Friday 20 May 2011

Ah life has been busy lately. Things at work and home has made me suddenly realise that this blogging business is the one thing that can get neglected.

On a REALLY annoying note, the 'g' key on my computer will only work if I jab the key very hard about six times, I'm trying therefore to avoid words with 'that letter' in it. New keyboard is now on the ever ongoing list of things to do and might get done before the year is out. Did get a new kindle from Amazon though after my old one broke (customer service is fantastic)

If it sounds like I need a holiday then you'd be right. Thankfully tomorrow that is exactly where we will be going. We are going to stay in a very rural cottage somewhere in Normandy where I'll have to drive on the wrong side of the road for a week. Last time I visited Normandy I was on the French exchange when I was about 14, a trip I remember very little of apart from playing copulas amounts of Mario Brothers and some cracking food.

So before we go and because I haven't updated for a while I thought I'd do Simon's from Stuck in a Books meme thingy.

1.)The book I'm currently reading: The Idiot by Fyodor Dostoyevsky.



I'm halfway through part two and so far its very good, lots of in-depth conversation on how great it is to be Russian. Not a holiday read though so I'll be leaving it behind.

2.)The last book I finished:



Deadwood by Pete Dexter – well the Calamity Jane depicted in this was very different to the Jane I encounted at EuroDisney a few years back.
Catherine of Aragon by Giles Tremlett- enjoyed very much this non-fiction account of Henry VIII first wife
Middlesex by Jeffrey Eugenides – liked it but it not love it

3.)The next book I want to read:



These are the five I have picked to go on holiday with,

All quiet on the Western Front by Erich Maria Remarque – one I have always wanted to read
Miss Pettirew Lives for a Day by Winifred Watson – sounds like good holiday reading
The Camomile Lawn by Mary Wesley – family sagas are always good for trips
Mourning Ruby by Helen Dunmore – I like Dunmore, she always takes me to a dark place
Alone in Berlin by Hans Fallada – might be a bit much, two war books so this is at the bottom

4.)The last book I bought: all brought yesterday taking advantage of a certain bookshop's 3 for 2 offer



When God was a Rabbit by Sarah Winman – I hate the title, I hate twee titles like this but pretty cover no?
The History of Love by Nicole Krauss – this was brought as a result of all you bloggers who reviewed Great House in which you declared The History of Love as much better.
Alone in Berlin by Hans Fallada – if it fiction and set during the war, I'm sold.

5.)The last book I was given:



If your reading this Thomas from My porch, it arrived safely the other day. I will be reading The Rules of Engagement by Anita Brookner in time for International Anita Brookner Day on the 16th July. I know nothing about this book and I'll not be reading the back or anything.

So we will be back at the end of the month where there will be a serious backlog of reviews. Now I must go back over this article and fill in all the 'g's
Posted by Jess

8 comments:

  1. When I read your comment about avoiding the letter 'g', I thought if a great book I read recently: a law has been passed, and you are not allowed to use one letter of the alphabet; then, another law is passed... This is a great, fun, and quick read. I have not yet reviewed it, I am quite behind, but there are a few words about it in my April recap here: http://wordsandpeace.wordpress.com/2011/05/11/read-in-april-2011/
    The book is Ella Minnow Pea, by Mark Dunn.
    Emma @ Words And Peace

    ReplyDelete
  2. 'All quite on the Western Front' could be quite apt with you going to Normandy. The beaches are so atmospheric and the moules frites supperrrb *slurp*

    Let me know what it's like because I got this book as a freebie the other day and was quite thrilled.

    ReplyDelete
  3. All Quiet on the Western Front is brilliant - tough and quiet and powerful and intense. A great book, really. So is Alone in Berlin - another wonderful, German wartime novel. Though obviously about different wars and written in different eras, they're actually a rather good coupling...

    ReplyDelete
  4. Is it the type of keyboard where you can just pop the key off? I ask because the ones we use here at work are always sticking. I just pop the offending key off, clean it well and then pop it back on and it usually fixes the problem.

    You've got some great books listed here. Enjoy!

    ReplyDelete
  5. Have fun on your holiday! I love France.

    Look forward to seeing your review on All Quiet - that book is in my all time Top 20.Enjoy!

    ReplyDelete
  6. Oops, that last comment was from me - I forgot to put my name (doh!).

    ReplyDelete
  7. Interesting about The Idiot. I read and quite enjoyed Crime and Punishment last year and was wondering which one i should try next. But, yes, maybe not for the holidays.

    ReplyDelete
  8. I tried reading The Idiot and I just couldn't get through with it. I struggled with Anna Karenina but that one at least I managed to finish. Maybe there's something about the Russian authors that just doesn't appeal to me.
    Looking forward to your review.

    All Quiet on the Western Front is a book I've had my eyes on for a while and I'm sure I'll be reading it at some point.

    ReplyDelete