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"There was a man called Ulf Bjalfason." - Egil's Saga by Egill SkallagrímssonThe start of August's buddy read with Carolien.
" "That old lady is hugging Pa Pa's tree," a gangly 12 year old black girl says to her 15 year old brother." - Treed. Because Trees Have Consequences. by Virginia ArthurI think that is how they refer to their paternal grandfather. Looking forward to reading this new to me author. Read a blurb for Birdbrain and was hooked.
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Going to have to add this to the list, it looks so interesting.
Carolien wrote: "Wayne wrote: "" "That old lady is hugging Pa Pa's tree," a gangly 12 year old black girl says to her 15 year old brother." - Treed. Because Trees Have Consequences. by [author:Virgi..."I like what I have read thus far, Carolien
"All true histories contain instruction; though, in some, the treasure may be hard to find, and when found, so trivial in quantity that the dry, shrivelled kernel scarcely compensate for the trouble of cracking the nut." - Agnes Grey by Anne BrontëInteresting line, especially in the light of the illuminating introduction to the novel contained in this edition.
"Only dead people are allowed to have statues, but I have been allowed one while still alive," - The Testaments by Margaret AtwoodInteresting
"She stands up in the garden where she has been working and looks into the distance." - The English Patient by Michael OndaatjeAnother Booker Prize winner, this time joint winner from 1992.
"The headmaster's wife twisted herself round in her chair to talk to Mrs. Moreland, who was sitting in the row just behind her." - High Rising by Angela ThirkellThis one after a recommendation from reading buddy Carolien
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Thi..."
Glad you found a Thirkell!
My Random selector picked Pomfret Towers, but I opted for the first book in the series. This copy I accessed from Open Library. I recommended Angela Thirkell books to the e-book section of my local library, run by Libby, but it will take a while I reckon, Recently I accessed Auntie Mame: An Irreverent Escapade and Treed: Because Trees Have Consequences, so hopefully I will be able to access some more from Angela Thirkell
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"Their heads were huddled around the brazier, and their handsvwere spread over the fire: Amina's thin and gaunt, Aisha's stiff, and Umm Hanafi's like the shell of a turtle." - Sugar Street by Naguib MahfouzStarted the third book, of what what has been for me a very enjoyable read thus far, of the Cairo trilogy. The author, Naguib Mahfouz survived a similar heinous attack as the one on Salman Rushdie last week. I am praying that Salman Rushdie also pulls through.
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"People gathering on the limestone ledge, looking down at them warily." - The Shelters of Stone by Jean M. AuelThis is another of my top series, Book #5 of Earth's Children.
"Far out in the uncharted backwaters of the unfashionable end of the Western Spiral arm of the Galaxy lies a small unregarded yellow sun." -The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas AdamsI am looking forward to this reread. Normally I note the first line of the first chapter, but in this case I made an exception, because this sentence, the first in a sort of prologue/introduction, is far more interesting than "The house stood on a slight rise just on the edge of the village."
"Captain Crosbie came out of the bank with the pleased air of one who has cashed a cheque and has discovered that there is just a little more in his account than he thought there was." - They Came to Baghdad by Agatha ChristieAnother one by the grande dame of crime fiction. The fourth one of the year.
Not being a horror story fan, I have been avoiding him, but must say I have enjoyed his books thus far, in spite of the high body count.
What about something different:The wind howled. Lightning stabbed at the earth erratically, like an inefficient assassin. Wyrd Sisters by Terry Pratchett
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The wind howled. Lightning stabbed at the earth erratically, like an inefficient assassin. Wyrd Sisters by Terry Pratchett"
One of my all time favourite books!
The problem with being a Pratchett fan like yours truly, is that I tend to see the world through Pterry's eyes.He is also a bit of a specialist at first lines an paragraphs!
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He is also a bit of a specialist at first lines an paragraphs!"
My 13-year old is supposed to read Macbeth for school next year. I am going to subvert the process by making her read Wyrd Sisters first and then see where that gets us!
Carolien wrote: "My 13-year old is supposed to read Macbeth for school next year. I am going to subvert the process by making her read Wyrd Sisters first and then see where that gets us!I gave my 14-year-old a 2-page synopsis of Macbeth before starting her on Wyrd Sisters. She said it helped a lot. Bit hard to look at the Bard in the same way after reading Pratchett though!
Mod
Funnily enough, Lords and Ladies has always been one of my least favourite Pratchet's.
That is very funny. Reminds me of my daughter. Come to think of it, it reminds me of myself at that age and if I am brutally honest still somewhat of myself today.Re Lords and Ladies, I also did not particularly liked it when I read it the first time. But it has grown on me since. It is curious how glamour can cause a blind following. And the best wielders of this glamour, be it celebrities or influencers as they are called these days, can be quite indifferent to or even antagonistic to their captured followers. I also think that the differences an similarities beteen Granny Weatherwax and Diamanda and her inner battle, is something that Pratchett starts here and develops at length later on.
Sometimes I have very dark thoughts about my mother - thoughts no sane daughter should ever have.
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It's a sign you are not insane! All daughters have those, I'm convinced.
And I am sure our children will have of us. Part of growing up.
The next day was the start of the weekend. Wang got up early and left on his bicycle. As a hobby photographer, his favourite subjects were wildernesses free of human presence. But now that he was middle-aged, he no longer had the energy to engage in such indulgent travel and only shot city scenes. The Three-Body Problem - Liu Cixin
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This is a new one to me. Look forward to your thoughts.
The first line is boring but I have no quote, so here goes.My father had a small estate in Nottinghamshire; I was the third of five sons ~Jonathan Swift, Gulliver's Travels
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Books mentioned in this topic
The Three-Body Problem (other topics)Lords and Ladies (other topics)
Wyrd Sisters (other topics)
Wyrd Sisters (other topics)
Finders Keepers (other topics)
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Authors mentioned in this topic
Liu Cixin (other topics)Terry Pratchett (other topics)
Terry Pratchett (other topics)
Stephen King (other topics)
Agatha Christie (other topics)
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I adore this. It was my favourite read of 2021 (and I read 200 books which says something!).
You have to try and get your hands on some Angela Thirkell books, Wayne. She wrote in the 1930's and 1940's and set her books in Barsetshire. So every so often you fall over a location mentioned by Anthony Trollope.