Helen Keller
. Firstly, you will need to be really interested in the history of the English monarchy to enjoy this book. I am really interested, so when I saw it advertised, I knew it would be my next book.
However, if you like David Mitchell’s style of humour you might find it entertaining even if you are not into history or the monarchy. I was expecting it to be funny and it didn’t disappoint.
My interest in the monarchy is inherited from my Grandma, who was a definite monarchist. Although, even she admitted there were a few dubious members of the Royal Family and this book is jam-packed with them. She passed away at almost 103 years old and over her lifetime had ‘known’ George V, George VI and Elizabeth II.
This book is a humorous slant on the monarchy from King Arthur onwards. It’s non-fiction with a difference. The book starts with maps AND various family trees. I love a book with a map so I was hooked straight away.
I didn’t want it to end and can’t wait for the next one. Mitchell finishes the book with the reign of Queen Elizabeth I and I don’t think it’s a spoiler to say there’s at least another whole book’s worth of material after that. I would love to write it myself. David, if you are reading this blog and you haven’t started the sequel, get in touch.
Underestimate these characters at your peril. A laugh out loud series of books.
This is the fourth book in The Thursday Murder Club series and the characters Osman has created continue to delight. The plots of the books are so far-fetched and ridiculous in a really funny way but Osman manages to make the people completely believable.
If you have read any of the other books in the series I hope, like me, you will have identified real life people just like these. In fact, I think as I get older I see my inner Joyce starting to emerge - I like to get to places early so I can park easily, too.
No spoilers but watch out for chapter 60.
During a promotional interview for this book, I heard Grisham say that it was when The Firm was published and sold millions of copies, that he walked out of his job in law firm and never went back. I’ve been increasingly tempted to do the same, only I don’t have a best-selling book published. Or any book.
Anyway, I’ve read every book Grisham has written. Another interest of mine is the legal system, miscarriages of justice, the underdog beating the powerful and crime and punishment. In the same interview as above, he talked about how he sits on a committee that looks into miscarriages of justice in the US so he’s not only making millions but doing good.
The book is the long-awaited sequel to The Firm and we meet Jake Brigance 15 years after he quit the mafia run law firm and just about escaped with his life. The Exchange includes his young family in the centre and the usual twists and turns we’ve come to expect from Grisham. I did find the details about various middle eastern executions rather gruesome and hard to read but probably very realistic (this is not on my list of interests).
If you like legal thrillers (there isn’t much actual courtroom drama in this one) then you’d enjoy this. There is some talk of the book being made into a film (as in The Firm with Tom Cruise) but I haven’t been able to check this with either of them yet.
Now you will have established that I am interested in history but this is a heavy read. I have read many of Gregory’s historical fiction and really enjoyed them. This is much more of an academic read and demonstrates her huge knowledge and expertise in the field.
It is interesting and informative. The best line (again I laughed out loud) was her describing that the Bayeux Tapestry has more visible penises than women in it. Brilliant.
She continually makes the point that women have been front and centre throughout the whole of time but marginalised and ignored in the arts, historical accounts, records of key events, etc. She describes and gives countless examples of our innovation, achievements and business acumen through the centuries.
There is a 20-page afterword, over 50 pages of notes and the bibliography is 8 pages. Tells you a lot.
I bought this book from The Globe Theatre shop. I had been waiting for a long time to visit The Globe having not been to London at all until I was in my 40s and then only walking past the theatre, I hoped to see a play there some day.
That day came when one of my daughters bought tickets as a birthday present to see a special anniversary production. As we got closer to the day, the production was cancelled due to covid-19 (either restrictions or illness or both).
We got the money refunded and rebooked. As we got closer to the day, the play was cancelled due to it being the same weekend as Queen Elizabeth’s funeral.
We got the money refunded and rebooked. This time to see Macbeth in the summer holidays. With covid-19 restrictions completely abandoned and a new king on the throne, what could possibly go wrong?
Well, after the most amazing Midsummer Night’s Dream themed Afternoon Tea and an expensive wander round the shop, we took our seats. It was the hottest day of the year in London and our (upgraded) seats were front and centre both for the action and the afternoon sun. Globe staff handed out paper hats and we had a bottle of water between us.
About 20 minutes in, I started to feel very dizzy and faint. I told my daughter I’d nip out for some air and return shortly. I fought my way through the people standing and sat outside on a bench and a lovely member of staff brought me a cup of cold water.
I returned feeling slightly better but still ringing with sweat. I wasn’t any better.
I realised that if I didn’t leave of my own accord, they would be carrying me out (and the play was being filmed).
I sat back on the bench outside and gave the kind staff member my sob story - that I’d been waiting my whole life to visit and this was third time lucky and I couldn’t believe I can’t stay to the end because I feel so ill, etc, etc.
Her brief response was “Well, it’s not as if you don’t know how it ends.” Fair point.
The book is good. I read a lot about the 16thcentury and the crazy Tudors so to learn more about the crazy 17th century was great.
This book is the tenth in the DCI Vera Stanhope series. The same Vera from the TV series. If I was a DCI, I’d definitely be Vera with a ‘non-nonsense, get on with it, who do you think you’re trying to kid?’ approach to solving crimes.
If you’ve seen the TV programme, you’ll know what you are in for here. If you haven’t, what have you been doing on a Sunday evening for the past 12 years?
The Rising Tide is set on Holy Island which in itself has a fascinating history. I visited the island about 17 years ago and remember being very concerned about the fact that you could only access it during low tide. When you drive along the causeway, it is clear that you are basically driving across the sea bed. Rather unnerving. This is relevant to the plot, too.
Another crime/courtroom drama book. If you are a fan of Grisham, you might like this. The main character Mickey Haller is aa criminal defence lawyer defending lots of guilty people and not making a lot of money. Then he hits the big time with a high-paying client but there are lots of twists and turns. An easy page turner.
The Lincoln Lawyer has also been made into a Netfix series.
The Ink Back Heart is part of J.K. Rowling’s ‘Strike’ novels. A TV series was made of one of the other books in the series ‘Troubled Blood’. I enjoyed that much more than The Ink Black Heart. It is over 1200 pages long and I did get to the end but found it really bizarre.
What was interesting was the inclusion of simultaneous internet chat room conversations by many of the characters. Though probably quite realistic, they were full of bad language and unapologetically explicit references to events and dark goings-on.
The book is centred around the online world and explores how people can hide and be something other than they really are in this world.
One of the best characters is Pat – the fearless and straight-talking detective agency receptionist. She is the one always having to send away potential clients with sob stories that won’t generate any income for the agency. She is undeterred even though the office is bombed in this book!
Historical fiction set in 1586. You could probably guess it is about spies, Catholic rebellion and conspiracy to murder starting with Mary Queen of Scots writing a letter from her ‘prison’ in Staffordshire. I don’t think it will come as a shock to anyone that she and her co-conspirators are not successful in overthrowing Queen Elizabeth I but they give it a good go.
One to read if you like historical fiction set in Tudor England.
This book was a birthday present from my mum and neither of us had read anything by the author before.
I think this book has everything. It starts in 1886 and is based on the real-life creation of the dictionary from a shed in Oxford – the Scriptorium.
The book is magical.
The story is told through the eyes of Esme who is “motherless and irrepressibly curious” and spends time with her father collecting words for the very first Oxford English Dictionary. As she grows from child to adult themes of love, status, hope and the enormous power of language are explored brilliantly.
It has become one of my all-time favourite books.