Monday, July 28, 2014

It's Monday! What Are You Reading?


Whew. Well, as predicted I finished a few books at once this past week. I finished and reviewed Alan Hollinghurst's magnificent The Line of Beauty; what a book. I said goodbye to Climates, by Andre Maurois, a melodramatic French novel from the 1920s about life and love. And I finished up Take This Man, a novel about a Frenchwoman who marries her Malian best friend to keep him from being deported. Reviews for both of these are scheduled; I'm trying to get into the habit of writing my reviews as soon as possible after I finish the book, so that I don't forget to write them. It does mean my reviews will be a little more on the raw side but that's OK.

But now I have started new books!
Red Joan, by Jennie Rooney, is a novel based on the true story of an elderly British woman who in the late years of the 20th century was revealed to be the oldest living KGB operative in Britain. I've always been fascinated by spy stories, and I'm about to start Ben Macintyre's new book about Kim Philby. And, I'm loving this one so far. Great writing, great story.

My new Booker Prize book is an old one, Kingsley Amis's The Old Devils. I've never read Amis before and so far (I'm just through the first chapter) I'm liking this a lot. It's got a lot of energy; it tells the story of more elderly Brits, this time a Welsh couple and their friends and the effect on them of the return of one of their own, now a famous poet. So far, so good!

I'm looking for one more to round out the selection, probably the Macintyre book. I'll keep you posted! What are you reading?

More at BookJourney.wordpress.com.

4 comments:

bermudaonion said...

I need to be more timely in writing my reviews too. Every time I think I'm close to catching up, I finish a few more books.

Enjoy your new books!

Mystica said...

I also try to w
Rite and schedule the reviews as soon as I finish the book but I am getting times wrong! My Monday post has still not come up.

Sandy Nawrot said...

I always get so excited when I finish a book and start a new one. And that doesn't happen as often as I'd like because I'm so damned slow. But! Yesterday I read the first graphic novel in the "Saga" series. It was strange but...interesting. Enough to make me order more from the library. And today I'm working my way through the two volumes of "Snowpiercer" graphic novel, which a recent movie was based upon. Marie, seriously, you need to chase down this movie. You would love it. GN is great too. GNs are such a boost in my productivity.

Harvee said...

Red Joan does look good. Enjoy!
Harvee
Book Dilettante