Monday 12 December 2016

Advent 2016 - twelve

Not very much reading getting done this month... What a surprise! But I have recently finished this fun story, Man at the Helm, from Nina Stibbe. I've read her autobiographical letters to her sister "Love, Nina", and saw the TV show based on them and thoroughly enjoyed both. At first I wasn't too sure about this as I didn't think it was going anywhere but I really warmed to this story of two sisters, trying to find a new man for their Mum who has fallen on hard times. It is joyful and funny and about a lot more than just "getting a man". It is a fabulous observation of a disfunctional family. I think there are similarities with the family in "Love, Nina" and I imagined the mum in the story as Helena Bonham Carter who played the Mum in the TV series.


I've also rediscovered the library recently. We always used the library when I was a child, and I used it constantly when my boys were small but when our little local branch closed I got out of the habit of travelling into town to borrow books. I would probably never have read this if I hadn't spotted it on the library shelf so I'm determined to keep up this library habit! Which reminds me... this is due back today!

7 comments:

  1. I like the sound of this book, light enough to read a page at the time and interesting enough to actually get to the end. I rarely go to the library, it is just not on my way to anywhere and with the kids being older and/or not keen on reading, I have little incentive to go.

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  2. That sounds like an interesting read. Years ago we lived out in the country and I was thrilled to find that the travelling library parked right outside our house. I felt really spoiled and made good use of it - it was a real luxury.

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  3. Gina, I've read and enjoyed both of those two NS novels, and the past year read book number three, Paradise Lodge...which reminded me in a very odd way of Cold Comfort Farm. I do recommend book number three. It would be fun to compare notes with you.

    I've just requested a reserver on Alan Bennett's new memoir, having heard him read some of it on the BBC, and definitely enjoyed reading about him in Love Nina.
    xo

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  4. I haunt my library - 'specially since they told me over 60s get 12 books!

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  5. The library -- what a novel concept LOL. We have a really nice library system here, but I just never get around to running by -- certainly my loss. I love your adorable little Christmas cards that you made two posts ago too -- you're a crazy woman!!!

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  6. Thanks for the book recommendations. I rejoined our library some months ago after an extremely long absence but haven't been back. I guess I'm more of a charity shop book buyer.

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  7. I really enjoyed reading "Love Nina" so must look out for this one - wonder if our library has it?

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