Sorry for neglecting you, blog. Realised I have opportunities for much more name dropping since Wordplay, our splendid Shetland book festival. Met the rather dashing young writer Alan Bisset in the pub and he likened me to Scarlet O'Hara! (we were out on a henny party in our ball gowns- shall try to source a photo from somewhere). Three really good sessions I went to: John Hegley - extremely entertaining, great at working a crowd; Adrian Mitchell - lovely, touching, personal poetry; Will Self - very clever & witty. Heard him on the radio talking about how our book festival was all good and real and locally-grounded etc whereas in most other places they were just 'Nuremberg rallies of the bourgeoisie'. Have just read an excellent couple of short stories by him, bit grim but enthralling, I think I'll make more effort to get into some of his writing.
Book group's been interesting since we started a democratic dictatorship scheme where one member wins a draw to dictate the book we'll read. Jean's choice last month was Peacocks Dancing by Sharon Maas - enjoyable, exotic and melodramatic tale set in Guyana and India. This month is my choice and something totally different - the misery of 1930s England through Keep the Aspidistra Flying by George Orwell. I've really enjoyed re-reading it, but not sure what the rest of the group will make of it!
Monday, 22 September 2008
Thursday, 17 July 2008
Just a bit of gentle name dropping....
I am doggedly ploughing through C.J. Sansom's Winter in Madrid, a tale set against the backdrop of WW2 and the aftermath of the Spanish Civil War. I thought I'd really like this but it's failing to set me alight. Historically interesting - and this author's a pretty serious historian - but it just seems to be plodding a bit too slowly and ponderously along. Or maybe it's just me, not in the right frame of mind for it.C.J. Sansom (who really is a great writer notwithstanding my slight whinge) was our runner-up in the Dagger in the Library Award, which I need to name-drop here since I'm just back from the swanky awards dinner in London. Guest of honour was Gyles Brandreth, who gave a faintly insane but entertaining speech. I think he's writing something where Sherlock Holmes and Oscar Wilde form a crime-busting duo, if I understood right?! Our winner was Craig Russell, an author I'd never read before the Dagger. He's Scottish but sets his books in Hamburg. The setting is really interesting, the characters good and the stories gory, so I commend him to this blog! And he was a nice man, and let us hold his Dagger. This is him in the middle, with me and my fellow judges.
Wednesday, 16 July 2008
book group choice
Have just finished reading The Second Husband and don't want to say too much about it here because I am hoping to be at the next book group meeting to discusss it. Just want to say,though,that this is another of these books (remember Housewife Down)? that had I been writing it I would have taken a completely different and less predictable approach! Perhaps I should start writing my alternative versions of popular fiction!
I am also reading Russell Brand's My Booky Wook and a self help book callled the Four Day Win which Aileen recommended -I can't seem to get the hang of this book though -I understood the message to be that if you can be good for four days you can treat yourself with lots of chocolate,but Aileen says this is not the case unfortunately! Must read beyond the twenty pages I've covered so far....
I am also reading Russell Brand's My Booky Wook and a self help book callled the Four Day Win which Aileen recommended -I can't seem to get the hang of this book though -I understood the message to be that if you can be good for four days you can treat yourself with lots of chocolate,but Aileen says this is not the case unfortunately! Must read beyond the twenty pages I've covered so far....
Monday, 30 June 2008
Mixed procession of reading matter
Welcome to the blog Marghie! I am very glad I was born in the UK as I don't think I'd ever pass the test to get in.
I've finished The Second Husband and have returned to A Time of Gifts - classic travel book recommended by Janet. He's walking through Germany in 1933/1934, a world that will never be the same again. Also waiting in the 'to-read' pile is Winter in Madrid by C. J. Sansom, which has come highly recommended to me. I read one of his 16th Century crime books for the Dagger in the Library, and loved it, unexpectedly. He seems to be a very thorough historian who also knows how to write a good tale. Winter in Madrid is set in Spain about 1940 I think, in the aftermath of the civil war. I have a morbid fascination for the 1930s and 40s so expecting to like it.
Despite trying to have a change from crime, I had t0 read Flesh House, the latest from our old mate Stuart MacBride. Cannibalism and butchery in Aberdeen! Strangely enjoyable...
I've finished The Second Husband and have returned to A Time of Gifts - classic travel book recommended by Janet. He's walking through Germany in 1933/1934, a world that will never be the same again. Also waiting in the 'to-read' pile is Winter in Madrid by C. J. Sansom, which has come highly recommended to me. I read one of his 16th Century crime books for the Dagger in the Library, and loved it, unexpectedly. He seems to be a very thorough historian who also knows how to write a good tale. Winter in Madrid is set in Spain about 1940 I think, in the aftermath of the civil war. I have a morbid fascination for the 1930s and 40s so expecting to like it.
Despite trying to have a change from crime, I had t0 read Flesh House, the latest from our old mate Stuart MacBride. Cannibalism and butchery in Aberdeen! Strangely enjoyable...
Friday, 27 June 2008
Signed on at last
Well I have finally done the deed and signed onto the book group blog. I've even ask to have an RSS feed to my email so I can keep up with the activity...nice feature that.
I'm sorry I missed the Thuesday meeting which sounded like a good one. I'm traveling back to the US for a visit so I will miss the next meeting as well but I will read some Will Self and whatever Jean chooses for the August meeting. I have a pile of books to get through before I leave not the least of which is a biography of DuMaurier. I will no doubt indulge myself by reading "cheap, trashy novels" while I'm on the beach in the US; The sort of books I won't mind staining with sun tan lotion and dropping into the sand. Unfotunately I also will be reading a turgid tome by the name of Life In The UK in order to prepare for taking the LITUK exam when I return from the U.S. I've read the first two chapters and have already identified a piece of incorrect information about the testing of school children in Scotland. The LITUK authors seem to be unaware that there are differences between the Scottish and English school systems. I think, I'll wait until I've gotten my "long term leave to remain" visa before I point that out to the powers that be.
I'm sorry I missed the Thuesday meeting which sounded like a good one. I'm traveling back to the US for a visit so I will miss the next meeting as well but I will read some Will Self and whatever Jean chooses for the August meeting. I have a pile of books to get through before I leave not the least of which is a biography of DuMaurier. I will no doubt indulge myself by reading "cheap, trashy novels" while I'm on the beach in the US; The sort of books I won't mind staining with sun tan lotion and dropping into the sand. Unfotunately I also will be reading a turgid tome by the name of Life In The UK in order to prepare for taking the LITUK exam when I return from the U.S. I've read the first two chapters and have already identified a piece of incorrect information about the testing of school children in Scotland. The LITUK authors seem to be unaware that there are differences between the Scottish and English school systems. I think, I'll wait until I've gotten my "long term leave to remain" visa before I point that out to the powers that be.
Let's kick this blog back to life...
Oh dear, our blog has been sadly neglected again. Everyone should sign up or this RSS feed so at least we might be reminded about it when someone does a post. But then we'd probably fall into the 'OMG, LOL, u r soooo right!!!' kind of responses. (na, surely not, there aren't many OMG LOL-types in our group)
Anyway, a good group meeting was had this week, the book being discussed being Jamaica Inn. Folk all really enjoyed it and discussion led on to other classics, and I scandalized everyone by admitting I'd never read Wuthering Heights (or indeed the vast majority of classics, I blame it on the comprehensive education system). I am trying to wean myself off crime as I've had several months of total immersion, what with judging the Dagger in the Library Award. The short list is now in the public domain but I got into bother for publicizing the long list, which for some strange reason is kept secret?!
Started our book group's next read which is a publisher freebie by Louise Candlish called The Second Husband. She seems to be a popular author, and the story so far is a good read. The books came with a list of discussion points and questions so we're going to try going through them and have a more structured discussion than we sometimes manage. We're also going to read a bit of Will Self, though our pals in the Whalsay Book Group have been tackling him and don't seem hugely impressed! (He's coming to Shetland in September, hence our interest).
Anyway, a good group meeting was had this week, the book being discussed being Jamaica Inn. Folk all really enjoyed it and discussion led on to other classics, and I scandalized everyone by admitting I'd never read Wuthering Heights (or indeed the vast majority of classics, I blame it on the comprehensive education system). I am trying to wean myself off crime as I've had several months of total immersion, what with judging the Dagger in the Library Award. The short list is now in the public domain but I got into bother for publicizing the long list, which for some strange reason is kept secret?!
Started our book group's next read which is a publisher freebie by Louise Candlish called The Second Husband. She seems to be a popular author, and the story so far is a good read. The books came with a list of discussion points and questions so we're going to try going through them and have a more structured discussion than we sometimes manage. We're also going to read a bit of Will Self, though our pals in the Whalsay Book Group have been tackling him and don't seem hugely impressed! (He's coming to Shetland in September, hence our interest).
Monday, 19 May 2008
Blog alerts
Gosh Morag you will need to tell me what this magic book is. My house is looking very grubby just now, all dust and empty wine bottles...
Just wanted to say if you would like to get email alerts telling you when there is a new post on the book group blog you can go to www.rssfwd.com, enter the web address of the site (http://lerwickbookgroup.blogspot.com) and your email address. This should also work for other blogs you are interested in.
Just wanted to say if you would like to get email alerts telling you when there is a new post on the book group blog you can go to www.rssfwd.com, enter the web address of the site (http://lerwickbookgroup.blogspot.com) and your email address. This should also work for other blogs you are interested in.
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