Discover my Cosy Crimes & Historical Sagas

Discover my Cosy Crimes & Historical Sagas

Saturday, September 27, 2008

Summer Jollies 2008

Back from a wonderful holiday in Portugal where I devoured the following books and heartily recommend them all.

Bare Faced Lies and Boogie Woogie Boasts by Jools Holland
A great autobiography of one of the nicest men in the music biz. There wasn't enough scandal or gossip, though. 8/10.

Michael Tolliver Lives by Armistead Maupin
If you were in Portugal and saw a lady of a certain age in tears as she turned the last page of this book, that was me. A fantastic read. 10/10

The Importance of Music to Girls by Lavinia Greenlaw
An autobiography of an ordinary girl written through the music soundtrack to her life. Interesting but not great with a cover that promised more than the book delivered. 7/10

What Was Lost by Catherine O'Flynn
A fantastic first novel and well deserved winner of the Costa award. Highly recommended even if it did take two days and a nightmare to get over it. 9/10

45 by Bill Drummond
What's not to enjoy in the autobiography of the lead singer of the KLF and the guy who burned a million quid? A wonderful read with more gossip than Jools Holland dished out in his book. 9/10

Spook Country by William Gibson
The godfather of cyberpunk does it again. His female heroines are the best. A cracking story, loved it to bits. "A masterpiece" said the Guardian review. I agree. 9.5/10

Worldwide Adventures in Love by Louise Wener
The author was the lead singer with Sleeper and she's now a cracking novellist. Her finest to date, it had me in bits at the end. 9/10

The Paradise Trail by Duncan Campbell
The author is a Guardian journalist and this is his first novel. I started reading this story about hippies, journalists and murder on the plane journey home and so far, so very good indeed. Looks set to be at least 8.5/10.

5 comments:

KAZ said...

(Makes a note of books for later)
Books weigh a lot.
Did you have to pay a baggage supplement?

Glenda Young said...

The trick is to take them all on as hand luggage in your backpack and this leaves room in your suitcase for the gin bottles.

Steve said...

That's a lot fo reading, Nora. Did it rain over there too?

Old Cheeser said...

So much holiday reading you bookworm, you! Interesting you gave Michael Tolliver Lives 10/10, I'd heard it was a bit of a disappointment after the Tales of the City books, but I still wanna give it a go. Recommended, Nora?

Glenda Young said...

No way is it a disappointment. Not one bit. Read it and weep.

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...