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.