula Hawkins (Girl on a Train). Good so far!

MrsStepford

#OxfamReadingChallenge Get 10% off books on Oxfam online when signed up

https://onlineshop.oxfam.org.uk/reading-challenge

Wednesday2000

Coxy11 said:

Wednesday2000 said:

I found How to Kill Your Family at the free library box near me yesterday.

In brief: How to Kill Your Family; Guarded by Dragons; Dancing With the Octopus – reviews | Books | The Guardian

I read that whilst on holiday with my family!!! 

Have finished Sharp Objects by Gillian Flynn - might have to write a trigger warning inside before donating to DSis or the CS! Now reading Into the Water by Paula Hawkins (Girl on a Train). Good so far!

We must have similar taste in  books.