Comments on: So, what do you recommend for me?

By: tuscia

tuscia — Mon, 29 Dec 2008 16:01:47 +0000

I am reading Katherine’s Wish, by linda Lappin- about the life of Katherine Mansfield. Makes a fascinating counterpoint to her letters, journals and stories.

By: Sarah

Sarah — Sun, 31 Aug 2008 04:36:16 +0000

Such a fantastic list of books you’ve put together and many of my favourites. I often go up to bed too late and still can’t resist reading… and then go to sleep way too late! I go through days and days of averaging 6 hour’s sleep a night and then crash and need a few early night’s!

Some books to add to your list:

– NZ Authors I love – Keri Hulme, Katherine Mansfield, Elizabeth Knox, Maurice Gee (his book ‘Live Bodies’ is about Wellington’s Somes Island and a group of so called ‘aliens’ interned there during WW2).

Have you read Jean M. Auel’s ‘Earth Children’ books? A magnificent epic of life on the glacial continent of the last Ice Age, when two kinds of human beings, Neanderthal and Cro-Magnon, shared the earth.

I’ve recently been engrossed in Philippa Gregory’s historical novels – recent reads ‘Virgin Earth’ and ‘The Other Boleyn Girl’.

A great historical read – ‘Red, China, Blues’ by Jan Wong.

Love ‘The Poisonwood Bible’ by Barbara Kingsolver.

Some thought provoking reading – Richard Bach’s ‘One’, all Paulo Coelho’s books – particularly enjoyed ‘The Pilgrimage’ and ‘The Alchemist’.

Enjoyable light reads I’ve recently finished – Victoria Hislop’s ‘The Island’ and also ‘Eat, pray, love’ by Elizabeth Gilbert.

Another thought provoking one I’m LOVING is ‘A New Earth’ by Eckhart Tolle.

There’s a few… right must go plant some pea-pods and herbs in the garden whilst the sun shines! Sarah x

By: Domestic Executive

Domestic Executive — Fri, 29 Aug 2008 21:29:35 +0000

Ooooh, Tricia, the Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, how could I forget. Loved the film Shadowlands too all about CS Lewis. Banana bread, now that’s an idea.

By: Tricia

Tricia — Fri, 29 Aug 2008 20:32:32 +0000

I recommend Banana bread to go with all that rain and reading 😀 thanks, you just gave me a few things to add to my list.. I have been on a C.S. Lewis kick these past few weeks.

By: Domestic Executive

Domestic Executive — Wed, 27 Aug 2008 07:29:48 +0000

Thanks for the look into your bookshelves. Finding time to read is a real challenge and I’m like Marrisa fighting the eyelids coming down. I read most on holiday and am trying to set myself a goal of reading for 30 minutes a day.

I forgot to mention Evelyn Waugh as a favourite author and the wealth of non fiction books I read.

Mental note must be more thorough in my blogging!

By: Ruta M.

Ruta M. — Mon, 25 Aug 2008 09:25:01 +0000

I read quite a lot though as I was teaching full-time last year there wasn’t too much time for non-work related reading. (The government churns out 100’s of pages of new education policy and curriculum documents every term.) Mostly I grab light reading from the library and no I’m not going to reveal my guilty secrets. I have a lot of Tolkein’s books though the Middle Earth histories take some concentration. I’ve just had a quick look on our bookshelves, past the 100’s of SF and military paperbacks, (Pete will not give away any of them,) and found one book that I had felt worth keeping- it’s Skallagrigg by William Horwood. An easy but well written read about children with disabilities. Unsusually it has a male author. I find (apart from Tolkein) that I only pick books by women authors. I just don’t find that men can write characters convincingly. In the days before family when I read a lot I preferred to read biographies, perhaps that’s why I enjoy reading blogs? I’m going to try and get some of your recommendations from the library. Time to get the brain into gear.

By: Marrisa

Marrisa — Mon, 25 Aug 2008 01:53:06 +0000

Now that’s one thing I do not get time to do!
I think in the last 3 years I have read maybe 2 books, and that’s from start to finish probably spread over 6 months each.

The last one I read was Number 10 by Sue Townsend. Hilarious comedy based on the life of the Prime Minister and all around him. The kind of book where you could see the things happening but you are not too sure!

Just before that I struggled a bit with Gentlemen and Players by Joanne Harris. Based on the ‘underworld’ of a English Boys Grammar School. I found it a bit loose at times and found my mind wandering, yet the ending pulled it all together nicely.

And now I have gone for something completely different. I saw this book on the table at a friends house and she said to read it. Not at all what you expect. Its the Story Of O – The Erotic Classic by Pauline Reage. Now I am only 37 pages in but already find myself thinking about the story – and not in a way you might imagine either! Will have to let you know about this one.

Reading is certainly something I do not get time for. I read about 3-4 pages a night before sleep and that’s it. If I don’t have a book I don’t search for one purposely as I get annoyed when I don’t find the time.

Good luck with the search – let us know how you get on! x