Monday 19 March 2012

Latest reading

I love reading.  There is no doubt that if I didn't have to work, I would spend a good part of every day reading.  I usually have a couple of books on the go at any one time and more often than not, several.  The latest ones are shown above.  I have never read To kill a mocking bird until now - I'm not sure why that is - but really enjoyed it.  It totally transported me to that time and that location and the characters were beautifully drawn throughout.  I'm not sure that people have changed at all in their attitudes since it was written, they just have other prejudices to deal with and no doubt, some still have the very same ones. 
I read A Ladder of Years because I was intrigued by the excerpt read by Anna Chancellor on My Life in Books on BBC2 recently.  I enjoyed this second series (produced to coincide with World Book Day) as you discover celebrities' favourite book choices, and through the books, you find out more about them as people.  This book follows a typical American family who go to a beach and then the mother just walks away and makes a new life for herself.  As with the previous book, it is beautifully written and I really felt that these people were real.  The ending was somewhat bittersweet and not what I was hoping for, but very believable.
I have also read a few ebooks too - A weekend with Mr Darcy (which I thoroughly enjoyed, being a huge Jane Austen fan), Three Graces (which was by the same author, Victoria Connelly and which was entertaining) and The Serpent in the Glass by DM Andrews (which had been reviewed as being a cross between Harry Potter and Narnia, which it was, with a touch of Irish legend and fable thrown in.)
All in all, quite an eclectic mix!  On to the next...

2 comments:

  1. Ohhhh what a coincidence. If you check my shelf in the widget for Shelfari on my blog, you'll see that I recently finished reading, "To Kill..." :) What prompted me to read it was that I had just finished "The Help" and loved it; and I thought I wanted to read another story dealing more or less with the same topic but with humour, like in "The Help". I loved that book.
    I've never read anything by Anne Tyler. You've made me curious now. And I have recorded all the "My Life in Books" episodes of this last series but I haven't had the chance to see them yet. You've reminded me that I have them there waiting, on my HDR!

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  2. Dear Aledys
    Thank you for your comment. That really is a coincidence! I hope you enjoy the 'My Life in Books' series - well worth a look.
    I think I am going to read some of Anne Tyler's other books too as she has written quite a few, so that should keep me very happy.
    I have heard a lot about 'The Help' too, so that will also go on the list.
    So many books, so little time!
    Best wishes
    Ellie

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