Amazing imagination!

Kazuo Ishiguro amazes me. His books are so different and so convincing. He must be so intelligent to have gathered such a wealth of experience and knowledge. I have just finished Never Let Me Go. It is a strange topic, which I won't divulge because you really wouldn't guess from the description on the back cover and I wouldn't want to ruin the plot. In honesty, the subject material did make me uncomfortable, but in a good way, because it made me question man's current behaviour. It was so believable, and the characters were endearing. I am just full of awe that someone can come up with a story like this. It is just so different to Remains of the Day, which was equally brilliant. I have read three of his books so far, set in different eras, and about people's lives. Really enjoyable.

Latest readings...

My mother-in-law left a Maeve Binchy for me to read, Quentins. It was a lovely story, set around a restaurant in Dublin and focused on several people. It was quite dramatic in places, with extra-marital affairs, fraud, but also love, friendship, everything required to make al lovely read.

I have also read another of Elinor Lipman's books, Isabel's Bed, which, although it wasn't as good as my favourite, was sufficiently entertaining. It also had my dream job, ghost-writing, by the sea...actually, anything by the sea would be good.

I caught up with The Tales of Beedle the Bard, the fairytale book in Harry Potter, written by JK Rowling. It was very interesting because each story was followed by commentary by Professor Dumbledore. Very inventive.

Final Twilight for now

I have just finished the fourth book in the Twilight saga, Breaking Dawn. This was quite a bit darker towards the start, to the extent that I did worry about younger teenagers reading it. I won't say what it was about because I don't want to spoil the plot. It was entirely compelling, and I really enjoyed it. The end was perfect, and the ideas, and the complexities in the story were fantastic. The author, Stephenie Meyer has started writing another book with the Cullen household, Midnight Sun, which tells the story from Edward's point of view. Unfortunately, it was leaked onto the Internet, and so the author has stopped writing this for now, which is sad. She has however, made Chapter 1 and a partial draft of Midnight Sun officially available on her website. (This material is copyrighted by Stephenie Meyer.)

I did see the film Twilight, and I really enjoyed it. I know it was different to the book, but I think it was really well done. It was quite raw and slow, in a good way. I hope that now they have greater investment, it won't lose those qualities. The effects and the shots were superb. I am disappointed that they are changing directors, but shall wait for New Moon with an open mind.

Okay, while I am still obsessed with the Twilight saga, I am going to read other books now. I started reading The Tales of Beedle the Bard last night, but JK Rowling. She really is incredible the way she comes up with these ideas.

Author websites

Many authors are setting up their own websites now, to support their publications. They often have guidance for authors, book clubs, and additional resources, such as recipes, and information about the history of where the stories are set. These are some of my favourite websites:

• Fannie Flagg
• Kate Mosse - Labyrinth
• Kate Mosse
• JK Rowling
• Adriana Trigiani

I am sure there are many other great author websites. Please let me know of any.

Twilight - saga continues

I can't believe that I only started reading the Twilight saga on the 23rd December! I am now onto the third book. New Moon was brilliant, just as thrilling, romantic, well-written, as the first one. I wasn't sure if the suspense could continue; how the story could continue, but it has, and also into the third, Eclipse. I am going to have to find time for another trip to the bookshop for the next book! I think I am turning into a chain-reader!

Little bit of self-promotion

For anyone who is interested in finding the evidence for clinical practice, I have co-written a book. Searching skills toolkit: finding the evidence, is due for publication on the 9th January 2009. I have never done something like this before, so it isn't perfect, but it is a starting point.

On a lighter note, I finished Twilight, and am now completely hooked on the series, hurtling through New Moon. I am going to see the film...I think, although I fear it will not be as good as the book. Saying that though, the trailer looks great!

Christmas holidays - reading time at last!

Well, Christmas is upon us, and I have been enjoying the time in front of a cosy fire and lots of good books. I read The Way Men Act, an ironic tale about relationships, by one of my new favourite authors, Elinor Lipman. It was a fun story with lots of diverse characters, focusing on one lady who was convinced that men had a particular way of acting, while actually, she was the one making things complicated. Nice story though, although still not replacing my favourite. I have the Tales of Beedle and Bard and Magic, on the sideline, but in the meantime, I am so engrossed in Twilight, that I am about to rush out and buy the sequel. I haven't seen the film, and I cannot imagine how it will translate, but it is beautiful. So sensitive, but thrilling, so sensuous, while maintaining the innocence of two "young" lovers. It is breath-taking, and I have been struggling to put it down, only doing so because otherwise my in-laws will think me extremely rude :-)

Word of caution

I have just finished reading The Knitting Circle which is full of engaging characters, but it is just so sad. If you are feeling emotional, be warned, there are some very tragic, and also disturbing stories in this book. It is a good book, but it isn't light reading, which is what I thought it would be.

A new hobby in the pipeline!

I found, quite by accident, that Kate Jacobs had written another book. I had really enjoyed Friday Night Knitting Club, and Comfort Food follows a similar theme. This story however, is about a television chef, dealing with the complex relationships in her life, and her battle to keep her program as new, younger chefs join the competition. I really enjoyed this book. There was a point in the middle of it, where I felt it was just so stressy, but it all came together in the end, and worked out beautifully.

Elinor Lipman continued and something new!

The latest book I have read by Elinor Lipman, is The Ladies Man. I found it quite uncomfortable, the nature of this story, about a womaniser, who although I imagine was supposed to be charming, I found quite irritating. So, although this was a well-written story, it wasn't my favourite. The Inn at Lake Devine still holds that award!

So, the new book that I read is called The Marriage Bureau for Rich People by Farahad Zama. I loved this and didn't want it to end, although it did end the way I wanted to. It was beautifully written, and provided such rich images of India and the customs and culture, that I just want to go there and become immersed among the interesting people that live there. I learnt so much from this book and I am looking forward to more by this author.

I am currently reading Once Upon a Time in the North, by Philip Pullman, a spin-off from his Dark Materials trilogy, which I am absolutely loving!

Knitting books

Not what it seemed. I have just finished the sequal to Divas Don't Knit by Gil McNeil. Needles and Pearls continues the story about Jo, the widow of a philandering husband, with two young children, who left her high-powered media job to take over her granny's knitting shop. In all honesty, I think I preferred the first one. This one was a little too complicated and made me feel a bit uncomfortable in places. Saying that, I finished it and was keen to know the outcome. It has left room for another installment.

Oh wow...absolutely brilliant!!!

I have just finished The Inn at Lake Devine by, yes, my current favourite author, Elinor Lipman. This is definitely my favourite out of all her books. It was so enlightening. Surprisingly, I hadn't appreciated the levels of prejudice faced by Jewish people in the 1960s and 1970s. I laughed and cried with this book. It was harsh in places, but also such a lovely story. I really enjoyed the characters and the excellent story-line, and I would love to find the The Inn at Lake Devine.

Still on the same author!

I have just finished The Dearly Departed by Elinor Lipman, and again really enjoyed this story. All of her books seem to have the same theme, with some character having a surprise double life. This one has a half-brother and half-sister meeting for the first time at the funeral of their parents. The book is full of interesting characters and has a good storyline. In honesty though, I think my favourite is still the first one that I read: Then She Found Me.

In love with books!

Another book from Elinor Lipman, has distracted me from pretty much all other activities. The Pursuit of Alice Thrift is a great story about a trainee surgeon, whose lack of social skills causes a few problems. I enjoyed this one so much, I moved straight onto another book by the same author, and I have another one waiting after that. Roll on half-term holidays. I think I am becoming a serial chain-reader!

Not sequels, but same author...

Well, I thought I would give the author of The Jane Austen Book Club another shot, so I read The Sweetheart Season. This one took me a while to get into, I have to admit. I got a little confused because of the flashbacks, but by the end I was completely gripped again. Interesting characters, complicated relationships, but well written, and set in the post-second world war period, it is about an all-female baseball team.

I have also just finished My Latest Grievance, by my new favourite author, Elinor Lipman. Slighly uncomfortable at times, but brilliantly written. She tackles some unbelievable issues with humour, compassion, and excellent plots. I loved this one.

New author discovered!

Well, new author to me. I picked up Elinor Lipman's "Then She Found Me". I hadn't realised that it has just been released as a film. I read it in a weekend and really enjoyed it. It was about a teacher just getting on with her life when her birth mother, who is a talk show host, makes contact. It is quite a simple story focusing on the emotions and confusions arising when an adopted child meets their birth parents. It was a very entertaining read, with romance, humour, sadness, and some lovely characters. I am looking forward to reading more of her books. I also read When We Were Orphans by Kazuo Ishiguro, author of The Remains of the Day, and that was an interesting story about a detective trying to find out what happened to his parents who disappeared in Shanghai when he was a child. The story is so innocent, but has an unexpected ending. It was beautifully written, describing childhood friendships intertwined with politics and corruption.

Latest Laurie Graham

Well, not really the latest, but the latest one that I have read. Gone with the Windsors is about the rise of Wallis Simpson and her eventual relationship with the King of England. It was very entertaining, although I did feel a little uncomfortable at times with what seems like a very calculated and manipulated relationship. The descriptions of the lives of the wealthy in those times sounded so frivolous, but the book contained some very interesting debates about the politics of that time. Laurie Graham's books all sound very factual, but there is never a bibliography included. I would like to know how much of her books are based on fact.

New favourite author!

Well it is the Summer holidays and I have discovered a new favourite author, which is why I haven't been blogging. I had already read one of her books The Unfortunates, but then I read a write-up about Laurie Graham's The Importance of Being Kennedy, in the Sunday Times, and I could not resist! It was so interesting. I learnt so much about history, but in such an easy-to-read way, full of rich character, and stories about different lifestyles. It is about a country girl from Ireland who becomes nursery maid to a family in the United States of America, in 1917. The family turns out to be the Kennedy family and so begins a description about the development and roles of each member of the Kennedy family. The prelude says that these are the memoirs, published by her nephew, but the publishers say it is a work of fiction, and yet, it is so believable. A really good read. So, the next one that I bought was called The Future Homemakers of America. No famous family in this one, but again some brilliant characters, the main ones being the wives of US air force pilots based in Norfolk during the war, and what happens while they are in England and when they get back to America. Again, absolutely brilliant, and really good to read. The next one, by this autor, is Mr Starlight. Quite different, although focusing on particular characters, two of whom are musicians who move from England to America to become celebrities. As the title suggests, one makes it while the other doesn't or does he....there is so much to this book, and the ending has an unexpected modern twist, but in keeping with the times, 1930s onwards, through the 40s, 50s, 60s, 70s and 80s. My next on in the Laurie Graham series is "Gone With The Windsors". The title is ace in itself. Can't wait to read the rest... I did deviate slightly by reading Sepulchre and The Sonnet Lover, both by authors that I have read before. Sepulchre is by Kate Mosse and is set in 19th century Paris and the South of France. It is similar to Labyrinth, in that the story is set in two eras, but joined, and the main subject is tarot cards. It was enjoyable, although a bit harsh in places, but the story was very romantic and dramatic, and made me want to return to France again...one day! The Sonnet Lover is by Carol Goodman, who also wrote the Lake of Dead Languages, among others. This was set in Italy, and was also very romantic and dramatic, and the key focus was on Shakespeare's sonnets, and whether or not he had a romance in Italy. It was very good, beautifully written. So, this is why I have been so bad at keeping this blog up-to-date. There just isn't enough time in the day :-)

Current state of play...

Just finished The Mermaid Chair by Sue Monk Kidd. I was a huge fan of her first book, The Secret Life of Bees and was delighted to find this book in a second-hand bookstore. She writes beautifully, although being religious, it did raise some confusing feelings. However, the end was good and as it should be, and I finished reading with no unease. It is a story about saints, legends, and relationships, and it is set on a mythical island off South Caroline. It was very thought-provoking and a wonderful tale.

Ballet Shoes

I have just finished Ballet Shoes and am beginning to pick up on a pattern. This is the second of Noel Streatfeild's books that I have read, and both have involved 3 children, whose circumstances have changed so that they need to help support the people who are caring for them. I like the way the author seems to identify two of the children as high achievers, with one person being a "plain jane" or "plain john", the latter child coming to the rescue of his/her siblings. They are good books as they are very descriptive of the characters and their surroundings, and make you realise that anything is possible if you are prepared to work for it.