Monday, May 29, 2006

Summer Reading Challenge...

I've finally decided on the books that I will read for the Summer reading challenge. I try to make sure that my reading is well balanced, because I tend to just want to read mysteries...and then I just want to read non-fiction. The problem is I then get bored with it, so I like to switch things around so here is my list:

Martin Davies - The Conjuror's bird
Tim Brookes - A Hell of a place to lose a cow
Dana Stabenow - A Taint in the blood
Jasper Fforde - The eyre affair
Josie Dew - A ride in the neon sun
Martha Grimes - The Winds of Change
Barbara Pym - An Unsuitable Attacment
Gillian Tindall - The house by the thames
Jeanne M. Dams - Silence is golden
Julian Barnes - Arthur and George

These are all books I've had in my reading box that need to be read. A couple of them I've been holding on to for awhile, not really for any reason. So I'll be glad if I get to Aug and I've read all of these!

8 comments:

Foxy Knitter said...

Be sure to let me know what you think of the Barbara Pym book. I've heard great things about her but have never read any of her books. I really need to get a library card (since I no longer have access to a university library). I spend way too much money on books.

Unknown said...

I've read several of Pym's books. I'm weird you know and read an other from their oldest books to their latest...anal I know...but I find it very rewarding to see how they changed over time etc. Pym is excellent. I love her. She is very witty and captures people just as they are, you know people like them. Another good one is Elizabeth Cadell. She has great characters and way to make you laugh out loud...a bit like Jane Austen actually. But not quite as biting....

sarah said...

Is a reading box a box full of books waiting to be read? Real, hold-it-in-the-hand books? I love that idea. The Martin Davies and Tim Brookes sound interesting; I binge on travel books in lieu of living. I've read several of Jasper Fforde's books and enjoyed them, more for the concept than anything else. Barbarp Pym I also enjoyed, but she was a bit too close to the bone for me; I'm one of those people who wince rather than laugh at John Cleese.

Unknown said...

Yes, I actually have a box under my bed of books I'm hording to read. Some are from the library, others I've bought and want them to be somewhere,where I know they will be read next! (I actually have one of books I'm reading at the moment too....2 boxes of books...a bit sad...but they are at least a bit neater!)

Unknown said...

Sarah...have you read Dervla Murphy's books? They are the ABSOLUTE best travel books I've ever read! I've been working my way through them from her first book, I'm only about half way. She is really interesting to read about!

sarah said...

I agree -- I enjoyed Dervla Murphy's books a lot. She paints vivid pictures of places far away in time now as well as space. Her description of the kitten for sale in the market in Madagascar (I think it was) still stays with me. Other authors I've enjoyed enough to keep on the shelf include Paul Theroux, Bruce Chatwin, Peter Matthiessen, Gavin Young and Patrick Leigh Fermor. He prefers humorous adventures, so we've got Tim Cahill, Redmond O'Hanlon and similar, too. When the fates are kind I love to curl up with a travel book in front of the fire on a winter evening.

Lotus Reads said...

Hello! I'm a first time visitor to your blog. I read somewhere you might want to start a book blog and I am here just to urge you to do it quickly, so I can come over and visit and exchange book recommendations! :)

I love travelogues, too and if they are a part of a memoir or include recipes so much the better!

jennhx said...

Dawn, I've just discovered your blog and am enjoying reading your archives! Anyways, I am the same, I like to read books in the order the author published them... I'm on the Elizabeth George mysteries now (the first true mystery series I've ever gotten into) and started from her first book! It's great because you get to see the characters develop along with the writer's style.
Cheers,
-Jennifer
www.jennhx.com