A Kiwi abroad

To pinch a good idea from elsewhere (you know who you are )

This page is going to be dedicated to the books that I read during the course of the year.

I intend to include some blurb about each one, and a * rating system – this will be (obviously) entirely subjective, and probably only of any use to you once you have established how close my taste is to yours.

* = read if you’re desperate for something to read

***** = Don’t miss, I will be re-reading

A Call to Arms – Allan Mallinson

http://www.booksattransworld.co.uk/allanmallinson/website/book_calltoarms_1.shtml

The fourth of the Matthew Hervey books. If you haven’t come across them, this is a bit like a cavalryman’s version of Sharpe. Matthew is an officer and a gentleman.

*** Not bad, a good read will have to move on to book 5

The Last Fighting Tommy – Harry Patch & Richard Van Emden

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Synopsis – courtesy of Amazon.co.uk

Harry Patch, the last British soldier alive to have fought in the trenches of the First World War, is now 108 years old and one of very few people who can directly recall the horror of that conflict.

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This is an incredible story of an incredible man. He is one of the last links to growing up in Edwardian England and the book was worth reading for that alone as far as I’m concerned.

**** well worth it

Alias Grace – Margaret Atwood

This is based on the true story of a woman convicted of murder in Canada in the mid 1800s. This is the second Atwood book of my acquaintance – the first being The Blind Assassin which I enjoyed.

*** A good read

The Last Kingdom – Bernard Cornwell

“The book begins in the late 9th century AD. The Vikings are seen in the coastal water of Northumbria. The news comes through to the Ealdorman of the major stronghold in Northumbria that the Vikings have captured Eoferwic (York) and he marches with his army and his ten year old son to join forces with the other English forces to retake the city. ” From an Amazon.co.uk review.

*** This was a re-read in preaparation for

The Pale Horseman – Bernard Cornwell

This book takes Uhtred through additional stages of his life, career and relationship with Alfred.

*** You may guess that I am a Cornwell fan, when you see . . .

Lords of the North – Bernard Cornwell

Takes Uhtred back north – not too give too much away.

*** I see there is now a fourth book in the series. I’ll have to wait for it in paperback.

A Spot of Bother – Mark Haddon

A new(ish) book from the author of The Curious Incident of the dog . .

**** Very good, if somewhat disturbing.

The Good Husband of Zebra Drive – Alexander McCall Smith

Latest of the Mma Ramotswe books.

*** Good if you like them, better than the previous one IMHO.

A Thousand Splendid Sons – Khaled Hosseini

Latest by the author of The Kite Runner. So far so good.

**** Very enjoyable and (if a fictional account can be trusted) one heck of an insught into Afghanistan under the Taliban

Moab is my washpot – Stephen Fry

Been meaning to read this one for a long time. Basically an autobiography covering the first 20 years or so of his life.

*** A good, and frank(!) read.

Lucifer’s Hammer – Larry Niven & Jerry Pournelle

An “end of civilisation” story told from varying points of view in California in the ’80s

*** I re-read this one every so often, and generally get something new out of it, although some of the science is a little dated.

Travels with my Aunt – Graham Greene

Telling the story of a middle aged man whose life gets turned upside down.

*** Not bad

Farmer in The Sky – Robert A Heinlein

A re-read this to fill some time, maybe not one to introduce someone to Heinlein with, but a good read, coming of age story none the less.

***

The Songlines – Bruce Chatwin

Again, a re-read. Describing the author’s attempt to find out more about nomadic peoples in general and in this case, specifically the Australian Aboriginals.

***

A Year in the Merde – Stephen Clarke

Yet another re-read – The fictional account of an Englishman, Paul West recruited to work for a French company setting upa chain of English tea rooms in Paris.

***

Merde Actually – Stephen Clarke

Paul West’s (mis)adventures continue. Once more re-reading, but a birthday has given a couple of new books.

***

Notes from a Big Country – Bill Bryson

**** One more re-read – Bryson gives Brits (in particular) an insight on the US from the perspective of someone who has been away for many years – excellent.

Sword Song – Bernard Cornwell

Uhtred’s adventures continue – not one for you (probably) if you are not already a fan of this series, but otherwise, well worth a read.

***

The Sabre’s Edge – Allan Mallinson

Matthew Hervey rides again – in India.  Another good story with a view of the Infantry – from the Cavalry’s perspective (Sharpe often gives you the opposite).

*** You probably already need to be a fan.

First Light – Geoffrey Wellum

A first hand account by a Battle of Britain Spitfire pilot.  Tremendously interesting and moving.

****

The Book Thief – Markus Zusak

Narrated by Death, the story of a small orphan girl’s 2nd World War in the suburbs of Munich.

***

Assignment in Eternity – Robert A Heinlein

Another filler, a collection of short SF stories, now quite dated, but if you’re a Heinlein fan . .

***

Engleby – Sebastian Faulkes

Mike Engleby’s life through his early years and some odd occurrences (so as not to spoil it) that occur to and around him.  Excellent.

****

Emotionally Weird – Kate Atkinson

I think this may have been her follow up to Behind the Scenes at the Museum.  A slightly confused and confusing story about Effie, her student life and her family history, but worth persevering with.

***

The Outcast – Sadie Jones

A novel dealing with one boy/man’s difficulties trying to come to terms with how he fits, or doesn’t into his middle class 1950’s British world.  Not brill but not bad.

**

The Woman in the Fifth – Douglas Kennedy

We find out about why an American writer has ended up in Paris and the odd events that unfold around him there.  Whilst I am a Sci-Fi fan, I found one of the concepts explored almost too much – spoilt it for me!

*

The Secret of Lost Things – Sheridan Hay

The story of a second hand bookshop and how it befriends (odd I know) a Tasmanian girl.

Well worth a read

***

The Road Home – Rose Tremain

Lev, a Russian comes to the UK for work, this is his story – a little predictable in parts perhaps, but none the less, a good read.

***

Driving over Lemons – Chris Stewart

A re-read of the story Chris buying and starting to live in a small Spanish farmstead in the Alpujarras

***

A Parrot in the Pepper Tree – Chris Stewart

As he says, a sort of sequel tot he above – re-read in progress.

***

Notes From a Small Island – Bill Bryson

The book that introduced me to Bryson – re-read in progress.  The UK from an American perspective, sort of.  Read it!

****

Notes from a Big Country – Bill Bryson

Bryson’s articles for the Mail on Sunday magazine from the 90s (?) about his view having moved back to the US.

***

The Almond Blossom Appreciation Society – Chris Stewart

Third volume in the series – if you liked the first two, you’ll like this, if not . .

***

A Walk in the Woods – Bill Bryson

Bryson (& Katz) walk the Appalachian Trail.  An eye-opener in lots of ways.

***

Three Men in a Boat – Jerome K Jerome

A re-read, and an oldie (but a goodie), and one of the funniest books ever written – George, Harris and J on the river.

*****

Life and Times of the Thunderbolt Kid – Bill Bryson

One more re-read – Christmas was coming!  Bryson’s story of growing up in 1950’s USA.  Excellent

****

Shakespeare – Bill Bryson

First of the Christmas books! A tale to highlight how little we know about one of the Engliush language’s finest writers.

****

Rumours of war – Allan Mallinson

Next of the Hervey books.  Nothing to surprise, but well up to standard

***

Kitchener’s Last Volunteer – Henry Allingham/Denis Goodwin

This is the one which will overlap the year.  The story of Britain’s oldest man – and his participation in WWI.