Monday 26 February 2018

Reading and Books.

Some people can't imagine life without it whereas others struggle to get through one book.  I belong a Writers' Group and we used to have a member who had never read a book in his life.

I can't imagine life without a book 'on the go' - sometimes two or three at once if they are different types of book.   Most of all I like a good novel and have, like most readers, 'favourite' authors.   But I also love travel books; in fact my late husband used to often reckon I liked reading about such things rather than going.   Good books about Natural History - authors like John Lister Kaye, Robert Macfarlane, and Roger Deakin spring to mind.

Our Reading Group mostly reads novels (although we did recently read a Patrick-Leigh-Fermor book which was very enjoyable).   Last month it was The Gallows Pole by Benjamin Myers, a book based on the history of the coiners of the Calder Valley at the end of the eighteenth century.   This month it is my turn to choose and I have chosen
Midwinter Break by Bernard MacLaverty - a tale about a retired couple having a weekend in Amsterdam, a weekend during which they examine their marriage and their lives - as the front cover says 'a profound examination of human love and how we live together.'  I hope that the other members of the group like it as much as I did.   MacLaverty is a fine writer.

Another good read is a book my son lent me - I found it impossible to put down once I had started it.   It is Reservoir 13 by Jon McGregor - if you come across it.   It is all written in the third person - no speech at all, which suits me fine but is not everyone's cup of tea.

If you are a reader then enjoy your read over the next few days if you live in the UK.   According to the forecast the best thing to do is to wrap up warm and stay home.

28 comments:

Mac n' Janet said...

Love books, always have 2 or 3 on the go.

jinxxxygirl said...

Thanks to my Grandmother i LOVE to read.. i'am an avid reader..When i was spending a summer with my Grandparents one year as a teenager and i'm sure somewhat bored she handed me a romance novel with pirates and adventure and love.. and i've been reading ever since.. My own tastes have changed over the years as i no longer read romance novels.. I enjoy adventure books and fantasy books .. even horror books.. sci fi.. I like books written in series and stand alone books.. Some of the best books are stand alone books.. Hugs! deb

the veg artist said...

I remember being taught to read by my father before I started at school aged 4. I've never been without books since. My husband is into history and travel books, mine are on art, gardening, cookery and many, many novels. Our house is stuffed with books, and I don't quite understand how some people get along without any.

Rachel Phillips said...

I had to look up coiners. I have never heard of them. Interesting subject but would not have wanted to read a whole book on them. I would have struggled. I read every night in bed.

angryparsnip said...

I have always read. I had a book in the car, waiting for children, One in the living room and then one by the bed.
But now between the eyes and brain reading is very hard for me. I miss reading.
Just bought a new book (still trying) so I hope that will help me.

cheers, parsnip

Joanne Noragon said...

I'm struggling to get back into reading, as much as I love it. Perhaps it is the memory I love.

Living Alone in Your 60's said...

I'm debating with myself whether to buy a Kindle. I belong to the library and always buy my holiday books from the charity shop do I can leave them behind when I'm finished.

Derek Faulkner said...

I always have a book on the go and always in it's natural form, i.e. not a kindle. Like Rachel as well, most of my reading is done in bed before falling asleep. I buy all of my books, read them and around 50% are then given to my ex-in laws, who read them before giving them to the local hospital charity shop.

Cherie said...

Tony and I have hundreds of books. Our next house move will hopefully be our last as we would love to turn one bedroom into a mini library for our own personal use. I like a good autobiography. Chris Evan is a good one to read. I read Round the world with Ridgeway, many years ago and thoroughly enjoyed it even though it wasn't one that I would have picked.

The Weaver of Grass said...

Cherie you reminded me of the very first travel book I read when I was about fourteen. It was called ;Kurun around the world' by Maurice le Toumelin. I was entranced and read it over and over again.
I do agree - how do people manage who never read?

Dartford Warbler said...

Thank you for your recommendations Pat. I have Reservoir 13 on my "Yet to read" pile and very much enjoyed John Macgregor`s previous novel, If No One Speaks of Remarkable Things.

I love Robert Macfarlane too. His writing has real kinship with the prose and poetry of Edward Thomas. Wonderful.

Like you, I`m constantly reading and usually have a couple of books on the go. We can live so many other lives through the words of a good writer.

Bovey Belle said...

I just HAVE to read to survive - the backs of cornflake packets and sauce bottles if nothing else is available!! I have an absolute stack of books to get through so I shan't run out of reading stuff even if we are snowed in for months!

You mentioned some new-to-me books/authors, so I shall keep an eye open when I go to the Free Bookshop next (donation given) and car boot sales/charity shops.

Keep warm Pat.

Thickethouse.wordpress said...

How surprising to hear of someone who evidently wanted to be a writer, but never read. I have been a reader all my life and my children and grandchildren seem to be also...It is a great joy to find a new writer! Thank you for your suggestions. Yesterday I was on a tour of our local area given by the historical society. At one point our bus was stuck and we waited for nearly an hour for a rescue. I spent most of the time reading one of the nearly 1,900 books in my purse, on my kindle. It seems astonishing that this is even possible!

Heather said...

I always think a home without books is not properly furnished, and have loved reading ever since I was a child. I have four on the go at present - one of the Cadfael novels,(already read two or three times!) one by Phillipa Gregory, one on the history of Guernsey and and the other about trees. I have plenty of knitting to keep me occupied as well as other creative pastimes. I stocked up the fridge and freezer today so the weather can do what it likes.

Chris said...

I have just finished "Belgravia" by Julian Fellowes (he of "Downton Abbey" fame). Historical fiction - it's a great read with a very satisfying climax and denoument. That's the type of book I enjoy.

^.^ said...

Hello from Alberta, Canada ... got here via friend Heron ... what a lovely blog you have here ... very much appreciated ... Love, cat.

Robin Mac said...

I can't remember a time when I could not read, I know I was reading by the time I started school. All my family were avid readers. Now I have to listen to books because I have lost most of my sight. Thank goodness for technology, I belong to the Vision Australia library and can download many fascinating books in all categories onto my iPod which I can carry wit me always. Life without books would be intolerable,
Keep warm through the awful weather you are having.

Cro Magnon said...

My wife reads vast amounts of books. I tend to do crosswords, but always have a book on the go. I think you need to ask children under 13 if they've ever read a book (other than being forced to), the answer will probably be 'No'.

Alphie Soup said...

Thanks for the book news Weaver Pat. Ask and you shall receive....
I have made a note of those books you mentioned, none of the writers are familiar to me. I am having a forced reading break at the moment but will soon get back in the saddle again with Tim Cope as he rides across Asia following the footsteps of Genghis Khan.

Alphie

Maria said...

I always have a book on the go. I read books in both languages, either in English or in Italian, fiction or non fiction but, don't like spy stories.
Greetings Maria x

Librarian said...

Like Kristi (Thickethouse) says above, it is surprising to hear of someone who wants to write but not read, but I know someone like that, too; my ex-boyfriend, still close friend and employer. He loves language and writes all day; you could say we earn our money creating documents for our clients, such as guidelines, course material and so on. But he has not read a book since he left school, where reading certain books was compulsory as part of the curriculum.

I learned to read from my sister when I was 5 years old, one year before I started school. I have never stopped since, but with increasing eye problems, I do not read as much as I would like to.

thelma said...

Well in answer to Cro my grandchildren read books, the youngest at 11 bought the 'Handmaiden' to read last time. I devoured books from an early age, reading myself through most of the adult horror and ghost stories at Willenhall library. Tastes change, though I love Phil Rickman at the moment, heavy non-fiction books soon get put aside, and what I like at the moment is tales about the Scottish Isles.

Gwil W said...

My latest hobby is reading the same book in two or three different languages and at the same time. The other day I bought a cheap secondhand book called Remote Control. Then I went into another bookshop and ordered an Italian version of the same book. At the moment I'm reading Umberto Eco's novel Numero Zero which is called Nullnummer in German. I can pretty well manage the German one, and I'm hoping I'll retain something of the Italian. There's a character called Bragadoccio who brings a lot of wry humour to the story. There's a wonderful scene around 45-50 pages into the book where he contemplates buying a new car. I shall shortly be looking for this book in English.

donna baker said...

Pat, my sister is read CIDER WITH ROSIE, which you recommended to me.

Minigranny said...

I love to read and though we had few books at home my mother always took us to the mobile library when it arrived in the village and I always had my nose in a book as Dad used to say. I eventually decided that I wanted to be a librarian and went to the College of Librarianship Wales and loved Wales and the course. My favourite job when Chartered was going out on the mobile library when there was a need for cover due to sickness etc and it was magic to be out on the Dales roads and meeting all the village folk - especially the children. We also were treated to a wonderful tea and cake break in many a farmhouse kitchen sitting in front of an Aga or range with a dog or orphan lamb for company.

jinxxxygirl said...

I read all the time.. Hubby reads never... Daughter started out reading fiction as a child and now only reads self help books.. go figure....Hugs! deb

Toni said...

I can't imagine life without books, lots and lots of books!

I have noted both books in your post and look forward to reading them.

PaulineA said...

Thank you for the book recommendations.I went straight to the Overdrive app
( brilliant) which lets me borrow books online from my local library service and have reserved both.