January 2011: What Are You Reading?

EC2 · Post by **EC2** » Wed January 26th, 2011, 10:56 pm

I'm off historical fiction for a moment (wall-banged my last read) and reading some of the wonderful Just William books by Richmal Crompton. As a slice of a life gone by they are very interesting. A lot of it wouldn't get past the PC police today, but if you want quintessential Britishness of the late 20's thru to the 1960's, they're worth dipping into. I have had several laugh aloud moments and I'm going to buy these books for my keeper shelf.
When I'm done with them, it's onto Across the Nightingale Floor by Lian Hearn.

SonjaMarie · Post by **SonjaMarie** » Thu January 27th, 2011, 1:29 am

I've finished "What the Great Ate: A Curious History of Food & Fame" by Matthew Jacob & Mark Jacob (281pgs, 2010). An interesting book.

SM

SCW · Post by **SCW** » Thu January 27th, 2011, 8:03 am

What HF was wall-banged? I did once throw a novel out the window it was so annoying

Vanessa · Post by **Vanessa** » Fri January 28th, 2011, 9:23 am

I've just started The Reluctant Queen by Freda Lightfoot.

MLE (Emily Cotton) · Post by **MLE (Emily Cotton)** » Fri January 28th, 2011, 2:21 pm

[quote=""Brenna""]Ohhh that is on my TBR. Let me know what you think![/quote]
Brenna, Hood was excellent. I'm buying the sequels. Not your usual Robin Hood tale, but it sure held together well. It does make more sense that if an outlaw was going to be hanging out in a forest, going after the king's men and almost untouchable, the setting would be Wales. Loved the way Lawhead worked in the old British myths and mixed them with the newer faith, very much like people actually did at the time. None of this cataclysmic religious struggle, just people being pragmatic and using whatever was to hand (spiritually) to figure out how to manage in a difficult environment.

Brenna · Post by **Brenna** » Fri January 28th, 2011, 3:16 pm

[quote=""MLE""]Brenna, Hood was excellent. I'm buying the sequels. Not your usual Robin Hood tale, but it sure held together well. It does make more sense that if an outlaw was going to be hanging out in a forest, going after the king's men and almost untouchable, the setting would be Wales. Loved the way Lawhead worked in the old British myths and mixed them with the newer faith, very much like people actually did at the time. None of this cataclysmic religious struggle, just people being pragmatic and using whatever was to hand (spiritually) to figure out how to manage in a difficult environment.[/quote]

Thanks. I'll bump it up on my TBR pile!

Finished Devil Queen last night. I enjoyed the first half of the book. The second half was a little difficult to get through. It was just an extremely dark story. The Catherine Medici in Freda Lightfoot's book and this one don't really jive together. I cannot wait to read C.W Gortner's version. Just waiting for it to come out in paperback!!

Started Susan Carrol's Dark Queen. I like at the very beginning the author states that this is more fantasy than fact. I'm just going to sit back and enjoy the read then!

Elysium · Post by **Elysium** » Fri January 28th, 2011, 5:34 pm

Started The Tudor Wife by Emily Purdy. Jane is annoying me already...

Tanzanite · Post by **Tanzanite** » Fri January 28th, 2011, 8:40 pm

reading an old bio of Lucrezia Borgia by Joan Haslip.

SonjaMarie · Post by **SonjaMarie** » Fri January 28th, 2011, 8:59 pm

I've finished "The Great Crown Jewels Robbery of 1303" by Paul Doherty (208pgs, 2005)*. An ok book, rather dry and repetitious at times (which is one of my biggest pet peeves). Too bad the subject sounded interesting, the execution not so much!

SM

Nefret · Post by **Nefret** » Sat January 29th, 2011, 2:54 am

[quote=""EC2""]It's onto Across the Nightingale Floor by Lian Hearn.[/quote]

Let me know how you like it. I really liked that whole series.