Another good suggestion from Ange …

some world cup. bonsai . trips out

I was given 'AJ Fikry' as a present when it was first published, Sheila. As an ex-bookseller I found the content appealing. I must look out Richard E Grant, I enjoyed his travel programme recently. I would like to get hold of Alan Rickman's diaries, too.
I have read a motley selection recently, not many of which I would recommend! I enjoyed Anne de Courcy's 'Heir Hunters' about the wealthy American heiresses who travelled to Britain at the end of the 19th century looking for aristocratic British husbands. It was a real eye-opener with regards to how much cash was splashed on jewels, houses and Worth dresses and explains the meaning of 'keeping up with the Jones''! So now I am embarking on Edith Wharton's 'Age of Innocence' to get her perspective on it all!

Thanks Paul … which bonsai book(s) do you have? I grow them too …

Thanks Ange, I hadn’t realised that you were a bookseller too (like me!). We could probably compare countless books about bookshops … one of the best being Readers of Broken Wheel Recommend 🙂.

Golly Julia, you paint individual cards? My OH has just succeeded in printing two of my designs, so I now have twenty of each … saves a lot of work!

I know I’ve read the book about the baby abandoned on the doorstep of a book shop, but guess what, I can’t remember anything about it! Terrible to get old! I will just have to get hold of a copy & enjoy it again, one compensation, I suppose. At present I’m reading Richard
Osman’s 3rd book, The Bullet that Missed, have read the 1st two. Before that I read a quirky book, The Man who saved the life of the King of Sweden. For Christmas I’ve asked for “ Rachel” about a slave in America’s south, who escaped, what a heroine. There was a film about her recently on TV. I was shocked that I’d never even heard of her before. Currently also knitting a sweater for my son, it’ll be ready by his birthday in February :-). Nice to hear what folks are up to when the gardening is off.

Anybody read the book about the kitten posted into the Book Returns box outside the Library? He was christened Dewey Readmore Books(!) and grew up to be the Library cat - a lovely story.
I've been re reading classics and very much enjoyed Jane Eyre again last week. I've just begun Mayor of Casterbridge now!
If you have never read The Surgeon of Crowthorne. please do! The half title is "A tale of murder, madness and the Oxford English Dictionary and is a true story. A fantastic read and true too.

Stera, I read the novel 'The Dictinary of Lost Words' this year which is centred around the compilation of the OED. You could look it out to see what you think. It's by Pip Williams.

Sheila, Should have corrected my 'Heir Hunters' to 'Head Hunters' - memory slip..

I don't read novels etc, I read local history books and I enjoy browsing through gardening books.
This year I've bought two books on the history of some villages around here and I'm looking forward to reading them, and visiting some archives when the weather is mild.

I just tried a bonsai with photinia , it was getting nibbled outside anyway . hope it goes okay

I read a lot of non fiction [botany quelle surprise!] but recently joined a book club with my daughter and had to read 'Malibu Rising' about a wealthy /spoilt/bitchy family set in the 80's, which was not that entertaining. The other was How to Kill my family and after the first couple of chapters I just kept thinking about the Ealing comedy Kind Hearts and Coronets. To quote my daughter 'that's a few hours I'll never get back'.

I like historical crime stories, The Brother Athelstan mysteries are well written and historically very accurate. But can't remember the author at present.

Kind Hearts and Coronets is a classic

I am also, in addition to the one I mentioned to Ange, reading a book titled “ Skirting Heresy- the life and times of Margery Kemp” by Elizabeth Macdonald. The source of this book is from a work that is considered to be the first autobiography in the English language which Mrs. Kemp dictated to a scribe because Medieval women were not allowed to read or write. This book interests me because it touches the beginnings of the Reformation, a major turning point in western history.

I'm an avid reader, always have been, both fictional and factual, depending on my mood, I even read fantasy books, witches and warlocks type of thing,Tolkien, David Gemmel, Terry Brookes are favourites of mine, mustn't forget JK Rowling's Harry Potter, lol, I have an eclectic mind when it comes to choice in both reading and music, I like historical novels both english and american, if a book is well written I will read it, I like a book that one does not want to put down until its reached the end, if it makes me cry then I'm mega happy with my choice, when after the feel good factor and just want to relax I like a bit of romance, at the moment I'm working my way through Wendy Vella books, I have many authors I really like to follow, Liz Isaacson, Erica James and many more.....I used to like crime books, murder mysteries and suchlike, however when I was having my cancer treatment I had a lot of nightmares, those books used to play on my mind, I have never been able to go back to them...

May I recommend two items which have a connection to gardening. The first a book titled, “ Floriography...an illustrated guide to the Victorian language of flowers....” certain thoughts in Victorian times were not to be expressed openly so a code of flowers was devised for those expressions. The second piece of literature is Nathaniel Hawthorne’s , “Rappacinni’s Daughter” a short story which involves a garden with nothing but very lethal plants growing in it.

I am a romantic and just love books by Santa Montefiore, mostly ( not all of them) are in Italy.
But they are books you cannot put down once into them!
On a totally opposite to these books, I used to love James Patterson, but usually in the summer! I think I would have nightmares if I read them at night!

Stera, I have read two of the books you mentioned, the one about the Library cat & The surgeon of Crowthorne, fascinating stuff.
I have made a note of 3 books mentioned in this blog, Skirting Hersey, Rappacinni’s Daughter & the Brother Athelstan books, so plenty to be going on with. Good idea for a blog Ange.

Ange, I had a feeling that I’d read the Surgeon of Crowthorne, and as soon as I saw the name Simon Winchester, that confirmed it. To my amazement the Amazon website told me that I’d bought it in 2005. I’d never seen that info before, but then I don’t use them any more! Yes, it was very good 🙂.

I’m glad that you and Feverfew know the Fikry book because none of my friends here do. But now that I’ve enjoyed re-reading it, I’ll pass it on.

I love anything by Marcia Willett, I think I've read most of her novels, over again. I like the way she brings in the same characters from book to book. So all friends, family and living around Dartmouth or Cornwall.
They're mainly about relationships and her descriptions of the locations and their flora and fauna are just beautiful. I especially liked The Dipper.
I do love too, dipping in and out of my gardening books, mostly gifts, especially a garden photography book and Sarah Raven's
Sissinghurst, the Creation of a Garden....still haven't finished it though!

I think I'm a very rare person as I like to have my hands in the soil & my "head in the air" (as my father always used to say!)

As you all very much know I really love gardening & growing all things! But I'm nearly as keen on Sci-fi books & any material related to space. I'm subscribed to numerous emails about space & its exploration. I get daily email digests from ESA (European Space Agency) as well as from NASA & other space programmes. My first incursion into the world of online blogs wasn't to gardening sites but to a space site of which I'm still a member & get daily updates but where I very rarely, if ever, post on any longer.

I used to try & not miss the space shuttles liftoffs & in fact saw the destruction of one, the last one that was destroyed when it was coming down through the atmosphere. (Can't remember at this moment which of them it was.)

I was introduced to an author some years ago called Clive Cussler. He writes adventure/crime novels with a blistering pace - I find myself out of breath sometimes trying to keep up with the narrative! The majority of his books (he has written dozens!) I find hard to put down. I was reading one this afternoon & didn't even switch the computer on till 6pm! (To be honest I'd had it on for a few hours after lunch till I went to pick up our granddaughter from school & bring her to our house till her dad came round to pick her up at 4pm)

Catching up again, like Rose I do enjoy Santa Montefiore sagas. Pure escapism, Argentina, Italy, Ireland and Spain if I remember rightly. I do love living in them whilst reading..:))
Just finished another Debbie Macomber book, these are quite light reading and take you to Seattle and surrounding areas..
I fished out my Garden Photographer of the Year book, fabulous to browse through and Designers own Gardens by Barbara Baker, which takes you through any garden.you could aspire too, great for planning for next year...maybe.:))

I am so pleased to hear about you reading these books Janey!
Pure escapism! Can't get enough of them!

Me too Rose, it's like having a holiday..Do you feel that? When I was younger I read all Ruth Rendalls psychological crime novels...not now though!

I’m loving all the recommendations in this blog … thank you so much everyone! I’ve made a note, Janey of Marcia Willett’s The Dipper and Designers own Gardens - hoping I might find them in the library (I’m already in trouble for buying too many!).

Yes, why buy Sheila when you can order them from the library even if they don't have them.at the time..:))

I forget to mention, I love my gardening books, have a full bookcase of those, three are residing on my cabinet next to my bed at the moment as well as my Kindle Reader, I also have a lot about the Royal family especially our beloved Queen Elizabeth, and the history of our country, since this blog was written I've even had a browse through some of them....

One idea I had a couple of years ago was to pick up some of the less well-read writers from the 1920's - 1960's. I uncovered some real gems (to me!). One whose every novel I worked through was Elizabeth Taylor (not the actress) and also the Elizabeth Jane Howard's 'Cazalet Chronicles' which covered the interwar years. I also enjoyed 'Starlight' and 'Westwood' by Stella Gibbons (of 'Cold Comfort Farm' fame) and Winifred Holtby of 'South Riding' fame. The quality of the writing of all of them is wonderful and there are lots more to discover of these neglected works.

I agree about Elizabeth Taylor Ange, though I can’t remember which one I read. We read the Cazalet Chronicles in my book group - really enjoyed them - and then I read her autobiography, Slipstream, which is lovely. Thank you for a good idea 🙂.

Definitely Janey! I just wish I could find more!

:)) I'm back in Dartmouth now Rose with Marcia, I've read it before of course!
The Songbird and Homecomings,I think you may enjoy them.

Are these by Santa Montafiore Janey?

I didn't realise you were talking about another author Janey! I will have to look out for hers.

A week or so ago I downloaded & installed the App 'Libby' on my mobile phone. It let's you download library books to read on your phone. I've already read two books of the "Alien" series! 😀

Just 2 days ago I also downloaded the very latest book by Clive Cussler. It's so recent a physical copy hasn't been put in our library in town yet! I also reserved a physical book by the same author. I waiting for a notification to go along & pick it up.

The marvels of modern technology Balc!

Government (USA) approved human trials begin in six months for implantable brain computer chips produced by a company called Nuralink. Perhaps these books can be directly downloaded into one’s brain amongst other potential uses intended. When this stuff starts to come into fruition, hang on tight human race your going to be going on some ride! Will this be a marvel of modern tech or the most evil thing ever created? Considering Orwell’s “The Shape of things to Come”, perhaps its time to put the breaks on technology, a thought considered in his book.. Sorry for the sidetrack but Shellabub brought this development which was announced a few days ago to mind.

Sounds terrifying to me, L'strife, but who knows? Maybe some good medical uses. I'm constantly amazed at what the docile public accept without outcry.