Monday 16 August 2010

Some Light Reading

One of the disadvantages of taking a contexual module for my degree is that all reading tends to be academic. I find I can't concentrate on a novel when I know there are text books to be read. So since my essay has been sent off for assessment (results next week!) I've been catching up with the pile of books beside my bed. A friend and I have recently found we enjoy the same books so we've been swapping novels we've read and enjoyed and the following are three that she has passed on to me.

One Day by David Nicholls is a brilliant book. It tells the story of two people who meet on their last day at University and it follows their lives on the same day each year for the next twenty years. It is funny, moving and very perceptive. I found there was so much that I identified with throughout the book.

Deaf Sentence by David Lodge is another hilariously funny yet very moving and perceptive story. I find he is not very sympathetic towards his female characters, none of whom seem very nice but that didn't detract from my enjoyment.

And I have just finished Her Fearful Symmetry by Audrey Niffenegger, which although I found compulsive reading I also found rather disturbing. That said I still enjoyed the book and find her to be an excellent storyteller... although I think I preferred The Time Traveller's Wife.

I've just started the third and final book in the millenneum trilogy... The Girl Who Kicked The Hornet's Nest... already finding that difficult to put down! What are you reading right now? Any good recommendations?

17 comments:

  1. There is something decadent about just sitting reading and shutting the world out - I love it. Oh I have just seen the fabric brooches on your last blog they are gorgeous.

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  2. I read 'Starter for Ten' by David Nicholls and laughed a lot.
    Off to Amazon now!!;-)

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  3. I have Hornet's Nest under my desk here to start sometime. I like the sound of One Day - I think I'll try that. At the moment I am reading a teenage novel Flyaway by Lucy Christopher - it is fantastic and I will probably blog about it when I finish it.

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  4. I also recomment "Starter for Ten".......... very very funny! If you want one that is delicious, not deep, but one of those books you don't want to put down because of the lighthearted twists, then try "The Matchmaker of the Perigord" (it is romantic, but not slushily so). Unfortunately as I write I can't remember the author's name.

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  5. I am sadly behind on my summer reading, but must look for "One Day" as it sounds wonderful. Thanks for sharing!

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  6. I've been re-reading The Shell Seekers, an old love

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  7. I've just started Her Fearful Symetry - I adored The Time Travellers Wife!!!
    Gill

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  8. Glad to hear that you're giving yourself a treat by reading those books. It must be a relief....

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  9. I haven't come across any of those titles but they sound a great read. I have become intrigued by the Anglo-Saxons and am reading history books which is a laugh in itself as I was hopeless at the subject at school. I have a growing stack of books on my bedside table and fear there will be an avalanche one day and I shall be buried underneath.

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  10. We took a stash of Henning Mankell's "Wallander" books on holiday - slobbing outside our Dutch tent in the sun, with our French and German neighbours either side, reading about a Swedish police detective - wonderful!

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  11. I've just finished Juliet, Naked by Nick Hornby (who I love cos all of his books have some rock music ingredient)and my next book will hopefully be the 2nd in the trilogy you mention. If only so I can let you have it back! x

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  12. When I was doing my undergrad degree, the one librarian in my town library once told me that she always knew when it was the start of semester break, because I would come in and pick up an armload of the fattest novels I could find. And oh, what a relief it was to read fast, furious and without any pressure to retain a single lovely word! :)

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  13. just about to start our next book club title - The Secret River by Kate Grenville. One of my all-time favourites is The Shipping News by Annie Proulx, wonderful prose and fascinating story lines.
    Read David Starkey's biography of the young Elizabeth I - no shortage of intrigue, politics and love interests!

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  14. I meant to say that I read David Starkey on holiday recently ...

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  15. I haven't read much lately - not sure why, because I am an avid reader - but I hope to set that right on holiday! Lucy x

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  16. Just finished The Help and now about to start on her fearful symetry.Hope it goes well at the Quilt show

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  17. I have just read a book which is put out as a children's book - as such it is quite short, simple and direct. It's called The Wreck of The Zanzibar by Michael Morpurgo. It's 2.30am and I've just finished crying over it. I think it might haunt me x

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