December Reading

 Been a lot slower getting through the books this month.

We did Booth for bookclub. I felt it was two books, to be honest. I really enjoyed the first book about the father but then I laboured a bit through the second one that leads up to the assassination. I did however really enjoy the aftermath, as I'd not really thought about that. I liked that it was a lot of the women's perspectives, the politcal landscape on a 'people's' level and that there are no 'good' guys in history, it's all so nuanced. Overall I did enjoy it but just found it a little long in the 3/4 mark but it picks up again.

We are all completely beside ourselves  discussed here.

I liked the title of this and was unfamilliar with the actor. I found it very interesting though I didn't watch any of those shows. I found it very sad and there's a bit of unsaid stuff that made me very uneasy. 

It also put into context that case in Western Australia with the 16 year old ballerina who was starved and treated like a small child. I couldn't understand why anyone would do that and why a teenager wouldn't push back but this is all very similar. It's so sad.

But eventually this author gets free of the control. The book is funny at times, very sad at others and for me a little shocking.

Overall very interesting and I think I learnt a bit (greater understanding at least). 

Even if you don't know who she is, or the shows she was on, I don't think that makes any difference to the engagement level of the reader.

A collection of short stories that are just wonderful, as you would expect of Tove Jansson.

Funny, quirky and maybe even a little mean in some. Maybe not exactly mean...an edge. She also catches some human behaviours re friendships - the catching up doesn't eclipse the need to put down new memories or real engagement, the person you admired in school shrinks in adulthood and so on....

I really love her adult books. Slowly working my way through them all.

The Summer Book discussed here.

True Deceiver here

Travelling Light here.

Reading this for the podcast book club. Not a fan of Austen and this was one I hadn't read so I thought I'd give it a go. I found all the book and reading commentary really funny. I found some of the women's commentary on men funny but for the most part, I just find it a lot of banging on about nothing and I keep checking how much longer to go to get to the end. So while I probably enjoyed it more than I have S&S or P&P in the past, I'm not a convert....(I know, I know....)

I loved this. I saw the author talk awhile back and he intrigued me so I gave it a go. More than just a spy novel, there's a lot of focus on spycraft which I found so interesting and also on relationships and how the danger of the work tarnishes everything outside of work, Great holiday read! Will definitely make a long haul flight go fast!

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