What are you reading? May 2011

BrianPK · Post by **BrianPK** » Wed May 18th, 2011, 10:11 pm

[quote=""MLE""] The storyline lost me in the weird-Freudian muddle of the 60s.[/quote]

I found the modern day part of Green Darkness to be very weak indeed ((actually unbelievable) when I read it years ago but conversely I found the bulk of the story which is based on the Tudor period to be outstanding.

Telynor · Post by **Telynor** » Thu May 19th, 2011, 6:04 am

[quote=""annis""]The Churchills, by Mary S. Lovell, a doorstop-sized non-fiction book about the Churchill dynasty, starting with John Churchill, 1st Duke of Marlborough (famous, among other things, for cuckolding Charles II with Barbara Villiers). Despite the rather daunting size it's very readable as the style is almost chattily informative. Lovell gets a nice balance between being too stuffy and too colloquial.[/quote]

zI'll have to get my paws on that one! Lovell I enjoy reading very much. Have you read the one about the Mitfords?

annis · Post by **annis** » Thu May 19th, 2011, 6:56 am

I keep meaning to - the Mitfords are such a fascinating lot - the epitome of aristocratic English eccentricity. I still recall reading Nancy Mitford's Pursuit of Love and Love in a Cold Climate as a teenager and being very taken with them!

I really enjoyed Lovell's biography of Bess of Hardwick, though. It was one of the most entertaining and informative books I've read about the Tudor period. Poor-gentry-makes-very-good-indeed, Bess moved in the highest circles and packed a lot into her long life.

Vanessa · Post by **Vanessa** » Thu May 19th, 2011, 8:38 am

I'm just about to start Sugar Island by Sanjida O'Connell.

SCW · Post by **SCW** » Thu May 19th, 2011, 9:19 am

Have just finished Transgression (WW2 Novel) by James Nichol. After reading Suite Francaise, Five Quarters of the Orange and My Enemy's Cradle it seems that Vampires have been superseded by German soldiers as the new 'forbidden love' .

Ludmilla · Post by **Ludmilla** » Thu May 19th, 2011, 3:44 pm

Just finished the first book in CS Harris' Sebastian St. Cyr mystery series (set in Regency England). Will be starting the 2nd book in the series next.

Gordopolis · Post by **Gordopolis** » Thu May 19th, 2011, 6:02 pm

An Antarctic Mystery, Jules Verne.

Man I just love some of the oldey worldy words in there - great for adding to the vocabulary

Gord

SonjaMarie · Post by **SonjaMarie** » Fri May 20th, 2011, 3:54 am

I've finished two books today:
"Privilege and Scandal: The Remarkable Life of Harriet Spencer, Sister of Georgiana" by Janet Gleeson (393pgs, 2006). A interesting look at the life of this fascinating woman. I read the book on her sister years ago.

"Henry Plantagenet, 1133 - 1189" by Richard Barber (251pgs, 1964)*. A good overview, though not very in depth about Henry II. On to Richard I.

SM

Madeleine · Post by **Madeleine** » Fri May 20th, 2011, 8:57 am

I've just started "An Expert in Murder" by Nicola Upson - a Josephine Tey mystery. Still reading May's BOTM as well.

Brenna · Post by **Brenna** » Fri May 20th, 2011, 6:56 pm

[quote=""Madeleine""]I read "Lady of Hay" years ago, and only yesterday bought the new 25th anniversary edition, which has a whole extra section specially added - it's a massive book! Is that the edition you've got?[/quote]

I don't know, did they come out with a 25th edition in the U.S? It doesn't seem to say anything about an anniversary edition, in which case I am bummed because you have something extra!!