I’m conscious that I haven’t blogged on here for a little while – I’ve been nose-in-book but not finished anything to review here yet. So here’s a little update. I have finished a review book just as a review is published; Matthew has read and reviewed a book I enjoyed from last year; and I am making progress with my #IMReadalong.

How are you all? What are you up to? I’m a bit behind with reading your blogs, too!

One book in for the month so far – I went to WHSmith’s to buy an anniversary card for my cousin and found they had a remaindered books tray. And there was Australian swimmer Ian Thorpe’s autobiography, marked down to £3 because the cover’s a bit battered (I think they might have thought there was a mark on the outside of the text block, however this proved to be the edge of the image they have at the top of each chapter). I do like a sports autobiography so I just couldn’t leave him there! I will remove the sticker from his head!

So last night I finished reading Gordon Brown’s autobiography, “My Life, Our Times”, which I will admit has taken me a while to read, as it’s dense and serious with lots of information. But it was really good. I’m reviewing that one for Shiny New Books, so watch out for the review (which I’ll be sending in today) when it’s published.

Talking of Shiny …

Levison Wood – “Eastern Horizons”

Subtitled “Hitchhiking the Silk Road”, this book by the esteemed traveller and travel writer looks back to an early journey in his 20s, taking the silk route from Europe eastwards. It was a young man’s book but gave a nice chance to look back and revisit some of the places he went in his 20s, and I greatly enjoyed it. Read the full review here.

P.Z. Reizin – “Happiness for Humans”

I read and reviewed this book on 3 January and really enjoyed it (read my review here) – so much so that my enthusiasm infected my husband, Matthew, who proceeded to read it on audiobook. Here are his thoughts:

I have very much been enjoying listening to “Happiness for Humans”. I found the story believable, laugh-out-loud funny in places, and gripping.  I liked a lot of the exposition on what it is to be human and how the AIs expressed their frustration and wonderment at the human condition. Also the obsession with cheese. The narrator was excellent as well – particularly with the voices of the AIs. It was a little bit too “chicklit” in places and the obsession with “Some Like it Hot” got a bit wearing at times, but overall an enjoyable, clever and innovative story with deeper insight into the human condition than at first meets the eye (and ear).

Interestingly, I’d seen the character Jen as resembling Jen from the IT Crowd (just from the name, really) and the narrator gave Ralph the voice and mannerisms of Moss from the same programme.

I’m now back reading “The Sandcastle” for my Iris Murdoch readalong. There are lots of passages and scenes I remember well but some I’d forgotten; it’s a good read, though.

Coming up, I have another review book for Shiny, “Dawn of the New Everything”, which is about virtual reality, but I think I might go for some light relief in between and pick up Sue Perkins’ autobiography or the book about living Danishly.

What are you reading RIGHT NOW? (apart from this blog post)?