Gulliver's Travels, 1726 - amended 1735 - by Jonathan Swift

Gulliver's Travels, 1726 - amended 1735 - by Jonathan SwiftGulliver's Travels, 1726 - amended 1735 - by Jonathan Swift

I began listening to the audio recording of this book on Monday 21st August 2017.
I've decided that listening to audio recordings is a sure way to motivate me to actually getting on with the washing up.

I've listened to audio recording before - years ago - and I have seen at least two film versions - one with Richard Harris asGulliver and one with Ted Danson as Gulliver.

I do recall the key details, but there is so much more to this book.

Part 1 - Lilliput
involved 8 tracks

Gulliver is seen as a giant in a land of 6" people.

This section made me wonder about Dolls Houses.
Had they existed before Gulliver peers into the palace windows?

Pies & Prejudice by Stuart Maconie

Pies & Prejudice by Stuart Maconie

I actually began to read this book on 21st June 2017, but only read a page or two, every now and then, in between reading other books.

The Maconie is now my main read, until its completed.

Sunday 15th October 2017
Finished Pies & Prejudice by Stuart Maconie

Can't say I really enjoyed it.
There's something too obvious & knowing about it.
Consequently I was annoyed by his style, on many occasions.

However, I did learn a lot of factual things - and for that reason it was a good read.

Having spent some time in the north, it was interesting to see someone else's perspective on places I'd visited. In addition SM's book has whetted my appetite to see places I've not yet seen.

All Said and Done (1972) by Simone De Beauvoir

The French-born Simone De Beauvoir (1908-1986) wrote a 4-volume autobiography, consisting of: Memoirs of a Dutiful Daughter (1958); The Prime of Life (1960); Force of Circumstance (1963, sometimes published in two volumes in English translation: After the War and Hard Times); and All Said and Done (1972).

I began reading All Said and Done on 22nd June 2016. It's hard going. By 3rd Aug 2017 I'm still only on p365 of 463 pages.

Sunday 20th August 2017
FINALLY finished reading the book.
Very uneven. Needed SERIOUS editing.
No contents page.
No index.
However, I still glad I read this book. I filled a whole notebook with quotations from it.

Saul Bellow's Heart: A Son's Memoir by Greg Bellow

Began reading Saul Bellow's Heart: A Son's Memoir by Greg Bellow in mid July 2017

Finished this book on Thurs 3rd August 2017.

Not sure that I came away liking ANY of the people involved, esp. Saul Bellow (who turned out to be racist and sexist) and Greg Bellow (a snivelling brat?). However I am glad that I read the book.

The Hammer of Eden by Ken Follett

The novel is about a group of people living together in a largely self-sufficient commune, thanks to its ability to produce a unique Californian wine. When their commune is threatened by a plan to build a dam, a select group of members (‘rice-eaters’) devise a plan to arm twist the governor of California to abandon the project. This group, led by Priest, aka Ricky, transform themselves into eco-terrorists and threaten to start an earthquake if their demands are not met. They set off a series of earthquakes using a stolen seismic vibrator truck from an oil firm.
Judy Maddox, an FBI agent, heads the team determined to stop the terrorists.

Though the novel is predictable and cliché-ridden, it is still an engrossing page-turner.

‘Let the Circle by Unbroken’ by Mildred Taylor

Finished a while back but forgot to update this blog.

Overall I was VERY disappointed by this novel. There were far too many loose ends:

Though I was glad for Moe and Stacey there needed to be more of a tribute for the boy who was shot while trying to help Moe & Stacey. Were his family traced & notified?

I was disappointed to find that there was no retribution for Harlan Granger and Stuart.

What happened to the white union man and to Dule Cross, his black convert?

Where did Aunt Mattie and her family go to live after Granger evicted them?

How did the Logans manage to settle their taxes?

Why doesn't Hammer get married? What kind of job does Hammer do anyway?

Too many loose ends. I was left dissatisfied.

‘Let the Circle by Unbroken’ by Mildred Taylor

Can't believe it's taken me over a year to finish this book - snatching a chapter here and there.
It's been a busy year.

I've not quite finished the book yet - but I'm about the start the final chapter, chapter 14.

With so few pages remaining it seems incredible that all that needs to be resolved, will be resolved.

In this state of high anxiety I've had to put the book down for a while, to ponder on it, before I read the final chapter.