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#nonfictionnovember
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Lindy
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Recent Reads December 2: funny Canadians; mistrust; storytelling as a means of identity & connection

https://youtu.be/NqFN-yq_KdE

#CanLit #IndigenousLiterature #audiobooks #NonfictionNovember

20 likes1 stack add
review
OutsmartYourShelf
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Pickpick

An extensive biography of Malcolm Evans: roadie, assistant, etc to The Beatles. Based on Evans's personal diaries alongside all the memorabilia he had collected over the years, this work is definitely warts & all. It was a fascinating read to see what went on behind the scenes at the recording sessions & the real life friendships of the Beatles & how it all fell apart. (continued)

OutsmartYourShelf Infidelities, drug use, & partying all took their toll on Evans when his work life clashed with his private life. I didn't particularly like him as a person after reading this, he seemed to be supremely selfish when it came to his family. His wife & two children spent months of each year without him & he didn't even have the decency to hide evidence of his on-the-road dalliances from his wife. 5mo
OutsmartYourShelf Plus some of these girls were extremely young & maybe he was no different to many other men in the rock & roll lifestyle of the time but it was grim reading. When things started to implode, I had problems feeling any sympathy for him to be honest.

Overall, it's an informative read which covers the whole gamut of the Beatles' career as a group. It doesn't shy away from showing the seamier side of the lifestyle, & the issues that can stem from that
5mo
OutsmartYourShelf It's well written & keeps the reader's attention. 4🌟

My thanks to NetGalley & publishers, HarperCollins UK/Mudlark, for the opportunity to read an ARC.

Full review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/5922812055
Read 15th - 30th Nov 2023

#NonfictionNovember
5mo
Suet624 For some reason I‘m reluctant to read this one and I think you‘ve just explained why. 5mo
OutsmartYourShelf @Suet624 Yeah, I found parts of it really uncomfortable to read & no-one really comes out of it very well. It's all “everyone loves Mal he's just a gentle giant“ but I was reading it thinking “nope“. 5mo
25 likes5 comments
review
OutsmartYourShelf
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Pickpick

A look at the possible life of Catherine Knollys (nee Carey) who was probably the daughter of Henry VIII & his mistress, Mary Boleyn. Catherine was pretty much ignored by Edward VI & Mary I, but Elizabeth I would go on to welcome her into her inner circle of trusted women. Balancing her duty to her monarch alongside birthing fifteen children (with thirteen living into adulthood), Catherine's line survives down to modern times.

OutsmartYourShelf This was an interesting & engrossing read. Unfortunately there is very little evidence left today of how Catherine lived, & much of the book is “probably“ this & “maybe“ that, with a lot of the day-to-day details extrapolated from the lives of Elizabeth's other Ladies -in-Waiting. The book does give us a lot of insight into the lives of high-born Tudor women including the birthing chamber. 5mo
OutsmartYourShelf (The supposition that it could have been a popular herbal medicine (actually a poison) used in childbirth that was to blame for the deaths of Katherine of Aragon's short-lived other children is sad & poignant.) I think it could have been organised a little better in respect of the fact that topics seemed to skip around a bit rather than being strictly linear. 5mo
OutsmartYourShelf Sentences in one chapter could have perhaps fitted in better in another & some seemed to be almost repeated. I did enjoy reading it though & feel as if I have learned some new information about the Tudors. 3.5🌟

My thanks to NetGalley & publisher, Pen & Sword History, for the opportunity to read an ARC.

Full review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/5990677381
Read 20th-21st Nov 2023

#NonfictionNovember
5mo
23 likes3 comments
review
OutsmartYourShelf
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Pickpick

A light-hearted look at the Empire's 'worst' emperors. As the author notes, categorising someone as the worst can be rather subjective & some of the more notorious emperors you'd expect to feature, i.e. Nero do not make the cut. Of those that do, there were quite a number I knew next to nothing about & the commentary about them here is a delight to read. (continued)

OutsmartYourShelf For me, this book for me is akin to an adult's version of 'Horrible Histories' & I mean that as a compliment.

There's lots of information conveyed in a tongue-in-cheek way - I could imagine Frankie Howerd narrating this had it been released when he was alive (RIP). Not sure how this writing style will fare more widely but, having been born & raised in the UK with our national sense of humour
5mo
OutsmartYourShelf (half sarcastic self-deprecation, half sexual innuendo), I loved it. Will definitely check out more of the author's work. 4🌟

My thanks to NetGalley & publishers, Pen & Sword History, for the opportunity to read an ARC.

Full review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/5985930136
Read 23rd-28th Nov 2023

#NonfictionNovember
5mo
24 likes2 comments
review
OutsmartYourShelf
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Mehso-so

Still not entirely sure what prompted me to request this from NetGalley but anyway....

A book documenting London Transport's rolling stock between 1968-1985 & areas which were supposed to have been developed for the Northern Line extension which was cancelled in the 1950s. I thought that the information given for the photographs was informative & I enjoy seeing snapshots of everyday life of transport in the recent past. (contd)

OutsmartYourShelf I especially liked the photographs from the stations which were no longer used - I could read a whole book about deserted/unused stations. I think it could have used a little more historic detail in places, but overall it was an interesting read. 3⭐

My thanks to NetGalley & publishers, Pen & Sword Transport, for the opportunity to read an ARC.

Full review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/5876806390
#NonfictionNovember Read 28-29 Nov 2023
5mo
23 likes1 comment
review
shortsarahrose
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Pickpick

I listened to most of this as an audiobook, but had to switch to ebook for the last bit because my Libby loan ran out and everyone seemed to check this out over the Thanksgiving break. By that point though, I had Grohl‘s voice in my head and also enjoyed seeing the photos in the ebook. The narrative is pretty anecdotal, but I didn‘t mind because Grohl is such an amiable narrator. And I couldn‘t help but love how much joy and gratitude he expresses

marleed I didn‘t even know I was a Dave Grohl fan until I listened to this audiobook after seeing so much Litsy love! 5mo
shortsarahrose @marleed I know the Foo Fighters most popular stuff but was never a super fan, but this has definitely made me want to listen to more! He just seems like a genuine guy. I listened to Alan Alda‘s memoir earlier this year and felt similarly where I liked him even more after 5mo
marleed Oh now I need to add that memoir to my TBR! 5mo
46 likes4 comments
review
shortsarahrose
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Pickpick

User friendly guide with lots of color photos and interesting #TreeFacts
#NonfictionNovember

blurb
kspenmoll
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~Read &Finished 4 books
~ Read 124 pgs of a book to finish
~ started 3 books
I am pleased with my reading during this readathon!
#NovelNovember #readathon #nonfictionnovember #setieslove2023

TheSpineView Fantastic! 5mo
52 likes1 comment
blurb
shortsarahrose
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One last morning enjoying #CoffeeAndABook before it‘s back to work tomorrow. Today‘s refreshments are a vanilla latte (with an extra shot) and a cinnamon roll.
#NonfictionNovember

Velvetfur Very nice pic 👍🏻 5mo
shortsarahrose @Velvetfur Thank you! 😊 5mo
RedCurly Looks delicious 5mo
44 likes3 comments