Hobbies and Crafts

that one sounds good Mersey, might have to get that one now!!! <3 <3 hope you are feeling better. :-) :-)

~~~~~~ to one and all <3 <3 <3 Feel bad for neglecting a thread that I had
put up and apologise. I have not been reading as much as I used to but have
been reading over the last week or so due to winter illness , you know how
it is :-) <3 <3

Hope you are all ok and staying warm <3 <3

At the moment I am reading

The Secret Between Us - Laura Madeleine 99p on Kindle

High in the mountains in the South of France, eighteen-year-old Ceci Corvin is trying hard to carry on as normal. But in 1943, there is no such thing as normal; especially not for a young woman in love with the wrong person. Scandal, it would seem, can be more dangerous than war.
Fifty years later, Annie is looking for her long-lost grandmother. Armed with nothing more than a sheaf of papers, she travels from England to Paris in pursuit of the truth. But as she traces her grandmother’s story, Annie uncovers something she wasn’t expecting, something that changes everything she knew about her family – and everything she thought she knew about herself…

Happy Reading mwahhhh :-D <3 <3 <3

Tess, I read Elizabeth is Missing about three months ago and thought it was a good read.

I am glad the thread is still going. I've tried a few new authors because I came across their names on this thread.

Have now started reading "Elizabeth is Missing" by Emma Healey.

The narrator is Maud, an older lady who is rather forgetful. Maud is worried about her friend Elizabeth, who she hasn't seen for a while (she can't remember how long). Nobody else seems to share Maud's concerns and Maud herdelf is often sidetracked in her search for Elizabeth, by the memories of her sister, Sukey, who went missing seventy years ago.

A challenge to read, as Maud often loses the thread of the story as she is telling it. This becomes the story of Maud too and the obstacles she tries to overcome.

Keep forgetting about this thread, at the moment
am reading Hiroshima Maidens, the author I can't remember
will have to check back with that info.
Quite graphic but interesting read.

The one before that was Sir Laurence Olivier by his son Tristan Olivier,
good read, his son setting the facts right according to him, apparently
the biographies written by others were mostly fiction.

Since Christmas I have read three books, my favourite is The Return to Mandalay by Rosanna Ley:- Eva Gatsby wondered about her grandfather’s past, what happened in Burma in WW2. when Eva's antiques dealer's job requires a trip to Mandalay he breaks his silence and asks her to return an artefact of his own - a chinthe - to its rightful owner. So interesting to read about Burma just pre and post WW2
The others I have read are:
Tracy Rees )who wrote Amy Snow) the Hourglass. Set in and around Tenby in both the 1950s and present time
Patricia Scanlan with all my love, three generations of women past and present and the truth unfolding through undelivered and rediscovered letters.

All of these were a really good read and I enjoyed them.

Thought I'd better post something on the thread before it slides too far down the boards.

I am reading all the time but mostly historical whodunnits by people like Patrick Doherty, Michael Jecks, Susannah Gregory.

I did read Philippa Gregory's "Three Sisters, Three Queens" which is based around Margaret Tudor who was married to James IV of Scotland, the other two Queens being Katherine of Aragon and Mary Tudor. It's typical Philippa Gregory so not a lot to say about it but it was an enjoyable read and I did learn a bit about Scottish history.

One of my presents at Christmas was a book called "The Butcher, The Baker, The Candlestick Maker" by Roger Hutchinson. It's the story of Britain through its census. Really interesting for genealogists. My brain did switch off a little bit when he was quoting lots of figures but he used individual stories to illustrate trends and that was interesting. I learnt a lot about the early history of the census. Who would have thought that William Cecil (Statesman with Elizabeth I) suggested something like the General Register Office centuries before it came into being? Think what might have been available today if he had got his way! This is a book I will be dipping into again.

Still reading even though many of them are freebie downloads & not worth mentioning.

However, there a couple of newish hardback publications you might like to ask Father Christmas for.

A Column of Fire by Ken Follett.
It’s an extension of the Kingsbridge series, set between 1558 & 1606. That’s Catholic Queen Mary through Elizabeth I to James 1 of England & the Gunpowder plot.
To a certain extent it’s a novel promoting tolerance between the Christian religions & how followers of each try to upset the balance.
Although most of the story is set in England, the action moves through France, Spain, Holland & the Spanish East Indies.

Origin by Dan Brown.
This is primarily set in Barcelona & influenced by the artist Antoni Gaudí who designed the Sagrada Família church.
One of Robert Langdon’s students, Edmond Kirsch, has designed a computer to answer the questions Where do we come from, Where are we going. He is assassinated before the answers are revealed.
Langdon & the fiancée of the King of Spain have to avoid opposition from both Religious & Secular forces to bring the answers to the world.

Although it can be read as a ‘Ripping Yarn’, like most of his books, it leaves you with food for thought. Did God make man or did man make God? Is Science doing the right thing by trying to develop AI capable of free thought?

Going back to the library tomorrow, have now added
, I see You by Clare Mackintosh and

Before the Rains by Dinah Jefferies,
to my list of books that i will be looking out for.

last time I went (two weeks ago), while looking for Lyrebird by cecolia Ahwrn, I found The Bucket by Allan Ahlberg (Memories of an Inattentive Childhood).
Ahlberg is better know as a childrens writer (especially of verse). He was bought up in Oldbury in the Black Country. As I live close and have worked in the Black Country, I found that it was an interesting book. Allan was born in 1938, so his earliest memories are of the war and immediately post war days. Only 129 pages long. An easy, amusing and childlike book.

Having chosen The Bucket, I now set about looking for Death of a Friend by rebecca tope, didn't find that but saw -
Valentine grey by Sandi Toksvig. Valentine is born and bought up in India but moves to London in 1897, when in her teens to stay with and Uncle and his wife.

She finds the damp and cold country insufferable and the only bright spot is her exciting cousin, Reggie. Reggie fallsin love with an actor, frank, and the two young men sometimes include Valentine in their excursions.

Then comes the Boer war ........ this was a real eyeopener for me, interesting, educational, sometimes funny. it made me laugh, cry and angry in turn. So many interesting people from a variety of backgrounds.

Did you know that there were cyclist regiments fighting for UK in the Boer war?
Just one of the things that i learnt. valentine slowly blossoms, as she finds what she wants from life and how to achieve it.

I wonder how many of us had ancestors in the Boer war. If you did, this book is well worth reading. Actually, it is well worth reading, even if none of your ancestors were there.

While reading this book i didn't "hear" the voice of Sandi Toksvig, but I did hear the voices of the people that were there.

I will be telling all my friends about it, it really is that good.

Just finished a book I enjoyed a lot. Before the Rains by Dinah Jefferies

1930, Rajputana, India. Since her husband's death, 28-year-old photojournalist Eliza's only companion has been her camera. When the British Government send her to an Indian princely state to photograph the royal family, she's determined to make a name for herself.

But when Eliza arrives at the palace she meets Jay, the Prince's handsome, brooding brother. While Eliza awakens Jay to the poverty of his people, he awakens her to the injustices of British rule. Soon Jay and Eliza find they have more in common than they think. But their families - and society - think otherwise. Eventually they will have to make a choice between doing what's expected, or following their hearts. . .
Really good descriptions of India and a very good read.

I haven't come across Peter James, Florence, but I like detective stories so I'll look out for him.

Tess, I've always meant to read "A Tree Grows in Brooklyn" and never got around to it. I must look out for that too.

I've been through a few books recently, some quite good but nothing earth shattering:

Elizabeth is Missing by Emma Healey. This was a popular book a couple of years ago but I'm always a bit behind everyone else. Main character is Maud, an elderly lady with dementia. I thought the author got into Maud's mind pretty well. Some of the book was inclined to be repetitive but dementia sufferers do repeat things a lot. There are two parallel plots; Maud's hunt for her friend Elizabeth in the present and the disappearance of Maud's sister in WW2. Worth a read.

Risk of Darkness by Susan Hill. This is one of the books in her series about DCI Simon Serrailer. Well plotted detective novel.

Lie With Me by Sabine Durrant. I found this a bit of a strange book because there wasn't a likeable character in it and I didn't find any of them very believable. I guessed "whodunnit" part way through but not the how or why and there was a bit of a surprise at the end.

I See You by Clare Mackintosh. Picked this up at a coffee morning book stall and enjoyed it so much that I passed it on to my daughter. It's a sort of psychological thriller. It's written in sections by three people: the main victim, a policewoman called Kelly, and with short pieces by the perpetrator of the crime. It's not perfect - I found the main character a bit droopy for want of a better word and I sometimes thought the way the police acted and spoke was a bit unrealistic - but it's quite creepy in places with an unexpected twist at the very end. A good read.

I'm off for a quick visit to the Library tomorrow. Have to fit it in with a quick trip to the supermarket, plus a get together with my fellow passengers for a cup of Latte (it's my turn to buy the coffee!). i'm using a special bus service and time is limited.

Will be returning two books and then quickly trawling the shelves for books recommended on here.
Quite often I don't find recommended books, but instead get a book written by an author whose surname begins with the same letter.

Will be returning On Canaan's Side by Sebastian Barry.

I chose this book because I had just read The Secret Scripture by the same author, which I had really enjoyed.

Initially I was disappointed with On Canaan's Side. It too was "written" by an old Irish lady who had been born around the turn of the Centuary (i.e. 1900 ish) Both had led troubled lives,both were writing journals/letters/diaries, so I thought that it might be the same (sort of) story, with different names!
However, I cqrried on reading and found that this, although set in the same time period, was a very different tale of sorrow.
It raises all sorts of social issues. This one travels to the USA and was informative about life there in the post WW1 years - up to (almost) present day.

The other book I'm returning is A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith. Although I had read it before (about 55 years ago), I remembered very little about it.
The book opens in 1912, in Brooklyn, with 12 year old Francie is telling the story.

Set in poverty, sad times, Francie explores her environment and flourishes within it. Her hard working mother and loving but alcoholic father, both inspire her.

It was first published in 1943, so the time span was not as long as the two Barry books.
Was slightly amused that Francie and the two Barry "old ladies" were born around the same time. I hadn't realised this when I chose Tree Grows in Brooklyn.
Francie is still young when her story ends, still with her life ahead of her (as they say). We can only imagine what the future holds.

Would recommend A Tree Grows.... a thoughtful, moving, for the most part innocent tale, with truth written across every page.

Have just started reading Night Song of the Last tram by Robert Douglas. It tells of his childhood in (mainly) post-war Glasgow.

Have only read a few pages so far but I am already hooked.

Will let you know what I find at the Library tomorrow, later in the week.

Will look out for him Florence

Hi there
Does anyone read Peter James? His current series is about a detective called Roy Grace.Its set in my home town of Brighton which is part of the reason it interested me in the beginning. his latest book is called Need You Dead. he brings out a new one every October.

Always a twist in the book when you least expect it and when you think you know how it will end, another twist catches you out.

A brilliant writer. Ive already read 3/4 of this book and will have a very long wait to see what happens in the next one!

Florence
in the hebrides

:-) :-)

I have just read a book I really loved. Lyrebird by Cecilia Ahern

In the south-west of Ireland, rugged mountains meet bright blue lakes and thick forests. Deep in the woods, a young woman lives alone, forever secluded from the world, her life a well-kept secret. She possesses an extraordinary talent, the likes of which no-one has seen before: a gift that will earn her the nickname Lyrebird.

When Solomon stumbles into Laura’s solitary existence, her life is turned on its head. Pulled from her peaceful landscape to the cacophony of Dublin, she is confronted by a world desperate to understand her.

But while Solomon knows the world will embrace Laura, will it free her to spread her wings – or will it trap her in a gilded cage? Like all wild birds, she needs to fly free…

Lyrebird is a thoughtful, deeply moving love story; a story of the wild heart in us all and the quiet that lies underneath the world’s noise.

I.ve read a few Alexander McCall Smith books, including the a few Ladies Detective Agency ones set in Botswana and a few set in Scotland. enjoyed both types. In fact saw some AMS books on the library shelves last week while looking for some other author whoes name begins with S. (the name escapes me at the mament, and I can't be bothered to go looking for my "books to read " book. (This not so little girl has had a busy day!).

I did in fact see some by the desired author and although they were papaerbacks they were also HUGH 650-720 pages!!
However than noticed a book by Betty Smith. The title just jumped out at me - "A Tree Grows in Brooklyn"
I read this in one of my dads Readers Digest Condensed books years and years ago ( well over fifty).

Can only very slightly remember it, e.g. it was set in Brooklyn in the early 20th Centuary, and the main person is a young girl. Not much to go on, but I remember that I enjoyed it. Just wondered what I would think now that I am much older and perhaps a little wiser, definatly better informed.
So rejected the big combersome books in favour of A Tree Grows...
It is rather a new print and I think that I am the first or second customer to take it out. "Oh! said the man is he was scanning my library card and stamping the book "I was going to read that!" "They made a film of it in 194x," and named a couple of people in said film.
He would be a good person to have in your quiz team. I thought as I put the book in my bag and left.


Will let you know what I think about it when I have finished. Have still got another Sebastian Barry Book on the go, so might take me sometime.

did anyone else read readers Digest condensed versions of books?

Both your books sound good, Ann and Tess, so I have added them to my “to be read” list.

I’ve been reading Emma by Alexander McCall Smith. It’s a modern retelling of the Jane Austen book. It stays faithful to the original story and spirit of the book but, because it is set in modern times, it loses a lot of the social nuances of Jane Austen and doesn’t flow well. Emma comes over as a spoilt rich kid. It’s an OK book but a bit disappointing.

Just finished a book I enjoyed Island Secrets by Patricia Wilson Crete in 1940s and present day. Angelica intrigued by mother Poppy’s past, visits grandmother Maria in Crete village where mother grew up Learns story from Maria. I learnt a lot about Crete in the war, based on true stories from Cretians still living. Excellent book.

Hi, couldn't find books we discussed earlier in the lairary. So just grabbed a couple "that took my fancy"
Been rather busy, so only manager to finish one of them.

The Secret Scripture by Sebastian Barry.

The story is told by two people, Roseanne, the writer of The Scripture, who is approaching her 100th birthday. She lives in a memtal hospital, and has been in "mental institutions" for well over half her life.
The second person telling the story is Dr. Grene, he is finishing up his case notes before the hospital is closed, psychiatrist, Dr. Grene, is intrigued by the story of his elderly patient. Many of her notes are lost, so he sets out to investigate the reasons that she was "put away"
A really interesting at times puzzling story. Set in Sligo, from the time of "the troubles" to the 21st Centuary.

First published in 2008, it was shortlisted for The Man Booker Prize, and was the winner of Costa Book Awards in 2008.

I was so moved by this "history" that I have now added the name of
Sebastian Barry, to my list of authors to look out for.

Highly recommended.

Gives you a few to look for Tess anyway! :-) Hope you are well.