Some more reading

Reading has been fairly high on the agenda this year.  As ever I pick up books whilst volunteering at the Library, and have also joined my WI reading club.

Our first read at the club was Northanger Abbey by Val McDermid.  Quite enjoyed this 'mild' read.  The second book was the Miniaturist by Jessie Burton.  I enjoyed this book particularly since I had just returned from Amsterdam and had visited the areas mentioned in the book, the old houses, and had seen Petronella Oortman's cabinet house in the Rijksmuseum.

The most recent book was Remarkable Creatures by Tracy Chevalier.  I decided to reread this, and a second time round enjoyed certain nuances that I probably missed the first time, because I was hurrying along to see what happened.  As I did Geology as one component of my OU degree, I really enjoyed this one, as well as Tracy Chevalier's clear understanding of the place of women in society during that period.  Of course now I want to go down to Lym just to enjoy the scenery again.

Early this year, I read The Girl with a Pearl Earring, again a fabulous and atmospheric book, with a 'Dutch' backdrop.  I've watched the film several times, but there is so much more in the book, and as I was reading this at the time I went to Amsterdam earlier this year with Vicki, I was able to look at some of Vermeer's paintings with a different sort of eye.

Just before going off to Mallorca, my 'boss' passed me a few book which might make fun holiday reading:  I loved this one, and having traveled to China many years ago, and seen some vintage slippers for sale in the streets, found this interesting.  Of course I had to buy a couple of fans in Mallorca: one for Izzi, and one for myself, for fanning of course when it gets hot.  One of my knitting friends carries one in her handbag just for the 'is it hot in here or is it me' moments, and I thought it was such a good idea.

A second more sultry read was this one by Stella Duffy

More recently I have just finished this lovely novel by Sally Vickers.  I loved the gentle denouement of the story set against the backdrop of this beautiful Cathedral.

A tatty read, because I picked it up from a Charity Shop, in Mallorca, having run out of books, was A Parrot in the Pepper Tree by Chris Stewart.  As it was set in Spain and also having read his previous book: Driving over Lemons, found it an enjoyable read to pass the hours and to finish off at the airport and plane coming home.