0408 | Pamela | Samuel Richardson
Start to finish: badly-written, moralising drivel. If this book hadn’t been as influential as it had been, this would probably have received my lowest rating. It did however prove inspirational…
-
-
0407 | The Nice and the Good | Iris Murdoch
I’m not getting on too well with Iris Murdoch. Under the Net went pretty much over my head. The Bell was a good read. And this one falls somewhere in…
-
0405 | Saturday | Ian McEwan
Ian McEwan’s books fall into two categories for me: those that start superbly and kind of taper off (Atonement, Enduring Love) and those that start well and end well (Amsterdam,…
-
0402 | Londonistan | Melanie Phillips
Context: Went for many long walks through Ropner Park in Stockton-on-Tees around the time I was reading this. Many hard decisions to make. REVIEW This is not a relaxing read….
-
0401 | The Mayor of Casterbridge | Thomas Hardy
Context: Finished this off in Argyle Sqaure, Bloomsbury, London while I was in London for my brother-in-law’s wedding. REVIEW Haven’t tackled Hardy for a while. I found the last effort…
-
0399 | Mary Barton | Elizabeth Gaskell
Context: Sorted out a load of scrap metal from my late father-in-law’s old office while listening to this. REVIEW My first Gaskell was a bit of an unexpected page turner…
-
0398 | The Secret River | Kate Grenville
Context: The first book I read back in the UK where I could finally avail myself of the wonders of ordering books for free at a library… mmmmmm! REVIEW As…
-
0396 | A Sentimental Journey | Laurence Sterne
Context: Was spending a relaxing day at Byron Bay, New South Wales when I started reading this. REVIEW Apparently there’s a movement in literature (and probably elsewhere in the arts)…
-
0393 | Tarzan of the Apes | Edgar Rice Burroughs
Context: kids jumping into an azure lagoon in Vanuatu provided a perfect backdrop for this book! REVIEW I thought this was going to be hard going and a difficult read….
-
0389 | Shirley | Charlotte Brontë
Context: Was reading this when we took a final walk up the hills around Ukarumpa before leaving PNG. REVIEW This completed my reading of the canon of Charlotte Brontë’s completed …
-
0386 | The Adventures of Peregrine Pickle | Tobias Smollett
Context: Listened to Vol I of this on a boat from Masarau to Kokopo, East New Britain, PNG with the volcanoes of Rabaul in the distance. REVIEW I started off…
-
0385 | Couples: The Truth | Kate Figes
Context: While I was reading this, Mrs Arukiyomi made her first pot in quite a while. REVIEW Figes has obviously spent a lot of time researching this lengthy book about…
-
0384 | The Three Musketeers | Alexandre Dumas
Context: Started this on my way down from Mt. Wilhelm, PNG’s highest peak. Paused at a stream to get my breath back. REVIEW This is a rollicking tale of derring-do,…
-
0383 | The Children’s Book | A. S. Byatt
Context: Mrs Arukiyomi picked up a ton of great fruit at the market as I was finishing this off. REVIEW Not read any of Byatt’s work before although I have…
-
0382 | That Hideous Strength | C. S. Lewis
Context: Moved into our fourth home in 2 years while I was reading this. REVIEW The final book in Lewis’ so-called space trilogy was a disappointment to me. At least…
-
0381 | Evelina | Fanny Burney
Context: Listened to this as we encountered a landslide on the road to Mt Wilhelm, PNG’s highest peak (4507m)which the wife successfully climbed while I succumbed to altitude sickness at…
-
0375 | For the Term of His Natural Life | Marcus Clarke
Context: Started selling off stuff in preparation for moving out. Someone bought the house we’re renting. Ah well, it was nice while it lasted… REVIEW This was an unexpected page-turner….
-
0373 | Perelandra | C. S. Lewis
Context: While I was reading this, Mrs Arukiyomi suffered the loss of a lovely cardigan which got caught in the back wheel of my motorbike. Thankfully, she got away with…