What books are you reading and why?

Hi I'm new to gransnet. I love to read as you can see by my user name. I've just finished reading a book by Amanda Prowse called A Mothers love. It's to do with post natal depression. I really enjoyed it and would recommend it also one called Just Once by Lori Handel and is also very good.

Roses

I love reading family sagas like the ones Rosamund Pilcher wrote
Can anyone suggest any others please, not historical as I don't like them
Thanks

Have you read the Cazalet novels by Elizabeth Jane Howard? They’re set from just before WW2 onwards.

For books set in Cornwall, there’s Poldark, of course. Tim Pears’ West Country Trilogy is set in both Devon & Cornwall. Some of Daphne du Maurier’s are Cornwall-set, too.

Milliemabel, condolences on the loss of your dad. What a lovely way to share your last hours with him, reading aloud. I hope that, at some level, it will have been comforting to him.

Applegran if you enjoyed War and Peace read Anna Karenena. I skipped the last few chapters of War and Peace too as found his philosophy sermons too heavy!

I am a member of a Facebook group the heading of which is-undervalued British women novelists 1930 1960

I have discovered Persephone book publishers from that group and have read some amazing books I got sent a catalogue recently which was interesting, the have a brief description of the book.

From that Facebook group too a book called the hour before dawn by Celia fremlin was mentioned, so I am reading that at the moment.

(So many books, so little time!).

Kim19 I'm a fan of Alexander McCall Smith. Have read nearly all his books. I particularly liked his No.1 Ladies Detective Agency series. As you say, full of human kindness just what we can reflect on in these surreal times,

I love Jane Austen! But it took me a while to discover how great George Elliot is and also Elizabeth Gaskell. If you love Jane, its well worth trying Wives and Daughters by Elizabeth Gaskell - its brilliant! She also wrote North and South, and other great books.

I’m reading Finding Freedom the biography about Harry and Meghan. It’s intriguing how they maintain that they didn’t have a hand in writing it, but reading it some of the inside information could have only come from them, if it didn’t there is definitely grounds for a libel case.

Thanks so much Roses. ?

Just about to start Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens.

Almost at the end of Educated by Tara Westover. It's been a bit of a chore and I would normally give up on something I can easily put down but I'm nearly there now.

I decided lockdown was at last the time to read War and Peace - downloaded it on to my Kindle and have just finished it. Wonderful - as everyone says! I've left it rather late to read it. In the end I skipped Tolstoy's long thoughts on the nature of history, and war,
but the story is really worth getting into. I miss it now I've finished and found at first ~I didn't want to read any other fiction so am reading a great new book called "Human Kind" - fascinating! Undoes lots of things I and others have believed. And easy to read too.
www.waterstones.com/book/humankind/rutger-bregman/9781408898932

hicaz46 I’m about halfway through Troubled Blood after reading Thursday Murder Club too! I think Richard Osman will develop the characters a little more in the second book. A nice gentle story.
Troubled Blood weighs 1.5 kilo/ 3lbs in old money! It’s an effort to lift it with arthritic hands but I couldn’t wait for the paperback or ebook! Managed to order from library before lockdown.
“And then there were none” ( wasn’t called that when i read it 50+ years ago!) was the first murder mystery I ever read!

* disabled by polio

I am reading The Next Bend In The Road by Diana Orrantia -Marshall .

The autobiography of a Mexican lady severely disabled by disabled. She courageously overcame many obstacles but managed to make an amazing success of her life.

Recommended by a friend with polio.

I am reading 'Nemesis' by Agatha Christie. Had never read any of hers before Covid, and my daughter recommended them as light reading in between my book club books. Am gradually working my way through her whole works! They are unputdownable, and light reading compared to our book club reading.

Just finished 'The Dutch House' by Anne Patchett for book club, a tale of a Philadelphia family from about 1950 to the 2000s, in which the main character appears to be the eponymous Dutch House. I thoroughly enjoyed it.

Joesoap

Please can anyone recommend books specifically about Cornwall.

The Salt Path by Raynor Winn is a true story and very moving.

Nankate
Me before you
Ship of Brides
One plus one

I recently finished ‘The Giver of Stars’ by Jojo Moyes. I would never normally choose a book like this, but it went beyond my expectations and I could hardly put it down. I have seen both good and bad reviews by other GN readers of her books, but can’t find them now. Can anyone recommend one of hers they really liked please ?

Lancaster by John Nicol

I love reading family sagas like the ones Rosamund Pilcher wrote
Can anyone suggest any others please, not historical as I don't like them
Thanks

MM I read this a while ago. It was enjoyable, but dragged out to the last drop.

I have just read for the second time"Rathcormick" by Homer Potterton. It is about the author growing up in rural Ireland in a big loving warm hearted family. It is funny,sad and relatable to people like me of a similar age to the author.
I have loaned it to several friends and they said it was their favourite book of all during lock down.
It takes you to a different place while staying at home!

I’m not reading fiction at the moment, my next novel will be Vita Sackville West’s Heritage, I love her work. Currently reading The Ballad of Dorothy Wordsworth, wonderfully written, about the VERY close relationship between Dorothy and her brother.
For light relief, my guilty pleasure: By Royal Invitation, At Home with the Royal Family (1988) a very detailed account of the day to day (strange) life of the royals. Yes, Prince Philip’s toothpaste is squeezed on to his brush by the valet! The royals are my only soap opera, I’m paying, so expect some entertainment ?

My Bookgroup are zooming, but I don’t fancy that at the moment. I have car books too, the letters of Colette and David Sedaris.

I’m reading The Ministry of Utmost Happiness by Arundhati Roy. It’s been on my book pile for several years, I Loved The God of Small Things and hope this is as good. If you want some light historical fiction you might want to try Rachel Rhys’s books; set in the late 30s through to the 50s, pleasant lockdown reading.

I read that first when I did Chaucer at A Level English and the teacher said it would give us a good feel for the background..think i enjoyed this more than Chaucer..have read it a few times since!.