A Welsh Childhood by Alice Thomas Ellis was an interesting read. My copy was illustrated with bleak b&w photos of the area of North Wales where she grew up to escape the bombing raids on Liverpool.
Alice ET goes on to describe living in a very primitive cottage on a mountain-side with her seven children. What she doesn't make clear is that they were only there for holidays; the rest of the time was spent with running water, heat and light in London.

Innocents Abroad by Edward Stokes is the sort of book you can dip into. It deals with the several hundred children from Gt Britain who were evacuated to the Empire during WWII. This book follows those who went to Australia and through talking to those who undertook the journey a vivid picture is built up of the long sea voyage dodging U-boats and the years that were spent living in the country.
Many children went to relations (although a few had changed their minds by the time the kids arrived) and some were taken in by strangers. Most enjoyed their experiences and wanted to stay after 1945/6. On their return to England many didn't recognise their parents or the dull, grey, bombed-out country they had come home to.

Silverland by Dervla Murphy. Not many 70 year old grandmothers would choose to visit Eastern Siberia in the dead of winter as the Irish travel writer does.
A useful map shows the various long train journeys she made to the Pacific coast. Lots of descriptions of the people she meets, the terrible pollution in the industrial cities, the 'new poverty' since the fall of Communism.
Large sections are given over to the politics 'then and now' of this vast area.
For some US RP'ers she can be rather hard on the United States and its politics which I know a few of you find difficult to take . . .so be warned!

I mentioned Ungrateful Daughters by Maureen Waller on the history book thread. A thick work, but very readable, about the last Stuart Princesses/Queens. Mary (the other half of Wm and Mary) and Anne. It follows the lives of Charles II, his brother James II and his wives, many mistresses, babies . . .most who died of smallpox and general sickliness, the political and religious problems of the time and how the Govt dealt with most difficult of Royal families.

Out of necessity, my reading load has lightened lately, what with a new puppy, new kitten, children changing schools (what an adjustment for me,) longer hours at work and getting up at 5:30 am with that pup. I did, however, find a little library near my son's karate studio so after I drop him for his lesson, I can now head over there.

This month, I read Bill Bryson's A Walk in the Woods. I was shamed into it at a dinner party when it turned out I was the only one at the table who hadn't read one of his books. It was thoroughly enjoyable, especially once I read a review comparing his "travel" writing to Twain which made some of the extreme characterizations far more tolerable. I've hiked bits of the trail in PA and the DE Water Gap area and understand why he calls the PA trail wretched. My fear of snakes surely exceeds his.

I have John Banville's The Sea waiting for me as it is my bookclub's choice. I also read most of a biography about Huey Long called Kingfish but I ran out of time before it had to go back to the library. Long was Louisiana's corrupt governor (oh wait, was there more than one??) and I think All the King's Men was loosely based on him. Corrupt governors reminds me I also read a Fannie Flagg book based on a small town radio show called Standing in the Rainbow which was sweet.

A bit off topic--I can never get the search function to work here. Does anyone remember the name of site which has a search function to find library books based on zip code?

yup.

Here is a link that might be useful: Library item search

Bookmarked it--thanks so much!

Dynomutt, thanks for the dictionary recommendation. I was a bit startled at how large this book is -- luckily I should be able to have it for a good long while as it came from an obscure corner of the library and I doubt anyone else will want it soon.

I am fascinated with the history of Christianity, though I'm not very religious despite a Catholic upbringing and attending a Jesuit university. At this point in my life I just want to know why and how the "rules" became the rules. I'm also quite interested in Pelagius, and I'm looking forward to figuring out how his heresy fits into everything else.

It looks like it will be a fascinating book. Thanks again for mentioning it.

Sheriz6 --

Not a problem! It's funny but I also have a Catholic upbringing. After going to a Benedictine school for grade school and then a Jesuit high school, I think having Catholic dogma drummed into you for so many years DOES have an effect on a person. ;-) (Both my parents also went to Jesuit universities)

And if you're looking as to WHY the "rules" became the rules, you'll find it here. I haven't gotten to the Council of Nicaea yet but the discussion on some of the hermits is quite funny. (Did you know there was a hermit who lived on a platform on a 20 foot pole for something like 30-odd years?)

I think the Pelagian heresy is mentioned in the book but, to be honest, I forget the details. There's so many darned heresies that it's hard to keep track of all of them!

And yes, I'm also fascinated by the history of Christianity. There's an interesting discussion on how the Church became the central figure in Dark Ages Europe almost simply by accident -- the Roman Empire (well, the Western half of it anyway) crumbled and no one was there to take over.... well, except for the Church.

Enjoy the book! If I find any other interesting books on Christianity or the Catholic Church, I'll let you know.

By the way, if you're interested in more recent Church history (Roman Catholic Church history, of course), have a look at the books by Malachi Martin. His history of the Jesuit order is quite good. I think the book is simply called The Jesuits. He's also got some books on the Vatican and where the Vatican fit in the Cold War.

That being said, I also know that some Jesuits don't like (or didn't like -- I don't know if Martin's still alive) Martin and his writings.

Dynomutt, thanks, I might have to look for the Martin books at some point.

I first stumbled across a reference to Pelagius in Thomas Cahill's How the Irish Saved Civilization and picked up two additional books about him -- Pelagius: Life and Letters by B.R. Rees and The English Road to Rome by Brian Barefoot (one chapter on P in there). Sad to say, I haven't had a chance to read either them yet though I've had them for quite some time.

I started the Johnson book this morning and one page into it I know I'll have to read more about Paul (who I never particularly liked, but ...). What has driven my constant interest (but sporadic reading) in this subject is that in spite of all the catechism, Jesuits, church and whatnot I was exposed to growing up, all the interesting, historical bits were completely left out. I've really enjoyed learning more about how and why things are the way they are, from fish on Fridays to how Mary Magdalene was saddled with her completely incorrect reputation. I just wish I had more reading hours in my day!

Does he use the Osiris/Set/Isis story as the origin of the fish tradition? I've Johnson's The History of the American People on my TBR stack where it has sat for years and his book about Art has been on my Amazon wish list since it was published. I just can't seem to get started in reading him. He strikes me as a renaissance man with the breadth of his subjects.

Listened to Karen Slaughter's Blindsighted and while a well enough written mystery, I doubt I'll come back. No fun listening to a book with a rape scene. Fast forwarded.

Also listened to a murder mystery with a needlecraft hook, Crewel Yule and it was not so well written. Murder at at needlecraft buyer's market just before Christmas had such potential!

Finally, Parker's Spencer novel, Cold Service as narrated by Joe Mantegna was fun. Well written or not, I can't tell, but he hooks me in better than the others.

>Crewel Yule

Hee, that sounds like a Piers Anthony book in the Xanth series (sorry, teenage sci fi reference)

>And yes, I'm also fascinated by the history of Christianity.

How the Irish Saved Civilation is a great way to start on this road. Then try Elaine Pagels, the Gnostic Gospels. You really get a taste for the kind of power tugs and pulls that were happening in the early days (she can get a little verbiose; I have been known to skim passages of hers when its a bit much. But her research is excellent)

Cindydavid4 --

Thanks for the recommendations. I've known about the Gnostic Gospels for quite a while now but I've never really had the urge to delve deeper into them.

To be perfectly honest, I kind of just stumbled on Johnson's book by accident. I was at Chapters and, while just browsing through the cheaper books, I found Johnson's book marked down to $10. I figured it was worth gambling ten bucks on a book on the history of Christianity! It's nice to be pleasantly surprised once in a while!

What I find nice about books such as these is that the subject is fascinating and the writing's not half-bad. God knows I've tried to plow through books on fascinating subjects but have been seriously hindered by the writing. Some historians know how to write. But others, to quote Borat, not so much. ;-)

I think it's a rare gift, that ability to research well and put together something that is not only accessible to the general public but is also enjoyable to read! (Regardless of what some "serious" historians say, I think Barbara Tuchman has this gift.)

Sheriz6 --

Yes, we ALL wish we had more hours to read in a day. ;-) This "working" stuff, to put it in a nutshell, sucks.

Cindy, as a historical work Cahill's 'How the Irish Saved Civilisation' needs to be treated with caution. Better to regard it as a work of 'folk lore', a good story, the crack after a few pints of the black-stuff have been downed.
Having spent over eight years under the wing of mostly Irish RC nuns I was taught some amazing 'facts' which I fully believed at 10 years old. It has since been pointed out to me that not all Irish men as are as pure as the driven snow and that it is unlikely that at the Last Trump on the Terrible Day of Judgment while the rest of wicked man-kind sinks beneath the waves the land of Ireland will be spared such a fate and will presumably be lifted straight up to heaven in one piece.

Sheri and Dyno, you might be interested in the article below. Paul Johnson is also from the Jesuit school of Catholicism and strong religious teaching. Wasn't it Ignatius who said "Give me a child before he is seven and . . . ." what next?

Here is a link that might be useful: Interview with Paul Johnson

Ah, hut Will Durant was also trained by Jesuits and look how anti-Catholic he turned out.

Cindy, I loved the Zanth books until I lost track of them. Never realized they were considered teen-age sci-fi, although I can see how they would be. I think they, to some extent, track his daughters in age. A Spell for Chameleon, for example, I would place at pre-teen with the constant punning and the gentle relationships.

>(Regardless of what some "serious" historians say, I think Barbara Tuchman has this gift.)

I am always astonded by these serious historians and their attitudes. Tuchman, Simon Winchester and Steven Ambrose (with some problems) have that gift - and they belittle them because gasp the public actually likes to read them!

>It has since been pointed out to me that not all Irish men as are as pure as the driven snow

I don't think, in fact I know Cahill wasn't saying this. He was showing how some monks kept texts from Roman and Greek times from disappearing. Plus from what I have read afterwards from other authors he comes close to the mark on much of what he writes.

Chris, I must admit I had never heard of Durant, so looked him up. His work has never come my way over the Pond. Can you, or someone, please fill me in on him. Is his work/ideas still in the 'mainstream'?

Veer --

I can attest to the Jesuit thing. I have classmates from high school who went through the Jesuit machine from grade school all the way through to high school if not university. And man ..... you can tell they've been, uh, inculcated in a certain way of thinking and looking at the world. It's actually quite an interesting phenomenon -- the thought processes they have are very interesting.

I don't think that the Jesuit training is necessarily bad or necessarily good. The way I look at it, it's simply a tool like a hammer. A hammer can be used for good such as when it is used in building a house for the homeless. It can be used for evil, such as when it is used for, say, murder.

Jesuit teachings and their methodology can, similarly, be used for good or evil.

Cindydavid --

Yes, some "serious" historians have baffling opinions. It's almost as if they don't want the public to appreciate and understand what goes in on the ivory towers of academia. Then again, if you were a high priest of some exclusive religion, keeping the mysteries mysterious would be a good thing, no? ;-)

Vee, I think the rest of that quotation is " . . . and he will be mine for life" only I thought it said six instead of seven. It's interesting to think how we are shaped as little children. Thank heaven for good parents.

Doesn't Miss Jean Brody use the same phrase about girls at 8?

Vee, I don't think Durant is read very much anymore. Midway through the seminary he left and began teaching at progressive schools. His History of Civilization series focuses more on the arts and culture than the usual general histories. He taught at Cooper Union and did a great many train trips across the country giving lectures. His work is graceful, very easy to read, and full of grand conclusions that I suspect work better at teaching the unwashed masses yearning to be cultured than as scholarship. Other's mileage may vary. Perfect for his time. He is still the first history book I turn to for overviews before going on to more detailed analysis. Reading him is akin to chatting with a wise and knowledgeable old friend. I know Russ was reading his The History of Greece a couple of years ago.

"Give me the child until he is seven, and I will give you the man", attributed to Ignatius Loyola. The basis for the documentary Seven Up and all the sequels by Michael Apted, repeated ad nauseaum.

Vee, thanks for posting the article, it was interesting.

I've never read Will Durant (didn't his wife Ariel collaborate with him?) but I've read Barbara Tuchman and I do find her writing very accessible. I can't tell you how many books I've started on subjects that I find fascinating and fall asleep due to the author's writing style. That's why I like Thomas Cahill, too, though from comments here I've learned to take him with a grain of salt.

I'm reading Runaway, a collection of stories by the Canadian writer Alice Munro. I'm finding it absorbing reading, but then I generally like her fiction.

I have all 12 volumes of Durant's Civilization series, given by a roomate who didn't want to move them. I have always wanted to read through them - Its been hit and miss, I 'll go through a stage of reading them then find myself losing interest. They probably are excellent, and I'd probably learn from them - but the writing just doesn't grab me (and yes his wife did work with him on that series)

> The basis for the documentary Seven Up and all the sequels by Michael Apted, repeated ad nauseaum.

Ah but see, the ages he uses in his films are my ages. So the first one I saw at age 21 was 21 Up, and have seen each one since (saw the first two later on). I think they are fascinating looks at people's growth, and because they are the same age as me, I can compare and contrast them with my journey. I know that the 49 came out this last year but haven't been able to find it yet.

I'm reading The House Without a Key, the first Charlie Chan mystery, by Earl Derr Biggers. It's quite good and amusing to have an older character bemoaning the changes to Waikiki since her first visit in the 80s. That would be the 1880s; the book was written in 1925.

I recently read We Need to Talk About Kevin by Lionel Shriver, which was such a dense book it took me a long time. About the halfway mark, I skipped to read the last 1/4 of the book. It was okay, but I thought the plot too simplistic of the subject matter. Bad mother + son who is evil from birth = inevitable tragedy. Of course, I always have trouble reading a book when I dislike the main character (in this case the mother). I thought Picoult's recent book on the matter was much more realistic, sympathetic, and thought provoking. I probably shouldn't have read the two of them so close together.

Now I've just started Picoult's Salem Falls which I found in a bargain bin while I await the arrival of other books I've reserved from the library.

Just finished "Brideshead Revisited" by Evelyn Waugh which was an enoyable read. I wish I had seen the BBC series, but the book was good.

Now on to India during the time of the Raj: "PLain Tales From the Raj" edited by Charles Allen. It's a bunch of interviews back in the 1970's from people who had lived during the era of the British in India in the 1920's and 1930's. It's interesting how many of them cite Kipling as being a major influence on why some of them traveled to India in the first place.

Liz, I remember listening to Plain Tales from the Raj when they were first broadcast on BBC radio; most interesting and thanks to those recordings not such a long-forgotten way of life.
I'm sure you can get Brideshead on DVD. Very much worth watching.

I inherited a few of the Will and Ariel Durant books from my parents. I think my father's generation was much taken with them, but I find them simplistic, and lacking in key concepts. I think I am keeping them on my shelves out of sentiment. I would not rely on them for 100 per cent accuracy.

I enjoyed the Cahill book about Ireland, as it was not a dull read, but filled with wit and whimsy.

Still ploughing nightly through "Kirsten Lavransdatter"....

I found the 2nd half of Kristin Lavransdatter went a lot faster for me than the first half.

I recently bought the Penguin deluxe edition of the Sagas of Icelanders. Read the intro, and am now getting ready to read Egil's Saga. I'll probably read this in piecemeal fashion as I find time for each saga or tale between books. I've suddenly developed an interest in reading these. I'd also like to find an edition of the German sagas grouped together. Does anyone have any recommendations?

Woodnymph - I understand the sentimental aspect of keeping books. I have the six volume set of Churchill's history of WWII. I have read a page here and there, and my children used them as sources for HS papers. I treasure them, because I remember when my Mother got them, when book purchases were not on our budget at all, and how she was so excited to own them. She read them through. Now, because of that story, two of my children have also bought used sets, the same covers, and early printings...just to treasure.

georgia, don't know the answer, but do you think reading the Islandic sagas will throw light on puzzling aspects of the folk culture in "Kristin"? I do have one huge, burning question about something Kristin does in the 2nd half. I am reading the older edition, alas. For me, it was the opposite: the first part went very fast but now I am bogged down, with all the families' interweavings and interactions....Whew, I feel I need a notebook just to keep all the names straight.

I've ordered Kristin.. from the library so it is on my TBR. Here's hoping I'll enjoy it more than The Sea which, so far, is beautifully written but, dare I say, creepy? I'm only a third through it but disappointed right now.

I just finished Laura Lippman's new mystery-What The Dead Know-really good, lots of suspense-I recommend it.

Bookmom - The Sea won the Booker prize, ahead of my own personal favourite Never Let Me Go by Ishiguro. I was particularly upset as I had a few quid on NLMG at 14-1 to win...and it lost out, it is rumoured, on the casting vote of the chairman of the prize committee...

I was extremely impressed by the writing of The Sea - beautifully crafted - but it was dull. Nothing really happened, and what did happen I found unconvincing - particularly the end. My own feeling was that this was a book which was selected by the judges to demonstrate that they, as experts, could see a finer art in the writing than we plebs....

On the last few pages of War and Peace.

Pam53, I hadn't realized Lippman had a new book out. Thanks for your recommendation. I plan to go to a signing Thursday to pick it up. I love her work and enjoy the fact that they are set here in Baltimore.

Congrats, Martin.

BTW, I noticed the movie of Kristen... is available for download from the Maryland Digital eLibrary. Perhaps it also is from your local library.

Mostly reading gardening books, but I just finished listening to Audition for Murder by Susan Sussman and Sarajane Avidon. I enjoy tales of theatre life and combine them with murder ....

Next up is John Berendt's The City of Falling Angels

chris, thanks for telling about the film "Kristen". I will look for it.

Wasn't Ariel Durant much much younger than her husband? I remember reading that she roller-skated to her wedding...unlikely, I know, but I remember so clearly reading it-I can tell you where I was, even!they "eloped" so to speak-
I need to go find this out now.
Reading my way through the Catherine Aird mysteries, waiting for Charms for the Easy Life to get here from the library.
Still looking at the new Martha Grimes looking back at me-just not in the mood.

Chris ITV, are you familair with Gwendoline Butler's "Coffin" books? John Coffin is a London detective married to an actress. I like them.

For theater + murder, mayhem and mystery, you might want to try Simon Brett's Charles Paris series and Anne Morice's series about Tessa Crichton, an actress/amateur sleuth married to a Scotland Yard detective.
And of course, several of Ngaio Marsh's Roderick Alleyn books revolve around the theater-my favorites are Killer Dolphin and Light Thickens

I was right! She DID rollerskate to her wedding!

Here is a link that might be useful: Ariel Durant's wedding trip

Goody! Thanks CeCe and Carolyn for the suggestions.

Beautifully crafted but dull--you nailed it, Martin. I find it sort of repugnant so far, what with Max's descriptions of bodily odors, his peeping into the gaps of Mrs Grace's clothing and weird references to his own daughter's body and nudity. Actually, I'm relieved to read you describing it as dull as I was sort of worried that the beginning was meant to foreshadow something far worse than a wife who died. As I mentioned, it is my bookclub's choice so I will finish it.
Banville does get credit for improving my vocabulary; I've had to check on the meaning of a number of words and do appreciate his writing style.

War and Peace... pretty impressive.

>On the last few pages of War and Peace.

Good going, Martin!

I'm reading a few pages of Inside Music by Karl Haas while awaiting the arrival of The Reduced Shakespeare in my mailbox. (Yes, I am finally going to read it. The book club discussion will be in April.) Karl Haas is that wonderful music enthusiast who hosted "Adventures in Good Music" on NPR for so many years. I have much to learn about classical music and I think Karl might be just the guy to assist me.

I finished Snow Flower and the Secret Fan. I liked it okay, didn't love it. The cultural information was interesting, but I couldn't seem to really connect with the characters.

I'm now reading Honeymoon with My Brother, a non-fiction book about a young man who gets left at the altar, so he really takes his honeymoon with his brother. They take a year off and travel all around the world. I'm about halfway through and enjoying it so far.

In between I read You Suck: A Love Story, Christopher Moore's latest. I didn't love it as much as I have loved some of his others. But he's still fun to read.

Next up, The Memory Keeper's Daughter for my book club.

Finished War and Peace.

He does go on a bit about history and historians....tends to repeat himself. Nowadays, I think the book would have been severely edited.

There is an abridged version being released in the UK (along with several other classics) in June. In general, I don't approve of this sort of thing. But, it has to be admitted, it would probably do no serious harm for most people to War and Peace to take the scissors to it...!! (Blasphemy, I know.)

Now I need something a little lighter. So, being reminded of this book by another thread about a quote, I'm re-reading A History of the World in 10½ Chapters by Julian Barnes - one of my favourite books - particularly the first and last chapters.

I do love that book. Started reading his others as well. Think England/England is my fav after History.

I don't mind authors going on about history, but make it coherent. I've never been a big fan of Russian authors to begin with (except Chekov), and have never been able to get much into War and Peace. Other authors can meld history into a story so seamlessly you don't realize you are being taught history.

Finally finished "Kristen Lavransdatter", tried to skim "The Terror", and instead picked up Junger's "The Perfect Storm."

Chris-I envy you meeting Laura L. I have loved every one of her books. The setting is more interesting to me in the past yr. as my younger daughter moved to the Baltimore area.

I just finished Stuffed: Adventures of a Restaurant Family by Patricia Volk. It was an absolutely delightful memoir of her growing up in NYC with her somewhat eccentric relatives (her GGF brought Pastrami to the new world, her grandmother won the 1916 trophy for "Best Legs in Atlantic City", her father invented a Six Color Retractable Pen and Pencil set).

I'm still working my way through A History of Christianity, I've finished The Gift of the Jews and I'm starting Cahill's Desire of the Everlasting Hills.

Speaking of Russian writers, has anyone read 'Dreams of My Russian Summers' by Andre Makine? Makine was born in Siberia in 1957, but wrote DOMRS in French, as that was where he was living in the early 1990's. It was awarded both the Prix Goncourt and the Prix Medicis, but only after he submitted the transcript of the book to the judges in Russian! He wrote so well in French that they couldn't believe that Russian was his first language (or so the story goes). A fascinating, lyrical tale of several generations in a Russian family. Brings one all the way to the toppling of the Berlin wall, historically. After a rest from W&P, this would be an interesting, and short, read.

I think that came out when I was in grad school, and wanted to read it, never had time. Thanks for the reminder.

A previous thread got me thinking of rereading Eliz Von Arnim. I spent much of the day with Mr Skeffington and will probably read Enchanted April tomorrow. Hopefully by the time I finish my very small collection, the other books I ordered will be in!