read one new book a month

I’ve realised I pretty much do this anyway, as I’ve always been a big reader, so I’m closing this one.

I’m trying to read Little Women but I’m only about 10 pages in and it’s so darned difficult because they are so SICKENINGLY goody-goody. I’m determined to press on with it, though, because it’s a classic, and one of those books that people mention, like “To Kill A Mockingbird” (at last I know what a Boo Radley is!)

I just finished “Jarhead”, which is on at the cinema at the moment. Interesting book, though it does make you somewhat uncomfortable to be made aware that the men fighting out there – in this case not even fighting, since the author returned from the war never having made a kill – are, in some cases, teetering at the edge of their sanity. People safe at home in their beds prefer not to know this. They don’t like to know too much about what’s going on, in the same way that we probably all know abuse of prisoners happens on both sides – Iraqi and coalition – but we prefer not to have it brought to our attention, as we did when the “American abuse” photos hit the papers.

It’s not the kind of book I would usually read, but nevertheless I am glad I did.

I also read this, though I was slightly ashamed to be reading what I deem to be “emotional porn”. It’s one of those books along the lines of Dave Peltzer’s “A Child Called It” and details the horrific abuse that the author, Jane Elliott, suffered at the hands of her stepfather. I don’t know why these books are so popular, but as I read it I couldn’t help but think certain types of person are going to read this because they find such books a turn-on. It went into a lot of detail about her abuse and makes for very disturbing reading. Not something I would want to read again, or similar books, although I did read “A Child Called It” at the urging of a colleague.

Just finished “Hornblower and The Atropos”. I’ve nearly finished the Hornblower series of books now, but I can honestly say that for once I have preferred the visual representation of the books – in this case, the TV series starring Ioan Gryffud. The books all seem to take the same format – Hornblower joins his ship, grateful to escape the attentions of his wife and her overbearing mother; Hornblower makes some mistake for which he bitterly berates himself; Hornblower redeems himself by taking part in a sea-battle, which he always eventually wins by some cunning ruse; Hornblower gets promoted. All very “boy’s own”, but not a classic. I’m glad I’ve read them, though.

While I was away this weekend on holiday I read “The Curious Case of the dog in the Night Time”, which was very, very good. Next up is “The Once and Future King” by T. H. White. I’ve already read a bit of it.

Haven’t read this month’s book yet, though I do have a pile of books on my bedside table to read. I think I’ll try and finish “Sahara” by Michael Palin.