I'm reading The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah about two sisters living in wore-torn France during WW2. I have a friend in Hampshire who often recommends the books she has read with her book group, and Hamnet by Maggie O'Farrell and Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus are also sitting on the shelf. I enjoy reading novels which take me to places I know, any genre, so The Colour Storm, The Bookbinder of Jericho and Still Life have been noted. Donna Leon - Inspector Brunettu (Venice), William Shaw's The Birdwatcher (set in Dungeness) and Martin Walker - Inspector Bruno (set in rural France) are just three of the crime writers I find easy to read. I think Tracey Chavalier's books are well researched from the historical viewpoint. Elly Griffiths and Susan Hill, the list goes on! Thankyou Gina for another interesting weekend read.
Lots of good recommendations from you too Joan, so thank you! I enjoyed Hamnet too and our reading group read all the Ely Griffiths Ruth Galloway novels during the pandemic. They provided a bit of escapism in a part of the country many of us in the group know well
I read Still Life on what I think was your recommendation and loved it. I also enjoyed Vinegar Girl, The Bookbinder and all the Simon Serrailler series so on that basis will read The Coloud Storm. I also borrowed Stanley and Elsie and Stanley Tucci's autobiography on your recommendation so don't stop!!
I'm reading the autobiography 'Long and Winding Road' by the disc jockey, Diddy David Hamilton, who is 85 years old and has set the record for being the oldest broadcaster to have a daily radio programme. He's on BOOM radio every week day from 12 to 2pm.
It's an easy read and entertaining as he has had a colourful career and life. As a teenager, he sent a football match report in to a sports paper and was given a weekly spot, the editor didn't realise that he was a schoolboy. He has written candidly about the breakup of his parents' marriage; being groped by an old man; service in the RAF (he was called up for national service); and working on British Forces radio in post war Germany. And, that's just the first couple of chapters.
Diddy David Hamilton… now that’s a blast from the past. I used to listen to him when I was a teenager. I didn’t know he was still broadcasting. I miss our book club gatherings even if we rarely discussed books!!!
I am currently re-reading the all souls trilogy deborah harkness (discovery of witches), mainly as I have them in my kindle and needed something I could read on the go! But just bought the series a court of thorns and roses (Maas) from a recommendation
I'm reading The Summer Queen by Elizabeth Chadwick, it's for the village book club. I took it on our three week road trip in the campervan and read 120pages. When I got home I was so fed up with it that I read a Vera murder mystery, the Seagull, instead. Now I'm back into it and liking it a little more but if it wasn't a book club read I'd have put it in the charity shop pile.
On my bedside table and lined up to read are Cuddy by Benjamen Myers (I love his books!) and a non-fiction, Wanderers: A History of Women Walking by Kerri Andrews, looking forward to both of these.
We do sometimes have a reading group book that I struggle with. I never did get to the end of Possession which some people loved but I thought was pretentious tosh!
Benjamin Myers is a new author to me and I like the sound of ‘Wanderers’… another for my list
Our reading group was split between those who loved Possession and those who hated it. I confess I have only read one other AS Byatt - The Children’s Book and I hated that too. I always feel she is trying to show how clever she is and it doesn’t impress me
Love bookish posts so thanks for sharing. I’ve just bought ‘the various haunts of men’ as I love thrillers - especially series. Plus it was 99p!!! Karen slaughter is really good for thrillers / crime and Lisa Jewell.
Thanks for another great newsletter - I thoroughly enjoy reading them each week, whatever the subject.
I am lucky enough to work in a charity bookshop so spend my days surrounded by wonderful books and lots of very happy customers. The 'downside' is that my list of books to read gets longer every week, and I've just added a few more thanks to your recommendations! I will definitely be on the lookout for a copy of Still Life.
My favourite reads so far this year have been Wintering by Katherine May, Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus and We Begin At The End by Chris Whitaker.
Thank you Michelle, that is so kind. I often think I would enjoy working in a bookshop but the temptation must be huge! I enjoyed Wintering and Lessons in Chemistry too… your third recommendation will be added to my ever growing list!
Thank you for the list of books Gina, I love to know what other people are reading and will add your suggestions to my teetering to read pile . I also loved Still Life and have read it twice, very unusual for me to reread but I’d suggested it to a book club and had to introduce it to them. I think I loved it even more the second time. We had also just visited Florence when I was rereading.
I really enjoy reading your newsletters and realise I should comment and say so. So, this is me saying thank you and how much I enjoy reading
Thank you Jane, that’s very kind. I read Still Life the second time on our trip to Florence last year and it made it so special. We sat in the square outside Santo Spirito and I could just imagine I was there in the pages of the novel
I have a long tbr list but have been seriously considering a reread of Still life as a treat. I am also loving Hilary Mantel’s Cromwell trilogy which I am reading as part of a year long read along organised by footnotes and tangents on substack and known as Wolf crawl 😊. Another book I could not put down was Devotion by Hannah Kent and I have also returned to Louise Penny’s Gamache series which you might enjoy as you like the Susan Hill series. Lots of my books are listened to via audible while knitting, sewing or drawing. Please don’t stop the reviews and recommendations- I really look forward to them.
Thank you Nicola, these all sound like just the sort of books I like to read. I have yet to try audio books. I sometimes think my concentration wanders too easily! And do read Still Life again. I got so much more from it on a second reading.
I like having a good long list of books to read- and happily you have added to it! These days my books are all on my kobo although recently I bought a book of Canadian short stories for a class starting up in September. It is huge…the book that is…and I find myself a bit whiny about not being able to enlarge the font and so on. I do miss that satisfying pile of real books though and so it was lovely to see yours this morning.
You have picked two of my absolute favourites, "Dear Reader" and "Still Life", both rich and wonderful and so far my books of the year. I love Susan Hill's series too. I definitely prefer books to cake!📚
I am pretty certain I bought Dear Reader after you had recommended it Deborah. I even read back through several of your posts to see if I could find where you had mentioned it so I could credit you but in the end I was pushed for time and couldn’t find it. So thank you! I find books and cake not necessarily mutually exclusive 😉
Thanks for the recommendations - I loved Still Life and The Marriage Portrait, also the Colour Storm gave an interesting insight into historical painting. My books also are a mixture of our next Book Group pick, charity shops, and our free library ebook app. Sweet Bean Paste was enjoyed by all our book group, a thoughtful book on Japanese life. The Postmistress of Paris - picked up from my sister's bookcase - set in Marseilles more thsn Paris - based on true life Artists coloney in Vichy France and resistance fighters.
And The Bonesetters Daughter by Amy Tan is what i should be reading now, rather than watching the Olympics.......
Thank you too for the recommendations. As well as my actual pile of books to read I keep an ongoing list of books I would like to read so these will be added as they sound right up my street!
I'm reading The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah about two sisters living in wore-torn France during WW2. I have a friend in Hampshire who often recommends the books she has read with her book group, and Hamnet by Maggie O'Farrell and Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus are also sitting on the shelf. I enjoy reading novels which take me to places I know, any genre, so The Colour Storm, The Bookbinder of Jericho and Still Life have been noted. Donna Leon - Inspector Brunettu (Venice), William Shaw's The Birdwatcher (set in Dungeness) and Martin Walker - Inspector Bruno (set in rural France) are just three of the crime writers I find easy to read. I think Tracey Chavalier's books are well researched from the historical viewpoint. Elly Griffiths and Susan Hill, the list goes on! Thankyou Gina for another interesting weekend read.
Lots of good recommendations from you too Joan, so thank you! I enjoyed Hamnet too and our reading group read all the Ely Griffiths Ruth Galloway novels during the pandemic. They provided a bit of escapism in a part of the country many of us in the group know well
I have read all the Elly Griffiths' Ruth Galloway books, but I haven't got into her Brighton series.
Same for me. I have read a couple of the Brighton ones but they don’t engage me in the same way as Ruth and Nelson!
I have noted these too, thank you!
I read Still Life on what I think was your recommendation and loved it. I also enjoyed Vinegar Girl, The Bookbinder and all the Simon Serrailler series so on that basis will read The Coloud Storm. I also borrowed Stanley and Elsie and Stanley Tucci's autobiography on your recommendation so don't stop!!
I feel responsible for any recommendations now! 😂
I'm reading the autobiography 'Long and Winding Road' by the disc jockey, Diddy David Hamilton, who is 85 years old and has set the record for being the oldest broadcaster to have a daily radio programme. He's on BOOM radio every week day from 12 to 2pm.
It's an easy read and entertaining as he has had a colourful career and life. As a teenager, he sent a football match report in to a sports paper and was given a weekly spot, the editor didn't realise that he was a schoolboy. He has written candidly about the breakup of his parents' marriage; being groped by an old man; service in the RAF (he was called up for national service); and working on British Forces radio in post war Germany. And, that's just the first couple of chapters.
Diddy David Hamilton… now that’s a blast from the past. I used to listen to him when I was a teenager. I didn’t know he was still broadcasting. I miss our book club gatherings even if we rarely discussed books!!!
I am currently re-reading the all souls trilogy deborah harkness (discovery of witches), mainly as I have them in my kindle and needed something I could read on the go! But just bought the series a court of thorns and roses (Maas) from a recommendation
I like the sound of the Deborah Harkness books. Might have to seek them out
I'm reading The Summer Queen by Elizabeth Chadwick, it's for the village book club. I took it on our three week road trip in the campervan and read 120pages. When I got home I was so fed up with it that I read a Vera murder mystery, the Seagull, instead. Now I'm back into it and liking it a little more but if it wasn't a book club read I'd have put it in the charity shop pile.
On my bedside table and lined up to read are Cuddy by Benjamen Myers (I love his books!) and a non-fiction, Wanderers: A History of Women Walking by Kerri Andrews, looking forward to both of these.
We do sometimes have a reading group book that I struggle with. I never did get to the end of Possession which some people loved but I thought was pretentious tosh!
Benjamin Myers is a new author to me and I like the sound of ‘Wanderers’… another for my list
Love Benjamin Myers. Possession was the only book by by AS Byatt that I liked.
Our reading group was split between those who loved Possession and those who hated it. I confess I have only read one other AS Byatt - The Children’s Book and I hated that too. I always feel she is trying to show how clever she is and it doesn’t impress me
Love bookish posts so thanks for sharing. I’ve just bought ‘the various haunts of men’ as I love thrillers - especially series. Plus it was 99p!!! Karen slaughter is really good for thrillers / crime and Lisa Jewell.
Bargain! I hope you enjoy it… I like them because it’s got all the elements of a good thriller, well crafted characters and an excellent back story
I enjoyed this article and you’ve reviewed books by some of my fave authors and a couple Iwould like to try , thanks
My pleasure!
Thanks for another great newsletter - I thoroughly enjoy reading them each week, whatever the subject.
I am lucky enough to work in a charity bookshop so spend my days surrounded by wonderful books and lots of very happy customers. The 'downside' is that my list of books to read gets longer every week, and I've just added a few more thanks to your recommendations! I will definitely be on the lookout for a copy of Still Life.
My favourite reads so far this year have been Wintering by Katherine May, Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus and We Begin At The End by Chris Whitaker.
Thank you Michelle, that is so kind. I often think I would enjoy working in a bookshop but the temptation must be huge! I enjoyed Wintering and Lessons in Chemistry too… your third recommendation will be added to my ever growing list!
Thank you for the list of books Gina, I love to know what other people are reading and will add your suggestions to my teetering to read pile . I also loved Still Life and have read it twice, very unusual for me to reread but I’d suggested it to a book club and had to introduce it to them. I think I loved it even more the second time. We had also just visited Florence when I was rereading.
I really enjoy reading your newsletters and realise I should comment and say so. So, this is me saying thank you and how much I enjoy reading
Thank you Jane, that’s very kind. I read Still Life the second time on our trip to Florence last year and it made it so special. We sat in the square outside Santo Spirito and I could just imagine I was there in the pages of the novel
I have a long tbr list but have been seriously considering a reread of Still life as a treat. I am also loving Hilary Mantel’s Cromwell trilogy which I am reading as part of a year long read along organised by footnotes and tangents on substack and known as Wolf crawl 😊. Another book I could not put down was Devotion by Hannah Kent and I have also returned to Louise Penny’s Gamache series which you might enjoy as you like the Susan Hill series. Lots of my books are listened to via audible while knitting, sewing or drawing. Please don’t stop the reviews and recommendations- I really look forward to them.
I also meant to say I loved the first two books in the Cromwell series and I keep forgetting there is a third. Must seek that out!
Thank you Nicola, these all sound like just the sort of books I like to read. I have yet to try audio books. I sometimes think my concentration wanders too easily! And do read Still Life again. I got so much more from it on a second reading.
I like having a good long list of books to read- and happily you have added to it! These days my books are all on my kobo although recently I bought a book of Canadian short stories for a class starting up in September. It is huge…the book that is…and I find myself a bit whiny about not being able to enlarge the font and so on. I do miss that satisfying pile of real books though and so it was lovely to see yours this morning.
There is something rather lovely about an actual book isn’t there. I do have a kindle but I haven’t used it for a while.
You have picked two of my absolute favourites, "Dear Reader" and "Still Life", both rich and wonderful and so far my books of the year. I love Susan Hill's series too. I definitely prefer books to cake!📚
I am pretty certain I bought Dear Reader after you had recommended it Deborah. I even read back through several of your posts to see if I could find where you had mentioned it so I could credit you but in the end I was pushed for time and couldn’t find it. So thank you! I find books and cake not necessarily mutually exclusive 😉
Now books with cake is even better! Yes I did recommend it! I am going to read her new novel "Ordinary Time" shortly as that sounds wonderful too.
🤣books and cake are definitely a good combination. Oh dear another one to add to my list. She has a good ‘voice’ when she writes
Thanks for the recommendations - I loved Still Life and The Marriage Portrait, also the Colour Storm gave an interesting insight into historical painting. My books also are a mixture of our next Book Group pick, charity shops, and our free library ebook app. Sweet Bean Paste was enjoyed by all our book group, a thoughtful book on Japanese life. The Postmistress of Paris - picked up from my sister's bookcase - set in Marseilles more thsn Paris - based on true life Artists coloney in Vichy France and resistance fighters.
And The Bonesetters Daughter by Amy Tan is what i should be reading now, rather than watching the Olympics.......
Thank you too for the recommendations. As well as my actual pile of books to read I keep an ongoing list of books I would like to read so these will be added as they sound right up my street!