What non-mystery books are you reading? (2023-25)

[Sandy]

I read The Longbourn Letters: The Correspondence between Mr Collins & Mr Bennet, a recommendation from a member of this group years ago. The author does a good job with the P&P characters. A calm, quiet (and short) read.

I was inspired to pick up that book after dropping Unmarriageable. I decided it would be better to reread P&P, though I have much of it memorized, line by line.

[Sandy]

I am reading, and loving, The Paris Express, by a well regarded author I hadn't tried before. Historical fiction based on, or inspired by, fact.

[Susan]

I enjoyed that too, Sandy. I came to the author through Room and can also recommend Haven

I am really enjoying One of Us by Elizabeth Day

[Jackie]

Sandy wrote: "I am reading, and loving, The Paris Express, by a well regarded author I hadn't tried before. Historical fiction based on, or inspired by, fact."
that does look good!

[Judy]

I'm reading a biography I've been meaning to get to for years, Josephine Tey: a Life by Jennifer Morag Henderson. It's interesting but sometimes the information is rather sketchy.

Reading this is making me wonder, has anyone read any of the books Tey published under her other pseudonym, Gordon Daviot? I see that a couple of non-crime novels she wrote under that name are now available cheaply on Kindle in the UK, where I believe all her work is now in the public domain.

[Susan]

I haven't, Judy. I am going to see a play of The Daughter of Time next week though. I will report back on what it's like.

https://www.whatsonstage.com/news/the...

[Judy]

Oh, that should be interesting, Susan, hope you enjoy it. Thank you for the link.

I've read more of the biography now and she also wrote a lot of plays under the Gordon Daviot pseudonym, not just her big success Richard of Bordeaux: A Play in Two Acts. During the war she had a lot of radio plays on the BBC, including some on Biblical themes, like Sayers.

[Jan C]

Isn't Josephine Tey the one who was related to Catherine Aird?

[Doris]

Susan wrote: "I haven't, Judy. I am going to see a play of The Daughter of Time next week though. I will report back on what it's like.

https://www.whatsonstage.com/news/the......"

I saw it a couple of weeks ago. It wasn't bad, but just by the nature of the story, there really isn't any action. The actor who played Grant was very good. 4 stars.

[Susan]

Good to know, Doris. We like going to the theatre, so I'm sure we will enjoy it.

[Judy]

Jan C wrote: "Isn't Josephine Tey the one who was related to Catherine Aird?"

Interesting question - I've just Googled this and they did have similar surnames (real names Elizabeth MacKintosh and Kinn McIntosh), but I didn't find anything saying they were related. Aird was an admirer of Tey though and considered writing a biography of her, and her book A Most Contagious Game has been compared with The Daughter of Time. (We haven't read that one by Aird here as it's a standalone and out of print.)

I've finished reading that biography now and found it interesting but a bit rambling. I'm slightly disappointed overall but glad to have read it, and it has made me want to read some of Tey's non-mystery works.

[Jan C]

Judy wrote: "Jan C wrote: "Isn't Josephine Tey the one who was related to Catherine Aird?"

Interesting question - I've just Googled this and they did have similar surnames (real names Elizabeth MacKintosh and ..."

I thought I'd read it in Wikipedia but it looks like, if I did, it has been deleted.

[Franky]

Right now I just started reading a couple of classics: Lois the Witch by Elizabeth Gaskell and Franny and Zooey by J.D. Salinger.

[Sandy]

I am reading Mrs. Endicott's Splendid Adventure. Some of the author's stand-alones have been wonderful; this one is fine but not great. I like her Royal Spyness series (very light) and enjoyed a couple of Evanes.

[Jackie]

I just finished Mrs. Lorimer's Quiet Summer which I loved. Just as with books by D.E. Stevenson, I am struggling to write a review of it without using the word "charming". (The two authors were friends and lived in the same village.)

[Judy]

Jackie, I like D.E. Stevenson and have been wondering about trying Molly Clavering, so am interested to hear that you like both of them.

[Jackie]

Sandy wrote: "I am reading, and loving, The Paris Express, by a well regarded author I hadn't tried before. Historical fiction based on, or inspired by, fact."

I'm about 1/3 through The Paris Express and am loving it. So many fascinating characters and such good writing!

[Jan C]

The Hollywood Book of Death: The Bizarre, Often Sordid, Passings of More than 125 American Movie and TV Idols. I'm about 40% in. There doesn't seem to be much in the way of order of the deaths/obituaries. More than just obituaries. Brief summation of careers. It is broken down in to sections or possibly chapters. I'm on the murder section now.

[Carol She's So Novel꧁꧂]

I'm reading Come, Tell Me How You Live by Agatha Christie (writing as Agatha Christie Mallowan)

I'm about 3/4 of the way through & enjoying Dame Agatha's adventurous spirit & positive look on life.

I'm reading an audible edition though & that just isn't my preferred way of reading!

[Sandy]

Carol She's So Novel꧁꧂ wrote: "I'm reading Come, Tell Me How You Live by Agatha Christie (writing as Agatha Christie Mallowan)

I'm about 3/4 of the way through & enjoying Dame Agatha's adventuro..."

I really liked it!

[Carol She's So Novel꧁꧂]

Sandy wrote: "Carol She's So Novel꧁꧂ wrote: "I'm reading Come, Tell Me How You Live by Agatha Christie (writing as Agatha Christie Mallowan)

I'm about 3/4 of the way through & e..."

& I should mention that my not liking to read this way is not the fault of the narrator! Judith Boyd is doing a very good job!

[Jackie]

Carol She's So Novel꧁꧂ wrote: "I'm reading Come, Tell Me How You Live by Agatha Christie (writing as Agatha Christie Mallowan)

I'm about 3/4 of the way through & enjoying Dame Agatha's adventuro..."

I enjoyed this one once I really got into it; I recall it was a slow start for me.

For me, I only enjoy audible books in a few specific ways, like for good dialog in a book I already know well.

As soon as I finish The Paris Express I am getting on with reading one chapter of The Unpleasantness at the Bellona Club followed by the same chapter via the audio book. I have enjoyed that in the past with good authors.

[Jan C]

Carol She's So Novel꧁꧂ wrote: "I'm reading Come, Tell Me How You Live by Agatha Christie (writing as Agatha Christie Mallowan)

I'm about 3/4 of the way through & enjoying Dame Agatha's adventuro..."

I liked that one.

[Jackie]

I'm just starting Down the Great Unknown: John Wesley Powell's 1869 Journey of Discovery and Tragedy Through the Grand Canyon a non fiction (unusual for us) book for what I think of as my IRL book club which, ironically, frequently meets on zoom or Google meet.

[Jan C]

Jackie wrote: "I'm just starting Down the Great Unknown: John Wesley Powell's 1869 Journey of Discovery and Tragedy Through the Grand Canyon a non fiction (unusual for us) book for what I think of a..."

I liked that book. Read it years ago. I should get back to his biography, A River Running West: The Life of John Wesley Powell. I believe Wallace Stegner had a book about him, Beyond the Hundredth Meridian: John Wesley Powell and the Second Opening of the West.

[Sandy]

I listened to 24 Hours in Ancient Rome: A Day in the Life of the People Who Lived There. Amusing, informative and ties in well with Falco.