We should celebrate! Apparently it is International Book Lovers Day today! I was fortunate to be the child of parents who were great book lovers, and that I grew up with books all around me – in fact my dear godmother gave me ‘The House at Pooh Corner’ as a birth day gift. Over the years she gave me other books too, including a Bible, and a wonderfully illustrated book of the Pied Piper of Hamelin. I received books as gifts from other relatives too, and when it was Christmas I was always very excited to receive a book-shaped gift from under the tree. It was frustrating when I first went to school and was given books which were easy for me to read and the teacher wouldn’t believe I’d read them because I seemed to have done it so quickly.
Although we are almost swamped with books now (husband is a book fiend too) somehow we still acquire more. Last Wednesday I bought “Jurassic Coast Justice” by Mark Bridgeman while we were on the Jurassic Coast in Sidmouth (at the folk festival). Although I read mostly fiction I also read a lot of non-fiction, history, prehistory and natural history. Within fiction, my preferred genre is definitely crime and mystery, but there are many sub-genres within that! For example, I would never read anything described as ‘cosy’, legal mysteries are often somewhat beyond me, and I would skip anything too violent and gory – preferring something which puzzles rather than appalls! My all-time favourite book as I’ve often mentioned, is ‘Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy…’ by John le Carré, which although is usually thought of as a novel about espionage, is really the search to detect the criminal among a group of suspects.
What am I reading at the moment? “Licoricia of Winchester” by Rebecca Abrams, “Seashaken Houses” by Tom Nancollas, and “Blood on the Broadcast” by S.D.W. Hamilton set in Belfast. No doubt, I will report back when I’ve finished reading them!
Lois Elsden 
Dear Lois
we always lived surrounded by books as well and we also mostly read fiction. Books which are called cosy we wouldn’t be interested in, as well as love stories and ChickLit. John le Carrè we find a bit old fashion especially his style. We love post-modern novels like Knausgård, Fosse and Houellebecq. Novels which are philosophical and make us think, we prefer.
We are just reading Ruiz Zafon’s “The Labyrinth of the Spirits”. We started John Irving’s “The Last Chairlift”, a book we didn’t finish, it was too boring. And we read a modern translation of the Odyssey.
Wishing you a great rest of the summer
The Fab Four of Cley
🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂
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Dear Fab Four, we have our cousins from Norwich staying with us at the moment! We have beautiful weather, and we went for a walk along the beach and watched a wonderful sunset – you, of course, have magnificent sunrises!
I’ve read several reviews of Knausgård’s autobiographical novels – I really think I should read his work as it sounds most interesting. I’ve puzzled over biographical writing, how i would approach it – for my children rather than the public! I’ve not yet come to a conclusion.
I haven’t read anything by Fosse or Houellebecq – but I have added them to my to-be-read list – thank you!
I absolutely adored The Shadow of the Wind, and have started ‘The Angel’s Game’ – what a writer! How tragic that he should die so young.
I see it is getting late, and no doubt wwe will be awake early with the four year-old son of my cousin! I think we will go on The Grand Pier here in Weston tomorrow, and maybe have an ice-cream!
Sending best wishes to the east! xx
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D
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Dear Louis,
something went wrong on your page so I try again.
Concerning Knausgård: I think his autobiographical novel cycle is not his best. I like most his philosophical texts, especially “The Wolves of Eternity”. The Fosse books are of a special style, a great flow without commas and full stops, nevertheless easy to read. From Houellebecq I like most his dystopie “Submission” (an older novel). A book that gave us a lot to think about.
Enjoy the summer and the ice cream
xxxx
The Fab Four of Cley
🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂
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Thanks very much, dear Fab Four – I will look these up! xxx
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