Clash of interests

I must say I am fairly miffed that the bookgroup now seems to have permanently moved to Tuesdays,which is no use to me because it clashes with my nightclass! However,I will keep reading according to the chosen themes and hopefully I'll get back to the group later in the year.
The biography I was going to recommend was Pamela Stephenson's "Billy" and for travel I would go with any of the Bill Brysons as I loved them all and would re-read if I didn't have so many other things to get through.
I borrowed my first e-book a couple of weeks ago,so I listen to it while doing all that boring stuff around the house. Won't say what the book is till I finish it,but yes,once again I'm reading,or rather,listening to crime. Not sure if I'm going to become a fan of talking books,as you can't just flick back a few pages to check stuff like you can with a "real"book! Anyway,I'll write more on it when I finish it,which should be this weekend.

History and biography

We've just got a book into the Library called 'Get off your Arse and Lose Some Weight' which is the kind of thing I should be reading!
But I'm reading about explorer and writer Freya Stark for the group's biography phase - she seems like an impressive woman and the history of the Middle East that it involves is interesting too. Baghdad was a beautiful and important city until the Mongol hordes invaded, and it's been pretty much downhill ever since, it seems.

New Year reading

Well I started the New Year with the proof copy of Ann Cleeves new book and finished it last night and all I can say is wow!,what a brilliant book. I won't give anything away,but this was a really good read with a well-paced,exciting storyline. Well done Ann,yet again. I'm glad it's only fiction though,otherwise I might be getting a bit wary now about lone hillwalking,especially around the cliffs!!
Anyway,it's back to the self-help/life improvement books for January -am currently reading one on how vinegar,honey and garlic can improve virtually every aspect of your life! As well as handy tips for cleaning your household appliances and making your hair shiny,there are also some amazing recipes. I made a casserole last night involving all three ingredients which came really good - big thumbs up from the whole family. But the flavour may have been down to the bottle of red wine I added!
Oh, and I'm starting on Peter Kay's book tomorrow,as my chosen biography for the Book Group.
Hope it's as funny as everyone says.

Happy New Year

Happy Newerdy to fellow book groupies not to mention the millions around the world who read this blog! Thank goodness we've turned the corner of the long dark days. Things can only get better. Not read anything earth shattering lately though I have ploughed through a few books just to keep suicidal thoughts at bay. One was Library Confidential by Don Borchett - claims to tell the full story of life in a (Californian) library. ("Puts the Shhh in Shocking!") Though he's an amusing writer at times it has to be said that he reveals himself as just another library nerd as he spends more time describing their system for e.g. overdues or donated books than he does on anything vaguely shocking. For fellow library anoraks it is interesting to see just how similar the whole library experience is round the world. We - and any library I guess - could supply our own tales of 'gangstas, geeks and oddballs' to rival his, should we dare break confidences. It's ultimately quite an affectionate book too.
Have also been treated to an advance copy of Ann Cleeves' White Nights, her second in the Shetland... quadrilogy?! (series of 4 anyway) and it's really pretty good. It's rapidly changing hands round the office and I still harbour hopes that ITV will buy the TV rights and we'll wipe the floor with Bergerac.

Not as good as the book....

I was SOOO looking forward to The Golden Compass last week,only to be hugely let down by the film and the worst bit was I had recommended it to some other people before actually seeing it and now I feel really bad. Maybe it's better if you haven't read Northern Lights,but I would imagine it would be more confusing. Anyway,I was not impressed by the casting of Nicole Kidman as Mrs Coulter and the film skipped over so many of the plot essentials. So,I had to re-read the book,just to restore my faith in the story as one of the best books I've ever read. And now I realize that Lyra was probably about the only thing the filmmakers got right. Ah well,maybe the sequel will be better,but I'm not holding my breath!

Christmas fare for mind and body

Can I recommend Marks and Spencers Milk Chocolate Covered Toffee Butter Popcorn? Yum.
Meanwhile, the book group is doinng local poetry this month - we're all reading Jim Mainland's book A Package of Measures then whatever else we want, dialect or non-dialect, so it will be interesting to see what folk find. Last month's discussion was good, hearing about the varied Latin American authors that folk picked up on. A theme like a country is quite a good idea sometimes. Think we should bring appropriate food into the mix next time though. A smorgasbord of Norwegian food and literature?

The Christmas Mystery

Ok I know some of you probably aren't really that keen on Christmas, but if you are not in the mood for heroin addiction and prostitution can I suggest as an alternative the Christmas Mystery by Jostein Gaarder. This is the best time of year to read it because it is like an advent calendar, one chapter for each day in December till Christmas. Last year I read one chapter a day on the corresponding day, and I really enjoyed it. Get your copy now!