Pandora’s Breeches is a brilliant study of women in science during the Enlightenment. Fara effortlessly dismantles the ‘great man’ approach to scientific history by introducing the women, and for that matter all the other people, who were involved in the scientific breakthroughs of the Enlightenment. From the glittering intellectual Emelie du Chatelet to the painfully self-abnegating …
Little blog, are you ok? It has been so long since your last post you probably thought I had entirely forsaken you. I can only apologise and, to be honest, tell you that I ran off with Neal Stephenson and was then seduced by the Easter sunshine. I’m sorry your writer is so fickle. But, …
This is not a book that would pass the Bechdel test. Set in Nigeria, the book revolves around Baba Segi, his four wives and their children. It begins with Baba Segi’s frustration that his fourth (and only educated) wife, Bolanle, has not yet borne him a child. Segi’s sense of masculinity is so tied up with …
My very good friend’s daughter is obsessed with owls. E and I are going to visit next week and were trying to think of good owl related gifts when E remembered that one of her favourite books as a kid had been the Two Hoots. It soon became apparent that there would be tears before …
The last time I tried to read the Kite Runner I made it as far as page 41 which ends with the line “…that was the winter Hassan stopped smiling.” at which point I decided that the rest of the story was clearly downhill from there, decided to cut my losses and went in search …
This is a little gem of a book. I don’t think there is a single page in this brilliant summary of mad, quirky psychology experiments that doesn’t have something fascinating written on it. In fact, I’m going to put that to the test by writing this review by randomly flicking to 4 pages and telling …
This book left me with a lingering sense of loss and a burning desire to read Great Expectations. This is a book about the power of stories and the way great stories help us to understand the world. It is also about what makes people part of a community, and how communities behave when they …
So, we now make our first foray into the world of geology. E studied geology at university and books about rocks still muddy our bookshelves. I keep telling E we should keep them on the mantlepiece, next to the lava lamp, but she is never magmanimous on this matter. So, I was trying to think …
I’m not generally one for military history, but this is a little gem of a book. It charts the development of photographic intelligence in World War II and is chock-full of anecdotes that take it beyond the usual “and then we went here and killed people, then we developed new ways of killing people, and …
The book is a deeply satisfying dive into 1930s theatreland, a great mystery to puzzle through and a great read. The book opens with Josephine Tey, murder mystery novelist, (a character based on one of the pseudonyms of Elizabeth Mackintosh) on a train down from the Highlands to London where her hit play Richard of … Continue reading
Round About A Pound A Week is an in-depth record of how low-income families in Lambeth managed to keep house and home together with only about £1 a week. It follows a four-year study by the Fabian Women’s Group which recorded the daily budgets of about 30 families between 1909-1913. As a book, it is … Continue reading
Dark, brutal and raw. This is a young adult novel for young adults with a lot of spine. The story takes place on a spaceship called the Australia. The people on the ship have no knowledge of where they are going or hope of leaving the ship. They just know that they can’t go back … Continue reading
E and I recently redecorated. It involved taking all the books off the shelves and painting behind the bookcases. So…all the books were just lying there…and it just seemed like the right thing to do! Perfect for curling up with a good book.. Continue reading
Fix yourself a bowl of popcorn, settle in an armchair, leave cynicism at the door and devour this adrenaline-fuelled, conspiracy-driven novel. This isn’t high literature, but if you want a hapless hero, plots within plots and a dose of mathematics/magic then this is the novel for you. The story begins when hapless Henry Barnett, middle-aged, … Continue reading
I’m conflicted about this book. At first I assumed that it was written for a teenage audience, which it seems perfectly suited to, until I got to the first sex scene which was perhaps more graphic than I would expect for that genre. And then the second sex scene and then… well, let’s just say that … Continue reading
Ah, Holly Golightly, you ephemeral charmer. And poor Fred, you stood no chance of pinning her down. I started this book in bed with a headache and by the end I was right as rain. It could be down to the paracetamol, but I think it is more likely that the power of good storytelling … Continue reading
Is there anything lovelier than a friend opening their bag and saying “I saw this book and thought of you.”? And is there anything quite like the alarm and confusion you feel when the book they cheerfully withdraw is called “Crap Taxidermy”? Actually, there is something exactly like that sense of alarm and confusion. It … Continue reading
I was addicted to Roald Dahl as a child. Matida, the BFG, Esio Trot, Danny the Champion of the World – every one a classic and a fond memory. Snozzcumbers, anyone? My parents have a memory of looking back into the backseat of the car on a very long journey when it had been ominously … Continue reading
Well, this book does exactly what it says on the tin. When I picked it up, I assumed that the contents would not be purely scatological, but would provide a more general guide to outdoor survival, but, no. This is 100 pages outlining in great detail exactly what one should do in nature when nature calls. … Continue reading
Moby Dick is a classic story of heroism, mental anguish and disaster on the high seas. In this beauti fully researched book, Philbrick follows the history of the Essex, the original whaler that the Moby Dick story was based on. I loved this book because as well as following the story of the ship it … Continue reading
I loved this book. You’ll know by now that my inner history geek is strong, but this really is fascinating. Worsley takes us on an entertaining walk around the history of the home starting with the history of the bed and ending with the history of the washing up, via the wonders of sewers, a … Continue reading
For me, the question that this book raises, but does not answer, is whether the fear of losing someone you love is worse than actually losing them. This haunting fear runs through all of the main characters in this compelling book as they lose relatives, security, belonging and friendship, constantly having to start again and … Continue reading
I recently wrote a review of Mrs Dalloway that was far from flattering. A number of people strongly disagreed with my view that it is a totally boring book. Indeed, some felt so strongly that the article prompted the first nasty comment on bloggingaroundmybookcase! One of the things I most love about the book blogging world is the … Continue reading
From now on I want to be known as Chonderlos De Laclos. What a lovely name. It just rolls off the tongue. Speaking of tongues, this is a wonderful tale of lascivious debauchery, rampant treachery and scurrilous letter writing. This is another of E’s books but was given to her by the same friend that gave … Continue reading
So…. it’s been a while. I confess dear readers that the relentless pace of reading and blogging was getting to me so I had a little rebellion in May. It all started when I went on holiday taking two weighty tomes with me, and then, when I got to my destination it was all a … Continue reading
Well, this was another adventure on Deep Space 9. Sometimes I long for a book where nothing much happens and they get through the week without impending Cardassian invasion or some other problem that threatens to blow up the Space Station. They are just very lucky to have the ever-resourceful Captain Sisko on hand. The … Continue reading
When I was at University the mother of a very good friend of mine came to visit and we ended up talking about a book we were reading called an Intelligent Woman’s Guide to Socialism and Capitalism by Bernard Shaw. She later sent this (much more slender) book to me with a note suggesting that … Continue reading
It is often said that Brits and Americans are divided by a common language. A friend of mine currently spending 18 months in Washington DC has recently blogged about the linguistic challenges for the Brit abroad. Well, for anyone similarly challenged, here are two books that will prove invaluable. The American Travelmate (Ruth Urbom and … Continue reading
This book is genius. It is a fantastic balance of practical advice, fierce punning and tongue in cheek humour. E bought it as a Secret Santa present a few years ago but then loved it so much she couldn’t bear to give it away. Having now read it, I totally understand. Section 1: Introduction to … Continue reading
Following on from my review of Gaia, yesterday, I thought it was time to review this book of beautiful postcards. These pictures have been chosen for the book because they show both the beauty of nature, but also the impact that humans are having on our environment. Each postcard has an accompanying paragraph. For instance … Continue reading
Well, that was an intriguing read, and much more nuanced than I was expecting it to be. This book is a relic from E’s days studying geology, when they had to engage with this as a possible theory of the world. Lovelock’s premise (which will be the title of my next album) is that instead … Continue reading
A friend of mine recently asked for some recommendations of holiday reads. I love choosing holiday reads. I generally like to go for a balance of something serious, something light, something I’ve been meaning to read for ages, something quirky, a good history and so on. However, when I started this foolhardy challenge to read … Continue reading
In the town of Cicely, Alaska, everyone is awake. In fact, nobody can sleep and, indeed, nobody wants to. The cause of this mass insomnia seems to be sunspot activity and nobody knows how long it will last. In the meantime, with all those extra hours in the day, the residents have taken up letter … Continue reading
Regular readers will notice that my little blog has a brand new look and I wondered what you, dear reader, thought about it. I changed it because it was quite hard for people to find my old reviews on the old layout, unless they wanted to scroll and scroll and scroll. But, on the other … Continue reading
On Friday E and I spent the night at the Natural History Museum in London at a Dinosnores event. It was a brilliant opportunity to explore the museum when it isn’t packed full of people and there were also some great talks, a comedy show and a gin tasting! All of which is relevant because it … Continue reading
Well, this was very exciting! A Deep Space 9 book that totally breaks with the usual formula! I was on tenterhooks all the way through. I never thought I would say it, but this was actually a gripping read. It starts with Sisko and Kira watching a new starship being built on Bajor. Now, as … Continue reading
Portrait of the Artist as a Young Dog is made up of a series of vignettes, apparently loosely autobiographical, that follow young Dylan from childhood to early adulthood before he moved to London. They are beautifully written and absolutely draw you into the life of a young boy and through him to gain a flavour … Continue reading
Dear Mrs Dalloway, could you be more dull?? You’re such a slender tome and yet so tedious. How can you be on lists of ‘top 100 best novels’ when you are so full of nothing happening so very, very slowly? I have been trying to read you for months. I keep picking you up, getting bored, … Continue reading
Sisters in Arms tells the story of women who joined the Queen Alexandra’s Imperial Military Nursing Service in the Second World War. Generally known as ‘QAs’ these women were selected from the higher ranks of society, considered part of the military, held officer rank and nursed on the front line Europe, Africa, the Far East, … Continue reading
I bought this book purely for the scurrilous title. At the time I don’t think I even realised that it was a play rather than a novel, but so it is. It is great fun if you like stories about fashionable society in the eighteenth century inventing gossip, testing each other’s nobility and generally wandering … Continue reading
Well, that was March. We have smashed through the 50 books barrier and are a happy 5th of the way through the reading list for this year. It was a pretty quiet month reading-wise with only 14 books read through but I am hopeful to reinvigorate my efforts in April, particularly by making the most … Continue reading
Guess what? There is a killer on the loose in Deep Space 9!! Who’d’ve thought it? Well, actually this time, in a clever twist on a tried and tested formula, the killer is actually a disease rather than a person. And the millions of people dying are mostly children on Bajor. When the Cardassians (invading … Continue reading
Well, Dear Reader, this is my 50th book this year! We have come a long way since Lamentation in January. So, for the 50th, I have returned to Jeanette Winterson. I have a sneaking suspicion that this book may be cleverer than I am. It felt like a fairly gibberish story to me, but Winterson … Continue reading
Billy Harrow is an ordinary squidologist working in the Natural History Museum in London when their giant squid vanishes. Before he knows what is happening Billy is being hunted through London by a whole range of cults, people with magical powers and some of the most evil assassins known to humanity who all believe, erroneously, that … Continue reading
I think the word “tosh” may have been created specifically so that one day I could use it to describe this book. I wasn’t a fan of the X-Files when it was on TV and this book, based on the series, has done nothing to make me reassess my opinions. The premise of the story … Continue reading
Well, this book does exactly what it says on the tin. It is a workmanlike job, but for me it lacks the enthusiasm I look for in a great history book. There is little joy here in the interesting quirks and tidbits of life that make history so interesting, and consequently, it was a bit … Continue reading
We’ve read a lot of Star Trek books so far this year, so now it is time to test your skills. Could you use everything we’ve learnt so far to make the same decisions as Captain Sisko? Are you a safe pair of hands for the Federation to leave in charge? Do you know your … Continue reading
I can still remember my first Discworld book; I guess I was about 10. My older brother had been reading this book called Pyramids and it seemed impossibly grown-up and mysterious. Being a typical younger sister I, of course, filched it at the first opportunity so that I could read it and be equally mature. … Continue reading
Please don’t be put off by the, frankly awful, cover; this book is actually worth reading. It is quite a fun book about a bereaved almost graduate who flees his finals and ends up accidentally part of a circus. It is full of quirky insights into circus life – the wide gulf between performers and … Continue reading
I think the phrase “rollercoaster of emotion” was invented specifically for this book. As I write these words, having just finished the book, I am a bit of an emotional wreck. I was given this book for free as part of World Book Night in 2011 and, although I had started it, I had never … Continue reading
Happy World Book Day, everyone! Today in schools around the world children will be going in dressed as their favourite characters from their favourite books and celebrating the joy of reading. I am afraid that my workplace is not enlightened enough to encourage such joyously gratuitous fancy-dress, but I can’t help pondering which of my … Continue reading
I’m currently trying to read A Fine Balance, on FictionFan’s request, but it is quite a wide book with very small print, so, in the interim, here is a quick review of a very profound book we own called Eeyore’s Little Book of Gloom. Packed full of bons mot, nuggets of insight and some of your … Continue reading
In memory of Leonard Nimoy, who played Spock in the Star Trek tv show and who died on Friday, I have interrupted our read through of the Deep Space 9 books to bring you the story of Spock’s first voyage on the Enterprise. It is also my first encounter with Spock, or any Vulcan, so … Continue reading
Well, dear reader, what a month it has been. We got off to a bit of a slow start this month and, as a result, we are now about 5 books behind where we should be in this challenge. I need to read 21 per month, but as of the end of Feb, we are … Continue reading
I’ve never watched Twin Peaks, so I have no idea if this book is true to the show, or in any way helpful to those who have watched it. To the uninitiated it is a quick, harmless read that will pleasantly pass an hour or so, but then immediately fade from your memory. So, before … Continue reading
I confess that I may have been motivated to pick this up in response to E’s generally lackadaisical approach to time keeping. It would, at least, give me something to think about while I sit or stand in the cold and rain waiting for her to arrive. But, I have to say, this was one … Continue reading
There are few things worse than being a teenager, but one of them is clearly being a teenager living in Brookside Close. Beth’s journals contain melodrama by the bucket-load. Dollops and dollops angst, bad decisions growing on bad decisions. It was altogether quite an exhausting read! The story will be familiar to anyone who watched … Continue reading
In many ways, King Solomon’s Mines was the Star Trek of its day. A voyage into unknown lands, discovering mysterious, alien people, slaughter on an unimaginable scale and a strict adherence to British ethics and values: it has all the hallmarks of any good Star Trek book. The story begins with a chance meeting between … Continue reading
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