Books - November 2024
6 books, so 70/75 books for the year, with all the Christmas reads to come!
The Man who was Thursday: A Nightmare by G K Chesterton
I'm joining a new (to me) book club and this is the first book - whether I continue with the book club will depend on how the first session (it's online) goes. I was attracted because this was a book I'd been interested in reading for some time. And basically, it's just weird. I'm really not sure what to make of it, so it will be interesting to see how others respond.
The Hoarder by Jess Kidd
I've been reading some of the books by Jess Kidd that are available in the library and this was the last on my list - there's one more in the library, but it doesn't appeal. The plot is quite convoluted, but I was carried along by it, with a wide variety of different characters. Enjoyable but I probably won't be looking for more by her.
Third Girl by Agatha Christie
Read because it was the book of the month for the AgathaChristie.com reading list. I tend to read the ones I haven't read for a long time. This year's theme has been working through the decades, so the last quarter of the year is 1960s and 1970s, with this one dating from 1966. A Poirot book, it's quite clever, but there's a lot of authorial criticisms of the 1960s.
Murder in Vienna by E C R Lorac
The latest Lorac to be republished by British Library Crime Classics. I had it on pre-order so I could read it as soon as it was published. Originally published in 1956 and set in Vienna, it was a really interesting look at a city just post-occupation and one that I've visited and liked very much. Possibly not as good as some Loracs, but I certainly read through it quickly enough.
Old Soldiers Never Die by Frank Richards
The last of my WWI memoires and the only one to look at the war on the Western Front from the point of view of the ordinary soldier. Worth reading for the view of the life in the trenches and to accompany those giving a wider view of the war.
Great-Uncle Harry by Michael Palin
Harry Palin, the great-uncle of the broadcaster Michael Palin, died on the Somme in 1916. I was given the book last Christmas and felt that November would be a good month to read it. I had already heard an abridged version on BBC Radio 4, so there was no surprise in it. Again, an interesting look at the involvement of forces from the Empire, as Harry had signed up with the New Zealand forces. I would have been happy without Palin's attempt to build his great-uncle's character, when there were no direct references other than in official communications.
The Man who was Thursday: A Nightmare by G K Chesterton
I'm joining a new (to me) book club and this is the first book - whether I continue with the book club will depend on how the first session (it's online) goes. I was attracted because this was a book I'd been interested in reading for some time. And basically, it's just weird. I'm really not sure what to make of it, so it will be interesting to see how others respond.
The Hoarder by Jess Kidd
I've been reading some of the books by Jess Kidd that are available in the library and this was the last on my list - there's one more in the library, but it doesn't appeal. The plot is quite convoluted, but I was carried along by it, with a wide variety of different characters. Enjoyable but I probably won't be looking for more by her.
Third Girl by Agatha Christie
Read because it was the book of the month for the AgathaChristie.com reading list. I tend to read the ones I haven't read for a long time. This year's theme has been working through the decades, so the last quarter of the year is 1960s and 1970s, with this one dating from 1966. A Poirot book, it's quite clever, but there's a lot of authorial criticisms of the 1960s.
Murder in Vienna by E C R Lorac
The latest Lorac to be republished by British Library Crime Classics. I had it on pre-order so I could read it as soon as it was published. Originally published in 1956 and set in Vienna, it was a really interesting look at a city just post-occupation and one that I've visited and liked very much. Possibly not as good as some Loracs, but I certainly read through it quickly enough.
Old Soldiers Never Die by Frank Richards
The last of my WWI memoires and the only one to look at the war on the Western Front from the point of view of the ordinary soldier. Worth reading for the view of the life in the trenches and to accompany those giving a wider view of the war.
Great-Uncle Harry by Michael Palin
Harry Palin, the great-uncle of the broadcaster Michael Palin, died on the Somme in 1916. I was given the book last Christmas and felt that November would be a good month to read it. I had already heard an abridged version on BBC Radio 4, so there was no surprise in it. Again, an interesting look at the involvement of forces from the Empire, as Harry had signed up with the New Zealand forces. I would have been happy without Palin's attempt to build his great-uncle's character, when there were no direct references other than in official communications.