It is really good. I loved the first book, I had mixed feelings on the second, and then the third book was superb. Taken as a whole, I agree it is top notch!
A great month of reading Matthew, some fabulous authors there! I’m curious, reading one chapter at a time of War and Peace, does it hinder the flow of the story? Are you tempted to read on, has it at any point gripped you enough to say ‘just one more chapter?’. I’ve had a good January myself, having read eight books, which is double my usual amount! I reread The Hobbit, a book a cannot resist when the need comes about! It’s made me go on to reread The Fellowship (currently half way through!) Others of notable interest are The Book Collector by Alice Thompson (5 star!) and Winterset Hollow by Jonathan Edward Durham (also 5 star and possibly one of the most unforgettable reading experiences I’ve ever had!!)
Lisa, sounds like you had a great month yourself. I love all of Tolkien's work and have reread LOTR many times.
I read War and Peace last year at a normal pace. This year I am reading it along with a group discussion, one chapter per day for the entire year. I think if it was my first time reading it then it would be difficult to not jump ahead. However, since this is a reread for me, I am finding the slow pace to be a great opportunity to spend more time with the characters.
That’s such a good idea for a group read, as you say, you can get into more depth with the discussion and you’re all taking it in at the same pace. It’s a huge book, and one I have never thought to read...until having this discussion lol (my poor TBR! and there’s me doing rereads for the foreseeable as well. Own worst enemy!)
Bleak House and Howards End. Both great experiences. Dutch House good first half, but then I felt as if I was sometimes reading well written but uninteresting family updates like the kind people send out to their friends at the end of the year. Once the house was off stage, the book lost momentum.
I'm reading ahead in Wolf Hall until I find a worthy competitor. High bar!
I haven't read either Bleak House or Howards End. They are both on my never ending To Be Read list. I liked Dutch House but it was slow and yes, the house was the most interesting character by far.
Kate - I just happen to be a fast reader. There is no shame in reading, even if it is one book per year, and it is definitely not a competition! Yours was the first newsletter I subscribed to here because of the amazing work you do and you were bringing to light so much that I really didn't have exposure to. I have a debt of gratitude. Keep reading at whatever pace you enjoy and your life allows!
Ah, thank you Matthew :) There is certainly no shame, and I also think we go through different 'seasons' with our reading sometimes, such as when we are busy parenting or working on other projects. I am very much hoping to lean into a season of reading this year though :)
Wonderful list here, Matthew. I recently finished Frankenstein, which I hadn't read since middle school, and I loved it all over again. Today I'm planning to start Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman, and I'm also reading War and Peace and Franny and Zooey.
I really liked Neverwhere. I have never read Frankenstein! I guess I need to remedy that at some point. Also never read Franny and Zooey but your posts about it have me intrigued.
Frankenstein is nice and short, so very manageable! So is Franny and Zooey. Highly recommend both! I fell in love with Neil Gaiman after reading Ocean at the End of the Lane, so I'm on a quest to read all his books now.
Yeah, I think we talked about Ocean at the End of the Lane before. That one is excellent. You might have noticed in the photo I got three Neil Gaiman books for Christmas. I have read all of them but just wanted them for my library!
Matthew, you are a tough act to follow in the reading department! The Four Agreements is such a great book. And I saw some Proust in the stack. I loved Swann's Ways.
Frederik Backman is the best! Love his style, easy to read, but still packs a punch.
Will reiterate what another commenter said and suggest Franny and Zoey. Funny, quick, well written. Can’t ask for more.
If you’re on a Steinbeck kick, and are in the market for some non-fiction, I’d mention “travels with Charley” about Steinbecks drive around the country with his dog. Amazing. A snapshot of a time and a place and a perspective.
Jared - welcome and thanks for the recommendations. I have read Travels with Charley previously and really enjoyed it. This year I am doing a complete read through of Steinbeck's works in chronological order and writing about the experience. Once a month I do a review of the things I read in the previous month. Next one will be out in a couple weeks.
I've just finished reading "The Death of Mrs Westaway" by Ruth Ware. It's a story about a creepy old house in Cornwall and a disputed inheritance. I don't read a lot of fiction but this one got my attention as I'm involved in a disputed inheritance. I feel like a character in a Dickens novel. Bloody lawyers. That was in book form found in a charity shop. On my Kindle I'm reading "Paris Isn't Dead Yet" by Cole Strangler. It's about Gentrification of poor urban neighbourhoods so the poor have to find somewhere else to live. I'm interested in this subject which is manifesting itself now where I live.
Also on my Kindle I'm reading a book that is filling me with admiration but also making me cry. "My Own Pace - a story of strength and adversity on the Camino de Santiago" by Bryan Paul Steward. The story of how he walked the whole challenging Pilgrimage despite having muscular dystrophy.
Last,in book form I'm looking forward to getting in the post "Through Grown Up Eyes" by Robert Henry. It's his account of his childhood and brief spell as a child star in two Hollywood movies. He is the little boy in "The Fallen Idol" starring Ralph Richardson. In 1987 I "discovered" the books of his Mother,the chronicle really of her life and the twentieth century. She wrote as Mrs Robert Henrey but we also knew her as Madeleine. Born in Paris in 1907,lived in London,Paris + Normandy,travelled in Europe post war,died in Normandy circa 2004.
Jane, sounds like a great month of reading. I really appreciate you sharing the things you are reading as it always amazes me the diverse reading interests of people and yet we are all linked through our shared loved of the written word. I am very interested to check out that book about the Camino as it has been one of my dreams to hike that path.
I am looking forward to your Steinbeck review, and the Willa Cather. She’s somewhere in my queue. I find myself with little time to read lately but I am slowly working through Bulfinch’s mythology. Thanks for sharing a few short blurbs about what you’ve read. Happy February reading!
Thanks Jenn. Steinbeck review should be out the 14th or 15th. I think the Cather will be in late Feb or early March. I have yet to read Bulfinch's mythology. It is on my list though along with Mythology by Edith Hamilton.
I am also reading War and Peace one chapter a day with Simon Haisell, and I love the experience so far! Everyday I am kind of looking forward to set a 10min aside to emerge myself in a totally different time period and country, feel like a short and emotion-attached getaway everyday. Leo Tolstoy's writing is amazing.
It is really good. I loved the first book, I had mixed feelings on the second, and then the third book was superb. Taken as a whole, I agree it is top notch!
It is like no other horror story I have ever read. It was almost literary perfection. I can’t stop thinking about it!
A great month of reading Matthew, some fabulous authors there! I’m curious, reading one chapter at a time of War and Peace, does it hinder the flow of the story? Are you tempted to read on, has it at any point gripped you enough to say ‘just one more chapter?’. I’ve had a good January myself, having read eight books, which is double my usual amount! I reread The Hobbit, a book a cannot resist when the need comes about! It’s made me go on to reread The Fellowship (currently half way through!) Others of notable interest are The Book Collector by Alice Thompson (5 star!) and Winterset Hollow by Jonathan Edward Durham (also 5 star and possibly one of the most unforgettable reading experiences I’ve ever had!!)
Lisa, sounds like you had a great month yourself. I love all of Tolkien's work and have reread LOTR many times.
I read War and Peace last year at a normal pace. This year I am reading it along with a group discussion, one chapter per day for the entire year. I think if it was my first time reading it then it would be difficult to not jump ahead. However, since this is a reread for me, I am finding the slow pace to be a great opportunity to spend more time with the characters.
That’s such a good idea for a group read, as you say, you can get into more depth with the discussion and you’re all taking it in at the same pace. It’s a huge book, and one I have never thought to read...until having this discussion lol (my poor TBR! and there’s me doing rereads for the foreseeable as well. Own worst enemy!)
Bleak House and Howards End. Both great experiences. Dutch House good first half, but then I felt as if I was sometimes reading well written but uninteresting family updates like the kind people send out to their friends at the end of the year. Once the house was off stage, the book lost momentum.
I'm reading ahead in Wolf Hall until I find a worthy competitor. High bar!
I haven't read either Bleak House or Howards End. They are both on my never ending To Be Read list. I liked Dutch House but it was slow and yes, the house was the most interesting character by far.
Wow, Matthew! You are a prolific reader, your reading list puts me to shame! :)
Kate - I just happen to be a fast reader. There is no shame in reading, even if it is one book per year, and it is definitely not a competition! Yours was the first newsletter I subscribed to here because of the amazing work you do and you were bringing to light so much that I really didn't have exposure to. I have a debt of gratitude. Keep reading at whatever pace you enjoy and your life allows!
Ah, thank you Matthew :) There is certainly no shame, and I also think we go through different 'seasons' with our reading sometimes, such as when we are busy parenting or working on other projects. I am very much hoping to lean into a season of reading this year though :)
Wonderful list here, Matthew. I recently finished Frankenstein, which I hadn't read since middle school, and I loved it all over again. Today I'm planning to start Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman, and I'm also reading War and Peace and Franny and Zooey.
I really liked Neverwhere. I have never read Frankenstein! I guess I need to remedy that at some point. Also never read Franny and Zooey but your posts about it have me intrigued.
Frankenstein is nice and short, so very manageable! So is Franny and Zooey. Highly recommend both! I fell in love with Neil Gaiman after reading Ocean at the End of the Lane, so I'm on a quest to read all his books now.
Yeah, I think we talked about Ocean at the End of the Lane before. That one is excellent. You might have noticed in the photo I got three Neil Gaiman books for Christmas. I have read all of them but just wanted them for my library!
Yes we did! And I did notice; that’s awesome. I just started and am loving Neverwhere.
Impressive stack!
Thanks Max! Slowly building my personal library in the hope that someday I will actually have someplace to put them all!
I’m in a slow reading and mostly nonfiction phase currently, and want to recommend Lisa Marchiano’s Motherhood.
I get in some nonfiction phases at times also. Appreciate the recommendation, I will check it out.
I loved Neil Gaiman’s Neverwhere and Anansi Boys but did not like American Gods at all. But I hope you enjoy all three!
I have read all three before and really like them so I wanted to my own copies for my library. Thanks Jam!
Matthew, you are a tough act to follow in the reading department! The Four Agreements is such a great book. And I saw some Proust in the stack. I loved Swann's Ways.
I suppose we all have our superpowers and reading happens to be mine! I have never read Proust, but I am looking forward to it.
Reading goes in spurts for me, I'm in a movie spurt right now. More watching less reading. Lots of music in the middle!
Frederik Backman is the best! Love his style, easy to read, but still packs a punch.
Will reiterate what another commenter said and suggest Franny and Zoey. Funny, quick, well written. Can’t ask for more.
If you’re on a Steinbeck kick, and are in the market for some non-fiction, I’d mention “travels with Charley” about Steinbecks drive around the country with his dog. Amazing. A snapshot of a time and a place and a perspective.
Jared - welcome and thanks for the recommendations. I have read Travels with Charley previously and really enjoyed it. This year I am doing a complete read through of Steinbeck's works in chronological order and writing about the experience. Once a month I do a review of the things I read in the previous month. Next one will be out in a couple weeks.
Very cool! I look forward to reading about your experience!
I've just finished reading "The Death of Mrs Westaway" by Ruth Ware. It's a story about a creepy old house in Cornwall and a disputed inheritance. I don't read a lot of fiction but this one got my attention as I'm involved in a disputed inheritance. I feel like a character in a Dickens novel. Bloody lawyers. That was in book form found in a charity shop. On my Kindle I'm reading "Paris Isn't Dead Yet" by Cole Strangler. It's about Gentrification of poor urban neighbourhoods so the poor have to find somewhere else to live. I'm interested in this subject which is manifesting itself now where I live.
Also on my Kindle I'm reading a book that is filling me with admiration but also making me cry. "My Own Pace - a story of strength and adversity on the Camino de Santiago" by Bryan Paul Steward. The story of how he walked the whole challenging Pilgrimage despite having muscular dystrophy.
Last,in book form I'm looking forward to getting in the post "Through Grown Up Eyes" by Robert Henry. It's his account of his childhood and brief spell as a child star in two Hollywood movies. He is the little boy in "The Fallen Idol" starring Ralph Richardson. In 1987 I "discovered" the books of his Mother,the chronicle really of her life and the twentieth century. She wrote as Mrs Robert Henrey but we also knew her as Madeleine. Born in Paris in 1907,lived in London,Paris + Normandy,travelled in Europe post war,died in Normandy circa 2004.
Jane, sounds like a great month of reading. I really appreciate you sharing the things you are reading as it always amazes me the diverse reading interests of people and yet we are all linked through our shared loved of the written word. I am very interested to check out that book about the Camino as it has been one of my dreams to hike that path.
I hope you get to one day.
Re authors name in my post it's Cole STANGLER. STANGLER. I checked so carefully when I typed it but spell check still betrayed me.
I am looking forward to your Steinbeck review, and the Willa Cather. She’s somewhere in my queue. I find myself with little time to read lately but I am slowly working through Bulfinch’s mythology. Thanks for sharing a few short blurbs about what you’ve read. Happy February reading!
Thanks Jenn. Steinbeck review should be out the 14th or 15th. I think the Cather will be in late Feb or early March. I have yet to read Bulfinch's mythology. It is on my list though along with Mythology by Edith Hamilton.
So many great reads on your list, and fun to see a Minnesota shout out with the William Kent Kruger. We love him around here in Northern MN.
Emily, he is a fantastic author. Really enjoy his works quite a bit. This most recent one was a really good murder mystery which kept me captivated.
I am also reading War and Peace one chapter a day with Simon Haisell, and I love the experience so far! Everyday I am kind of looking forward to set a 10min aside to emerge myself in a totally different time period and country, feel like a short and emotion-attached getaway everyday. Leo Tolstoy's writing is amazing.
Glad you are enjoying it. This is my second time reading through this work and I am really enjoying the slow pace.