Book Prescription Questions
I am so excited - at the start of February I am going to Matlock for a 3 day reading retreat!
I booked thise for myself a year ago and it comes at the perfect time, thanks to work stress, life stress, a need to get some space to read and write and think...
We've just been sent homework, as each person gets a "reading prescription" - here are my answers. It seems it's harder that I thought to write about what I read and to articulate what I like and why...
I would say that I read really widely, and I read a lot. But I am excited to see what you prescribe, since I can't see my blindspots. I've noticed that in the last couple of years (work stress / menopause / elderly parents) i often re-read or retreat to authors that I trust, as a way of comforting and soothing myself. Also, bookclubs at work have introduced me to some LGBT and racial diversity issues. I've also noticed that over the last couple of years, I often note groups of themes in my non fiction reading.
First off, my Goodreads gives you a good sense of all books I've read since 2017
My bookcrossing bookshelf lists all books read since 2005:
What's the last thing you read that you enjoyed?
This is impossible to say, but i'll list my top reads from 2023 which gives you a good overview
Best Book (Fiction) A terrible Kindness: Jo Browning Wroe / Girl, Woman, Other: Bernardine Evariston / The Flames: Sophie Haydock
Best Book (Chicklit): The Summer Skies: Jenny Colgan
Best Book (Non-Fiction): In Her Nature: Rachel Hewitt / Rest is Resistance: Tricia Hersey
Book which made me change/gave me most food for thought: White Women: Everything you already know about racism and how to do better: Regina Jackson / Between the World and Me: Ta-Nehisi-Coates
Best re-read (Fiction): Good Omens: Terry Pratchett & Neil Gaiman
Best re-read (Non-fiction): Overwhelmed: Brigid Schultz
The sequels I was desperately waiting for and loved!: Mrs Porter Calling: A.J.Pearce / An Island Wedding (Mure #5): Jenny Colgan / Aisling Ever After: Emer McLyaght
Author Discovery: Dead Lions: Mick Herron / Slow Horses: Mick Herron
Here are the previous year's lists: 2022 / 2021 / 2020/ 2019
And the last thing you hated?
I really don't remember! I only very occasionally give up on a bookBadly written chicklit?
What genres do you like/dislike?
like: good novels written by women about women :-) modern fiction, clever fantasy/sci-fi, sometimes a clever thriller
dislike/like less: sci-fi, historical fiction, autobiographies, thrillers, murder mystery
I don't read so much poetry, but like Philip Larkin, Wendy Cope - Maybe exploring poetry, short stories might be interesting?
What do you remember reading as a child?
I was a bookworm to the point of being antisocial! under 10: Noel Streatfield, Enid Blyton, CS Lewis, Enchanted garden etc.
I loved Little women and all the following books in that series, also the entire Anne of green Gables series.
REFUSED to read Hobbit or Lord of the rings. Was a precocious reader and had read all the childrens books by a young age (no YA fiction then)
From 10/11: jumped straight to Agatha Christie, Barbara Taylor Bradford, Jeffrey Archer, then into russian literature ie Cancer Ward 13! later teens: finally found Douglas Adams! as an adult I discoveed and loved the Thursday Next Series by Jasper Fforde, Master and Margarita by Bulgakov
Do you read non-fiction? If so, what areas interest you? Is there anything you want to learn more about in an engaging way?
Since getting my kindle, have read LOADS MORE non-fiction, mostly through the kindle deals. Love anything about language & linguistics, culture, Maps and geography, travel, nature, running, some history, learning, work of work, learning, changes in technology/culture, cultural and anthropological books, menopause, health, DEI issues
Anything in particular you'd like from a recommendation such as one themed onto a topic or exploring a genre you don't know - or anything else you'd like me to know?
The authors that stay on my bookshelves, because they are long term favourites
Kate Atkinson, Robertson Davies, Susan Howatch, Matt Beaumont, David Lodge, Maggie O'Farrell, Douglas Adams, Maeve Binchy, Marian Keyes, Elizabeth Gilbert esp "The signature of all things"
I am open to any suggestions. As I said at the start, i think I read widely, but there's probably a gaping blind spot that I'm not seeing!
I hope this is helpful, apologies if too much! Probably worth saying that I have 100-150 unread titles on my kindle and probably 100 real books unread on my bookshelf :-)
Blog backlog
Books read
Review of Books read 2023
Review of Books read 2022
I booked thise for myself a year ago and it comes at the perfect time, thanks to work stress, life stress, a need to get some space to read and write and think...
We've just been sent homework, as each person gets a "reading prescription" - here are my answers. It seems it's harder that I thought to write about what I read and to articulate what I like and why...
I would say that I read really widely, and I read a lot. But I am excited to see what you prescribe, since I can't see my blindspots. I've noticed that in the last couple of years (work stress / menopause / elderly parents) i often re-read or retreat to authors that I trust, as a way of comforting and soothing myself. Also, bookclubs at work have introduced me to some LGBT and racial diversity issues. I've also noticed that over the last couple of years, I often note groups of themes in my non fiction reading.
First off, my Goodreads gives you a good sense of all books I've read since 2017
My bookcrossing bookshelf lists all books read since 2005:
What's the last thing you read that you enjoyed?
This is impossible to say, but i'll list my top reads from 2023 which gives you a good overview
Best Book (Fiction) A terrible Kindness: Jo Browning Wroe / Girl, Woman, Other: Bernardine Evariston / The Flames: Sophie Haydock
Best Book (Chicklit): The Summer Skies: Jenny Colgan
Best Book (Non-Fiction): In Her Nature: Rachel Hewitt / Rest is Resistance: Tricia Hersey
Book which made me change/gave me most food for thought: White Women: Everything you already know about racism and how to do better: Regina Jackson / Between the World and Me: Ta-Nehisi-Coates
Best re-read (Fiction): Good Omens: Terry Pratchett & Neil Gaiman
Best re-read (Non-fiction): Overwhelmed: Brigid Schultz
The sequels I was desperately waiting for and loved!: Mrs Porter Calling: A.J.Pearce / An Island Wedding (Mure #5): Jenny Colgan / Aisling Ever After: Emer McLyaght
Author Discovery: Dead Lions: Mick Herron / Slow Horses: Mick Herron
Here are the previous year's lists: 2022 / 2021 / 2020/ 2019
And the last thing you hated?
I really don't remember! I only very occasionally give up on a bookBadly written chicklit?
What genres do you like/dislike?
like: good novels written by women about women :-) modern fiction, clever fantasy/sci-fi, sometimes a clever thriller
dislike/like less: sci-fi, historical fiction, autobiographies, thrillers, murder mystery
I don't read so much poetry, but like Philip Larkin, Wendy Cope - Maybe exploring poetry, short stories might be interesting?
What do you remember reading as a child?
I was a bookworm to the point of being antisocial! under 10: Noel Streatfield, Enid Blyton, CS Lewis, Enchanted garden etc.
I loved Little women and all the following books in that series, also the entire Anne of green Gables series.
REFUSED to read Hobbit or Lord of the rings. Was a precocious reader and had read all the childrens books by a young age (no YA fiction then)
From 10/11: jumped straight to Agatha Christie, Barbara Taylor Bradford, Jeffrey Archer, then into russian literature ie Cancer Ward 13! later teens: finally found Douglas Adams! as an adult I discoveed and loved the Thursday Next Series by Jasper Fforde, Master and Margarita by Bulgakov
Do you read non-fiction? If so, what areas interest you? Is there anything you want to learn more about in an engaging way?
Since getting my kindle, have read LOADS MORE non-fiction, mostly through the kindle deals. Love anything about language & linguistics, culture, Maps and geography, travel, nature, running, some history, learning, work of work, learning, changes in technology/culture, cultural and anthropological books, menopause, health, DEI issues
Anything in particular you'd like from a recommendation such as one themed onto a topic or exploring a genre you don't know - or anything else you'd like me to know?
The authors that stay on my bookshelves, because they are long term favourites
Kate Atkinson, Robertson Davies, Susan Howatch, Matt Beaumont, David Lodge, Maggie O'Farrell, Douglas Adams, Maeve Binchy, Marian Keyes, Elizabeth Gilbert esp "The signature of all things"
I am open to any suggestions. As I said at the start, i think I read widely, but there's probably a gaping blind spot that I'm not seeing!
I hope this is helpful, apologies if too much! Probably worth saying that I have 100-150 unread titles on my kindle and probably 100 real books unread on my bookshelf :-)
Blog backlog
Books read
Review of Books read 2023
Review of Books read 2022