[mumofstig]

With the change of season upon us, I thought this might interest some of us, especially through the colder months, when there isn't much gardening going on.
Tell us about your favourite books, new ones you have just bought to read, quotes, poetry (yours or published) you get the picture 

Your starter for 10 which seems apt here. (Remember Bamber Gascoigne?)

"The person, be it gentleman or lady, who has not pleasure in a good novel, must be intolerably stupid."
Jane Austen - Northanger Abbey.


Over to you...

[MrsPea]

 What a lovely idea, Well my husband unbeknown to me got me 'In the shadow of the rising sun' by Olga Henderson.  Surviving A Prisoner of war Childhood. A very good read i can not leave it alone.
 Appartently she was on the One Show sometime this year, hubby new i liked those sort of books, i enjoyed
 Ann Frank as well.

[Growster...]

Chatting with Mrs Growster earlier this year, 'A town like Alice' by Nevil Shute was mentioned several times as one of our favourite books, and indeed, a quick foray into 'World of Books' and 'Music Magpie' found a copy, and while we were on, I selected a few more for good measure, they were going to cost peanuts!

We both went through 'A town like Alice' in a few days, and were hooked - for the second time!

I first read the story in exactly one day, as I'd refused to move an inch in bed - except for mercy visits - to avoid the impending nasties from mumps! I'd never been so absorbed in a book that quickly before!

The next ones by Nevil Shute have just got better and better, with 'Round the bend' being excellent,'The Far Country' turning out to be a fantastic, emotional yarn, and recently, I finished 'Trustee from the Toolroom', which in my opinion must be one of the best books I've ever read! I was even dreaming about the plot during the only night between starting and finishing the story, and while there was the lingering considered inkling of the outcome, there were so many surprises in the second half that I just couldn't put it down!

I think I've got three more before I've read the lot...

[Goosegirl]

Looking through my "library" and not including garden books, I have decided to choose Winnie the Pooh for starters. Loved it as a child but, on reading it again not long ago, it's quite deep and there's more to it than one would have realised in earlier years. Poor morose Eeyore, but look how his friends rally round him when his tail comes off. They just love him for what he is. A lesson to be learnt in life. Hunting the Woozle is just a supreme example of two pals doing something so silly but in total innocence at the same time. How often have we been there, well, I think I'm near or at the front of the queue! 

I've also read the book about Spinalonga the leper colony which I have visited twice and it is a beautiful yet wistful place as so well portrayed in the book.

[Goosegirl]

MOS - fabulous choice of topic and I promise not to do too many replies!  Here's my poem about our dear late cat called Spikey.

"Spikey's a cat. A dog he's not.
He hunts all night then he sleeps a lot.

Spikey's a tom because he's male.
He is twelve and so is his tail.

Spikey is big. He's got big claws.
He sticks them out of the end of his paws.

Spikey is black. His eyes are yellow.
He really is a splendid fellow."

[wighty]

I'm' clearing    out our bookshelves as we are downsizing, four bed  etc, etc, to something smaller.   I've re-read all my Mauve Binchy's, keeping them, the Jilly Coopers  can go, don't know why they were the books 'I had to have'.  All of my Trisha Ashleys are staying  as are the Erica James'.  Don't you dare remove any of T.P.'s books or I will set  Chrsyophrase on you. (Don't think I've spelt his name right, hope he'll forgive me).

[Yorkie]

I can really highly recommend Brian Bilston, a poet. His poems are short, sometimes humorous and sometimes thought-provoking.

I bought his "Days like these" book for my Mum - its subtitle is "An alternative guide to the year in 366 poems". She is loving it.

Perhaps a present for someone for their birthday or approaching other festival?

[Goosegirl]

Bill Bryson is good for a laugh and a read about his views as to where he is and what he thinks of it. The Appalachian trail one is especially interesting and there is a film about it starring Robert Redford and Nick Nolte with Emma Thompson.
Alan Bennett is a different kettle of fish. His "Talking Heads" DVDs are superb. I have his memoirs in a book where he mentions his mum being put into a mental institution which was Lancaster Moor Hospital where I used to work in the lab next door to the mortuary. When his mother died there, he describes the pathologist to a T. His name was Doctor Beeson and I worked with him. A more intelligent person you couldn't wish to find but he had a rather cadaverous face which Alan Bennett found rather un-nerving.

[Goosegirl]

Ok, another poem from me just to stimulate this thread - yeah right! 

Peek-a-boo!
I can see you hiding over there.
No-one else can see you
It’s not fair!

I tried to tell them yesterday.
Oh! What an altercation.
Because you beggers went and hid
They upped my medication.

Don’t think you’ve got away from me.
I put my pills in matron’s tea!

[Growster...]

We've both been through all the Patricia Cornwell books over the last year or so! There's a new one out now, which looks pretty good! The Scarpetta Novels are all fabulous reading!

[Goosegirl]

I've also read them but, if I've got the right one, isn't she the one with the irritating know-it-all daughter or niece?

[jaydig]

One of my all time favourite books is "Winterdance" by Gary Paulsen.  It's only a smallish book, all about deciding to run the Iditarod, the gathering of the motley dog team and the trials, tribulations and successes of a tough journey. No other book has affected me so emotionally, one minute laughing until it hurt and the next in tears.  I have read it over and over and will never part with my copy.

[Growster...]

I've also read them but, if I've got the right one, isn't she the one with the irritating know-it-all daughter or niece?

Yes, that's the one!

Trouble is, she's started writing in the first person present, (not sure if there's such a term), which is sometimes irritating - I may just get it from the library and see what happens!

Mrs Growster is currently devouring all Rebecca Shaw's books - again...

[Goosegirl]

Try Tess Gerritsen because I got a couple of books from the local library and found they were really good, well written and weren't all the same repeated crimes re-hashed.

[Growster...]

Try Tess Gerritsen because I got a couple of books from the local library and found they were really good, well written and weren't all the same repeated crimes re-hashed.

Many thanks, I'll ask her!