READ ANY GOOD BOOKS LATELY?

[plaques]

I'm on my last Pratchett book and I tend to agree on plot content and overload. The Pratchett books appear to come in three flavors.
1) For junior reader. Simple fantasy plots with some real life analogies.
2) Disc series. Fantasy with humorous asides.
3) Co-authored books, Fantasy with complex plots all mixed and confusing.

Intended for light reading without any in depth studying but to get the best out of them you need to remember the characters.

[Stanley]

Agreed Ken. I am not ditching him, just not as engaged as I was. I am feeling no pain!

[Stanley]

I am persisting with Pratchett even though I have two books coming up I know I will enjoy more; Williamson's 'Gresford. Anatomy of a Disaster' from the front room and Kurlansky's 'Salmon' new from Amazon.

[Stanley]

Finished 'Money'. I shall have a look at 'The Fifth Elephant' and see if it grabs me before ditching Pratchett in favour of Gresford.

[plaques]

Stanley, did I pass 'The Long Earth' to you? I have the next two books in the four book series. If you haven't read it hang back its one of those complicated themes that takes a bit of getting into.

[Stanley]

Yes, it's sat there Ken. I am persevering with 'The Fifth Elephant' but I fear his plots are getting increasingly contrived?
[I don't like giving up on an author....]

[Stanley]

I'm into the final chapters of the Fifth Elephant and it has suddenly improved. Quite enjoying it.

[Stanley]

Finished Fifth Elephant and it was so interesting I forgot I was grilling sausages!

[Stanley]

Private Eye today. I shall look at my last Pratchett, 'The long Earth' and make a decision on what comes next. I have Gresford and Salmon competing!

[Gloria]

After reading Mist Over Pendle for the umpteenth time in many years, I ordered another of Robert Niell’s books Song of Sunrise. Another easy read, most of which takes place around Colne during the 1837-1839 unrest re the adoption of power looms.

[Wendyf]

I've been struggling to read Song of Sunrise to see what information I could glean about Barnard Crook who was involved somehow in the failed cotton spinning enterprise in the old corn mill in Earby. I gave up in despair! It's a bit Mills and Boon.

[Gloria]

I struggled a bit at first, but it’s getting better. I’ll persevere and let you know if Barnard Crook Pops up, or any info on the old mill in Earby.

[Wendyf]

He keeps appearing Gloria. The mill in Earby failed before the 1820s.

[Stanley]

An idle thought Wendy. 'Crook' isn't a common name. Crooks owned Hey Farm for many years and the trade they pursued there was wheelwright. I wonder if there is a connection.... Mill and wheel wrighting could be a family trait?
As I say, just an idle thought but sometimes they can be a trigger.

[Wendyf]

It's possible Stanley, though there were at least 2 Barnard/Bernard Crooks around the Colne area in the 18th/19th centuries. One lived at Pasture in Barrowford and we think our man was a merchant and entrepreur from Colne. He was land agent to the son of Abraham Hargreaves and managed their properties after the son moved to America to grow cotton. He advised the family against selling property during the depressed years of the 1820s and 30s then bought them himself at a reduced price!

[Tizer]

Excuse me butting into the family history but seeing Stanley and Gloria writing about boilers on the Attention thread prompts me to post a link to this E.V. Thompson novel based on traction engines being sent to Africa in WW1... Brothers in War

[Stanley]

Ben Retallick. Why is that name so obviously Cornish?

[Gloria]

He keeps appearing Gloria. The mill in Earby failed before the 1820s.

Picked the book up last night, and thought I’ll look for him, durrrrr, he’s in it pretty much from the start. I’m on him now Wendy

[Wendyf]

He keeps appearing Gloria. The mill in Earby failed before the 1820s.

Picked the book up last night, and thought I’ll look for him, durrrrr, he’s in it pretty much from the start. I’m on him now Wendy

[Stanley]

Why do bloodhounds come to mind?

[Stanley]

I made a decision yesterday and am reading 'Gresford. Anatomy of a Disaster.' We should remember these things.

[Stanley]

Gresford is fascinating. I had forgotten that Stafford Cripps represented the miners.
Ken, the Pratchetts are all en route to a charity shop courtesy of my carers. Thanks for the opportunity to acquaint myself with him.

[Stanley]

I finished Gresford yesterday and now I shall go on to Kurlansky's 'Salmon'.

[Gloria]

Still on Song Of Sunrise, it’s definitely improved.

[plaques]

Still on Song Of Sunrise, it’s definitely improved. A lot of really old Colne has been demolished but there's still a number of streets from the 1870s. Also some of the grand mill owners houses are still there albeit now housing flats or pubs. A good story, I enjoyed it.