Reading?

[Hurry Krishna]

I wonder what everyone who lives for walking is doing while a new virus has us all under house-detention. Are you reading? What? Just curious

 

[Bad Pilgrim]

Well,

If you need to know: I actually have a lil' study circle with my collegues from work. We read books and meet about every other month to discuss them. We are currently reading Futu.re by Dmitrij Gluchovskij. Why not read dystopian literature in dystopian times… Need I say, I was the one who chose it !

There are five of us. But don't you worry, our government allows social gatherings up to 50 people, still. We're not following the Germans and the Aussies yet. Only 2 people at the same spot?? What would happen to my study circle…! And yes, we can leave home to visit each other: there is no house detention. But who knows what the future holds.

Another good book is My childhood by Gorkij... Highly recommendable.

Enough ramblings… But I sure like a good book ,so I would be interested in what others are reading. Especially in other countries where I am not familiar with the literature etc.

/BP

 

[Hurry Krishna]

You are still allowed 50 people??? Where are you living? Utopia???

 

[Bad Pilgrim]

You are still allowed 50 people??? Where are you living? Utopia???

No, Dystopia I said !

 

[Hurry Krishna]

You are in Sweden? It’s interesting to see a country try a different way. Why not? May be the herd immunity idea will work

 

[Bad Pilgrim]

You are in Sweden? It’s interesting to see a country try a different way. Why not? May be the herd immunity idea will work

Oh well… that remains to be seen. There are a lot of restrictions though, but not as harsh as in other countries.

Me & my collegues still go to work at our upper secondary school, but the students stay at home. We teach them through Skype, etc. So far so good.

It actually gives a me a bit more spare time to read some of them books!

 

[jsalt]

Stephen King's "The Stand" would be a good one right now. Really long too, so it would last ages. I thoroughly enjoyed it the first time around . . . .

 

[Bad Pilgrim]

Stephen King's "The Stand" would be a good one right now. Really long too, so it would last ages. I thoroughly enjoyed it the first time around . . . .

Yeeah, that's a good one ! I hear a new TV series version is coming up… Or was coming up, before the Cinema-and-Entertainment Lock-down!

 

[Albertagirl]

I am re-reading Julian of Norwich's Revelations of Divine Love, written during the Black Plague of the 14th cent. and purchased for Kindle from Amazon for $1.49 (I lost my original copy, as I didn't need it until now). This is just too serious a time to read anything but serious spirituality and gallows humour: see the humor thread.

 

[witsendwv]

I live in a very rural area, and can still walk. Our nearest neighbor is 1.5 miles away. We will sometimes see him on his tractor or have an occasional car pass us, but not that often. When not walking, spring cleaning and starting seeds I am reading a book I received as a Christmas present. Pale Rider: The Spanish Flu of 1918 and How It Changed the World. Started reading back in January.

 

[Theatregal]

I usually have a couple of books on the go - right now reading The Prisoner of Heaven, the sequel to Carlos Ruiz Zafón's The Shadow of the Wind. Also just started The Snow Child by Eowyn Ivey.

 

[Kiwi-family]

Just read aloud with my kids “Fahrenheit 451” and have moved on to “A Parcel of Patterns”, which is most timely (about the 1665 plague in Eyam, Derbyshire)
For myself I’m reading three non-fiction: Sherry Turkle’s “Reclaiming Conversation” (excellent) - Hans Rosling’s “Factfulness” (eye-opening) and James K A Smith’s “You Are What You Love” (life-changing).
Fiction-wise I’ve just finished (appropriately for this thread) “The Inaugural Meeting of the Fairvale Ladies Book Club” and next in line sounds just as appropriate for lockdown “Days Without End” by Sebastian Barry. I don’t know anything about it except the front cover quote: Sentence after perfect sentence”
I read some poetry and the Bible every day too.

 

[Deleted member 67185]

I'm still on Michener's "Iberia". I'm too busy hiking in the hills, and doing chores to be able to do a lot of prolonged reading. It's a bit here, a bit there.

 

[Deleted member 67185]

Stephen King's "The Stand" would be a good one right now. Really long too, so it would last ages. I thoroughly enjoyed it the first time around . . . .

From the mini-series. It was mentioned in King's book as well.

 

[CWBuff]

Our book club meetings were put on hold (with the rest of our lives ). The recently finished book was Trolop's The Warden
Didn't start anything new yet
Libraries are closed as well and I was never a fan of digital reading... Something about flipping the actual pages, you know....

 

[SabsP]

Bit of everything at the moment...

But always Fernando Pessoa's poetry close to me.

Fernando Pessoa Poems > My poetic side

mypoeticside.com

Stephen Fry : Mythos.

Mythos review – the Greek myths get the Stephen Fry treatment

Fry’s retellings have stiff competition, are limited in selection and sometimes appear to be set in North London. But they have real charm

www.theguardian.com

Tim Murphy : Correspondents.

Correspondents by Tim Murphy

Find out more about Correspondents by Tim Murphy

www.panmacmillan.com

 

[Paladina]

From the thousands of books on my shelves I’m currently drawn to literary environmental texts. Today I’m reading Jean Sprackland’s These Silent Mansions: A Life in Graveyards, which is part social history and personal preoccupation (hers and mine), and a lot less depressing than continuous Covid coverage. It’s the 20th book I’ve read so far this month - some for work, more for pleasure - and I’m sure you don’t want a complete bibliography.

 

[Jeff Crawley]

We'd just started up a book club - now in hibernation. Three books on the go:

Libyan Sands - Travel in a Dead World by R A Bagnold. British Army officers spending their spare time driving thousands of miles through the desert in Model T Fords (mid 1920s)

The Lost Man by Jane Harper. All about the isolated lives of a family living in the Australian desert when one of them is found dead, miles from his car. (Is there a theme to my reading developing here?)

Goodbye Mickey Mouse by Len Deighton. The lives of a fictional USAAF fighter squadron in the UK during WW2.

If you've run out of books at home I strongly recommend the Libby app. this version for Windows 10 but there are Android and Apple apps too. Sign up with your library card and borrow ebooks and audio books - you can even borrow from other countries!

Otherwise there's Project Gutenberg - thousands of digitised classic that are now out of copyright. The Canadian site is good, their copyright laws are different to ours (UK) so you get more modern books - ie not just Victorian novels!

 

[Jeff Crawley]

From the thousands of books on my shelves I’m currently drawn to literary environmental texts. Today I’m reading Jean Sprackland’s These Silent Mansions: A Life in Graveyards, which is part social history and personal preoccupation (hers and mine), and a lot less depressing than continuous Covid coverage. It’s the 20th book I’ve read so far this month - some for work, more for pleasure - and I’m sure you don’t want a complete bibliography.

Oh I think we do!

 

[BROWNCOUNTYBOB]

I'm reading some of the classic books I read long ago during my school days. Just finished Orwell's 1984 and beginning to read Huxley's Brave New World. Great books to read again !

 

[VNwalking]

I’m sure you don’t want a complete bibliography.

Please.


I am reading
Joan Halifax - Standing at the Edge
Laurence Gonzales - Deep Survival: Who Lives, Who Dies, and Why
And today I thought now would be the perfect time to re-read Anita Burrows's A Year with Rilke

 

[Terry Callery]

Marco Polo - From Venice to Xanadu--- by Laurence Bergreen

"The tangle of roads and trails extending before them occasioned confusion. Even in an age of faith, a successful expedition depended on preparation and knowledge leavened with luck, which found expression in timing. In the months ahead, the Polo company would come up short."

Beautifully written!

 

[Felice]

I recent read The Murmur of Bees, by Sofía Segovia. Set in Mexico in the early years of the 20th century, at a time of great change and upheaval. The Spanish flu makes an appearance! The English translation is excellent.
Next up is Kim Ghattas, Black Wave: Saudi Arabia, Iran and the Rivalry that Unravelled the Middle East.

 

[CdnDreamer]

I have been in a book club for 20 years. Last month we read "Worry" by Jessica Westhead. It was just a whole book of a woman's thoughts - and all the worrying she was doing. None of us liked it. But it has made us watch our thoughts with the Coronavirus.

This month the book is The Great Alone by Kristin Hannah. I just started it last night and it seems very easy to get into. A story of a family moving to Alaska - to live in an isolated cabin. We chose these books before we knew about the Coronavirus. Interesting picks for the time.

Our book club has 5 members in it, so we could have held our meeting in March but we cancelled as we have members from a Regional nursing home, and every welfare office in our Region. It wasn't worth the risk that one of us could infect us all and our tiny book club could take down the Regional government.

But we are meeting through Zoom. It really is an amazing app. I don't know how to start a meeting, but I have attended book club, exercise classes, a guided meditation and a class on meal planning through Zoom.

 

[Turga]

Two books that I finished recently that I would recommend:

Vasily Grossman: Life and Fate. An epic tale of Russia told through the fate of a single family as the battle of Stalingrad looms.

Francesco Colonna/Anonymous: Hypnerotomachia Poliphili. A very strange book about a journey into an antique dream world. First published in 1499 it is from a time when literature was very different from that of today. It may not be a book for everyone and reading it is really a challenge. So was translating it into English as it was originally written in a mix of ancient Italian, Greek and Latin.

I am currently well into a very interesting book with the long title “A Journey from Prince of Wales’s fort in Hudson’s Bay to the Northern Ocean in the Years 1769, 1770, 1771 and 1772” by Samuel Hearne. The book is Hearne’s own account of the journey and the extreme hardships encountered while exploring this land, which was then totally unknown. Originally published in 1795 and reprinted in 1911 it can be difficult to find.

 

[Chris Gi]

I'm reading some of the classic books I read long ago during my school days. Just finished Orwell's 1984 and beginning to read Huxley's Brave New World. Great books to read again !

Our book club just read 1984. What a discussion we had over it. I remembered reading it when it was first published and thinking if that is what the future holds - how awful.

 

[Nwsherman]

My favorite Camino book is 'Off the Road' by Jack Hitt. It was used for some of the story in the movie 'The Way'. Reads a bit like Bill Bryson's 'A walk in the Woods'. Funny with lots of history included. Kristen Hannah's books are always thought provoking and entertaining.

 

[kdespot]

Lots of good recommendations here! I'm totally enthralled with The Overstory by Richard Powers. It's a beautifully written novel that follows the lives of eight people as they discover their love of trees and their interaction with them. Sounds like an odd premise for a book but it works. And disclaimer: I'm usually a reader of spy novels.

 

[Former member 62607]

At the beginning of the pandemic i was reading Lionel Shriver’s The Mandibles which fed into any anxieties but was well written and made me think its good to be prepared.
Currently reading Fugitive Pieces by Anne Micheals a story of a small boy and his Greek rescuer during WW2, a lyrical read.
Waiting to be read: Homer’s Odyssey
And two books loaned by friends : Wild by Cheryl Strayed about her west coast of Amerca 1100 mile walk, and This is going to hurt by Adam Kay , his diaries while a junior Dr in the uk’s NHS.
If you need a laugh I recommend most highly Jerome K Jerome’s Three men in a boat. Written around the turn of the 19th to 20th century it is very gentle but the description of Uncle Podger hanging a picture on a wall made me cry with laughter the last time I read it aloud to my daughter. Dont miss this wonderful book.

 

[Priscilla NC]

I too am reading Richard Powers' The Overstory. But I was barely into it when I looked at my kindle and realized that I ordered Rebekah Scott's A Furnace Full of God a while back and never read it. I'm devouring it as we speak. She is a great storyteller, but I'm saying this to all of you who probably read this book long ago.

Thank you all for sharing your reading, I'm taking notes.

 

[Former member 62607]

I too am reading Richard Powers' The Overstory. But I was barely into it when I looked at my kindle and realized that I ordered Rebekah Scott's A Furnace Full of God a while back and never read it. I'm devouring it as we speak. She is a great storyteller, but I'm saying this to all of you who probably read this book long ago.

Thank you all for sharing your reading, I'm taking notes.

Yes, I am also making a list!
Two more recommendations: for making you realise the eternal nature of human character read Marcus Aurelius’ Meditations - its like listening to your own self.
For complete delight : P.G Wodehouse’s Blandings novels

What would be your desert island novel? On the BBC radio 4 show Desert island discs (you are a castaway) after choosing 8 records (which illustrate your life’s progress) you get the Bible, The Complete works of Shakespeare plus one book of your choice. So which book couldn’t you live without?

 

[Albertagirl]

Project Gutenberg - thousands of digitised classic that are now out of copyright. The Canadian site is good, their copyright laws are different to ours (UK) so you get more modern books

@Jeff Crawley
I have heard, I think on this forum, that the recently renegotiated North American Free Trade treaty has revised the Canadian copyright laws to extend the copyright date to 75 years, which is likely to cause the omission from the Canadian site of many more recent books: for example, the works of C. S. Lewis, which I have downloaded from there.. The new law has been agreed on, but apparently not yet signed by Canada, as it was scheduled to be signed recently, when the advent of the pandemic caused it to be put off. You might like to download books which you had assumed would be available to you on the Canadian Gutenberg site. It is possible that the revision of the site has already begun.

 

[Rick of Rick and Peg]

@Jeff Crawley
I have heard, I think on this forum, that the recently renegotiated North American Free Trade treaty has revised the Canadian copyright laws to extend the copyright date to 75 years,

See section Proposals for extension of copyright term at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Copyright_law_of_Canada

 

[rappahannock_rev]

Someone once told me to read a really sensational series of novels starring a detective investigator of the Guardia Civil, and set in grim post-Civil War Spain. Anyone able to name the series or the author? Thanks in advance.

 

[SabsP]

Someone once told me to read a really sensational series of novels starring a detective investigator of the Guardia Civil, and set in grim post-Civil War Spain. Anyone able to name the series or the author? Thanks in advance.

Might it be Lorenzo Silva?

English page - Lorenzo Silva

www.lorenzo-silva.com

Lorenzo Silva - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[Albertagirl]

See section Proposals for extension of copyright term at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Copyright_law_of_Canada

That's about what I thought. Thanks for the reference. However, I heard on the CBC a week or two ago that the agreement had not been officially ratified by the Parliament of Canada when the Parliament closed its sitting because of the pandemic. Although we have a minority government, so any agreement could be rejected by Parliament, I do not anticipate this happening. In any case, my intention is simply to warn readers who liked the previous Canadian copyright law to make their downloads from the Canadian Gutenberg website while/if they can.

 

[domigee]

I wonder what everyone who lives for walking is doing while a new virus has us all under house-detention. Are you reading? What? Just curious

Interesting question. I usually read A LOT. Proper books, ebooks when walking.... I ‘m always reading something and yet....I cannot read at the moment! I simply cannot concentrate.
Anyone else feeling the same? Is it just me ?

 

[Albertagirl]

I am reading, but not a lot. Too much time on my laptop and iphone has strained my eyes to the point where reading is difficult. I am not attracted to the paper books in my library, and the public library is closed.

 

[SabsP]

Interesting question. I usually read A LOT. Proper books, ebooks when walking.... I ‘m always reading something and yet....I cannot read at the moment! I simply cannot concentrate.
Anyone else feeling the same? Is it just me ?

I fully understand. Can 't concentrate either. Disturbing times!
So poetry helps! As does Mythos by Fry because it is entertaining.
The novel I mentioned will have to wait.

Even my daily walks have a different feeling now....

 

[Jeff Crawley]

Yes, I am also making a list!
Two more recommendations: for making you realise the eternal nature of human character read Marcus Aurelius’ Meditations - its like listening to your own self.
For complete delight : P.G Wodehouse’s Blandings novels

What would be your desert island novel? On the BBC radio 4 show Desert island discs (you are a castaway) after choosing 8 records (which illustrate your life’s progress) you get the Bible, The Complete works of Shakespeare plus one book of your choice. So which book couldn’t you live without?

Without hesitation it would be The Collected Short Stories of Saki by Hector Hugh Munro - I'm on my third copy. They've all been published in the mis-leadingly named "Perfect Binding" so pages fall out after frequent reading. There are many books I'd miss but this would be THE ONE to take.

 

[WalkingJane]

I've been online lot, beside reading. Found WALES2WIN with a video of a male choir form Pendyrus singing "Bring Him Back". Can't figure out right now how to post a link. Hauntingly beautiful!

 

[Jeff Crawley]

@Jeff Crawley
I have heard, I think on this forum, that the recently renegotiated North American Free Trade treaty has revised the Canadian copyright laws to extend the copyright date to 75 years, which is likely to cause the omission from the Canadian site of many more recent books: for example, the works of C. S. Lewis, which I have downloaded from there.. The new law has been agreed on, but apparently not yet signed by Canada, as it was scheduled to be signed recently, when the advent of the pandemic caused it to be put off. You might like to download books which you had assumed would be available to you on the Canadian Gutenberg site. It is possible that the revision of the site has already begun.

As expected my response was deleted - the front page of Project G is quite political but it seems some of the copyright rules don't come into force just yet and will need ratifying in the HoC and Senate. Binge read while you can

 

[Priscilla NC]

I am reading, but not a lot. Too much time on my laptop and iphone has strained my eyes to the point where reading is difficult. I am not attracted to the paper books in my library, and the public library is closed.

Haha, I've spent too much time lately with the Great British Baking Show.

 

[C clearly]

I've spent too much time lately with the Great British Baking Show.

I've been watching the Great Pottery Throw-Down but have never throw a pot in my life.

 

[Priscilla NC]

I've been watching the Great Pottery Throw-Down but have never throw a pot in my life.

And though I watch the Great British Baking show, I'm not a baker - nor do I plan to start now.

 

[nycwalking]

Interesting question. I usually read A LOT. Proper books, ebooks when walking.... I ‘m always reading something and yet....I cannot read at the moment! I simply cannot concentrate.
Anyone else feeling the same? Is it just me ?

You are not alone.

I can not start my book club book.

I love to read.

Our surreal existence has me too preoccupied to focus on words on page.

A forum member introduced me to Words With Friends: WWF.

It is a scrabble like online game.

Passes the time and learning new vocabulary words.

Whenever, I dislike letters electronically doled out I say: “Play the hand you’re dealt”.

Seems apropos.

 

[AlwynWellington]

@Hurry Krishna, thanks for starting this thread.

A few years ago a friend introduced me to Lesley Pearce. While a Brit, her novels extend around the world, and across the last 170 years, when the era is interesting. But mostly her nexus is from Bristol to London. The main characters always include a heroine, often from a young age. Her first novel was published in 1993 and her most recent in 2019 for a total of 27 to date.

I started Ellie (1996) a few days ago on my tablet and are approaching 10% done.

 

[Mike the Peregrinacious]

Almost finished "Red Sky at Sunrise" by Laurie Lee. Auto-biographic trilogy of a young man growing up in rural south-west England in the 1920's though the 1929 depression and hears following. Part 2 describes his walk though Spain from Vigo to Almuneca. He's hardly a pilgrim! But he shares fascinating insight into poverty-stricken Spain just prior to the civil war in which he gets involved (part 3). Compare his Spanish walking experience with yours of C21.

 

[Ralph Ayling]

I’m reading Agent in the Field by John Le Carré. It’s a good read and a diversion from the real world for a short period.

 

[Albertagirl]

Today my church calendar celebrates John Donne. In honour of Donne, priest and poet, I have dug out my book of 17th century poetry and am refreshing my memory of his poetry. My mind sticks on the first line of Sonnet XIII: "What if this present were the world's last night?" I find myself responding "It's not as bad as all that."

 

[catheriam]

Interesting question. I usually read A LOT. Proper books, ebooks when walking.... I ‘m always reading something and yet....I cannot read at the moment! I simply cannot concentrate.
Anyone else feeling the same? Is it just me ?

Gifted Australian author Geraldine Brooks' brilliant novel from a woman's POV in 1666 as an a Derbyshire UK village self-isolates. "The Year of Wonders: A Novel of the Plague". Having read it years ago, I sort of have it on a 'maybe' list to re-read.

As, neither can I, voracious cinema watcher, book reader, Audible and podcast listener, settle. I am attempting to refrain from reading or viewing excessive violence as life seems too precious to have it blasted away with such abandon on my MacBook/IPad screens,

Favorite Kindle/Camino author: DeMar Southard for "Sauntering to Santiago" and "Two Million Steps". You get quite a lot walking alongside DeMar -- history, politics, boot choices, religious and spiritual asides and other unfettered musings on his CF and Mozarabes to. Santiago and Muxia. A real delight!

Okay, I do have a distraction: Amazon documentary series on the Australian Test Cricket team. I knew precious little of of cricket after 5 years in UK and have challenged myself to look up the terms as mentioned on the series, which makes this undertaking nearly a full time job.

****
I am taking a break from Facebook as last night's post from a Spanish doctor in extremis was, in every sense of the word, heart-wrenching.

 

[rappahannock_rev]

Someone once told me to read a really sensational series of novels starring a detective investigator of the Guardia Civil, and set in grim post-Civil War Spain. Anyone able to name the series or the author? Thanks in advance.

Found what I was looking for....

Death of a Nationalist (A Sergeant Carlos Tejada Investigation Book 1) - Kindle edition by Pawel, Rebecca. Literature & Fiction Kindle eBooks @ Amazon.com.

Death of a Nationalist (A Sergeant Carlos Tejada Investigation Book 1) - Kindle edition by Pawel, Rebecca. Download it once and read it on your Kindle device, PC, phones or tablets. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading Death of a Nationalist (A Sergeant Carlos...

www.amazon.com

 

[Paladina]

Oh I think we do!

A picture is worth a thousand words, and this one is 'Unpacking my library' or 'for love of books and bike'. The book of the day is Roger Deakin's Notes from Walnut Tree Farm.

 

[Rebekah Scott]

I am re-reading "The Ghosts of Spain," by Giles Tremlett. It is a bit dated now (published in 2006,) but it is still very bright, fun, and relevant look at how Spain is bouncing back from long decades of autocratic rule. Giles writes about Spain for The Guardian, and has done for years.

 

[Jeff Crawley]

A picture is worth a thousand words, and this one is 'Unpacking my library' or 'for love of books and bike'. The book of the day is Roger Deakin's Notes from Walnut Tree Farm.

Oh heaven! A comfortable chair and a book or two (hundred).

It reminds me of a shop not far from me

 

[Rick of Rick and Peg]

This thread has inspired me. So I ...


Seriously, I'm going to keep my eye open for my copy of Pilgrim at Tinker Creek by Annie Dillard for a re-read.

 

[JennyH94]

Terrific thread Hurry Krishna! Thank you for starting it and thank you everyone for your book recommendations.

For those who’re finding it difficult to concentrate on books at the moment I can thoroughly recommend Deborah Moggach’s book, ‘The Carer’ as an audiobook. It’s an absolute HOOT!! The narrator, Patience Tomlinson, does such a fantastic job with the different voices of the characters in the book - her voices will have you smiling and laughing out loud throughout the book. There are some tender and poignant moments in the book, narrated with such sensitivity, that made my heart swell.

It’s 7 hours and 39 minutes of listening pleasure.

I listened to the book recently whilst doing some gardening here at our house at Culburra Beach on the South Coast of NSW - our poor garden was much-neglected during the drought and then during the bushfires here in Oz because of severe water restrictions. It really cheered me up as I cleared the garden of weeds - those unwanted excellent survivors in any conditions thrown at them.

The audiobook is widely available from local libraries’ online book services. It’s an English book and Forum members might be interested to know that Deborah Moggach is the author of the much-loved ‘The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel’ book which was made into a film starring a line-up of British acting ‘royalty’, including Dame Judi Dench and Dame Maggie Smith.

Here is the ‘trailer’ for the book:

James is getting on a bit and needs full-time help. So Phoebe and Robert, his middle-aged offspring, employ Mandy, who seems willing to take him off their hands. But as James regales his family with tales of Mandy’s virtues, their shopping trips and the shared pleasure of their journeys to garden centres, Phoebe and Robert sense something is amiss. Is this really their father, the distant figure who never once turned up for a sports day, now happily chortling over cuckoo clocks and television soaps?

Then something happens that throws everything into new relief, and Phoebe and Robert discover that life most definitely does not stop for the elderly. It just moves into a very different plane - changing all the stories they thought they knew so well.

This book is just the tonic for these strange and challenging times we’re finding ourselves in. I do recommend it.

Cheers from Oz -
Jenny

 

[jsalt]

Almost finished "Red Sky at Sunrise" by Laurie Lee.

https://www.caminodesantiago.me/community/threads/as-i-walked-out-one-midsummer-morning.52674/

 

[scruffy1]

At home, busy cleaning for Passover/Spring, nowhere near enough dust rags or furniture polish. Now on my library shelves, the Spanish –nonCamino – shelf, reading more than cleaning. Just a few of my favorites no particular order, some on Gutenburg most not:

“Andalusia” Somerset Maugham
“South of Granada” Gerald Brenan
“Fabled Shore” Rose Macauly
“The Life and Death of a Spanish Town” Elliot Paul
“Tales of the Alhambra” Washington Irving
“Lorca’s Granada” Ian Gibson
“Gatherings from Spain” Richard Ford
“Homage to Catalonia” George Orwell
“Spain” Jan Morris
“A Romantic in Spain” Théophile Gautier
“A Pilgrim in Spain” Christopher Howse

A bit of History?
“Reconquest and Crusade in Medieval Spain” Joseph F. O’CCallaghan
“Visigothic Spain 409-711” Roger Collins
"Isabella of Castile" Giles Tremlett

Crazy Stuff:
“Local Religion in 16th Century Spain” William A. Christian Jr.
“The Bible in Spain” George Henry Borrow

Happy Passover to all (via Zoom!!??!!)
Happy Easter too.

 

[Jeff Crawley]

At home, busy cleaning for Passover/Spring, nowhere near enough dust rags or furniture polish. Now on my library shelves, the Spanish –nonCamino – shelf, reading more than cleaning. Just a few of my favorites no particular order, some on Gutenburg most not:

“Andalusia” Somerset Maugham
“South of Granada” Gerald Brenan
“Fabled Shore” Rose Macauly
“The Life and Death of a Spanish Town” Elliot Paul
“Tales of the Alhambra” Washington Irving
“Lorca’s Granada” Ian Gibson
“Gatherings from Spain” Richard Ford
“Homage to Catalonia” George Orwell
“Spain” Jan Morris
“A Romantic in Spain” Théophile Gautier
“A Pilgrim in Spain” Christopher Howse

A bit of History?
“Reconquest and Crusade in Medieval Spain” Joseph F. O’CCallaghan
“Visigothic Spain 409-711” Roger Collins
"Isabella of Castile" Giles Tremlett

Crazy Stuff:
“Local Religion in 16th Century Spain” William A. Christian Jr.
“The Bible in Spain” George Henry Borrow

Happy Passover to all (via Zoom!!??!!)
Happy Easter too.

Thank you! Some tasty morsels among that lot!

What's the old saying? "Next year - Jerusalem!" we'll have to make it "Next year - Santiago!"

שלום!

PS if you're an iOS app user you'll be pleased to hear that, as of Friday, Zoom have promised to stop giving your iOS data to Facebook. They er, forgot to tell people it was happening!

 

[Terry Callery]

I am discovering as much about some of my forum pilgrim friends from the books that they read, as I did
from hours of walking with a actual pilgrims on Camino. The books that we read, especially in such times as these, reveal much about what deeply informs our lives. One of the best posts ever!

 

[Paladina]

At home, busy cleaning for Passover/Spring, nowhere near enough dust rags or furniture polish. Now on my library shelves, the Spanish –nonCamino – shelf, reading more than cleaning. Just a few of my favorites no particular order, some on Gutenburg most not:

“Andalusia” Somerset Maugham
“South of Granada” Gerald Brenan
“Fabled Shore” Rose Macauly
“The Life and Death of a Spanish Town” Elliot Paul
“Tales of the Alhambra” Washington Irving
“Lorca’s Granada” Ian Gibson
“Gatherings from Spain” Richard Ford
“Homage to Catalonia” George Orwell
“Spain” Jan Morris
“A Romantic in Spain” Théophile Gautier
“A Pilgrim in Spain” Christopher Howse

A bit of History?
“Reconquest and Crusade in Medieval Spain” Joseph F. O’CCallaghan
“Visigothic Spain 409-711” Roger Collins
"Isabella of Castile" Giles Tremlett

Crazy Stuff:
“Local Religion in 16th Century Spain” William A. Christian Jr.
“The Bible in Spain” George Henry Borrow

Happy Passover to all (via Zoom!!??!!)
Happy Easter too.

Thanks for recommended reading. Most of these titles also appear in the Spanish (non-Camino) section of my library - I'll look out for the absentees. To your list I'd add, in no particular order, the various offerings by Michael Jacobs, Gamel Woolsey (wife of Gerard Brenan), Laurie Lee, Walter Starkie, Jan & Cora Gordon, Norman Lewis, Ronald Fraser, V.S. Pritchett, Vita Sackville West, Kate O'Brien. My university's annual second hand book sale recently yielded a few more unconsidered trifles, namely Richard Wright's Pagan Spain, J.B. Trend's A Picture of Modern Spain Nancy Johnstone's Un hotel en la Costa Brava (Spanish edition: good for language practice) and Arland Ussher's Spanish Mercy. I love these fortuitous discoveries - the more obscure and unfashionable, the better. Happy Passover, happy Easter, happy reading!

 

[Phoenix]

As this is a Camino forum, I've not felt it appropriate to say anything here about my book (since it doesn't involve the Camino, except for a brief mention). However, as this is a broad thread about books of all kinds, I'd like to share. It has become as if my third adult child, set loose into the world, hoping it will do some good.

The last sentence of the description: "Set against the backdrop of the quest for Kilimanjaro’s summit, Push the Rock is the true story of faith, second chances, and the power of family to overcome life’s greatest challenges."

Push the Rock

 

[scruffy1]

Thanks for recommended reading. Most of these titles also appear in the Spanish (non-Camino) section of my library - I'll look out for the absentees. To your list I'd add, in no particular order, the various offerings by Michael Jacobs, Gamel Woolsey (wife of Gerard Brenan), Laurie Lee, Walter Starkie, Jan & Cora Gordon, Norman Lewis, Ronald Fraser, V.S. Pritchett, Vita Sackville West, Kate O'Brien. My university's annual second hand book sale recently yielded a few more unconsidered trifles, namely Richard Wright's Pagan Spain, J.B. Trend's A Picture of Modern Spain Nancy Johnstone's Un hotel en la Costa Brava (Spanish edition: good for language practice) and Arland Ussher's Spanish Mercy. I love these fortuitous discoveries - the more obscure and unfashionable, the better. Happy Passover, happy Easter, happy reading!

You mean these?

 

[catheriam]

Terrific thread Hurry Krishna! Thank you for starting it and thank you everyone for your book recommendations.

For those who’re finding it difficult to concentrate on books at the moment I can thoroughly recommend Deborah Moggach’s book, ‘The Carer’ as an audiobook. It’s an absolute HOOT!! The narrator, Patience Tomlinson, does such a fantastic job with the different voices of the characters in the book - her voices will have you smiling and laughing out loud throughout the book. There are some tender and poignant moments in the book, narrated with such sensitivity, that made my heart swell.

It’s 7 hours and 39 minutes of listening pleasure.

I listened to the book recently whilst doing some gardening here at our house at Culburra Beach on the South Coast of NSW - our poor garden was much-neglected during the drought and then during the bushfires here in Oz because of severe water restrictions. It really cheered me up as I cleared the garden of weeds - those unwanted excellent survivors in any conditions thrown at them.

The audiobook is widely available from local libraries’ online book services. It’s an English book and Forum members might be interested to know that Deborah Moggach is the author of the much-loved ‘The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel’ book which was made into a film starring a line-up of British acting ‘royalty’, including Dame Judi Dench and Dame Maggie Smith.

Here is the ‘trailer’ for the book:

James is getting on a bit and needs full-time help. So Phoebe and Robert, his middle-aged offspring, employ Mandy, who seems willing to take him off their hands. But as James regales his family with tales of Mandy’s virtues, their shopping trips and the shared pleasure of their journeys to garden centres, Phoebe and Robert sense something is amiss. Is this really their father, the distant figure who never once turned up for a sports day, now happily chortling over cuckoo clocks and television soaps?

Then something happens that throws everything into new relief, and Phoebe and Robert discover that life most definitely does not stop for the elderly. It just moves into a very different plane - changing all the stories they thought they knew so well.

This book is just the tonic for these strange and challenging times we’re finding ourselves in. I do recommend it.

Cheers from Oz -
Jenny

My library has no audiobooks by Ms Moggach, surprised she has been so prolific! Will re-view "Marigold Hotel". No yard, but a great third floor view of oak tree leaves emerging from bud with astonishing rapidity. I awaken to a spirited bull cardinal's assertions of territorial dominance!

 

[malingerer]

You mean these?View attachment 72282

and Hugh Thomas, Anthony Beevor?

The Malingerer.

 

[Former member 62607]

As this is a Camino forum, I've not felt it appropriate to say anything here about my book (since it doesn't involve the Camino, except for a brief mention). However, as this is a broad thread about books of all kinds, I'd like to share. It has become as if my third adult child, set loose into the world, hoping it will do some good.

The last sentence of the description: "Set against the backdrop of the quest for Kilimanjaro’s summit, Push the Rock is the true story of faith, second chances, and the power of family to overcome life’s greatest challenges."

Push the Rock

I have just looked it up on amazon.com, if i can buy it on amazon uk i will. Hats off to you and i look forward to reading it.

 

[scruffy1]

and Hugh Thomas, Anthony Beevor?

The Malingerer.

My list includes far too much on the subject we are not supposed to post, I have avoided both Thomas and Beevor, was able to get through "For Whom the Bell Tolls" but did enjoy "Death in the Afternoon" (another subject we should not post) and the autobiography of Sidney Franklin - another no no.

 

[Former member 62607]

Without hesitation it would be The Collected Short Stories of Saki by Hector Hugh Munro - I'm on my third copy. They've all been published in the mis-leadingly named "Perfect Binding" so pages fall out after frequent reading. There are many books I'd miss but this would be THE ONE to take.

I have now got this book in my amazon basket to remind me to read it.

 

[Former member 62607]

A picture is worth a thousand words, and this one is 'Unpacking my library' or 'for love of books and bike'. The book of the day is Roger Deakin's Notes from Walnut Tree Farm.

Being very curious / nosy i looked at your photo and noticed The Goldfinch on your wall. Ir eally enjoyed Donna Tartt’s novel, have you read it? I am guessing, yes.

 

[josephmcclain]

Thanks...fantastic titles. i wish i could go out and buy the book, not just put them on my ipad!

 

[Peregrinopaul]

I am re-reading "The Ghosts of Spain," by Giles Tremlett.

I'm with you on this one, Rebekah. It really opened my eyes to the "great silence". After reading this book, on a subsequent trip to Spain, I made a detour to the Valley of the Fallen, and my experience was very influenced by Tremlett's account.

 

[catheriam]

Yeeah, that's a good one ! I hear a new TV series version is coming up… Or was coming up, before the Cinema-and-Entertainment Lock-down!

"A supervirus leaks from a lab .." The Stand - Stephen King. For part miniseries in 1994. As N

Yeeah, that's a good one ! I hear a new TV series version is coming up… Or was coming up, before the Cinema-and-Entertainment Lock-down!

Four part mini-series in 1994. I used to live in Boulder -- yup, that's Boulder, in essence if not in location.

 

[Paladina]

You mean these?

View attachment 72282

Yes, all of the above, plus Starkie's Spanish Raggle-Taggle and Don Gypsy; Pritchett's The Spanish Temper; Michael Jacobs's, The Factory of Light: Life in an Andalucian Village, and his Between Hopes and Memories: A Spanish Journey and assorted travel guides and books on Spanish art. And as an afterthought, Dan Hancox's fascinating account of Marinaleda, The Village Against the World, and Penelope Chetwode's Two Middle-Aged Ladies in Andalusia. Chetwode was married to John Betjeman; the middle-aged ladies are herself and a horse. (I'm omitting any civil war literature for fear of infringing Rule 2.)

 

[catheriam]

I have now got this book in my amazon basket to remind me to read it.

"Romance at short notice was her specialty." Still gives me a curious combination of shivers and grins!

 

[Paladina]

Being very curious / nosy i looked at your photo and noticed The Goldfinch on your wall. Ir eally enjoyed Donna Tartt’s novel, have you read it? I am guessing, yes.

Yes, I have, but the hanging of the Fabritius picture long predates Tartt's novel. It recalls for me the year I spent as an Erasmus student in the Netherlands, making regular pilgrimages to the Mauritshuis. Happily, the original painting come to visit the National Gallery in Dublin a few years ago, so I paid my respects once again.

 

[Peregrinopaul]

A picture is worth a thousand words, and this one is 'Unpacking my library'

I've picked exactly the wrong time to literally do just that, Paladina. I'm redecorating the lounge, so I had to dismantle my bookcase. All the books are packed in labelled plastic bags stacked under the dining room table.

 

[scruffy1]

Yes, all of the above, plus Starkie's Spanish Raggle-Taggle and Don Gypsy; Pritchett's The Spanish Temper; Michael Jacobs's, The Factory of Light: Life in an Andalucian Village, and his Between Hopes and Memories: A Spanish Journey and assorted travel guides and books on Spanish art. And as an afterthought, Dan Hancox's fascinating account of Marinaleda, The Village Against the World, and Penelope Chetwode's Two Middle-Aged Ladies in Andalusia. Chetwode was married to John Betjeman; the middle-aged ladies are herself and a horse. (I'm omitting any civil war literature for fear of infringing Rule 2.)

Despite all, I am still much more enjoy history and art “Romanesque Churches of Spain” Peter Stafford, “Secrecy and Deceit: The Religion of the Crypto-Jews” David Gitlitz, “A Drizzle of Honey” with his wife Linda Kay Davidson, “Galicia a Concise History” Sharif Gemie, “The Gothic Choirstalls of Spain” Dorothy Kraus, “The Basques” Roger Collins again, “Compostela and Europe: The Story of Diego Gelmirez” by Alison Stones, John Williams, Quitterie Cazes, Klaus Herbers fascinating but bewarned it’s a blockbuster size, one last one, non-Philistine, “Selected Poems” Rosalia De Castro. But let’s stop – hard enough to finish these bookshelves as it is!

 

[Jeff Crawley]

"Romance at short notice was her specialty." Still gives me a curious combination of shivers and grins!

Oh the delightful Vera! Just had a moment of panic when I couldn't find my copy until I remembered I'd put a Japanese style book cover on it and it was hiding between the Holy Bible and Revolt in the Desert (Lawrence of Arabia) - strange shelf-fellows indeed.

I got into the practice of Japanese wrappers after one of my nieces came back after teaching English there for 18 months. One of the nice things about them is, if you don't label the spines, you can never tell which book you are drawing out - this is how you make them: Japanese Book Cover

Perhaps I should take the opportunity to rearrange my shelves?



Spot the Saki!

 

[C clearly]

I've just started the latest by Isabel Allende - A Long Petal of the Sea (2020) - a novel about the aftermath of the Spanish Civil War.

 

[AnnieA]

I am reading St. Teresa of Avila's Camino de Perfección, which she had to re-write to get it by the Inquisition censors. She had the Inquisition, we have coronavirus -- which is worse? The Inquisition went on for several more centuries, presumably coronavirus will not.

 

[barnettstakeagiantstep]

I wonder what everyone who lives for walking is doing while a new virus has us all under house-detention. Are you reading? What? Just curious

Thanks to Johnny Walker’s recommendation “The Shadow of the Wind” and love it!

 

[Jackieduda]

I wonder what everyone who lives for walking is doing while a new virus has us all under house-detention. Are you reading? What? Just curious

You can always live vicariously through camino blogs. See mine from 2018 at https://jacscamino.wordpress.com But you need to scroll down quite a bit to get to the start of it. Or you might find the trip to vietnam or to egypt interesting. They are after the camino. I find reading other blogs helpful in taking my mind off of current events, at least until our weather here in massachusetts usa gets warmer.
Buen camino to all, virtually, that is.

 

[mlhhome]

As for me... Mark Twain & Charles Dickens are perfect authors to whisk me away and feed my soul. Plus it will take me months to finish their complete works!

 

[Juspassinthru]

Great question and thanks to everyone for expanding my reading list. I recently finished Beyond Religion by His Holiness the Dalai Lama. I'm now reading (a gift from a German Peregrina I met in 2017) Walking by Erling Kagge. And, thanks to another thread, I look forward to reading The Great Pilgrimage of the Middle Ages by
Vera and Hellmut Hell (out of print but I found a used English version on Amazon), it should arrive next week. The pictures from the Camino route 60 years ago are incredible. Yoyo is the contributor and the thread is Historic photos of Camino Frances. If you haven't already seen it, you should check it out.

 

[Nat2020]

"Life and Death are Wearing Me Out". Mo Yan

 

[David61]

Stephen King's "The Stand" would be a good one right now. Really long too, so it would last ages. I thoroughly enjoyed it the first time around . . . .

The Stand is a good book if a little dated now. One in a similar theme is White Plague by Frank Herbert set mainly in Ireland. Its a man made plague released deliberately to avenge the murder of a scientists wife and children by the IRA. It is aimed only at women and is nearly 100% lethal.

 

[Ralph Ayling]

I've just started the latest by Isabel Allende - A Long Petal of the Sea (2020) - a novel about the aftermath of the Spanish Civil War.

I read this recently and enjoyed it immensely.

 

[Mycroft]

Agatha Christie's Poirot.

 

[Mary Doll]

As this is a Camino forum, I've not felt it appropriate to say anything here about my book (since it doesn't involve the Camino, except for a brief mention). However, as this is a broad thread about books of all kinds, I'd like to share. It has become as if my third adult child, set loose into the world, hoping it will do some good.

The last sentence of the description: "Set against the backdrop of the quest for Kilimanjaro’s summit, Push the Rock is the true story of faith, second chances, and the power of family to overcome life’s greatest challenges."

Push the Rock

Just bought this on Amazon UK. Looking forward to reading it.

 

[kaixo]

I downsized 3 years ago and only kept my favorites.
My stack of Camino books...kept all.
Quilting books...kept some.
Math textbooks...seriously thinned out.
Of the six remaining uncategorizable books...I just finished A Prayer for Owen Meany by John Irving and now reading Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand. Next, H is for Hawk by Helen Macdonald.
So what’s left?
Men of Mathematics by E.T. bell, The Gift poems by Hafiz, and The Basque History of the World by Mark Kurlansky.
And the Why? as in Why did I choose to keep these few...now that’s a mystery!

 

[Old Bamboo]

This book may have already been mentioned but one i read years ago & then again recently is 'Journey to Alcarria, Travels in the Spanish Countryside' by Camilo Jose Cela. It's his trip on foot immediately following WW2 through the Alcarria region to see it before it changed completely. It's not a pilgrimage book but interesting nonetheless.

 

[David S. Coleman]

What am I reading....... this forum.
Every day.
It's helping me keep my dream alive and I am continually astounded by the level of content.
It's deep, informative, sad, funny and incredibly erudite.
I don't mind at all that it gets a bit heated at times as that makes it more authentic to me
and yet it remains largely respectful and safe place to post.
Thank you all for keeping this alive and relevant.
I sincerely hope to meet some of you one day.

 

[Phoenix]

Just bought this on Amazon UK. Looking forward to reading it.

Thx. I hope it is a good read for you.

 

[JillGat]

I've just started the latest by Isabel Allende - A Long Petal of the Sea (2020) - a novel about the aftermath of the Spanish Civil War.

Oh, that looks good. I just ordered it. I am re-reading "The Great Influenza" about the 1918 pandemic. (I'm an epidemiologist and this is a really good book)

 

[Hurry Krishna]

I wonder what everyone who lives for walking is doing while a new virus has us all under house-detention. Are you reading? What? Just curious

I have been following all the fascinating answers from the many many many responses to my question and wondering how long I would have to live to read all of it!! Meanwhile just finished Station 11, an unusually optimist post-apocalypse book. Easy read, page turner, but Criss-crossed with literary and pop culture references if you are that way inclined Books to read, places to walk...

 

[Paladina]

I have been following all the fascinating answers from the many many many responses to my question and wondering how long I would have to live to read all of it!! Meanwhile just finished Station 11, an unusually optimist post-apocalypse book. Easy read, page turner, but Criss-crossed with literary and pop culture references if you are that way inclined Books to read, places to walk...

Thanks @Hurry Krishna for satisfying my curiosity as to what you were reading. I hope you are enjoying your house arrest between the covers of an optimistic book!

 

[Hurry Krishna]

What am I reading....... this forum.
Every day.
It's helping me keep my dream alive and I am continually astounded by the level of content.
It's deep, informative, sad, funny and incredibly erudite.
I don't mind at all that it gets a bit heated at times as that makes it more authentic to me
and yet it remains largely respectful and safe place to post.
Thank you all for keeping this alive and relevant.
I sincerely hope to meet some of you one day.

One thing I love about this forum is that no one uses the phrase: ‘sorry, my bad’- a bizarre Americanism which has started to invade Indian English!

 

[katie@camino]

Please.


I am reading
Joan Halifax - Standing at the Edge
Laurence Gonzales - Deep Survival: Who Lives, Who Dies, and Why
And today I thought now would be the perfect time to re-read Anita Burrows's A Year with Rilke

Ooh a Year With Rilke sounds great!

 

[katie@camino]

I downsized 3 years ago and only kept my favorites.
My stack of Camino books...kept all.
Quilting books...kept some.
Math textbooks...seriously thinned out.
Of the six remaining uncategorizable books...I just finished A Prayer for Owen Meany by John Irving and now reading Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand. Next, H is for Hawk by Helen Macdonald.
So what’s left?
Men of Mathematics by E.T. bell, The Gift poems by Hafiz, and The Basque History of the World by Mark Kurlansky.
And the Why? as in Why did I choose to keep these few...now that’s a mystery!

Hafiz would be a wonderful companion right now - he's such a funny bugger!