Just finished Reading (2016)

[Jason]

I think I have already read my book of 2016. The Year of the Badgers gonna be tough to find a better book this year.

[Cindy]

I just finished reading Stoner by John Williams, and I really liked it. The description of the story--a Missouri man from a poor farming family becomes a scholar at the beginning of the 20th century--sounds pretty dry, but the author develops his characters beautifully. While it doesn't have an exciting plot, it is a tale that is well-told.

[Richard]

Paul wrote: "I have the The Penguin Lessons to read from the Library Danielle. Will avoid the other that you mention then!

I have never heard of Penelope Fitzgerald Richard. What ..."

You could start almost anywhere with Penelope Fitzgerald, I think all her work is compelling. My favourite is probably The Beginning of Spring. It's set in pre-revolutionary Russia and is one of her later historical novels. But also love two which are based much more on her own life - The Bookshop and Offshore. She's an unflashy novelist, but has a kind of quiet brilliance. A lot going on in what could be seen as quite small stories.

[Richard]

Cindy wrote: "I just finished reading Stoner by John Williams, and I really liked it. The description of the story--a Missouri man from a poor farming family becomes a scholar at the beginning of the 20th centur..."

I loved Stoner, Cindy. Glad you enjoyed it too. Such a wonderful book. Heartbreaking, but I never felt depressed by it.

[Richard]

I've finished two books in the last week - the impressive The Days of Abandonment by Elena Ferrante - four star review here: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show..., and the not so impressive Clear: A Transparent Novel by Nicola Barker. Three stars at best: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

I am trying to read books written by women in January, to get towards a relatively gender-balanced 2016 reading list. Didn't do too badly in 2015, (although it wasn't 50-50) but was surprised in previous years just how many more male authors I'd read than female.

Is anyone else conscious of trying to read a balance of male and female authors?

[Tytti]

Cindy wrote: "I just finished reading Stoner by John Williams, and I really liked it. The description of the story--a Missouri man from a poor farming family becomes a scholar at the beginning of the 20th centur..."

It was just last year translated to Finnish and the Finnish book bloggers voted it as the best translated fictional book of the year. It's not really an official prize or anything but still...

[Tracey]

Here is a review by Tracey: http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...

[Tytti]

Richard wrote: "Is anyone else conscious of trying to read a balance of male and female authors?"

Not really, though I have a tag for it in my blog (at the moment 32/23 for men). I don't think it's a big problem for me, though there are some male authors from whom I will probably read many books, especially among classics, and that might make a big difference, since I have already read most of Agatha Christie's books as a child and so on. Luckily in Finland it's about half and half when it comes to male and female authors, so there is a lot to choose from. Though I have to admit that my interests in general are more "male", I have been mistaken as a man many times, and I can't really choose who writes non-fiction about subjects I am interested in.

[Tytti]

I finally finished The Cloven Viscount over the weekend. I had mixed feelings about the book, my shortish review here https://www.goodreads.com/review/show....

I mean I understand why people like it, it's well written and funny and all that, but I figured out the plot from the beginning and that made it boring to me. It was in no way surprising to me. All time I was like, "yes, I get it, let's move on to the next part of the story".

[Jackie]

Finished reading Crippen: A Novel of Murder by John Boyne. Gave it 5 stars. It's the third book I've read by this author and imo he definitely has the knack of telling a great story.

[Cindy]

Richard wrote: "Cindy wrote: "I just finished reading Stoner by John Williams, and I really liked it. The description of the story--a Missouri man from a poor farming family becomes a scholar at the beginning of t..."

I agree with you, Richard. I didn't find it depressing either, but it was tragic in many ways.

[Marina]

Richard wrote: "I've finished two books in the last week - the impressive The Days of Abandonment by Elena Ferrante - four star review here: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show..., and the n..."

Richard, I'm so glad you liked The Days of Abandonment! It's the only novel I've read by Elena Ferrante (so far), but I truly loved it.

Re Stoner: I read it some days ago, but I didn't like it. Of course the writing is very good, but I feel there wasn't much more than that. I can't understand why everyone seems to suddenly love it to pieces. Maybe it's just me.

[Danielle]

Richard wrote: "I've finished two books in the last week - the impressive The Days of Abandonment by Elena Ferrante - four star review here: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show..., and the n..."

I'm aware I don't read enough female authors. But the female authors I end up reading are mostly those authors I keep returning to. But as I mentioned, I could do much better.

[Richard]

Danielle wrote: "Richard wrote: "I've finished two books in the last week - the impressive The Days of Abandonment by Elena Ferrante - four star review here: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show......"

I'd never beat myself or anyone else up on this Danielle.

It's fair to say it'll always be difficult if not impossible to hit 50-50, more men are published than women, and far more books written by men end up being reviewed in the press etc. and then get the publicity and renown.

As you said Tytti, the imbalance was worse in the past, so reading classics will make it even harder.

Of course the irony is that women readers outnumber men considerably.

I'm impressed Tytti though that the author gender balance is 50-50 in Finland. It's interesting what ends up creating these cultural differences.

I just thought I'd try some affirmative action early on in the year!

[Tracey]

Another one finished :)

[Tracey]

oops here it is Here is a review by Tracey: http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...

[Tytti]

Richard wrote: "I'm impressed Tytti though that the author gender balance is 50-50 in Finland. It's interesting what ends up creating these cultural differences."

I'm pretty sure I read that (and remember it correctly) from some interview of a female author, I don't where she got that statistic.

It probably helped that Finland got the first female MPs in the world in 1907, at the same time all men also got the right to vote and to be elected. Also the first novel written in Finnish was published as late as 1870, so men didn't really get a head start, Minna Canth was probably the first important female author https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Minna_C... . Before that there hadn't even really been schools in Finnish, so there was no literature, either. But the way of life probably played a part, too, women were needed work force at the farms and they had some power, too. Hella Wuolijoki was also an important figure, though with more controversial politic views. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hella_W... Even during the war women had their own separate volunteer organisation (founded after WWI) that served in close co-operation with the military, but the leadership was all women. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lotta_S... So a long story short, I think it reflects the society, and how women are seen in general.

I think one big cultural difference that I have noticed is that Finnish female authors don't generally write romance novels and Finns don't really read them much, either. Of course there is often love in them and it may be important to the plot but any "women's literature" is usually written by foreign authors. We don't think of it as a "genre".

[Toyah]

I just finished A Midsummer Night's Dream, started In the Light of What We Know by Zia Haider Rahman last night

[Paul]

I managed to finish a couple of travel books this week, The first was Blue Skies and Black Olives: A Survivor's Tale of Housebuilding and Peacock Chasing in Greece, a amusing book about the perils of build a home in a foreign country. My review is here

The second was A Tour of Mont Blanc. Not a bad little book overall, though not quite as good as his first. My review is here

[Richard]

Just finished Alif the Unseen. Has a fantasy element - which is not usually my thing, but actually a pretty impressive debut novel. Four star review here: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Paul]

Read The Long Utopia this week. Not bad overall, and better than the second book in the series, but still lacking that certain something. My review is here

[Wendy]

Just finished The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini This was a strange read for me, I found it very readable but once I had put it down I found it difficult to pick back up again. I'm really not sure why as I liked the writing style. Need to contemplate this one a while longer before coming to any definite conclusions I think.

[Sophie]

I finished The Snow Child over the weekend and really enjoyed it. It's a charming retelling of the Russian fairy tale about a childless old couple who build a girl of snow that comes to life and becomes the child they never had.

[Paul]

It is pretty good for a debut novel.

[Wendy]

Sophie wrote: "I finished The Snow Child over the weekend and really enjoyed it. It's a charming retelling of the Russian fairy tale about a childless old couple who build a girl of snow that come..."

That has been sat on a shelf at home for ages, really must try and read it soon!

[Sophie]

Wendy wrote: "That has been sat on a shelf at home for ages, really must try and read it soon! "

I did find it a bit slow and plodding at first but as I got into it I really started to enjoy it. If you already have it, you should certainly give it a go :)

[Paul]

I finished Running Free: A Runner’s Journey Back to Nature by Richard Askwith earlier this week. It is quite an enjoyable read overall about Askwith's runs in the hills of Northamptonshire. My review is here

[[deleted user]]

I LOVED The Snow Child. I wanted to read it again almost as soon as I put it down.

[[deleted user]]

I've mostly been reading YA so far this year. in addition to that, I've read (and enjoyed)

Gillian Flynn "Dark Places" and
Maggie O'Farrell "After You'd Gone"

[Paul]

I have only read Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn. What is Dark Places like?

[Jackie]

Finished reading In a dark dark wood by Ruth Ware. Gave it 3 stars. It was alright, nothing special. The little quotes that get printed onto these books from various sources do make me laugh. "Thriller of the year" - I doubt that. It is only February after all.

[[deleted user]]

It's good. Similar to Gone Girl in that it keeps you guessing, then there's a big twist and a slightly over-the-top ending, but I enjoyed reading it. It kept me guessing for a long while.

[[deleted user]]

I'm reading The Mortal Instruments series at the moment, which I doubt is to many people's taste, but I have a soft spot for this kind of YA fiction

[Danielle]

In the meanwhile I read Dogstar Rising, A Ripple from the Storm and Breakfast at Tiffany's: A Short Novel and Three Stories. Liked them all.

[Paul]

Finally got to write my review for The Northmen's Fury: A History of the Viking World. Interesting book about the influence of the Vikings on Northern Europe and the Atlantic. My review is here

[Kevin]

Finished Dust, the final book in the Silo Series by Hugh Howey. If you're looking for an engrossing sci-fi epic with good character development and a touch of dystopian thrown in, start with Wool and then Shift

[Paul]

I have only read Wool so far. Good to know that the others are worth reading

[Richard]

Just read Village of Secrets: Defying the Nazis in Vichy France - an account of a French community that sheltered Jewish families during the Second World War. A remarkable, well-researched and moving story - and more complex than it sounds.

My five star review here: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Tytti]

Richard wrote: "A remarkable, well-researched and moving story - and more complex than it sounds."

I can't say is having a field synagogue for the Jewish soldiers and officers just a couple of kilometres from the German troops (on the same side!) more or less complicated...

[Jan]

The Fountainhead. Rand is one helluva story-teller even if you don't like her politics. Almost finished Jack London's Martin Eden. Again, a fascinating, well-written story I read back in college (in the cretaceous period).
Richard: thanks for the review. I've put it on my list.

[Paul]

Richard wrote: "Just read Village of Secrets: Defying the Nazis in Vichy France - an account of a French community that sheltered Jewish families during the Second World War. A remarkable, well-res..."

I had picked this up from the Samuel Johnson Non fiction award. haven't read it yet, but it looks fascinating

[Paul]

Finished Mail Obsession this week. Not a bad book about Britain, but not his best. My review is here

[Richard]

Paul wrote: "Richard wrote: "Just read Village of Secrets: Defying the Nazis in Vichy France - an account of a French community that sheltered Jewish families during the Second World War. A rema..."

It is Paul, but wasn't aware till I read other reviews that it had caused some contention because it criticises an earlier account of what happened. I don't think the criticisms hold water - but as well as the power of the story the author raises questions of memory and myth-making. Of course what happened in France - collaboration vs resistance is always going to rattle cages.

[Paul]

The other that I think you will like Richard is A Foreign Field by Ben Macintyre. An interesting book set in World War 1 about a French village hiding English soldiers

[Paul]

Finished The Debs of Bletchley Park and Other Stories by Michael Smith. Not a bad book, with interesting stories of the essential role that women had in the code breaking My review is here

[Richard]

Paul wrote: "The other that I think you will like Richard is A Foreign Field by Ben Macintyre. An interesting book set in World War 1 about a French village hiding English soldiers"

Thanks Paul I'll look that out. Sounds good.

[Tracey]

Finished this 5* book this morning Here is a review by Tracey: http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...

[Wendy]

Tracey wrote: "Finished this 5* book this morning Here is a review by Tracey: http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/..."

That's a heck of a review Tracey! Added to the list....

[Tracey]

Thank you Wendy hope you enjoy it as much as I did :)

[Paul]

Also read Eat, Sleep, Cycle: A Bike Ride Around the Coast of Britain by Anna Hughes this week. Great little travel book of her round Britain tour on a bike. My review is here