Reading Challenge 2021

[Out on blue 6]

Carl Hiaason - Squeeze Me

 

[I'm With Stupid]

1. Hamnet by Maggie O'Farrel
2. Don't Believe a Word by David Shariatmadari
3. Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen

I feel stupid even attempting a review of this one. Obviously a masterpiece. Have a little notepad next to you to write down the various different ways all of the characters are referred to though. Loads of the main characters have at least two different names and then also share names. Absolute pain in the arse. Other than that, brilliant.

 

[discopop]

Just finished a re-read of a Legacy of Spies by LeCarre a wonderful book to wrap up the Smiley stuff with a nice fleshing out of the Peter Guillam character whilst digging a bit deeper around the Spy who came in from the cold.

Had to park Gnomon just a bit too hard work, constantly looking up words was spoiling the flow.

In the home office I listening to the Hobbit unabridged on audiobook

 

[I'm With Stupid]

Had to park Gnomon just a bit too hard work, constantly looking up words was spoiling the flow.

That's where a Kindle comes into its own. Just click on a word and you get an instant dictionary definition. Although I find often it doesn't matter too much if you just ignore words you don't know. You can usually get it from the context. The Pride and Prejudice copy I just read was full of historical footnotes, but most of them were pointless because it was obvious from the context that this was a card game or that was a type of carriage. I just ignored them after a while.

 

[blue for life]

Just finished Mike Summerbee’s autobiography and now picking up Bruce Springsteen’s. Started that months ago and now back to it. Love music autobiographies.

 

[Pedestrian]

Just finished Mike Summerbee’s autobiography and now picking up Bruce Springsteen’s. Started that months ago and now back to it. Love music autobiographies.

I recommend Keith Richards biog and although it’s not really my taste in music Antony Kiedis from the red hot chilli peppers, his biog is good.

 

[discopop]

That's where a Kindle comes into its own. Just click on a word and you get an instant dictionary definition. Although I find often it doesn't matter too much if you just ignore words you don't know. You can usually get it from the context. The Pride and Prejudice copy I just read was full of historical footnotes, but most of them were pointless because it was obvious from the context that this was a card game or that was a type of carriage. I just ignored them after a while.

I was reading it on my Kindle, it’s not parked forever :)

 

[JRockBlues]

I finished Norse Gods by Neil Gaiman. A retelling of the old myths centred around Odin, Thor, Loki et al. Plenty of humour in this collection but a little light for me as I tend to prefer the darker stories from this particular author. Will be interesting to compare with Stephen Fry's Mythos & Heroes which are also sitting on my tbr shelves.

Next up for me will be a rare diversion into non-fiction with The Boy Who Could Change the World: The Writings of Aaron Swartz. Been meaning to read this since watching the documentary The Internet's Own Boy.

Due to his recent passing I changed my above plans on the next read and went for Reluctant Hero, Colin Bell's autobiography written with the help of Ian Cheeseman. It's a pretty straight forward life story which added to my knowledge of the great man. As can be expected if you knew him at all there is no embellishment to be found here. Even his acrimonious departure and subsequent rift with Franny was given only a few terse paragraphs.

Haven't yet decided what to move on to next. Whether it's thr Aaron Swartz book or a delve back to more familiar fiction works remains to be seen.

 

[I'm With Stupid]

1. Hamnet by Maggie O'Farrel
2. Don't Believe a Word by David Shariatmadari
3. Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
4. The White Tiger by Aravind Adiga

There's one benefit to lockdown. Getting through some books. This one's fantastic. Won the Booker Prize in 2008. It's about a low-caste Indian bloke who ends up working for a rich family as a driver. Has a lot to say about corruption, class, politics, etc.

 

[ob]

Just finished Mike Summerbee’s autobiography and now picking up Bruce Springsteen’s. Started that months ago and now back to it. Love music autobiographies.

About 200 pages into Springsteen one, enjoying it so far