What are you reading now 2

I’ve just finished reading ‘The Truths and Triumphs of Grace Atherton’ by Anstey Harris and was so very disappointed when I finished it. A thoroughly good read, with great characters - I recommend it.

I enjoyed ‘ The Dictionary of Lost Words ‘ mostly for the fascinating facts about how the Oxford Dictionary was produced.
I have just finished ‘The Girl With The Louding Voice’ byAbi Dare a Nigerian. It is an interesting story written from the point of view of s young uneducated Nigerian girl from an upcountry village. I enjoyed it, some larger than life characters.

Unsheltered by Barbara Kingsolver. It's a few years old but I picked it up (in excellent condition) in a charity shop.

I read The Poisonwood Bible (by BK) a few years ago. It was excellent. About a missionary who takes his family to the Congo to 'educate' the natives.

What Alice Forgot by Liane Moriaty - I'm really enjoying this as an easy holiday read which is both entertaining and touching.

I'm reading the ground-breaking philosophical book, Fossil Future by Alex Epstein.

Message deleted by Gransnet. Here's a link to our Talk guidelines.

“Chewing the Fat - Tasting Notes from a Greedy Life” by Jay Rayner. A collection of his columns written for the Observer. Very funny, wicked, illuminating. I love all his books.

I’m reading Sun Damage by Sabine Durrant. Perfect holiday read, especially in this hot weather. Previous book was Free Love by Tessa Hadley. Forty year old 60’s housewife leaves her husband and kids for a much younger man. It reminded me of Julian Barnes The Only Story. Same situation, same era. Would make a good duo to read for a book club.

Blossoming
I’ll look out for that, Thomas Cromwell is one of my favourite historical characters, you might even say I’ve got a bit of a crush o him!
Currently reading Lean Fall Stand by Jon McGregor, it’s got great reviews, but so far, it’s not really doing it for me.

Exit by Belinda Bauer. Much lighter than some of her previous books.

I am reading ‘This much is true’ by Miriam Margolyes. It is a fascinating journey through her life and that of her family.

Currently reading ‘The Keeper of Stories’ by Sally Page, and really enjoying it. Recently read ‘Last Night’ by Mhairi McFarlane - sad, funny, witty and clever!

Currently reading Diarmaid McCulloch’s excellent biography of Thomas Cromwell. Not to everyone’s taste, but I’m very interested in this period of our history. We are still living with the effects of those events.

I'm reading one of Ellie Griffith's books, The Postscript Murders. Not quite as riveting as I'd imagined. More cosy crime than exciting crime. It's not bad, though.

I've started re-reading Amanda Craig's books. I started with The Golden Rule last week which is quite entertaining and ultimately dramatic. Just finished The Lie of the Land which is more gripping, though I can't find much sympathy for the main female character.

Just started The Art Of Happiness - Epicurus. Not entirely what to expect as of yet but the opening chapters have been wonderfully insightful.

Appropriately I’m reading The Palace Papers by Tina Brown.
As with any royal biography, there is nothing really that we didn’t already know, but I am always fascinated by the Royal Family, especially the Queen, who I really like a lot.
I agree about The Essex Serpent, vastly overrated, didn’t enjoy it.

The Spy and the Traitor - Ben McIntyre (sp?)

About a third of the way through. Revelatory. Michael Foot - KGB informant???

You should start that thread Chocolatelovingran

I'd like a thread on "books I'd like to boil "!
I nominate Kazuo Ishiguro- The Unconsoled. Hours of my life I'll never get back....

I have just finished The Dictionary of Lost Words. Loved it.

I’m reading Stephen Fry’s take on Troy. I don’t care for Stephen Fry or his books (my grandson gave me this one to try) and this one is no exception. It is self indulgent, trivialising and has acres of totally unnecessary footnotes (mostly referring the reader back to Fry’s other books). I’ve read many excellent fictional books based on the Trojan wars. This is not one of them.

I've left books to stand for 30 minutes , 30 hours even! but have to admit have never added them to a pan to heat gently until all the sugar has dissolved, I'm thinking Barbara Cartland?? not that I've read any of hers, but she looked like the human version of candy floss. There has been the odd book I've wanted to boil though, The Lovely Bones and Time Traveller's Wife for example, possibly longer than three minutes if reducing to pulp

Thanks Alfred, here's hoping you don't burn the cakes, or jam

Next morning, add them to a pan and heat gently until the sugar is all dissolved.
Boil for three minutes and no more - no need to test for setting.
Leave to stand for 30 minutes.

Seeing a topic on another thread right now: to be "fed up with renovations of a neighbour's house" reminds me of a book I read this spring.

I found informative and at times humourous: "Open House: A Life in Thirty-Two Moves", by the author Jane Christmas.

Just from reading a few of the posts on the thread mentioned above put me in mind of the author's experience, from being the 'neighbour' doing the renovating.

Interesting how things are done, not at all enviable, but a good read.