Books, Audiobooks, Courses - December 2021
Eight books read again this month - mainly concentrating on Christmas stories. Which brings my Goodreads total to 95 books - my goal being 60. I do like reading in bed at night!
Inspector French's Greatest Case by Freeman Wills Croft
This was the next in the Shedunnit reread list. It's an early example of a Golden Age whodunnit and although it lacks some of the finesse of the later GAD novels it's entertaining. Not a book I'd reread, but as I borrowed it from the library that's not a problem.
A Christmas Party by Georgette Heyer
The runner up in the Shedunnit book for December - Crossed Skis won and I read that in the spring - also known as Envious Casca. I like the Heyer historical novels, but this didn't impress (library again, so nothing lost). I'd guessed the murderer quite early on.
Mystery in White by J Jefferson Farjeon
A Christmas library book I'd earmarked months ago to read. A slightly strange story, but I enjoyed it well enough. I shall be happy to read some of his other books.
A Country Christmas by Miss Read
A compilation of short stories and novellas, including Village Christmas and White Robin. It will be no surprise that I enjoyed this, and the sense of rural Christmases in the past. It concludes with a few Tales from A Village School, which I'm sure all teachers would recognise.
The Dying Day by Vaseem Khan
I really enjoy Khan's stories, and this is the second in his series set in Bombay in 1950. A fascinating tale which I thoroughly enjoyed and had to restrict myself from reading too much at one go, simply so I could savour it properly. I was checking on a library website and spotted they'd just got their copies in - it was published earlier this year - so I instantly reserved a copy, regardless of everything else I was reading. And therefore was the first to read my particular copy.
The Christmas Egg by Mary Kelly
The second library book I'd chosen for Christmas. Not recommended. The premise was good, but the execution poor.
Tied Up In Tinsel by Ngaio Marsh
Continuing with my Inspector Alleyn read through. I didn't feel this was anything like as good as some of the earlier novels. Far too laboured and convoluted.
Murder After Christmas by Rupert Latimer
I like to treat myself to a Christmas book, and this recently rereleased BLCC book was this year's treat. It's bizarre but entertaining, and ideal reading at this time of year. I didn't guess the solution. Set in the early months of WW2 and originally published in the later years of the war, it was probably designed as distraction.
Audiobooks
Bryant & May: London's Glory by Christopher Fowler read by Tim Goodman. I can't remember who suggested Bryant and May, but I decided to try this out in a 2 for 1 sale. These are a collection of short stories, which are okay, but I wouldn't want to read any more.
The Other Queen by Philippa Gregory, narrated by Richard Armitage, Alex Kingston and Madeleine Leslay. This had been on my wishlist for some time, but with Audible Plus it was free, so there was nothing to lose. I'm not a great fan of Gregory and was left with a poor impression of Mary Queen of Scots (the other queen), although I am not sure this was the intention. Armitage read the chapters written from George Talbot's (Earl of Shrewsbury) POV, with the result I was more tolerant of Talbot than I would have been otherwise.
The Mysterious Affair at Styles by Agatha Christie read by Richard Armitage. This had been unavailable in the UK for about a year, but as soon as it was released I used a credit to purchase it, and spent a very happy weekend (plus) listening. Christie and Armitage, what could be better? Yes, I did know the plot, but did I care?
Timekeeper by Tara Sim read by Gary Furlong. About a year ago someone had recommended Timekeeper, and I discovered it was also available on Audible Plus (the library don't have it and copies are above my set budget). It's a Young Adult book and fantasy, so good of its type, but I wouldn't listen to the rest of the series.
Courses: FutureLearn and OpenLearn
The Life and Afterlife of Mary Queen of Scots (University of Glasgow) It seemed appropriate when I was listening to The Other Queen to also take the new course on Mary. I did learn something, but I'm not sure my opinion of Mary changed greatly. There seemed to be a lot of sympathy for her, living in a man's world, but I tended to think that had she been a man she'd have been killed much earlier.
OpenLearn always have an Advent calendar, which recommends different courses, so I decided in order to continue with my aim not to get trapped into limited interests take a few.
Challenging ideas in mental health was a very basic introduction, and concentrated on the use of drugs. I was left feeling more needed to be said, but it was only an introduction.
Listening for form in popular music looked at the structure of popular songs, beginning with verse and chorus and adding other areas. It was interesting and added to my musical knowledge.
What happens to you when you read? aimed to show that by reading fiction people become more empathetic, although it seemed more to show how fiction could be used for propoganda reasons which I don't think was the intention. It wasn't helped by using extracts from Philip Pullman's His Dark Materials which as fantasy were unlikely to achieve their purpose in my case.
Inspector French's Greatest Case by Freeman Wills Croft
This was the next in the Shedunnit reread list. It's an early example of a Golden Age whodunnit and although it lacks some of the finesse of the later GAD novels it's entertaining. Not a book I'd reread, but as I borrowed it from the library that's not a problem.
A Christmas Party by Georgette Heyer
The runner up in the Shedunnit book for December - Crossed Skis won and I read that in the spring - also known as Envious Casca. I like the Heyer historical novels, but this didn't impress (library again, so nothing lost). I'd guessed the murderer quite early on.
Mystery in White by J Jefferson Farjeon
A Christmas library book I'd earmarked months ago to read. A slightly strange story, but I enjoyed it well enough. I shall be happy to read some of his other books.
A Country Christmas by Miss Read
A compilation of short stories and novellas, including Village Christmas and White Robin. It will be no surprise that I enjoyed this, and the sense of rural Christmases in the past. It concludes with a few Tales from A Village School, which I'm sure all teachers would recognise.
The Dying Day by Vaseem Khan
I really enjoy Khan's stories, and this is the second in his series set in Bombay in 1950. A fascinating tale which I thoroughly enjoyed and had to restrict myself from reading too much at one go, simply so I could savour it properly. I was checking on a library website and spotted they'd just got their copies in - it was published earlier this year - so I instantly reserved a copy, regardless of everything else I was reading. And therefore was the first to read my particular copy.
The Christmas Egg by Mary Kelly
The second library book I'd chosen for Christmas. Not recommended. The premise was good, but the execution poor.
Tied Up In Tinsel by Ngaio Marsh
Continuing with my Inspector Alleyn read through. I didn't feel this was anything like as good as some of the earlier novels. Far too laboured and convoluted.
Murder After Christmas by Rupert Latimer
I like to treat myself to a Christmas book, and this recently rereleased BLCC book was this year's treat. It's bizarre but entertaining, and ideal reading at this time of year. I didn't guess the solution. Set in the early months of WW2 and originally published in the later years of the war, it was probably designed as distraction.
Audiobooks
Bryant & May: London's Glory by Christopher Fowler read by Tim Goodman. I can't remember who suggested Bryant and May, but I decided to try this out in a 2 for 1 sale. These are a collection of short stories, which are okay, but I wouldn't want to read any more.
The Other Queen by Philippa Gregory, narrated by Richard Armitage, Alex Kingston and Madeleine Leslay. This had been on my wishlist for some time, but with Audible Plus it was free, so there was nothing to lose. I'm not a great fan of Gregory and was left with a poor impression of Mary Queen of Scots (the other queen), although I am not sure this was the intention. Armitage read the chapters written from George Talbot's (Earl of Shrewsbury) POV, with the result I was more tolerant of Talbot than I would have been otherwise.
The Mysterious Affair at Styles by Agatha Christie read by Richard Armitage. This had been unavailable in the UK for about a year, but as soon as it was released I used a credit to purchase it, and spent a very happy weekend (plus) listening. Christie and Armitage, what could be better? Yes, I did know the plot, but did I care?
Timekeeper by Tara Sim read by Gary Furlong. About a year ago someone had recommended Timekeeper, and I discovered it was also available on Audible Plus (the library don't have it and copies are above my set budget). It's a Young Adult book and fantasy, so good of its type, but I wouldn't listen to the rest of the series.
Courses: FutureLearn and OpenLearn
The Life and Afterlife of Mary Queen of Scots (University of Glasgow) It seemed appropriate when I was listening to The Other Queen to also take the new course on Mary. I did learn something, but I'm not sure my opinion of Mary changed greatly. There seemed to be a lot of sympathy for her, living in a man's world, but I tended to think that had she been a man she'd have been killed much earlier.
OpenLearn always have an Advent calendar, which recommends different courses, so I decided in order to continue with my aim not to get trapped into limited interests take a few.
Challenging ideas in mental health was a very basic introduction, and concentrated on the use of drugs. I was left feeling more needed to be said, but it was only an introduction.
Listening for form in popular music looked at the structure of popular songs, beginning with verse and chorus and adding other areas. It was interesting and added to my musical knowledge.
What happens to you when you read? aimed to show that by reading fiction people become more empathetic, although it seemed more to show how fiction could be used for propoganda reasons which I don't think was the intention. It wasn't helped by using extracts from Philip Pullman's His Dark Materials which as fantasy were unlikely to achieve their purpose in my case.