Raymond Williams, People of the Black Mountains

More holiday reading about the mountains of Wales - and a book I should have paid more attention to, as it covers the whole prehistory of the region in a series of short stories showing the changes in the inhabitants of the hills from the retreat of the glaciers through the move to pastoralism and then the arrival of the Romans. it's the first of an unfinished trilogy that was meant to bring the story up to modern times, part 2 has been added to my wishlist. The kids are off school today but I am working, so all i can hear are shrieks and yelps as they have fun carving pumpkins

Alan Partridge, Big Beacon, Bruce Chatwin, On The Black Hill, Asterix and the White Iris

 'The law of diminishing returns with Alan Partridge - this is the third book now and after the incredibly funny autobiography and the very funny nomad, they're running low on ideas a little. Apparently the 'From The Oasthouse' podcast is very funny. Asterix is also a shadow of its former self, and still has Goscinny & Uderzo's name on the front even though it's now written and illustrated by different people. Have to buy and read each new one of course, but it's not the same. In between, 'On The Black Hill' was read on our half-term holiday in Wales and I loved it. It's the story of a Welsh faming community with that strange mix of baptist hellfire and pagan superstition which was just perfect for the cottage we stayed in. Helen couldn't come, so it was just me and the kids. there was a fair bit of bickering, but we got out for lots of walks and they seemed to enjoy it.

John Le Carre, The Naïve and Sentimental Lover

 Not an espionage thriller, this was a tale of a middle-aged man and his relationships with others. It was at its best when describing the social niceties and descriptions of 60s England, but it still jars with me that people who went to elite public schools, are fabulously wealthy, have aristocratic connections and their own ski lodges are described as 'middle-class'. David Cameron and Boris Johnson are often described as middle-class, when they are the elite of the elite. Grr. Outside of books, I did the GSR yesterday and made it round despite a bit of a cold. I dosed myself up but am feeling the after effects today. Just a week until we go on a little holiday to Wales so lots to do.

Paul Theroux, Deep South

'Enjoyed that, a really interesting study of poverty and culture in the Deep South. Paul Theroux seems to have a deep-seated hatred of Bill Clinton and his tolerance of bigotry as a necessity to getting elected in the south

Satoshi Yagisawa, Days at the Morisaki Bookshop

 That was quite a sweet piece of fluff, you can imagine it being westernised and turned into a rom-com (although not so much com) for bibliophiles. Perfect for a book club read. It's my ignorance, but it's strange to think of a Japan of dusty bookshelves and slacker waitresses and shop assistants. the image of Japan we get presented is dedicated salarymen sleeping at their desks and working themselves to death, not people pottering round bookshops in the extended lunch-breaks and spending the rest of the time mooching in cafes. I like the sound of that Japan far more 

Christopher Isherwood, Goodbye to Berlin

 Not sure why this is so famous, it's an autobiographical tale of someone having a fun time in Berlin, but it's not at all got the dark sinister forebodings of the Nazi takeover that's coming. There's mentions of it, but no-one seems to mind that much and just gets on enjoying themselves. Maybe that's the horror of it, but it just seemed like a tale of hedonism and high living to me. I have actually started reorganising my bookshelves now, there are books everywhere but I finally feel motivated. I've vowed to catalogue them too. Let's see. . .