Someone asked today if there is a book club, so I thought I'd try starting one. Not the usual type of club where everyone reads the same book - I thought we could write a synopsis of a book we've recently read, to give each other ideas for new books to read.
I have a Kindle subscription, so all of mine will be available on there for people who also subscribe.
Im presently reading D.J.Enright’s Under The Circumstances (1991 pub. Oxford Poets). It is a mix of poetry and prose and Im thoroughly enjoying it so far. He is accessible yet clever at the same time, in this volume the pages I have seen so far are challenging “groupthink” and the rewriting of (revisionism) of history. This latter point is something I feel strongly about (ie we shouldn’t do this and it is Orwellian) so it is good to read a writer coming from my own point of view. The book is long out of print, I found it second hand on Abe Books online.
This is his introductory paragraph in Wikipedia
Dennis Joseph Enright OBE FRSL (11 March 1920 – 31 December 2002) was a British academic, poet, novelist and critic.[1] He authored the novel Academic Year (1955), an autobiography, Memoirs of a Mendicant Professor (1969), and a wide range of essays, reviews, anthologies, children's books and poems.[2]
dependably soothing and irreplacebly generous atmosphere exactly as I'd always found it from childhood up to and including he last time I'd been there. Also, as great way to affordably try and up one's reading quotient. For someone who loves books,
Yes, a wonderful time-served service which ought to be widely recognised and better funded. I spent a great deal of time in libraries as a child, which staved off loneliness and introduced me to many subjects I would otherwise never have heard about, let alone enjoyed - like mythology and poetry.
This reminds me to give libraries in general a shout-out. After years of dormancy in using public libraries (though I work in an academic one), I recently stepped back through the doors to find the dependably soothing and irreplacebly generous atmosphere exactly as I'd always found it from childhood up to and including he last time I'd been there. Also, as great way to affordably try and up one's reading quotient. For someone who loves books, I don't get to or through them fast enough, and a ticking clock on a loan helps a little with discipline there!
Great idea for a thread. The most recent fiction book (I mostly read non-fiction these days but that could change) I completed was 'Strange Pictures' by Uketsu. It's translated from Japanese, and I found its format a very compelling one. Basically the book is made up of four mysteries, where a picture, or series of pictures is actually given to you among the text on the printed page (so I doubt they could ever do this as an audiobook? Not sure, maybe highly detailed descriptions could make it work for the patient - maybe autistic levels of patience!- listener), which are in their own way self contained... and yet also connect in an ingenious way. I wasn't quite clever enough to work out the complete solutions before they arrived, but had deduced fractal elements of that... which was pleasing enough in itself. It also gives you a rewarding sense that you're learning the 'what to spot' skills as you go, slowly building your skill levels while you try to work things out alongside the protagonists' attempts at doing the same. Though the eaxact nature of the 'game' shifts just enough each time to mean that you never get *too* good at it. Well, I didn't.
There is death involved (and a couple of murders) and it is very fleetingly graphic a few times so that you get a sense of the stakes and need for justice... but don't let that put you off if (like me) you're somewhat squaeamish, as the main tone is often light, even regularly humorous, and some of the protagonists are just good people with a social conscience and desire to make things right. The writing is very simple, plain-speaking rather than flowery (nothing wrong with the latter), pretty conversational all in all.
Maybe that's a popular modern Japanese style, as it felt strongly reminiscent in the elegance/simplicity balance that was effortlessly present in 'Convenience Store Woman' (different writer, and a book I read a couple of years back). Incidentally, the main character in that is almost certainly autistic, though that is never explicitly stated, she's just strongly coded that way and clearly intentionally so. I liked it. Oh, and similar thing with 'Before the Coffee Gets Cold' (which my fiancee introduced me to)... which also has that free and easy style in the telling to some extent, even as it casually lays out some extroardinary things tucked away among the everyday...
Strange Pictures is one in a series (Strange Houses, Strange Buildings etc.) - thematically linked rather than a matter of retained characters as far as I know. So I'm going to read the others too, if spared.
Anyway... recommended. :-)
I finally finished the book I had just started when the thread was created (it being fairly large and not having a lot of reading time), it was the close of the first phase of the Stormlight archive by Brandon Sanderson. (He's planned it as a grand epic of 10, split into two sections).
Though I'd read the other 4 in the series, it had been a while since the last one, and picking up the 5th installment I suddenly realised one of the characters is autistic (I didn't know about autism when I read the others, and looked it up and yes the author confirmed it as cannon). A lot fo the characters have mental health issues, but in the last book they were dealt with in a bit of a heavy handed way.
On the whole though, it wasn't the 'end' to the set I was hoping for, as the last books in the set especially seemed less about what makes a good story and more setting up the next set of books.
I always liked the different worlds Sanderson created in his books, they all felt like a different substance and colour, but now he's doing stuff to link them all together now, and when you mix lots of colours together, it's not a rainbow, but murky paint water. Maybe that's me and being autistic, but I don't like when different stories and 'magic systems' get all folded in together. I prefer them seperate, so not sure if I want to read the later books he plans. I'd still reccommend the start of the series though (the first 3 are brilliant).
Finished 'the one dollar horse' by Lauren St John - it's a trilogy and I'm into the second book
Not too spoil anything it in but the bases is it follows a girl who's dad buys a horse for one dollar and her dream I if bring in badminton and other races after that
I recommended if you like horses
Ive recently read and loved this book too!!
I do understand what you mean about the pleasure of a book in hand. Im reading ok now but have had bleak spells when it has depressingly impossible. A way I found to work my way back to reading novels and biograpies was to chose a book of short stories by an author I enjoy.
Some examples of famous authors who have also published short story collections include: D H Lawrence, Graham Greene, or more recently Ian Rankin, Ruth Rendell. I also found books of essays a good way to read short pieces by great writers. One of the 20C’s best essay writers was Joan Didion, Hilary Mantel has also published books of essays and stories, Virginia Woolf can be hard going but as well as her famous novels there are several volumes of essays and reviews. Or simply just good quality magazines depending on your tastes often have short prose pieces.
Best wishes
Alice
Thank you Dormouse, this booksounds really helpful and I will check it out, I am sure I could benefit from it 
Tomorrow evening;
I have set aside some time to read some of:
"Mindful Soldier" by Ash Alexander Cooper.
"Written by former soldier Ash Alexander-Cooper OBE and world-renowned trauma specialist Dr Jessica K. Miller, this dynamic book offers practical skills and techniques to help readers tackle trauma, build resilience and overcome life's toughest obstacles - personal and professional - with confidence.
Overcoming childhood trauma, embracing uncertainty, relationship breakdowns, self-doubt, recovering from failure - these topics and more are covered with real insight, plus practical exercises to help build resilience.
Drawing on first-hand experiences and cutting-edge research, Mindful Soldier is a must-read for anyone seeking to adapt, learn and thrive in the face of adversity."
'An essential and inspirational guide to surviving and thriving, whatever life throws at you.' - Bear Grylls
'A remarkable book - wise, painfully open, honest and very thoughtful' - Rory Stewart
'A powerful reminder that resilience and vulnerability aren't opposites, but companions, shedding light on what it truly means to endure, heal and lead by positive example.' - Levison Wood
Currently available in:
Paperback scheduled to be released on 7 January 2027.
(As can be seen in the Kindle read sample, all the Author's profits are being donated to two veterans' charities (which "provide mental and physical support to those most in need as a result of their service").
Review: Bi-monthly Pocket Colouring Book relax with art
Paper Quality: Biggest issue. Very thin and cheap-feeling. Alcohol markers bleed through instantly and even pencils don’t lay down smoothly. Had to put spare paper behind every page. Used colouring pencils.
Binding: Pages come loose from the spine during use. Makes it hard to finish illustrations and ruins the “pocket book” portability.
Illustrations: Inconsistent and generic. Lacks the curation you’d expect from a paid product. Some pages felt like filler.
Value: £4 for 24 images / £5 for 48 images. Doesn’t feel worth it given the physical quality. Other subscribers mention the same binding and paper problems.
*Verdict:*
Recommend: No
Good value for money: No
Would buy again: No
Alternative: Coco Wyo Colouring Books
Style:Known for “cozy” and accessible art. Simple, bold linework designed for relaxing, low-stress colouring. Great for adults wanting quick projects or beginners intimidated by intricate designs.
Pros:
Beginner-friendly: Non-intimidating, easy to complete.
Simple & bold designs:No complex techniques needed.
High-resolution illustrations: Clean lines give a polished finish.
Theme variety: “Spooky Cutie”, “Glow Cosmetics”, “Into Gardens”, etc.
Affordable: Usually 45+ hand-drawn pages for a low price.
Media versatility: Standard 80gsm paper, but many use alcohol markers, water-based markers, and gel pens successfully with a blotter sheet behind
Caution: Avoid Amazon/Temu — lots of fake copies circulating. Buy direct or from trusted retailers.
I enjoyed that one
Im now reading Vita Sackville-West’s ALL PASSION SPENT. It is about an elderly aristocratic lady who confounds her family after her husband of high rank in late colonial times dies. She refuses all their offers if “help”, gives away her jewels, refuses to live in luxury and instead goes to a rented house in Highgate, telling her family not to visit her.
At its core it is a positive alternative to the negative and depressing vision of aging which I for one had been experiencing. Im about ¾ through, the prose is of the highest quality, clearly printed in this the first edition, and is helping me to see hope for my remaining years as I had been allowing myself to sink into despondency. Its only a small part of turning my life around but for its very definitely the right book at the right time.
Vita S-W is famous as Virginia Woolf’s friend and lover, but she was a great writer in her own right, poetry and novels, and latterly a very gifted gardener. Her house at Sissinghurst in Kent is I think a National Trust property where you can learn all about her and her husband plus walk in her incredible gardens
Alice
I've just read The Nightingale by Kristen Hannah. Whilst the book and characters are fiction, it is based on real things that happened in France during ww2. I really enjoyed it and couldn't stop reading. It is about 2 sisters. 1 law abiding and 1 not so much. The second sister is desperate to help the war effort and doesn't like France's stance of complying with the Germans whilst the other sister thinks they should do what they are told. It then shows the different ways your average person went above and beyond in the war focussing on things like rescuing Jewish children and helping allied airmen escape. Part of it is based on Andrée de Jongh who was a real person that helped lots of airmen escape of the Pyrenees. Just unbelievable what people found the strength to do. One of the big messages from the book was how underestimated women were, to the point that the Germans disregarded them for a large portion of the war because they didn't think they were capable of doing anything that could hinder them. I highly recommend this book.
Reading baby city by Frieda McFadden and Kelly Stoddard, not got far in but going to try reading more chapters tonight
I just got an advert for a new book called 'this is not the diary of Izzy Dobson'. It's in the style of the diary of a wimpy kid books, but it's about a tween girl who has undiagnosed autism and ADHD.
It looks like good fun (and hopefully good representation) so I might give it a read, even though it's really aimed at kids!
Currently Reading 'Brain Damage' by Frieda McFadden!
Half way through
I have audible which helps but I'm very much traditional with books. Love a good book in hand and just nothing else but the story to escape to. I feel audible books can make me kind of still grounded in reality whereas a book feels like you can shut off everything around you.
Apparently folk from a big steel making town in north Lincolnshire have horrendous problems!
