Have you read any good books lately?

Thanks Greenfinch. I shall have a look. Suppose I hadn't seen it was because we go through the self checkouts.
CLASP is a great organisation

I've read lots of good books, all the time as I'm an avid reader
I recently discovered Kia Abdulla and have read two by her recently.
Those people next door.
Truth be told.
I hope to read her other books soon.

I like sci-fi, horror and crime genres as a whole. I try to buy from charity shops wherever possible and then donate the book back when I have finished it.
A question - why is it often the same books you see over and over again in charity shops, while nothing from certain writers? For example, one of my favourite authors is Stephen King, but I never see his books second-hand? Where do they go?

Does anyone read Persephone books? These are good quality, paperback reprints of books that have mostly been out out of print in the UK for several years. Their greatest find, in my opinion, are the books by Dorothy Whittle who was writing mainly between the wars. The rest of their catalogue is worth looking at too and they publish new titles regularly. They are quite expensive new but do crop up second hand occasionally.

Witzend

‘Keep The Aspidistra Flying’, by George Orwell - found it on the Kindle - for 49p. Incidentally there was a film version on Tv the other day.

I rarely buy new books, because I read so fast, it comes too expensive.
So it’s usually cheapies (inc. classics) on the Kindle, or from charity shops.
I recently found some Josephine Tey bargains on the Kindle, too.

The film version is so unlike the book. It's a sort of sentimental love story!

It was actually £280 they raised. I am impressed!

I've just read The Nightwatchman by Louise Erdich. It's based on a true story and set in the Indian reservations in the US, She's a member of the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa Indians and it's their story. Set in 1950s. Great writing, very moving but sometimes it makes you laugh. I want to read more of her stuff.

Hi Auntieflo,it is just behind the tills. You can either swap a book for one of your own or put a small donation in the tin for charity. I think they have recently raised about £180 for CLASP. I have had some good books from there.

Greenfinch. Now you have me intrigued. Where is Tesco's second hand book stall?

grandmattie who wrote the Librarian of Auschwitz ? Is it a novel or true story? I am into the Heather Morris Auschwitz books. I read Three Sisters on holiday and am about to start on The Tattooist of Auschwitz in preparation for watching it on Sky in May and I have also borrowed Cilka’s Story which is by Heather Morris too.

‘Keep The Aspidistra Flying’, by George Orwell - found it on the Kindle - for 49p. Incidentally there was a film version on Tv the other day.

I rarely buy new books, because I read so fast, it comes too expensive.
So it’s usually cheapies (inc. classics) on the Kindle, or from charity shops.
I recently found some Josephine Tey bargains on the Kindle, too.

Thank you for starting this thread.
The best book I have read recently was:

The Whalebone Theatre by Joanna Quinn

Since finishing it I’ve struggled to find anything quite as good

For a bit of light relief from history books I like short stories. I’m currently enjoying a collection written by Sylvia Townsend Warner called ‘Winter in the Air’, a gift from my daughter in law who enjoys her writing,

I'm reading a series of very enjoyable gentle books by Pamela Bell. They start in 1914 and the 1st world War.
Christmas at Emmerdale farm then followed by Spring at Emmerdale farm in 1918 at the end of the war.
As I don't watch the TV programme of the same name I don't know if they are connected. There are a total of 5 books in the series. I am passing them on to a friend who is also enjoying them.😊

I have just finished Girl On Fire by Tony Parsons and although it’s not what I would normally read I did enjoy it. His earlier books Man and Boy, Man and Wife etc were all good reads.

Now reading Motherwell by Deborah Orr but have mixed feelings about it.

I like a good browse in a bookshop to spark my interest in a new book, preferably a charity bookshop. Recently I've enjoyed Joanna Quinn's The Whalebone Theatre, Barbara Kingsolver's Demon Copperhead, Ann Patchett's Tom Lake. I usually like a fairly 'calm' read without too much happening too quickly as I can't stand books where it's all action and no character. I also like the occasional twisty psychological thriller, but often find they go a bit stale after an initial interesting set up at the start. (Eg. group of girls go missing in strange circumstances, no trace of them but an empty car at the side of the road...then it turns out it was all an accident / mix-up, not a huge mystery at all.) I love anything by Anne Tyler.

I also found The Librarian of Auschwitz a really interesting read, grandMattie.

I have just finished a library book “the librarian of auschwitz”. Not fun, but a very interesting read. It is based on the read life of a Czech girl Editha Adler who was imprisoned at about 10 and finally released at 16 at the end of WWII.
The other “Munich” by Robert Harris; excellent, terrific suspense about the 4 days leading up to the Munich agreement in September 1939.

Annie Proulx (Shipping News) I found a great read and she is a lovely writer.
On a lighter note the No 1 Ladies Detective Agency series of books have lovely characters and are lovely stories. (Alexander McCall Smith).
I love spy and detective stories so the whole of the John Le Carré works . All the Jack Reacher stories are enjoyable.

DH gave me Tick Tock by Simon Mayo to read. I thoroughly enjoyed it.

Thanks Sparky. And thank you to everyone else who has shared suggestions for further reading so far, I have already been able to make a list of interesting books to read next. I have just finished reading 'This much is true' by Miriam Margolyes, which I enjoyed but I hesitate to recommend unreservedly as it a little overlong and contains a great deal of bottom and sexual references which, in my opinion do not add much. However, there is a great deal of fascinating insight into the world of professional acting and Miriam does not pull her punches and is refreshingly frank about who she likes and dislikes. What finally sold it to me, were the photos and the index both of which I think are essential, but not always present, in a biography or autobiography.

I am reading Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver just now. It's basically a retelling of David Copperfield and I am really enjoying it.

Bumface Why not look at the 50 Book Challenge Thread under Books as we all mention books we've enjoyed and quite a few of us give a brief synopsis. If we haven't enjoyed a book, we say why not. You might get some good ideas.

I don’t seem to have the time to read at all these days. I think my last books were September whilst on holiday, when I’d read one a day while sunbathing - obviously nothing too complex - just detective/crime type stuff.

Currently reading E.P.Thompson's The Making of the English Working Class, which is fascinating. Also The Hidden Life of Trees by Peter Wohlleben. I can knit (socks at the moment) at the same time as reading that one. I prop it up on a table in front of me.