Interesting winter reading this month!
Lady in Waiting: My Extraordinary Life in the Shadow of the Crown is the memoir of Lady Glenconner lady in waiting to Princess Margaret. A very interesting look behind the scenes, including life on Mustique. Whilst on memoirs the following were enjoyed: These Precious Days by Ann Patchett is a personal essay collection of memories that was very well received. What Comes Next and How To Like It by Abigail Thomas a moving memoir that explores aging, family bonds and the reality of loss. Wandering Through Life: A Memoir by Donna Leon. The author tells her own adventurous life story as she enters her 9th decade. Parky: My Autobiography an easy read telling of his upbringing in Yorkshire to his life in Journalism and becoming a famous broadcaster. After the memoirs we found these interesting reads: The Seven Days of Us by Francesca Hornak a family can’t escape their secrets when forced to spend a week together in quarantine. Also enjoyed was The Last Time They Met by Anita Shreve, a good read with an unexpected twist at the end. Anh Do - The Happiest Refugee, a lovely book that is now apparently on the compulsory reading list for Secondary schools. Inside Juvie by Paul McNamara - a former State School teacher navigating teaching inside Juvenile Detention, a difficult task I would imagine. Marching Powder by Rusty Young and NYPD Red 6 by James Patterson – given a nod of approval from our reader. Olive Kitteridge by Elizabeth Strout is a delightful book whilst Silent Country by Di Morrissey is set in the Northern Territory and Perfect-ish by Jessica Seaborne, a novel that draws perfection and loneliness together but fails to balance them, sounds interesting. Mushroom Tapes: Conversations on a Triple Murder Trial by Helen Garner, ChloeHooper and Sarah Krosnostein, focusing on transcripts and dialogue between the three authors. Reasonable Doubt by Xantho Mallett is a non-fiction true crime that investigates wrongful convictions and miscarriages of justice. Writing on Gravestones by Gary Tippett - a collection of crime pieces written by observers and reporters. Stowaway by Mary-Anne O’Connor is the real-life story of her great grandfather’s transatlantic crossing, a popular author. 438 Days: Extraordinary True Story of Survival at Sea by Nathan Franklin. A man survived 14 months in a small boat adrift at sea, this book earned a thumbs up from our reader. Under the Same Moon: An Australian Battalion at War and a Family at Home by Peter Mitchell, a portrait of two brothers at War. Letters from the Past by Erica James, a story of love and betrayal set in a Suffolk village. The Lace Weaver by Lauren Chater - set in 1941 Estonia, Katrina battles to protect her grandmother’s legacy, the weaving of fine shawls and lace patterns. The Horse Thief by Tea Cooper was an excellent story. Blood Ties by Jo Nesbo, a thriller about family and loyalty. A very different book but enjoyed by our reader was More Than This by Patrick Ness - a boy drowns and wakes up in a familiar yet abandoned world.
See you all on Monday 7th September.
Geraldine
Lady in Waiting: My Extraordinary Life in the Shadow of the Crown is the memoir of Lady Glenconner lady in waiting to Princess Margaret. A very interesting look behind the scenes, including life on Mustique. Whilst on memoirs the following were enjoyed: These Precious Days by Ann Patchett is a personal essay collection of memories that was very well received. What Comes Next and How To Like It by Abigail Thomas a moving memoir that explores aging, family bonds and the reality of loss. Wandering Through Life: A Memoir by Donna Leon. The author tells her own adventurous life story as she enters her 9th decade. Parky: My Autobiography an easy read telling of his upbringing in Yorkshire to his life in Journalism and becoming a famous broadcaster. After the memoirs we found these interesting reads: The Seven Days of Us by Francesca Hornak a family can’t escape their secrets when forced to spend a week together in quarantine. Also enjoyed was The Last Time They Met by Anita Shreve, a good read with an unexpected twist at the end. Anh Do - The Happiest Refugee, a lovely book that is now apparently on the compulsory reading list for Secondary schools. Inside Juvie by Paul McNamara - a former State School teacher navigating teaching inside Juvenile Detention, a difficult task I would imagine. Marching Powder by Rusty Young and NYPD Red 6 by James Patterson – given a nod of approval from our reader. Olive Kitteridge by Elizabeth Strout is a delightful book whilst Silent Country by Di Morrissey is set in the Northern Territory and Perfect-ish by Jessica Seaborne, a novel that draws perfection and loneliness together but fails to balance them, sounds interesting. Mushroom Tapes: Conversations on a Triple Murder Trial by Helen Garner, ChloeHooper and Sarah Krosnostein, focusing on transcripts and dialogue between the three authors. Reasonable Doubt by Xantho Mallett is a non-fiction true crime that investigates wrongful convictions and miscarriages of justice. Writing on Gravestones by Gary Tippett - a collection of crime pieces written by observers and reporters. Stowaway by Mary-Anne O’Connor is the real-life story of her great grandfather’s transatlantic crossing, a popular author. 438 Days: Extraordinary True Story of Survival at Sea by Nathan Franklin. A man survived 14 months in a small boat adrift at sea, this book earned a thumbs up from our reader. Under the Same Moon: An Australian Battalion at War and a Family at Home by Peter Mitchell, a portrait of two brothers at War. Letters from the Past by Erica James, a story of love and betrayal set in a Suffolk village. The Lace Weaver by Lauren Chater - set in 1941 Estonia, Katrina battles to protect her grandmother’s legacy, the weaving of fine shawls and lace patterns. The Horse Thief by Tea Cooper was an excellent story. Blood Ties by Jo Nesbo, a thriller about family and loyalty. A very different book but enjoyed by our reader was More Than This by Patrick Ness - a boy drowns and wakes up in a familiar yet abandoned world.
See you all on Monday 7th September.
Geraldine
