You might know that I’ve been doing an awful lot of library borrowing in recent months. Sixteen local libraries (Fife) are under threat of closure and I and lots of other people have been doing a bit of campaigning to try to get at least some of the libraries a reprieve. I’m concentrating on Glenwood, Markinch and Falkland as those are the ones nearest me. I’ve been to all three of them this week and my library haul is:
1. The Lady in the Tower by Alison Weir
2. Smut by Alan Bennett
3. The Catherine Wheel by Patricia Wentworth
4. A Particular Eye for Villainy by Ann Granger
5. Snare of the Hunter by Helen MacInnes
6. Peter Wimsey Investigates the Late Scholar by Jill Paton Walsh
7. Bertie’s Guide to Life and Mothers by Alexander McCall Smith
8. Scotland’s Hidden History by Ian Armit
Jack has also borrowed books:-
First World War Poems chosen by Andrew Motion,
The Fires of Autumn by Irene Nemirovsky
21st Century Science Fiction edited by David G Hartwell and Patrick Nielsen Hayden
and The Untouchables by John Banville (which he actually has a copy of but not read yet and only borrowed to boost the numbers.)
I haven’t read anything by Ann Granger before but the librarian likes her writing, nor have I read anything by Alan Bennett, but I’ve enjoyed his work on TV. Scotland’s Hidden History by Ian Armit is the only non-fiction book and it’s about the many Neolithic tombs, stone circles, brochs, hillforts, standing stones, Viking graves and such which are scattered all over Scotland.
I intend to read them all, it seems like cheating to take books out of the libraries and not read them – just to put the reader statistics up – but at this rate I’ll definitely have to stop buying books as my own unread books just keep piling up!
Have you read any of these book and if so what did you think of them?
PS. If you want to see photographs of the Falls of Dochart which we visited with Peggy and Evee in May then hop over to Jack’s blog.
I’m saddened to hear of your libraries under threat, but pleased to see how people are stepping up in support! I haven’t read any of those books but I have read several by Nemirovsky and loved them. I’ll have to look for The Fires of Autumn, hadn’t heard of that one. Good luck with the libraries!
Karen K,
Thanks. I suspect that ‘they’ have put more libraries on the at risk list than they had to and so we’ll manage to keep at least some of the libraries open, and we will be supposed to feel grateful to ‘them’ – and ‘they’ll’ say – give yourselves a pat on the back. But we really can’t afford to lose any libraries, especially in rural village locations. I agree about Nemirovsky, lovely writing although she obviously used her selfish mother for copy – maybe just a wee bit too often!
I know I read several MacInnes books back in the 1960s, but they don’t appear on my Books Read list. I’ve read about a dozen Wentworths. I read and liked Bennett’s The Uncommon Reader. I started one of McCall Smith’s Lady Detective Club books but didn’t like it and didn’t finish it. I thought I’d read Weir’s The Princes in the Tower, but that’s not on my list either. Does it count if I just think I read a book?!
Joan,
NO! You know you have to read it! But I know what you mean, I’ve just discovered that I haven’t read a Rumer Godden book which I could have sworn I read in the 1970s. I read quite a few Helen MacInnes books in the 1970s. I saw the Lady Detective McCall Smith ones on TV and only watched one episode so I never bothered trying the books. I like his Scotland Street series though, set in Edinburgh – you should give them a go but they should be read in order.
I am not sure whether Smut is the right book to start off with if you have never read any Benett before. I would go with The Uncommon Reader, which I adored.
I never much got on with AMS 44 Scotland Street, they did not capture me as much as the No 1 Ladies Detective, not sure why? It’s been a while since I have read one, so will look one out now.
Jo,
I’ve just finished reading Smut so I know what you mean! I’ll definitely look out for The Uncommon Reader though.
I didn’t fancy the setting of No 1 Ladies Detective – too hot for me! On the other hand I know all the locations mentioned in the Scotland Street books which adds to them I think.
I’m involved in a campaign against the planned closure of our local library (unless we all volunteer to run it ourselves). We’ve gone as far as a judicial review so we have a High Court hearing next month. It’s a ton of work but i couldn’t just sit back and let it happen. Good luck with your endeavours
Karen Heenan-Davies,
That’s very interesting. We have yet another meeting to attend in early October, but otherwise nothing much seems to be happening. It’s all the wee rural communities which are set to lose their libraries, the places that have very little in amenities anyway, so can least do without a library. I don’t think anyone here has thought of having a High Court hearing, maybe further down the line that could be a possibility.