UnitedKingdom

LapReader

The Funny Thing About Norman Foreman: A Novel | Julietta Henderson

pick

After Saturday ballet op shop spoils from late November. I love a loud print. Total = 40.50

22 likes

rabbitprincess

Mystery on Southampton Water | Freeman Wills Crofts

so-so

This is more of a will-they-get-away-with-it-dunnit than a whodunnit. I don‘t object to those, but it took forever for the murder to happen, and I found the company setting rather dull.

15 likes

Robotswithpersonality

Notes from a Small Island | Bill Bryson

She was NOT. Dude, really?! 🫢 Must be a very old family name.Wouldn't see anyone choosing that today...

7 likes1 stack add

Balibee146

How They Broke Britain | James Brien

so-so

Book no 1 from my #10beforetheend picks.

This was gearing up to be a pick but I found a couple of the latter chapters sketchy and sadly lacking. Still enjoyed the earlier chapters on media moguls which is clearly where O'Brien has the most knowledge and experience

@ChaoticMissAdventures

Cuilin I don‘t know much about him but I‘ve seen him push callers on his show to answer questions. I think he‘s got good journalistic integrity. He also doesn‘t let politicians get away with not answering the question. If only all journalists did this. 2mo

Balibee146 @Cuilin yeah he has done some good work holding politicians feet to the fire... Though my fab is still Eddie "you're a nasty price of work aren't you?" Mair.I have more of a ? around O'Brien after he remained pretty silent during the Sangita Myska situation at LBC.. But there was a lot to like here. 2mo

Balibee146 Typo hell lol *fav and also *nasty piece of work... 2mo

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Luke-XVX He‘s well informed but so bloody smug at times.I did enjoy him trashing Farage on air recently, I laughed my arse off 2mo

Balibee146 @Luke-XVX there's a transcript in the book of an old clash between him and Farage which is rather satisfying. 2mo

Luke-XVX That‘ll do it!! 2mo

41 likes1 stack add6 comments

Balibee146

How They Broke Britain | James Brien

Starting a bit of non fiction... Not expecting any new revelations I wasn't aware of but sure having it synthesised into one place is going to get me #raging

Part of my #10beforetheend list so I may be a little early but wanting some non fiction on #kindle today, as it is so dark and dreary here today.

@ChaoticMissAdventures

ChaoticMissAdventures Dark money and politics, seems to be happening so many places, that and old politicians who refuse to give up power. This sounds interesting! Good job getting a jump start. 2mo

43 likes1 stack add1 comment

Abe

The British Museum | R.G.W. Anderson

pick

Great read about history and artifacts from the British museum!

11 likes

OutsmartYourShelf

Emma Darwin: The Inspirational Wife of a Genius | Edna Healey

so-so

A biography of Emma Darwin (née Wedgwood), the wife of naturalist & evolutionist Charles Darwin. Both Charles & Emma (they were first cousins) came from impressive backgrounds with Emma being the granddaughter of Josiah Wedgwood of the Stoke potteries fame, whilst Charles was the grandson of Erasmus Darwin, one of the key figures of the 18th century. (Continued)

OutsmartYourShelf Both families had their fair share of academics but they were also passionately involved in campaigns such as the abolition of slavery, & animal welfare.

Before reading this book my knowledge of Charles Darwin was rudimentary at best, & I hadn't realised that he suffered so much ill health. I also hadn't heard much about his wife & children at all. 5mo

OutsmartYourShelf The book first goes back to those well-known grandfathers & traces the lives of their descendants. I thought it was mainly interesting but there were occasions where it became a little difficult to keep who everyone was & who was married to whom straight in one's head - even with the family trees at the start. It also became a little dry in places. Overall I did enjoy it though. 3⭐

5mo

OutsmartYourShelf Full Review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/4276342852
Read 5th-9th July 2024

#ReadAway2024 @Andrew65 @DieAReader @GHABI4ROSES 5mo

DieAReader 🥳Great! 5mo

26 likes4 comments

AnneCecilie

The Bone Chests: Unlocking the Secrets of the Anglo-Saxons | Cat Jarman

pick

In 2012 anthropologists starts opening six coffins in Winchester Cathedral. Winchester is the old city of kings & queens. Who are the people mentioned on the coffins and how many people are in them?

Jarman looks into who they were and the time they were living in. This is the time when England was gathered into one nation, the time of the Viking invasions.

As a Norwegian it was interesting to read about the Vikings from another point of view.

AnneCecilie In England at this time there‘s a lot of names starting with “E” for the high important people and they‘re easy to mix. 6mo

50 likes2 stack adds1 comment

Bookwomble

Revolt into Style: The Pop Arts | George Melly

#BookHaul 📚 #OldPenguins 🐧
I paused Penguin Parade 1 when we went on hols as it's a bit too fragile to carry, but I'm reading it again, and have added n⁰3 to n⁰2 on the TBR.
Berserker is another 60s/70s SF take on war for me to compare to The Forever War. Looks like a fix up novel from individual short stories.
The Goshawk has been on my radar a long time: now it's on Mount TBR!
Revolt into Style: A 70s view of 60s pop culture by a man who ⬇️

Bookwomble ... lived it. George Melly was a TV mainstay when I was growing up: an eccentric jazz singer, raconteur, art critic and social commentator, he always seemed like he would be great fun to know, but possibly difficult to live with. I had that "Ahh!" moment when I saw this. And what a fantastic Beatles cover by Peter Blake ?
Britain in the Sixties: Vagrancy, a report about homelessness from the streets by a writer who had lived it. It will be ⬇️ 6mo

Bookwomble ... interesting to compare this to the modern book I read on the topic earlier this year.
[If I read any of these this year, I'll surprise myself! 📚🧗🏻‍♂️] 6mo

Leftcoastzen Love these ! 6mo

Bookwomble @Leftcoastzen They're pretty sweet pertaters, if I do say so myself! 🍠😄 6mo

33 likes4 comments