Bijan Omrani, God Is An Englishman: Christianity and the Creation of England

Great title, but very disappointing read. The author was setting out to show how instrumental in a positive way Christianity has been to the shaping of English culture and identity and bent over backwards to make his case. Because Christianity and Englishness are both so wide-ranging, it's possible to cherry pick examples that prove the opposite of another - for example, he makes the points that Christians were instrumental n the abolition of the slave trade in the British Empire, but not that for the previous 1500 years they had been perfectly ok with it, and many opposed the abolition. There was one point where he claimed that the common belief that Christian festivals like Easter are based on pre-christian traditions is not true. This was based on the fact that there is no documentary evidence for there being a pre-christian god called Eostre, other than Bede saying there was. So we can leave aside all the fertility/spring imagery of eggs, bunnies, overindulgence etc which has nothing to do with Christianity, and also leave aside that one of the most partisan Christians in English history said it was based on a pre-Christian festival. I'm not denying that Christianity has had a profound impact on English culture, it certainly has, both in a negative and positive way. some of the greatest social reforms and civilising measures have been driven by Christians - but they've also been opposed by them. Some of the worst atrocities and shaming episodes in English history have been opposed and denounced by some Christians - but also supported fully by others.

Marina Lewycka, Two Caravans

 Crikey, only 3 months since I reread Marina Lewycka's debut novel and I've forgotten a lot of the plot already. I +think+ the two books interlink and characters from the debut have cameos in this book, but I could be wrong. I enjoyed this old-fashioned boy-meets-girl story in a novel setting - amongst migrant labourers trying to scratch out a living in a foreign, unwelcoming country. Tonight I'm helping out at the Squirrels sleepover, not sure how it will go. Have also been landed with the organisation of the Scout trip to Ypres next week month and trying to make sense of it - we should have paid some months ago and owe £3k apparently

Oliver Moody, Baltic: The Future of Europe

 A geopolitical study of the nations that border the Baltic, overshadowed throughout by the threat to them all of invasion from Russia and how they are preparing for that eventuality. Hard to think of a more serious read. Reinforced my belief in NATO as an absolutely necessary alliance to hold the west together and the need for free nations to stand united. Amongst it all, one insight I took away was that as long as the war in Ukraine continues, the chance of Russia extending the conflict to the Baltic is unlikely, but if a ceasefire is reached and Russia has chance to regroup, it could be on. Also, interesting to hear that the military power of Poland and Finland (for example) would appear stronger and more battle-ready than the UK, France or Germany, let alone smaller western states

Colm Toibin, Brooklyn

 Not been on my radar before, but the sequel is out now and getting good reviews, so thought I should give it a go, and it was lovely. A simple story of a young Irish émigré to New York and her dilemma between duty and desire. So well written, straight onto Helen's tsundoku pile

John Elledge, A History of the World in 47 Borders

 A pop-Geography book written in a very jokey, irreverent way, almost like a podcast. Lots of funny asides and diversions. Not sure I learnt anything new, but a nice enjoyable read at a time when I needed that as work has been so stressful the past few weeks. I'm having an inner debate about whether to keep books like these. I've always kept non-fiction, but I know I'm never going to read this again so why keep it? A decision may need to be made as my shelves are double-stacked. . . 

Graham Swift, Waterland

 Took me a while to get into it as it seemed disjointed, hoping around the centuries, but always set in a soggy, oppressive fenland that is evocatively described. It soon all came together and although the East Anglia Tourist Board probably don't want to use it as it's got murder, incest and muddy ditches, it made me want to go out to the fens. Parts of it were read in Bristol and Bath as Freddie was looking around the universities there. He seems to like both, but it's difficult to tell with Fred as he doesn't seem to get enthusiastic about anything or make any decision. Maybe that's just teenage boys for you.

Jack Cornish, The Lost Paths

 Left it a little late to write this after reading, and it didn't make much of an impression anyway. It's a book by a keen walker, but I couldn't really workout how it was structured, and the themes seemed odd. More a series of anecdotes and stories that weren't really linked and only loosely connected to paths. Fully behind any extolation (is that a word?) of footpaths, but a bit meh. 

John Fowles, The Magus

That was a bit of a mindbender. 700 pages of psychological experimentation, not knowing what was real and what wasn’t - I stuck with it and really enjoyed it, although at times was totally lost, just like the main character. It's set mostly on a greek island after the waw and revolves around a young English teacher, who is looking for an escape from a failed relationship and takes a job on the island. there he meets a strange character who proceeds to draw him in to a web of fantasy and lies where no-one is what they seem. the scale of this illusion and the reasons for them haunt the main character as he struggles to distinguish between reality and the facade. It turns out that very little he though of as true was real and everyone he know has been part of the simulation in some way. a novel written by a young man alone on an island with too much time on his hands, but still great.

Fred had  his first A level exam this week, in Maths. He's very taciturn, so it's difficult to understand how worried or concerned he feels, but he seems to be coping. Nest week we are off to look at Bristol and Bath university. . . 

Subhadra Das, Uncivilised: Ten Lies that made the West

 A bit more pop than the polemic I was expecting, and a lot of personal experience rather than academic analysis, but all the same very little to disagree with about the arrogance and inherent superiority western civilisation affords itself. 

Edward Abbey, The Monkey Wrench Gang

 A '70s counter-cultural classic about a gang of militant environmentalists who decide to fight back against human despoliation of the wilderness through direct action. They blow up bridges and machinery and go on the lam, before the law eventually catches up with them.  It was a bit if a slog for me, although the author is obviously very much in love with the Utah desert and the Colorado Valley, and loves to walk it. His characters' 60 mile walks made me feel a bit rubbish with my own efforts. On Bank holiday Monday this week I ran 10 miles on the Ridgeway between Liddington Castle and Sparsholt Firs, intending to get an Uber back. Couldn't get an Uber at Sparsholt, so decided to walk the 4 miles to the nearest town, Lambourn. Lambourn was a tiny wee place, with only one cab driver, a guy called Gav who wasn't free for another 4 hours. so I walked/ran the 11 miles from Lambourn back to the car. What should have been a relatively easy run followed by a pub lunch in Ogbourne St George turned out to be a bit of an epic particularly when the rains started mid-afternoon. Not sure Fred will trust me to plan any more walks on the ridgeway (two days before he did 16 miles with me)..

Nicholas T Parsons, The Shortest History of Austria

 Bought this out of curiosity, as I was intrigued to know how you can have a history of Austria - is it the history of the lands of the current state, or of the lands of the Austrian empire, or what? Is there even such a thing as the Austrian nation? It was light reading, and mad that such topics as Canossa or Stefan Zweig could be covered in  a sentence and then on to the next topic. mostly it was a history of the Habsburgs, warfare and diplomacy, not a great deal of social history or of the land of Austria. It's a Friday afternoon and I'm off to give blood later before a dance evening at cubs - so I'll show up with my donor sticker and have a good excuse not to make a fool of myself with the dancing.

Gyula Krudy, Life is a Dream

 A collection of short stories set in the last days of the Habsburg empire, full of fatty food, café life, matters of honour and status, just my cup of tea. Tottenham won the Europa League last night in an awful match between two rubbish teams. So I really don't know what to think. I'm celebrating but crikey we are bad at the moment and I don't see that changing. Being in the Champions League next season when we have struggled against Tamworth and been outplayed by so many PL teams is very worrying. but we +are+ in the CL, and if we're in it, there's always a chance. . . 

Caroline Lucas, Another England: How To Reclaim Our National Story

 Preaching to the converted, very little I disagree with in here and much that I applaud. Caroline Lucas seems to share my frustration with the approach of the Labour Party and the way they have ignored the concerns of their natural voters and the millions of progressive liberals out there. What's the point of voting Labour if they are going to govern as a right-wing party? The people in charge of the party seem only to be interested in ensuring that no-one even vaguely left-wing is in any position of power anywhere, and if that means out Faraging Farage on immigration, steel nationalisation and benefit cuts, they're up for it. there's a rude awakening coming.

Daphne du Maurier, The King's General

25 years or so ago when I was doing A Level English evening classes, I wrote the first chapter of an adventure story set in 17th Century Cornwall. I was immensely proud of 'The King Over The Water', but of course, Daphne du Maurier got there before me and blew me out of that water. Such a good read. I'm writing this a few days after returning from Duncan's funeral. Alex stood up in church to give a eulogy for his father, I really have no idea how he could have the strength of character to do that. He had me blubbing a few times. There were hundreds there to celebrate the life of an incredible person. I miss him so much, although there's part of me that still hasn't accepted he's gone and can still feel his presence. Clayton and I have agreed that we need to organise a Duncan Ogilvie tribute Eurovision Disney Rugby tour Pub Crawl on ice to remember him. 

Phillip Howell, Pub

 Finally got to the bottom of my in-tray of books to write about, but the book itself has disappeared! I hope it shows up as I really enjoyed it, and part of me would like to take it up to Duncan's funeral tomorrow as it is about one of our many shared interests, the Pub. The book was written by a Geography professor who knows his stuff both professionally and as a user of pubs. I'd happily read more by him, but can't find anything. Of course it's difficult to think of anything other than Duncan at the moment. Putting together a photo album really helped, but i still can't quite believe he has gone, it's like i can still feel his presence, smiling and supportive. The reality will hit me sooner or later. Will try and hold it together at the funeral for poor Louise and Alex, I'm not sure how to face them or what to say.

Hakan Nesser, The Living and the Dead in Winsford

 I like Hakan Nesser's sense of humour. He is most well known for the Van Veeteren mysteries, a series of novels set in a fictional northern European country that is never named and has elements of the Netherlands, Scandinavia, the Baltic coast and others. This novel however is the complete opposite set in a very specific place, a tiny hamlet on Exmoor. huge amount of detail on the landscape, area and  walks around the environs. Also a cracking read with an excellent denouement. Does a book set in Devon qualify as Scandi noir though?

Duncan Mackay, Echolands: A Journey in Search of Boudica

 Backlog of books to write about is building up, and it is stressing me out on top of everything else! It's a busy time with putting together a photo album of memories for Louise & Alex, the May Fayre yesterday, William's birthday today and B2B next weekend. William is v excited as he is getting his first phone - he seems so young compared to the others at this stage, maybe that's just because he is our baby boy still. The book was much more enjoyable than I was expecting, and a lot more personal info about the author as he walks in the chariot-tracks of Boudica in a psycho-geographical sort of way. i really like this approach to history, it's becoming more and more common. I guess some might find it a little glib, but it works for a non-academic like me.

Agatha Christie, Endless Night

 A later Agatha Christie, and more of a thriller than a whodunnit with even an element of a ghost story. It came up as an atypical Christie on A Good Read, and it is in part inspired by her house in Devon where we went in the Autumn, so when I saw it in a second-hand bookshop i had to grab it. Great holiday reading, but with a very weird '70s cover of a stabbed owl. Grogu got hold of the book and chewed a bit off, but as it's AC I'll keep it in the library. I feel like I'm coming up for air after being in the fug of grief for Duncan. It's still devastating and that'll never change, but I'm coping better. Putting together photos and talking to people about him has really helped. No news on the funeral yet, I hope it will be the joyous celebration of him that he would want rather than a sad occasion

Mike Parker, Map Addict: The Bestselling Tale of an Addiction

The top of a pile of three books in my to-do pile, as I have been putting off writing this knowing I’d have to talk about Duncan, my dear, dear friend who suddenly passed away last week. I'm still devastated, in shock and not functioning normally - and the same is true for Helen. I sat down and wrote out as many happy memories of Duncan as I could, meaning to share them with Louise and Alex, hoping they can take some solace from them. I haven't broken down crying for a few hours, but there'll be a lot more grieving to come. Of course, what i feel is nothing comparted to the loss his family have, but this is my chance to be selfish and talk about how I feel - the hole in my heart, the sadness that I didn't spend enough time with him in recent years, the horrific realisation that I will never speak to him again. 

Samuel Burr, The Fellowship of Puzzle Makers

 More holiday reading, and a book I had to buy when I read the blurb - firstly because it's the story of a boy adopted under mysterious circumstance by a commune of puzzle enthusiasts and secondly for the phrase 'Clayton Stumper is an enigma. He might be twenty-five years old, but he dresses like your grandad and drinks sherry like your aunt'. It was fun, and involved young Clayton solving a series of puzzles to find out the truth of his own origins. Enjoyable guff, but rather disappointing as the crossword clues tended to be straight rather than cryptic, which is all a bit dull. One was 'French Bread' (4) which frustrated me as it was probably going to be 'pain' but could also be 'euro', 'cent', 'sous'. . . all the same though it was a perfect holiday read.

Joyce Marlow, The Tolpuddle Martyrs

 Had to read this as we were down in Dorset and not far from Tolpuddle. I had planned to pilgrimage cycle there while we were in Studland, but that didn't happen because halfway through the holiday I managed to write the car off. This meant a lot of stress and organisation, including the logistics of getting everyone back to Woking - which ended up with me running to Poole to pick up a car, taking the ferry on the way. another sort of adventure then. Other than the car we had a wonderful time, loads of walks with the dog in the heathlands and along the beaches. fair few NT tear rooms and bookshops too. Just lovely. 

James Hynes, Sparrow

First book I read on our eventful holiday to Dorset. Managed a few pages while eating a cake in a café in Lyndhurst just over halfway through my epic 100 mile cycle down to our holiday cottage in Studland. Had a glorious day, only got lost a few times around Winchester and only one hill beat me. Bournemouth seafront was incredibly busy and getting the ferry over to Studland was lovely. the book itself was the story of a slave in roman times, and maybe would have punched me harder if i hadn't read 'James' recently, which covered similar grounds in getting inside the psyche of a slave - the constant fear of death, the dehumanisation, the  need to carefully consider all aspects of behaviour etc. I enjoyed it, but it's going to go into the garage for rehoming rather than Helen's tsundoku.

Jacob Mikanowski, Goodbye Eastern Europe: An Intimate History of a Divided Land

A book made for me - a celebration of the multiethnic, multireligious, polyglot and tolerant Eastern Europe and the tragedies that have befallen it since WWI. Wonderful and managed to get some recommendations from it for future reading.  Fred is back at the meeting point in Glossop having completed his expedition - really looking forward to hearing all about it when he gets back - although I expect he'll be too tired to talk for a while.

Marina Lewycka, A Short History of Tractors in Ukrainian

 Bought this from the National Trust Bookshop at The Vyne when we went there last Sunday for Mother's Day. It's the book I was reading when Freddie was born, so will always have a special place in my affcetions. I haven't reread it since and could remember little about it. there's much more about the tragedies of famine and war on Ukrainians in the 20th Century than I remember which is something I've read about a lot in the meantime.  Fred himself is now off up in the Peak District on his epic DofE Gold Expedition - 5 nights away, 5 days intensive hiking and wild camping. he was so nervous before going up, but hopefully he is ok. He's in a mobile blackspot so we haven't been able to track him since lunchtime yesterday, so I'm a very worried parent at the moment. He is with a good bunch of friends though and they will get each other through.

Catherine Nixey, Heresy: Jesus Christ and the Other Sons of God

 Enjoyed that much more than I was expecting, and Catherine Nixey seems to have had a jolly old time researching and writing the book, she revels in all the creative and crazy stories about Jesus Christ and other aspiring messiahs that  were circulating in the early centuries AD and have often been suppressed since as the Church with its single version of truth has come to dominate. I'm trying to interest Libby in reading the introduction at least, as I think she'll enjoy the challenge to orthodoxy and she wants to do RE for GCSE next year. I'll keep trying.

Kate Atkinson, Death At The Sign of The Rook

 I'm sure I've read previous works by Kate Atkinson, but there is nothing in my library so it must have been fiction that I gave away. This was a very enjoyable murder mystery, really well constructed and fun. It's one in a series of 'Jackson Brodie' mysteries, I'll keep an eye out for more.

Terry Deary, A History of Britain in Ten Enemies

 Ostensibly written for adults, unlike Terry Deary's Horrible Histories, but a very similar style - very sweeping and entertaining. He's much more critical of Britain, monarch, imperialsim and our role in the slave trade than I've picked up on before, I mistakenly had him pegged as a bit of a right-winger. I don't feel right putting it in the history bookshelves though, so it's going in the playroom, snob that I am.

Rudyard Kipling, Puck of Pook's Hill

 Glad I've read it, as it fits in with my love of stories of English faerie, and Kipling's Puck is definitely in that category. Puck is a magic spirit older than Britain who is accidentally summoned by three children and conjures up figures from the past to tell them stories about these isles. It's charming, but very twee and Victorian. All the characters are bold, faithful and perfect gentlemen, and there's never anything sordid or dishonourable. Norman and Saxons have mutual respect for each other, the Romans are jolly sporting to the Britons, and even when some Saxons are captured by Danes and turned into galley-slaves, everyone gets on, they go to Africa together, kill a gorilla that is terrorising the natives, become incredibly rich when they are showered with gold, and then get dropped home on the Kent coast on the way back to enjoy their share of the spoils. 

Lucy Mangan, Bookish: How Reading Shapes Our Lives

Lucy Mangan lives the life I want to lead and writes how I'd love to write. Funny, self-deprecating, bookish, socially anxious and just wanting to be left alone. Massive envy now for her purpose-built library and I feel better about the 2,000 book sin our house when she has 10,000 in hers Didn't get as many new book recommendations as I normally do from reading her work, but maybe, and incredibly, I have finished mining the seam of her knowledge now I've read three books of hers that are full of recommendations. IRL, I am recovering from the Chichester Harbour half marathon ten days ago, which really sapped my strength. Helen, Libby and William all have shows coming up so it's a busy time as well as it being year end at work.

Percival Everett, James

 A retelling of Huckleberry Finn from the perspective of the escaped slave that accompanies Huck on his adventures, Jim. It had very good reviews and was shortlisted for the Booker, but I wasn't too enthusiastic about it as it didn't really appeal. Maybe because Huck Finn isn't a book i love (i may not even have read it, but I know the story), and I'm not a huge fan of slave stories (that's my white privilege showing). However, the book had such an impact on me and I feel so guilty now. It gave me a whole new perspective on the hopelessness of being a slave, and the way Everett turns a 2-dimensional stereotypical character into an intelligent, sensitive, thoughtful person trapped in an impossible situation and having to watch his every move and utterance while living in constant fear of death or punishment - wow. I feel admonished, but hopefully I'm a little wiser and more sensitive now.

Peter Hennessy, Muddling Through: Power, Politics and the Quality of Government in Postwar Britain

 I bought this thinking it was a fairly recent book, but actually it's from the early 90s, so I've probably read it before! It certainly went over familiar ground in Hennessy's avuncular style, and it was based on his R4 series rom the time. I was a little disappointed with the discussions between those giants Enoch Powell and Tony Benn when they were discussing parliamentary procedure, as both of them did indeed appear to be muddling through and neither had any clear idea how things did or should work. If they don't know, who does?

Graham Swift, England And Other Stories

 Started reading this collection of short stories thinking 'Meh, I don't really like short stories, I struggle to follow the change from one story to another', and by the end I was really invested in it. The stories share an englishness, a humanity, a vulnerability, a mostly contemporary setting and they really spoke to me. Wasn't expecting that at all!

Maurice Gorham, Back to the Local

 A reprint of a post war paean to the London pub, glorious nostalgia of conviviality, green tile and glass and beer. Even in the 1940s the author was bewailing how times have moved on and traditions were dying out as pubs moved with the times

John Buchan, Prester John

 I was expecting a book about, um , Prester John, so was surprised it had very little to do with him and instead was centred on an uprising in Southern Africa in the early 20th Century and how a young 19 year old Scottish storekeeper thwarted it through honesty, derring-do, and being a massive racist. This isn't going to get a reprint any time soon, it's rooted in the assumption that British imperialism is a benefit to Africa, and that native people are inferior and must be guided and controlled.

Max Adams, The Mercian Chronicles:King Offa and the Birth of the Anglo-Saxon State AD630-918

 The 5th book on Anglo-Saxon England by Max Adams I've bought, and probably a lot of my decision to buy them is based on how lovely they look on the bookshelves. Nice easy-to-read popular histories, and the Mercians seem to have been neglected and overlooked as there are more sources north and south - Bede for the Northumbrians and Asser for Wessex. Spring appears to have arrived, and it's another glorious sunny day today. Freddie and Libby were both on their DofE expeditions this weekend. Libby had no problem with her bronze, a nice relatively short walk from Gomshall to Newlands Corner. Fred's was a practice session for his big expedition in April, and after two days walking 25k and sleeping overnight in sub-zero conditions, the poor lad is shattered today (monday). Helen had to give him a lift to college as he can barely walk due to his blisters. He's going to be downhearted for a bit as he will worry about how he will cope on the expedition itself. Tonight he is planning it with his friends, hopefully that will help give him confidence.

Carsten Henn, The Door-to-Door Bookstore

 An unchallenging, feel-good, life-affirming short book about an aging bookseller, his love of reading and his love for others, which he shows through encouraging their own reading habits. Very sweet (and may explain my current toothache, which is definitely not due to troughing a box of milk tray yesterday) and will go on Helen's shelves, as it is ideal book club fodder. I caved this weekend from my 'buy no books until birthday' resolution (and tbf, I'd already broken it by buying books for others and buying for myself in an NT second-hand bookshop because it's just the done thing), and bought three books include Max Adams' new book on the Mercians which I'm currently reading.

A.J. Lees, Brazil That Never Was

 I thought this was a work of fiction, and I'm still not entirely sure (I'll check after this). The South American setting helped of course, but it was very reminiscent of magical realism, and also Roberto Bolano's work, where it is written as non-fiction but in a fictional world - lots of verisimilitude and citations. Ostensibly it's the story of an english academic and his interest in a victorian explorer, Carruthers, and his quest for lost cities in the Amazon. He goes in search of the truth, and it becomes stranger and more mystical. . .

Douglas Smith, Former People: The Last Days of the Russian Aristocracy

 A bit too partisan for me, as the author seem determined to see the Russian Aristocracy as uniformly noble, sensitive and cultured and as blameless victims of a monstrous revolution. True of some no doubt, but the tales of eking out a post-revolution living as a museum curator in their old dacha, or having to sell paintings to survive or having to flee to relatives in Switzerland aren't anywhere near as harrowing as what other elements of Russian society had to deal with, both before and after the revolution. Easy for me to write in my comfortable chair in my comfortable house in my comfortable life having never known any hardship.

Emmanuel Carrere, The Moustache

 A very quirky story of a man who shaves off his moustache, and then finds that no-one remembers he ever had one - he slowly goes mad when faced with what seems like gaslighting and begins to question everything. It all led up to a very dark ending. Libby and I have been making a 'book nook' in the evenings, a little doll 's house-style bookshop to snuggle into a book shelf. It looks lovely and it was so nice to do something together. It's her birthday tomorrow so I've ordered a garden-themed one for her room that we can do together. Fred is back from Manchester and seems to have enjoyed it, but is the normal teenage tired now and lounging around after all his exertions.

Annie Gray, The Bookshop, The Draper, The Candlestick Maker: A History of the High Street

 A  fun, informal social history of the 'High Street' in Britain, how it has evolved from marketplaces and chophouses to arcades, and then on to shopping centres - and now appears to be dying. Fred seems to be enjoying it up in Manchester, he was disassembling PCs yesterday, got on well with everyone in the office and was going to play darts last night. Really hope he enjoys it.

Olgar Tokarczuk, The Empusium: A Health Resort Horror Story

 A combination of The Magic Mountain and The Wicker Man, with the benefit of being nowhere near as impenetrable as The Magic Mountain, while also conjuring up its beguiling world or pre-war mitteleuropean luxury and spa life where time has no meaning.  for me though, the very dreamlike and unreal air meant that the horror of the villagers sacrificing the occasional sanatorium patient was diluted. When you are not sure what is real and what is a dream, it's difficult to feel the chill of an impending death. Today is the first day of Freddie's work experience. He's travelled up to Lancashire to stay with Duncan and Louise and work for IT Brains for the week. It's a big adventure for him, he went up on the train by himself and was very worried about it. I certainly miss him, and I daren't go and look at his room as I'm worried I'll well up when I see his empty bed. He very thoughtfully sent a message this morning to say it had been great so far, I hope he means it. It'll be good for him to get away from home for a bit, and also maybe hanging around with Alex and his friends will help him come out of his shell a bit. 

Simon Kuper, Impossible City: Paris in the Twenty-First Century

 Kuper's book 'Football Against The Enemy' had a big impact on me when I read it in the early '90s - it combined two things that I was interested in - football and geopolitics - making connections that I had never thought of before. A wonderful journalist and writer, and he can only be a few years older than me. Since then, he's published a few books and worked at the FT, and now has his own column where he can write what he wants, and this book fits into that category - his own experiences of living in Paris in the 21st century since he accidentally moved there. Very readable, enjoyable, full of insights and made me want to live in Paris (as long as it's inside the periperique). I've been learning French and Spanish on Duolingo for a few years now, but I'm not sure how i would cope in a real life situation. I'm pretty good at understanding simple sentences, but constructing my own is very hard, Duolingo is limited in that respect. Libby is learning Welsh that way too, as she has become rather pro-Celt and wants to go to Uni in Wales. Good for her.

Thomas Mann, The Magic Mountain

 I feel ashamed of my own inadequacy, but I slogged through that, skimming large sections, falling asleep with the pages open and not really taking it in. the premise and the milieu appealed: a young man visits a pre-war mitteleuropean spa and gets seduced in to its luxurious, regulated and languid lifestyle, gradually becoming a patient who stays for 7 years. Time and reality seem to alter and take on new shapes and meaning. 700 pages of this though was too much for me. In an endpiece Thomas Mann suggests readers read it twice (to be fair, he does say if you didn't enjoy it the first time, don't reread), which caused me to say pffft. 

Florian Illies, 1913: The Year Before The Storm

 He must have had so much fun writing that, and I'm not sure what the brief was, but Illies has decided to concentrate on what was happening to a handful of Teutonic intellectuals and notable  in 1913 - Freud, Mann, Kafka, the Habsburg royal family  and loads of others I've not heard of or who I'm not clear of why they are well-known. So not quite the bird's eye end-of-an-era overview of the world (or even Europe) I was expecting, but still lots of trivia and vignettes. 

Margery Allingham, The Tiger in the Smoke

 Not what I was expecting from an inspector Campion mystery, which shows my ignorance. I thought it would be  twee, polite and murder at the vicarage, but it was a lot darker, set post-war and not a whodunnit at all - but rather a clash between good and evil personified by a priest and an escaped convict. So not the cosy crime caper I expected, and at the time it must have been a shocker, but it seems dated now when we are so used to the darkness of Scandi Noir and its many cousins. January seems to be going on forever, I can't wait for Spring. i had my first 'well man' check up last week as I am getting on now. Waiting for the results of some tests still, but generally they seems happy with my health and fitness and reassured me about my hips and any chance of developing dementia, so it was worth it for peace of mind.  

Catherine Fletcher: The Roads to Rome: A History

 A lovely eclectic read, but it's a pig to categorise. Its not about roads during the Roman empire, it's not a travelogue along Roman roads, and it's not a history of Rome or Europe, but it’s a mix of all of these , taking events in the last 2,500 years of European and Mediterranean history that have occurred on or near the Roman road network - Belisarius' conquest of Italy, Charlemagne visiting Rome to be crowned, The Crusades crossing the Balkans, the Grand Tour, Mussolini's march on Rome, the Allied invasion of Italy and more. Full of interesting information by a personable writer full of enthusiasm for her subject. I haven't a clue where to put it in the bookshelf though. It's got Rome in the name though so History of the Roman Empire it is.

Alejo Carpentier, Explosion In A Cathedral

One of those books I read to try and improve myself and expand my knowledge, but it was too much for me. I was tempted to jack it in after the first sentence, which I didn't understand at all, it was 10 lines long and contained at least two words I'd never heard of. It's described as the great Cuban historical novel and a tour-de-force, but honestly I was 100 pages in before I even realised it was set in the 18th century and had no idea what was going on. It seems to be about a gentlemen called Victor Hugues, who was instrumental in taking the French Revolution to the Caribbean. But one moment i register him as a chap in a warehouse and then he's somehow ruling Guadeloupe and I don't know what happened in between.  The historical note at the end was very clear and made it plainer, but all the same, none of it went in. I'm disappointed in myself, as Caribbean history is one of my blank spots and I should know more, but really I'm just not equipped for such complex literature. We're in the middle of a cold snap at the moment and yesterday there were even people iceskating on Wheatsheaf Common. I've been for a couple of runs as the ground is frozen rather than muddy, trying to find a safe run between Stonehill and Chobham as it is horrible running along the road. i found one yesterday, but some Tory in a norfolk jacket flagged me down to tell me I was on a private road. I'm a little miffed by that as I was doing no damage and it was a tarmaced road that the usual land rovers and range rovers were chugging along to get to stables and whatnot, but that's the country we live in. I'll try again when I can and try and stick to the footpaths.

Tim Robey, Box Office Poison: Hollywood's Story on a Century of Flops

 An entertaining read, one can never tire of reading of other people's hubris and disasters. A mixture of cinematic criticism and tales that would have been at home in the Book of Heroic Failures, chronicling some of the biggest box-office flops in Hollywood history. Some have become classics, some guilty pleasures, but most were utterly misconceived and poorly executed. I've publicly vowed not to buy any more books until my birthday, let's see how I get on. If I can make it to the end of the week I'll be beating my average. If I make it to the end of January I'll be astonished

Paul Murray, The Bee Sting

Loved it. Kept sneaking back to read a bit more, woke up early to read some and was so invested in the characters. The story of a dysfunctional family, the tragedies they have to deal with and the ghosts and regrets they carry with them. It's told from the point of view of the 4 main characters, and you learn more and sympathise with each of them as you understand more about what has taken them to where they are. I was dreading how it was going to end, but the end is deliberately ambiguous with the final sentence being one any of the 4 characters could have said. I think. IRL, William started Scouts yesterday. I didn't think he was a t all ready as he seems so young compared to the others, but he looked so smart and grown up in his shirt I almost blubbed. He seemed to really enjoy it so hopefully he'll stick with it. He's got one term with Libby before she moves on to to Explorers.

Nathen Amin, Son of Prophecy: The Rise of Henry Tudor

 The story of the Tudor ancestors of Henry VII, and his biography up until Bosworth. Very Welsh-centric, so gave a different perspective on a familiar period. Far too many dynastic squabbles and betrayals to keep track, but always fun. Also on the theme of betrayals, Series 3 of 'the Traitors' has just started on BBC 1, and looks to be as wonderful as the first two series. even Libby has deigned to watch it with us.  We're hoping for snow this weekend, and there is a slim chance of it - let's see.

Lev Grossman, The Bright Sword

An Arthurian Epic, but set in the hangover after Arthur has left for Avalon and the polity he established has collapsed. The remaining knights of the Round Table are exhausted, disheartened and in no shape to restore Britain. Lots of elements of Faerie too, and I very much enjoyed it, but at 650+ pages it took up a lot of time over Christmas. During this time i also suspect I saw a beaver, but it could be just wishful thinking. Freddie, me and the dog went for a walk round the nature reserve by the river Trent where the beavers have been released, and before we got to the reserve as we were walking along the canal we passed over a brook. I saw something to my left and saw what I thought was a big black dog jump in into the brook and disappear. But it was in a place where there wouldn't be a dog and there was no owner around - and there was a dam very near by. so I think I may have disturbed a beaver and just glimpsed it.