w.atching the w.orld unw.ind

The first posting of this skewed my template, so here's V2...

I’ve recently switched from a ten year period of car commuting (around England’s glorious M25 motorway – the world’s Most Expensive Carpark) to commuting by train into London, which has enabled me to get back into reading.

I’ve missed so much…

So here’s a list of what I’ve waded through in recent months - utterly predictably in order by author - with the briefest of critiques (well, you’re all busy people, aren’t you?). I’ve not included links – if you’re interested, you’ll hunt them down – and I wouldn’t dream of promoting the dreadful “Stonehenge”. If you’re given it as a present, burn it immediately. The fewer copies there are, the better it will be for the future of mankind.

Stonehenge – Bernard Cornwell
I had to list it, but I don’t have to recommend it.
The Stranglers:Song by Song
The Stranglers - from the throttling front man's perspective.
The Barrytown Trilogy – Roddy Doyle
I read it in Ireland, on a fishing week. I cried with laughter.
High Society – Ben Elton
A contemporary take on drug abuse in today’s culture.
Dead Famous – Ben Elton
Reality tv torn apart and re-assembled
Captain Scott – Ran Fiennes
No holds barred ‘clarification’ of events
The Collector – John Fowles
Terrifying in its calm, stalking way…
The curious incident of the dog in the nighttime – Mark Haddon
Bizarre – but then, so is Asperger’s
Into the Blue – Tony Horwitz
Poignant – because I’ve scuba dived where Captain Cook was slain
To Kill A Mockingbird – Harper Lee
Long overdue in the reading of. There is a site called Tequilamockingbird (no connection)
Thinks – David Lodge
Makes you
Ginger, You’re Barmy – David Lodge
Not his best (or funniest), but …
The Penguin Compendium – George Orwell
Some old favourites. Some – appallingly – I’d never read at all before now.
Man and Boy – Tony Parsons
I hate the adjective “bittersweet”, but…
Man and Wife – Tony Parsons
Slightly milking it, but as funny in parts as part one
A Child called It – David Pelzer
You want to kill all abusers – slowly
The Lost Boy – David Pelzer
And it’s still happening – how can that be?
The Lovely Bones – Alice Sebold
Suspend belief and it’s a decent read
A Few Kind Words (and a loaded gun) - Razor Smith
I’d like to have him to dinner – but hand-cuffed to the dining chair
Billy – Pamela Stephenson
Now I can see where the humour came from – and why
The Little Friend – Donna Tartt
Slightly disappointing conclusion, but a very good read, nonetheless