Skip to main content

Away

Back from three and a half weeks in Indonesia - some work, some holiday. Lots of travel, and plenty of opportunity to get on with some reading. As always with the work section, reading was iPad and library based, but I was able to enjoy a couple of physical books during the holiday section.

Books read were:

  • Francis Bourgeois' Trainspotter's Notebook - brimmed full of joy in conveying his passion for what he does, whilst acknowledging the challenge of how his approach has ruffled some feathers within the community.
  • Henry Marsh - And Finally - the doctor becomes the patient. Some honest and moving reflections about the latter stages of life. Maybe I've left it too late to ever clear out the loft? What other burdens might I be leaving to the next generation?
  • Ian McEwan - The Child in Time - the worst nightmare and the havoc it causes.
  • Sara Pascoe - Weirdo - weird book, but strangely compelling.
  • Richard Osman - The Last Devil to Die - and so we will have to manage without them until towards the end of next year (unless the film is out sooner). All I can think about is Stephen and Elizabeth.
  • Malcolm Gladwell - Revenge of the Tipping Point - lucky to spot a paperback copy in an airport given that it is brand new this month. Love this guy and everything he writes. Weaves stories together and makes connections to get you thinking.

Popular posts from this blog

Heritage

After some fun and games with setting up an account (which J managed to figure out whilst I was otherwise occupied with a somewhat important prior engagement), we enjoyed participating in a Bond auction that was taking place in the US. We bid on about a dozen lots and were ultimately successful with four. We are now waiting to see how much is going to be added to our purchase prices for handling and international shipping costs ...! For the time being, here's a little clue as to what was purchased.
Read more

Thrilling

During our visit to Boston last week, I picked up a copy of Ian Fleming's Thrilling Cities at the Harvard Bookstore in the recently published William Morrow imprint. Given that it was written more than a lifetime (in Fleming's case) ago, it is remarkable that it is still in print, particularly given some of the views espoused within it, combined with the 'incidental intelligence' telling readers where to find five-star hotel rooms around the world for around £15 per night. Still, when there is a new run of the 14 Bond books, it seems like publishers know that if they tag on copies of this and the Diamond Smugglers, there will be enough nutjob Fleming completists (like me) to make it worth their while. The only challenge for the bookstores is to know where to shelve it to attract sales. Should they deliberately misfile it at put it with the Bond books, or do they take a chance of it languishing in what can be fairly haphazard travel sections. Thankfully the Harvard store...
Read more

Wisley

On my previous return from far away, N took me to the Hyde Hall RHS gardens in Essex and, because it was such a warm and sunny day and we enjoyed ourselves so much (and the jetlag cure seemed to be so successful), we signed up for membership on the spot. Determined to extend the benefit, we toddled off to Wisley today, narrowly avoiding a satnav disaster along the way, but making it into an adventure instead. And, once again, it was glorious. I can see why Mum loved it so much, and I only wish I'd had the chance to enjoy it with her. We had a great visit, mostly contemplating what we will be doing with the couple of Norfolk acres we don't have yet. They are going to be superb. They already are in our imaginations! Saturday in the sunshine was topped off with barbecue organised by J whilst we were out. So, no time for book shopping, so I can but reflect on the charity finds from the week just finished, in amongst which we have a first of V2 to help the Harris firsts collection a...
Read more