Tom Shippey, The Road to Middle-Earth: A Detailed Journey to the roots of The Lord Of The Rings

 . . . Or There And Back Again. A study into Tolkien's inspirations and creative process for the development of Middle-Earth, a life-long labour of love by a philologist to produce a mythology for England. And along the way creating some of the most popular works of fiction in the 20th Century, almost as a by-product. Intriguing how Tolkien did not seem to care for consistent plotting, or character development, but what did matter was that all the names of everything had to be rooted in the ancient languages he loved. I did skip large parts of it, just like the interminable poetry in the books. Libby is out of isolation following her second COVID bout, everyone else is fine, THFC have had yet another disappointing transfer window, can't see Conte hanging around sadly. The Prime Minister and Chief National Embarrassment is defending his conduct following the report into the parties at 10 Downing Street during lockdown, and I've stuck a tenner on Tom Tugendhat as the next leader of the Tory party, as I cannot imagine the Tory MPS putting Liz Truss on the ballot or Tory members voting for Rishi Sunak or Michael Gove. I'm an awful pundit though, so sorry for ruining your chances, Tom.

Jerome K Jerome, Three Men In a Boat

 Had forgotten quite how funny this book is. It would have been better read on a hot idle summer's day than puffing on an exercise bike through the drear of January, but still enjoyable. I can't think when I last read it, but it must be nearly 30 years as I wasn't at all familiar with the geography of the Thames at the time, I'm sure. Also noticeable that people who I saw as impossibly posh and well bred then are now lower-class snotty clerks. What have I become?

William Golding, The Spire

 I had to read the wikipedia entry after to understand what was going on, as a lot of the imagery and symbolism went over my head. Set in a medieval cathedral city, it is the story of the Dean of the cathedral's obsession with constructing a magnificent spire to reflect the glory of god. It's a lot darker than Ken Follett's rollicking efforts with similar set-ups, as the Dean's obsession becomes all-consuming, he neglects his flock and his own spiritual salvation before everything comes crumbling down. Yesterday poor Libby tested positive for COVID-19, the second time for her and likely the new omicron variant that seems to be much more infections if not so serious in effect as previous variants. so many cases around at the moment, and restrictions are being lifted, so it's probably only a matter of time before the rest of us succumb. I still find it incredible that Helen, Freddie and William could live in a house with Libby and me when we were infections and not pick it up first time round.

Martin Latham, The Bookseller's Tale

 'Very eclectic, a mixture of the history of the book (rather than the history of reading), of libraries and the personal reminiscences of the former manager of Waterstone's in Canterbury. A comfort read, which also identified some more potential comfort reads - The Man Who Was Thursday, The Shooting Party and Cloud Atlas are all on my list now. Libby tested positive for COVID-19 this morning, every day there are more revelation about parties Boris Johnson has had at Downing Street and Russia are poised to invade Ukraine. It's also a dreary Tuesday in September and when I went to The Wheatsheaf last night they were out of proper beer. I've been in better moods.

Alan Garner, Treacle Walker

 A mixture of english folklore and particle physics, although I only learned that last bit from listening to a podcast about the book afterwards. To me it seemed to be about comics coming to life rather than the elasticity of time, the duality of things and the ability to exist and not exist simultaneously. But I  probably just don't think enough about books or take the time to reflect on them before cracking open another. Alan Garner is so feted I should spend more time getting to know his books, I've only read The Owl Service before, which was ok but didn't envelope me. Maybe I would have felt differently reading it when I was younger, I'm not really the demographic now.

Hermann Hesse, Steppenwolf

 A great title for a book, no wonder the rock band nicked it. I think it was expecting a dual nature novel along the lines of Dr Jekyll & Mr Hyde, but it was much more earnest than that, a story of a man who takes himself and life far, far too seriously. at the very end he says 'One day I would play the game of many figures better. One day I would learn to laugh.' By gum, that's glum. Libby cycled home from school by herself today for the first time. I was a bit of an over-worried Dad so went down to the canal to make sure she got over Chobham Road safely, but she was fine of course. She's a good girl, she still comes along to Cubs every week to help out even though she is in Scouts now. She loves being in authority and helping out adults, she will be a great teacher, copper or government snitch one day.

Clare Jackson, Devil-Land England under Siege, 1588-1688

 A book about foreign relations under the Stuarts, and their immensely complex shifting foreign alliances to help with domestic pressures and the desire to control the three kingdoms. I've read a lot on the period, but this was a different lens and helped explain more about the complications brought about by the need to support/have the support of the protestant Palatinate Stuarts. In the real world, everyone appears to be waiting for Boris Johnson to go, either resigning or by facing a vote of no confidence, following the  reporting of his lockdown parties. I'm a terrible pundit, but I think he'll survive this one, if only though his utter shamelessness and lack of an alternative acceptable to Conservative MPs. I think he'd win any no-confidence vote. I still think he'll go before the next election though. In the meantime the Conservative MP for Bury South has defected to Labour, and caused the usual controversy. Until yesterday the Labour Party was united round the fact that he was an awful anti-working class Tory, now the official line is that he has seen the light and is welcomed to a centrist, moderate party. However there are plenty of us that don't feel comfortable being in the same party as people who stood on the 2019 Tory manifesto, it goes against so much of my own beliefs. The reality is that he's just a blatant opportunist, and it is a propaganda coup for Keir Starmer. He must have cut a deal with the party to guarantee his selection as candidate at the next election (or been promised a peerage) as I can't imagine the local CLP will readily accept him. 

Laurence Sterne, A Sentimental Journey

 That was a worrying read, because I really struggled to digest it. For a long time now, I would have answered the question 'what is your favourite novel?' with the answer 'Tristram Shandy', and would then have pontificated about its wonderful joie de vivre, its  glorification in life's thwarted plans and its humanity and its revelling in a cosmic sense of humour. However having struggled so much with this, I wonder if actually it is just Michael Winterbottom's wonderful film 'A Cock and Bull Story' inspired by Tristram Shandy, which apparently has been a filter in explaining Tristram Shandy to me in noddy terms. There's something very shandyesque about having a favourite book you haven't understood. I was listening to a podcast about Tristram Shandy, which they insisted on calling 'Tristam Shandy' throughout, and they suggested reading one of the nine volumes each year as a treat as the best way to read it. Maybe I can start doing it as a birthday treat each year

Amy Jeffs, Storyland: A New Mythology of Britain

 A retelling of some of the myths of Britain, so many of which I was completely unfamiliar with. I wonder if Amy might be interested, she seems to like mythologies, I will check with her. I do worry about forcing books on people though. It's a beautiful sunny day today, and every day it is getting lighter earlier and staying lighter later, it's so nice. Today we had two very healthy-looking foxes in the garden, who pounced on the left-over Naan and chapatis I threw onto the lawn this morning that were left over from last night. At the weekend I got the family history details from Mum and have been slightly addicted since, looking online at various hints and links to baptismal registers. It's incredible how much more information is available than when I last looked at it 25 years ago, pre-internet. Still plenty of 'ag labs' staying local to Wiltshire, Sussex, IoW and Cambridgeshire though

Robert Rankin, The Antipope

 A nostalgia read. I don't think I've read this since I was 17, as part of a reawakening of reading for me after some fallow years. It was when I was at Uxbridge College so needed something to do on the bus journey there and back (sometimes twice a day) so I started taking advantage of the wonders of Uxbridge Library. I think I started with Terry Pratchett, and picked up a Robert Rankin because the front cover was also by Josh Kirby, so looked very familiar. Other favourite authors of the time were Dick Francis (where did that come from), George MacDonald Fraser and Robert Asprin, who I have hardly thought about since, but whose books I remember finding very funny. I've just googled him and it would appear to be the 'MythAdventures' books I liked so much. Not so much that I want to fork out to read any more though. Same with Robert Rankin, which was just as I remembered it, a strange mix of grubby, dour 70's West London and apocalyptic fantasy. 

Heather Cox Richardson, To Make Men Free: A History of the Republican Party

 A very interesting and very depressing read from one of my current favourite authors, who, inexplicably seems to number our Jonny Clarke among the valued people she consults on American history. Depressing, but not the half of it, as the book was written long before Trump was nominated, and the Tea Party isn't even mentioned. It's a history of the cyclical nature of the Republican party, from a party of equality of opportunity seeking to guard ordinary Americans from wealthy elites (those great Presidents Lincoln, T Roosevelt and Ike), to the in-between party of power held by the wealthy to benefit the wealthy, using the rhetoric of anti-communism, anti-socialism, Americanism, etc allied with racism, homophobia, nationalism and any other tricks required to hold on to power. 

Susan Cooper, The Dark is Rising

 A bonus read, and hopefully the start of a personal tradition. I've reread 'The Dark is Rising' at Christmas before, but never as it unfolds in real time, so starting on Midwinter's Eve and running through to Twelfth Night. I did this year, and was pleasantly surprised to find out from The Guardian Editorial on 3st December that I'm not a weirdo, this is actually a thing: Guardian Editorial

It definitely seemed more magical and exciting in the days before Christmas rather than the last few days of mud, greyness and back-to-work-and-school-ness, and I've never been one for delayed gratification, preferring to binge. So like a Christmas selection box, it doesn't suit me to read a bit of a book every day, I lose the thread and get confused with other books I am reading. It remains a wonderful story for children though, with Will Stanton a cipher for their wish fulfillment about power, being special, danger and knowing stuff adults can't comprehend. a shame my own children show no interest! I'll have to go through Dorney on a cycle to take a good look at the church and big house that are the models for those in Will's Huntercombe. 

John Fowles. The French Lieutenant's Woman

 Best book I have read in a long time and not at all what I was expecting. In my ignorance I assumed it would be a standard Victorian novel of repression, societal restriction and restless romanticism as the heroine spends her waking hours on the Cobb vainly wishing for the return of her lost love. What I hadn't realised was that the book is a post-modern reinvention of the Victorian novel, so although all the above is true, the book comes with a playful narrator who offers alternative endings, can see into the future and play with his characters, and also (hurrah) makes the servants real people with motive and drive rather than wall paper and devices to further the plot. I enjoyed it far more than expected and only wish I'd read it when we holidayed in Lyme, as the town plays such a large part in the early sections of the book. More Fowles please. 

Lucy Mangan, Are We Having Fun Yet?, Caroline Roberts & Angus Hyland, The Book of the Raven: Corvids in Art & Legend

 'I'd read anything by Lucy Mangan, a writer for The Guardian for many years who is an introvert bibliophile with excellent tastes in culture, and writes on the topics and in the style I would if I had the talent. This is her first novel, and as a recent mum it's about the challenges of child-raising. Very funny, and at times was like a mirror on my own life (or how I would like my life to be represented). Worried about Helen reading it as  the husband is very similar to me and is not portrayed in a positive light. This book could cause the Eye of Sauron to be turned on my own slack behaviour. The Book of The Raven was a coffee-table book, read in half an hour or so. Today is my first day back at work and I've been stuck on a call all day so far looking at slides. . .