Reading Log: March-May

Despite all the difficulties I had during my steady decline between March and May, I managed to continue reading fairly steadily - sort of. Rather than trying to work out exactly when I read each book, I'm going to do a single post covering the three months. I'm sure there will be some omissions, but this should be the bulk of it I think...

Stolen by Ann-Helén Laestadius

This novel captures the ongoing fight the Sami people face in trying to get the Swedish state to recognise crimes against their animals as hate crimes rather than vandalism. Elsa, a young Sami girl, is a witness to the killing of her reindeer by a local Swede; despite this being just one of a whole series of such acts over many years, the local police fail to take action. The impact on Elsa, her community, and the wider society of both this violence and the hatred and prejudice behind it is clearly articulated here. Not a cosy, comfortable read, but an excellent book.

Finn Family Moomintroll by Tove Jansson [audiobook]

This was a bedtime story audiobook for me - Hugh Dennis's narration is of course top-class (although I was very amused by some of his accent/voice choices!). Absolutely timeless classic.

The Moomins and the Great Flood by Tove Jansson

This is a late-published, early story of the moomins, telling of how Moominmamma and Moomintroll find their way to Moominvalley. While looking for the small moomin's father who has (for unknown reasons) gone on ahead of them, they discover a land of sweets, a tulip fairy, and other wonderful creatures. The illustrations are plentiful, in the author's distincitve style, and just add to the delightful riches of this rather short story.

Swallowdale by Arthur Ransome

Peter Duck by Arthur Ransome

Winter Holiday by Arthur Ransome

Coot Club by Arthur Ransome

I've continued to enjoy discovering the Swallows and Amazons series, and only wish I'd read them as a child! They beautifully capture the freedom of (privileged, middle-class) rural childhood in the 1920s-30s, as the gang explore hidden valleys, sail to distant islands, trek to the 'north pole', and sail the Norfolk Broads. Simply delightful.

Wifedom by Anna Funder

Ostensibly a biography of Eileen O'Shaughnessy, George Orwell's wife, this book actually also highlights the way in which women are so often overlooked or completely omitted from their famous husbands' biographies. While the details of conversations between Eileen and others are obviously fictionalised, the overall framing is based on facts and detailed research. Despite never having read any Orwell since Animal Farm when I was in high school, this was a very interesting read, and made me consider what other biographical gaps are simply glossed over.

Maskerade, Feet of Clay, Hogfather, Jingo, The Last Continent by Terry Pratchett

The Discworld re-read continues... Hogfather, Jingo, and the Last Continent are definitely not my favourites, but were still enjoyable enough, with some delightful moments in each.

The Secret Book Club by Shauna Robinson [audiobook]

Maggie has agreed to look after her friend's bookshop in Bell River for a few weeks, but soon discovers that all her ideas can come to nothing due to the restriction on what she's allowed to sell. Rather than giving up, she risks everything by setting up a secret book club - but can she keep it secret, and will she be able to save the bookshop and her friends? Fun, lighthearted - nothing earthshattering, but a perfectly pleasant listen.

188 Words for Rain by Alan Connor

This is a somewhat damp journey round the British Isles, with a brief detour into the Irish Republic, looking at the way rain is described in each region. Nicely written, easy to read, with fun explorations of the etymology of local names and phrases for the wet stuff. Whether it's raining stairrods, cats and dogs, or just mizzling, this is a good one to dip into.

Tranorna flyger söderut by Lisa Ridzén

This was a somewhat speculative request for my dad to pick up for me in Sweden; it was on a list of 'if you liked these, you might like this' kind of things, and looked worth a try. And oh boy am I glad I did! On the faee of it, it's quite a simple book - it's mostly written as the inner thoughts of Bo, an elderly man who lives alone with his dog, interspersed with brief notes from his carers. His wife has dementia so is living in a care home, and despite the carers who come in to look after him several times a day, he is very lonely. When their son, Hans, says that the dog needs to be rehomed as Bo cannot look after him properly, Bo is devastated.

In his thoughts, Bo remembers his own childhood with an abusive father, his relationship with his wife, and reflects on his relationship with Hans, as well as describing the frustration he feels with the increasing limitations of his own body.

Supremely moving, beautifully written. An absolute must-read - and is now published in English as When the Cranes Fly South.

The Offing by Benjamin Myers

Another great pick by my book club. It took me a while to get into the story, but the writing was vividly captivating right from the start. From the blurb it sounded as though it could be horribly cliched, as 'tender story of love and friendship between a teenage miner and an eccentric older woman' as Waterstones website describes it, but fortunately this is a rather misleading summary and it stays well away from the obvious potential pitfalls.

Mrs Potter Calling by A J Pearce

The third book in the 'Dear Mrs Bird' series. The Second World War continues, and Emmy is still loving her work on the Women's Friend magazine. Until, that is, a new owner takes over and wants to change everything. Emmy and her colleagues try to keep putting a brave face on, and hope for the best, but when a personal tragedy hits her too, Emmy will struggle to manage both home and work.

I'm really enjoying this series - they're clearly rooted in the reality of wartime, but without either glorifying it and making heroes of everyone, or getting bogged down in difficulty and misery.

Purchases (oh gosh, I'm sure I've missed lots off here as this doesn't seem many at all - especially as three of them were for my book club reads!):

The Baby Dragon Cafe by A T Qureshi

The Offing by Benjamin Myers

James by Percival Everett

Crusoe's Daughter by Jane Gardam

The Siege by Ben Mackintyre

Not-quite purchases as they were given to me, but I was expecting to pay for:

Tranorna flyger söderut by Lisa Ridzén

Mord under solen del 1: Ett fall på Capri by Anders de la Motte

Kärlekens Idioter by Emma Hamberg