READ ANY GOOD BOOKS LATELY?

[Stanley]

It ill behoves him to sneer at anyone on those grounds or have I got him completely wrong...

[plaques]

A complex character who has made much of his living asking questions. Readily accepts that the vast majority of people are nice decent and honest and are a pleasure to meet. Has interviewed enough top politicians to recognise that they don't like answering awkward questions hence the much quoted interview with Michael Howard where he asked the same question 12 times. My reference to 'suits' is aimed at this class of people.

[Stanley]

I'll go with all that Ken, it's just that I feel I detect a leaning towards Oxbridge at times, he seems to have a lower opinion of other founts of knowledge. Perhaps it's just my own prejudices poking through.

[Stanley]

I have a terrible confession to make! I finished the current Private Eye but instead of reverting to 142i and the Chinese treasure fleets I started reading one of three books that Martha sent me. They are the first three volumes of Stanley's Story. She says they have kept volume IV because there is so much in that one about my time with Martha and Roger. She said they would be better with Jessica , Muthomi and Kahara than sat on the shelf Chez Paas. A good idea!
But I made the mistake of picking volume one up and starting to read about my own life. I don't know what it says about me but it's fascinating and not badly written either. Whatever the world's verdict I am enjoying it!

[plaques]

Finished Barack Obama, The Audacity of Hope. Covers the period up to him being made Democratic Senator. A lot of personal background and related experience in working with poor black communities. Comes through as a very intelligent balanced person who would have liked to do much more but had to limit the 'socialism' to what the American public would accept. A very good read, the second of his books but nothing is lost if you haven't read his first one.

Finally after a long interval picked up Stanley's book swap. Forgotten Voices of the Somme, by Joshua Levine. Anything to do with the Somme comes with a high emotional content so it looks like a slow intermittent read.

[Stanley]

You're right, it is a dipper.
I am still hooked on Vol One of me memoirs. Such an interesting story...

[Stanley]

Still hooked on my own book! A psychiatrist would have a field day with this.....

[Stanley]

I have heard the Shardlake story 'Lamentations' being serialised on the radio this week and it reminded me that I haven't read any of them for a long while. Trouble is I gave mine way so I ordered all seven yesterday. The first six are a set and ridiculously cheap.
All right I know I still have Enigma sat there but it isn't very inviting, I need page turners as we cower under the hammer blows of the virus.

[plaques]

John Bercow, Unspeakable, The Autobiography. Mapping the period from first entering politics to leaving as speaker. Accepts his mistakes with a drift from right-wing Conservative to a mellow middle ground Labour / Liberal with an emphasis on equality. Very informative about the working of the House of Commons and particularly his speakers role as an instrument of change. Scathing about a number of government ministers but generous towards a larger number of individuals. Interesting and enlightening and well worth the read.
A Lancashire Library loan which I can recommend for booking on line.

[rossylass]

Currently reading “The Lies of Adults” by Elena Ferrante. A real page turner but probably of more interest to women. It’s about adolescence.
I recently read “The Nickel Boys” and if anyone wonders about “Black Lives Matter “ they would understand if they read it.... maybe. It’s heart rending and had me jumping up and down with anger!

[Stanley]

The Nickel Boys. Is that the one they serialised on the BBC Rossy? I listened to every episode and it was a terrible story with a very bad ending. 'Land of the Free'? Depends on what colour you are.

[rossylass]

It was serialised and it is absolutely harrowing. Scary America!

[Stanley]

Indeed.
At the moment I am reading crap page turners as an antidote to the dire news flooding in. There's a lot to be said for badly reviewed popular publications. At the moment I'm re-reading 50 Shades of Grey. Say what you like about it it passes the time! I have seven Shardlake novels to review as well. That should take me to post vaccination country.....

[plaques]

A Year at the Circus, Jon Sopel. I ordered this book through the Library system but they sent an audio book (narrated by the author) instead of the paper book. Not to worry "give it a try and I'll send for the book, there's no charge on any reservations", The book is based on Trump's period in office quoting numerous events, personal opinions, of the record statements that everyone suspected had been going on but with no hard copy proof.
So far I've only listened to two discs of eight but get the impression that Trump's White House was in absolute chaos and not fit for purpose.
This is my first audio book and I find sitting and listening without the opportunity to stop and study or go back a paragraph a bit frustrating. I'll continue with the audio but read the book when it arrives. Verdict so far. Excellent insight with parallels in the UK, (Strong and stable. Brexit means Brexit, Get Brexit done, Teething troubles etc: )

[Sue]

I am reading. Lancelot by Giles Kristian, not my normal sort of book but it has me hooked.

[plaques]

I see he has a 2020 book in Lancashire Libraries.

Camelot
By Kristian, Giles, author
Hardback. English. Published London: Bantam Press, 2020

[Stanley]

When I was at Lancaster in the first year living in I had a friend on the same corridor from Rawtenstall (doing archaeology) He had a pile of crap westerns and we used to share at them. When the cramming got a bit too much we'd read a Western and then back to the fray totally refreshed!
Incidentally, all the rest of the floor were mad third year accountants. The archaeologist got a job sooner than any of them, what really pissed the other lads off was that it was as a trainee accountant in Rawtenstall.

[Stanley]

50 Shades is history. I started on the Periodic table book but decided I wanted something less demanding. I went into Shardlake 'Dissolution'. Just as good and as easy reading as I remember. I think this is good post vaccination reading!

[plaques]

A Promised Land. by Barack Obama. I had read his previous two books and enjoyed those, this one is better than ever and is probably one of the best books explaining the ins and outs and back room deals of American politics that I've read. Covers the period from running for the Senate to the end of his first term in office. There could be a follow up volume 2. Admits he is guilty of long winded detailed replies rather than quick sound bites this shows up in when running through some of the major decisions in office. A quality book. £35 cover price, 700 pages. My copy from the Library.

[Stanley]

It's on my possible list for some time in the future Ken. But I still have Enigma sitting there grinning at me.....
Meanwhile I am immersed in Shardlake and the 16th century......

[Tripps]

But I still have Enigma sitting there grinning at me..

I'm up to about page 100, but strangely always seem to have something more interesting to do when I go back to it. . .

I agree with plaques. Make a crib sheet of the abbreviations.

[plaques]

UnPresidented. (Politics, pandemics and the race that Trumped all others). by Jon Sopel, BBC's North American editor gives his account of the run up to presidential elections between Trump and Biden. Written in diary format as he follows them round America. Lots of personal analysis and humorous asides making it easy reading. For those who have been following the election especially in the closing days it confirms everything that you have read or seen which is not surprising since he is the BBC correspondent. Cover price £20, 345 pages. Library copy free.

[Stanley]

I'm functioning nicely on a lower intellectual level. After 50 Shades I started on Shardlake. Finished the first 'Dissolution' yesterday, I start on 'Dark Fire' today.

[Stanley]

Well into Dark Fire, just as good as I remembered. Shardlake has met Barak.....

[plaques]

A year at the Circus, Inside Trump's White House. by Jon Sopel. I've mentioned this before as an audio book when it was supplied in error. The paper book is better for the subject he is covering. Far too many names and plots to be absorbed in a single pass. Gives a lot of background detail on who's who or should that be who was in the White House. With all the plots and intrigues it makes you wonder how Trump survived the first two years without being impeached more often. Cover price £20, 306 pages, Free at the Library.