Book Recommendations

[Celesta]

Just finished reading the diaries of virginia woolf (the shorter version),only 504 pages unfortunately, but an intriguing insight into the "bloomsbury set" and their characters....marvelous writing...a book to sink yourself into.
regards

I came across something like this a few days ago on a sale table and was tempted. I had never read anything by her. What's the specific title of what youi're reading? Just diary of VW? The book I say may still be on the table! It had an unusual title.

[dougie]

Hi Celesta,
THE complete title was "A moments liberty-the shorter diary".it covers the period 1915-1941...For me ,it was very very good..maybe not everyones cup of tea,and it takes a while to get into it ,owing to the plethora of different characters,which sometimes confuses a little...heres an extract (short )
"mon dec 1917".......One of the coldest and finest of christmases.rather to our relief we spent it alone..the trees,spare and lifeless,the brown of the plough,and yesterday the downs mountainous through a mist.Solitary sportsmen beat up duck and snipe on the marshes.windows almost frozen in the morning,each blade of grass rough with frost.Partridges would come and sit in the field,lifeless little lumps they looked,half stiff with cold perhaps"....

To me that kind of writing conjures up images,I enjoyed it ,others might not.I think you might.
regards

[Celesta]

Hi Celesta,
THE complete title was "A moments liberty-the shorter diary".it covers the period 1915-1941...For me ,it was very very good..maybe not everyones cup of tea,and it takes a while to get into it ,owing to the plethora of different characters,which sometimes confuses a little...heres an extract (short )
"mon dec 1917".......One of the coldest and finest of christmases.rather to our relief we spent it alone..the trees,spare and lifeless,the brown of the plough,and yesterday the downs mountainous through a mist.Solitary sportsmen beat up duck and snipe on the marshes.windows almost frozen in the morning,each blade of grass rough with frost.Partridges would come and sit in the field,lifeless little lumps they looked,half stiff with cold perhaps"....

To me that kind of writing conjures up images,I enjoyed it ,others might not.I think you might.
regards

Thank you. This isn't the book I saw then. I like to read things about this time period. I'll look for this. Yes, I like writing that conjures up images. This shouldn't be hard to find. Thanks, Dougie.

[dougie]

Howza bout the "tony benn diaries"......humorous,warm and interesting....the diaries of his political life,and personal, spanning 50 or so years....of course politically he was a dead loss really ,his beliefs were/are genuine and heartfelt,but naive maybe,and certainly of no relevance ,oe r meaningful relevance for today,but nonetheless for that an interesting insight into the political characters that have haunted the british scene for over half a century......riveting stuff.

[Mike Covell]

"Seven Troop" by Andy McNab!! Awsome stuff

"Book of the damned" by Charles Fort, which is an anthology featuring several of his books in one fat volumne!

[Mike Covell]

Finished Andy McNab's "Seven Troop" and the last few chapters were real eye openers. It was a really touching book and covered everything from religion, to terrorism, love, death, and PTSD.

I thoroughly recommend for anyone with an interest in miltary history.

[anna]

Hi all,

I am reading "MY DIRTY LITTLE BOOK OF STOLEN TIME" by Liz Jensen.

It's about a prostitute from 1897,catapulted into 21st century London.

Quite good,and funny.........described as "gothic farce".

ANNA.

[Robert]

I read A Brief History Of Time :

Tick Tock

THE END

[c.d.]

I'm reading "The Life and Times of the Thunderbolt Kid" by Bill Bryson. It's about growing up in America in the 1950s. Very, very funny.

c.d.

[Mike Covell]

Not been feeling to well recently so I started my Peter Benchley book "Jaws"!

The first few pages are homophobic, racist, sexist, and gory, but I cannot put it down! The 70's sure were crazy!

[dougie]

Reading "the suspicions of mr whicher" so highly regarded here and mentioned several times by members.R eally good reading, i had seen it previously on the shelves,but for some reason thought it was a fictional work so i hadnt bothered. reached page 132 ,and allready enthralled.....this is the 5th book i wouldnt have read if it wasnt for members comments.....but glad i have.
regards

[Celesta]

I recommend Nefertiti: Book of the Dead by Nick Drake. It sounds cheesy but it's not. There are some fine passages in the book, it's a good mystery, and the author does a fine job of evoking the atmosphere of both time and place.

[Sam Flynn]

Not been feeling to well recently so I started my Peter Benchley book "Jaws"! The first few pages are homophobic, racist, sexist, and gory...

...that's sharks for you.

[Limehouse]

That made me laugh very much Sam.


I've been enjoying On Brick Lane by Rachel Lichtenstein. It's a non-fictional exploration of the people of Brick Lane mainly present but delves into the past, especially the history of immigration.

I also very much enjoyed her collaboration with Iain Sinclair Rodinsky's Room which I read a few years ago.

[DVV]

"Knight's Gambit", five detective short stories, has recently reconciled myself with Faulkner.
Of course it's nothing new, just as "Ashenden" by Maugham, that I enjoyed very much, too.