I finished "The Lace Reader" which was very strange, in terms of characters.

Now I am reading my first copy of the subscription I was recently to "Poetry" magazine. I am impressed by the high quality of the writing.

Yes, logging in here can be quite difficult or impossible, some days....I wonder if it is due to the ads.

I'm reading the most recent Sweeney St. George book, Still as Death by Sarah Stewart Taylor. Sweeney is putting together an exhibit on her speciality, the art of death. Sure enough, a dead body turns up at the opening. I am not very far along yet, but so far I have liked the third in the series best, O' Artful Death. In it, she was investigating Revolutionary War grave stones, and there was quite a bit of history in it.

Comments by PAM and Carolyn_ky in the March thread about An Inquiry into Love and Death by Simone St. James piqued my interest. I just finished the novel and although it's not my usual type of reading, I enjoyed it a lot. -- Kathy

I've just finished Can Any Mother Help Me? by Jenna Bailey. This is a very interesting story of a private correspndence magazine that circulated between a group of British women from 1935 to 1990, told through articles from the magazine and connecting text. A very lovely piece of women's history.

I've finished two other books this month: The Watersplash by Patricia Wentworth, which is a nicely written mystery with a somewhat too obvious solution, and Mrs. Harris Goes to Moscow by Paul Gallico, which is a lovely bit of comedic writing. The humour reminded me of Comrade Don Camillo by Giovannino Guareschi, which also makes biting fun of the Soviet Union as seen through the eyes of visitors from the outside. Methinks I need to reread it.

I am a little way in and enjoying, "The Burgess Boys" by Elizabeth Strout, this is her latest, just available in Australia!!

I have now read all of her books, all soooo very good, my favorite is "Olive Kitteridge".

I hope she is now starting on a new novel!!

I recently finished Julian Barnes The Sense of an Ending a shortish read but the 'ending' of the title was one I found difficult to understand. The premise of the books is that our memory plays tricks on us and is very selective.
A very boring middle aged man looks back on his school days and a brief and unsatisfactory relationship with a girlfriend. Some thirty years later he looks her up and cannot understand why she keeps telling him "You just don't get it" . . . I am afraid I didn't get it either.
Debts of Honour by Jill Paton-Walsh was a very run-of-the-mill whodunnit set among the colleges of Cambridge University.
It was a far cry from her The Knowledge of Angels which is one of the most powerful things I have read. Were I able, I would give everyone at RP a free copy as an interesting discussion would be bound to follow! And things seem to be getting rather dire here at the moment . . . where is everyone?

Here is a link that might be useful: The Knowledge of Angels

Hello, Vee, I am so hot and lethargic due to a late resurgence of Summer. I am mostly reading Large Print mysteries due to an uncomfortable "dry eye" condition which upsets my focus.
However, I can't be without something to read!
I borrowed a library book "Missed Periods and other Grammar Scares" which looks amusing. I never quite got the hang of some of the finer points at school but never too late to learn!

Veer,

I did not get Sense of an Ending either!!!

June, thank goodness I wasn't alone.

Annpan, when I first saw your title Missed Periods . . . Scares I thought it might have some gynaecological content. It reminded me of one of my late Father's terrible jokes on a 'book title theme'. "Married in the Nick of Time: Christened in the Vestry.
And yes, 'dry eye' is a miserable thing to suffer from. I wear contact lenses and dust is always a problem. ;-(

Vee, the "Missed Periods" book is quite amusing and aimed at people who watch popular shows which the author uses as examples.
I don't watch these shows but get the points she makes.
I am a great fan of using ellipses so was glad that I am using them correctly when I do chatty posts!
My current reading is an instruction manual. We lose our analog signals next week and I had to rush out and buy a digital Personal Video Recorder as I only just woke up to realising my current one works on an analog signal.
I really dislike learning new technology!

Some people, like myself, may be missing due to being unable to log on to this site, intermittently.

Another sufferer from "dry eye" here, for years. I am taking Restasis, a costly form of treatment (eye drops) twice a day, and feel I could not live without it.

I am reading a novel by Bernard Schlenk (author of "The Reader.") This one is "Homecoming", about a German attempting to solve the mysterious disappearance of his father during WW II.

I've finished listening to an unabridged audio book of Strong Poison by Dorothy L. Sayers, read superbly by actor Ian Carmichael. Can definitely recommend this audio version.

I'm reading another Jan Westerson book, The Demon's Parchment. I really like this series set in the 1280s. Our hero is a disenfranchised knight who unfortunately backed John of Gaunt. He now works as the Tracker, very early P.I. sort of a guy and always in trouble. King Richard, now aged 17, is still mad at him.

This evening I finished a coming of age fantasy novel called A Turn of Light by Julie E Czerneda. I almost didn't check it out of the library. I'd read something by this writer before and hadn't much liked it. Coming of age novels, especially in the fantasy genre, are often no more than a tired rehash of the same old motifs. This one was original and to me, compelling. I found myself reading it every spare moment for the past three days, setting aside all other distractions. It's been a long time since I found myself pulled into a novel this way. It was like a homecoming after a long absence.

Rosefolly

Woodnymph, I only got the dry eye problem a few months ago. Actually it started with the eye weeping a lot and my doctor diagnosed hay fever. After a while I decided to go to my optician for a full checkup and retinal scan and he said it was dry eye and prescribed a gel to use whenever the eye was troublesome. I have to discard the tube after every 28 days but it is on a Govt. benefits scheme so only costs me $A6 a time. The test was free as I am a senior but the scan was $A60 but well worth getting for peace of mind!
I seem to be reading mysteries set in libraries at present. As I have worked in a few, it is interesting how differently they are run in the books!
There have never been volunteers in any of the libraries I worked in but I did set up a Community one voluntarily once until the local Council took it over and then I got paid.
It may be that their Union won't allow volunteers in case the Councils who run the public libraries cut down on staff!

Woodnymph, going OT here but I checked the net about Restasis and found on an Australian website myredeye that it isn't easily available here. I see what you mean about expensive!
I am reading several Charlaine Harris books in the Lily Bard Shakespeare series. I thought they were historical mysteries! I should read the blurb and not make assumptions from titles!

Re Dry Eyes & Restasis-I was given some samples of Restasis by my Ophthalmologist and it threw me into a full blown migraine-apparently should not be used if you have a virus of the eye-which I have ! I try to be good about using artificial tears as they have no Preservatives.

I have been MIA due to having a houseful of company-family visiting from Seattle-my those little ones are active! They went home last night.

The past week or so I have read and enjoyed Six Years by Harlan Coben; Blunt Impact by Lisa Black, both library books.
I read the first Insp Ian Rutledge on the kindle & enjoyed it & bought the 2nd in the series by Charles Todd.

I am currently reading another library book-Enemy of Mine by Brad Taylor.

Pat

I've started and am enjoying A Dying Fall, the latest by Elly Griffiths featuring forensic anthropologist and amateur sleuth Ruth Galloway. The back cover quotes Deborah Crombie as saying, "Ruth . . . is prickly, tough, awkward, and vulnerable--makes for the perfect foil for jaded copper Harry Nelson. These books are must-reads; I can't wait for the next one." I concur.

Thank You Lemonhead for the Atlantic Link. It was most interesting but scary!

Now, I am back to reading "Biology" by Campbell. Four more weeks of class! I'll be glad.

I've been reading a Doris Lessing ("The Grandmothers: Four Short Novels") which was *fantastic* and I loved. Uncomfortable as Lessing can be, she is/was an expert in writing and narrative.

For non-fiction, I have picked up a travel jour book about two young college female graduates who travel to China in the mid-1980's. Called the unfortunate title of "Undress Me in the Temple of Heaven", it's actually much better than it sounds.

And then in between times, I have a little reading of "Some Experiences of the Irish R.M." by E. OE. Somerville and Martin Ross. Funny and lighthearted, it's set in Ireland and revolves around the new Resident Magistrate (R.M.) who has sent to live in a small rural area.

Only 2 more weeks of classes, then I'll be free of required history readings and can read for pleasure more often.

I am about halfway through Mr. Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore. It's totally different from my usual reading. Of course, it was the title that drew me in, but I am enjoying it.

And then last night, I dug myself into the novel, "...And Ladies of the Club"... I have been sucked into this world and am not sure when I will resurface. I am four chapters into it so if it continues this way, it will be a nice guilty pleasure after Lessing et al.

:-)

Lemonhead, you are in for a long treat.

I've had a very hard time reading anything lately, but the newest Nora Roberts landed on my doorstep yesterday and I'm now half-way through Whiskey Beach. She's a very reliable author and a decades-long favorite. I've been stuck in a bout of reading doldrums lately and feel like I have the attention span of a goldfish, so finally getting into a book again is a welcome relief! (We're in the middle of a kitchen renovation, so that may be the crux of my problem.)

Dedtired, my bookgroup is also doing The Round House for our next meeting. I will have to start it soon. Thanks for that PBS link, I'll have to check it out.

Finished Mr. Penumbra and found it fun but just okay. Now, I've started Jacqueline Winspear's Leaving Everything Most Loved.

I had a few weeks of difficulty finding anything that could hold my attention for longer than a chapter or two but today I read and finished a YA book that actually drew me in. Someone on another site I visit occasionally recommended Flipped by Wendelin Van Draanen. It tells the story of a "friendship" from both character's points of view and what a difference there is between the two!

I've just started "Dearie" by B. Spitz. It's a biography of the late Julia Child. I'm only just at the part where she worked in Intelligence in Washington, during WW II. She is about to meet her future husband, Paul, and I think they will get into the business of espionage. She certainly lived a varied and well-traveled life, apart from her time spent in the kitchen and on TV.

Well, I'm sorry to report that "...And Ladies of the Club" crashed and burned rather rapidly after that first four chapters. I am woefully uneducated about the Civil War and the Reconstruction period and its politics, and it kept veering into this territory with so much...snore....detail... that I couldn't keep it up.

Sorry - I know that lots of other readers love this book, but not for me. Now... on to the latest Mary Roach called "Gulp: Adventures in the Alimentary Canal"... I think this is more my speed.

Sheriz, I too am a Nora fan. I'm currently dividing my reading time between her The Last Boyfriend and two other books, those being Pax Britannica, the second book in the Pax Britannica Trilogy by Jan Morris (another favourite) and Wings above the Diamantina by Arthur Upfield. A nice mix of romance, mystery and history.

Carolyn.......

WHAT!?
There is the latest Maisie Dobbs out there and I didn't know about it???

I need to make a purchase immediately and get my Maisie fix .

Yvonne

Anyone know if there is a new Susan Hill Simon Serailler mystery out???

Mary, as far as can tell a new Simon book-The Soul of Discretion is due out next year.

Yvonne-I grabbed Leaving Everything Most Loved-the newest Maisie book when I saw the price reduced dramatically last week for the kindle. It was very good and made me wonder if Winspear is 'retiring' Maisie-but I don't think so....No Spoilers from me!

Lemonhead-I also could not get into "The Ladies" either-I bought the book years ago, gave up on it and left it on the shelf unfinished for several years then one day realized I was never going to get back to it, so donated it to the library sale.

With kindle book prices being really reduced-if even only for a short time-I have bought several books that I put off reading, starting with the Charles Todd books on Insp Ian Rutledge; the new book by Steven James-Placebo which was a big change from his Chess piece books.
This morning I bought The Hit-the new Baldacci when I saw the price drop below $10.00. I do refuse to pay the high prices for kindle new releases.

I am reading Irreparable Harm by Melissa Miller-recommended by a friend and Free this week for the kindle.

Pat

My latest is Sylvia's Lot by Teresa Waugh, her style reminds me lots of Mary Wesley, nice, light and amusing.

I finished Maisie and had the same feeling as Pat but also changed my mind as she did.

Now I'm reading Last Friends, third novel in the Old Filth trilogy by Jane Gardam. I love these books; they have grown on me over the years. This one only has about 200 pages and is a really fast read, for which I am sorry. I hate to see them end. I haven't read anything else by her, and she appears to have written a lot. Have any of you read others?

carolyn..I have just finiished reading Last Friends, sad to finish the trilogy.

I have read, and loved Crusoe's Daughter, another nice slim novel.

I also own and so enjoyed a collection of her short stories
"The People on Privilege Hill". My favourite is this collection was "Pangbourne", the closing line was so beautiful.

I recently finished My Early Life by Winston Churchill. This must surely be one of the best examples of writing-style in the English language, although it might be considered rather 'ponderous' by modern readers used to short sentences and misplaced syntax. He deals with his childhood, first living in Dublin and then his rather unhappy time at prep and Public School where he was considered a dunce. It wasn't until he became a young army officer serving in India, Egypt and South Africa that he came into his own, acting as a correspondent for a national paper and taking part in the last cavalry charge in British history. He was connected with all the 'right' families and through their good offices he was encouraged to enter politics. Not always easy to follow the various 'conflicts' of the times, but his experiences certainly must have helped to shape the man he became.
It makes modern politicians of whatever political persuasion seem so very bland and grey.

Off to the Cotswold Hills tomorrow with a few books to keep me occupied if it rains/hails/sleets.

Rouan, I borrowed a copy of "Flipped" on your recommendation and couldn't put it down. Such an interesting story on both levels of the teenagers and adults perceptions of other people.
Vee, I wish I could go to the Cotswolds again. One of my happy places. We could book into a Granada motel on their cheap weekends and take the dog.
We used that chain a lot in various parts of the UK and the dog knew where his waterbowl was being put because the layout was always the same!

Pat, thanks for the info.
Vee, I'm envious of your trip to the Cotswolds.

The long biography of Julia Child is turning out to be very interesting reading. Her husband was investigated for possible espionage by the HUAC, during the time of the notorious Senator McCarthy. Child herself was certainly a "Renaissance" woman in her way.

Have a good time, Vee. More envy here.

Well, April is been a somewhat chilling month, reading-wise. I finished a slim Peter Ackroyd novel, The Fall of Troy, which though interesting, could not compare to some of his other masterpieces like English Music. After that book, I read The Mysterious Mr. Quin, a surprisingly sinister book of short stories by Agatha Christie. I actually found it to be a bit creepy.

I can not wait for this month to be over. It is has been dreadful for me personally. This week I accompanied my mother to the veterinarian to have her beloved dog euthanized. It was the right decision, but the experience itself was very upsetting. I hope I don't have to go through that for a long while. A few days after that I was hit by a sudden cold/flu which left me generally shivering and miserable. Next week has to be better.

Timallan, I am so sorry to see that you have had to go through that sad experience with a pet. That is the worst part of responsible ownership. When I had to do that for my last dog, the vet assured me that it was for the best and he wished that other owners would stop letting their animals live in misery because they couldn't bear to let them go.
I hope that things look better when you recover from your cold/flu. I recommend a cup of black tea with lemon, honey and a shot of Scotch whisky (if you like it) on a regular basis!

I don't think I have posted about this book already - please forgive me if I have.
The Rosie Project by Australian writer Graeme Simsion is well worth reading. Dr Don Tillman is a genetics professor who exhibits many traits of Aspergers Syndrome, although he doesn't seem to notice this, even when he lectures about it. He does however notice that he is the source of amusement to other people.
He decides it is time for him to get married, and, because it is the logical thing to do, he makes up a large survey of questions all prospective partners should answer. The results are very funny, and also make you think about relationships and how we adapt within them.
The book started life as a screenplay, and I think it will be made into a film as it has great possibilities as a comedy.

Annpan, black tea with whiskey sounds like it would definitely clear out the cobwebs! I totally agree with your comments about responsible pet ownership, though it is still an excruciating decision to make when the time comes. I found it to be such an upsetting experience.

Reading Suite Francaise which has wonderful characters, but the plot seems pretty static so far. Perhaps I need a book with more cheerful associations.

I have been listening to audio books lately, having got my hands on several unabridged Lord Peter Wimsey mysteries, read by actor Ian Carmichael (who played Wimsey in one TV series of the books). They are very enjoyable. I am now nearing the end of Murder Must Advertise.

Tim, so sorry to hear about your mother's dog and your own illness. Those things are so difficult. When I am playing with my own pets I often think to myself, "Enjoy this time - it is so fleeting."

I haven't been posting much because I am tired of the login problems. I have to log in every time and then go through the forum/Glyphs page to get in. I don't know why I can't stay logged in, and why I have to get in through the other pages. Oh well, at least I can eventually get in.

Reading a couple of books about Eric Satie, the composer, both by Robert Orledge. They are a bit dry but exhaustively researched. Satie was quite a character.

I'm on the fourth Jeri Westerman 11th century mystery, Troubled Bones. This one is set in Canterbury and has Chaucer as a character. Becket's bones have been stolen, and our hero must find them.

I'm about 3/4 of the way through Steve Jobs. I never met the man, but I live close to Apple headquarters, and know people who knew him. Even if this were not so I think it would still be a fascinating book to read. I'll report more when I've finished in next month's What are you reading thread.

Rosefolly

Having finished the long and fascinating biography of Julia Child, I have now just begun "Killing Kennedy" by Bill O'Reilley. So far, so good.

Finished Steve Jobs, and I highly recommend it. It was one of the best liked books my book club has read, right up there with Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand. Now that may be in part because everything in the book is so familiar to residents of Steve Jobs's home turf. One member even remembers him from high school! We found ourselves wondering if people from other parts of the country would find it as fascinating as we did. Fascinating or not, I'm confident that any reader would find it to be well written.

Now I have moved on to American Eden by Wade Graham. I like this too but suspect you would have to have some interest in gardening or landscaping to want to read it. Perhaps not; an interest in cultural history might be enough. The author examines how trends in what people do with their gardens reflects what they think about themselves and the society they live in. Again, it is well written. It reminds me how much a clumsy style or dreary pedantry can throw a barrier between a reader and even a topic that intrigues him. Fortunately neither of these books has that problem.

Finally, as a quick light read, I re-read Elisabeth Ogilvie's Dancer in Yellow. I like most of Ogilvie's books, though not so much the Bennet Island series. Perhaps that is because I could never keep the family relationships straight. This one I enjoyed.

Rosefolly