I finished reading 'In stitches' by Dr Nick Edwards over the weekend and all engrossing it was too. It just shows how people misuse the emergency services as well as showing the heroic work the staff of an A & E near you do. Needs to be read as an antidote to politicians pontificating about how much they've done for the NHS and programmes like'Casualty'. It's written in blog type format and started off life as a blog, so it's easy to read but it doesn't undermine the serious points the author is trying to make. The most important of which is the unintended consequences of arbitrary targets - for example the time limit which means that more people are admitted than is medically necessary to stop the department breaching its four hour target of either admitting or discharging people. I recommend it as necessary reading to see the NHS from the point of view of the people who work in it.
Looking back at previous posts, I have now finished 'Dark Hearts of Chicago' and recommend it to anyone who likes historical novels with a well researched background.
I have also read over the last week or so: Sally Nicoll's 'Bets and the City' about what happened when a novice decides to take up spreadbetting on the financial markets - think Nick Leeson on a smaller scale. I put myself off the idea for life! This is not for me.
I like Catherine Fox's writing - her latest is 'Fight the Good Fight' about how a clergyman's wife in her forties got to grips with Judo. Her style is always humorous but she has some profound observations to make about life in general and about her life as a vicar's wife.
I'm currently reading chick-lit in the shape of Carole Matthews' 'The Chocolate Lover's Club.' It prompted me to search the internet for quality chocolates. They all sound totally drool worthy but the prices are completely OTT - £45 for a box of chocolates?? Not even a big box at that. I'll stick to Thorntons or Green & Black or even my local Lidl who do some very good chocolate at a very low price - 3 longish sticks of 36%, 55% or 80% cocao solids - very moreish without breaking the bank.
I have succumbed in recent weeks to the power of internet grocery shopping. Much though I dislike Tesco I now place an internet order about every three weeks. It saves me so much energy not to speak of diesel and aggro and time that I came to the conclusion it was worth it. I only did it the first time because I was feeling very unwell - a trip in the middle of the night to casualty had rather knocked me for six. I'd nearly passed out and wasn't feeling any better half an hour later. I could not have wished for better treatment - this was 2.00am on a Tuesday morning, so I did not have to wait - blood pressure ecg etc did not reveal anything major except blood pressure slightly too low. My GP suggested a few hours later - I'd been recommended to go as soon as I could - that I might have a virus. I presume that meant he hadn't got a clue and thought I'd recover on my own - which I duly did. But I did feel very shaky for several days afterwards - hence my conversion to internet shopping. I could not fault the treatment I received at the hands of the A & E staff at the Boston Pilgrim Hospital so a big thank you to them. That's UK not USA.
Back to the reading - I still have the latest Harry Potter unread on the pile. I'm not sure why. I'm sure I'll get around to it eventually.
Back to work tomorrow. I know I'm getting ready for retirement when I start thinking that provided I manage to retire at 60 there's only 4 more August Bank Holidays before the happy day. Roll on retirement!
Monday, 27 August 2007
Sunday, 22 July 2007
Not read Harry Potter yet
But it arrived yesterday by post from Amazon. I have cheated and looked at the final page. I shall read it in full but I have other books to read at the moment.
Currently reading 'Miss Mapp' by E F Benson. This is the fifth one of the Mapp and Lucia books that I've read. I've been reading them out of order but it doesn't spoil the delicious social comedy. I recommend these to anyone who loves a comedy of manners or anyone who is trying to write one. They are as fresh as the day they were first published in the 1920s and 1930s. A favourite of Noel Coward.
I did finish 'Season of the Witch' by Natsha Mostert and was thoroughly unnerved by it. An excellent book.
I'm also reading 'Dark Hearts of Chicago' by William Horwood and Helen Rappaport. Very good and absolutely marvellous historically as you might expect. It shows the seamy side of Chicago at the height of the World Fair in 1893 in complete contrast to the glamour of the fair itself. This was a society in the melting pot, with a mixture of races and creeds and the emerging women's movement not to speak of the barbaric treatment of anyone with the faintest hint of mental illness.
I have started writing again after a long break and have written a couple of letters to magazines and a book review. I will report on here if I have any success. So far - fingers crossed - every letter I have sent in has been published. About 20 in all. So I must be doing something right if you put that together with the one short story I've had published and a short story that got to the final judging in a competition.
Off to EBay now where I'm bidding on a couple of Jill Churchills. I haven't read the Tim Pears yet but it's getting near the top of the reading pile.
Currently reading 'Miss Mapp' by E F Benson. This is the fifth one of the Mapp and Lucia books that I've read. I've been reading them out of order but it doesn't spoil the delicious social comedy. I recommend these to anyone who loves a comedy of manners or anyone who is trying to write one. They are as fresh as the day they were first published in the 1920s and 1930s. A favourite of Noel Coward.
I did finish 'Season of the Witch' by Natsha Mostert and was thoroughly unnerved by it. An excellent book.
I'm also reading 'Dark Hearts of Chicago' by William Horwood and Helen Rappaport. Very good and absolutely marvellous historically as you might expect. It shows the seamy side of Chicago at the height of the World Fair in 1893 in complete contrast to the glamour of the fair itself. This was a society in the melting pot, with a mixture of races and creeds and the emerging women's movement not to speak of the barbaric treatment of anyone with the faintest hint of mental illness.
I have started writing again after a long break and have written a couple of letters to magazines and a book review. I will report on here if I have any success. So far - fingers crossed - every letter I have sent in has been published. About 20 in all. So I must be doing something right if you put that together with the one short story I've had published and a short story that got to the final judging in a competition.
Off to EBay now where I'm bidding on a couple of Jill Churchills. I haven't read the Tim Pears yet but it's getting near the top of the reading pile.
Monday, 21 May 2007
Season of the Witch
I am reading 'Season of the Witch' by Natasha Mostert. The gothic horror novel par excellence. It's scaring me rigid and I'm really not sure whether I'll read it all word for word. Two sisters and a mysterious house and the art of memory - think Giordano Bruno, Frances Yates and Hermes Trismagistus - not sure whether I got the spelling quite right here. What could be more terrifying than someone taking over your mind? If you put the two sisters and the house together with a 30 something man who is arrogant and confident he can out do anyone in the computer hacking field, as well as being an expert remote viewer - a mind reader - and you have the recipe for disaster.
Gabriel Blackstone is asked by a former lover to find out what happened to her step son who has disappeared. Naturally after initial relutance, he takes on the challenge and comes very close to losing his sanity and his life in the process. But I won't spoil it for you - do read it if you're at all interested in a more sophisticated horror story. It is well written and the characters are believable, and it could just happen. Who knows but this might not be the warfare of the future?
On a lighter note - I have just discovered Jill Churchill - American crime writer. Amusing, light, easy to read - fluff if you like. But every one needs the fluff occasionally.
Gabriel Blackstone is asked by a former lover to find out what happened to her step son who has disappeared. Naturally after initial relutance, he takes on the challenge and comes very close to losing his sanity and his life in the process. But I won't spoil it for you - do read it if you're at all interested in a more sophisticated horror story. It is well written and the characters are believable, and it could just happen. Who knows but this might not be the warfare of the future?
On a lighter note - I have just discovered Jill Churchill - American crime writer. Amusing, light, easy to read - fluff if you like. But every one needs the fluff occasionally.
Saturday, 5 May 2007
On Chesil beach
I have just finished Ian McEwan's 'On Chesil Beach' virtually at one sitting - it is a short book, only just over 160 pages, but well worth reading. It is a masterly piece of fiction with not a cliche to be seen. Every word is made to count and is perfectly in context. If this isn't at least on the Booker long list I shall be surprised and it is in my opinion a worthy winner. 'On Chesil Beach' makes you realise how you can effect the whole course of your life, and other people's, by not saying or doing something at a particular moment. Edward and Florence are all too memorable characters. I loved this book.
Politics and books
I'm usually quite disinterested in local elections but this week's was an absolute gem of the English political scene and brought joy to my heart. I live near Boston in Lincolnshire and councillors for our area sit on the Boston Borough Council. For years Boston has needed a bypass - a proper bypass that is. Currently the A16 goes through the middle of it and there is gridlock every day of the week. Finally we had lots candidates standing as Boston Bypass Independent - with many of them having defected from the main political parties. What happened? They got overall control of the council at the first attempt! This is an absolute triumph for democracy in my opinion - it could only happen in the UK. What their chances of success are is anyone's guess but their going to have a go - and more power to their elbow is all I can say.
Books - I've just finished Nigel Slater's 'Toast' - and very good it was too. Growing up in the 50s and 60s. I remember how fruit cocktail and tinned peaches were a treat for high days and holidays, when choc ices came in silver foil, how the only pre-prepared meals you could get were fish fingers. Whatever happened to Surprise peas? Those little shrivelled green blobs that looked like something you'd throw out rather than eat but tasted delicious after they'd been boiled. And what about Ruffle bars? I also remember coffee crisps - what happened to them? I totally agree with his comment that there's no such thing as a bad crumble!! Thoroughly recommend it for the memories it brings back for anyone growing up in that era. His 'Kitchen Diaries' are very much cookery and food as porn -love it!
I have just bought Tim Pears' 'Blenheim Orchard' and Ian McEwan's 'On Chesil Beach' - thought I'd do some literary reading for a change. I will report back on both of these in due course. I also have William Horwood's 'Dark Hearts of Chicago' to attack as well - but that is going to take a concerted effort as it is rather large, then of course there's Michel Faber's 'The Crimson Petal and the White - another large book, not to speak of Umberto Eco's 'The Name of the Rose'. Somehow I find myself not always keen to start on a large book - unless it is by a favourite author, but I'm sure I'll get there in the end. I've also ordered one of the Mapp and Lucia books by E E Benson. They seem to keep coming onto my radar and are obviously trying to tell me something.
Have also been reading some so called chick lit - Rosy Thornton's 'More than Love Letters' - it makes a change to find a book set in anywhere other than London - this one's set in Ipswich and consists of letters and e-mails with no other narrative. The novel of letters brought up to date. It's still a good format which shows the eighteenth century novelists knew what they were doing. I recommend it for light reading.
I shall sign off as I have bank statements to check, breakfast to eat and a cake to make - and a long weekend to enjoy - no work until Wednesday.
Books - I've just finished Nigel Slater's 'Toast' - and very good it was too. Growing up in the 50s and 60s. I remember how fruit cocktail and tinned peaches were a treat for high days and holidays, when choc ices came in silver foil, how the only pre-prepared meals you could get were fish fingers. Whatever happened to Surprise peas? Those little shrivelled green blobs that looked like something you'd throw out rather than eat but tasted delicious after they'd been boiled. And what about Ruffle bars? I also remember coffee crisps - what happened to them? I totally agree with his comment that there's no such thing as a bad crumble!! Thoroughly recommend it for the memories it brings back for anyone growing up in that era. His 'Kitchen Diaries' are very much cookery and food as porn -love it!
I have just bought Tim Pears' 'Blenheim Orchard' and Ian McEwan's 'On Chesil Beach' - thought I'd do some literary reading for a change. I will report back on both of these in due course. I also have William Horwood's 'Dark Hearts of Chicago' to attack as well - but that is going to take a concerted effort as it is rather large, then of course there's Michel Faber's 'The Crimson Petal and the White - another large book, not to speak of Umberto Eco's 'The Name of the Rose'. Somehow I find myself not always keen to start on a large book - unless it is by a favourite author, but I'm sure I'll get there in the end. I've also ordered one of the Mapp and Lucia books by E E Benson. They seem to keep coming onto my radar and are obviously trying to tell me something.
Have also been reading some so called chick lit - Rosy Thornton's 'More than Love Letters' - it makes a change to find a book set in anywhere other than London - this one's set in Ipswich and consists of letters and e-mails with no other narrative. The novel of letters brought up to date. It's still a good format which shows the eighteenth century novelists knew what they were doing. I recommend it for light reading.
I shall sign off as I have bank statements to check, breakfast to eat and a cake to make - and a long weekend to enjoy - no work until Wednesday.
Saturday, 14 April 2007
Money saving and Donna Leon
I was recently incensed to discover that if you order new books way in advance of publication date from Amazon you may well end up paying more than if you order close to or after publication. I am prone to order books by favourite authors as soon as they are listed. Now I shall just add them to my wish list and review that regularly so that I pay the lowest price possible. I have recently reviewed all my pre-publication orders and cancelled them where the price shown on the site is now less. Grhh!! But glad I spotted it.
For most books I will look on Amazon second hand listings and on EBay before I commit to buying new in any case. I keep a fairly tight rein on my book collection these days and only retain what I know I will want to read again. Anything else gets read and sold on Amazon or Ebay.
I'm very much into second hand stuff at the moment and I can't remember the last time I bought new clothes from a conventional shop. Even cheap prices strike me as expensive. I was conducting an interview this week and needed to look smart so I wore a black jacket I bought last year and had not worn. £10 on Ebay - if bought in a shop would have cost probably about £90 - and it was new!! It was an Elvi jacket and those of my readers who are familiar with clothes for 'traditionally built ladies' in Alexander McCall Smith's immortal phrase, will know how good their quality is and how expensive they are. In fact my whole outfit on that day cost less than my shoulder bag - which was expensive and was a Christmas present!
Donna Leon - I have just read her latest Brunetti novel - 'Suffer the little children'. Excellent as always though not perhaps up to the standard of 'Through a Glass Darkly'. A convoluted story offering several ethical dilemmas for Brunetti. This time, topically, illegal adoptions. If you have not read Donna Leon then I would thoroughly recommend her for complex characters and motives and the never less than honourable Brunetti himself and his firebrand wife Paola who we don't see enough of. Satisfying well written crime novels with violence only where it is necessary to the story. Love them.
Have just got hold of 'Dark hearts of Chicago' by William Horwood - I saw it reviewed on Dove Grey reader's blog - link above - and it seems like 'a good thing'. I will report when I have read it. Currently reading the never less than trenchant Theodore Dalrymple's 'Romancing Opiates' a polemic against the medicalisation of drug addiction. He's demolished for ever my lurid ideas of withrdawal symptoms - they only last about 3 days and are nothing like we're led to believe. I was fascinated by his quotes from Thomas De Quincy's 'Confessions of an English Opium Eater'. De Quincy apparently used Opium on a very occasional basis for 20 years before becoming an addict. More anon when I've digested it - if that's the right word to use?
For most books I will look on Amazon second hand listings and on EBay before I commit to buying new in any case. I keep a fairly tight rein on my book collection these days and only retain what I know I will want to read again. Anything else gets read and sold on Amazon or Ebay.
I'm very much into second hand stuff at the moment and I can't remember the last time I bought new clothes from a conventional shop. Even cheap prices strike me as expensive. I was conducting an interview this week and needed to look smart so I wore a black jacket I bought last year and had not worn. £10 on Ebay - if bought in a shop would have cost probably about £90 - and it was new!! It was an Elvi jacket and those of my readers who are familiar with clothes for 'traditionally built ladies' in Alexander McCall Smith's immortal phrase, will know how good their quality is and how expensive they are. In fact my whole outfit on that day cost less than my shoulder bag - which was expensive and was a Christmas present!
Donna Leon - I have just read her latest Brunetti novel - 'Suffer the little children'. Excellent as always though not perhaps up to the standard of 'Through a Glass Darkly'. A convoluted story offering several ethical dilemmas for Brunetti. This time, topically, illegal adoptions. If you have not read Donna Leon then I would thoroughly recommend her for complex characters and motives and the never less than honourable Brunetti himself and his firebrand wife Paola who we don't see enough of. Satisfying well written crime novels with violence only where it is necessary to the story. Love them.
Have just got hold of 'Dark hearts of Chicago' by William Horwood - I saw it reviewed on Dove Grey reader's blog - link above - and it seems like 'a good thing'. I will report when I have read it. Currently reading the never less than trenchant Theodore Dalrymple's 'Romancing Opiates' a polemic against the medicalisation of drug addiction. He's demolished for ever my lurid ideas of withrdawal symptoms - they only last about 3 days and are nothing like we're led to believe. I was fascinated by his quotes from Thomas De Quincy's 'Confessions of an English Opium Eater'. De Quincy apparently used Opium on a very occasional basis for 20 years before becoming an addict. More anon when I've digested it - if that's the right word to use?
Monday, 9 April 2007
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