Who’s Reading What: May 2012 Part 1
31 May, 2012
Ah, it’s been a while, hasn’t it? The past six months have been rather hectic and my blogging sporadic. So thank you all for checking in and reading chasing bawa. I seem to have rediscovered by blogging mojo with the sunshine that has appeared over London. It’s the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee and the Olympics that will be dominating this summer here in Blighty and I am hoping against hope that it’ll be a hot one this year.
And as I have a hankering to know what people around me are reading, here’s Part 1 of what my friends are reading:
♦ A Thorn in their Side: the Hilda Murrell murder by Robert Green – nonfiction about a peace campaigner who died in the 1980s in suspicious circumstances
♦ The Oxford Despoiler and other mysteries from the casebook of Henry St Liver by Gary Dexter – Victorian sexologist mysteries!
♦ Aylesbury, Bolton, Wolverhampton, Hove: a little man and 101 Cardiacs gigs by Adrian Bell
♦ Prose Edda of Snorri Sturluson (norse myths) – a re-read
♦ Dipping into The Pillow Book of Sei Shonagon
♦ Vanity Fair by William Thackeray – giving it another go
♦ The Story of Silbury Hill by Jim Leary and David Field – archaeology, and the history of the archaeological excavations at Silbury Hill
♦ Dhalgren by Samuel Delany
♦ The Golden Notebook by Doris Lessing
A varied and interesting list, n’est ce pas? I haven’t read any of the titles above except for dipping into the Pillow Book of Sei Shonagon and I think I’ve been meaning to read The Golden Notebook for ages too. And since I’ve heard so much about Samuel Delaney, I really must check him out. What about you?
chasing bawa 
31 May, 2012 at 12:07 pm
Really looking forward to the summer Olympics. I imagine it will be a nightmare for those living in London though, so everyone there has my sympathies.
I’m reading Delia Sherman’s book, The Freedom Maze. It is an interesting look at slavery with a fantasy element. Just won the Andre Norton award for YA literature and thus far I can see why. After that it will be on to Angelmaker by Nick Hardaway, a book that looks so deliciously interesting sitting temptingly in front of me.
31 May, 2012 at 12:20 pm
Ha ha, travel in London is going to be a nightmare. We’ll just have to see how it goes.
I haven’t read either titles but have seen Angelmaker here and there on the web. Both sound very interesting!
31 May, 2012 at 12:32 pm
A friend’s mother-in-law is traveling to London to see her new grandbaby during the time the Olympics will be there. We both say she is nuts, but nothing will deter grandma from her newest grandchild.
31 May, 2012 at 12:41 pm
Grandparents! You can’t tell them what to do!
31 May, 2012 at 3:39 pm
Very interesting list. I think we have that Delany book here somewhere but I’ve not read it. My other half has. I’ll see if he recommends it. I’m reading a book recommended by my mother-in-law today, Snow Flowers and the Secret Fan by Lisa See. It seems okay so far, though not gripping.
7 June, 2012 at 3:39 pm
I also have a copy of Snow Flower on my shelf but haven’t managed to get to it yet. The friend who is reading the Delany book is totally obsessed by his work so I really want to try his books:)
1 June, 2012 at 4:44 am
i’ve finally started(very slowly, though) on hanif Kureishi’s “the buddha of suburbia”. i’ve seen him a couple of weeks ago in a bbc interview on the queen’s jubilee and remembered that i wanted to read this for a long ago. every page makes me grin for about three times, so not very suitable to read on the metro..:)
i have actually started on eco’s “foucault’s pendulum”, but lost my way at the very beginning amongst the museum objects… i’m thinking of skimming through the first 50-100 pages until it gets an easier read? :p
7 June, 2012 at 3:41 pm
I still haven’t read The Buddha of Suburbia although both my sis and father have recommended it. And I think we have it in the house too…oops.
Foucault’s Pendulum is one of my favourite books of all time but it did take me about a month to finish it (and you know I’m a fast reader!) But I hope you do soldier on!
1 June, 2012 at 8:35 am
I’m slightly nutty for Eric Chevillard’s Demolishing Nisard – it’s quite manic, obsessive, brilliant stuff.
Have fun in Scotland, meanwhile!
7 June, 2012 at 3:42 pm
Hello! That looks seriously entertaining, will have to check it out. Thanks for the rec.
1 June, 2012 at 3:33 pm
Very interesting list. I’ve read Vanity Fair (I did not enjoy it at all). I haven’t read The Golden Notebook but I do love Doris Lessing!
I’m reading Wolf Hall by Hilary Mantel. Have you read it?
loved your blog, btw! You have amazing taste in books! Following you now.
Please do visit my book blog sometime, and if you like it, please follow!
7 June, 2012 at 3:43 pm
I just finished Wolf Hall a few weeks back and loved it! Can’t wait to read the sequel although I’m not sure I can lug around the huge hardback!