Best reads - Club Together Book Club?

I have in the past resorted to reading an Ordinance Survey map for pleasure. I'm still looking for the life that someone told me to get.😁

Resorted to Kindle at the moment and reading a book I bought at the beginning of first lockdown, Martin Cruz Smith, The Siberian Dilemma. I think Moulesy has read it. Enjoying it.

I started reading it yesterday, and have given up today. I realised I didn’t like the style of wring or cared about any of the characters. And it’s not a school “set book” so I feel no compulsion to plod through to the end.

i realise I must be in the minority and I can’t even give it away as its on my Kindle!

Now I am well into P D James’s first Dalgleish book - Cover her Face. It’s a long time since I read it, and I only vaguely remember the plot. Very well written and I love it!

It's definitely a "marmite" book, Goldie - love it or hate it! 

I enjoyed it, but I have to say, I'm staggered that Richard Osman won "author of the year" based on it!  

As I have probably mentioned I am not generally a reader of fiction. Given Margaret's dismay with "The Thursday Murder Club" I have just finished reading it. I have to say I rather enjoyed it. Lightweight maybe but interesting. I was reminded of one of my previous MD's who decided in later life to go and live in a Retirement Complex similar to the one featured in the book. When I chatted to him about it he said that people from many professions living in the same place so what was in the book rang true. I thought the book dealt with some of the obvious consequences of living in such a place and the gradual decline as people got older. It will be interesting to see not only the second book but also the film/tv series which is supposed to be happening. I am sure that those that have read the book are also trying to think of a possible cast of actors!!!

David

That's why I felt the observations in the book were good David, if you've ever known anyone who lives in something similar it is accurate and doesn't write the inhabitants off in any way. But if it's made into a film I don't think I coud bring myself to watch the usual line up of propsective players! 

Brue

I think it could make a good TV Series/Film which might appeal to those who have not read the book? I notice today in Tesco that the book is available in paperback, ours is a hardback version. As you say Richard Osman did seem to pick up on some of the nuances on living in that sort of retirement accommodation. I wondered if his Mum is somewhere like that as it would clearly give him an insight?

David

Bill Nighy, Maggie Smith, Penelope Wilton & Sanjeev Bhaskar  (maybe a bit young! ) as the main protagonists? 

I have just finished reading the 4th in the Anderson and Costello police detective series by Caro Ramsey and will shortly start on the 5th one. I found the first one a little confusing, but persevered with the series and things became clearer. They are based around Glasgow, with the now favoured technique of using actual locations rather than fictitious ones. As with many series they can be read as separate stories but are better appreciated if read in sequence. They are quite complex and I would recommend reading them with as few breaks as possible.

Returned The House of Lamentations to the library today. S.G.McCleans latest Damian Seeker novel from the Cromwell period. Excellent page turner.

Whilst there I found that all that creeping to the staff paid off. They kept back 2 brand new novels for me. The new Washington Poe book by MW Craven,  Dead Ground and the new Bruno Chief of Police novel by Martin Walker, The Coldest Case. 

They'll have to wait as I'm halfway through The Black Echo by Michael Connelly, an early Bosch book bought in a second hand book shop whilst on holiday.

Happy bunny indeed.

Back to one of my normal genres of books that I generally read, travel books or at least books about those that find themselves in countries where they were not born.

The first one was "The Year of Living Danishly" by Helen Russell. Helen's husband gets a job at Lego which means at least a stay of a year in Denmark. The book explores the social side of Danish life a country that always gets high marks for happiness. Denmark is a very heavily taxed country compared to the UK but it provides many services that we can only dream of. It also allows a fair amount of freedom in terms of choosing employment and working hours. So on that score they should be happy. I don't think it convinced me to go and live in Denmark but then I have no reason to!!!

The second book is also about someone making a life in a country where they were not born, in this instance for love! "Head Over Heel" by Chris Harrison is about an Australian meeting the love of his life in Dublin and then going to live with her in the heel of Italy. Chris charts the difficulties encountered en route to getting his official papers so that he can live there. Even his name (both of them) cause problems because Italians don't pronounce H in their language. There is a lot to do with family and food as you would expect from any book based in Italy. It highlights the many frustrations with rules and laws, most of which are ignored or perhaps need a friend of a friend to overcome! I have always had a soft spot for Italy so much of it just confirmed what I knew and what I had previously read about but Italy makes me smile!

Next I am on to something more serious, Ed Miliband's new book called, Go Big.

David