A bit of a quick round-up as I’m in the middle of a HUGE work project at the moment – but I have made time for a nice lot of reading in September, what with a week’s holiday in Cornwall involving a 6 hour train journey each way … and maybe a little staying up after midnight to read Icelandic crime novels every now and again …
Anyway, to the left is the TBR, and although there is a BIG pile of said Icelandic crime novels, I have already read two of them (not pictured, obviously) and the actual main TBR is a bit smaller than normal, extending at the front only to that Virago-black hardback-Virago combo half way along. I read 11 books in September and had two Did Not Finishes, and only three books were on Kindle, so that helped.
I’m currently reading these two plus Bill Bryson’s book on Shakespeare, which is very good so far (watch out for the reviews once I’ve written about the last three September reads). The Dorothy Whipple Persephone is “Because of the Lockwoods” and is the last of hers I have left to read in Persephone – oh no! Seb Hunter’s book on heavy metal is a joy, and also somewhat of a contrast.
Coming up – well, quite the variety there, I think! A couple of novels, some autobiography, a touch of design, children’s books – something for everyone. Have you read any of these? I’m really looking forward to them, and I can’t even choose which one I’m most looking forward to! The other acquisitions from my terrible activities last month have been safely stowed away at the end of the shelf.
I do have one reading project to work on this month, but it’s just the next Forsyte Saga book, so nothing too taxing as they’re fun to read and full of events and characters (yes, the last one is one of the ones I have left to review).
I also just wanted to mention the 1924 club, which my blogging friends Simon at Stuckinabook and Karen at Kaggsysbookishramblings are coordinating – the idea is to read a book published in 1924 this month. I haven’t combed through the TBR yet (I know the next two Viragoes were both published in 1908 – bah!) but if there’s not one on there, it’s such a lovely idea that I’m going to pick out a re-read from my shelves.
So, what are you reading? Have you read any of these books that I’m reading or are coming up? Are you doing any autumn challenges?
Oct 01, 2015 @ 20:57:06
I am tucked up in bed with the last fifty pages or so (kindle version so hard to tell) of Maid in Waiting. I have enjoyed it despite a few un pc remarks about Bolivians. I am hoping to join in with 1924 club thinking of reading either The Rector’s Daughter or Seducers in Ecuador, or or possibly both or maybe neither depending on my mood.
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Oct 02, 2015 @ 06:44:59
Yes, it wasn’t too bad, though, given how it could have been, was it. My review should be up on Sunday. I don’t have any 1924 books on my TBR (of COURSE) but I’m sure I have some in the collection, will check LibraryThing to make sure and pick something nice and cosy.
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Oct 01, 2015 @ 20:57:23
Yay! Glad you can join in Liz – hope you track down a suitable book!
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Oct 02, 2015 @ 06:46:51
Hm, the only one LibraryThing says I’ve got in my TBR is Quiller-Couch’s “Studies in Literature” – my catalogue isn’t wholly up to date but anything read recently and not added I won’t want to go straight back to. I feel a charity shop search coming on!
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Oct 02, 2015 @ 07:58:46
Good plan! Any excuse for a trip to the charity shops…… 🙂
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Oct 01, 2015 @ 21:20:42
A bookshelf with Roy Jenkins, Ken Livingstone and Georgette Heyer on it is such a delight! There’s something so intriguing about other people’s bookshelves – one of the downsides of the e-book. I think my pick of your list for next month would be the Livingstone – I’ll be interested to read your review of that one… 🙂
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Oct 02, 2015 @ 06:47:51
Yes, unless one photographs the front page of one’s Kindle (and mine’s in collections, anyway) you will never get that delicious randomness, will you! I am looking forward to the Livingstone hugely!
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Oct 01, 2015 @ 21:38:38
I always love your eclectic and slightly surprising bookshelves! I have just listened to the last of Elena Ferrante’s Naples quartet, A Lost Child. I’m glad I read the others as I didn’t warm to the narrator on audio. Wonderfully intelligent writer, and intimate account of the complicated friendship of two women. In contrast I am currently reading, on kindle, The Cleaner of Chartres by Sally Vickers, lovely descriptions of the cathedral, page turner and so far is following a comfortable, well written formula.
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Oct 02, 2015 @ 06:48:55
I wonder what’s surprising on there – or maybe it’s just the jumble of books rubbing shoulders. I must start those Ferrantes at some point – so many people raving about them. I’m not a huge fan of Salley Vickers, unfortunately, but I can see how they are a comfortable read.
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Oct 02, 2015 @ 03:10:30
That six hour train trip made for a handy time for reading for you.
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Oct 02, 2015 @ 06:49:39
It did! I read the Saturday newspaper and a library mystery on the way down, and finished Dr Thorne and read nearly all of my first Arnaldur Idriðason on the way back up – bliss!
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Oct 04, 2015 @ 06:33:43
The inky challenge I have coming up is to read all the advance copies I got via Net Galley in a moment when I was rather overt enthusiastic about my requests. I was banking on a business trip with a long flight to help me but sadly that’s been cancelled.
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Oct 06, 2015 @ 05:52:26
Ah, yes, the invisible books that are still there and need reading. Luckily, I don’t seem to find much I want on NetGalley so that takes that source of pressure away (although I’m a demon for downloading weird old books from manybooks.net!
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Oct 06, 2015 @ 20:33:38
i dabbled into manybooks but it looked as if many of the books were classics that i could get via Project Gutenberg or self published works which I don’t have a good track record of reading.
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Oct 07, 2015 @ 09:54:37
Ah – I think at the time it was harder to get PG books onto your Kindle, so I got attracted to manybooks – I don’t download their modern stuff, though, just the out of copyright weirdy travel books and classics!
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Oops – when good TBRs go bad … | Adventures in reading, writing and working from home
Oct 14, 2015 @ 17:54:32
State of the TBR – November 2015 | Adventures in reading, writing and working from home
Nov 01, 2015 @ 22:18:31