Carolyn, now that you've done the cross-country rail trip, you need to read The Edge by Dick Francis. :) The setting is a Toronto-Vancouver rail trip that's been coordinated with a sequential set of horse races, with several horses and owners going with the train.

Donnamira, I didn't do the cross-country rail--wish I could--but rather flew to Vancouver and joined the short version of the Rocky Mountaineer train and flew home from Calgary.

I have read all of Dick Francis's books and am continuing with those of his son Felix. I really have enjoyed them.

I'm presently reading Glastonbury by Donna Fletcher Crow in e-book form. It is a story of the Christianization (?) of England and is fun to see how the author makes sense of the myths and legends along with love stories. It begins with Joseph of Arimathaea bringing a small contingent to Britannia and coming up with the concept of building a church rather than a synagogue, as well as reactions from the group to a green and pleasant land rather than the brown and hot Middle East.

Carolyn, many years ago, in fact several several decades ago, I made the rail trip from Ottawa to Calgary. This was still in the days of seats during the day turned into sleeping berths at night and I met a wide range of very interesting travellers, most of them, like me, who couldn't afford 'superior' accommodation. Calgary was just clearing up after the stampede . . . recumbent bodies in the streets etc . . . not then a usual sight 'back home'! With friends I went into the Rockies and 'did' Banff etc then on to Vancouver by bus. What a beautiful city and so much smaller and do-able than is has become.

BTW I hope you don't believe the Glastonbury story. :-)

Ha, Vee. At least Joseph's rod didn't sprout and grow. Instead, one of the women in the group had brought living roots to plant to remind them of "home." So far, there is only one mad Celtic priest. The others are good guys. She writes of some similarities in the beliefs, which I assume to be true, and it's quite interesting.

I finished How We Lived Then by Norman Longmate (interesting but long). The book concerned how ordinary English citizens endure WWII with all the rationing and privation. That story combined with the current situation in Venezuela really makes one think about food & medical supplies, etc.

Then I read An Irish Country Doctor by Patrick Taylor. Didn't connect with & fall in love with the characters in AICD like I did with the characters in the James Herriott series. Found it rather pale in comparison.

Next up was Grand Jury by Philip Friedman. This is an older book (1996) from the bedside stack. Pretty interesting--set in NYC, NYC Chinatown, Hong Kong & China. Drug trade, money laundering, etc. But slow and overly long, IMO. And I didn't really connect with the characters in that I didn't really care much what happened to anyone.

Currently into another one from the stack--a collection of short stories. American Voices or some such. (Also an older book.) The book is upstairs and I don't want to go & double check the title. Problem with reading short stories is that just when I start to get wrapped up in a character then the story is over and you're left kinda' hanging. Have never read short stories so I guess you learn to adjust? Anyway, it's good for night time reading because it's easy to stop at the end of a story instead of fighting to stay awake & keep reading.

Vee, thanks for that link, Salley Vickers sounds quite interesting. I'll have to pull out whatever else I have by her and (try to) get to it sooner rather than later.

I'm currently waffling between books. I knocked off two forgettable romances by Sarah Title, and I'm still reading Born to Run, which I'm enjoying. I've also started Clapton's Guitar: Watching Wayne Henderson Build the Perfect Instrument by Alan St. John. I picked this one up at the recommendation of a friend who has played with Henderson and is familiar with the story. So far, the writing is very engaging, and Henderson is definitely a character.

cilantro, I have never enjoyed short stories for the reason you gave. I got Evening Street by Julia Keller on Kindle, only to find it's either a long short story or a novelette. I was quite disappointed.

I'm not a fan of short stories, either, I think for the same reason. :)

I'm trying to get into Cross the Line by James Patterson. I'm about 1/3 in; there are a LOT of bodies so far (as in dozens). I will stick with it a bit longer.

Donna

I just finished "The Princes in the Tower" by Alison Weir. (One of those examples of "truth is stranger than fiction", I think.) The author is quite a scholar and has researched all sides of the "villaneous" king.

I must say that reading this revealed my lack of knowledge of English history, in particular, of the Wars of the Roses. Lancaster and Tudor had never meant much to me until now. Tell me, Brits, how do you keep track of all your Henrys, Richards, and Edwards?

OT, did any of you watch Charles III on Masterpiece Theater Sunday night? I found it fascinating and won't think of Kate Middleton again in the same way, fiction or not! It was done in blank verse as in Shakespeare, quite well I thought.

Carolyn, I shall look out for that. Actually Charles has said that he wants to take the name of George V11 to honour his grandfather and I suppose Camilla would use one of her other names and take the "Mary" part. (Peering into my crystal ball!)

Woodnymph, we learned the Kings and Queens with their dates by rote at school like I imagine you do with the Presidents!

Carolyn, we also watched Charles III a few days ago. I thought Tim Piggot-Smith, as Charles was particularly 'believable' (you will remember him as the nasty Merrick in Jewel in the Crown) and the blank verse spoken by those in authority added a certain gravitas. I also felt the young man who played Harry came over sympathetically although his 'story line' may have been rather far-fetched . . . or perhaps not.

Annpan I hadn't heard about Charles wanting to use his g'father's name as King. Is this from the Aus press!? And will Camilla be Queen?? Does history repeat itself?

Mary/woodnymph. As Annpan says, back in the day we learned the names of the medieval kings plus dates by heart. Although many of the early ones were no more than egs of the most ruthless/bloodthirsty/crafty top-familes their 'names' are a useful peg onto which we can hang 'events' so for eg you can think King John = Magna Carta . . . or Princes in the Tower = Richard III (or more up to date) Richard III = Body under a Leicester car park.

Carolyn. your mention of Kate M reminds me of this w/ends 'wedding of the year' when Little Sister Pippa marries. The tabloids are full of the new 'well-buffed' perma-tanned bride-to-be, the length of the guest list, the vastness of the marquee (slightly smaller than Wales) erected in the M's garden etc etc. And who can forget her rear view as she carried her sister's train down the aisle?

Vee, I don't know where I read that as it was some time ago and could have been in the British press. Camilla has to be a Queen if Charles becomes King.

I remember reading that a respected astrologer called, I think, Patrick Walker said that wouldn't happen but gave no reason why!

Carolyn ...what struck you about how Kate Middleton was presented?

I remember reading that Camilla was to be 'Princess Consort' when/ if Charles becomes king. Least ways, that was the plan back at the time Charles & Camilla married.

Ann, Someone else assured me that she wasn't, but I thought Kate was pushing William perhaps further than he wanted to go.

Vee, yes, I agree re Tim Piggot-Smith. That was very well done. I haven't heard a thing about Pippa's upcoming wedding, so far.

I am only going by what I read, that Camilla must become a Queen to Charles' King by the Constitution. The mentioning of her being a Princess Consort was to stop the general public's indignation at the time of the marriage!

There is probably a lot about Pippa's wedding plans in the woman's and gossip mags but I never read them, excepting old numbers in waiting rooms, of course!

Annpan, I think the 'matter', or Great Matter as Henry VIII called it all those years ago, is not quite as simple. Remember we have no written Constitution and it all boils down to precedent and to a lesser extent what might be seen as the 'feeling' in the country and Commonwealth.

The article below is taken from the Spectator a 'respectable' mag.

Other articles are available all over the web . . .

To Be Queen?

Of course you are correct about the Constitution.

That is a good sensible article and sums up my take on the matter. I had forgotten about the bread rolls! Lucky it wasn't something worse...

Oh, I was aware that the subject of a 'Queen' Camilla has been a touchy one and seems to always be in an on-going negotiation with the British public. I put in the bit about her being 'Princess Consort' because that's where the negotiation started.

I'd just add that Prince Philip isn't 'King' Philip so the idea that Camilla has to be 'Queen' doesn't quite stack up. Mind you that's only my impression as a casual, not-terribly-informed outside observer.

I agree with the thesis that making Camilla Queen would be to reward adultery. But are there not other problems as well? e.g. I seem to recall when Prince of Wales abdicated his throne to wed Wallis Warfield Simpson. Was this not because a "morganatic marriage" was not allowed? ( A Royal could not marry a Commoner?) Someone here please enlighten me.

It seems to me that Camilla will have all the "perks" that come with being married to the King regardless of her title.

Isn't Kate Middleton a "commoner"?

Part of the issue with Wallis Simpson was not only was she "common", she was divorced and, even worse, American!

Donna

I think that the problem with Wallis Simpson was that she had been married twice and had a living husband or two! When this was at the time when a divorced person wasn't allowed in certain areas of a race course, this was a huge problem!

Kings have always been able to marry commoners but an alliance with a royal person was preferred for political reasons.

Papillon by Henri Charriére. I last read this book about 35 years ago and forgot how good a book it was!

The more things change…

Mary/woodnymph, as Annpan says Wallis had already got through two husbands and as titular Head of the Church of England Edward could not not be seen to 'accept' divorce. A morgonatic marriage in this 'Royal' case means that the commoner cannot claim any of the privileges of the higher rank, nor can any children of the marriage. A couple of the wayward sons of George III had made such marriages and had several/many children with these 'wives' but as they hadn't asked permission of the King, which he would never have given, they were forced to give up these families and marry suitable Princesses (think Mrs Fitzherbert and the Fitzclarence's . . .btw Daphne du Maurier was descended from one such liaison between an 'actress' and a Royal Duke).

Of course, commoner doesn't mean the same as common is this context. Diana, P of Wales was a commoner as was the late Queen Mother. They both had plenty of blue blood but just not Royal Blue Blood. ;-)

Queen Victoria kept a huge volume called 'The Almanac of Gotha' which she studied assiduously when 'pairing off' her numerous off-spring through several generations, which led to much inter-breeding with all the problems it brings.

Somewhat in line with this discussion, I just picked up two library books about the Queen Mum: Counting One's Blessings: The Selected Letters of Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother, and The Queen Mother : the Official Biography by William Shawcross. Both are doorstops of books, and I see library renewals on the horizon :)

I also just finished a new-to-me Georgette Heyer, The Reluctant Widow, which I thoroughly enjoyed.

Reading The Dressmaker by Elizabeth Birkelund Oberbeck. Claude Reynaud is an old school dressmaker, no files or computers, he fashions every dress by hand. His bridal gowns are sought after. He has been unattached for years, until a bride-to-be arrives to his studio in Senlis, France (where I spent a very pleasant afternoon years ago) and he is invited into her circle.

I finished Cross the Line. Wow, a lot of people got killed in that story! Next up is The Seventh Plague by James Rollins. If it has a lot of carnage I may take a pass and read something lighter.

Donna

I've begun Where the Dead Lie by C. S. Harris. Set in 18th c. England where a lord who fought for the Crown during the American Revolution is now on a personal crusade to help the helpless in London. This is the twelfth in the series and right up my alley.

Just finished The Lost City of Z. The Amazon Rainforest/Jungle was never on my bucket list and this book certainly solidifies its absence. Ticks on your eyelids? Predators in trees? Maggots in your skin? Piranhas? Anacondas? Ten bijillion bugs and twice as many snakes? No thanks. No lost city of gold is going to lure me into being that brave, especially one whose existence is not definite. The book itself was interesting, alternating between chapters of Colonel Fawcett's historical treks and the author's current planning and trek. The Amazon is definitely and totally a place I will only ever travel by book. No passport required.

PAM

Finished American Voices, an anthology of short stories by various American authors and an about two-thirds of the way through The Complete Short Stories of Ernest Hemingway. I'm liking the Hemingway book better than the other because there is some continuity between some of the stories. A lot of rather grim story matter (bullfighting, etc.) The writing is excellent though.

LOL, PAM! Love your description of the Amazon! I feel the same way. I live in Florida (born and raised here) and we have more than enough creepy crawlies here.

Donna

Goodness, the Amazon doesn't sound like a place I would want to visit either. People seem to think Australia is a dangerous place but we only have poisonous spiders, snakes and various biting insects.

Also crocodiles, sharks, a deadly blue ringed octopus and jellyfish but they are only a problem if you go into the water!

I think I am safer in usually cloudy, cool England and even here every ant within a 10 mile radius seems to find me a tasty snack.

Have just finished a very enjoyable read from my anticipated pile.

Their Finest Hour and a Half by Lissa Evans. Set in early WWII about the making of an 'uplifting' movie, which might be of interest to the 'Yanks' (think Greer Garson in Mrs Miniver). It tells of the various characters who become involved in filming a movie about the evacuation of Dunkirk, from the faded lead actor, to the writers, to the costume department and the Ministry of Information that has to 'vet' everything. All set against the everyday scenes of disruption; bombing, food shortages, fear. Lissa Evans really has done her 'research' very well.

For eg I never knew/thought about the fact that during the London Blitz as bombed buildings were pulled down the rubble was piled in various Royal Parks and then transported by rail to make aerodrome runways. Or that fatalities of the bombing, often unrecognisable, had to be hastily buried either in 'shared' coffins and/or in massed graves.

The film just made from the book , though enjoyable, in no way matched it.

Here in SC, we have quite enough snakes, alligators, lizards, and mosquitoes for my taste. I've no desire to explore the Amazon, either.

I just finished watching "The Flambards", set in the England of ca. 1910, and covering WW I. It is taken from a trilogy by author Peyton. I wonder if anyone here has read her books? I found the bits of history in the story quite interesting (e.g. the breakdown of the English class system, and the fact that German prisoners of war were made to work on English farms, due to the shortage of manpower for agricultural duties.)

German POW farm workers in England was touched on very briefly in How We Lived Then, the book I just read about everyday life in England during WWII. The Germans were considered to be good workers and generally not unhappy about being away from the war, according to the book.

We had Italian POWs who were dustbin men in our area. Probably not wise to have Germans as we were in a heavily bombed area of London with soldiers billeted in our homes. The Italians were treated as "friendly enemies" and were very pleasant. They worked in pairs.

Quite a few young women in rural areas married Italian POW's; they always had an 'eye for the ladies' and were very easygoing.

Also quite large groups of ex-pats, mainly exiled Polish people, settled all over the country, in the '50's to be joined by Hungarians and now . . . just about anyone from everywhere.

I'm reading The Murder Wall by Mari Hannah, a new author for me. This is the first of her Kate Daniels, DCI, books, is a fat book, and is well written--except the author calls all the police characters by their last names which seems odd. Not sure why it bothers me.

Hello! I'm back. Sorry - work is unbelievably busy at times (unfortunately), and so although I've been reading, I don't always manage to come and visit my fav bookie peeps. I've just finished "Medical Apartheid" by Harriet A. Washington which is an NF about the terrible history in the U.S. of the white medical establishment and how they have treated people of African descent over the last century. (Think of the Tuskagee Syphilis Study, for example.) It's an awfully hard read, but necessary to know, I think. You can't change the future if you don't know the past, sort of thing. As a balance, I'm reading an Arnold Bennett ("Anna of the Five Towns") as he is usually a fairly light read. That, and Americanah by Chimimanda Ngozi Adichie, fiction about two immigrants from Nigeria. It's extremely well written, and I can't wait to get back into it.

Hi, Lemonhead! I'm glad you find time to read even when your work is busy.

I'm reading Mississippi Blood by Greg Iles. It's a tough read, too...lots of whites-against-blacks violence. It's a novel, but I suspect there is a lot of truth in it. I like his writing (I think I've read all his books), but the subject matter is so disturbing I don't know if I'll finish it. It's nearly 700 pages long!

Donna

I'm reading Sticks and Bones by Carolyn Haines, another of her light reads set in present-day Mississippi where the heroine and her BFF are southern belle investigators of various crimes. It's another of those series that I keep reading just for the fun of it.

I've just finished "The Aviator's Wife". I really loved this book. It brought vividly to life the Lindberghs and their family members. Anne M.L. comes across as the stronger of the two spouses, in that she had to put up with so much from "hero" Charles. There are some shocking (to me) revelations in this book about the famous pioneer aviator and his later life choices. Also, there is the tragedy of the kidnapping and death of their first child. Now, I plan to re-read "Under A Wing" by Reeve Lindbergh, the youngest child.

Finished the Hemingway book and have started D-Day by Stephen Ambrose. Found it lurking on the bookshelf and thought I had read it. After reading the first few pages, I realized that I must have read a different D-Day book.

I recently read Ambrose's Undaunted Courage about the Lewis & Clark expedition and enjoyed it very much. That was one amazing adventure!

On the last library visit I picked up Books Baguettes & Bedbugs by Jeremy Mercer. I have ploughed though the first 100 pages and can take no more of it!

I was looking forward to reading about the famous Paris Left Bank 'Shakespeare & Co' shop but found little about books and way too much about Mercer who is/was a sleazy reporter with a Canadian paper who was forced to leave the country in a hurry and finds a bed at the shop.

Perhaps he is still paid by the number of words he produces but I found the style sloppy with too much American slang, and way too many 'characters' unappealing . . . how many drunken/druggie old hippies do I want to read about . .. and if I ever read the word authored (meaning written) again, it will be too soon.

I've started reading a fun series of time travel books, The Chronicles of St. Mary's by Jodi Taylor. I'm through the first two, Just One Damned Thing After Another and A Symphony of Echos, and about to start the third. There are eight in the series, and unless the writing changes a lot, I plan to read all of them. St. Mary's is home to time traveling Historians whose job it is to observe and document what really happened in history, with much mayhem ensuing. Bad guys from the future who want to derail the timeline keep popping up and add additional complications. I've been stuck home with a hideous head cold for the past couple of days and these have kept me quite entertained.

Vee, my husband and I went to Paris for our 25th anniversary, and I bought a paperback book at Shakespeare & Co. just to get their stamp inside it. Now I can't remember which book it was, but I'm sure I still have it!

I have just finished The Inquiry Agent by William King suggested by someone here, I think. I read it on Kindle Unlimited, from which you can borrow a book for two weeks at no charge, the first time I've tried that. The book was set in London's 1840s and featured a former Bow Street Runner now working on his own since the "Peelers" came along. It was pretty good, with lots of the bad old days information about crime and poverty.

Busy traveling to an heirloom rose conference in Virginia, then a family visit in Wisconsin. I've been reading mostly fluff this month. But I did read one very good book, a memoir called Lab Girl by Hope Jahren. She is a geobiologist. The book intersperses chapters about her life with very poetic chapters about the lives of plants. I found it enthralling. I was enchanted both with her quirky lab partner Bill and with her understanding and profoundly decent spouse. I recommend it heartily, even to those like me who really do not much enjoy biography.

Sheri, I'm reading that time traveling series, too. I enjoy it throughly, and just got the most recent volume. There are also some short stories I have not yet read.

I finished Reeve Lindbergh's memoir of her famous family: "Under a Wing" and enjoyed it very much. It made me go back to my mother's old copy of "Gift from the Sea" by Ann Morrow Lindbergh, a woman far ahead of her time.